A warm kiss touched her forehead. Nan Zhiyun stood there dumbfounded. Yu Jingchen gave her a light kiss and quickly released her.

He looked at Nan Zhiyun and saw her standing there in a daze, and his heart softened completely.

"Don't be scared anymore, okay?" Yu Jingchen comforted him gently.

"Try this candied hawthorn again and see what it tastes like?" Yu Jingchen held Nan Zhiyun's hand and brought the candied hawthorn to her lips.

Nan Zhiyun looked at the candied hawthorn in front of her, hesitated for a moment, and then took a bite.

"Does it taste the same as before?" Yu Jingchen asked her.

Nan Zhiyun thought for a moment, then shook her head. It seemed different now.

"What does it taste like? Is it good?" Yu Jingchen asked.

"It's sweet and sour, and it tastes delicious," Nan Zhiyun replied.

Yu Jingchen smiled faintly as a gentle breeze blew by. Then, taking a bite from Nan Zhiyun's hand, he did the same, leaving Nan Zhiyun completely dumbfounded.

"Mmm, it's delicious." Yu Jingchen looked into Nan Zhiyun's eyes, patted her head, and then gently pulled her into his arms again: "Nan Zhiyun, from now on, it'll be the same as today, okay? You can be willful, you can be spoiled, you can express your needs, don't be afraid, okay?" Yu Jingchen said.

Nan Zhiyun remained quiet and didn't speak.

"This is for you." Yu Jingchen didn't know when he had taken out this thing. Nan Zhiyun looked down and found that it was a royal gold medal.

"Your Majesty..." Nan Zhiyun was genuinely shocked.

Not only her, but also Xinglai and the others hadn't expected Yu Jingchen to produce this. This was far more useful than any so-called "get-out-of-jail-free card." Seeing it was like the Emperor himself had arrived, and it could be used in virtually any situation without any limit on the number of uses, unless a serious crime, such as treason, was committed, in which case it would be revoked.

"I won't lie to you, this is the evidence, so don't be afraid anymore. I will learn to be good to one person, only one, only you..." Yu Jingchen stuffed the gold medal into Nan Zhiyun's hand.

"I will never take it back in this lifetime; it is a golden promise," Yu Jingchen added.

Nan Zhiyun was at a loss for how to react; this seemed like something she shouldn't have taken. In her memory, no one in Yuan Kingdom had ever received such a thing before, because under normal circumstances, the emperor wouldn't bestow it as a gift.

Firstly, no one had ever performed such a feat, and secondly, the other party's excessive power would arouse the emperor's suspicion. Therefore, this imperial gold medal was generally only possessed by the emperor.

“Nan Zhiyun, I’m serious. This is not a joke or some new trick,” Yu Jingchen continued.

Nan Zhiyun looked at the thing in her hand, at a loss. Logically speaking, she was not entitled to take it.

"Alright, take it. If it puts your mind at ease, then it's worth it. This is of no use to me." Yu Jingchen released Nan Zhiyun.

Nan Zhiyun wanted to say something, but after opening her mouth, she couldn't utter a word. She just watched as Yu Jingchen tied the thing around his waist, then tightened his cloak to cover it up.

"From now on, only Yun'er will have it, okay?" Yu Jingchen was teasing a child again.

"...Thank you, Your Majesty." Nan Zhiyun ultimately did not refuse, perhaps out of greed. It wasn't that she was relieved, but... the temptation of this thing was too great; perhaps... she would really need it someday?

Yu Jingchen ruffled Nan Zhiyun's hair: "What's there to thank me for? If you really want to thank me, you might as well change how you address me." Yu Jingchen's tone was affectionate.

“A form of address is more than just a form of address, Nan Zhiyun. I will try my best to act in a way that corresponds to this identity. Let’s take it slow, okay?” Yu Jingchen asked, but Nan Zhiyun didn’t respond for a long time. Just when he thought Yu Jingchen wouldn’t answer as before, he heard Nan Zhiyun say, “Hmm…”

Yu Jingchen was slightly taken aback, then overjoyed. Did this mean he agreed?

"What did Yun'er say?" Yu Jingchen asked her, bending down slightly.

“It’s nothing…” Nan Zhiyun looked away.

“Mingming said it, I heard it,” Yu Jingchen said.

"Then why does Your Majesty still ask..." Nan Zhiyun looked at Yu Jingchen.

"I just want to ask, I want to hear Yun'er say it again with certainty. Answer it again, okay?" Yu Jingchen was coaxing a child.

"No..." Nan Zhiyun didn't want to say any more.

"Heh, are you sorry?" Yu Jingchen chuckled, not teasing Nan Zhiyun any further as he looked at her flushed face.

"Let's go, I'll show you around some more." Yu Jingchen took Nan Zhiyun's hand.

After they left, the curtains of the carriage in the distance were lowered. Inside sat the Empress Dowager and Gu Yin.

"What a coincidence." Gu Yin smiled and drew the curtains to keep the cold wind out.

"I'll be returning to the palace tomorrow, so don't worry. Everything is under your control, isn't it?" Gu Yin looked at the Empress Dowager and handed her a cup of tea.

“This time it really is Junshan Silver Needle,” Gu Yin said. The Empress Dowager took it, looked at it but did not drink it or say anything.

“I know the Empress Dowager dislikes drinking these tasteless things the most,” Gu Yin said nonsensically.

"Yuncheng is back. I heard that Changle went to He'an Palace today." The Empress Dowager changed the subject and put down her tea.

Gu Yin glanced at the tea she had set down, but said nothing. Then he heard the Empress Dowager say, "Let's go, let's go back..."

The carriage slowly drove away and disappeared into the night, as if it had never been there at all...

——————————————Warning! Warning! Warning!