"What is justice and kindness? Is it up to you to decide? Does it have to be you?"
"You want to speak for the people, but can your voice represent the people? And if the people you represent, the people you help, don't appreciate your kindness, how will you deal with it? Or if the people you want to help fail to help and are cursed by everyone, how will you deal with it?"
"Since ancient times, we have always asked about the wise, not the masses. How can you let the masses come to the front? How can you let them recognize you?"
"You only want to keep a low profile and don't even dare to choose your path. How can a saint be an official if he doesn't offend anyone?"
"If you want to be a saint, you should travel around the world and learn from Confucius. What kind of official position should you hold?"
"How can today's Su Chen be the same person as yesterday's Su Chen? Or are they the same person as tomorrow's Su Chen?"
In the study room of Liu Xianggong's mansion, Liu Xianggong threw out the question, directly tapping Yan Shang's soul.
Maybe he could answer a question for a while, but then a second sharp question was thrown out again, denying his answer to the first question...making Yan Shang confused and starting to wonder if he was right?
He was just a little scholar who had walked from Lingnan to Chang'an. Could he judge the justice of the world? Would he not make mistakes? Would he not misunderstand and make mistakes? And if he made a mistake, would anyone come to correct him, or would anyone be willing to correct him?
Did he promise that he would never change his original intention and would not lose himself or his original heart in the ups and downs? And if he was lost, who could wake him up?
Yan Shang stared at Liu Xianggong, who was sitting at the desk, with his heart pounding. The old man's hair and beard were white, and his years of service as prime minister had made his face and temperament extremely serious. When he spoke, his eyes were bright and sharp, piercing people's hearts.
However, there is no doubt that Liu Xianggong is gentle. When Yan Shang couldn't answer the questions, he just smiled at Yan Shang and didn't criticize Yan Shang for being too childish.
Yan Shang's mind was in a mess. After a while, he slowly said, "These questions...sometimes I have answers in my mind, and sometimes I don't. I need to think about it carefully before giving my husband an answer."
Liu Xianggong stroked his beard and nodded: "Then think about it and then answer me."
He paused and said, "I hope that after asking these questions, I can make you more sober and able to deal with the affairs waiting for you outside."
Princess Danyang's carriage arrived at the gate of the town, and of course she was here to look for Yan Shang. Liu Xianggong already knew about the incident that Princess Danyang had caused yesterday. He had deliberately kept Yan Shang in his mansion for one night, just to give him some time to recover...
Yan Shang had no idea what Mr. Liu was talking about. Moreover, his brain was in a mess and he could not see into people's hearts as keenly as before.
Yan Shang leaned forward and bowed to Liu Xianggong, just like he would to his parents. This kind of etiquette is the most solemn, and only parents and teachers can accept it. When Yan Shang performed this etiquette, Liu Xianggong raised his eyebrows, but also accepted it calmly.
If Yan Shang could think through his problem clearly, even if Yan Shang still did not worship Liu Xianggong as his master, it would not be in vain that Liu Xianggong kept him for the last and said these words to him.
-----
Yan Shang left the study and walked into the Prime Minister's residence, about to leave the inner house.
"Erlang! Erlang!" a girl called out from behind.
Yan Shang turned around and saw a girl in a snow-blue dress with a light gauze on her arm running towards him. The girl was running so fast that the maids behind her could hardly catch up and kept calling out to her.
This young lady was dressed simply, with only a pearl hairpin in her black hair, and a jade pendant pressed by the hem of her skirt fluttering gently as she ran. This was a pretty and simple young lady, with a strong scholarly air between her eyebrows, which was very different from Mu Wanyao's gorgeous style.
This is naturally Liu Ruozhu.
Liu Ruozhu panted and came to Yan Shang. She stood still for a moment, and Yan Shang bowed to her: "Thank you for your kindness in the study just now."
Liu Ruozhu waved his hand and said no need to thank me.
She couldn't help but add, "My dear, the porridge I sent to your room last night was also made by the cook I asked her to make."
Yan Shang was stunned for a moment, then thanked him again: "Thank you very much, madam."
Liu Ruozhu blushed slightly, feeling embarrassed by his thank you words that sounded like a spring breeze and drizzle.
Yan Shangqing raised his eyes and looked at her: "Excuse me, my lady, why did you ask me to stay?"
