After the banquet ended, Nan Zhiyun couldn't have a proper conversation with Nan Su before preparing to return to He An Palace. After all, her current identity was that of a consort.
The sedan chair had traveled halfway when Nan Zhiyun called for it to stop. Qian Xia helped Nan Zhiyun down.
"What's wrong, Your Ladyship?" Qian Xia asked.
"I don't need this anymore. I've had some wine, and it's making me a bit dizzy. I'll walk back myself; it will help me sober up," Nan Zhiyun said. Qian Xia didn't try to persuade her otherwise. They walked back slowly together. Nan Zhiyun walked slowly, and Qian Xia didn't dare to disturb her. However, the weather was quite cold, and the ground was icy, slowing Nan Zhiyun's pace even further. Just then, Xia Yi approached.
"Your Ladyship, the sedan chair fell into the pond in the Imperial Garden," Xia Yi reported.
"What happened? How did it fall?" Qian Xia's brows furrowed.
"The people carrying the sedan chair were crossing the stone bridge over the lotus pond. It might have been too cold, and the ground was icy, so they lost their footing, and the sedan chair fell in," Xia Yi explained truthfully.
"Investigate this thoroughly. See if this was just a coincidence. Fortunately, Your Ladyship wasn't in the sedan chair today. If she had been, it would have been a serious matter," Qian Xia said.
"Yes," Xia Yi naturally understood the importance of the matter. Nan Zhiyun, however, remained largely silent.
"Your Ladyship…" Qian Xia looked at Nan Zhiyun.
"It's nothing, let's go back." Nan Zhiyun showed little reaction. Just then, Yu Jingchen arrived.
"Greetings to His Majesty!" Qian Xia and the palace servants quickly bowed upon seeing him. Nan Zhiyun hadn't expected Yu Jingchen to appear.
"Greetings, Your Majesty," Nan Zhiyun curtsied slightly. Yu Jingchen strode forward two steps: "It's good that you're alright." Yu Jingchen pulled her up.
He had just heard that Nan Zhiyun's sedan chair had overturned into the pond and was frightened. Although Nan Zhiyun wasn't in it, he was still worried and rushed over.
"Your hands are so cold. Are you cold?" Yu Jingchen took Nan Zhiyun's hand.
"You drank quite a bit of wine today. Seeing you happy, I didn't stop you. How are you feeling now? Are you alright?" Yu Jingchen asked, noticing Nan Zhiyun's flushed face.
"This concubine is fine," Nan Zhiyun replied.
"Let me escort you back. The ground is icy, be careful not to fall," Yu Jingchen took her hand. Nan Zhiyun hesitated slightly but didn't refuse.
"I saw you liked the kumquats and grapes today. Tomorrow, I'll have someone send them to you. However, kumquats can be a bit too 'warming,' so try not to eat too many," Yu Jingchen initiated conversation.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Nan Zhiyun didn't refuse. Why would she refuse something free? Nan Zhiyun pouted slightly.
"Are you tired today?" Yu Jingchen found another topic.
"Tired," Nan Zhiyun answered honestly.
"Rest well when we get back, and have a bowl of hangover soup to avoid a headache tomorrow morning," Yu Jingchen instructed.
Speaking of tomorrow…
"Your Majesty…" Nan Zhiyun called out tentatively, feeling a bit shy, or perhaps a bit apprehensive.
"Hmm? What is it?" Yu Jingchen asked.
"You said before that during the New Year, this concubine could be with my father and the Empress Dowager. Is that still possible?" Nan Zhiyun asked.
"Yes, you can be together," Yu Jingchen seemed to enjoy patting Nan Zhiyun's head.
"Then tomorrow…" Nan Zhiyun continued.
"Will you be in the palace or outside?" Yu Jingchen asked.
"The Empress Dowager hasn't been fond of moving around lately. However, I mentioned it to her today, and she said if this concubine wished, she would accompany me back to the General's manor to have the New Year's Eve dinner with my father," Nan Zhiyun said.
"Then go back. Tomorrow you can return with the Empress Dowager. I'll have people escort you. You cannot be without escorts to prevent any danger." The assassination attempt last time was no accident.
Besides… Yu Jingchen was also somewhat wary of the Empress Dowager now. Given the things he had discovered before, he couldn't completely trust the Empress Dowager. Even if she wouldn't harm Nan Zhiyun, he couldn't be sure she wouldn't have other intentions.
"Okay," Nan Zhiyun agreed readily. Being able to go out and have dinner with her father was enough. If he wanted to send escorts, so be it.
Yu Jingchen escorted Nan Zhiyun back to He An Hall. Inside, Xia Yi and the others were already kneeling in the courtyard, begging for forgiveness.
"Your servant greets His Majesty, and greets Your Ladyship," Xia Yi said, leading the others in greeting.
"What are you all doing?" the Imperial Consort asked them.
"Today's incident is due to our negligence. Fortunately, Your Ladyship was not in the sedan chair. If she had been, we would be inexcusable, so we are here to beg for His Majesty's and Your Ladyship's punishment," Xia Yi explained.
"It wasn't something you could control, why should there be punishment? Your Majesty…" Nan Zhiyun looked at Yu Jingchen.
Yu Jingchen understood her intention, but he did not tell them to rise. Nan Zhiyun gently tugged on Yu Jingchen's sleeve: "Your Majesty, the ground is very cold."
"They are right. If one doesn't do their job properly, they must accept punishment. Kneeling for a while is a light penalty," Yu Jingchen remained unmoved. What if Nan Zhiyun had been in the sedan chair?
Her health was already weak. Falling into a pond in the dead of winter could have led to serious consequences. Hadn't they been working in the palace for so long? Couldn't they handle these matters properly? Furthermore, were there no other paths in the Imperial Garden? Why did they have to take the bridge?
"Go inside and sit. I will handle this," Yu Jingchen said to Nan Zhiyun.
Nan Zhiyun knew Yu Jingchen had his own considerations, but she felt not everyone deserved this. Even if someone had ulterior motives, it was only one person, not everyone.
She actually disliked this approach, not because she was particularly kind, but because it was upsetting when innocent people were implicated due to the actions of a few bad people. Those who were blameless suffered punishment from those in power because of the guilty, and they had no right to refuse or beg for mercy. She disliked punishing people arbitrarily, perhaps because she had been punished so often herself, so she was repelled by such matters.
She knew that because those people had low status, they had no power or right to resist these things. The world, as Yu Jingchen said, was unfair. People were divided into ranks, and rules were always made by those at the highest level. The high-ranking were noble, and the low-ranking were lowly. She didn't understand.
When she was little, and her father had to go to war, she didn't want him to leave. Her father would hold her and point to the pedestrians on the road, saying, "Nannan, look. After Daddy wins the war, these people will be able to live in peace just like this. Nannan is happy now because of them, so Daddy is going to war to repay kindness, and Daddy wants to make them happy too!"
"Nannan, you must remember, these people are whom we must protect. Nannan can wear beautiful clothes and eat delicious food every day because of them, so Nannan must protect them too." This was what Nan Su often told her.