Yu Jingchen's heart softened, and he sat down beside her again.
"Tired?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.
"It is tiring to watch for so long, your servant is not lying…" Nan Zhiyun said with weak conviction, still observing Yu Jingchen's expression covertly.
"Yes, you are not lying. Yun'er has a thoughtful heart." Yu Jingchen was full of affection, the young girl was reminding him to rest as well.
"Does His Majesty still need to review memorials?" Nan Zhiyun asked, looking at him.
"No more," Yu Jingchen replied swiftly.
"Where did Yun'er learn all this?" Yu Jingchen asked her.
"I didn't learn it." Nan Zhiyun's tone was unnatural. Did this sort of thing need to be learned?
"You are being proactive today. Yun'er, I am very happy…" Yu Jingchen said.
"Eunuch Xing said so…" Nan Zhiyun suddenly replied.
Yu Jingchen was utterly confused by her statement. What did Eunuch Xing have to do with it?
"Last time, Eunuch Xing came to persuade me to talk to Your Majesty because Your Majesty had been reviewing memorials for too long. You were doing the same just now, so if you had continued for a while longer, Eunuch Xing would have come to me again." Nan Zhiyun spoke as if it were the absolute truth.
Yu Jingchen: "..." How could it sound so reasonable?
Meanwhile, Xing Lai, who had been outside all along, thought: ...Consort Shu is truly thoughtful~ Where are the eye-rolls? Oh, they've flown to the heavens.
"You do know how to find excuses," Yu Jingchen said helplessly. Nan Zhiyun did not respond further, but he was genuinely pleased by her concern this time.
"I'm going to spill them…" Nan Zhiyun still held a plate of grapes.
Yu Jingchen took the plate from her, then picked up a grape and fed it to her. It was sweet and sour, and Nan Zhiyun loved it immensely.
"Do you like eating these so much?" Yu Jingchen asked.
"These are delicious," Nan Zhiyun replied. She had always liked them, and the Empress Dowager used to save them for her.
Yu Jingchen was at a loss. Just as he was about to say something, Xing Lai entered.
"Your Majesty," Xing Lai bowed. Yu Jingchen's expression was displeased.
"What is it?" Yu Jingchen's tone was laced with impatience.
"Consort Xian has arrived." Xing Lai did not want to disturb them, but he had no choice. It was Consort Xian's fault for coming at this particular moment. Xing Lai secretly made a note of it.
"What does she want?" Yu Jingchen's face clearly conveyed his desire for her to get lost.
"She says she has come to apologize to Consort Shu and to deliver the two hundred copies of palace rules she was ordered to write," Xing Lai replied.
(Refer to Chapter 204. When the Empress Dowager returned, Consort Xian had subtly undermined Nan Zhiyun in front of the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager had punished her with one hundred copies of palace rules and ordered her to deliver them to He'an Hall to apologize to Nan Zhiyun. Later, when Yu Jingchen found out, he added another hundred copies.)
Xing Lai's reminder jogged Yu Jingchen's memory. However, Nan Zhiyun had not yet understood, wondering why someone would apologize to her. She had not been to Ci'an Palace and was unaware of the incident.
Seeing Nan Zhiyun's confused expression, Yu Jingchen found it amusing and said to Xing Lai, "Let her in."
Xing Lai acknowledged, "Yes," and then withdrew. Shortly after, Qian Xia led Consort Xian in.
Consort Xian was wearing a pure white dress today, her face unadorned. Perhaps because she wore little makeup, she appeared somewhat haggard. She was also wearing very few ornaments.
"Your servant greets Your Majesty... and Consort Shu," Consort Xian said, her demeanor like a wilting willow, as if she might collapse at any moment.
"You can't even address us correctly. Then re-perform the salutation," Yu Jingchen said without even looking at her.
Consort Xian seemed incredulous, but she dared not speak. She could only look at Nan Zhiyun in Yu Jingchen's arms, her eyes filled with resentment.
"Your servant... greets Consort Shu," Consort Xian performed the salutation again.
Nan Zhiyun glanced at her but said nothing. She leaned closer into Yu Jingchen's embrace, and he instinctively held her tighter.
Silence filled the room for a moment, and Yu Jingchen did not tell Consort Xian to rise.
"Your Majesty..." Consort Xian's voice was delicate and weak, causing Yu Jingchen to frown.
"Didn't you come to apologize? Is this how you apologize? What are you wearing? Are you going to a funeral?" Yu Jingchen's temper flared.
Xing Lai remained impassive, observing with calm detachment. She had stirred up trouble, hadn't she? Why choose this moment? She would have to bear the consequences.
"Your Majesty~" Consort Xian put on a sorrowful expression.
"Do you need me to remind you again?" Yu Jingchen's voice was chillingly cold.
"Yes..." Consort Xian dared not play any more games. She knew Your Majesty was here today, and she had deliberately dressed this way, hoping Yu Jingchen might show her some pity. Who would have thought Yu Jingchen would be completely unmoved?
Consort Xian looked at the palace maid behind her, and the maid presented the two hundred copies of palace rules Consort Xian had painstakingly written.
"Your Majesty... these were all written by your servant's own hand..." Consort Xian emphasized.
"You were ordered to copy them, so naturally, you would write them yourself. Do you intend to have someone else do it?" Yu Jingchen finally glanced at Consort Xian.
"Your servant would not dare!" Consort Xian was clearly intimidated.
"Is that all?" Yu Jingchen was still not satisfied.
"Did you only come to deliver these items? What is the purpose of coming to He'an Hall?" Yu Jingchen said this while gently patting and soothing Nan Zhiyun, his words to Consort Xian remaining cold. Xing Lai silently took several steps back.