Chapter 3038: The people are the most important, the country is second, and the king is the least important

Zhu Chengjin looked at her with a frivolous look and sneered, "Those people? What do they have to do with me?"

"You, what did you say?"

Nan Yan couldn't believe her ears.

Even though Zhu Chengjin had been driven out of Jinling City many years ago, even though he had been hiding in Xingluo Lake for so many years, constantly causing trouble for the imperial court, even though—

Even if there were so many, Nan Yan could never have imagined that he would say that.

What do the people have to do with him?

What relationship does the common people have with him? !

An abandoned emperor who slept on straw and tasted gall, and never gave up on taking back what he had lost, a man who worked diligently and tried every means to return to the top, actually said such words when he returned to Jinling City!

At this moment, even though she knew she shouldn't help him, Nan Yan couldn't suppress her inner anger and argued with him: "What does this have to do with you?"

“…”

"The people are most important, the country is second, and the emperor is least important. Haven't you heard this?"

Nan Yan looked at him in disbelief, almost wanting to throw the words "You used to be the emperor's man" in his face.

However, there was an unchanging sneer on Zhu Chengjin's face.

In fact, this sneer was filled with a hint of sarcasm and disregard for life. He said coldly, "People are the most important? The country is second? The emperor is the least important?"

“…”

"Is this all my uncle taught you?"

Nan Yan gritted her teeth and said, "I don't need him to teach me. Being in that position, admired by the people, I should know!"

"Ha ha ha ha."

Zhu Chengjin burst into laughter, his pale face now flushed an almost sickly red, even his eyes. He glared at Nan Yan and said harshly, "I serve the people, but what did they do while I was away, faking my own death?!"

"What?"

"When he broke into Jinling City, burned the palace, and tried to kill me, what did the common people do? And what did ordinary people do during the years when he replaced me and ascended the throne?"

“…”

"They just forgot about me, like I never existed!"

“…”

"They kneeled down to worship him just as they had worshipped me in the past, chanting 'Long live my Lord' and treating him as their Lord!"

“…”

"That's what you said—the people are precious! These common people, who are worse than pigs, dogs, cows, and sheep, wag their tails and come to anyone who gives them a bone. Do they deserve the word 'precious'?"

“…”

Nan Yan was stunned.

She was not frightened, but was shocked by Zhu Chengjin's thoughts.

She stared at Zhu Chengjin with wide eyes. After a long moment, she spoke in an incredulous tone, "You, you want to take revenge on these ordinary people? You want to take revenge on your own people?"

Zhu Chengjin sneered: "Revenge? No, they don't deserve it."

“…”

"I just don't treat them as human beings anymore. Because, they are not human beings in the first place!"

"you--"

Nan Yan wanted to say something, but at this moment, she was so angry that she couldn't speak. She just looked at Zhu Chengjin in disbelief, and after a long time, she sneered.

Indeed, what he said was not without reason. These common people were indeed his subjects when he was in power, but after Zhu Feng seized the throne, these common people naturally became Zhu Feng's subjects.

In Zhu Chengjin's view, this was a betrayal.

But what kind of betrayal is this?

As the saying goes, the common people are like pigs, dogs, cows and sheep. They don't ask for much, just simple food and clothing for three meals a day. Even in the most difficult times, they just want to survive docilely.

That’s all I have.

Of course, they will serve whoever can keep them alive. This is not only the choice of the common people, but also the choice of time and history judging from the experiences of past dynasties. There is nothing wrong with it.

But Zhu Chengjin actually wanted to take revenge on these people because of this!

Nan Yan didn't know whether she should be angry or happy at this moment.

Zhu Chengjin was too lazy to say anything more to her. He waved to the people outside, and the carriage immediately drove forward.

The road from the river bank to the city gate was very familiar to Nan Yan. She had followed Zhu Feng in and out several times before the capital was moved. As the former capital, Jinling City was naturally built in a magnificent manner, and the surrounding official roads were also wide and flat. When passing by in the past, you could see many merchants coming and going, and there were tea stalls and wine shops on the roadside. Even outside the city, it seemed very lively.

But the closer they got to Jinling City, the colder Nan Yan's heart became.

The official road beneath her feet was still wide and flat, but she saw a lot of bloodstains on the roadside, and even corpses that were almost rotten under the scorching sun. This month was the time when the rice fields outside the city grew wildly, but now, there were no crops at all. The rice fields that once existed were now only left with messy horse hooves and human footprints.

You can tell at first glance that it looks like it has experienced war.

Even when the carriage sped past, one could see that the roadside tea stalls and wine shops were now deserted, with only tables and chairs overturned on the ground left. It was unknown whether the passers-by who had passed by were alive or dead.

Nan Yan pinched the window frame with both hands, looked at the devastated scene outside, and couldn't help but clench her teeth.

Her eyes were red and she slowly turned to look at Zhu Chengjin.

He didn't care about what was happening outside, and even looked at everything that was created by his orders with some appreciation.

Nan Yan gritted her teeth and swore secretly in her heart: No matter whether Zhu Feng is dead or alive at this moment, as long as she is still alive, she must drive him away!

The carriage traveled for most of the day, and finally, as dusk fell, they saw the city of Jinling ahead.

But at this time, Jinling City was no longer the same as before.

Although the city wall was still intact, from a distance, one could see the flags on the city walls changing, the city gates opening, and even the thick blood-red flames hanging on them under the setting sun. A fire had broken out somewhere in the city, and several thick flames like roaring dragons shot straight into the sky.

The situation outside the city is like that, let alone inside the city.

Moreover, Nan Yan keenly sensed a hint of blood in the air.

Some of the pirates who were originally running behind them, after seeing the outline of Jinling City, were like cats smelling fish. They spurred their horses and ran forward madly.

The carriage was still running forward at a rapid speed. The closer it got to Jinling City, the stronger the smell of blood in the air became.

Finally, when the last ray of sunlight disappeared and the entire earth was swallowed by darkness, their carriage arrived at the foot of Jinling City. Nan Yan saw at a glance that the once tall and sturdy city gate was now tilted on both sides, obviously having suffered a strong impact, and even the wooden nails on it were almost all peeled off.

And below, leading into the city, is a blood-stained road.