Yu Jingchen offered no reminder and said nothing else. He picked up the papers Nan Zhiyun had just been copying. Had she really been copying for so long, only to finish a few pages? At this speed, she wouldn't finish even if given another night. If the punishment he had proposed were to be carried out, she might actually be beaten to death.
However, Yu Jingchen didn't rush to say anything. Instead, he began to examine the papers Nan Zhiyun had copied that day. He hadn't known what Nan Zhiyun was writing until then, and… when he saw it, his face darkened.
He slapped the Xuan paper onto the table, his hand following suit. The force was so great that the table trembled. Nan Zhiyun flinched, startled. She had no idea why Yu Jingchen had suddenly erupted in such fury again.
"Are these the mistakes you wrote?" Yu Jingchen asked.
"Yes..." Nan Zhiyun replied. Wait? She could speak again? But before she could feel any joy, she was paralyzed by Yu Jingchen's rage.
"Tell me, what did you do wrong?" Yu Jingchen threw the papers onto the ground.
"...This concubine should not have lied to Your Majesty about going to Ci'an Palace, nor should she have remained there." Nan Zhiyun had managed to recall this after much effort, thinking it might count.
Hearing her words, Yu Jingchen's anger flared. He had asked her to think of the mistakes she made today, and after more than an hour, all she could come up with was this?
"You are indeed capable. Copy it all again, now!" Yu Jingchen lost his temper. Nan Zhiyun had no idea where she had gone wrong, and now she had to copy it all again?
"I implore Your Majesty to enlighten me..." Nan Zhiyun kowtowed.
"What use is it for me to tell you? Think for yourself. If I am not satisfied, you will write it again." Yu Jingchen threw away all the papers she had just copied.
Nan Zhiyun had spent so long copying, only for it all to be discarded. She genuinely didn't know what she had done wrong. How was she supposed to find ten mistakes?
Nan Zhiyun felt deeply wronged but dared not speak, so she could only suppress it. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she held them back.
"Yes..." Nan Zhiyun sniffled, afraid to cry out loud.
Yu Jingchen did not expect her to cry over this, and was displeased. "Lift your head," he commanded.
Nan Zhiyun slowly raised her head. Her eyes were already brimming with tears, a hint of forbearance in them. Her pathetic appearance was heart-wrenching. Yu Jingchen paused for a moment upon seeing Nan Zhiyun like this, but quickly suppressed the fleeting emotion.
"Why are you crying? Compared to before, this is already showing you a lot of leniency. How dare you cry? We haven't even settled the accounts for today, and you can't even endure this small punishment?" Yu Jingchen said with a cold expression. Nan Zhiyun remained silent, unable to stop herself. She felt an overwhelming sense of sadness and injustice.
Seeing her silent, Yu Jingchen's temper flared. Fortunately, Xing Lai, who was nearby, was exasperated. What were these two doing? Your Majesty, couldn't you speak without being so hurtful?
"Your Majesty, it's getting very late. Shall we rest now?" Xing Lai broke the awkward silence. At the same time, he admitted he had deliberately said this. He wanted to see if His Majesty could really sleep with Consort Shu copying here.
"Extinguish the candlelight," Yu Jingchen ordered.
Hearing this, Nan Zhiyun's heart tightened. She was afraid of the dark. In the past, Yu Jingchen hadn't stayed the whole night, and didn't visit often, so Nan Zhiyun always slept with a candle lit, at least one in the room.
"Your Majesty, Consort Shu still needs to copy. If the lights are out..." Xing Lai had said this deliberately.
"There's no place inside. Get out and copy. I see the courtyard is fine," Yu Jingchen was in a fit of temper.
However, Xing Lai knew very well that if His Majesty had truly decided to punish her, this would not be his demeanor. Nan Zhiyun knelt there, like an abandoned child, lost and unsure.
"What are you still kneeling there for? Can't you stand up?" Yu Jingchen felt annoyed just looking at her. Nan Zhiyun looked at the discarded papers on the ground and silently stood up.
"Take all these things away," Yu Jingchen added.
Yu Jingchen had just told Nan Zhiyun to continue copying in the courtyard outside, so she thought he really meant it, and even Xing Lai seemed surprised. Was this for real? Would she really be copying all night? And it was so cold outside!
"Your Majesty, does copying in the courtyard require someone to watch?" Xing Lai probed indirectly, trying to ascertain if this was truly Yu Jingchen's intention.
"I told you to clear all this away," Yu Jingchen said, agitated. Was what he said so difficult to understand?
"Yes." Xing Lai immediately understood. It meant she wouldn't be copying today.
Nan Zhiyun had been standing nearby, still upset, and hadn't grasped the meaning at all.
"Aren't you tired?" Yu Jingchen looked at Nan Zhiyun, who was still standing there foolishly, and suddenly doubted if there was something wrong with her brain. Why was she always so slow to react, no matter what the matter was?
Hearing this, Nan Zhiyun looked at Yu Jingchen. She was foolish, her eyes still red. Yu Jingchen, no longer wanting to argue, went to rest himself. Nan Zhiyun remained there, still clueless.
Not to mention Yu Jingchen, even Xing Lai felt anxious seeing Nan Zhiyun like this. Consort Shu, have you been scared silly? Don't be so slow.
"My Lady, I will help you to rest," Qian Xia finally understood and proactively offered. Nan Zhiyun's mind was still muddled. Upon hearing Qian Xia's words, she finally looked at Yu Jingchen, who had already walked away.
"I haven't finished copying yet..." Nan Zhiyun felt her hands ache just looking at the papers.
"Oh, my Lady, His Majesty means you don't have to continue copying tonight. It's excused, so you can rest early." Xing Lai was at his wit's end.
Nan Zhiyun only then began to react, perhaps this was the meaning, but she still couldn't believe it. After all, it was too easy for the day to pass like this.
"My Lady, hurry over, or His Majesty will get angry again soon," Xing Lai added.
Nan Zhiyun hesitated for a long time before finally walking over. Yu Jingchen saw her approach but said nothing. What would happen next? Nan Zhiyun began to falter again.
"Are you planning to stand here all night?" Yu Jingchen's cold voice rang out. Xing Lai knew it was bad the moment he heard Yu Jingchen's tone. His Majesty had truly lost his patience. If this continued, he feared an outburst was imminent.