"Your Majesty, Concubine Yin... Concubine Yin has been brought." It was someone from the Consort's retinue. Yu Jingchen's gaze immediately turned cold upon hearing this.
"Yun'er, wait here for a moment. I'll go take a look, alright?" Yu Jingchen asked her.
"This concubine also wishes to go out. I don't want to be alone," Nan Zhiyun replied. She didn't want to stay here by herself. This was Yunpeng Palace, and she disliked it. Moreover, she felt afraid.
Other palace servants: "..." Are we not considered people?
"There are many people outside. Should we go out like this?" Yu Jingchen wasn't refusing, he just felt that Nan Zhiyun's current appearance was somewhat unsuitable. After all, she had been crying quite miserably, not only with swollen eyes but also a dirty face.
"Yes, I don't want to be here." Nan Zhiyun remained unwilling.
"Alright, let's go out then." Yu Jingchen saw that she was genuinely repulsed by this place and indulged her. He then directly picked her up.
When Yu Jingchen carried Nan Zhiyun out, everyone was stunned. What was happening? Although Nan Zhiyun had spoken with certainty earlier, she was now too embarrassed to show her face. She clung to Yu Jingchen, hiding herself.
Yu Jingchen found it amusing to look at the girl shrinking in his arms. She had just said she was willing, and now she was being timid. However, the person in his embrace was petite and soft, making anyone who saw her feel tender. He suddenly felt as if he were raising a little kitten.
Yu Jingchen walked over and sat on the main seat. These people had not yet departed. Besides the noble ladies paying their respects, there were other activities in the afternoon, namely the Plum Blossom Banquet.
It was held annually at the end of the year. As the name suggests, the Plum Blossom Banquet was primarily about appreciating plum blossoms. However, it also carried a hidden meaning related to love. Plum blossoms symbolized unwavering devotion in love, elegance, and refinement, expressing admiration for one's beloved. Therefore, the Plum Blossom Banquet also served as a gathering for noble ladies and young gentlemen to meet.
This time, Consort Yan had arranged for the Plum Blossom Banquet to be held concurrently. Thus, not only had the noble ladies arrived, but also most of the eligible youngsters from their families. As a result, there were truly many people present.
However, Yu Jingchen did not pay much attention to these people. His gaze fell upon Concubine Yin, who was prostrate on the ground. From the entrance to her position, there were bloodstains on the floor. Looking at her, she was also covered in blood, especially at the hem of her skirt and her hands… The people today had been ruthless.
"Your Majesty..." Concubine Yin cried out upon seeing Yu Jingchen, likely hoping for mercy.
"Reason," Yu Jingchen said, too weary to listen to her excuses. The punishment she had just received was for genuinely injuring Nan Zhiyun, and now it was time to investigate her crime.
"Your Majesty," it was Xia Yi. Xia Yi knelt beside Concubine Yin. Yu Jingchen looked at him.
"Just now, the Empress encountered Concubine Yin. Seeing Concubine Yin scolding a servant, the Empress did not intend to interfere excessively. However, Concubine Yin took the initiative to approach and began to reprimand the Empress. The Empress did not pay much attention and instructed her servants to leave. But Concubine Yin, with her wicked intentions, directly pushed that eunuch forward, causing him to collide with the people carrying the sedan chair."
"Originally, the sedan chair could have been stabilized. It was only because Concubine Yin pushed that the Empress fell out of the sedan chair. We implore Your Majesty to uphold justice for the Empress," Xia Yi recounted what had just happened.
"Who were the ones responsible for serving her?" Yu Jingchen asked coldly, his eyes chilling. Yet, his hand movements were remarkably gentle, continuously patting Nan Zhiyun as if comforting a child.
"Your Majesty, spare our lives!" A group of people immediately kowtowed, begging for mercy. These were the people who had been serving Concubine Yin, including the barely alive eunuch.
The weather was so cold, and he was dressed thinly. Kneeling on the ground, he looked as if he could hardly endure it. Yu Jingchen said nothing more, focusing his attention on coaxing the girl in his arms.
"When the master errs, it is also a mistake for the servants not to stop them in time," Yu Jingchen's tone was icy. If it were other matters, he might not have blamed the servants, as servants couldn't interfere with their masters' affairs. But this time, he wanted to vent his anger.
Regardless of the current incident that caused Nan Zhiyun's injury, Yu Jingchen was aware of the nature of the servants around Concubine Yin in the past. However, he had not cared. If he didn't care, then whatever others did was irrelevant to him, as there were many such individuals in the palace.
It was just a pity that this time, she had crossed his red line. Since that was the case, then past and present grievances would be settled together.
"Your Majesty, spare our lives! Your Majesty, spare our lives!" These people were truly terrified. They could not possibly withstand Yu Jingchen's methods. Everyone knew that if Yu Jingchen truly intended to punish someone, it would be a torture that was truly abominable.
"Confine them all to the Department of Punishments and deal with them as condemned slaves," Yu Jingchen's casually spoken words sealed their final fate.
When Nan Zhiyun heard the words "Department of Punishments," her body trembled. Yu Jingchen felt it.
"Don't be afraid, it's alright," Yu Jingchen comforted her, knowing that Nan Zhiyun was likely recalling the events of being punished and sent to the Department of Punishments before.
Nan Zhiyun stirred slightly and looked into Yu Jingchen's eyes. She was indeed afraid of that place.
"What is it?" he asked when Nan Zhiyun stopped clinging to him and instead looked at him.
Nan Zhiyun shook her head and tilted her head slightly, looking at the people below. However, before she could see clearly, Yu Jingchen covered her eyes.
"Nothing to see, don't dirty your eyes," Yu Jingchen said.
Nan Zhiyun grabbed Yu Jingchen's hand covering her eyes, but she didn't move.
"Your Majesty..." Nan Zhiyun's voice had not yet recovered.
"Yes?" Yu Jingchen responded when he heard her call him.
"This concubine wishes to see..." Nan Zhiyun told him this without pulling away Yu Jingchen's hand.
Yu Jingchen frowned. The scene was not suitable at the moment. What if she was frightened? She was already timid.
"This concubine wishes to..." Nan Zhiyun clarified her stance.
Yu Jingchen sighed helplessly and finally lowered his hand. Nan Zhiyun gently turned her head and saw the scene below. Well... Concubine Yin's appearance was indeed somewhat ghastly.
Nan Zhiyun glanced at them. These servants were basically those who had been serving Concubine Yin all along. They had also made quite an impression on her...
Nan Zhiyun pursed her lips. Yu Jingchen thought she would plead for mercy. However... unexpectedly, Nan Zhiyun then asked one of the people below, "Why are you being punished?"
Yu Jingchen looked over and saw that Nan Zhiyun was asking the half-dead eunuch who had been scolded and beaten.