The End of the Great Yan Dynasty: Jiajing's Moment of Enlightenment?

"As for Duke Wei, he's fine. People get sick as they get older, even a master like Duke Wei. Hearing some overly stimulating words, coupled with some internal injuries that haven't fully healed, naturally caused this."

However, the internal injuries that the imperial physician mentioned Wei Yenwu had previously suffered also drew everyone's attention to Madam Wen Yue, who looked slightly embarrassed to the side... Clearly, these internal injuries were probably left over from the filming of "Kung Fu Hustle," and if nothing unexpected happened, they were caused by Madam Wen Yue's "Lion's Roar Technique."

"I am fine, I can still govern the country—cough cough cough cough!"

However, at this moment, the Emperor of Great Yan, lying on his sickbed, reacted immediately upon hearing that he was to rest. However, his face was deathly pale. If one did not know that this emperor had not even established an empress, one would think that he had really indulged in excessive pleasure, just like the Prince Yu he was playing.

However, as soon as the Emperor of Great Yan uttered these words, he immediately began to cough violently. Seeing this, the Grand Tutor and Wei Yenwu, among others, immediately stepped forward and said:

"Your Majesty, please take care of your health! The Great Yan cannot be without Your Majesty for even a day!"

"Yes, Your Majesty, you really need to take good care of your health now. We still have scenes for you to film later, and if you can't appear, I can't continue making this drama."

Now, even Chen Qi has come forward to persuade the Emperor of Great Yan. He doesn't want the Emperor to suffer any harm because of his drama. Although this is the last scene of "Great Yan Dynasty" that will make their blood pressure soar, Chen Qi still doesn't want to take the blame.

The Emperor of Great Yan clearly understood Chen Qi's meaning, and stubbornly shook his head, saying:

"Director Chen Qi, please rest assured, I am fine. I will issue an edict stating that my illness is due to overwork, and it is absolutely not the fault of Director Chen Qi, nor the fault of 'The Great Yan Dynasty'."

"I will have the Grand Tutor announce this decree to all the officials. If there is a cure for my illness, it is undoubtedly Director Chen Qi's 'The Great Yan Dynasty,' which can help my Great Yan avoid countless detours."

Having said that, the Emperor of Great Yan probably knew that his current body could no longer support him in reviewing memorials, so he helplessly lay back on his sickbed and couldn't help but sigh:

"Now is the time when the Great Yan needs reform, yet I, the ruler of this nation, am confined to my bed here... Grand Tutor."

"Your subject is here." The Grand Tutor immediately stepped forward, and the Emperor of Great Yan asked weakly:

"A country cannot be without a ruler for a single day. Although I am ill, the country needs to be governed... Who do you think can take on this responsibility and oversee the country in my stead?"

"--Your Majesty, this old minister humbly recommends, Duke Protector of the State, Wei Yenwu!"

However, the Grand Tutor naturally understood what His Majesty meant. However, if it were an ordinary minister, they would not dare to recommend Wei Yenwu to be the regent, even if they were beaten to death, because Wei Yenwu's blood relationship with the emperor could easily turn "acting regent" into "regent for life" if he was not careful.

But the Grand Tutor knew all too well that neither of the brothers wanted the throne, yet both were exceptionally capable. Now that the younger brother was ill, it was perfectly legitimate for the elder brother to take his place.

Especially given the current situation, and the fact that Wei Yenwu couldn't refuse. However, upon hearing this, the Emperor of Great Yan glanced at Wei Yenwu not far away, but unexpectedly shook his head and said:

"No need... I know what Your Majesty fears. If Your Majesty is unwilling to accept the throne, I will not force you."

"Why does Your Majesty say such a thing? The person here is not the Crown Prince of Great Yan, but Duke Wei Yenwu, the Protector of the Nation!"

However, now that things have come to this point, and seeing his younger brother so seriously ill, if he were to refuse again, it would seem that he lacked brotherly affection and disrespected the proper etiquette between ruler and subject.

Moreover, Emperor Great Yan and Wei Yenwu had declined the offer three times in total. As the saying goes, things shouldn't happen more than three times. Now, whether from the perspective of a subject or an elder brother, Wei Yenwu had to temporarily shoulder this heavy responsibility.

After all... his brother's illness doesn't seem to be feigned, and he's only acting as regent for a short period, so it's not a big deal... right?

Wei Yenwu was now thinking this with some uncertainty, and when the Emperor of Great Yan heard Wei Yenwu say this, he hesitated for a long time, which was unusual, and he no longer had the look of wanting to abdicate as before.

