The more Nan Zhiyun was like this, the more worried Yu Jingchen became that something would go wrong. Looking at the little girl in his arms, leaning against him in silence, quiet and still, he couldn't put his heart at ease.
"The Empress Dowager will be fine. Gu Yin said he would find a way. You know Gu Yin's abilities, so you must believe him. He will surely be able to make the Empress Dowager recover." Yu Jingchen brought it up himself. He didn't want Nan Zhiyun to overthink things or imagine the worst. He especially didn't want her to pretend to be good and make him think she was fine, just to dismiss the idea of aborting the child and to alleviate his worries.
Indeed, when Yu Jingchen spoke these words, Nan Zhiyun's listless eyes finally showed a flicker of emotion.
"The Empress Dowager will be very well. She still needs to accompany Yun'er. It's Yun'er's first time being a mother, and she's worried. She'll need to help Yun'er take care of the baby." Yu Jingchen nuzzled Nan Zhiyun's head with his own, coaxing her like a child.
"Yun'er, be good. Let's not worry. Everything will get better… Whether it's your father or the Empress Dowager, they share a common wish: for you to be happy and healthy. The people they worry about the most is you. So Yun'er, you must be well and not let them down, will you?" Yu Jingchen was incredibly patient.
"I don't have a father anymore," Nan Zhiyun's voice was very small, but Yu Jingchen heard it clearly.
"I will be with you, I will accompany Yun'er for a lifetime," Yu Jingchen said. Nan Zhiyun didn't speak further. Before long, Chunhua returned with the freshly brewed medicine.
Yu Jingchen took the bowl. "Drink your medicine, okay?" he asked tentatively.
"Mmm…" Nan Zhiyun agreed after a brief moment of silence. Yu Jingchen smiled and fed Nan Zhiyun the medicine. The medicine wasn't bitter, so Nan Zhiyun wouldn't suffer as much.
After finishing the bowl of medicine, Yu Jingchen put it back. Nan Zhiyun snuggled into his embrace, motionless.
"Would you like to rest for a while? Sleep a little. Otherwise, you'll be too tired. You'll feel better after sleeping." They say pregnant women are prone to sleepiness. He wanted to coax Nan Zhiyun to sleep first.
"Mmm." Nan Zhiyun was like a puppet. Whatever Yu Jingchen said, she just stared blankly. Yu Jingchen saw this, his heart aching with sorrow and helplessness.
Yu Jingchen held Nan Zhiyun in his arms, coaxing her to sleep. Only when Nan Zhiyun gradually fell asleep did he gently place her on the bed.
Today's events were not over, and Yu Jingchen would not let it go easily. After Nan Zhiyun fell into a deep sleep, he left first. The woman who had spoken recklessly earlier was brought in.
Yu Jingchen looked at her with disgust and immediately ordered, "Speak carelessly. Slap her face to remember your lesson." He sat down in front.
Before the woman could beg for mercy, she was restrained. Slaps rained down on both sides of her face, and soon, her entire face was battered.
"Not enough. Continue," Yu Jingchen said, dissatisfied. The palace attendants dared not disobey. The wooden board in their hands made cracking sounds. However, no one dared to stop until Yu Jingchen gave the word.
The woman's face was completely unrecognizable, almost entirely destroyed. A large portion of her teeth had been knocked out, and she had already fainted.
"Splash her with salt water, freshly heated. When she wakes up, continue. If you can't hit her face anymore, hit the back of her hands. Break the bones in her hands," Yu Jingchen said without mercy.