Chapter 3388: Small Achievement
Zhu Feng's eyes flickered as he slowly said, "He's already thirty years old this year."
"Thirty years old?"
Nan Yan was stunned for a moment, then counted on her fingers. Indeed, since she picked up Li Bushan at the border of Yongzhou, he would be thirty years old this year.
However, although she knew the boy's age, she had never asked about his birthday, nor had she celebrated it for him over the years. After all, after that incident, the two of them had grown apart a lot. Even though Li Bushan was still loyal to her, Nan Yan had a hurdle in her heart and was consciously or unconsciously distancing herself from him.
Unexpectedly, Zhu Feng actually remembered Li Bushang's age.
Nan Yan thought for a moment and smiled, "At thirty, he's established himself. He's only just reached that age, and he's already taken the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. How many people would only dream of this, so he can be considered an achievement."
Hearing this, Zhu Feng said nothing.
He was silent for a long time before he slowly said in a complicated tone, "For him, this is just a small achievement."
"ah?"
Nan Yan looked up at him and said, "Is this just a small achievement?"
Zhu Feng said: "Yeah."
Nan Yan shook her head and laughed, "Your Majesty is too arrogant."
"It's not that I'm arrogant,"
Zhu Feng said with a half-smile, "That's what he thinks in his heart."
Hearing this, Nan Yan couldn't help but frown.
Although her words just now were polite, everyone knew that it was rare for anyone serving in the court to become a fifth-rank official before the age of thirty, unless Zhu Feng promoted him exceptionally. But even if he was promoted exceptionally, Li Bushang was directly promoted to the commander-in-chief of the Embroidered Uniform Guard at the age of twenty. He was the only one like him in the world.
If this can only be called "small success", then what is considered a big success?
Zhu Feng became the emperor in his thirties. Does that mean he still wants to compete with him?
So he said, "No one is bigger than the emperor."
Zhu Feng smiled and said nothing more.
Nan Yan then said, "But speaking of which, when we set out for the northwest last year, he was sent south by the Emperor. I wonder how he's doing now. Didn't I hear that things were almost going to riot in Yue State?"
Just then, someone brought hot water for them to wash up. After a quick wash, the two of them got into bed. Nan Yan rolled into Zhu Feng's arms with familiarity. Zhu Feng also reached out to embrace her. Staring at the curtains hanging low above his head, he slowly said, "Previously, Xiahou Jiu and Chen Biri, one civil and one military, had a big fight in the Yue court. Although there was no mutiny in the end, the conflict had been buried long ago and was impossible to reconcile. Now they are both keeping silent, only maintaining a superficial peace. If a fuse is lit, it would be enough to blow up the entire Yue Kingdom."
Nan Yan lay on his chest, eyes wide open, and asked, "So, the Emperor is planning to 'blow up' the Kingdom of Yue?"
Zhu Feng looked at her eager face and couldn't help laughing. "Why are you so excited? I see that your temper is getting more and more aggressive."
Nan Yan pouted: "How am I fierce?"
Zhu Feng said, "How can a good woman be like you, looking forward to being beaten all day long?"
Nan Yan said seriously, "Can't a good woman be beaten up? I think that some things can only be resolved by fighting. It's boring to be weak all day long."
Zhu Feng smiled and pinched her.
It was true that the mere association with bad people led to bad influence. He used to be stubborn and irritable, unwilling to listen to anyone and ready to kill at the slightest sign of dissatisfaction. But after spending so much time with Nan Yan, he'd become more cautious and lenient in his actions, adopting a more lenient approach. Nan Yan, on the other hand, was always shouting for war and showed no fear on the battlefield. Fortunately, she only learned two self-defense moves from him. If she had been allowed to learn martial arts, she'd probably have been charging into battle.
Although it was already spring, it was still a bit chilly at night. Zhu Feng immediately pulled Nan Yan back into the quilt and wrapped her up in his arms. While Nan Yan enjoyed the feeling of his big palm caressing her back, she asked, "So what exactly is the emperor planning?"
“…”
"If the Emperor really wants to blow up the Kingdom of Yue, what is the fuse and how do we light it?"
"The fuse has already been prepared. As for how to ignite it—" Zhu Feng glanced down at her and said mysteriously, "You'll know when the time comes."
Nan Yan pouted when she heard that.
Zhu Feng smiled and touched her hair, saying tiredly, "Okay, I'm sleepy too, go to sleep."
Nan Yan was originally very energetic. After all, she loved listening to Zhu Feng talk about these things the most. But seeing that Zhu Feng was so tired that his eyelids were fighting, she didn't know what to say. She could only prop herself up and blow out the candlestick beside the bed, then lie down and hug Zhu Feng's waist, and the two of them fell asleep in each other's arms.
More than a month passed in the blink of an eye.
Nan Yan was feeling rather bored that day in Yikun Palace. She couldn't always call the Crown Princess and the Young Master into the palace to play. Zhu Chengjun was in the barracks, and Princess Xinping had to study every day. With nothing better to do, she went to Jianfu Palace to chat with Concubine Yi. Concubine Yi looked at her and said with a smile, "Your Highness, have you gotten so used to following the Emperor around outside these years that you're finding it hard to stay in the palace anymore?"
Nan Yan was teasing Princess Yongping with a piece of hemp candy, and when she heard this, she also laughed.
"It's not that I can't stay, I just feel like there's nothing to do."
"Now, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was a great helper to the Emperor in the previous dynasty. Your Majesty's two children, Prince Han and Princess Xinping, have grown up. Isn't it time for Your Majesty to enjoy her life? Why are you still complaining about having nothing to do?"
"Maybe I'm destined to be a worrier."
"Don't say that, my lady."
Concubine Yi said with a smile, "Otherwise, when the Emperor goes on tour again, Your Majesty will go out for a walk with him as well?"
Nan Yan laughed and said, "I just came back from the northwest before the New Year. How could I go on patrol so soon?"
She chatted and laughed with Concubine Yi for a while, then seeing that it was getting late, she got up and returned to Yikun Palace. As soon as she entered the room, she saw Zhu Feng sitting inside. Nan Yan hurried forward to greet him and said, "Your Majesty, you are here so early."
Zhu Feng raised his eyelids and glanced at her: "Where have you been going crazy again?"
Nan Yan pouted and said, "The palace is so small, where can I go to have fun? I'm going to talk to my sister, Concubine Yi."
Zhu Feng's eyes flashed with a smile, and he said, "Why, is it that the palace is so small, and you feel uncomfortable being locked up?"
Nan Yan was afraid that he would scold her for being wild, so she murmured, "No, no."
Seeing her like this, Zhu Feng almost laughed.
But he also tried not to laugh, cleared his throat, and said in a serious tone: "Since there is no such thing, then this time, you just stay in the palace well, I won't take you with me."
When Nan Yan heard this, she immediately opened her eyes wide in surprise: "What is the emperor going to do?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com