Everyone Watches *The Great Yan Dynasty*: A Meeting Concealing Murderous Intent / Talulah: With My Intelligence, I'd Be Lucky to Survive Five Episodes in This Drama?

Clearly, Wei Yenwu's portrayal of the Emperor Jiajing not only made Theresis wary, but everyone else as well.

Surprisingly, the next moment, the Emperor of Great Yan smiled and stepped down from his high seat, coming to Chen Qi and his group. Before anyone could react, he grabbed Wei Yenwu and Chen Qi's hands!

As the Great Yan Emperor made his move, Wei Yenwu and Chen Qi were somewhat confused as they were pulled up onto the high platform. The next moment, after the three of them had ascended the platform together, Chen Qi was seated in an inconspicuous position, but very close to the throne.

Wei Yenwu was pulled down by the Emperor of Great Yan, and the two brothers were suddenly seated together in the position symbolizing "the ruler of Great Yan"!

"Hiss--"

At this moment, when the state guests present saw this scene of "two dragons on the same throne", they all felt a chill run down their spines - this was simply the most terrifying scene.

This signifies a powerful message: the fearsome "Emperor Jiajing" and the Great Yan Emperor, who continues the dynasty's prosperity, are simultaneously ruling the Great Yan nation. Power struggles and a golden age will converge in the Great Yan, and neither can be dispensed with!

Brother, are you trying to screw me over?! Now, only Wei Yenwu realized what his brother's intention was: to send a signal to the leaders of other countries that the two brothers would jointly govern the Great Yan.

This also means that, with two dragons in power, the Great Yan will not fall even if either dragon is missing—at least that's how it appears to outsiders.

With this small action, the Emperor of Great Yan brought Wei Yenwu, who had successfully escaped, back to the starting line. Now, they were back to the point where "whoever runs the slowest becomes the emperor!"

This time, his younger brother would absolutely not give him a second chance to escape! What was originally an unexpected "visit from all nations" was actually cleverly used by his younger brother, becoming a brilliant move for him to escape his misery!

PS: First chapter today!

Volume 1: Chapter 295: The Meeting Where Danger Lurks While Everyone Watches "The Great Yan Dynasty"

"My younger brother... isn't this against etiquette?"

However, Wei Yenwu saw through his brother's scheme, but he couldn't very well retaliate—this was a state banquet, and everyone present represented the attitude of the Terra as a nation. If he made a fool of himself here, the Great Yan would lose all face.

"What's improper about it?" Upon hearing this, the Emperor of Great Yan raised an eyebrow and replied in a low voice:

"I am still the emperor. From the perspective of ruler and subject, Duke Wei is the Duke Protector of the Great Yan Kingdom. It is my appreciation for talent to have a meritorious official sit with me."

"From a brother's perspective... Your Majesty, if you acknowledge this identity and are willing to use your real name, then I can reserve this position for you alone."

"..."

Well, upon hearing this, Wei Yenwu was speechless. He knew he had been outmaneuvered by his younger brother, but now he had no way to resist his brother's actions from any angle. He also dared not suppress his brother based on seniority, because that would mean he would admit to being one of the legitimate heirs, and if his brother ran away, he would be stuck with that position.

Now, sitting still seemed to be the only good option. Seeing that Wei Yenwu remained motionless, the Emperor of Great Yan, who had spent half his life competing with his elder brother, revealed a smug smile for the first time, but quickly concealed it, saying:

"Marquis Liewen, please trouble you to present your highly anticipated masterpiece to our state guests."

As soon as the Emperor of Great Yan finished speaking, Chen Qi cupped his hands to indicate that he understood. Then, Chen Qi took the initiative to walk down from the high platform and, together with Talulah, put the videotape into the projector. After a series of operations, the fifth episode of "Great Yan Dynasty 1566" was successfully displayed in front of everyone.

Previously, whether they were like Theresis and the new king of Ursus who had appreciated the essence of the show, or those who had watched it several times and still found it difficult, they were all now staring intently at the big screen.

Chen Qi, holding Talulah's hand, chose to stand quietly to the side instead of returning to his previous position. He knew that without his help, many people would likely not understand the fifth episode, so Chen Qi stood in the most conspicuous spot to provide explanations at any time.

