The entire room fell silent again. Then, at this moment, someone came in to report to Yu Jingchen, saying that Consort Min was kneeling in the Imperial Garden and had already fainted. After all, it had been a whole night.
"Stripped of her title, demoted to a talented lady, kneel until tomorrow morning. For every faint, she will be demoted one rank," Yu Jingchen always acted as he pleased with these matters.
Nan Ziyun was not surprised. Although Consort Min, now referred to as Lady Liu, had been favored before, everyone knew that Yu Jingchen would never truly be devoted to anyone. It was all just for show.
Of course, at this time, Nan Ziyun did not know why Lady Liu was being punished, only that she had displeased Yu Jingchen.
"If you feel better later, you can move to Hexi Palace," Yu Jingchen added.
Nan Ziyun was a little bewildered. Move to Hexi Palace?
"What? You don't want to?" Yu Jingchen asked.
In fact, Hexi Palace was Nan Ziyun's former residence. At that time, Nan Ziyun had just entered the palace and was the noble consort Shu, one of the four consorts. Everyone believed she would become the future empress, especially since her family background was the best among all the concubines in the harem, and she had the Empress Dowager's backing. But no one expected...
"This concubine dares not," Nan Ziyun replied.
"Why dare not? What else do you dare to do? You were burning all night, have you really burned yourself silly?" Yu Jingchen was dissatisfied.
Nan Ziyun did not answer. It wasn't that she didn't want to, but that she didn't know what to say, nor did she dare to speak carelessly.
"Forget it, do as you please. I can't be bothered to manage it. Whether you want to go or not is up to you." Yu Jingchen felt his patience had been exhausted.
"Since you are injured, stay here and recuperate. Do not venture out casually if there is nothing important. Xinglai, give the order that no one in the harem is to set foot in Yanjing Residence these few days," Yu Jingchen said.
Nan Ziyun showed no excessive emotion on her face, but her heart was filled with an unavoidable sadness. These words, when heard by her, were naturally understood as confinement. Not only her, but others in the harem would also interpret it the same way.
Yu Jingchen did not linger any longer. As he was leaving, he saw Lady Xu kneeling in the courtyard, the former Noble Consort De, which instantly ignited his anger.
The anger he had been holding back was vented entirely upon seeing Lady Xu.
"Since you are no longer Noble Consort De, this attire is quite unsuitable. Remove everything that does not conform to the rules, and shed your palace robes. Then, kneel outside the entrance of Yanjing Residence. As I said, no one in the harem is to enter here." Yu Jingchen showed no leniency whatsoever. Being treated this way in public, who could accept it? But what could be done if they couldn't accept it?
Yu Jingchen had punished several people in just one day. Two of the consorts were even dealt with by Yu Jingchen, one who had been favored previously, and the other, one of the four consorts. Most importantly, it seemed both were related to Nan Ziyun. This had never happened before.
Inside Yanjing Residence, Qianxia recounted all the things Yu Jingchen had done the previous day. Nan Ziyun listened, finding it somewhat unbelievable. However, she did not utter any words of refutation, merely assuming Qianxia was trying to comfort her and had embellished the events.
For several days, Yu Jingchen did not visit Yanjing Residence again, nor did he inquire about her. Because after returning from Yanjing Residence that day, Yu Jingchen had realized something different about himself.
However, regardless of what others thought, he attributed it solely to Nan Ziyun taking a sword for him in the previous life, and to his lingering guilt towards the Nan family in the past life, which was why he no longer felt the same aversion towards Nan Ziyun.
That was all there was to it!