Chapter 3547 Because they are wasteful!
Zhu Chengjun shook his head: "I don't want to eat."
Xinping asked curiously, "Didn't you like eating candied haws the most before? Why don't you eat them anymore?"
Zhu Chengjun was about to say something when he suddenly stopped, looked at his father and mother, then smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head and said, "This... I can eat it so often, so I'm not so particular about it anymore."
"oh!"
Xinping immediately understood and pointed at him, saying, "You're carrying me and eating!"
Zhu Chengjun said, "Well, I'm not going to eat without telling you. You've already left, so what's wrong with me eating by myself?"
The two were still arguing, but Zhu Feng and Nan Yan, who were standing by, had already understood what was going on. Nan Yan reached out and pinched Zhu Chengjun, saying, "What did I tell you before you left? I told you to be good and behave. Did you eat candied haws as if they were your meal?"
Zhu Chengjun said with a bitter face: "Mother, I know I was wrong."
"Is it all over once you know you're wrong? Did you know that eating too much candy will damage your teeth?"
"I know, my prince has already scolded me."
"Your brother, the Crown Prince, is now in charge of the affairs of the capital, and also of most of the empire. He also has your little nephew back home. Why are you so troublesome?"
"Please stop scolding me, Mother. I really know I was wrong."
Zhu Feng on the side shook his head helplessly.
It's easy to guess that this child was not raised in the palace, but was sent to the military camp for training. Other things were fine, but no one cared about his food. He probably asked the subordinates to buy him whatever he wanted to eat. Moreover, this time, Concubine Yi left with them again, and no one was watching him. I'm afraid he really ate candied haws as his meal.
That's why I got tired of it and now I don't want to eat a single bite.
He said, "You've grown up now, so your mother and I can leave you in the capital without worry, but how can you be so unable to control yourself?"
“…”
"The desire for food is only for a momentary pleasure, just like when people lure birds into a trap with grain in the snow in winter. Do you want to be like those trapped birds?"
“…”
"If you want to be a better person, you have to overcome these desires and control yourself, understand?"
Although his words were few, they were powerful and Zhu Chengjun was shocked.
These days, he was not only practicing martial arts in the army, but also learning military tactics. When he heard Zhu Feng talk about birds being lured into a trap by millets in the snow, his heart suddenly tightened, just like seeing himself leading his troops into the enemy's encirclement.
He frowned and said, "I understand."
Zhu Feng nodded and said to Nan Yan, "Okay, he knows he's wrong, so stop scolding him."
Nan Yan looked at her youngest son's sad face and said nothing more. She was afraid that if the quarrel continued, the child would lose his appetite after being scolded by them. So she said, "Alright, alright, hurry up and eat. The food will get cold soon."
Everyone picked up their bowls and chopsticks, and only then did they realize that Xinping was sitting aside, staring at the candied haws in his hand without moving.
Nan Yan asked, "What's wrong with you? Are you stupid?"
Xinping stared at the candied haws, then slowly raised his head to look at Zhu Feng, and suddenly said, "I understand!"
Everyone was a little surprised. Zhu Feng asked, "What do you understand?"
Xin Ping said, "I have always wondered why Father has us transport so much food to Yue every year, but they are still short of food. Even in the army, we can only eat two meals a day. Now I understand."
Zhu Feng said: "Oh? Tell me why."
Xinping said: "Because they are wasteful!"
Zhu Feng and Nan Yan immediately looked at each other.
Xin Ping said, "It's just like this candied haws. When my father and mother were taking care of me and my younger brother, we both treated them like treasures and were incredibly happy every time we had a bite. But now my father and mother have taken me away from the capital, leaving my younger brother alone. He's been eating candied haws casually and hasn't treasured them anymore."
“…”
"The people of Yue are the same. They used to be short of food, so they treasured it especially. But in recent years, Father has sent them so much food every year. They've eaten more, so naturally they don't value it as much anymore and have started wasting it. Father still sends it to them every year, after all. But this time, we're not sending them any food, and because they wasted so much, they haven't stored any, so now they don't have enough food to eat."
As she spoke, she came closer to Zhu Feng and asked, "Am I right, son?"
“…”
Zhu Feng didn't speak immediately, but just looked down at her.
Smile gradually appeared in his eyes.
Although Nan Yan was also silent, a hint of surprise appeared on her face.
It was a little hard to believe that this daughter, who had never known the feeling of sorrow and never learned much even after suffering a loss, had figured out the matter of Yue State through such a small thing this time.
This kid finally got it!
Nan Yan smiled and ruffled her hair: "Yeah, not bad."
Hearing her mother's words, Xinping immediately realized that she was right, but she still stubbornly grabbed Zhu Feng's arm and shook it: "Father!"
Zhu Feng knew that she must get his approval.
So he smiled, stretched out his finger and touched her forehead, and said with a smile: "As expected of my daughter, you really understand everything at once."
Xinping immediately smiled happily.
Zhu Chengjun, who was sitting next to her, blinked, seemingly completely lost in the situation. However, he still keenly caught a few words in his sister's words and immediately said, "Father, is Yue Kingdom short of food?"
Zhu Feng's smile deepened as he said, "You have good ears. You heard this right away."
Zhu Chengjun's face flushed red, a sign of his extreme excitement. He couldn't help but stand up and say, "If Yue State is short of food, then—"
However, before he could finish his words, Zhu Feng had already waved his hand, motioning him to sit down, and then said, "Eat well. This is not the time to discuss the Kingdom of Yue."
Hearing this, Zhu Chengjun could only suppress his inner excitement and sat back down.
Nan Yan, who had been happy about Xin Ping's situation, felt a growing sense of unease when she saw her youngest son's expression and Zhu Feng's pre-arranged demeanor. But by then, Zhu Feng had already picked up his bowl and chopsticks and said, "Okay, let's talk after dinner."
Xinping had just put a worry aside and didn't notice any undercurrents at the dinner table. She just carefully put the candied haws back into the box, then put the box back into the box and had someone take it to the side room. Then she sat down happily to have a meal with her family.
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