“…” Yu Jingchen fell silent.

"Go back, your body can't withstand this rain." The Empress Dowager looked at her and said, perhaps she had already resented him, or perhaps looking at him now, she no longer wanted to argue, to let him go and let herself go.

"I'm sorry," Yu Jingchen said. He was sorry; he was sorry to Nan Zhiyun, sorry to the Empress Dowager, and sorry to the Nan family...

"There's no need for apologies now. Even if there were, it's too late. Don't dwell on it anymore. A simple apology won't undo anything from the past, will it?" The Empress Dowager's tone was gentle, but it pierced Yu Jingchen's heart with pain.

Yu Jingchen lowered his head and remained silent.

The Empress Dowager sighed softly, and finally said, "Go back. There's no need or point in doing this. You are the Emperor, why bother? Do what you want to do. You won't be wrong, and even if you are, it shouldn't be you. This has always been your view, so regretting it now is completely meaningless. Besides... Your Majesty can be a good emperor from now on. No one will restrain you, and no one will control you. I won't, and neither will the Nan family." As she spoke, the Empress Dowager took out the military tally from her hand: "Here you go, the thing you once cared about most."

Yu Jingchen looked down at the military tally in the Empress Dowager's hand, neither speaking nor taking it. The Empress Dowager, clearly not wanting to waste any more time, took his hand and placed the tally directly in his palm. She then said, "I once thought I could raise you well, and it turns out you are indeed very good, a qualified emperor. But… you have never been a qualified son, much less a qualified husband. I wouldn't say I'm disappointed, but if I could do it all over again, perhaps I wouldn't have let you drink that safflower soup and become utterly deprived of my children…" With that, the Empress Dowager turned and left without further ado.

Yu Jingchen stood there, not a child who had done something wrong, but what was he at that moment? He didn't know how long he had been standing there, but the day felt exceptionally long.

Finally, he saw the person he had been longing for. Nan Zhiyun stood alone at the door, holding an umbrella, watching him. The two gazed at each other across the misty rain.

Nan Zhiyun walked over here. Yu Jingchen had been standing for too long, and his wounds reopened, with some blood even mixed with the rain flowing onto the ground.

Yu Jingchen stared blankly at the person slowly approaching him. He wanted to speak, but found himself unable to utter a single word. He tried to raise his hand, but it felt as if it weighed a ton, making it impossible to lift.

Nan Zhiyun stopped in front of Yu Jingchen, and the two looked at each other without saying a word.

“You should know that I hate you…” Nan Zhiyun spoke first.

Yu Jingchen moved his lips, but what should he say?

“But… Yu Jingchen, more than hating you, I think I hate myself even more. I hate myself for being so reckless back then, I hate my one-sided love. If it weren’t for my own stubbornness, none of the things from the past life, and none of this now, would have happened. So more than hating you, I hate myself.” Nan Zhiyun said to him. Yu Jingchen wanted to comfort her, wanted to say that he was the one who was wrong, but he couldn’t say a word. He couldn’t bring himself to say it.

"Yu Jingchen... I forgive you, because I want to let myself go..." As Nan Zhiyun said this, tears instantly fell.

"So... let's just leave it at that, okay? It didn't start well, and the process was full of twists and turns. I was hurt, I paid the price, but that was because of my own immaturity, because I was too foolish, so I received the punishment I deserved. And you... you're the emperor, you never liked me, so you just did what you were supposed to do. My wishful thinking ruined me, and now I'll accept the consequences of my wishful thinking... I don't hate you anymore, I don't resent you anymore, I forgive you." Nan Zhiyun smiled, but there was absolutely no joy in her expression.

“Let’s go back… Why bother? It’s just mutual torment. Let it be as it is now. It’s better for both of us. Let it go… Father said he wants me to be happy, he wants me to not carry too much burden… So this time I want to listen to him.” Nan Zhiyun’s lips curved slightly. This time she wouldn’t be willful. She… let it go.

As Nan Zhiyun finished speaking, she turned to leave, but at that moment, Yu Jingchen finally reached out and grabbed her, pulling her into his arms. The umbrella fell... Nan Zhiyun didn't resist his embrace. Finally, Yu Jingchen released her; his face was wet with what looked like tears or rain, only his eyes were red.

“Yun’er… I’m letting you go. Didn’t you want to leave the palace? In your past life, General Nan took you back to your hometown in the south. This time… would you like to go back and take a look?” Yu Jingchen asked, his voice still gentle despite his hoarseness.

Nan Zhiyun seemed somewhat doubtful about what she had heard. She looked at Yu Jingchen, who smiled, as if relieved: "You said I don't like you, but I know that long ago, this liking had already seeped into my bones. Yun'er, I want to tell you that I like you, I like you a lot. And now, because of this liking, I hope you can be happy, can do what you like, and live the life you want. So I'm willing to let you go... The palace is not easy, and you love freedom by nature, so if you want, you can fly out of this cage at any time."

“You’ve suffered a lot of injuries and hardships here. I know you’re afraid of pain and you’re afraid of hardship, so you have to take good care of yourself from now on. Don’t get hurt again after I’m gone, okay?” Yu Jingchen gently wiped Nan Zhiyun’s cheek with his fingertips. Nan Zhiyun seemed to have never expected this.

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