In the fourth episode that everyone had seen, the confrontation between Hu Zongxian and Yan Shifan had completely caused Hu Zongxian to lose the trust of Yan Faction. Yan Song, who had waited for Hu Zongxian all night, had a look of confusion and helplessness in his eyes and couldn't help but murmur:

"Human hearts are like water... water flows downhill."

"Human desires are always ever-growing."

In short, it reveals that Yan Song, played by the Rat King, has developed a rift with Hu Zongxian, played by Zuo Xuanliao. He is completely unaware that all of this was orchestrated by his own daughter, Yan Shifan, played by Lin Yuxia.

Meanwhile, news of the breached dikes and flooded fields in Zhe City had reached the Emperor Jiajing. In order to understand the situation better, he summoned Yan Song, representing the Yan Faction; Prince Yu, representing the Purists; Yang Jinshui, representing the Directorate of Ceremonial of Ceremonial in Zhe City; and Hu Zongxian, whose power was now "unclear," to the palace for a confrontation.

Through Yang Jinshui, the Emperor Jiajing now had a preliminary understanding of the situation in Zhe City, as well as what Hu Zongxian, who was trying to delay the national policy of converting rice paddies to mulberry fields, might be thinking. This meeting began under these circumstances.

In the drama, before the meeting, Jiajing felt hot all over because he had taken a pill. Even though it was still bitterly cold outside and everyone was wearing cotton-padded robes, he deliberately played with ice, placing his entire palm on a block of ice, yet his palm did not tremble at all.

"This physique... no wonder he's an emperor who aspires to become a god. Even as Mythical Race, to touch ice in this frigid world without feeling the cold at all—only someone with a physique close to that of Feranmut could do that."

Upon witnessing this scene, the new emperor of Ursus couldn't help but sigh. The Ursus people are among the most adaptable to the freezing weather, but it's difficult for them to remain completely unmoved like the Emperor Jiajing in the drama.

Without realizing it, the new emperor of Ursus and the others all turned their gazes to Wei Yenwu on the throne. But Wei Yenwu appeared to be resting with his eyes closed, looking completely at ease. They didn't dare to ask whether it was an act or real.

In the drama, the Emperor Jiajing also gets straight to the point. Facing Hu Zongxian, he speaks directly to the point, but with a hint of danger:

"A fourth-rank prefect, a fourth-rank river supervisor, and two county magistrates who passed the imperial examinations—you killed them all with a wave of your hand. What audacity!"

At this moment, everyone could tell that Jiajing's words were not a compliment, but rather an expression of dissatisfaction with Hu Zongxian's "acting first and reporting later".

At this point, if Hu Zongxian's answer displeased Jiajing, and if it were a more tyrannical emperor, he would have been executed even if he was in the right, as a warning to others. Therefore, from the very beginning, a situation where one wrong step would mean certain death had already begun.

Despite the tense situation, Hu Zongxian remained calm and replied, word by word, "Your Majesty, according to the laws of the Great Yan Dynasty, officials in charge of river maintenance who cause disasters due to the neglect of river embankments are guilty of the same offense as losing cities and land."

"Your subject, holding the titles of Governor-General of Zhejiang and Zhili and Ministry of War, is hereby ordered by the Imperial Command Banner and Tablet to execute him on the spot."

"--Could we first petition the imperial court, and then execute the law accordingly?"

"Your Majesty... of course, that's fine too."

"This is where things get interesting." Upon hearing this, the Emperor Jiajing revealed a chilling smile. At this moment, no one could fathom the thoughts of this emperor, and the moment he smiled, it sent shivers down everyone's spine.

"In my memory, you are a cautious person. But this time, not only did you act first and report later, but you also killed both the Junior Grand Secretary's men and Lü Fang's men."

"What? Aren't you afraid they'll make things difficult for you?"

When Jiajing said this, everyone was somewhat bewildered. Although they all sensed the danger in his words, they did not know where the danger came from.

"--Director Chen Qi, I'm getting old and standing far away, so I can't hear you very well." At this moment, Madam Sicily stepped forward. As the lowest-ranking of the state guests present, she spoke first, clearing up everyone's confusion, and asked:

"You're the screenwriter, what did the Emperor Jiajing mean by those words? Can you explain them to me?"

