Yu Jingchen found Nan Zhiyun's current demeanor particularly endearing: shy, expressive, and inquisitive. She was, in short, so cute and soft.
"Is Your Majesty not going to Cí'ān Palace today?" Nan Zhiyun asked after a moment's thought.
Yu Jingchen's hand paused, but his expression barely changed. "Your Empress Dowager doesn't seem to want me there," he said.
"Does Your Majesty... still not think highly of the Empress Dowager?" Nan Zhiyun asked, conflicted.
"No, don't overthink it. Let's go back to Cí'ān Palace. It'll be too late if we delay," Yu Jingchen said.
"Is Your Majesty coming too?" Nan Zhiyun asked.
"I'll go tomorrow. Can all of today's time be spent with you?" Yu Jingchen asked. He knew the Empress Dowager's attitude towards him. If he went, he feared Nan Zhiyun would see the unhappiness between him and the Empress Dowager, and he didn't want Nan Zhiyun to feel overly constrained on this rare opportunity.
"Why not today?" Nan Zhiyun asked him.
"I'm very busy today. Look, these things haven't been dealt with yet, so can I go tomorrow?" Yu Jingchen cajoled her.
"Is Your Majesty going to handle official business later?" Nan Zhiyun immediately grasped the "key point."
"Just a little bit, it'll be done soon," Yu Jingchen replied.
"Your Majesty just said you had persuaded them." Nan Zhiyun's voice was small. You yourself said you had persuaded them, so why do you still have to do it now?
Yu Jingchen: "..." Why is her logic so strong now?
"Yes, I've persuaded them. I've persuaded them, so I won't do it, okay?" Yu Jingchen conceded, playing along.
"Then does Your Majesty have anything else to do later?" Nan Zhiyun continued to ask.
"No," Yu Jingchen compromised.
"Then does Your Majesty have time to go to Cí'ān Palace?" Nan Zhiyun asked again.
Yu Jingchen: "..." Why is this child so persistent? But... why is she so adorable? The Emperor, at this moment, was already seeing the Imperial Consort through rose-tinted glasses.
"Is Your Majesty going?" Nan Zhiyun asked again when Yu Jingchen didn't answer.
"Why must I go?" Yu Jingchen was helpless against her.
"I just think you should go, so is Your Majesty going or not?" Nan Zhiyun was very serious.
Since the Empress Dowager's return this time, Nan Zhiyun felt that the Empress Dowager had become somewhat strange, but she couldn't quite pinpoint it. She didn't know if it was her imagination, but she felt that the Empress Dowager seemed to have many things on her mind, even concerning her and Yu Jingchen. In any case, she felt uneasy.
She had always stayed by the Empress Dowager's side, and Nan Zhiyun considered herself to understand her. She felt that the Empress Dowager's attitude towards Yu Jingchen was particularly contradictory.
"Alright, I'll go. I'll go with you, is that okay?" Yu Jingchen was completely swayed by Nan Zhiyun.
"Yes," Nan Zhiyun's voice was filled with joy.
"Are you that happy?" Yu Jingchen patted her head again.
"When is Your Majesty going?" Nan Zhiyun ignored the question and continued her own line of thought.
"We'll go now. I'll go with you, alright?" Yu Jingchen stood up, holding Nan Zhiyun's hand.
"Okay," Nan Zhiyun was delighted.
Yu Jingchen kept his word. He had promised to go with Nan Zhiyun, and he truly did. The Empress Dowager was taken aback for a moment when she heard that Yu Jingchen and Nan Zhiyun were coming together.
Nan Su also did not expect it. Among them, only Gu Yin remained outwardly calm, showing no reaction, as if he had known all along, or perhaps he didn't care about the matter at all.
"Please come in," the Empress Dowager did not put on a cold demeanor this time.
When Yu Jingchen and Nan Zhiyun entered, the three of them sat together. The Empress Dowager and Gu Yin sat relatively close. Upon seeing Yu Jingchen arrive, there was no intention of avoiding him. He was simply... well, showing solicitous attention.
"Empress Dowager," Nan Zhiyun called out cheerfully. She glanced at the Empress Dowager and Gu Yin, then completely forgot about Yu Jingchen, going directly to sit beside the Empress Dowager and subtly pulling the Empress Dowager closer to her.
"Empress Dowager, I'm back. Is the Grand Preceptor still here?" Nan Zhiyun smiled at the Grand Preceptor, appearing somewhat surprised.
Gu Yin said nothing. The Empress Dowager gently patted Nan Zhiyun's hand that was on her arm, then looked at Yu Jingchen.
Upon seeing Yu Jingchen, everyone in Cí'ān Palace bowed to him: "Greetings, Your Majesty!" Nan Su also bowed, but Gu Yin remained completely still.
"Your Majesty has also come?" The Empress Dowager's face showed no discernible emotion.
"It's the first day of the month. I've come to see the Empress Dowager," Yu Jingchen said with a detached expression. After speaking, he looked at the people kneeling on the ground: "All of you rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The Empress Dowager said nothing about this. The atmosphere in the room was rather tense.
Yu Jingchen looked at Nan Zhiyun. Seeing her watching him, her face seemed a little nervous. Yu Jingchen found it amusing, so he broke the silence and walked over.
"The Grand Preceptor is here too? Why has the Grand Preceptor come to Cí'ān Palace? When did he arrive? I didn't hear any news," Yu Jingchen said with a hint of a drawl.
Gu Yin remained unperturbed, just as he appeared in public.
"Your Majesty knows now," Gu Yin replied.
"Since the Emperor has arrived, please sit. A'su, you sit too. This is Cí'ān Palace, there are no such strict formalities," the Empress Dowager said, though it was unclear to whom she was addressing these words.
Nan Su smiled and sat down without a word. Yu Jingchen said nothing and followed suit. Then... another silence fell.