Liu Ruozhu straightened up and told Yan Shang: "I followed you because I was afraid that you would choose the wrong path. Erlang, don't look at my grandfather as he is so serious now. Everyone is afraid of him. After all, he is the prime minister. But when my grandfather was young, he actually had the same temperament as you. He was also very good at dealing with people and was very kind to everyone."
Yan Shang was stunned. He really didn't know this and didn't realize it.
Liu Ruozhu smiled and said, "My grandfather couldn't help but take care of you because you look a lot like him when he was young, and he was afraid that you would go astray."
Yan Shang bowed and faced the direction of the study, not caring whether Prime Minister Liu knew it or not.
Liu Ruozhu liked this person for being so polite and felt that his trip was not in vain.
Liu Ruozhu said, "My dear, it is actually quite good for you to follow my grandfather. My grandfather is a husband, and he will not easily choose an inappropriate person. As a minister, one should be loyal to the emperor and the government. When all things overlap, it is still right to choose these four words. Since ancient times, none of the noble families that have been able to survive for a long time wanted to stir up the world, but they all took the path of 'eternal survival'."
Yan Shang's heart moved, and he thought of the Wei family in Luoyang where Wei Shu was.
Although the Wei family did not have any prominent members in the court, they always had people from the Wei family holding important positions in the court. Perhaps this is the path to "longevity" that Miss Liu Ruozhu mentioned.
Yan Shang watched this lady "endorsing" her grandfather, but also listened to her talk and couldn't help but smile slightly.
Liu Ruozhu's cheeks turned even redder, but she opened her eyes wide and said, "Why, did I say something wrong?"
Yan Shang said softly, "I just didn't expect that you, a girl, can see political affairs more clearly than I do. I am ashamed of you."
Liu Ruozhu laughed.
She put her hands behind her back and said, "It's nothing. I've been with my grandfather since I was a child, so I've seen a lot."
She seemed to have thought of something, and was nervously afraid that Yan Shang would misunderstand her: "But I am not forcing you to choose my grandfather. I just want to say that this is the best way... But if you think it is not good, you can judge for yourself, and you don't have to be influenced by me."
Yan Shang smiled: "Then I will also bow to my lady."
Liu Ruozhu quickly turned aside and refused his greeting.
When Yan Shang left and his back could no longer be seen, Liu Ruozhu felt disappointed. Another maid whispered in her ear that Princess Danyang's carriage had entered the market, probably to pick up Yan Erlang.
Liu Ruozhu sighed like a little adult and became even more worried.
She roughly guessed what had happened in the past two days, and she just hoped that Yan Erlang would not be affected. The talent that Grandpa had high hopes for...even if Grandpa could not use him, it should not be broken off so early.
-----
Not long after Yan Shang left the Xianggong Mansion, he ran into Mu Wanyao.
He was surprised and moved. He never thought Mu Wanyao would come here. He even thought she might come to see Mr. Liu... But Mu Wanyao got off the horse and walked straight towards him. He realized that she was really here to see him.
Blocking out the chaotic thoughts in his mind caused by Mr. Liu's questioning, Yan Shang was touched by Mu Wanyao's kindness to him and even felt a little embarrassed.
After all, we haven't seen each other for two months.
But when he saw the look in Mu Wanyao's eyes... he knew that things were probably not what he thought.
Mu Wanyao calmed herself down and smiled at Yan Shang, motioning him to follow her. She smiled and said, "I heard that you were invited to stay overnight by Mr. Liu, so I knew that your career as an official would be smooth. But the results of the Ministry of Personnel haven't come out yet, have you already known it?"
Yan Shang replied gently: "Probably to the Secretariat, but I don't know the details."
Mu Wanyao was full of worries and could only force a smile and nod.
She said attentively, "The carriage is parked at the entrance of the alley. There are fruits, cakes and charcoal in the carriage. It's so cold, and you are from the south, so you must be uncomfortable..."
Yan Shang stopped and looked at her.
Mu Wan stood there stiffly.
Yan Shang: "What happened?"
Mu Wan pretended to be confused: "What did you say?"
Yan Shang laughed a little self-deprecatingly: "Maybe His Highness is polite to others sometimes, but His Highness has never treated me like this. I still know how important I am in His Highness' heart. If it weren't for something serious, His Highness would never come to me in person... His Highness doesn't treat me that well."
He said this.
