Hearing this, Yu Jingchen and Nan Zhiyun both froze for a moment.
"Why is she here? Send her back," Yu Jingchen said impatiently.
"Your Majesty, Consort Yuan says she has come to apologize," Xing Lai replied.
Yu Jingchen frowned slightly, then glanced at Nan Zhiyun before finally agreeing to let her in.
"Let her in," Yu Jingchen conceded.
"Yes..." Xing Lai withdrew and invited the person in.
Consort Yuan, dressed in plain green, was gentle and elegant, her attire simple and understated. She had always been this way, never deliberately drawing attention to herself, lacking a strong presence.
"Your subject greets Your Majesty and Consort Shu," Consort Yuan said as she performed a proper curtsy.
"Rise," Yu Jingchen's tone was cold.
"Your subject is humbled. Your Majesty, your subject has come to apologize to Your Majesty and Consort Shu," Consort Yuan did not rise but instead kowtowed.
Yu Jingchen cast a cold glance at Consort Yuan without speaking, turning instead to Nan Zhiyun.
"Is it arranged?" Yu Jingchen asked her. Nan Zhiyun curtsied at his words and walked over.
"Your Majesty..." Nan Zhiyun called softly. Yu Jingchen took her arm.
"Since you are here to apologize, apologize to Consort Shu," Yu Jingchen said indifferently, glancing at Consort Yuan kneeling on the ground.
"Yes," Consort Yuan did not object but instead knelt beside Nan Zhiyun. "Consort Shu, my sister is unfamiliar with the capital and its customs. I have not disciplined my servants well, and they have offended Consort Shu. I apologize to you on her behalf and beg for your forgiveness." Consort Yuan performed another deep bow.
She had no powerful family backing. Her subservient behavior in the palace was merely to make life easier. Offending Consort Shu meant offending the Empress Dowager, not to mention that His Majesty's current attitude towards Consort Shu was different. She knew this just from accompanying Consort Shu out of the palace yesterday; it was more than just a pretense. Therefore, she could only choose to offer an apology.
Nan Zhiyun was unsure how to respond, so she instinctively looked at Yu Jingchen. He had ordered the matter yesterday, and she couldn't quite grasp his intentions.
"Since she is here to apologize to you, it is up to you. Do you forgive her?" Yu Jingchen asked.
Nan Zhiyun hesitated.
"Consort Shu, Su Yi was unaware of your esteemed identity, hence her disrespect. When she enters the palace, I will surely reprimand her and apologize to you on her behalf," Consort Yuan added.
"This has nothing to do with Consort Yuan. Consort Yuan, please rise," Nan Zhiyun said.
"However... I do not like your sister. Even if it were not me, she should not have treated others that way. Yesterday, her maid almost pushed me off the building. If anything had happened, what then?" Nan Zhiyun was not exactly angry, but she was displeased.
"Yes, it is entirely our fault, mine and my sister's. Your Highness, please be assured, she will not dare to do so again. I implore Your Highness to show leniency and forgive her this once," Consort Yuan continued.
Nan Zhiyun was now in a difficult position. This was not something she could decide. Moreover... she felt Consort Yuan was not at fault, but she hadn't said her sister wasn't.
If they were wrong, they should accept punishment. The capital prefect would not rule unjustly, and everything would be fine afterward.
"Your Majesty..." Consort Yuan then looked at Yu Jingchen.
"Withdraw," Yu Jingchen gave no reply.
Consort Yuan, though worried, did not dare to plead further and could only obediently respond, "Yes," before withdrawing.
After she left, Yu Jingchen took Nan Zhiyun's hand. "It's cold outside, your hands are all cold. Let's go inside," Yu Jingchen said gently.
Nan Zhiyun nodded and followed Yu Jingchen into the room.
"The weather is getting colder. Take care of yourself, don't catch a cold, or you'll have to drink medicine by yourself," Yu Jingchen said as he pulled Nan Zhiyun to sit down.
"Do I still have to drink that previous medicine?" Nan Zhiyun asked, her eyes full of anticipation. She really didn't want to drink it anymore.
"Of course, you have to continue drinking it. Don't think about escaping," Yu Jingchen said helplessly.
"Alright..." Nan Zhiyun was a little disappointed. She had thought she might escape this ordeal.
"However, you don't have to drink it three times a day like before. After drinking it for a while longer, when the imperial physician says your body has recovered, we can stop," Yu Jingchen explained.
"Yes," Nan Zhiyun was speechless, but what could she do? If she couldn't resist, she would just have to accept it.
"Don't always wear such a sad face. For your health, you still need to drink the medicine, and I will drink it with you," Yu Jingchen comforted her.
He would also drink the medicine Nan Zhiyun was taking, but compared to hers, his would contain an extra bitter herb. This way, he would also experience some of the hardship she endured, even if it was insignificant compared to what she had been through. It was something he needed to experience himself.
That night, Yu Jingchen stayed in the Hean Hall again.
Night.
The Empress Dowager sat alone in her room. Gu Yin appeared behind her silently and then sat beside her. The Empress Dowager seemed unsurprised by Gu Yin's arrival.
"It's late, and you're not well. You should rest," Gu Yin said, advising her.
"I can't sleep. Perhaps as one grows older, it becomes harder to fall asleep," the Empress Dowager replied.
"When can it end?" Gu Yin asked.
"You should know, by March at the latest..." the Empress Dowager's voice gradually became distant.
"March is good. The peach blossoms will be blooming in March, all over the mountains. It will surely be beautiful. When all this is over, we can go see them together. I told you before, I was born in Jiangcheng, where the peach blossoms are so vibrant, they make people overjoyed," Gu Yin said.
The Empress Dowager looked at Gu Yin.
"I thought you knew what I was talking about, Gu Yin." There seemed to be a hint of warning in the Empress Dowager's tone.
"I was the Imperial Preceptor before. Whatever I desired, it would be realized. I am certain you will go, and you will like it," Gu Yin smiled faintly. The once peerlessly beautiful person... seemed to have changed gradually. Ultimately, time spares no one, and the traces of passing years had fallen upon him as well.
"Gu Yin, will you grow old too? You used to say that even in your sixties, your appearance would remain unchanged," the Empress Dowager smiled at him, a rare sight.
"It was all a lie. How could you believe such a thing?" Gu Yin smiled tenderly.
"It's getting late. Rest early. Your health is most important now, isn't it?" Gu Yin stood up.
"Yin'er... I like calling you that very much. I also like it when you call me Gu Yin," Gu Yin left these words and departed.
The Empress Dowager watched the direction Gu Yin had left, lost in thought for a moment.