"Of course." Chen Qi also respected Madam Sicily quite a bit, so he took the initiative to explain:

"As everyone has seen episode four, you should know that Yang Jinshui told Jiajing about the situation in Zhe City. Jiajing also learned from Yang Jinshui's words that Hu Zongxian's deliberate delay in converting rice paddies to mulberry fields might be an attempt to defect to Prince Yu's faction."

"Now, Hu Zongxian has acted first and reported later, risking his life to kill two county magistrates from the Yan Faction and Lü Fang from the Directorate of Directorate of Ceremonial. There are only three major forces in the court, and he has offended two of them. If Hu Zongxian answers 'I'm not afraid,' then the only ones who can support him are the Prince Yu's faction."

While Chen Qi was explaining, Yan Song in the drama clearly understood Jiajing's intention. Whether out of his desire to cultivate Hu Zongxian or his eagerness to distance himself from Jiajing and demonstrate his loyalty, Yan Song immediately said:

"Your Majesty, within this vast land, who is not a subject of the king? All officials of the Great Yan Dynasty are members of the imperial court."

Yan Song's empty words about protecting himself clearly wouldn't fool Jiajing at this moment. Seeing a hint of displeasure flash across Jiajing's face, Yan Song immediately shut up and obediently sat back down.

"The imperial court... the imperial court is just a few palaces and a few government offices—even meals have to be cooked separately."

With Chen Qi's previous explanation, everyone now understands that Jiajing's phrase "eat in separate pots" was a warning to Prince Yu not to reach into other people's pots.

"Prince Yu."

"Your subject is here." In the drama, the Emperor of Great Yan, who plays Prince Yu, is quite apprehensive in front of Jiajing. Prince Yu understands the meaning of Jiajing's warning, and his expression becomes even more tense.

But what Jiajing wanted was precisely this tension from Prince Yu. If a son disrespected his father, it might be a minor matter in an ordinary family. But in the imperial family, it was a very bad sign, a point that everyone present who had experienced or witnessed the bloodshed of power transitions understood all too well.

"At the beginning of the year, you told me that Tan Lun in your household was a talented person and that you wanted to send him to Zhe City to gain experience. How is that experience going?"

Upon hearing this, Prince Yu immediately stated that Tan Lun, whom he had sent, had been serving in Hu Zongxian's Ministry of War and had not interfered in the national policy of converting rice paddies to mulberry fields. In other words, he had not sent anyone to interfere with the conversion of rice paddies to mulberry fields.

However, how could Jiajing possibly believe Prince Yu's words? He had already exchanged information with Yang Jinshui before and knew what Tan Lun had done in Zhe City. Now that Prince Yu was concealing the truth, it further confirmed Jiajing's suspicions—that Prince Yu had interfered with the conversion of rice paddies to mulberry fields.

Thinking of this, Jiajing's tone turned sour, and he said with a forced smile:

"Achievements don't necessarily have to be on the front lines, slaying generals and capturing flags. Isn't daring to be the first in the world an achievement?"

I possess three virtues: compassion, frugality, and humility.

Upon hearing Emperor Jiajing's words, the music in the drama immediately became tense, making everyone's heart skip a beat. Accompanied by the music, Prince Yu in the drama turned pale and immediately knelt on the ground, trembling and not daring to say another word.

"Is this prince... a little too timid? He cowered at just one sentence from his father?" In contrast, Duke of Windermere, whose knowledge of the Great Yan language wasn't very deep and who seemed unable to grasp the weight behind the words, immediately turned his gaze to Chen Qi, hoping that the screenwriter could explain why the Prince Yu had cowered at just one sentence from Jiajing.

Chen Qi, being quite considerate, stepped in to explain, "Duke of Windermere, you might not have understood what the Emperor Jiajing meant, otherwise you would have grasped Jiajing subtext."

"Jiajing said that as emperor, he always adhered to three virtues: one was to be kind to the people, one was to be frugal, and the other was to dare not do anything that no one in the world had ever done before."

"He meant that he was a benevolent ruler who cared for his people, was frugal, adhered to ancestral rules, and always acted in accordance with the established order."

"But now Jiajing believes that Tan Lun, sent by Prince Yu, has won over Hu Zongxian and undermined the national policy of converting rice paddies to mulberry fields. Prince Yu's active interference in the national policy set by Jiajing is a violation of Jiajing's rules, which is 'daring to be the first in the world'."

