Nan Zhiyun looked at the envelope in Xing Lai's hand, and her eyes, like dried water, finally showed a flicker of emotion.
"Is this a letter from my father?" Nan Zhiyun seemed to still not quite believe it. Nan Su rarely wrote letters. After all, his identity was special now, so he was afraid of causing unnecessary trouble and basically didn't write much.
"Yes, General Nan will be returning to the capital soon, so this letter was sent back along with the documents for his return. Perhaps His Majesty was still angry before, so he didn't send this letter. But now, he has sent a servant to deliver it to you." Xing Lai spoke such nonsense with ease.
Nan Zhiyun was a little restless and quickly took the letters. Nothing was written on the envelope. She opened the letter and the handwriting inside was very familiar; it looked like her father's.
However, the letter was not very long, only a few sentences. But upon seeing the first sentence, Nan Zhiyun had already believed it, because only her father would call her "Nannan."
Seeing that Nan Zhiyun believed him, Xing Lai couldn't help but sigh inwardly at His Majesty's excellent strategy. In fact, Yu Jingchen had heard Nan Su call Nan Zhiyun "Nannan" before, and Nan Su had also written letters to Nan Zhiyun in the past, but he had simply not delivered them. This could be considered as returning them.
Nan Zhiyun glanced through it briefly. In fact, there were only a few sentences, all summarizing to one meaning.
"Nannan, do not worry. Father is well. The journey back to the capital this time is long, perhaps half a month. Father will return to the capital and reunite with Nannan."
Xing Lai had not actually seen the contents of the letter, but... he still couldn't imagine their His Majesty writing a letter to Consort Shu in the tone of General Nan. This was truly too unbelievable.
Upon seeing these words, Nan Zhiyun's tears began to fall. In fact, if one counted her previous life, she had not seen her father for several years. When she died in her previous life, her father had just returned, and she had left forever without being able to say a word to him.
Nan Zhiyun had always felt guilty, thinking she was unfilial. After her death in her previous life, how much pain her father must have felt? Her father had told her long ago not to enter the palace, but she hadn't listened to his advice, and in the end, she had brought such disaster upon her family. She was truly a sinner.
"Your Highness need not be sad. General Nan will return soon. This time, General Nan has won another victory. When he returns, he can beg His Majesty for a favor, and His Majesty will surely allow you to reunite." Xing Lai offered words of comfort.
Nan Zhiyun did not reply. Xing Lai was also very tactful and found an excuse to withdraw. When he returned to Zichen Palace, Yu Jingchen was still dealing with the memorials of the day.
"Your Majesty, this servant has delivered the letter. The Consort has also read it, and she believes the letter is from General Nan himself," Xing Lai quickly reported.
"En," Yu Jingchen responded with a simple sound, asking no further questions.
Xing Lai was a little puzzled but dared not ask. However...
"The Consort cried very sadly after seeing this letter," Xing Lai said.
As expected, Yu Jingchen's hand paused slightly, but it was only for a moment before quickly returning to normal.
"This servant guesses that the Consort must miss General Nan dearly. The palace maid serving the Consort today also said that the Consort has been sitting by the window since she woke up this morning, not saying a word, just sitting there blankly, not even eating anything," Xing Lai continued. Upon hearing this, Yu Jingchen finally looked up.
"Who is she putting on this listless act for? Instruct the Imperial Kitchen to send food over, and have someone watch her eat it. If she doesn't eat, I will personally go over and have it all shoved into her mouth." Yu Jingchen seemed to be angry.
"Yes..." Xing Lai knew in his heart that although His Majesty appeared angry, it was clearly because the Consort wasn't eating. His Majesty just couldn't see his own feelings clearly. He sighed, fearing that one day His Majesty would do something he would regret for his entire life.
When the Imperial Kitchen staff heard that it was His Majesty's personal order, they did not dare to be careless and immediately prepared a new meal. However, Nan Zhiyun looked at the table full of food and truly had no appetite. Just thinking about what happened yesterday made her feel nauseous.
"I'm not eating. Take it away," Nan Zhiyun turned her eyes away.
"Consort Shu, this is ordered by His Majesty. If you don't eat, His Majesty will likely be displeased." The servants were also in a difficult position.
Nan Zhiyun refused to respond, her heart feeling heavy.
"Your Highness, you should eat something, at least a little. You won't be able to bear it if you continue like this," Qian Xia also persuaded her.
"I'm not eating, I have no appetite. Take it all away," Nan Zhiyun insisted.
