For the past two days, the Empress Dowager has been personally taking care of Nan Zhiyun. Nan Zhiyun's injuries have almost healed, and her mental state is also good.

Yu Jingchen had been restraining himself from going, because he felt that seeing Nan Zhiyun might trigger some issues he didn't want to dwell on. Since it would cause interference, he decided not to go. But… why did he still subconsciously think about that woman every day?

"Your Majesty?" Xing Lai called out, bringing Yu Jingchen back to his senses. These past two days, he had often found himself thinking about trivial things. For example... Nan Zhiyun.

"How is her recovery going?" Yu Jingchen finally asked. He knew who "she" was without needing to elaborate.

"Your Majesty, I heard that Consort Nan is much better. Her injuries are healing quickly, she can eat again, and her spirits have improved recently." Xinglai seemed to know Nan Zhiyun's condition... well, how to put it, he was quite familiar with it. After all... he could guess some of Yu Jingchen's thoughts, so how could he not be prepared?

"The Empress Dowager has been taking good care of her these past few days, and has put in a lot of effort. The Empress Dowager has been staying in He'an Palace these days. Let's set off for He'an Palace in a bit and go see the Empress Dowager, and also check on Consort Nan's recovery." Yu Jingchen put down his pen and ink and said this.

Xinglai: "...Yes." So who exactly is just a side effect?

Fortunately, they arrived quickly and reached He'an Hall in no time... They had no choice but to hurry, considering how impatient they looked...

"Empress Dowager" An Xin walked in.

“His Majesty is here,” An Xin said.

The Empress Dowager was chatting and laughing with Nan Zhiyun at that moment, but now her mood was ruined by those words. Nan Zhiyun, on the other hand… instinctively felt fear.

The Empress Dowager gently patted Nan Zhiyun's hand, then looked at An Xin and said, "Did you tell me why you came here?"

"They say that the Empress Dowager has been working too hard to take care of Consort Nan lately, so they came to see her. Also, Consort Nan has been bedridden for days, but they heard she's feeling better now, so they thought they could come and see her too," An Xin said.

The Empress Dowager's expression didn't change much. She simply said casually, "I told you I was talking to Yun'er and didn't have time to see him. Besides, we should know what he did before. Did he come here just to scare Yun'er? Let him go back." The Empress Dowager didn't give him any face at all.

Having spent so much time by the Empress Dowager's side, An Xin was also a fearless person.

Yu Jingchen, standing outside the door, darkened upon hearing An Xin's reply. Xing Lai lowered her head, not daring to utter a sound.

"Your Majesty, please return," An Xin said, still trying to shoo him away.

"What if I don't reply?" Yu Jingchen suddenly wanted to ask this question.

“Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven. If you truly wish to enter, this servant has no choice. However, if Your Majesty does indeed enter, you should consider the feelings of the Empress Dowager and Consort Nan.” An Xin’s words were impeccably worded, yet this blatant threat to the current emperor…

Fortunately, I have to admire her courage; she truly deserves to be a palace maid serving the Empress Dowager.

Yu Jingchen stood outside the door, neither saying he was leaving nor actually trying to barge in. Xing Lai couldn't help but raise her head and cautiously glance at Yu Jingchen.

"Since Your Majesty the Empress Dowager has no time, then please return home," Yu Jingchen finally issued this order.

Even Xinglai found it somewhat unbelievable that His Majesty would compromise so easily.

After Yu Jingchen left, An Xin returned to the house.

"They've left?" the Empress Dowager asked.

“His Majesty has already left,” An Xin replied.

The Empress Dowager then waved her hand, dismissing An Xin, and looked at Nan Zhiyun.

"Want to see the Emperor?" the Empress Dowager asked.

Nan Zhiyun pondered for a while and then shook her head.

"Why do you look so troubled? Or is it something you're thinking about?" The Empress Dowager chuckled.

"No, I just don't know how to answer," Nan Zhiyun said.

"What's so difficult about that? If you want to, you want to; if you don't want to, you don't want to," the Empress Dowager said.

"I'm afraid of him," Nan Zhiyun confided to the Empress Dowager.

"Do you like it? Do you still like it?" the Empress Dowager asked.

Nan Zhiyun remained silent, and the Empress Dowager did not press her for an answer, but waited patiently until she heard Nan Zhiyun reply: "Your Majesty, I have liked His Majesty for a long time, so... it seems I can't forget him, and I can't remain unmoved. But... now, more than liking him, I seem to be afraid of His Majesty..." Nan Zhiyun said.

She couldn't forget the person she had liked for so long, nor could she be indifferent to him.

"Do you still hope to get a response from him? If he develops different feelings for you in the future, will you still get along well with him? Are you willing to accept his past?" the Empress Dowager asked again.

"When you give something, you always want something in return. If you get something you wanted but didn't have, you'll be happy. But... it might not be as joyful as you imagine. As for acceptance... it might not be as passionate as before. Just a calm and peaceful acceptance is enough. I won't ask for anything or expect anything." The Empress Dowager hadn't expected Nan Zhiyun to say such things.

"Yun'er, if one day, just if, the emperor hurts you badly, even harming your child and family, will you regret ever liking him? Will you still choose to forgive him? Or will you hate him?" the Empress Dowager asked.

Nan Zhiyun paused for a moment, then smiled gently: "Probably not... I won't forgive, nor will I hate. After all, I overestimated myself, and it was my own insistence that led me this way, so I won't hate." Nan Zhiyun said.

"If you were given another chance after all those things happened, what would you do?" The Empress Dowager looked at Nan Zhiyun very seriously.

“Let’s try again… Let’s stay away, so we won’t get hurt if we don’t get close,” Nan Zhiyun replied.

"But what if you find him walking towards you at that moment?" the Empress Dowager continued.

Nan Zhiyun fell silent.

"Is it difficult?" the Empress Dowager asked her.

“It’s not that it’s difficult, I just thought it was unlikely, so I didn’t think about it. Now that I think about it… maybe I want him to experience what I went through…” Nan Zhiyun replied to the Empress Dowager.

After hearing this, the Empress Dowager remained silent for a moment, her gaze towards Nan Zhiyun somewhat complicated, but Nan Zhiyun was lost in her own thoughts and did not pay much attention.

————————Although it's only one chapter, it's equivalent to two chapters.