The imperial physician was utterly surprised that a mother could be so cruel to her own child, the body covered in bruises and welts.
"Is it serious?" Yu Jingchen frowned.
"It's mostly superficial wounds, and many are old. Since the Second Princess is young, it will surely leave a bad memory in her heart, and… the sheer number of injuries is heartbreaking." The imperial physician spoke truthfully, his heart aching for the Second Princess. Not yet six years old, to be treated like this, a royal princess, he felt a pang of sorrow.
"Does Your Majesty wish to see her?" Nan Zhiyun asked. After all, she was his own daughter.
"Is Yun'er unhappy?" Yu Jingchen sat down beside her.
"Does Your Majesty want to hear the truth?" Nan Zhiyun did not wish to lie to him.
"Yun'er can tell me anything you think, alright?" Yu Jingchen hugged her.
"The truth is, I'm unhappy. I can't bring myself to like the child of Your Majesty and another woman," Nan Zhiyun said softly, leaning into his embrace.
"I'm sorry…" Yu Jingchen apologized. Nan Zhiyun looked at him in confusion. "Why does Your Majesty apologize?" she asked.
"I never knew I could feel this way about someone before, never imagined I'd find a girl like Yun'er. So, I didn't pay much attention to these things before, thinking I could just manage. Therefore… I'm very sorry, Yun'er, for making you feel wronged," Yu Jingchen said.
Nan Zhiyun shook her head. "It was my own choice, and I don't blame Your Majesty. In any case, I am very content now. In the past… I never imagined that Your Majesty and I would be in this state."
"Mm, it will only get better from now on," Yu Jingchen could only tell her.
"I believe you," Nan Zhiyun said to him. "Does Your Majesty want to see the Second Princess?"
"Does Yun'er want to go with me?" Yu Jingchen asked her again.
"Let's go." It wasn't far anyway, just a few steps, not impossible. Besides, she felt something about the Second Princess… she didn't know how to explain it.
Yu Jingchen smiled. What to do if this young girl was too good? He suddenly wondered what it would be like if they truly had a child together, and he began to look forward to it.
Yu Jingchen took Nan Zhiyun to the side hall of the Hè'ān Palace. When they arrived, Qiū Yùn was applying medicine to Yù Wǎn'er, who had just scraped her knees.
"Greetings, Your Majesty, Niángniáng," Qiū Yùn bowed.
When Yù Wǎn'er saw Yù Jǐngchén enter, she flinched. She was still afraid.
"Fa-father," Yù Wǎn'er was about to kneel.
"No need for formalities," Yu Jingchen stopped her. Qiū Yùn held Yù Wǎn'er up.
Yù Wǎn'er stood there, unsure what to do. Yu Jingchen pulled Nan Zhiyun to sit down beside him. "Is the medicine applied?" Yu Jingchen asked.
"The medicine has been applied," Qiū Yùn replied. Even as she applied the medicine, she had felt a pang of distress.
Yu Jingchen looked at Yù Wǎn'er. "Does the wound still hurt?" he asked. For some reason, looking at Yù Wǎn'er in this state, he felt he saw a shadow of Nan Zhiyun from before.
"It doesn't hurt…" Yù Wǎn'er's voice trembled slightly.
"Really doesn't hurt?" Yu Jingchen asked.
"Mm…" Yù Wǎn'er's eyes reddened.
"Are you not lying to Us?" Yu Jingchen saw Yù Wǎn'er's fear, but insisted on asking.
"…It hurts." Yù Wǎn'er couldn't hold back.
Yu Jingchen, perhaps because he saw a hint of Nan Zhiyun's past in her, softened his expression. "Then why did you lie just now?"
Yù Wǎn'er thought Yu Jingchen was angry and started to cry in fear.