Yu Jingchen's tone was much calmer than before, and Nan Zhiyun was momentarily dazed. She moved her lips, but in the end, she didn't say anything and obediently sat down.

Before long, people from the Imperial Kitchen and the Imperial Medical Bureau were brought over. Ya Jing Ju was rather small, and with dozens of people kneeling in the courtyard, it felt quite crowded.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!" No one knew what was going on, but a sense of unease lingered in their hearts.

"Who in the Imperial Kitchen is in charge of Consort Nan's meals?" Yu Jingchen asked directly without even waking them up, and the people half-lying on the ground dared not move.

Even the most foolish among them now know what's going on, and they're likely to be punished. Thinking about this, some people aren't worried at all, while others are trembling with fear.

"Your Majesty, it was this servant who was responsible for delivering the meals," one of the eunuchs replied somewhat tremblingly. There was nothing they could do about it if they didn't admit it; everyone knew it.

"Then tell me what you sent? What time of day did you send them?" Yu Jingchen's tone was indifferent, and he didn't have any extra expression, but it sent chills down one's spine.

"Yes, Your Majesty... this servant... this servant also delivers according to the allotted amount, on time every day," the little eunuch replied.

"Men, strike!" Yu Jingchen was too lazy to waste any more words.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me! I've only told the truth!" The little eunuch was still unrepentant.

"Block it up," Yu Jingchen coldly uttered two more words.

The eunuch was immediately gagged, and without even being moved a torture bench, he was pinned to the ground and beaten with a cane.

Even with his mouth gagged, the eunuch's painful cries could still be heard. However, Yu Jingchen ignored them completely and remained utterly unmoved.

Nan Zhiyun, standing beside her, paled even more at this sight, for she had naturally endured this kind of torture before. However, she dared not show any sign of discomfort now, and forcibly suppressed her unease and fear.

Yu Jingchen gradually noticed that something was wrong with Nan Zhiyun. He could roughly guess the reason. Yu Jingchen suddenly remembered that in his previous life, he had punished Nan Zhiyun with caning on the grounds that she had plotted to harm the imperial heir. He had watched her being punished that time, and even though he had already fainted, the punishment did not stop.

"Stop!" Yu Jingchen shouted.

The executioners stopped what they were doing.

"Maybe she told the truth?" Yu Jingchen felt a surge of irritation and avoided looking at Nan Zhiyun again.

"This servant confesses. This servant thought that Consort Nan had angered His Majesty, so he treated her harshly and did not send her meals on time according to the proper rations." He dared not hide anything any longer.

"Take him away and deal with him," Yu Jingchen ordered coldly.

The eunuch kept begging for mercy, but Yu Jingchen didn't even glance at him, his face full of ruthlessness.

"Anyone else who did something they shouldn't have, just come out. It saves me the trouble of questioning them one by one." Yu Jingchen coldly swept his gaze over them.

Even so, the people below looked left and right, but no one stepped forward.

Yu Jingchen's face immediately darkened: "Is there no one left?"

"These are the people below. Who's in charge? Is everything alright?"

"And the Imperial Medical Bureau, as I mentioned before?"

"She's still in this condition. Have you really done your best? Who prescribed the medicine? Who delivered it? Do I have to point them out one by one?" Yu Jingchen even knocked over the tea in front of him.

"Your Majesty, please calm down!" Everyone was startled by Yu Jingchen's action, including Nan Zhiyun, who instinctively tried to stand up.

"Sit down, these issues have nothing to do with you," Yu Jingchen said after noticing her movement.

“…Yes, thank you, Your Majesty.” Nan Zhiyun hesitated for a moment before sitting down again.