Chapter 3163 Left
Nan Yan said, "Your Majesty, do you still remember that the envoy from the Parthian Empire came to ask for a jade robe with gold threads?"
Zhu Feng nodded and said, "The envoy said that the King of Parthia has a favorite concubine who is very fond of the culture of the Central Plains. She usually wears silk, wears jade ornaments, drinks tea, and uses porcelain..."
Having said that, his eyes flickered and he looked at Nan Yan.
"You think—"
Nan Yan said, "I dare not say."
Although they didn't dare to say it, both of them understood what was going on.
Zhu Feng was silent for a moment, then said, "It's useless to just speculate here. I wonder if my special envoys have arrived in Parthia yet. If they have, they might be able to clarify the situation there. It won't be too late to inquire more about them when they return."
Nan Yan nodded gently.
Zhu Feng looked at her with a somewhat melancholy expression, and suddenly said, "However, I do understand one thing."
Nan Yan looked up at him and asked, "What doesn't the emperor understand?"
Zhu Feng asked, "Why did Shi Tianlu tell you these things?"
“…”
Nan Yan's eyes flickered again.
She didn't answer, but slowly lowered her head.
Just now when she talked about the favorite concubine of the King of Parthia, she said that she "dared not say it", but in fact, what she really "dared not say" was this matter.
Zhu Feng was so perceptive that even if Nan Yan didn't say a word, he immediately understood what Shi Tianlu meant just from this one action, and his eyes suddenly darkened.
"Concubine Qin, she—"
Nan Yan was afraid he would misunderstand, so she whispered, "I heard that the Emperor Gao married Concubine Qin only because of the circumstances at the time, in order to unite the two forces and build mutual trust. I heard that the Emperor Gao never even set foot in Concubine Qin's palace."
"oh……?"
Zhu Feng was silent for a moment, then continued, "I also heard that the alliance between Luo Xingwen and Emperor Gao was brokered by her and the Si brothers, so she and Si Boyan—"
Nan Yan lowered her head again.
Seeing her like this, Zhu Feng had nothing to understand.
In fact, as the younger generation, hearing these things from the elders are nothing more than some dusty past events. To be honest, scandals in the palaces of all dynasties have never ceased. As long as they don’t spread out and become a laughing stock, it’s best to forget them.
I just didn't expect that it would involve Nan Yan's life experience.
Zhu Feng was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "When I returned to the palace, Concubine Qin was already dead—no longer in the palace. Most of the people around my father kept silent about her affairs, and I knew very little about her."
“…”
"It's just that among my mother's belongings there was that sachet, and it was well preserved. If it's really hers as Shi Tianlu said, then this matter isn't that bad. It's just that—"
Having said that, he was silent for a while.
He whispered, "Don't mention it again."
Ultimately, this matter cannot be told to anyone, as it concerns the reputation of Emperor Gao and Concubine Qin. If it gets out, it will damage the reputation of the royal family. Zhu Feng attaches great importance to this point.
Nan Yan said softly, "I understand."
“…”
"In fact, if I could, I would even like to keep these things to myself."
“…”
"It's just that I feel a little uncomfortable and want to talk to someone. The only person I can talk to is the emperor."
Hearing her soft words, which sounded a bit helpless, as if she was still acting coquettishly, the haze that had been in Zhu Feng's heart was now dispelled. He reached out and gently covered Nan Yan's hand.
"It's fine."
Although his big hands were still as rough and warm as usual, Nan Yan could clearly feel a little sweat on his palms that had not yet dried. He was obviously frightened by a possibility that he had just suddenly thought of.
Feeling this, Nan Yan smiled unconsciously.
There is such a person around me, a flesh and blood body, who can give me warmth, stand with me in times of danger, and even stand in front of me to withstand the wind and rain.
She didn't seem to be anything to be afraid of.
Seeing her smile, Zhu Feng knew what was going on in this young woman's mind. He simply said, "It's useless to overthink these things. It's better to wait until your two brothers return from the Western Regions and ask them. Even if they don't know anything, as long as this mission can establish normal negotiations and good relations with the countries in the Western Regions, there will still be opportunities to send special envoys in the future."
Nan Yan nodded slightly.
She glanced at Zhu Feng again and said, "Actually, I don't necessarily need to know anything."
“…”
"It's been so many years since the incident happened. Maybe it's better not to know."
“…”
"It's just that sometimes—"
She was unable to express her complex emotions, but Zhu Feng's warm hand had already grasped hers, saying, "I understand."
Nan Yan looked up at him.
Indeed, if there is one person in this world who understands this feeling, it is probably him.
For so many years, he has been struggling with this kind of contradictory emotions. What makes him even sadder than himself is that at least there are people around him who can be sure of this fact, but until now, no one has told Zhu Feng a word of the truth.
He has been struggling in this quagmire for half his life.
Nan Yan said softly, "Your Majesty, please believe that as long as it is the truth, the truth will eventually come out."
Hearing this, Zhu Feng glanced at her.
Said: "Yeah."
But in my heart, I could only smile bitterly.
As long as it was true, the truth would eventually come out. But when would that be? This dilemma had already trapped him for half his life. If he waited until he was dead for the truth to come out, what would the truth even mean?
The reason he came here this time was to discuss with Master Shangshan how to deal with the next step of renovating Xingluo Lake. However, there were still a lot of things waiting for him in Jinling, so he naturally couldn't stay for long. So the next day, after going to the island to burn incense for the ancestors of the Zhu family, he took Nanyan and the others on a boat to leave the Huangling Temple.
The next evening, they returned to Xiajiang Town.
Zhu Feng originally planned to stay here for one night, rest, and then go to Jinling. However, when they got off the boat and took a carriage to the door of Xu Miaoming's mansion, they found that the house was deserted.
Only two girls in white were left here to look after the house.
They said to Zhu Feng and Nan Yan, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, when Taoist Master Miao Ming left, he instructed that this house be at your disposal at any time. Taoist Master will not object."
Zhu Feng couldn't help but frown.
Nan Yan was shocked and asked hurriedly, "Then, where is Jian Ruocheng?"
The two girls in white looked at each other, then smiled and said, "Second Master Jian naturally left with the Taoist priest."
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