Everything outside had been made ready. Yu Jingchen released Nan Zhiyun and naturally took her hand, their fingers interlacing.
"Let's go," Yu Jingchen said.
Nan Zhiyun did not resist, allowing Yu Jingchen to lead her out. However, just as they were about to step out, Nan Zhiyun began to feel timid.
Yu Jingchen clearly sensed it too. He turned to look at the young girl beside him, "Don't be afraid, I'm here, okay? Trust me." Yu Jingchen coaxed her gently.
Nan Zhiyun pursed her lips. Yu Jingchen tentatively led her forward. Fortunately, Nan Zhiyun did not hesitate this time. Outside, Xing Lai and the others had been waiting for a long time. Seeing the two emerge, they quickly attended to them and helped them into the sedan chair. Yu Jingchen helped Nan Zhiyun into the carriage before getting in himself.
"Prepare the imperial carriage for Ci'an Palace!" Xing Lai roared.
Yu Jingchen's imperial carriage was certainly not comparable to ordinary sedan chairs. Nan Zhiyun sat in it without feeling much bumps. Yu Jingchen gently pulled the young girl sitting beside him towards him, letting her lean into his embrace.
"Lean on me if you get tired," Yu Jingchen said.
Nan Zhiyun merely glanced at Yu Jingchen. The sedan chair left Zichen Palace. Looking at the surroundings outside, Nan Zhiyun felt a surge of anxiety.
Her grip tightened. Yu Jingchen clearly felt it and hugged the young girl, "Don't be afraid, it's okay, hmm? If you're scared, just hold onto me. Be good." Yu Jingchen patted Nan Zhiyun's back gently.
Nan Zhiyun hid in Yu Jingchen's arms, not wanting anyone to see her. But there were always those who were not observant and came at the wrong time.
Upon hearing that Yu Jingchen was taking Concubine Shu to Ci'an Palace, many people in the harem could no longer sit still. And so, groups of them all came flocking over.
"Your humble concubine pays her respects to Your Majesty~" led by Yin Xiuyi, several consorts and concubines all approached.
Yu Jingchen frowned. Anyone with eyes could see his impatience, but that group of women seemed oblivious. Were they blind? Not a shred of sense.
Nan Zhiyun also heard the voices. Through a gap, she saw the group. Extreme aversion began to well up within her. She did not want to see these people.
Yu Jingchen felt Nan Zhiyun's discomfort in his arms, a slight pain in his heart. However, his displeasure could naturally not be directed at Nan Zhiyun, so... Yu Jingchen shifted his focus to the group of women below, dressed so extravagantly.
Yin Xiuyi? In her previous life, hadn't she done no small amount of harm to Nan Zhiyun? It was fortunate that she had run into trouble now; he would settle this once and for all.
Yu Jingchen had not given the command to rise, so those below remained in their kneeling posture. They were already starting to falter, but Yu Jingchen showed no inclination to tell them to get up.
"Your Majesty~" Yin Xiuyi spoke.
"Why have you all come here?" Yu Jingchen's tone was icy.
"Your humble concubine and my sisters were strolling and admiring flowers nearby, and then we heard Your Majesty was arriving, so we specifically came to pay our respects," Yin Xiuyi replied.
"Do you have eyes?" Yu Jingchen asked her, his tone sharp.
Yin Xiuyi was directly taken aback. What did that mean? Before she could understand, she heard Yu Jingchen continue.
"If you had eyes, wouldn't you have seen that someone else is here? Concubine Shu is here, and all of you are blind, unable to see her?" Yu Jingchen continued.
Those below turned pale. They naturally knew about Concubine Shu, but no one had taken her seriously.
"Is Concubine Shu's position not above yours? What is this conduct? Where have you learned your rules? Or have you got something disgusting in your eyes?" Yu Jingchen was in a bad mood and vented all his anger on them.
Yin Xiuyi's face turned ashen. She didn't know what to do. How could they willingly submit to Nan Zhiyun?
"What? Haven't you understood what I said?!" Yu Jingchen raised his voice. This time, not only were Yin Xiuyi and her entourage startled, but Nan Zhiyun also trembled violently in his embrace, a shiver running through her.
Yu Jingchen felt it and patted Nan Zhiyun's body, "I wasn't scolding you. Don't be afraid, good girl. Lean on me. If you don't want to watch, we can hide, okay?" Yu Jingchen's tone was gentle. His current demeanor made those below gape in astonishment. Was this truly His Majesty?
Yin Xiuyi saw the anger in the woman above, a surge of jealousy and unwillingness. Why?
Yu Jingchen did not miss the emotions in her eyes. Killing intent instantly arose, and his gaze turned colder.
"Do I need to repeat myself?!" Yu Jingchen asked.
"Your humble concubine dares not!" All of them immediately knelt.
"Your humble concubine pays her respects to Her Ladyship Concubine Shu!" They all turned to face upwards and bowed again, only Yin Xiuyi stood out like an idiot, her performance too obvious.
Yu Jingchen looked at her. Xing Lai even felt speechless. Indeed, no one was more foolish than Yin Xiuyi.
"Guards! Yin Xiuyi is disrespectful, insolent, and obstructed the imperial procession. Demote her to Baolin, order her to copy the palace rules a thousand times, and administer thirty strokes! Take her away!" Yu Jingchen did not hesitate at all.
Only after Yu Jingchen delivered such a punishment did Yin Xiuyi slowly come to her senses. How could this happen? She couldn't believe it. How could His Majesty punish her like this for such a reason?