"Consort Shu, please forgive us. His Majesty specifically said that if Your Highness does not eat, His Majesty will personally come to watch you eat later." The servants continued to speak, and they really had no other choice. If Nan Zhiyun didn't eat, they could only resort to citing Yu Jingchen's words.
Nan Zhiyun was annoyed when she heard this. Why did everything about her have to be controlled by him? Why did she have to obey everything just because he was unhappy? Why did he always use such methods and ways to force her to obey?
Yes... he was the emperor, the emperor with great power, the emperor who had the final say, the emperor who was supreme... brutal and fierce, cold-blooded and merciless...
Nan Zhiyun suddenly felt unwilling. She wanted to resist, but... how could she fight him? Weren't the lessons of the past few times enough? The words he spoke in her ear were like a curse, impossible to dispel.
If she angered him again, if she violated his taboos again, touched his bottom line, what would her fate be, what consequences would she bear? But... she was truly unwilling...
"Your Highness, please move," the attendant serving her spoke again.
Nan Zhiyun seemed to have recognized reality and began to compromise. She finally stood up and walked to the table full of food. This table was exquisite and looked appetizing, but Nan Zhiyun truly couldn't eat at the moment, so no matter how delicious it was, it seemed disgusting in her eyes.
The accumulated emotions were about to erupt. Nan Zhiyun finally acted. She overturned the entire table of food. Perhaps it wasn't enough, she desperately smashed things on the table onto the ground. The ground was a mess. She kicked it fiercely with her foot, as if to vent all the anger in her heart.
"Your Highness!" Qian Xia exclaimed, rushing to stop her, but how could Nan Zhiyun listen in her current state?
"Let go of me! Why are you stopping me?!" Nan Zhiyun was like a madwoman, venting endlessly. No one dared to stop her anymore. All the dishes on the table were overturned, and everything on the floor was shattered.
But Nan Zhiyun was still not satisfied. She began to smash other things. The potted plants and decorations in the room, the kettles and teacups, the exquisite ornaments, and even everything on the dressing table were thrown away.
Yu Jingchen had already come this way and happened to hear the commotion inside. He didn't have anyone announce his arrival and walked in himself. He then saw the crazy scene before him. Xing Lai inwardly lamented, it's over. What was Consort Shu doing? His Majesty would probably be angry again soon.
Upon seeing this, Yu Jingchen's face darkened, and a fierce and cold aura surrounded him. Nan Zhiyun was completely immersed in her emotions and didn't notice Yu Jingchen's arrival until she threw a ceramic vase near his feet. Only then did she see that Yu Jingchen was already standing there.
Nan Zhiyun had already realized most of what was happening. Seeing Yu Jingchen looking as if he wanted to eat someone, she immediately quieted down. Her emotions slowly settled, followed by waves of fear.
"Finished smashing?"
"Finished venting?"
"Still have temper?"
"Need to continue?"
"Do you want Me to make more space for you?"
Yu Jingchen's voice was icy, and his eyes held uncontainable rage.
He slowly walked forward, and Nan Zhiyun retreated.
Seeing this, Qian Xia quickly pleaded, "Your Majesty, spare her! The Consort was just momentarily angry. Please, Your Majesty, be merciful!" Qian Xia feared that the Consort would not pass this hurdle easily.
But Yu Jingchen didn't have the leisure to listen. Before Yu Jingchen could speak, Xing Lai quickly said, "What nonsense are you spouting? Guards, take her away?"
Qian Xia was dragged away. Xing Lai sighed inwardly, what a foolish person. He knew she was loyal, but couldn't she see the current situation? She always came out to beg for mercy like this, and if her words stopped being effective, she might lose her life.
Qian Xia was taken away. Nan Zhiyun silently retreated. She already had injuries on her hands, and with her recent actions, she had accidentally cut herself. Also, the shards on the ground, which Nan Zhiyun had ignored and kicked, were now causing her feet to hurt severely, possibly with cuts.
"Scared?"
"Weren't you quite fierce just now?"
"Were the things in the room not enough for you to smash?"
"Where did you get such a big temper to vent?"
"Why are you retreating now? Do you think it's still useful?" Yu Jingchen pressed forward relentlessly.
Nan Zhiyun tried to overcome her fear of him, but she was still panting, entirely due to fear.
"Still retreating?!" Seeing Nan Zhiyun still backing away, Yu Jingchen's anger surged.
Nan Zhiyun trembled all over at his shout. She was now leaning against the pillar behind her, with nowhere else to retreat.
Yu Jingchen's eyes were full of rage, as if he could burn the person before him to ashes in the next moment. Nan Zhiyun clenched her fists.