But after a long while, the Emperor of Great Yan nodded heavily, and then added:

"... Since Your Majesty, no, Duke Wei, is willing to shoulder this important responsibility, I will reluctantly agree."

"My illness will be cured in half a month. During this period, Duke Wei, please handle state affairs on my behalf. However, all state affairs must be reviewed by me, and only after I have reviewed and approved them can they be implemented."

"Your Majesty is wise."

The Emperor of Great Yan's words immediately relieved Wei Yenwu, who had been worried that it might be a tactic by his younger brother to shift blame. After all, Great Yan was currently undergoing reforms, and every step was fraught with danger. Even if his brother wanted to shift the blame, he shouldn't have chosen this time.

Chen Qi, seeing that he had been cleared of suspicion, naturally patted his chest and assured them:

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, everyone will do their best. There are only three episodes left, and we will finish filming as soon as possible so that Your Majesty can recover quickly."

"Yes, if you need my help, just say the word. I still have the energy to film a movie."

A major problem had finally been resolved, Chen Qi hadn't even had a chance to breathe a sigh of relief when a Great Yan official suddenly arrived at the Imperial Medical Academy and immediately addressed the crowd:

"Your Majesty, a diplomat from Victoria has arrived; he is from the Sarkaz clan."

"Oh?" The Great Yan Emperor, who had originally planned to push everything aside and get some rest, immediately turned his gaze to Chen Qi upon hearing the word "Sarkaz" and asked, "Who is it?"

"He claimed to be Manfred, saying he had brought very important news and wanted to discuss it with His Majesty and Director Chen Qi."

"Furthermore, they said this is a national diplomatic event, and it is imperative that His Majesty and Director Chen Qi be present."

"--Restore the kingdom?"

However, upon hearing the words "national diplomacy," Chen Qi and the others immediately realized that Manfred had come to discuss something.

Without a doubt, the day of Kazdel's restoration is fast approaching. Manfred has been sent as Kazdel's diplomat to invite the Emperor of Great Yan and Chen Qi to witness the official restoration of Kazdel.

Moreover, if nothing unexpected happens, Theresis hopes to use this move to tell the people of Terra that the Sarkaz have gained the recognition of the Great Yan and Victoria, acknowledging that their nationhood is legitimate. This way, they won't experience the situation where Kazdel was quickly overthrown as soon as it was established.

"And that's not all. I heard from that Manfred diplomat that they also invited the Laterano Church, hoping to end the years-long hatred between the two races. Victoria, Leithania, and other countries have all sent envoys to witness the moment of Kazdel's restoration."

With this response from the Great Yan official, if we were to ask who had the most complex feelings, it would undoubtedly be Chen Qi.

It seems that he has indeed subtly and unconsciously pushed forward quite a few things... Chen Qi couldn't help but sigh when he heard the news of Kazdel's restoration. At the same time, his system's voice came again after a long absence.

[Congratulations, host, on completing this great feat! Kazdel has been restored! The relationship between the Sarkaz and Sarkaz races has become "neutral." You have obtained the legendary honor "Friend of the Teekaz" (Gold)!]

PS: This is the second chapter today! As usual, there will be another update tonight! (It's almost over, I need to finish the last few chapters of the Great Yan Dynasty as soon as possible, sob sob sob... I'm so tired, I'm exhausted)

Volume 1: Chapter 332: The End of the Great Yan Dynasty, Jiajing's Awakening?

"Thank you, Director Chen Qi, for accepting the invitation. I believe that when I deliver this news to the General, he and Princess Theresia will be very happy."

As the Sarkaz's diplomatic ambassador, Manfred successfully met with Chen Qi and conveyed the message that the day of Kazdel's restoration would take place in a month. However, this time, Manfred's appearance was quite different from when he last met Chen Qi.

All that could be seen was that General Sarkaz had removed his armor and put on a suit that Chen Qi recognized very well—the same suit that Manfred wore as Bernard during the filming of "Yes, Prime Minister."

"So, Manfred, you've now transitioned from the military to a civilian role?" Chen Qi stared at Manfred, who seemed different from before. The gradually concealing of his sharp edge, the polite and courteous demeanor—he almost didn't recognize him as the young Sarkaz general.

"Not entirely. Kazdel is in dire need of rebuilding and is lacking in talent, so naturally, capable people are needed to take on multiple roles." Manfred, obviously because of his role as "Bernard" and the time he spent in Londinium, had honed his skills and was still proficient in his new position.

"I currently hold positions in the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The generals are currently discussing the appointment lists for each department with the princes of the Royal Court."

