Recalling these, Yu Jingchen regretted it even more. In this life, he absolutely could not repeat the same mistakes. This child... if it could be kept, it would be the best.
But Yu Jingchen was afraid. After all, in the past two lives, the child had not been born safely. He feared this was a predetermined outcome.
Yu Jingchen returned to Nan Zhiyun's side. In just two days, Nan Zhiyun seemed to have reverted to her former self, devoid of light and hope. She was shrouded in gloom, and he had worked so hard to make her radiant again. Now, he feared all his efforts were in vain.
"Yun'er... be well... everything will get better. Trust me, okay? I will be with you forever..." Yu Jingchen suddenly feared that after experiencing this, Nan Zhiyun would return to her old ways.
Yu Jingchen spent every day by Nan Zhiyun's side during this period, not leaving her at all. When he occasionally handled official matters, he did so by her side, even holding Nan Zhiyun in his arms to comfort her.
On the day Nan Su was buried, almost all the citizens of the entire city came to bid him farewell. According to Nan Zhiyun's status, she should not have personally carried the funeral tablet. Perhaps fearing Yu Jingchen's disapproval, and also due to her own condition, Nan Zhiyun did not dare to ask. But given how well Yu Jingchen understood Nan Zhiyun now, how could he not know?
He said to Nan Zhiyun, "If you want to go, then go. I will go with you."
Nan Zhiyun was stunned for a moment upon hearing this. Then, the emotions she had been suppressing for days erupted. She hugged Yu Jingchen and cried.
On the seventeenth day of the third month in the third year of Tian Sheng.
Old General Nan Su's coffin was returned to the mountain. The entire Yuan Kingdom, regardless of age or gender, came to bid him farewell. The old general, who had devoted his life to the battlefield, had sacrificed himself for the Yuan Kingdom and all its people.
He had toiled his entire life, born on the battlefield and living on horseback, facing death countless times and teetering on the brink of life and death innumerable times. The scars on his body were all for the Yuan Kingdom. The name Nan Su was a guardian spirit in the hearts of the Yuan Kingdom's people. But... from now on, he could only be eternally enshrined in their memories.
After this day, Nan Zhiyun fell ill. Yu Jingchen stayed by her side. However, Nan Zhiyun had become very silent. She wouldn't say a word. Every day, she was like a puppet on strings. If Yu Jingchen fed her, she would eat. If he gave her medicine, she would drink it. The rest of the time, she would just sit or lie on the bed, saying nothing.
Yu Jingchen saw all this. He had tried his best to comfort Nan Zhiyun, but it had no effect whatsoever.
Nan Zhiyun appeared very docile, but in reality, she would secretly cry every time. She just didn't let anyone discover it, nor did she dare to. How could Yu Jingchen not know? He had simply never exposed her.
Recently, the atmosphere in Fengyin Palace had been bleak. Everyone in the imperial palace knew that the Empress was in low spirits, which consequently made the Emperor even more terrifying. It was said that in the past few days, the Emperor had executed several people on a whim, including palace maids, court officials, and even other consorts. Everyone became more cautious in their actions, fearing that they might accidentally incur the Emperor's wrath.
Today was a warning. It was said that a palace maid in Fengyin Palace had accidentally broken a vase and was ordered by the Emperor to be beaten. Furthermore, the Empress had a poor appetite today, compounded by her morning sickness, so she hadn't eaten much. The person responsible for the Empress's meals was also punished.