"Your Majesty..." Just as Yin Xiuyi was about to kneel and beg for mercy, Yu Jingchen had already waved for her to be taken away. Her words were choked back in her throat.
As for the rest, they were all kneeling on the ground, trembling, afraid that they would be next. But their fears were not unfounded, as Yu Jingchen truly had no intention of letting them off.
"The rest of you will all kneel here. If you do not kneel for three hours, do not get up. Reflect properly on what you have done wrong. Upon returning to your palaces, you will copy the palace rules another hundred times," Yu Jingchen said indifferently.
"Yes..." The consorts and concubines certainly did not dare to beg for mercy. Seeing this, Yu Jingchen did not continue speaking and instead signaled Xing Lai to proceed to Ci'an Palace.
Once the sedan chair had left the area, Yu Jingchen turned to Nan Zhiyun. Her body was trembling slightly.
"Don't be afraid, it's all over now. They won't dare to do anything to you now, so don't be afraid. If you are truly afraid, I am here. If you encounter anything you cannot resolve, just come to me, okay? I will always be on your side." Yu Jingchen made Nan Zhiyun a promise. Nan Zhiyun's eyes hid apprehension. How was she supposed to believe these words? How was she supposed to overcome her inner fear?
"Okay?" Yu Jingchen asked her. Nan Zhiyun's eyes flickered. She couldn't do it.
"Don't be afraid," Yu Jingchen stroked Nan Zhiyun's head. If she didn't want to respond, then so be it.
Nan Zhiyun's eyes were wet, looking as if she had just been crying, evoking pity. Yu Jingchen hugged her and stopped speaking.
Fortunately, it wasn't long before they arrived at Ci'an Palace. Yu Jingchen alighted from the sedan chair first and then directly reached out to lift Nan Zhiyun down.
Nan Zhiyun had not expected this action at first, so she was startled and instinctively clutched Yu Jingchen's neck. The Empress Dowager, having heard of their arrival, had just come out to see and witnessed this scene, her eyes flickering.
"Your health is paramount. If you feel unwell at any point, tell me immediately. Don't be afraid, understand?" Yu Jingchen added another instruction.
Nan Zhiyun nodded.
"Such a good girl," Yu Jingchen said two words, then slowly lowered her, releasing his hold only when she was steady.
"Yun'er," the Empress Dowager called out and walked towards them.
"Your Ladyship Empress Dowager," Nan Zhiyun smiled at the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager observed her carefully. Her complexion seemed to have improved, and she appeared to have gained some weight compared to before. It seemed Yu Jingchen was truly taking good care of her, not just putting on a superficial show.
However... such things could not be definitively concluded based on this slight change alone. Who knew what his true intentions were?
"Has your injury healed?" The Empress Dowager came over to support Nan Zhiyun, looking her up and down. It seemed there were no additional injuries.
"I am all better," Nan Zhiyun replied. She was mostly recovered, but sometimes sitting for too long might still cause a little pain.
"It's good that you are better." The Empress Dowager's eyes held an undisguised tenderness. It seemed only when facing Nan Zhiyun did the Empress Dowager have such an expression. Oh... no, the Empress Dowager also had tenderness when facing Yu Jingchen in the past. But this affection had drifted further and further away amidst their mutual suspicion and estrangement.
"Let's go, don't stand outside. You are carrying a child now, and you must always pay attention to these things." The Empress Dowager supported Nan Zhiyun and prepared to lead her inside, completely ignoring Yu Jingchen behind them. Even if he were the Emperor, the Empress Dowager did not care about Yu Jingchen when it came to Nan Zhiyun.
This morning, when she heard the news of Nan Zhiyun's pregnancy, she was greatly shocked. What surprised her most was that, like everyone else, she had never expected Nan Zhiyun to be pregnant, let alone possible for her to be pregnant, but it had happened.
Then came worry and fear, because... no one could gauge Yu Jingchen's attitude. Therefore, she was unsure of Yu Jingchen's thoughts, and whether he would keep the child. If he refused, Nan Zhiyun and she would absolutely be unable to keep the child, not because they didn't want to, or were afraid, but simply because they truly could not.
If Yu Jingchen truly didn't want it, how desperate would Nan Zhiyun be? The Empress Dowager naturally could not bear to see that, hence her worry, nervousness, and fear. But what she had not expected was that Yu Jingchen seemed to care about this child as well. The words he spoke today, the arrangements he made, she was already aware of them.
However... the Empress Dowager's heart tightened. This point alone did not seem to prove anything. In the end, she truly no longer trusted Yu Jingchen.
Especially on this matter, which concerned Nan Zhiyun, and Nan Zhiyun's child in her womb. Moreover, Nan Zhiyun's current health... it was hard to say if this child could be kept. In a while, Nan Su would return, and would there be any unforeseen changes then?
No one knew these thoughts in the Empress Dowager's mind. She led Nan Zhiyun into Ci'an Palace. Yu Jingchen followed behind. Looking at the backs of the two women in front, he had a moment of distraction, but quickly regained his composure.
Upon entering, the Empress Dowager supported Nan Zhiyun to sit beside her. But at this moment, Yu Jingchen called out, "Wait."
The Empress Dowager and Nan Zhiyun both looked over and saw Yu Jingchen picking up a cushion nearby and placing it on the seat where Nan Zhiyun was about to sit.
"It's better with a cushion," he said.