Yu Jingchen felt a headache coming on. If they truly moved against Nan Su now, then Nan Zhiyun... some changes were beyond his control.
He walked out of the hall alone. Regarding Nan Zhiyun, he felt he needed to reconsider his attitude towards her. He was feeling rather lost.
About an hour later, Nan Su's carriage arrived at the imperial palace. The sky was gradually darkening. After entering the palace, Nan Su was directly led to Zichen Palace. It was evident that he had been rushing his journey.
He carried an air of dust from travel, his face even appearing quite dirty. Nan Su hadn't intended to return so soon, but he later heard that Nan Zhiyun had been injured repeatedly, then became pregnant, and even faced assassination attempts. This was why he had hurried back. He couldn't stop worrying about Nan Zhiyun and had come straight to the capital without delay.
Yu Jingchen waited in Zichen Palace. Seeing Nan Su's unkempt appearance, he was momentarily stunned. Of course, it wasn't because of his dirty face and clothes, but rather his entire demeanor.
Yu Jingchen remembered the Nan Su of the past... the God of War, a guardian deity in everyone's hearts, a heroic figure. Valiant, spirited, majestic, and courageous. But the man before him now... carried more weariness and appeared older. Compared to before, he seemed to have changed greatly.
"This old subject greets His Majesty!" Nan Su's voice boomed like a bell; in this aspect, he had not faltered at all.
Yu Jingchen did not immediately grant him permission to rise, unsure if he had forgotten or for some other reason. Nan Su dutifully maintained his posture of respect, not moving an inch.
"General Nan, there is no need for such formality. Rise," Yu Jingchen's voice was calm. He finally spoke, and Nan Su stood up at the command.
"General Nan, your journey back has been arduous," Yu Jingchen offered a perfunctory greeting.
"It is merely my duty, Your Majesty need not worry." Their interaction seemed tinged with a certain unfamiliarity, or perhaps, "more formality between ruler and subject" would be a more accurate description.
"This time, General Nan has achieved glorious military achievements, and I should reward you. General Nan, you may return and think about it, and then submit your request to me in a couple of days. Today, knowing General Nan was returning, Noble Consort Shu has been waiting for a long time. Why not go in and see her?" Yu Jingchen did not wish to linger on other matters and went straight to the point.
How could Nan Su not miss his only daughter? Upon hearing Yu Jingchen's words, he was naturally overjoyed.
"This old subject thanks Your Majesty for your consideration!" Nan Su cupped his hands in gratitude.
Yu Jingchen waved his hand, and a palace attendant came to lead Nan Su inside. However...
"Your Ladyship is in here?" Nan Su sounded somewhat surprised. This was Zichen Palace; would Yun'er be here?
"Replying to the General, Noble Consort Shu has been waiting for you in Zichen Palace," the palace attendant answered his query, indirectly confirming the truth of the matter. It was impossible for Nan Su not to be surprised, but he said nothing at the moment, merely following quietly inside.
Inside, Nan Zhiyun had been waiting for a long time. She had initially wanted to come out to greet him, but Yu Jingchen had refused her request, citing her leg injury. Nan Zhiyun naturally dared not object.
The moment she saw Nan Su, her eyes immediately turned red. She called out to him, "Father..."
Nan Su, a general of the realm, commanding over five hundred thousand soldiers, couldn't help but shed tears at his daughter's single call of "Father."
When he went on campaign, Nan Zhiyun was still his Nuan Nuan, his only precious daughter. But now... she was married, had become Noble Consort Shu.
His darling treasure, held in the palm of his hand, had endured grievances and humiliation in this imperial harem. His bright and beautiful young daughter had become reserved and cautious, treading carefully with every step. How could he not feel heartache?
"Nuan Nuan, Father is back." Nan Su could no longer contain his emotions. He owed her far too much.
Nan Zhiyun threw herself into Nan Su's embrace. At this moment, she no longer wanted to hold back. Burying her face in her father's arms, she began to cry, unsure if it was from longing or some other reason.
Nan Su gently patted her back. Nan Zhiyun's cries were suppressed yet unrestrained. Yu Jingchen stood outside, hearing the commotion clearly. His palms began to sweat slightly.
But he did not enter. He had promised Nan Zhiyun earlier that he would not disturb their father-daughter moments and would leave them private space. Therefore, after hearing the sounds from inside, Yu Jingchen left directly without any further delay.
Yu Jingchen did not leave Zichen Palace entirely; he merely went to the courtyard outside. It was already August, and if the wind picked up, it could be quite cold.
He stood outside alone. This was the first time he had felt such a peculiar sensation. He couldn't quite articulate his feelings. Nan Zhiyun... these three words lingered in his heart, refusing to dissipate. What should he do?
Yu Jingchen closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation of the wind blowing. The wind had picked up. Looking at the ever-changing weather, it was impossible to predict. It seemed it might rain soon.
Yu Jingchen did not stay outside for too long. He merely instructed the palace attendants to serve him well and ordered the imperial kitchen to send over dinner. As for himself... he walked aimlessly.
It was at this very moment that Yu Jingchen felt a sense of melancholy. He seemed to have nowhere to go. The imperial palace was so vast; there was nowhere he couldn't go, and many places even sought his presence. Yet... after leaving Zichen Palace, he always felt a piece missing from his heart, a lack of belonging.
Or, more accurately, he... seemed unable to leave Nan Zhiyun. Even a brief separation would lead him to think of her involuntarily. What magic did she possess? Yu Jingchen could never quite figure it out.
When did his own transformation begin? It seemed to be after... receiving Nan Su's letter. He had said he was returning to the capital and was willing to relinquish his military power. It was from that moment on that his feelings towards Nan Zhiyun began to change.
In reality... it all came down to the issue of military power. It was a pity that Yu Jingchen did not know that if Nan Su had known earlier that everything would be different once he handed over his military power, he might have done so long ago, without a word, and even been eager to. Compared to Nan Zhiyun, military power was nothing to him. He had never cared about the power he held, especially since his daughter's misfortune was caused by this cold, hard piece of iron.