This made Mu Wanyao feel guilty.
She said vaguely: "I'm still very good to you. I just have a bad temper all the time, it's not intentional."
Yan Shang said softly, "I know. So what happened...what kind of big thing happened that made you do this...as if to compensate me?"
He wondered if she had thought about it for two months and finally decided to end her relationship with him?
But if that's the case, there's no way she would come and apologize with a smile, right?
When Yan Shang was daydreaming, he saw Mu Wanyao's light eyes, and his heart became heavier. Mu Wanyao was such a proud person, always looking at him with her chin down... How big a thing must have happened to make her like this?
He was so frightened by her that his face turned a little pale.
Mu Wan lowered her eyelashes, not daring to meet Yan Shang's gaze, and said softly: "Liu Wenji has been abolished."
Yan Shang: “…”
Mu Wanyao didn't hear his voice, and she became even more nervous, thinking that she had done something big wrong.
Yan Shang whispered: "Disabled, what does that mean? The tendons of the hand were cut? The arms and legs were missing?"
Mu Wan's face flushed red, his palms sweated, his whole body stiffened, and he said with a stiff face: "It means that I was castrated and became a eunuch."
Yan Shang's mind went blank in an instant.
He stood there frozen for two moments, hearing no sound.
Mu Wanyao looked up at his expressionless face and was suddenly very scared. She didn't care about anything else, and quickly grabbed his hand, hugged his arm, and shook his arm, which seemed to be a sign that she was exhausted and could only act like a spoiled child.
Mu Wanyao said anxiously: "This, this is not my fault! I actually asked someone to take care of him, but he wanted to go to Beili to get drunk. There are so many dignitaries and nobles who often hang out there..."
Yan Shang's face was still expressionless, but Mu Wan kept shaking his arm. She kept pulling his arm, which made him come back to his senses and realize that this was not a joke, but real.
Mu Wan's eyes turned red with anxiety. She had never seen Yan Shang get angry before. Although she had said before that she wanted to know how he would get angry, she didn't want to make him angry. She always felt that once he got angry, it would be a terrible thing.
Mu Wanyao: "It's really not my fault! I'm a princess, you can't ask me to follow him and protect him in person, right? He offended someone he shouldn't offend..."
Yan Shang gently pushed Mu Wanyao, asking her not to lean on him all the time.
His voice was a little stiff, but he showed no sign of getting angry. "...I'm not angry, please don't be like this. I haven't figured out...what's going on? How did he offend someone he shouldn't offend? Is he really ruined? Are you kidding me?"
Mu Wanyao: "I wish it was a joke! He was trying to steal a woman from the son of the Ministry of Revenue doctor... and was crippled..."
Yan Shang looked at her with eyes that were both gentle and cold.
Mu Wanyao gritted his teeth and told the truth: "No, he didn't rob the woman. It was that man who wanted the woman, and Liu Wenji went to save her, but ended up getting himself into trouble..."
Yan Shang: "Then what does it mean that Your Highness comes to tell me now?"
Mu Wanyao: "Yes, yes... Liu Wenji didn't listen to my advice, and wanted to go to the palace without caring about his health. He said he was afraid of the long night and couldn't wait even a day... I, I came to tell you. Are you really not angry with me?"
She still held his hand, imagining that her soft and fragrant body might be of some use.
Yan Shang was confused, angry, anxious and sad. Mu Wan's shaking thought made him want to laugh. He put his hand on her shoulder and told her to stop.
Yan Shang: "Do you have any way to remedy the situation afterwards?"
Mu Wan opened his eyes wide, like a real cat: "I did it! I also ordered people to depose those who harmed him! It was that old fox in the Ministry of Revenue, who sent his son out of Chang'an and saved his son. That old man ran to the prince and cried and made a scene. I was very angry, so I naturally went to ask for justice..."
Yan Shang: "What reason did you get?"
Mu Wan lowered her eyes, almost daring not to meet Yan Shang's eyes. She pulled his hand and secretly put it down, but Yan Shang held it back. Her wrist was held by his cold hand, and he leaned down and asked her again: "What did you get?"
Mu Wan shook his teeth.
After a while, he said, "You also know that I can't get any justice. I can only use this matter to benefit myself... I can only listen to Liu Wenji and send him to the palace. If you want to blame me for this, then blame me. This is not my fault! I am not wrong!"
