The secret guard relayed to Yu Jingchen everything the Empress Dowager and Nan Zhiyun had said at Cining Palace, word for word.
Upon hearing this, Xinglai wanted to bury her head in the ground. What was the Empress Dowager saying? Wouldn't this only further enrage His Majesty? His Majesty had finally changed his attitude towards Consort Nan, and now he was changing it back again—wouldn't that be even worse?
Fortunately, she couldn't understand the Empress Dowager's meaning and didn't dare to look up at His Majesty's expression. As for Yu Jingchen, he hadn't said a word since hearing these words.
After a long while, he finally said, "Pay close attention to Cixi Palace and He'an Hall these next few days." Yu Jingchen's fingers tapped lightly on the table.
"Then have someone investigate what happened during the days the Empress Dowager was away from the palace," Yu Jingchen ordered.
"Yes," the guard replied.
"Step down," Yu Jingchen waved his hand casually.
After the guards withdrew, Yu Jingchen said to Xing, "Let's go to He'an Palace tonight."
Xinglai was stunned for a moment, and then wondered to himself, could it be that His Majesty went to warn Consort Nan?
"Yes," Xinglai replied.
After that, Yu Jingchen stopped talking and began to deal with the memorials in front of him.
Cixi Palace
After Nan Zhiyun finished crying, her eyes were still a little red and swollen. The Empress Dowager looked at her with some heartache.
"Our Yun'er is still the same as when she was little. Whenever she cries, her eyes swell up like peaches," the Empress Dowager joked.
"The Empress Dowager is making fun of me again." Nan Zhiyun acted more like a little girl in front of the Empress Dowager, sometimes acting coquettishly and sometimes feeling wronged.
"Yun'er will never grow up, that's why I tease her." The Empress Dowager tapped Nan Zhiyun's forehead.
"Are you hungry? Have dinner with me. I haven't been in the mood to eat these days since Yun'er has been away from me," the Empress Dowager said with a smile, and then pulled Nan Zhiyun to the dining table.
However, the Empress Dowager's expression turned cold upon seeing the table full of dishes.
"Are these dishes prepared by the Imperial Kitchen? Don't you know Yun'er can't eat fish? How could they be served like this? Take them away from me immediately! Such things are never to appear in Cining Palace again!" The Empress Dowager was furious.
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger!" The people below were also frightened.
"Perhaps the servants think Your Majesty likes it. Your Majesty need not be angry about this, and please do not upset yourself. Take all these fish away." This was said by the nanny serving the Empress Dowager.
"It's just that the Emperor likes it. He likes it, so everyone accommodates him, and Cining Palace always prepares it. But now I think that if the Emperor likes it, he can have it prepared by himself. He's spoiled." The Empress Dowager became increasingly impolite to Yu Jingchen, and no one dared to respond to her words.
Fortunately, the Empress Dowager didn't keep talking. Instead, she pulled Nan Zhiyun to sit down, and Nan Zhiyun sat down next to her.
"Your stomach isn't good, so you shouldn't eat too much oily or spicy food." The Empress Dowager took the initiative to put some of Nan Zhiyun's favorite dishes on her plate.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Nan Zhiyun said with a smile, her face upturned, revealing a touch of girlish charm.
"What are you thanking me for? Look how thin you are!" The Empress Dowager was afraid that Nan Zhiyun would go hungry, so she quickly filled Nan Zhiyun's bowl to the brim.
"Your Majesty, that's enough. You won't be able to eat anymore soon." Nan Zhiyun stopped the Empress Dowager from picking up more food, a stark contrast to her behavior when interacting with Yu Jingchen.
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