The pain in her knees made Nan Zhiyun feel uncomfortable. She moved her body slightly, and then she heard Yu Jingchen's voice: "Can't you kneel down after such a short while? Are you so delicate? Or are you turning a deaf ear to what I say?" Yu Jingchen's voice was cold, chilling Nan Zhiyun's heart.

"Your Majesty, I am guilty." Nan Zhiyun knelt down, saying nothing more.

Yu Jingchen felt a lump in his throat, unable to breathe, and the anger in his heart grew stronger and stronger.

Kneel? Fine, then he'll see how long Nan Zhiyun can kneel!

Yu Jingchen sat there slowly drinking tea, while Nan Zhiyun knelt on the cold, hard floor for an hour before she could no longer hold on.

However, she could not beg for mercy, because if she did, Yu Jingchen would only punish her more severely. He would never go easy on her just because she begged for mercy.

But she was so tired... her knees hurt so much...

Yu Jingchen looked at Nan Zhiyun, who had been kneeling for so long, clearly unable to kneel any longer but not begging for mercy. A thoughtful look flashed in his eyes. Why was Nan Zhiyun not like before? What new trick was she using?

Did she think that this would make him let her go or show her any pity? Thinking this, Yu Jingchen felt another chill run down his spine. What a disgusting woman. Since she wanted to kneel, then let her keep kneeling. He wanted to see how long she could hold out.

Yu Jingchen never believed that Nan Zhiyun entered the palace without a purpose, even though she showed that she cared about him, liked him, and admired him. Yu Jingchen never truly believed her. There were plenty of women like that in the harem, and Nan Zhiyun was no exception.

He was the emperor, and any woman who approached him did so only for his favor, for their own power and status. Nan Zhiyun was even more so, because she wanted more... She was planted by the Empress Dowager and the Nan family to be by his side, and compared to others, Nan Zhiyun was the one he found most disgusting and abhorrent.

Nan Zhiyun had been kneeling for another half hour, and she really couldn't hold on any longer. Perhaps... Nan Zhiyun made a plan in her mind, and the next moment, she simply "knelt down" and "fainted".

Yu Jingchen frowned as he looked at the scene before him. He had just fainted like that? What a useless thing.

"Thank you for coming!" Yu Jingchen called out.

Xinglai, who was standing nearby, walked over and bowed. "Your Majesty," he said.

Yu Jingchen put down the tea: "Splash it to wake me up"—these two cold words came out of Yu Jingchen's mouth.

Although Xinglai hesitated, it wasn't his place to say no, so he splashed the cup of tea on Nan Zhiyun's face. Nan Zhiyun naturally couldn't keep up the act any longer, but she was indeed quite weak right now.

"What? You're so capable? You can't even last a little while?" Yu Jingchen showed no pity for Nan Zhiyun.

"Hold her down and make her kneel. If she faints even once, she will be flogged ten times. I want to see how long you can last." As soon as Yu Jingchen said this, Nan Zhiyun felt a chill run through her body from head to toe.

Looking at Nan Zhiyun's pale face, Yu Jingchen seemed to be looking at something amusing. To put it bluntly, in his eyes, Nan Zhiyun was nothing more than a source of satisfaction.

About fifteen minutes later, Nan Zhiyun thought she might really faint, but just then, a voice came from outside: "The Empress Dowager has arrived!"

Upon hearing this voice, Yu Jingchen's face darkened. The Empress Dowager immediately entered through the door, and upon seeing the scene inside, she nearly fainted from anger.

"Yun'er..." The Empress Dowager walked to Nan Zhiyun's side and squatted down.

"Your Majesty, what are you doing? What wrong has Yun'er done? Why are you punishing her like this?" the Empress Dowager questioned.

"Do I need to explain to the Empress Dowager what I'm about to do?" Yu Jingchen remained seated without moving an inch.

"Your Majesty, Yun'er is just a young girl, why are you so angry?" The Empress Dowager's anger did not subside.

"The moment the Empress Dowager arranged for her to enter the palace, this was destined to be the outcome. Can't she accept it now?" Yu Jingchen's lips curled into a mocking smile.

The Empress Dowager was furious, but she didn't want to dwell on it now. She tried to calm herself down and then looked at An Xin: "Come, help Yun'er up, and then go and call the imperial physician." The Empress Dowager didn't care at all about Yu Jingchen's attitude.

Yu Jingchen watched this scene without saying anything, but his expression grew increasingly gloomy.

An Xin and the Empress Dowager helped Nan Zhiyun up. Nan Zhiyun had been kneeling for too long and was now completely unsteady on her feet. She was also soaking wet and looked utterly disheveled.

"Help Yun'er go inside," the Empress Dowager said, and then escorted Nan Zhiyun back to her room. Yu Jingchen stood at a distance, his head bowed, not daring to speak.

Inside the room, the Empress Dowager had An Xin call in the servants who were supposed to attend to Nan Zhiyun. Qianxia felt extremely distressed seeing Nan Zhiyun in this state.

"Has the imperial physician arrived?" the Empress Dowager asked.

"They're almost here. I've already sent someone to call them." An Xin had practically watched Nan Zhiyun grow up, and seeing Nan Zhiyun like this now, she felt just as bad.

The Empress Dowager had someone change Nan Zhiyun's clothes and then sat down beside her, saying, "Good child, you've suffered." The Empress Dowager comforted her.

Nan Zhiyun originally wanted to say that she was fine, but seeing the Empress Dowager like this, and remembering the things from her past life, Nan Zhiyun could no longer hold back her grievances and burst into tears while hugging the Empress Dowager.

"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager... I regret it... I regret it!" Nan Zhiyun cried like a wronged child, hugging the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager was taken aback. She didn't know why Nan Zhiyun would suddenly act this way. She thought that Nan Zhiyun had just been wronged, so she simply hugged her gently and patted her back.

"Don't cry, I'm here, don't be afraid," the Empress Dowager comforted her. But Nan Zhiyun couldn't control her emotions. All the memories from her previous life flooded her mind, and she really couldn't accept it.

She wanted to leave the palace, she wanted to find her father, she had so much to say, but she didn't know where to begin. And… if things continued as they were in her previous life, would her father suffer the same fate? She was afraid…

Nan Zhiyun was crying while hugging the Empress Dowager. Yu Jingchen, who was just about to enter, stood at the doorway, his steps faltering slightly as he watched Nan Zhiyun and the Empress Dowager embracing. He had always known how much the Empress Dowager doted on Nan Zhiyun; it seemed she would sacrifice anything for her…

But why does the Empress Dowager always use me? Why do empty fame and benefits always come first in my eyes? In her heart, I am perhaps not even as important as Nan Zhiyun.

But... if she truly loved Nan Zhiyun, why would she allow Nan Zhiyun to enter the palace and subject her to such humiliation and abuse? Could it be that she would do anything to achieve her goal, even in such a way? Yu Jingchen looked deeply at the two people inside, but ultimately did not go in.