"In other words, the prince has undermined the emperor's policies, and now the emperor suspects his son of plotting a rebellion?!"

After being briefed by Chen Qi, Duke of Windermere, a duke from Victoria, the second most scheming city in the land, immediately understood the meaning of those words, and a belated sense of fear crept up his spine.

Keep in mind, this is just filming; if she didn't understand something, Chen Qi could explain it to her. But what if this were real life? Duke of Windermere couldn't help but think... If he were one of Jiajing's men, what would happen to him if he didn't grasp the meaning of such a warning in time?

"* Victoria slang*... If I were to work under an emperor like that, wouldn't I die before the fifth episode?"

Duke of Windermere realized what was happening and muttered to herself in lingering fear. Now, apart from her, everyone present, whether or not they had grasped the deeper meaning behind Chen Qi's words, felt even more profoundly the terrifying subtext of the Emperor Jiajing's words.

What followed was their fear of the Great Yan Dynasty and this extremely subtle method of "testing"... Just thinking about working for such a precarious court made them feel like they would lose several years of their lives.

"The Great Yan Dynasty, truly lives up to its Great Yan... When it comes to politics and metaphors, the Great Yan is the epitome of it all."

PS: Second chapter today! As usual, there will be another update tonight (sob sob, keep writing! I'll pay back the bounty soon, I'll start writing as soon as I wake up... collapses)

Volume 1: Chapter 296: Talulah: With my intelligence, I probably wouldn't survive more than five episodes in this show?

Logically speaking, everyone present is the highest representative of their respective country. The power struggles they have experienced and witnessed are far more profound than those of ordinary people, and even nobles in the eyes of ordinary people would not have as much knowledge about them.

To be able to immerse oneself in hardship not only allows one to attain supreme power but also to remain unscathed to this day. Even if there is an element of luck involved, and the severity of the circumstances varies, who among those present was foolish? Who didn't rise through adversity step by step?

However, while everyone was appreciating "The Great Yan Dynasty," although they could sense the danger in Emperor Jiajing's words, they found that they couldn't seem to understand many of the "subtexts."

It's important to understand that "subtext" is prevalent in the officialdom of any country. Using seemingly mild words to convey subtle warnings and admonitions that cannot be stated openly in public is a fundamental skill for managers.

But now, these foreign rulers are finding themselves unable to understand these lines. Without Chen Qi's explanation, even if they could sense the crisis, they wouldn't know how to respond, and failing to respond in time can sometimes make things even more dangerous!

For example, when facing a fearsome emperor like the Emperor Jiajing who always held the information advantage, whether you answered poorly or not at all, there would only be one result: death.

If you are loyal to Jiajing, then you must be prepared to be a "black glove" for life. Moreover, if Jiajing finds out that you are doing something behind his back, he doesn't care about feelings; he only cares about what you have done. From this point of view, he is a "perfect" political machine.

A monarch who treated his officials like household slaves would typically react to any potential rebellion by killing his own son. Could you really expect Jiajing to show any fatherly affection?

"No wonder Prince Yu is so trembling with fear. With such an emperor above him, most people would be terrified. How dare he and his faction of Clear Stream Faction still make a move? I really don't know if they have the confidence or if they are not afraid of death."

"Not entirely." Theresis, however, sensed a different meaning in Duke of Windermere's words and replied:

"Judging from the previous plot developments, Prince Yu is harsh and unkind to his servants, but he also lacks decisiveness in important matters. Many of his decisions are made on his behalf by the Purists Faction, and his confidence is only based on the Purists and the premise that his throne is secure."

"Judging from Emperor Jiajing's current behavior... he does not want the Yan Faction to fall because of this. He needs the Yan Faction to implement the national policy of converting rice paddies to mulberry fields to replenish the national treasury. This is the first thing he wants to do."

"If Prince Yu cannot prove that the Purists has taken action in Zhe City, then the suspicion of his rebellion, even if Jiajing does not pursue it now, will inevitably deal a devastating blow to him and the Purists." The new emperor of Ursus gradually understood this situation, and his gaze towards Prince Yu on the big screen was filled with more sorrow and sympathy.

The new emperor of Ursus felt that his experience was very similar to that of the Prince Yu in the drama. They both had an overly "powerful" father, and the powerful ministers did not think highly of their successors. Meanwhile, the new forces they supported gradually undermined their power.