She kept repeating to herself that she was not wrong.
Yan Shang let go of her hand.
However, she became anxious again, and she pulled his sleeve again as if she was about to cry: "Second Brother Yan..."
Yan Shang: "Your Highness, I am not angry with you. You said that Brother Liu will be sent to the palace by you. Can I go to see him for the last time? On the way, please tell me in detail what happened. There are many unclear points in your words. I really don't blame you... I just want to know what happened."
Yan Shang said softly: "I want to know how Brother Liu was forced into his current situation step by step."
In his mind, he once again thought of Prime Minister Liu's thunderous question - how can a saint be an official if he does not offend anyone?
-----
Liu Wenzhi was sitting in the carriage, about to enter the palace.
He was sent to the palace by Princess Danyang, so his treatment might be better than others. But he also had to face the most humiliating inspection, to see if he was clean.
Liu Wenji sat in the car, eyes closed, covered with blankets, drowsy. Afraid of a long night and many dreams, he had to go directly to the palace before he recovered.
After he purified himself, he was much more afraid of cold than before. Even with such a thick mattress covering him, he was still shivering in the car.
However, once I enter the palace, there will be no one to help me. Starting from the bottom up, it will only be more difficult than it is now.
Liu Wenzhi was indifferent, thinking about him clearly.
He threw away the past 18 years of his life and started all over again. His previous life was shallow, and he misjudged too many things and too many people... His life of a genius for more than ten years was a failure. However, he was now starting a new chapter, and he would live as a useless person.
I dare not face the elders in my hometown, I dare not face my old lover...everything starts from scratch.
"Brother Liu! Brother Liu... Wen Ji!" Someone called out from outside the cars that were slowly queuing up to enter the palace.
The voice came closer and closer, and gradually became clearer. Liu Wenji, who was sitting in the carriage with a blank expression, also recognized the voice at once. His eyelashes trembled slightly, and he opened his eyes. The voice kept chasing after him, and after a while, Liu Wenji whispered to the driver to stop the carriage.
Liu Wenzhi lifted the curtain of the carriage and saw a young man in a green robe riding a horse, followed by Mu Wanyao and others.
Liu Wenji quietly watched Yan Shang dismount, and watched the elegant young man stride towards him. Since arriving in Chang'an, Liu Wenji has been in the dust day by day, but Yan Shang's temperament has become more and more like pearls and jade... Liu Wenji's life path is getting narrower and narrower, while Yan Shang's path is getting wider and wider.
It was exactly the opposite of what happened in Lingnan.
Liu Wenzhi thought indifferently, God’s will is really interesting.
He lowered his eyes, hiding the vicious look in them. So what? Heaven wanted him, Liu Wenji, to be worse, but he refused to obey Heaven's will. So what if he became an eunuch? What was there to be ashamed of?
Liu Wenzhi slowly got off the carriage. He wanted to say goodbye to Yan Shang coldly, saying that he never needed to see him again and asked Yan Shang not to think about him anymore.
But he had just got off the car, Mu Wanyao jumped off the horse, and saw Yan Shang hugging Liu Wenzhi.
Liu Wenzhi was stunned.
But he didn't push it open.
Yan Shang whispered: "I already know everything... It's my fault that I didn't keep you. I should have forced you to stay in my house and not leave; even if you don't like it, I have to tell you that Chang'an doesn't think the same as you do. It's my fault that I didn't do what a friend should do. I was always busy with my own things and ignored you. I didn't accompany you when you were in the most pain, and I didn't help you...
"What's the point of taking the exam? How can it be more important than my friends? I was wrong..."
There was suddenly light in Liu Wenzhi's empty eyes, and then tears.
His lips trembled and he wanted to say something, but only two lines of tears flowed down.
However, Liu Wenzhi shook his head. He pushed Yan Shang away, held Yan Shang's hand, but just shook his head, tears in his eyes and said nothing.
Yan Shang! Yan Shang!
Yan Shang always put the blame on himself! No matter what he did, he never blamed him!
They studied together in Lingnan, memorized lessons together in his father's study, and walked from Lingnan to Chang'an together...and now, the only one who came to see him off was Yan Shang!
Liu Wenji couldn't stop crying, and after a long while he said: "Su Chen, no matter what happens in the future, I will never blame you. You will always be my good friend and good brother."
