Upon hearing Gu Yin's words, Nan Zhiyun asked no further questions, as she knew she couldn't change anything. She gave a slight bow and then left with Qian Xia.
Watching Nan Zhiyun's retreating back, Gu Yin stopped what he was doing and the zither music ceased. Out of the city... they were out of the city. How should the rest of the plan proceed?
The zither music began again, and this time it was much more hurried than before...
That afternoon, Nan Zhiyun boarded a carriage from the back gate of the Imperial Tutor's mansion. The carriage did not immediately head for the city gates but circled the capital several times. Nan Zhiyun found this normal, as it wouldn't be realistic to leave directly from the Imperial Tutor's mansion if someone was watching.
Due to Yu Jingchen's imperial decree, the city's defenses had been tightened since last night. As expected, upon reaching the city gate, they were stopped by the guards outside.
"Who is in the carriage? Get out for inspection!" the guards said, not daring to slacken. Nan Zhiyun's heart tightened, and Qian Xia beside her also grew nervous.
The coachman outside said something, and Nan Zhiyun eventually heard the guards shout, "His Majesty has ordered that everyone, regardless of who they are, must be inspected when leaving the city. What about the people in the carriage? Hurry up and get out!"
It was a joke; how could Yu Jingchen's orders be easily bypassed? If even the slightest mistake were made, their heads would likely be forfeit.
Nan Zhiyun was flustered in the carriage. Qian Xia lifted the curtain. "Officer, I'm truly sorry. My young lady has caught a cold these past few days and is not feeling well. She cannot bear the wind. If you need to inspect, please feel free to do so," Qian Xia said.
Nan Zhiyun cooperated by coughing a couple of times. The guards outside were clearly impatient. Just as he was about to say something more, a voice came from behind. When Nan Zhiyun heard this voice, her entire body turned cold.
"If you have a cold, you should rest well. Why are you out traveling?" If this voice wasn't Yu Jingchen's, who else could it be? Nan Zhiyun sat frozen, her hands and feet icy.
"Do you want me to come over?" Yu Jingchen, seeing that she wasn't getting out of the carriage, had a hint of anger in his voice.
Nan Zhiyun was unable to react. Yu Jingchen rode his horse towards them, and a large number of people knelt on the ground. "Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Yu Jingchen ignored the kneeling people and dismounted. "Do you need me to help you down?" His voice sounded as if it were laced with ice shards. Nan Zhiyun wanted to hide, but the carriage was so small; where could she possibly go?
"Come down," Yu Jingchen's voice was soft, but the easier he acted, the more serious the matter became.
Nan Zhiyun dared not get down. Yu Jingchen directly drew his sword and slashed at the carriage curtain and the ropes tethering the horses. Nan Zhiyun was startled on the carriage. The next moment, he twisted his wrist and directly slew the horse, causing a wave of screams to erupt.
"You're coming down, aren't you? You should know what choice is most suitable for you right now." Yu Jingchen warned. This time, Nan Zhiyun dared not hesitate and slowly descended from the carriage.
Yu Jingchen stood by, and seeing Nan Zhiyun emerge, he immediately reached out and pulled her into his arms. Nan Zhiyun resisted slightly, then heard Yu Jingchen say, "Angering me at this moment is clearly not a wise choice. Don't you think so?"
Nan Zhiyun's movements froze. Yu Jingchen looked at her and naturally noticed her fear. "Be good, or I'll make it so you can't even move. Do you understand?" Yu Jingchen was warning her.
Nan Zhiyun looked at him. "What do you want to do?" she asked, her eyes betraying her panic.
"Haven't I told you several times before? Have you forgotten? You're truly disobedient, to do something like this. Where were you trying to go just now? Hmm?" Yu Jingchen's eyes held no trace of softness, but there was a hint of melancholy...
"Didn't you catch a cold? Then go back and rest well. In the palace, the Empress Dowager and your father are very worried about you. Surely you don't want them to worry like this, do you?" Yu Jingchen's every word was laced with threat.
