Nan Zhiyun’s heart had been uneasy since Yu Jingchen’s actions just now. These storybooks might be insignificant in Yu Jingchen’s eyes, perhaps even useless as he’d once said. She was truly afraid that Yu Jingchen would find another excuse to criticize her again.
In this palace, the only way she could pass the time was probably this. If Yu Jingchen were to order her not to read them anymore, what else would she do all day in the He’an Hall?
“Did the Imperial Household Department shortchange you?” Yu Jingchen suddenly asked. Nan Zhiyun hadn’t reacted yet.
“Have you run out of lamp oil? To make you so thrifty?” Yu Jingchen looked at Nan Zhiyun, who stammered, unsure of what to say.
“If you don’t want lamp oil, just don’t light it,” Yu Jingchen said intentionally. He knew very well that Nan Zhiyun was particularly afraid of the dark. As expected, after Yu Jingchen said this, Nan Zhiyun’s expression changed immediately.
Yu Jingchen knew she was scared. Seeing her expression change, he didn’t say anything further and instead instructed Xing Lai, “Light the lamps.”
“Yes.” Xing Lai moved swiftly and immediately had the lamps lit, making the room gradually brighter.
As Xing Lai had said, the things Nan Zhiyun had copied today had not been put away. He glanced at them without a word, his gaze then returning to her hands. The hand that had been struck still showed a faint redness and swelling, though it wasn’t bandaged.
“You are forbidden to continue copying for five days,” Yu Jingchen issued a peculiar command.
Nan Zhiyun was about to ask but swallowed her words. Any remark she made seemed to be a mistake, so she decided it was better to remain silent.
However, even though Nan Zhiyun didn’t ask, Yu Jingchen spoke himself. “A month is too long. If I let you finish copying now, will you have nothing to do for the rest of the time? You can only start copying again after five days and must submit it to me by the end of the month.”
Nan Zhiyun:… She couldn’t understand. Was forbidding her to copy for the first five days meant to increase the difficulty for her?
Xing Lai:… It would have been better if he hadn’t said anything. Those words sounded like they came from a fool, a futile attempt to cover up something.
Yu Jingchen didn’t think there was anything wrong with his words. He walked over and sat down. Nan Zhiyun stood there, unsure of what to do. It wasn’t until Yu Jingchen said, “Don’t you know how to sit? You weren’t the one being caned today, are you unable to sit?”
Nan Zhiyun remained silent but her feet moved. She sat down at a distance from Yu Jingchen. Yu Jingchen only glanced at her twice and didn’t comment on where she sat.
The room was quiet. Yu Jingchen calmly drank his tea, and Xing Lai brought him some of the books he usually enjoyed reading. Only Nan Zhiyun sat restlessly. Xing Lai could sense her awkwardness and quietly picked up the storybook she had been reading and handed it to her. “Your Highness, if you are bored, why not read a book to pass the time?”
Nan Zhiyun instinctively glanced at Yu Jingchen, but he was engrossed in his own affairs, seemingly not noticing Nan Zhiyun at all. After hesitating, she took the storybook from Xing Lai.
Only after he had moved his gaze away from her did Yu Jingchen look at her, though Nan Zhiyun naturally didn’t notice. They each looked at their own books, neither disturbing the other. Nan Zhiyun had always enjoyed reading such things, but now, with Yu Jingchen present, she couldn’t concentrate, her heart filled with trepidation.
Perhaps sensing Nan Zhiyun’s unease, Yu Jingchen broke the silence after a while. “Have you applied medicine?”
His sudden question caught Nan Zhiyun off guard, and she didn’t realize he was asking about her injuries. It was Xing Lai who reminded her, “Your Highness, His Majesty is asking if you’ve applied medicine to the injuries on your hand and knees.”
“…I have,” Nan Zhiyun replied. She didn’t want to answer. Weren’t these injuries all because of him? Why was he asking now?
“Then rest. Prepare for bed.” Yu Jingchen put down his book. Nan Zhiyun stood up with him, her heart filled with more tension and fear.
It wasn’t just the fear that Yu Jingchen might do something to her, but also the fear that he might extinguish the candlelight. Of course, her greatest fear… was Yu Jingchen himself.
But now, it was not her place to choose. She could only follow him closely. After everything was settled, Nan Zhiyun stood before the bed, hesitant to make her next move.
“Aren’t you sleeping?” Yu Jingchen asked her. Nan Zhiyun dared not speak.
Yu Jingchen, too lazy to bother with her, went to extinguish the lamps. Seeing his actions, Nan Zhiyun clutched her skirt… she was afraid.
However, Yu Jingchen didn’t pause. He efficiently extinguished all but one of the lamps. When only the last one remained, his actions finally stopped.
“What are you looking at? Aren’t you afraid of the dark? Is one lamp not enough?” Yu Jingchen looked at Nan Zhiyun, seeing her nervousness.
Nan Zhiyun’s tense mood slowly eased. She hadn’t expected Yu Jingchen to leave a lamp lit.
“Sleep,” Yu Jingchen repeated.
Nan Zhiyun pursed her lips and walked over slowly, Yu Jingchen following closely behind. Nan Zhiyun lay down on the bed. Her sense of unease hadn’t completely dissipated, as she didn’t know if Yu Jingchen would do something.
Lost in her worries, she didn’t realize that after Yu Jingchen lay down, he fell asleep without any further action. Nan Zhiyun’s emotions slowly calmed. The tension she had felt all day finally eased, and feeling tired, she gradually drifted off to sleep.
After she fell asleep, Yu Jingchen opened his eyes and glanced at her. Perhaps due to being too scared, Nan Zhiyun’s breathing was very shallow even in her sleep.
Looking at her hand, which was exposed, he felt that he had indeed been a bit too rough today. It was still red and swollen, showing no signs of subsiding. He gently pulled the quilt, tucking Nan Zhiyun’s hand inside and covering her.
After doing this, he lay down properly. He had vaguely realized something… his feelings towards Nan Zhiyun seemed different from before… today, he had felt a flicker of reluctance.
Although Yu Jingchen didn’t want to admit it, some things were undeniable. Ever since Nan Zhiyun returned to the He’an Hall from Ci’an Palace, he hadn’t truly been hard-hearted towards her.
He actually disliked this feeling. This feeling made him feel that certain things were slipping out of his control, making him feel unable to manage them. Yu Jingchen, who was accustomed to controlling everything, couldn’t allow it…