He said with tears in his eyes: "I know you are good at socializing. You have friends from all over the world and everyone likes you. You have so many good friends that I, Liu Wenji, am nothing. But I hope you can keep a place for me in your heart... remember me."
The words still make the eyes feel painful.
He couldn't bear to see the current situation, couldn't bear to see his friend in tears, couldn't bear to see the once high-spirited man end up like this.
Yan Shang said: "What do you mean I will always remember you? You are my friend. You are not dead, you just... entered the palace. We will definitely have the chance to meet again in the future. Wen Ji, live well and fight for a new world. Eight or nine out of ten people are not satisfied with their lives, but there is always a ray of hope for the world. You must fight for it!"
Liu Wenji looked at him, stunned: "How can you consider me as your friend? How can you consider an official as your friend?"
Yan Shang's eyes were filled with sadness, and he said in a low voice: "Why do you have to be so obsessed with this? What's wrong with being an eunuch? He just lacks one thing compared to other men, but he is still a human being. It's not your fault... Life doesn't have to be the same for everyone. It's just a matter of living a different way. Why do you have to be so lowly?"
Liu Wenji: "It's ridiculous that I've been in Chang'an for nearly two years, and you're still the only one who saw me off."
Yan Shang forced a smile and said, "Isn't one person enough?"
Liu Wenji laughed in a daze: "Enough, enough... You, Yan Suchen, are worth millions of people. I have known you for a while, and I have seen what a gentleman in this world is like. That is enough!"
Yan Shang lowered his eyes: "Eleventh Lang of the Ministry of Revenue..."
Liu Wenji said coldly: "Su Chen, you don't have to do anything for me. I heard from Her Royal Highness the Princess that you were very successful in the exam and will be promoted to an official position... You have just entered the court, so don't offend those people for me. I will avenge myself.
"No matter what the future holds... Su Chen, I will always remember your love for me."
There was nothing to say, so he could only hold Liu Wenji's hand again and remain silent.
Mu Wan stood beside the horse, watching Yan Shang and Liu Wenji quietly. Her eyes were as bright as jade, her hands stroked the thick white horse mane, her eyes fixed only on Yan Shang.
It is so sad and miserable here.
Liu Wenzhi was choked and unable to speak, but Yan Shang kept encouraging him and comforting him with his warm voice.
Mu Wanyao thought, Yan Shang is really a person that people can't help but like. He came here specially just to say this to Liu Wenji, just because he was afraid that Liu Wenji would degenerate and couldn't survive in the palace... In fact, there might not be many opportunities for Yan Shang and Liu Wenji to meet in the future.
Maybe it will be like this for the rest of my life.
However, Yan Shang still wanted to see Liu Wenzhi.
He treats people well, not just because he thinks they are useful, but because he wants to make friends with them.
He treats people with sincerity... No wonder so many people like him.
In the evening, he lowered his eyes.
I thought to myself, I like it too.
-----
Yan Shang was in a bad mood.
Mu Wanyao could totally understand.
Having just met Liu Wenzhi, Yan Shang might have said that he didn't blame anyone, but it was impossible for him to have no resentment at all.
Mu Wanyao and Yan Shang rode their horses and returned to their respective residences in silence. Unlike what Mu Wanyao had planned before, how she would celebrate for Yan Shang after he passed the exam, the two said goodbye in the alley and returned to their respective residences. Yan Shang was not in the mood to celebrate, and Mu Wanyao also felt that she was not strong enough, so she returned to her own residence with a cold face.
However, Mu Wanyao felt uncomfortable.
Yan Shang didn't say a few more words to her, and she wondered if he still blamed her. She ran to Liu Xianggong so eagerly to find him, and also to prevent him from causing trouble... He must have understood what she meant, and he did nothing. But now he stayed indoors, and Mu Wanyao was also very sad.
In the afternoon, Mu Wanyao sat on the third-floor attic, quietly looking at the mansion opposite and the study where Yan Shang lived.
She watched for the whole afternoon, and in the evening, she saw that the light in his room was off, but the light in his study was on. So she knew that he had been in the study all afternoon and had not left.
Mu Wanyao was still watching.
"Your Highness, please go in and rest for a while?" The maid Xia Rong pleaded softly.
Mu Wan sat there with her arms folded, shaking her head and saying nothing, her eyes only focused on the lights of the mansion across the street. She sat there for several hours without moving, which made the servants extremely worried.