Nan Zhiyun dared not be willful. Yu Jingchen held her tightly. "Last time, I told you not to trust the people around you carelessly. Why didn't you listen again, and it's gotten you into trouble this time? Do you really think he can help you escape, or that he truly wants you to leave?" Yu Jingchen's words were pointed. Nan Zhiyun didn't quite understand, so... was it the Imperial Tutor?
Yu Jingchen showed no intention of explaining. He held her and mounted his horse. Nan Zhiyun was held tightly in his embrace and covered with a cloak.
"Take this maid back. Give her fifty heavy lashes and imprison her in the Ministry of Justice." Yu Jingchen's words made Nan Zhiyun look at him in disbelief. She watched as Qian Xia was led away, wanting to plead for her, but before she could speak, she heard Yu Jingchen say to her, "If you say even one word in her defense, her life will be forfeit. Do you dare to gamble?" Yu Jingchen always knew how to control her, and indeed, Nan Zhiyun's words choked in her throat, unable to come out.
Yu Jingchen delayed no further, riding his horse towards the imperial palace. The entire way, Nan Zhiyun's heart was in her throat. Yu Jingchen looked... this time, it seemed he was truly enraged. She wasn't sure what such a Yu Jingchen might do.
She couldn't help but recall her past life, Yu Jingchen's possessiveness then... Thinking of this, she felt a tremor run through her, a sense of dread.
Perhaps her reaction was too pronounced, as she cowered in Yu Jingchen's embrace. He clearly sensed her trembling. However, Yu Jingchen didn't think much of it, merely assuming Nan Zhiyun was frightened today. But even if she was frightened, what of it? If he let her go easily this time, there would surely be a next time, so he had no intention of softening.
Yu Jingchen's hand moved to her waist, pulling her closer into his embrace, wanting to ease her fear. "We'll talk when we get back. What are you afraid of now?" he said. Nan Zhiyun remained silent. It was quite warm in his embrace, but for some reason, Nan Zhiyun still felt cold...
Soon, they arrived at the imperial palace. Yu Jingchen rode directly to the Zichen Palace. Nan Zhiyun looked at the scenery within the palace, a sudden sense of desolation washing over her. This was once a place she had desperately tried to enter, but now it was a cage she couldn't escape, no matter how hard she tried...
Upon arriving, Yu Jingchen dismounted and carried her down. He then ordered guards to stand watch outside, forbidding anyone from disturbing them, and took Nan Zhiyun alone back to his room.
Nan Zhiyun had been trembling with fear the entire way until Yu Jingchen carried her and placed her on the bed. At that moment, her fear of Yu Jingchen reached its peak, for she could not forget Yu Jingchen's repeated torment in her past life...
Yu Jingchen pressed down on her, gripping her hands and pinning them above her head. "Are you afraid?" Yu Jingchen leaned close to Nan Zhiyun's ear, his warm breath grazing a sensitive spot. Nan Zhiyun couldn't help but tremble.
"Tell me, why did you want to leave? Hmm? Were you leaving with the mindset of never returning, of leaving forever?" Yu Jingchen asked her.
"Let me go..." Nan Zhiyun's voice trembled.
"It's too late. I gave you a chance, but why didn't you listen? The Empress Dowager and Nan Su both knew, didn't they?" Yu Jingchen asked.
"They didn't know. I wanted to leave..." Nan Zhiyun dared not speak. But how could such tricks be hidden from Yu Jingchen?
"You're still lying even now, Nan Zhiyun. Is it because I've indulged you too much? I don't say much about what you want to do normally, but why do you still want to leave? Where would you go if you left? Do you think you'll be safe after leaving?" Upon hearing Nan Zhiyun's answer, Yu Jingchen completely lost control.
"Let me go..." Nan Zhiyun continued to resist, but her strength was utterly insignificant compared to Yu Jingchen's.
Yu Jingchen couldn't hold back any longer and directly tore at Nan Zhiyun's clothes. Nan Zhiyun cried out and kept trying to dodge, but how could she be Yu Jingchen's match? In a short while, Yu Jingchen had torn off all her clothes.
