Yu Jingchen felt a sense of helplessness seeing Nan Zhiyun's dismissive attitude towards his words. She truly was spoiled; she barely listened to him anymore. Had he indulged her too much?
What if she did something that harmed herself in the future? The young girl was still inexperienced, with much about affection and principles she didn't yet understand. While she needed to be taught gradually, he didn't want Nan Zhiyun to get hurt in the process.
"What I just said was serious. Your safety is paramount at all times. If you get hurt doing something, I will definitely punish you. Do you understand?" Yu Jingchen felt it was important to clarify this matter with solemnity.
"Mm, I understand. I won't," Nan Zhiyun knew Yu Jingchen was very strict about her safety, never being careless. Although she believed the current Yu Jingchen wouldn't truly punish her, she would still be cautious.
Little did Nan Zhiyun know, her overestimation of Yu Jingchen's leniency and her own arrogance would lead to a rather severe punishment later on...
Seeing that Nan Zhiyun seemed to have taken his words to heart, Yu Jingchen said no more, finding excessive talk tiresome. He led Nan Zhiyun into the house. Although winter had ended, early spring was still quite cold.
After Nan Zhiyun and Yu Jingchen left the courtyard, the second princess, Yu Wan'er, emerged from a corner in the distance. She had witnessed everything that had just transpired. Yu Wan'er looked at the swing, lost in thought.
"Your servant greets the Second Princess. Why is the Second Princess here?" It was Jiang Ji.
Yu Wan'er seemed startled and fearful upon seeing Jiang Ji. "I... I was feeling too cooped up inside, so I just came out for a stroll... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have eavesdropped." Yu Wan'er's timid nature seemed unchanged.
"I'll leave immediately. I'm sorry, I won't do it again." Yu Wan'er finished speaking and ran back towards her own chambers. Jiang Ji watched the direction Yu Wan'er left without a word, but the depth in his eyes was undeniable.
The current Jiang Ji seemed like a different person from the one he presented to others. There was something strange about him now, yet it was difficult to pinpoint.
Once Yu Wan'er disappeared from his sight, Jiang Ji also looked at the swing in the courtyard and then towards Nan Zhiyun's palace, a pensive expression on his face.
Yun Peng Palace
The Noble Consort sat before a table, propping her head with one hand. She had a terrible headache. The official duties seemed never-ending, and she found them all irritating. Especially with the recent selection of new concubines; these newcomers were all troublesome and overly dramatic.
"What are you doing working so hard all day? His Majesty hasn't even come to see you, so aren't you doing all this in vain? He doesn't care anyway, just go through the motions. Why work so hard? You're exhausting yourself, and he doesn't even show any concern," the Virtuous Consort said, peeling an orange beside her.
"I wish I could, but what if something goes wrong? I'll be the one to face trouble in the end. If His Majesty gets angry, I'll be held accountable," the Noble Consort replied weakly.
"Tsk, can His Majesty be more human? It's one thing that he dotes on Consort Shu all the time, but he has to overwork everyone else too," the Virtuous Consort grumbled.