Chapter 3397: The Gap
Nan Yan never asked the question in her mind. The two children were busy in the field, helping and making trouble until noon. Master Shangshan specially asked someone to send over a few baskets of food. Zhu Feng actually took them to sit on the edge of the field, spread the bowls and plates on the ground, and started eating.
Concubine Yi had never experienced this before and was completely stunned.
Nan Yan, on the other hand, found it amusing. She broke off a small piece of steamed taro, dipped it in some sugar and put it into Yong Ping's mouth. The little girl ate it with a smacking mouth and said crisply, "Thank you, Lady Yan."
Zhu Feng said: "It's the Imperial Concubine!"
Yongping puffed out his cheeks and lowered his head in grievance.
Everyone chatted and laughed as they ate, their appetites voracious, and they devoured several baskets of food in no time. Of course, the two exhausted children ate the most. Afterward, Zhu Feng was even in high spirits, taking them boating on the lake. Concubine Yi and Yongping were a little tired, but they were delighted that Zhu Feng was so willing to accompany them.
Xinping was also very happy. He and his sister lay on the low side of the boat and stuck their heads out to look at the small fish swimming around under the clear lake water. Nanyan and Concubine Yi each grabbed a handful of melon seeds, cracked them and threw them into the water, attracting a school of fish to follow their boat, and the waves shimmered like a silver ribbon.
Zhu Feng sat on the other side, just looking at them without saying a word, but the smile in the corners of his eyes and eyebrows seemed unstoppable.
Nan Yan thought, it must be good news.
Since it's good news, it doesn't matter if you don't ask now.
So, the group cruised on the lake for most of the day, until the sun set and the lake was covered with a layer of golden light. Then the boat docked. After taking the two little princesses ashore, the two children kept shouting that they were hungry and wanted to eat.
While wiping little Yongping's sleeves, which were soaked by the lake water, with a handkerchief, Concubine Yi said, "Normally, you refuse to eat even when the maids chase you with bowls. Why are you so well behaved today?"
Nan Yan laughed aside and said, "On ordinary days, they are all in the palace. How could they be working in the dirt for half a day like today?"
As he said this, he turned around and gave Zhu Feng a glare.
"This is just to trick us into working for others."
Concubine Yi covered her mouth and laughed.
Zhu Feng also smiled, but didn't say much. Master Shangshan had already sent someone to pick them up and asked them to go back to their rooms to change their clothes. A banquet was prepared in the side hall because they were leaving tomorrow and this was a farewell banquet.
So, Nan Yan and Concubine Yi took the two princesses back and washed them up. The two children were so hungry that they kept jumping and shouting for food. At this time, Xiao Shunzi came over and told them that the emperor was still resting and the two ladies could go first.
Concubine Yi asked Nan Yan carefully, "I'm afraid this is not good, right?"
Nan Yan smiled and said, "What are you afraid of? The Emperor has spoken, so there's no need to be so cautious, sister."
Concubine Yi was still timid and said, "Although they are all Taoists here, they are still men after all. I am a little worried—"
Nan Yan smiled and said, "Master Shangshan is not stupid. He is the only one who will come to accompany us tonight. The Taoists in the temple are all having evening classes over there at this time. We won't let them come here to disturb us. Besides, I am here."
Concubine Yi listened to her and followed her.
When they walked to the side hall, they saw that only Master Shangshan was sitting there, accompanied by a little Taoist boy who was less than ten years old. When they saw the two ladies and two princesses coming, the master and disciple immediately stood up and saluted them.
Nan Yan smiled and said, "Master, there's no need to be so polite."
After saying that, he took Concubine Yi to sit on both sides of the main seat, and the two princesses also sat beside them.
Both children were very hungry, but there were still rules. No one dared to pick up their chopsticks until the emperor came. They could only stare at the dishes on the table. A plate of steaming braised lake carp exuded a strong aroma of sauce. Although they were all simple home-cooked dishes, they made people's mouths water.
Nan Yan saw that he was bored sitting there, so she teased the Shang Shan Master, saying, "Master, you are too stingy."
Master Shangshan raised his gray eyebrows and glanced at her, then lowered his head and smiled, "How can I dare to accept your words, Your Majesty?"
Nan Yan said, "Who doesn't know that you have the most counterfeit goods here? You've only been eating fish these days, leaving me, Concubine Yi, Xin Ping, and Yong Ping with a fishy taste in our mouths. We're leaving tomorrow, and you didn't even bring us some fresh vegetables, only another table full of fish."
After hearing this, Yongping stretched out his little hand and blew twice in front of his mouth, smelled it, and then said, "That's it."
Everyone at the table laughed.
The Shangshan Master also smiled, and then said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I know that you and the young prince are precious and deserve to eat some fine food. However, with the recent famine, there really is not much fine food or fresh vegetables."
Xinping asked, "What is 'the gap between the old and the new'?"
Nan Yan smiled and rubbed her: "You have really sharp ears."
Master Shangshan, standing by, said with a smile, "Young Prince, the meaning of the 'green-yellow gap' is that every year at this time, the seeds have just been planted and the crops have not yet grown, but the food stored last year has almost been eaten. This is called the 'green-yellow gap'."
Xinping said, "Does that mean you're going to starve?"
Master Shangshan nodded and smiled, "Yes."
Xinping thought for a moment and then asked, "Are you the only ones here who will starve, or are the people outside going to starve as well?"
The Great Master said, "Everything in the world is the same."
Xinping seemed startled, his eyes wide open as he said, "Everyone in the world is going to starve!"
Master Shangshan nodded, then looked up at Nanyan and said with a smile: "Although the young prince is young, his heart is not small. Just listening to this one thing, he is thinking about everyone in the world. It is really rare."
Nan Yan also smiled and reached out to stroke Xinping's hair.
Master Shangshan continued, "In recent years, the weather has become colder and colder, and spring has come later and later, so the time of hunger has become longer."
Xinping had been complaining about being hungry, but after hearing what Master Shangshan said, his expression became serious.
At this time, Zhu Feng's voice came from outside the door: "Don't say these words to scare the children."
When they heard his voice, they immediately stood up and saluted. They saw that he had changed into a slightly thinner long gown, with the belt hanging loosely around his waist. He did not look very upright, but rather had a sense of leisure.
Nan Yan took just one look and couldn't take her eyes off it.
Master Shangshan also immediately stepped aside and said softly, "I acknowledge my sin."
Zhu Feng just glanced at him without seriously accusing him of any crime. He walked to the front and sat down, then waved his hand to signal everyone to take a seat.
He looked at the dishes on the table again. He was indeed a little tired of the fish he had been eating for several days, but he didn't say much. He just said to Xinping and Yongping, "Aren't you all hungry? Come and eat."
Xinping looked at him with wide eyes and asked seriously, "Father, will people in the world really starve?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com