Yu Jingchen did not leave He'an Palace that night. Nan Zhiyun lay there motionless, afraid of touching that thing that terrified her. However, she was very tired and sleepy, and she knew she couldn't stay there any longer.

In the latter half of the night, Nan Zhiyun finally couldn't resist falling asleep. She couldn't control her movements, and with just a slight movement, the candlestick tipped over, waking Nan Zhiyun up.

She looked at the scene before her, feeling a chill run through her body. Nan Zhiyun was already fully awake, let alone Yu Jingchen beside her? Nan Zhiyun trembled all over when she met Yu Jingchen's cruel gaze.

She moved quickly and immediately knelt on the bed: "I didn't mean to, I just couldn't hold on anymore, I...I..." Nan Zhiyun was completely speechless and crying uncontrollably.

"Lie down," Yu Jingchen seemed not to have heard anything, only uttering these two cold words. Nan Zhiyun was unwilling, and she shook her head vigorously.

"Still can't learn from your mistakes?" Yu Jingchen didn't have time to waste with her.

Upon hearing Yu Jingchen's words, Nan Zhiyun froze. Did she dare? No… Nan Zhiyun, feeling utterly hopeless, slowly lay down on the bed. Yu Jingchen picked up the fallen candlestick.

Nan Zhiyun trembled like a leaf, showing just how terrified she was. Yu Jingchen, of course, knew this too; he looked at Nan Zhiyun as if admiring some interesting ornament. The candlestick was placed behind Nan Zhiyun, who gripped the bedsheet tightly, awaiting the onslaught of torture.

Nan Zhiyun waited for a while, but Yu Jingchen didn't seem to make a move. She mustered up her courage and looked back, and just then she saw Yu Jingchen's eyes looking at her, so deep that they seemed to draw people in.

Nan Zhiyun dared not look at him, nor dared she ask why Yu Jingchen hadn't attacked her. Yu Jingchen put down the candlestick in his hand and placed it in front of Nan Zhiyun. Nan Zhiyun felt a chill of fear upon seeing it. She couldn't figure out what Yu Jingchen meant, or what he wanted to do.

"Don't anger me, or you won't be able to bear the consequences." Yu Jingchen only said this one sentence, and Nan Zhiyun dared not answer.

"I'll let it go this time. I'm too lazy to deal with you." Yu Jingchen casually pushed the candlestick away. The sound of the candlestick hitting the ground made Nan Zhiyun shudder. However, she was slightly relieved that she didn't have to endure this.

Yu Jingchen didn't speak again. Nan Zhiyun looked at him, but Yu Jingchen had already closed his eyes. Was this... just like that?

Nan Zhiyun didn't dare to guess, but since Yu Jingchen didn't make any other moves, she gradually relaxed and, having already been unable to hold back any longer, finally fell asleep. After Nan Zhiyun fell asleep, Yu Jingchen opened his eyes, his expression clear and alert, showing no signs of having just woken up.

He looked at Nan Zhiyun before him, asleep, yet the wrinkles between her brows remained perfectly visible. Yu Jingchen stood up, while Nan Zhiyun lay back on the bed, in the same position as before. And without his command, she was still completely naked.

Yu Jingchen was a little annoyed, so he casually pulled the blanket to the side. Nan Zhiyun seemed to shiver, but she didn't wake up.

Yu Jingchen laughed as he looked at her: "Heh, you can't even pretend to be asleep, what else can you do?" He said, and perhaps because Yu Jingchen's tone was too cold, Nan Zhiyun's eyelashes trembled slightly.

Yu Jingchen glanced at him disdainfully: "You audacious fool, pushing your luck." With that, Yu Jingchen turned and left.

The moment Yu Jingchen left, Nan Zhiyun opened her eyes, still panting. Yu Jingchen had made a sudden movement, throwing the blanket over her, which had startled her awake, but she hadn't dared to open her eyes.

It seems Yu Jingchen realized she was pretending to be asleep. She had thought she was going to die a horrible death, but she didn't have the courage to open her eyes. Fortunately, Yu Jingchen eventually left.

Nan Zhiyun can't sleep now. What happened today feels like a dream, a nightmare, a nightmare she can never wake up from.

She truly and deeply understood Yu Jingchen's cold-bloodedness. Did she have to suffer the same torment as in her previous life? Heaven was cruel. She didn't understand the point of starting over. It would have been better to die.

If she cannot leave in this life, what should she do? Start over from the original path? How should she endure the days that follow? What about her father and the Empress Dowager? Tears streamed down Nan Zhiyun's face. Perhaps she was too useless. She couldn't even resist. She was powerless to change her current state.

The next morning

Nan Zhiyun got up very early. She sat blankly in front of the dressing mirror. Today she still had to pay her respects to the Imperial Concubine. Would this greeting be another mockery? The six palaces probably all knew about what happened yesterday. Nan Zhiyun was ashamed to face everyone, but these things were not up to her to decide.

Yunpeng Palace

Almost everyone had arrived, but despite being a Consort Shu, few people truly paid her any attention when she entered. His Majesty's manner of entering showed he didn't treat Nan Zhiyun as a human being at all; why should they respect her?

The harem is a place where people change their allegiance based on the wind. Even His Majesty dislikes her, so what is Nan Zhiyun? Even with the Empress Dowager around, what can she do? The Empress Dowager's power is not what it used to be, and she can hardly protect Consort Shu in the face of His Majesty.

"Oh, Consort Shu has finally arrived. I thought she was punished by His Majesty yesterday and was too ashamed to show her face today," said Consort Min.

“Oh, what are you saying, Min-mei? How could Consort Shu be so unruly?” Consort Chen immediately retorted.

"Yes, Consort Shu is naturally very disciplined, otherwise why would she make us wait here for so long?" This time it was Consort De.

Nan Zhiyun didn't speak, but simply sat in her seat. She had seen this kind of situation many times before, even in her previous life. Now, looking at it all, she felt numb.

Throughout the morning greetings, Nan Zhiyun was the target of insults. Perhaps because of the injury in her mouth, or perhaps because of the despair in her heart, Nan Zhiyun did not utter a single word.

After paying her respects, she returned to He'an Palace with her entourage. On the way, she inevitably encountered some clueless people, but she was too lazy to pay them any attention.

Upon returning to He'an Palace, the imperial kitchen staff had already brought her breakfast. Perhaps because the Empress Dowager was present, no one dared to mistreat Nan Zhiyun in terms of food and clothing. The concubines dared to disregard her, but some of the servants didn't have the guts.

Nan Zhiyun didn't eat much because of her mouth injury, and besides, she couldn't eat much. Qianxia was extremely anxious beside her, but no matter how much she pleaded, Nan Zhiyun refused to eat another bite.