Chapter 2712 If I Had Died
The next period of time was spent preparing for the journey back to Beijing.
Nan Yan packed up her and Zhu Feng's summer clothes and asked the first group of people to send them back. After a few days, they set off.
Although a team of people had been sent back before, the emperor's carriage was still very grand, and the carriage and people formed a long snake on the grassland.
The vast snowfield is covered with ice for thousands of miles.
But as long as Nan Yan lifted the curtain, she could see the flags fluttering outside.
Many soldiers could be seen riding on horseback, looking very heroic. Nan Yan especially looked at the team of Jinyiwei following not far behind the emperor's golden carriage. Li Bushang, like in the past, was riding in the front.
And around him, it was the same as these days.
Always following Xie Jiaojiao's figure.
The people around seemed to be used to it, and a few of them even had secret smiles on their faces.
To everyone, Commander Li, who was always cold and aloof, seemed too lonely, like a lone wolf on the grassland, always alone. Everyone worried whether he would remain like this for the rest of his life.
After all, no girl can accept such a cold man.
But he didn't expect that there really is such a girl now, who doesn't mind his coldness, and even seems to be attracted by his character. Commander Li, who knows who he listened to, no longer wants to be cold to her as before, and sometimes he even says a few words to her.
Everyone thought that if things continued like this, good things might not be far away.
Nan Yan looked at it and couldn't help but smile.
A gust of cold wind blew into the car. Zhu Feng, who had been reading a book, immediately said, "Put it down quickly. It will get cold soon."
"oh."
Nan Yan reluctantly let down the curtain and turned to look at Zhu Feng. It was rare that he did not get on the horse during the whole journey, but stayed in the carriage with her. However, he did not speak with a book in his hand. Although Nan Yan also liked reading, she felt bored when no one talked for a long time.
Plus, the carriage was shaking, making her feel a little sleepy.
Zhu Feng didn't allow her to look at the scenery, so she moved to his side, leaned on his shoulder, and began to doze off.
Feeling a weight on his shoulders, Zhu Feng looked down at her and whispered, "Are you sleepy again?"
“…”
"Didn't you just take a nap?"
Nan Yan narrowed her eyes and whispered, "I can't enjoy the scenery, and the emperor won't chat with me. What else can I do besides sleep?"
As he said this, he yawned.
"Your Majesty, please read a book and ignore me. I will get up soon after taking a nap."
Zhu Feng laughed, but put down the book in his hand and pinched her nose.
Nan Yan immediately opened her eyes: "What are you doing?"
Zhu Feng smiled and said, "Don't sleep too much. If you sleep now, you won't be able to sleep at night."
"If you can't sleep, then you can't sleep."
"You can't sleep, so you're just bothering me."
Nan Yan couldn't help laughing after hearing this. She had been feeling a little sleepy at first, but after a few words, she felt refreshed and said, "Okay, okay, I won't sleep anymore."
“…”
"But what can I do if I don't sleep?"
Zhu Feng picked up the book in his hand again and said, "Read with me."
Nan Yan was a little surprised when she saw it.
She originally thought that Zhu Feng must be reading a book on military strategy. After all, he came from a military background and all he thought about every day was wielding swords and galloping across the battlefield. However, she did not expect that what he was holding in his hand was actually a collection of poems.
Nan Yan laughed immediately.
Hearing her laughter, Zhu Feng lowered his head and asked, "What are you laughing at?"
Looking at her again, he immediately understood what she meant and said with a smile, "Why, you think I should just hold on to military books every day and not read these poems and songs, right?"
Nan Yan smiled and said, "I just feel that I don't match well with the Emperor."
"Humph, what do you know."
“…”
"Do you think poetry and songs are just about singing about the wind and moon? Let me tell you, there are also literary elements in them, and even strategies for governing a country."
"What?"
Nan Yan asked, "What kind of great things can this possibly bring? What kind of strategies can it offer for governing a country?"
Zhu Feng perked up when he heard this. He turned to the page he had just read and pointed to a poem on it, saying, "Read this."
Nan Yan looked carefully and saw that it was Bai Juyi's statement.
She had secretly recited this poem with her teacher as a child, and even without reading it, she could recite it by heart. She immediately said, "I'll give you a method to resolve your doubts, without the need for tortoise shells or yarrow stalks. To test jade, burn it for three days; to identify the material, wait seven years. Zhou Gong feared rumors, and Wang Mang was humble before he usurped the throne. If I had died then, who would know the truth about my life?"
After finishing reading, she thought about it again and looked at Zhu Feng: "This——"
Zhu Feng said, "Tell me, what is the fundamental basis of governing a country?"
Nan Yan thought for a while, then looked at the poem and immediately came to her senses.
He said, "Use people."
"Well, not stupid."
"snort."
Zhu Feng smiled and said, "Employing people is a science. Knowing when to employ whom, under what circumstances, and even how to employ different people is a science."
“…”
"And the most important point of this poem is that we must learn to identify talents and not just look at what is in front of us."
"This, I know."
Nan Yan said, "People only see Wang Mang in the present moment, never realizing he harbored evil intentions and usurped the Han Dynasty for fifteen years. And if people only see Zhou Gongdan in the present moment, they will only see him as a powerful Duke. Who could have imagined that he held supreme power, yet quietly contributed, and ultimately returned the throne to become king?"
"That's right."
Zhu Feng said, "Many times, it takes more than just one or two glances to see a person's true nature, or even just one or two years."
“…”
"If you look carefully and hire the right person, you can achieve lasting success. If you don't look carefully and keep someone with evil intentions around, it's like having a snake in your arms. You could lose your life at any time, or even—lose your reputation."
When Nan Yan heard the last four words, her heart trembled slightly for some reason.
She looked up at Zhu Feng, only to see a cold light flash in his dark eyes, as if he remembered something.
Nan Yan said softly: "Your Majesty..."
Zhu Feng did not speak, his eyes still fixed on the poetry collection and the poem, but his gaze seemed to have penetrated the paper and ink, seeing deeper and farther.
Who did he think of?
Nan Yan's heart was a little confused for a moment.
Is it Qin Ruolan?
She knew that Zhu Feng had once been truly devoted to this woman, but in the end, he was betrayed by her and suspected by his own father, leaving him with a nightmare that had lasted for more than ten years.
Or, Ye Quan?
She knew that Ye Quan was also his nightmare, and even until now, Zhu Feng could not tell Ye Zheng the truth.
Or maybe someone else?
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