"Furthermore, I may tell you, Director Chen Qi, the General is trying to divide the Royal Court into two factions. Currently, even the Bloodborne Archon is willing to stand on the General's side. He is testing the attitudes of the other Royal Court, and I believe that soon, the King of Scavengers and his clan will also stand with us."

It was clear that Theresis had informed Manfred that there was no need to hide anything from Chen Qi. After all, Chen Qi was not a leader of any country's international power, and he wouldn't leak this information to Chen Qi.

In particular, as a trusted confidant personally groomed by Theresis, Manfred had access to more inside information than the Bloodborne Archon. He also knew that Princess Theresia, who was gradually recovering, was quietly handing over power to Theresis.

Having grown up, Manfred also vaguely felt that although "dual rule" was idealistic, considering the previous civil war in Kazdel, it might not be a suitable idea for Kazdel to be built together now. Kazdel now needs a king who can win the hearts of the people and is recognized by all Sarkaz.

Although Manfred could be considered a staunch supporter of "dual rule," in reality, he would remain loyal to whoever ruled, as long as it was good for Kazdel's future.

"Of course, I have a second, very important matter to discuss with Chen Qi." Manfred then told Chen Qi about his other purpose for the trip, which was also very important to Theresis at the moment.

"Although it may seem abrupt, I am here on behalf of the General to ask Director Chen Qi to do us a favor and lend our clan a treasure that only Chen Qi possesses."

"A treasure?" Manfred's words surprised Chen Qi. He had been dealing with Theresis and the others for so long, and this was the first time Theresis had asked Chen Qi for help, not for a movie, but for an object.

But what treasures did Chen Qi possess? Could it be that Kazdel had been restored and intended to reclaim the "Royal Court Covenant"? Chen Qi thought this was the only possibility. But unexpectedly, Manfred spoke up the next moment:

"Director Chen Qi, the General also showed me your 'The Great Yan Dynasty 1566.' The latest episode we received is about Hai Rui's Memorial on Public Order, which was submitted to Jiajing."

"To be honest, General, you very much wish to see the full text of this Memorial on Public Order. You mentioned that this Memorial on Public Order is naturally a work by Director Chen Qi, so Director Chen Qi must know the entire content. I hope you can make a copy of the Memorial on Public Order and lend it to you for your perusal."

"The general also said that after this, the Sarkaz clan will surely reward you handsomely, and the reward will be handed over to Director Chen Qi on the day of their restoration."

Memorial on Public Order? Chen Qi was somewhat surprised. After watching "The Great Yan Dynasty," Theresis's first thought was to ask Chen Qi for a copy of the original memorial on Memorial on Public Order. After all, in order to save time, the drama naturally wouldn't show the entire original text of the memorial, which was over three thousand words long. Only some of the words criticizing Jiajing were selected, and the main content was not revealed.

It's not surprising that Theresis could tell that the scene shown only revealed a part of the Memorial on Public Order. After all, the Memorial on Public Order used as props by Chen Qi in the show, just from a single shot of them scattered on the ground, were enough to show that there was definitely more to them than that.

What surprised Chen Qi was that Theresis, a young man from the Sarkaz, was able to immediately recognize the help that the Memorial on Public Order could provide, even without having much contact with the Great Yan, and promptly sent Manfred to have Chen Qi copy the original text.

The last person to react so quickly was the Emperor of Great Yan himself. The reason he wanted to reform Great Yan was because he had the entire contents of this Memorial on Public Order. He wanted to analyze the potential threats to Great Yan one by one, addressing the problems that arose, and leave a better golden age for future generations of Great Yan people.

Although the Emperor of Great Yan is now ill, he still reads the "Memorial on Public Order" hundreds of times every day, just like the Jiajing in the drama. Wei Yenwu is the same.

"--It's alright, kid, just give them one."

However, just as Chen Qi was thinking this, a familiar voice suddenly came from behind the two of them. What came into view was Wei Yenwu, who was wearing a Daoist robe. However, everyone could clearly see that under the Daoist robe, there was a crimson robe embroidered with gold.

The Emperor of Great Yan has fallen ill, and Wei Yenwu, in his capacity as Duke of Protector of the Nation, has been acting as regent for several days. These past few days have been filled with trepidation for the Great Yan court, for Wei Yenwu has truly appeared before them in his official robes, and they all involuntarily think of the "Emperor Jiajing."

Everyone in the court knew exactly how difficult it was to serve the Jiajing Emperor. Serving under such an emperor was truly a blessing. But what was most terrifying for them was the tragedy that would become reality.

During this period, the officials behaved themselves, and naturally, there was less official business to attend to. Wei Yenwu also served as a leisurely acting emperor for a few days, which was the first "state affair" that Wei Yenwu intervened in.

