Chapter 1172: Drinking poison to quench thirst, adding hot water to stop boiling

"One of them has been wronged, the other guilty. However, if I handle them improperly, the wronged one's wrongdoing will become my fault, and the guilty one's guilt will become mine."

Indeed, this is the most difficult thing.

At this moment, Eunuch Yu's voice was heard outside.

"Your Majesty, can you serve dinner?"

Zhu Feng turned around and saw several people standing outside the door, so he said "hmm". Soon, Eunuch Yu came in with several eunuchs from the imperial kitchen.

Seeing the two of them, Eunuch Yu smiled at Nan Yan, but Nan Yan coughed lightly in embarrassment and stood aside.

In fact, Eunuch Yu was fine, but the expressions on the faces of those young eunuchs made her embarrassed.

This seemed to be the first time in history that the emperor actually came to the cold palace to eat. However, since it was heard that he had stayed in the cold palace before, everyone did not think it was too strange, especially when they walked into this room and found that many things from the Yiku Palace had been moved in.

Everyone couldn't help but wonder, is the imperial concubine really going to set up camp here?

In that case, the emperor has to go to the cold palace every day to favor the imperial concubine?

What the hell is this?

Everyone had different expressions on their faces, but they all held it in. They took out the bowls and dishes from the food boxes, filling the entire table, and then retreated.

Aunt Tongyun and Nianqiu wanted to come and serve them the dishes, but Zhu Feng just waved his hand lightly: "No need, I will dine with the imperial concubine tonight, so I don't need you to serve me."

So they also retreated.

Nan Yan was led to the table and sat down. She had no appetite despite the sumptuous food on the table. However, Zhu Feng still picked up the chopsticks and said, "Eat more."

"yes."

Nan Yan also obeyed, holding the bowl and eating in silence.

For a moment, the room fell silent again, with only the clinking of dishes and chopsticks remaining. After a while, Zhu Feng saw her put down her dishes and chopsticks, gazing at the dishes on the table with a lost expression. He asked, "Why aren't you eating again? What are you thinking about?"

“…”

Nan Yan was silent for a moment, then said, "I was thinking about some things from my childhood."

"oh?"

Zhu Feng raised his eyebrows slightly.

Ever since he lost his memory, he had to start from scratch to understand Nan Yan's affairs. However, just understanding her as a person was already troublesome enough, especially since he couldn't tell anyone around him everything. Instead, the Queen told him some of her family affairs.

So, he knew that she had another not very happy childhood.

Why do I still think about my childhood?

Zhu Feng asked, "What did you think of?"

Nan Yan said, "I remember when I was little. One New Year's Day, my brothers teased me and tried to push me into the pond. I refused to give in, so they dragged him in too. He caught a cold and had a high fever during the New Year."

“…”

"My mother was furious and wanted to beat me without asking any questions."

“…”

"Luckily, my grandmother saw me and protected me. My mother held a grudge, but she couldn't disobey my grandmother, so she suppressed the matter for the time being."

“…”

"Who knew that night, a pickled fish that was steamed in the kitchen disappeared."

Zhu Feng frowned subconsciously: "They said you stole it?"

"Yeah," Nan Yan nodded and said, "Because my mother doesn't like me, I can hardly sit at the table to eat during the New Year. That day, I was really greedy, so I lay down at the kitchen door to watch them steam fish. So, I clearly saw that it was a cook in the kitchen who secretly gave the fish to his family to take away."

Zhu Feng said: "But, they don't believe you."

Nan Yan nodded and said, "At that time, no matter how much I cried and said I was wronged, my mother would not listen. She threw me into the woodshed and locked me up all night."

When she talked about the past at this time, she actually didn't feel too much pain or discomfort. After all, everything was in the past.

But Zhu Feng frowned.

Seeing a hint of fierceness flash in his eyes, Nan Yan hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I am not saying this to seek revenge. It has all passed, and I have long since let it go. I just think this matter is quite interesting."

"What's the meaning?"

Nan Yan tilted her head and looked at him: "One is wronged, the other is guilty."

Zhu Feng frowned slightly.

Nan Yan said, "It's like there's a carrot and a hole. Even though the carrot isn't pulled out of the hole, as long as you put it in, the hole will be filled up and the carrot will disappear."

“…”

"Just like the current situation, although this injustice and this crime were originally unrelated."

“…”

"but--"

Having said this, she bit the tip of her tongue.

Zhu Feng looked at her with a burning gaze: "But what?"

“…”

“…”

Nan Yan looked up and looked back at him, but did not say anything. There was conflict and entanglement in her eyes.

Zhu Feng himself said the rest of the words: "However, the injustice of the Jian family will never be redressed."

“…”

Nan Yan almost bit the tip of her tongue.

He nodded solemnly.

In fact, she didn't care about Prince Ning's crime. That was something the emperor and the ministers in the court should worry about. However, she couldn't ignore the injustice of the Jian family.

If, just to cover up the truth, she used an irrelevant carrot to fill the hole, how could she be worthy of the Jian family?

So, she couldn't continue.

As Zhu Feng looked at her, his breath became heavy.

After a long silence, he slowly said, "What you think coincides with what I thought before."

Nan Yan raised her head and looked at him.

Zhu Feng said, "This is indeed the only way to resolve the current predicament."

“…”

"But, I—this is the first time too, and I can't make up my mind."

He has always been decisive and ruthless. He fought a battle, attacked a city, and even launched the Jingnan Campaign to seize the throne. He has never hesitated or wavered. This is the first time he hesitated when faced with a choice.

Nan Yan's heart was also in a mess.

She thought for a long time and said softly, "Then, what does Master Heyi say?"

Zhu Feng said in a deep voice, "He said that in this world, choices either have more advantages than disadvantages, or more disadvantages than advantages. But only this choice has both advantages and disadvantages."

“…”

"No matter what choice you make, it's right; no matter what choice you make, it's wrong."

Nan Yan remained silent.

He Yi is right.

This method is like drinking poison to quench thirst and adding more water to stop boiling.

But--

She was silent for a long time before she slowly raised her head and looked at Zhu Feng. She said in a slightly hoarse voice, "Since the emperor has come up with this idea, he has actually already made his choice."

Zhu Feng looked at her: "What about you?"