Xia Rong turned to leave, and heard Mu Wan shake his head coldly: "No one is allowed to go to Yan Shang."
Don’t let Yan Shang know, don’t let Yan Shang be so sad, and don’t let him calm down and comfort her.
Xia Rong was just planning to discuss with others about going to the next door to invite someone, but after hearing the princess's indifferent words, he was stunned, knelt down and retreated.
-----
An hour after dusk, it began to snow.
This is the first snow in Chang'an this year.
Mu Wanyao was still sitting in the attic and did not leave.
Xia Rong tried to persuade him again, saying that it was snowing, and asked His Highness to go inside and rest in the warm room. However, Mu Wanyao looked at the bright lights in the study room across the mansion, and thought that Yan Shang didn't go to rest, and she didn't do anything, so what was there for her to rest?
So continue to sit here.
While watching the snowflakes falling, I looked at the lights of the mansion opposite.
Time slowly passed until midnight.
The lights in the library were always on.
Mu Wanyao was almost numb from watching, when suddenly she saw the light flicker and seem to move. Someone pushed open the door of the study and stood in the corridor holding a lantern.
The light from the numerous lights blends with the flying snowflakes outside the corridor.
The night was silent and dim, with only the lights and the light of snow left between heaven and earth.
Yan Shang held a lantern and stood in the corridor, watching the snowflakes dancing between the sky and the earth. He stood in the corridor for a long time, looking up, a little dazed, and watching the snowflakes for a long time.
Suddenly, he seemed to sense something, and his eyes passed through the snowflakes and looked up at the mansion opposite.
He saw the dim, bright lights in the third-floor attic.
I saw a vague figure, who seemed to be sitting there.
Yan Shang stared at it in a daze.
-----
Mu Wanyao stared blankly at the lanterns under the corridor.
-----
Didn't see each other.
But the blurry figure and a hazy feeling told them that was the person they were looking at.
Under the Fengxue Corridor, Yan Shang stood and looked for a long time, then suddenly went down the stairs and walked out.
-----
Mu Wanyao saw the lantern light move. She stared at it for a moment, then suddenly stood up and quickly walked down the attic.
She ran down the attic, and amid the surprise of the maids and servants, her heart pounding, she ran out of the mansion.
Xia Rong panicked: "Your Highness? It's time to go to bed... Where are you going?"
Mu Wan shook his head and shouted: "Open the door! I want to leave the house!"
-----
Yan Shang opened the door of his mansion. Under the flying snow, he saw the gate of the princess's mansion opposite was opened. Mu Wanyao, wearing a snow-white crane cloak and a rouge-red long skirt, had her clear features gradually revealed behind the opened door.
Look at him.
The two stood at their respective doors for a long time, looking at each other.
Then Yan Shang walked down the stairs and walked towards her.
Mu Wanyao was waiting for him.
He stood at the bottom of the steps, calmed himself, and smiled at her. He looked up at her with a gentle gaze: "Your Highness, I want to go to Mr. Liu's mansion. Can Your Highness help me open the gate?"
Mu Wan shook her head.
Yan Shang looked at her: "Your Highness, can you go with me?"
Mu Wan's eyes lit up and she smiled at him. Her gorgeous skirt swept across the snow on the ground, and she walked down the steps, and he held her hand.
-----
In the middle of the night, the door of Liu Xianggong's mansion was knocked open, and it was said that Princess Danyang accompanied Yan Erlang to ask for a meeting.
The people in the mansion were incredulous. Liu Ruozhu was sleeping soundly when she heard the noise outside and was also woken up. When Liu Ruozhu heard that Yan Erlang came to her house in the middle of the night, she was really curious, so she quickly put on her clothes and secretly ran to see.
Liu Ruozhu and his parents stood in the corridor, and from a distance, they saw Princess Danyang standing at the door of the inner house. She did not bring any servants, and the snow fell on the princess, but she did not come.
The one who came over was Yan Erlang.
The lights were on, and Mr. Liu stood at the door of the wing room with his coat on, looking at Yan Erlang with a strange expression as he walked towards him step by step.
Liu Ruozhu also watched quietly.
Yan Shang looked up at Liu Xianggong and said in a clear and melodious voice: "I have been thinking about the question you asked me during the day, and now I can give you an answer.