"Nan Zhiyun, you should learn a lesson this time. If you don't listen to me, then I'll have to make you remember forever, so you don't dare to forget. This method is what you loathe and fear, but if it works for you, then I don't mind. Do you understand?" Yu Jingchen's words were laced with cruelty, and Nan Zhiyun shook her head at him, pleading, "No..."
Yu Jingchen reached out and gently stroked Nan Zhiyun's face. "I don't want to, but you're forcing me to do this. What can I do?" he said to her.
"Don't beg for mercy in a moment, don't cry, or else... I'll seal your acupoint of silence and then tie you up. Do you understand?" He didn't want Nan Zhiyun's cries to soften his heart...
"I hate you... I hate you!" Nan Zhiyun erupted. Yu Jingchen felt a pang of pain, but there was no other way.
"Then hate me. You know my methods." Yu Jingchen didn't want this, but Nan Zhiyun was unyielding. Her attempt to escape today had crossed his bottom line. If possible, he even wished he could lock Nan Zhiyun up forever...
Yu Jingchen kissed Nan Zhiyun's neck. Nan Zhiyun's eyes were filled with terror, and she desperately tried to push him away. Yu Jingchen directly grabbed her hands, twisted them behind her back, and then used his belt to bind them.
"Let me go!" Nan Zhiyun roared. The next moment, Yu Jingchen sealed her acupoint of silence. "I already warned you earlier. If you dare to resist again, I'll tie you up and seal your acupoint of silence. You won't be able to move or speak. Did you not take it to heart again? Since you won't listen, let's try this time." Yu Jingchen's movements were not rough, but to Nan Zhiyun, such force was completely ineffective.
Yu Jingchen gently lifted Nan Zhiyun's chin with his hand. "You should feel it properly. After this lesson, will you remember? If you don't remember, then there will be a second, third, or even countless more times. Do you understand?" As soon as he finished speaking, he sealed Nan Zhiyun's lips.
Nan Zhiyun couldn't utter a single word, and her hands were bound. She twisted her body restlessly, tears streaming down her cheeks, soaking the pillow.
Yu Jingchen's hands slid over her body. The cold touch brought back all the terrifying memories. Nan Zhiyun trembled uncontrollably, even her breathing becoming rapid. Yu Jingchen... had awakened Nan Zhiyun's deepest fears of him, yet he seemed completely unaware of it...
Yu Jingchen looked at the small figure beneath him, her face streaked with tears. She was truly afraid... but why, if she was afraid, did she still have the courage to escape? To flee from his side forever, what was she thinking? And how could she bring herself to do it?
If he let her off easily this time, then next time, she would likely be even more reckless.
"You shouldn't have done this... Do you know how I felt when I heard you were missing? Yun'er, why couldn't you just stay put? Haven't I told you before? Also, do you think you could really get away? Without my permission, where did you get that confidence? Gu Yin? Do you trust him that much?" Yu Jingchen spoke to Nan Zhiyun. Gu Yin... he couldn't be left alive. He had crossed his bottom line several times, so he couldn't be kept.
Nan Zhiyun couldn't speak, only her trembling body and the tears in her eyes could reflect her current emotions. Yu Jingchen reached out and gently wiped away her tears. Nan Zhiyun turned her head, and Yu Jingchen acted as if nothing had happened, continuing to wipe her tears.
"Why can't you just be obedient? Is it really that difficult? If you're not good, you're the one who gets hurt in the end, aren't you? Just like now, are you scared? Since you're scared, why didn't you think of such a scene happening when you did this?" Yu Jingchen's tone remained calm, but even such a tone couldn't hide the anger in his heart. But... what could he do?
Yu Jingchen unsealed Nan Zhiyun's acupoint of silence and then released her bound hands. Nan Zhiyun dared not move. Yu Jingchen tidied her hair and held her in his arms. "If you don't want to, we won't continue... This time, it's fine, but I don't want a next time." Yu Jingchen's tone softened considerably. In the end, he lacked the resolve. He... couldn't bear to.
Perhaps a scare would be enough. Nan Zhiyun's body couldn't withstand such torment, and besides... she was truly terrified of such things. So, no matter what, his methods were indeed a bit too harsh and cruel for Nan Zhiyun...