Yu Jingchen noticed Nan Zhiyun's nervousness and knew his own past attitude. He walked over to Nan Zhiyun and helped her up.

"Don't be afraid, okay?" He gently put his arm around Nan Zhiyun's waist. Yu Jingchen felt that all he could do was to help her adapt slowly. The memories from the past were unforgettable, but he would make up for them gradually in the future.

Whatever Nan Zhiyun was like before, she will be like in the future. Even if she can never go back to the way she was before, he will make her radiant again, precious and untouchable.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty, I beg you to do justice for me. Even though I am of lowly status, I should not be treated like this by Consort Shu. How could she have the palace servants push me to the ground like this? I know I have disturbed Your Majesty, but if Your Majesty is displeased, you could have simply told me. You should not have humiliated me like this."

"Even if I am the worst of women, I am still His Majesty's woman and the birth mother of the eldest princess. Consort Shu, are you deliberately trying to embarrass me and showing no respect for His Majesty?" Consort Yang knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face, looking pitiful.

“I didn’t have anyone push her, and I told her to leave, but she wouldn’t listen,” Nan Zhiyun retorted softly.

"Yes, I know." Yu Jingchen pulled Nan Zhiyun into his arms, letting her lean against his chest, hoping to give her a sense of security and trust.

Nan Zhiyun didn't know what her emotions were, but Yu Jingchen's tone and actions made it hard for her to hide the bitterness in her eyes.

"Your Majesty..." Consort Yang seemed not to have expected this situation.

Yu Jingchen looked at her, and just that one look from him made her dare not speak again.

"How do you want me to make decisions for you?" Yu Jingchen asked in a low voice.

"Your Highness, Your Highness..." Yang Zhaoyuan dared not utter a sound.

"Since you know your lowly status, then you should properly recognize your place," Yu Jingchen said in a low voice, but his voice still carried an air of authority.

"What brings you here without a reason?" Yu Jingchen continued to ask.

"No... This concubine only came to visit Consort Shu, that's all." Consort Yang's words were trembling and she could barely speak.

"To be able to say such things, it's clear you're truly an incurable idiot. If the Grand Princess were to follow you, I'm afraid I'd have to find a royal physician to examine her beforehand." Yu Jingchen looked down at the person kneeling at his feet.

"Your Majesty!" Consort Yang suddenly panicked.

"Send the eldest princess to Consort De. Consort Yang has behaved improperly before the Emperor, offended Consort Shu, and committed insubordination. She is hereby demoted to the rank of Baolin and punished by being forced to kneel and crawl back to the palace, and is confined to her quarters for three months." Yu Jingchen issued the decree cleanly and decisively.

Yang Zhaoyuan felt like the sky was falling when she heard about this punishment. But just as she was about to plead for mercy, she was covered and dragged away.

"Yang Baolin, you'd better think this through. If you speak up now, the punishment might not be so lenient," Xinglai whispered a reminder, and Yang Baolin dared not utter a word.

Seeing Yang Baolin being dragged away like that, Nan Zhiyun was still somewhat stunned and very surprised. She hadn't expected Yu Jingchen to punish her so severely, especially since Yang Baolin had given birth to a princess.

In the palace, any concubine who has been demoted basically has no future, let alone someone without a family. With everyone in the palace so opportunistic and snobbish, Yang Baolin's future will be bleak.

Given the cold weather today, and the recent snowfall, kneeling back to her palace like this is not something an ordinary person could endure. It's likely her knees will be ruined, and whether she'll ever be able to stand again is uncertain.

Most importantly, her only asset used to be that child. But now she no longer has the right to raise him. Not to mention that Yu Jingchen has already ordered the child to be sent to Consort De, his current demotion makes him unworthy of raising his own child.

So it's clear that the child can never return to her side. Whether for profit or for affection, it's the ultimate punishment.

Nan Zhiyun didn't sympathize with her; she just felt that Yu Jingchen seemed to always be a ruthless person who never showed mercy to anyone, especially after he became emperor.

Nan Zhiyun was afraid of Yu Jingchen like this, because she always felt that he was incapable of feeling for anyone, nor of having any pity for anyone. The words "soft-heartedness" and "leniency" were never associated with him.

"What's wrong? What are you thinking about?" Yu Jingchen asked, looking at the uneasy little girl in his arms.

"I'm fine..." Nan Zhiyun's voice sounded a little strange.

Yu Jingchen frowned, then looked at Nan Zhiyun and asked, "What's wrong? Are you crying?"

"No," Nan Zhiyun said, turning her eyes away.

"You still say no? Your tone is all wrong." Yu Jingchen sighed helplessly. It was windy outside, so he could only lead the person inside.

"Come, sit here." Yu Jingchen pulled Nan Zhiyun to sit in the main seat... or rather, Nan Zhiyun was sitting in his lap. Nan Zhiyun was a little uncomfortable and subconsciously tried to struggle to get down, but how could Yu Jingchen allow that? He simply held her tightly in his arms.

"If you don't explain yourself clearly today, I'm not letting you down," Yu Jingchen threatened.

"What did you say?" Nan Zhiyun didn't understand what he meant.

"Tell me why you're unhappy again?" Yu Jingchen tilted his head to look at her.

"I am not unhappy..." Nan Zhiyun said somewhat awkwardly.

"Huh? You didn't see it? I clearly saw it." Yu Jingchen looked at her with a smile.

“No…” Nan Zhiyun felt a little uncomfortable.

"Tsk, then who is this person pouting with an unhappy expression on their face?" Yu Jingchen pinched Nan Zhiyun's waist, which tickled her a little, and Nan Zhiyun slightly flinched away.

"Your Majesty..." She was ticklish.

"What's wrong, Your Majesty?" Yu Jingchen asked, looking at her with a smile.

Nan Zhiyun: "..."

"Is Yun'er ticklish?" Yu Jingchen asked.

"Your Majesty, release me..." Nan Zhiyun gently pushed away Yu Jingchen's hands that were holding her, trying to pry them off.

"What if I don't want to let go?" Yu Jingchen asked deliberately.

"Your Majesty..." Nan Zhiyun's tone was somewhat pitiful, with a soft and delicate quality.

"Alright, I won't tease you anymore." Yu Jingchen was afraid that he would really make her cry, so he stopped. However, he still didn't let go of her.