"Let me see in a moment; I'm not at ease. After that, go fetch more ointment," Yu Jingchen's voice was calm. Yet, Nan Zhiyun found it somewhat "terrifying," especially his mention of fetching more ointment, which made her wonder if she was about to be spanked again.
"Your Majesty..." Nan Zhiyun began to tremble again.
"Good girl, it's alright," Yu Jingchen stroked her head.
"You won't hit me anymore... You just said so yourself," Nan Zhiyun, thinking he was about to punish her.
"Yes, I said so. I won't hit you anymore. Rest assured, it's alright. I just want to look at your injuries and apply medicine for you," Yu Jingchen could tell Nan Zhiyun was genuinely afraid.
Hearing Yu Jingchen's words, Nan Zhiyun felt a sliver of relief, but she wasn't sure if Yu Jingchen would still be saying this after seeing the injuries on her body.
Yu Jingchen dismissed the palace attendants, leaving them alone in the room. Nan Zhiyun felt a knot of tension in her stomach as Yu Jingchen began to help her undress. She dared not say anything, fearing further retribution.
Once Yu Jingchen had removed all of Nan Zhiyun's clothes, he finally saw the extent of her injuries. They covered her entire body, with bruises everywhere, some places broken skin, and abrasions.
"Your Majesty..." Nan Zhiyun's heart pounded as she saw Yu Jingchen's expression change.
Seeing Nan Zhiyun's timid demeanor, Yu Jingchen knew he had frightened her.
"Why didn't you tell me? You should have informed me earlier. Your injuries are so severe, and you've been enduring it all? You haven't learned your lesson," Yu Jingchen tapped her head, though his reprimand was not as harsh as before.
"I know I was wrong. I won't dare to do it again. I'll tell you everything from now on..." Nan Zhiyun had truly learned her lesson this time.
"Mm, I'll apply the medicine for you. If it hurts, cry out. Don't endure it silently. And don't bite your lip again," Yu Jingchen instructed her.
"Mm," Nan Zhiyun nodded.
Yu Jingchen gently rubbed her head before starting to apply the ointment.
Yu Jingchen's movements were light and gentle. Nan Zhiyun had expected him to be angry again, but he was surprisingly calm. Still, her backside hurt terribly... His Imperial Majesty had truly been heavy-handed.
"If you had told me about these injuries earlier, you wouldn't have been beaten," Yu Jingchen suddenly said. If he had known about Nan Zhiyun's hidden injuries sooner, he wouldn't have been so severe. This little one kept everything to herself, and in doing so, she had taken the punishment in vain.
Nan Zhiyun blinked, not understanding why having these injuries meant she wouldn't have been beaten. Just moments ago, she had thought she'd be punished again for hiding these injuries from him.
Silence descended upon the room for a while, neither of them speaking. Nan Zhiyun didn't know why Yu Jingchen was so quiet, but she dared not break the silence.
"Next time, you must tell me. Even if you get a scratch or bump yourself accidentally, you have to tell me, understand? This is a one-time exception," Yu Jingchen finally spoke. "Yes..." Nan Zhiyun felt it was a bit of an overreaction, but she agreed nonetheless.
"Alright, the medicine is all applied," Yu Jingchen put down the ointment. Just as Nan Zhiyun was about to rejoice, he pulled her into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry..." This apology came from Yu Jingchen.