"The world may not be completely righteous and kind like me. But the general standards are the same. I just need to act according to the general standards. Once I start doing something, I don't need to care about what others say. I just need to be confident and know what I am doing.
"Since ancient times, when it comes to politics, people ask the wise rather than the masses. This is the truth from ancient times to the present, and I cannot change it. However, this truth is only because those in power think that the people are ignorant and cannot be educated, so they do not listen to the voices of the people. Then we officials should open up the way for the people. Build private schools and official schools, promote education, employ poor people, and reform the imperial examinations... When there are more people who can read, when more people can read, and when there are fewer ignorant thoughts... this 'masses' will also be 'wise', and they will be able to come before us and let us hear their voices.
"I was trying to keep a low profile and become a saint, but this was wrong. There are no saints among those in power. Saints cannot be officials. I was narrow-minded and wrong. I should not limit myself when cultivating my character. When I was trapped in the framework of a 'saint', I could do nothing."
Mr. Liu had a blank expression at first, but in the end, a smile slowly appeared on his face. He listened to Yan Shang talking, and he was no longer annoyed at being woken up in the middle of the night.
Liu Xianggong spoke slowly and leisurely, his vicissitudes of life voice spreading among the flying snow in the sky and the earth: "Su Chen, you should know that politics is a compromise between individuals and the entire group. Politics is not for bitterness and hatred, but for fun."
Yan Shang followed his words and continued to finish the second half of Liu Xianggong's unfinished sentence: "People who are good at politics must learn to make others compromise for them."
Then, Yan Shang lifted his robe and knelt down, in front of everyone, he kowtowed to the heaven and earth, and worshipped the famous teacher: "Student Yan Shang, I am willing to follow you and worship you, Mr. Liu, as my teacher!"
Mr. Liu laughed.
Loud voice: "Okay!"
The old but strong Liu Xianggong personally went down the stairs and helped Yan Shang up from his kneeling position on the snow. He laughed and said, "Quickly bring me some wine. I want to drink with my elementary school student..."
A cool female voice sounded: "He doesn't drink."
Prime Minister Liu was startled, and so were everyone in the Liu residence. Only then did they notice Princess Danyang, who had been standing at the gate of the inner courtyard, looking at them quietly but not coming forward.
Liu Xianggong smiled and said: "Then let's drink tea instead of wine!"
Mu Wan Yaojing watched Yan Shang become his disciple.
Liu Ruozhu stood beside her parents with a smile, watching Yan Shang drink tea with her grandfather, and then turn around and leave with the Princess Danyang. She was also very happy to be woken up tonight. It was just a little strange that Princess Danyang was so nice to Yan Erlang.
-----
Chang'an was quiet, snow was falling heavily, and the lights were dim.
Yan Shang and Mu Wanyao climbed up the city wall, sat on the railing, and watched the heavy snow together.
Yan Shang said slowly: "Your Highness, did I tell you..."
Mu Wan shook her head and said lazily, "Hmm?"
Yan Shang's face was made even paler by the snow, and his eyelashes were wet, foggy and tangled together because of being wet by the snow.
He looked at the snow between the sky and the earth: "This is the first time I have seen snow."
Mu Wan shook: "Ah?"
Then Yan Shang turned his head to look at her, and Mu Wanyao finally realized. Yes, this person came from Lingnan, where it is hot and warm all year round, and there is snow. He did come to Chang'an and saw snow for the first time.
Mu Wan shook her head and smiled, thinking that he was very calm.
Yan Shang looked at her and smiled, and there was also a smile in his eyes. Sitting on the city wall, looking at the sparse lights in Chang'an and the thousands of houses, Yan Shang stretched out his hand little by little and held Mu Wan's shaking hand.
Mu Wan shook her cold hand and someone grabbed it.
She shuddered and looked at him.
He asked, "Your Highness, are you willing to be with me?"
In the evening, her cheeks were rosy and her eyes curved. In the deep snow at night, she stared into his eyes and smiled.
Shy and nervous. Frightened and happy.
She seemed to be bewitched and whispered, "I am willing."
He leaned over and kissed her.
The snow was like a galaxy of stars, lingering behind the two of them.
The winding city, the lights that have not changed for thousands of years. Ants look at the sky, the universe illuminates the earth, and the snow is flying all over the sky.
The scenery of Chang'an is right before your eyes.
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