"Your Majesty, the New Year is almost here,"
Liu Jin stood beside Fu Xiaoguan and asked casually, "Should we find a place to stop and spend the New Year in peace before setting off again?"
In Liu Jin's view, celebrating the New Year is very important, but the fleet is sailing on the vast ocean, and celebrating the New Year at sea... doesn't seem to be a big deal.
Fu Xiaoguan stretched his waist, looked at He Sandao, and asked, "Where are we sailing to now?"
"According to the markings on this nautical chart, we should be almost at Shangluo Country."
Fu Xiaoguan suddenly became energetic. It was indeed a bit boring to be on the sea for more than a month. Not to mention the soldiers, even though he had been mentally prepared, he felt a little tired at this moment.
"Then we can find a port in Shangluo Kingdom and spend the New Year there."
"good!"
He Sandao happily accepted the order and retreated. He certainly wasn't thinking about celebrating the New Year—what good was there in celebrating the New Year? How could it be more practical than robbing money?!
I've been running for so long, but I haven't seen a penny!
Shangluo Kingdom, hehe, I will definitely plunder you clean!
So, He Sandao went up to the command platform and conveyed Fu Xiaoguan's order to Bai Yulian. Bai Yulian didn't think much about it. Since she had come to Shangluo Kingdom, of course she had to go and take a look.
A military order was conveyed through the command flag, and the leading Jinling sent out a flag signal to accelerate. The speed of the entire fleet increased again, and it broke through the waves on the sea.
…
…
November 28, the second year of Daxia.
There was a grand wedding in Jinling City on this day.
Yan Xiwen, the governor of Tailin City of Daxia, and Qin Ruoxue, the director of Xishan Research Institute, entered the bridal chamber hand in hand under the auspices of nine ladies, led by Queen Yu Wenyun of Daxia, and witnessed by thousands of guests.
This was a wedding that shocked Daxia!
The Emperor of Daxia led his fleet on an expedition, but Daxia's huge harem was also present. Who else in the world can enjoy such an honor?
This was what Fu Xiaoguan told his wives before leaving, because he respected Yan Beixi and admired Yan Xiwen.
Yu Wenjun and the others also really wanted to go back to Jinling to take a look—
Judging from what Fu Xiaoguan said now, he is probably about to abdicate, and no one knows where he will go in the future.
The Yan Mansion was packed with distinguished guests and there was a constant stream of people coming and going.
Yan Beixi and Qin Bingzhong were very happy. Firstly, they had put their minds at ease, and secondly, it was because of the importance His Majesty attached to Yan Xiwen's wedding.
This is the glory of the Yan and Qin families, and it is real divine grace!
Yan Beixi was reminiscing about the past with the ten ladies and Qin Bingzhong in his study:
"I recall that in the past, it was in this old minister's study that Your Majesty, drunkenly discussing state affairs, wrote the poem 'The Difficulty of Traveling'."
As he said this, Yan Beixi carefully took out a calligraphy piece from the bookshelf and spread it out in front of everyone. "Except for Concubine Yan, I'm afraid none of you have seen this poem of his. Take a look."
Qin Bingzhong's eyes were already a little blurry. He leaned over and came in front of the calligraphy. It was written in a beautiful hand. It was not the handwriting of Fu Xiaoguan. It was probably written by a woman.
"A golden cup of clear wine costs ten thousand coins, and a jade plate of delicacies costs ten thousand coins.
I put down my cup and chopsticks, unable to eat, and drew my sword, looking around, feeling confused.
I want to cross the Yellow River, but the river is blocked by ice; I want to climb Taihang Mountains, but the mountains are covered with snow.
When I have free time, I fish in the green stream, and suddenly I dream of the sun in the boat.
The road is hard! The road is hard! There are so many roads, where are we now?
There will always be a time to ride the wind and waves, and set sail to cross the vast ocean."
Qin Bingzhong recited slowly, took a deep breath, and straightened his back. He looked at Yan Beixi in surprise: "There will always be a time to ride on the wind and waves, and set sail to cross the vast ocean... So this is from the hand of Your Majesty?"
"Exactly! The one who wrote this poem is Concubine Yan!"
Yan Beixi stroked his almost completely white beard and shook his head. "At that time, His Majesty was very confused. He was determined to promote reforms in the Yu Dynasty. He had already built a dock in Yao County and had the Xishan Research Institute begin researching artillery. That was... six years ago, His Majesty was already preparing to establish a fleet!"
"What's funny is that, from our perspective at the time, the Yu Dynasty didn't have a coastline, nor did it have any powerful enemies from the sea. So, what use was there in building such a fleet at such a high price?"
"It is only now that I realize that His Majesty was so far-sighted! But at that time, he was still hesitant, still struggling with whether to return to the Wu Dynasty."
"That night, I asked him this: Why don't you return to the Wu Dynasty and become emperor?"
"He also answered me, he said...that's not what I want!"
This is a secret story. The participants of the Yan Mansion banquet were the direct descendants of the Yan Mansion, and there was also Yan Xiaolou. Currently sitting in this study, besides Yan Beixi, only Yan Xiaolou knew about it.
The rest of the people showed curious expressions, because this was also the question in their hearts back then.
"He said... What I want to do is the most difficult thing in the world. I want to make this world a more beautiful place."
"He also said that the human mind today is a cage. Influenced by sacred teachings, people are divided into different classes, and the king's power is granted by God. This cage has been formed and is unbreakable. He wants to break it!"
"So he completed Wen Xingzhou's 'Neo-Confucian Code' and expounded on the most important part of it."
Yan Beixi stood up, his hands behind his back, and stood in front of the window. He looked at the blooming plum blossoms in the yard and the bright red lanterns hanging everywhere, and said slowly:
"Reason exists in the heart. The laws of nature, humanity, and physics reside only within our hearts. All people share the same heart and the same principles. Although the universe is vast, if we have a thought for goodness and a conscience, even ordinary people can become saints and sages! We can all become Yao and Shun!"
"That's what your Majesty said that night!"
He turned around and looked at the shocked faces of the crowd, and smiled slightly, "When I heard his words, I was in the same boat as you. I asked him how to break it."
"He said... those who enlighten people's minds should gradually open up what they understand, and not force what is closed!"
"What he wants to do is to establish and improve the rule of law, to transform the country from the current rule of man to the rule of law! Let everyone and everything be regulated and constrained within the framework of the rule of law."
“Only in this way can power be regulated and put in a cage!”
"Then... the world will become a more beautiful place!"
"The journey is long and arduous. The road is long and arduous, but I will search for it up and down!"
Yan Beixi remembered what Fu Xiaoguan said that night. At that time, he did not object to these seemingly rebellious views put forward by Fu Xiaoguan.
He had been watching Fu Xiaoguan struggling in the Yu Dynasty, thinking that he would give up such a fantastic idea and eventually disappear into the crowd.
If Emperor Xuan had not had a rift with Fu Xiaoguan, if he had remained in the former Yu Dynasty, he might never have taken this step in his entire life.
“I didn’t believe in fate, but now I do.”
Yan Beixi walked back to his chair, sat down, and poured tea for everyone while saying, "When His Majesty unified the five kingdoms and established Great Xia, when His Majesty's first five-year plan was released, I knew that he still had not forgotten his original intention and was trying every possible way to break the cage in the minds of the people of this world!"
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