It could be said that the new emperor of Ursus was in an even more precarious and cautious situation than Prince Yu in the drama. Therefore, he understood Prince Yu's feelings and knew that the key now was how to protect himself.

But judging from Prince Yu's pale face and trembling appearance, the new emperor of Ursus felt that he could no longer be expected to defy Jiajing.

At this moment, Hu Zongxian, who was suspected of siding with Prince Yu, suddenly spoke up, breaking the deadlock with his words:

"Your Majesty is of incompetent talent, yet you have entrusted me with the important responsibility of governing the frontier. Therefore, all my actions will be in accordance with the Emperor's and the court's orders. I will never listen to anyone else's instructions, and no one can sway my will."

"As for this incident, the failure to implement the national policy of converting rice paddies to mulberry fields, coupled with such a severe flood in my jurisdiction, all the blame ultimately rests solely on my fault and has nothing to do with anyone else."

As he spoke, Hu Zongxian slowly took out a sealed letter from his sleeve, handed it over, and said:

"This is my resignation, requesting Your Majesty's permission to resign from my post."

Upon hearing Hu Zongxian's words, everyone in the drama fell silent. Even Jiajing, who had always kept his emotions hidden in front of the officials, showed a hint of surprise in his eyes.

Now, both Jiajing and Yan Song believe that Hu Zongxian is trying to curry favor with Prince Yu. As the future emperor, Prince Yu could certainly promise Hu Zongxian a higher position than he currently holds, but Hu Zongxian's decision to resign has completely eliminated his only motive for "currying favor with Prince Yu."

This action, more than any act of loyalty, proves Hu Zongxian's innocence, his lack of partisanship and selflessness, and that he is a truly loyal minister.

"How could he survive?" At this moment, almost everyone understood the ingenious tactic of "retreating to advance." They all knew that Hu Zongxian had a great vision in this drama, and Hu Zongxian political acumen at this moment surprised them even more.

Such a capable and enlightened person would at least be a marquis in their own country, yet in the Great Yan, he could only be a minister guarding the frontier?

In the drama, Lee, who plays Lü Fang, takes Hu Zongxian's resignation letter and hands it to Jiajing. Jiajing glares at Lü Fang with an expression that says, "You actually accepted it?"

As a monarch renowned for his intelligence and political acumen, Jiajing certainly recognized Hu Zongxian's abilities and his indispensable role in the Great Yan. Therefore, he readily offered Hu a way out, saying:

"Hu Zongxian is trying to exonerate Tan Lun —you (Prince Yu), get up."

Although Hu Zongxian's actions eased Jiajing's attitude towards Prince Yu somewhat, Jiajing still didn't quite believe that Hu Zongxian had no powerful backing, and immediately began to press him on the matter of the Zhe City dike.

"If what you say is true, the neglect of the river is tantamount to losing cities and land, and it has also disrupted the imperial court's national policy of converting rice paddies to mulberry fields. If you are to be punished, dismissal will suffice."

"Let me ask you again. The river embankment in Zhe City was just repaired last year, costing the imperial court 2.5 million taels of silver. Yet, a major flood destroyed the embankment, causing a disaster. Didn't you have any prior warning?"

"Another trap." Now that Theresis was fully immersed in the role, she immediately understood the deeper meaning behind those words, and her expression never wavered from beginning to end.

Jiajing naturally knew that the dike was destroyed at Yan Shifan's behest, and he also knew that Hu Zongxian knew that Yan Shifan had ordered its destruction. However, he deliberately raised this question to further ascertain whether Hu Zongxian had any powerful backers.

If Hu Zongxian were to reveal at this time that the dike was not breached by the flood, but rather that Yan Shifan had instructed him to destroy the dike and flood the fields, then his actions would be seen as "overthrowing Yan" and betraying his mentor. No one would believe Hu Zongxian if he claimed that Prince Yu was not behind him!

"Is the riverbed in disrepair? I have here the testimonies of Ma Ningyuan, the chief supervisor of the Zhe City River, and his assistant officials. I beseech Your Majesty to investigate."

When Hu Zongxian presented this confession, everyone who had watched the first four episodes immediately realized that the confession signed by Ma Ningyuan and the others was the one about destroying the dike and flooding the fields. Hu Zongxian's actions completely overturned all of his previous statements.