"I've already memorized the Memorial on Public Order beforehand, word for word. Consider this my way of representing the Great Yan's friendly attitude towards Kazdel, which is about to be restored."

As he spoke, Wei Yenwu handed a Memorial on Public Order that he had already memorized to Manfred through Chen Qi. Facing Manfred's wary and uneasy gaze, he pretended not to know and continued:

"Since the state guests are here, why not stay in Great Yan for a few more days? Once Chen Qi's 'Great Yan Dynasty' is finished filming, we can send the videotapes to your regent together."

"At that time, I will represent the Great Yan and go with you to witness the restoration of Kazdel. Then, I will present these gifts to Theresis. By then, our two countries will have formally established diplomatic relations, and many things will be easier to discuss."

Wei Yenwu was well aware that the restoration of Kazdel was now impossible to stop, but with such a "warrior race" on the Great Yan side, they still had to be wary.

Wei Yenwu's plan was to have the Great Yan interfere with Kazdel's economic and trade affairs. Kazdel was on the verge of restoration and needed the support of various countries to achieve rapid development. The Great Yan could provide them with some assistance and occupy some vital positions in Kazdel to facilitate the containment of the Sarkaz clan's development.

In this way, the movements of Kazdel can be guaranteed, and the Sarkaz clan can be guaranteed to operate under the control of the Great Yan for at least a hundred years.

Manfred immediately noticed this as well. He stared at Wei Yenwu in front of him, his eyes filled with undisguised apprehension, even a hint of fear, but he suppressed it and said:

"That is a great honor, Jiajing Majesty. I will have my subordinates report this matter truthfully to the Regent and Her Highness the Princess. I am currently only acting as a diplomatic ambassador and cannot make any national policy decisions on behalf of Kazdel."

"As an ambassador, can't you represent your country?" Wei Yenwu asked, his eyes slightly narrowed, a question that only made Manfred more apprehensive.

However, Manfred, who had always appeared impeccable in front of Chen Qi, was noticeably less imposing when facing Wei Yenwu, to the point that he now almost always uttered the character's name from the drama, "Jiajing."

Manfred had also watched "The Great Yan Dynasty," and because of this, he shared the same mentality as the officials of the Great Yan Dynasty. Subconsciously, he felt that the emperor was terrifying and insane, and that he could see through everyone's thoughts at a glance.

Therefore, Manfred immediately activated his three-dimensional defense mode and switched to the "long and difficult sentence" mode to fight back!

"I have come to Great Yan solely to represent the nation on a diplomatic mission and to express my stance on this mission. However, my diplomatic duties are fixed; I will only speak according to what the King instructs me to speak. I cannot be responsible for any additional discussions. What Your Majesty Jiajing has mentioned as 'things that can be discussed' are indeed additional matters, outside the scope of my mission. Therefore, if you insist on going to Kazdel, we warmly welcome you, but discussions on additional matters can only be left to you and the relevant departments in charge."

After saying that, Manfred took a breath and looked at Wei Yenwu with a smile. He was confident that his mastery of complex sentences would help him overcome this crisis. He had used this technique to make his way in Victoria's political arena many times.

However, Manfred forgot that he was facing Wei Yenwu, who was playing the famous "riddler" Emperor Jiajing. Not to mention that he had no experience playing emperors, even his long and complicated sentences couldn't stump Wei Yenwu, let alone now.

Wei Yenwu took a second to decipher Manfred's words, realizing the other man was giving him the Tai Chi. He immediately smiled and looked up at the sky. It was the sun at its highest point, and Wei Yenwu said calmly:

"Special Envoy, do you know that our Great Yan has an idiom called 'living on the brink of death'?"

"This is my reflection on why officials in the Jiajing era acted so hysterically and without fear of consequences, based on my years of acting experience. My understanding is that they knew their lives were in jeopardy."

"For them, whether they could survive until the next day without being persecuted to death by Jiajing or their colleagues was an unknown. Everyone was in danger, living for their lives. In such an environment, even their lives were hard to protect, so how could they serve the country?"

"Since death is inevitable either way, one will inevitably become hysterical and disregard the consequences. If a person can't even survive the present, how can they think about what to do in the future?"

Clearly, Wei Yenwu's meaning was quite clear: the current situation in Kazdel may seem stable, but it is actually based on Chen Qi's support and the fact that my Great Yan remains silent.

Even if you restore your kingdom, my Great Yan and other countries can still crush you in a short time, and you will still be in a precarious situation. For now, it's best to preserve your current situation and not think about the future.

Manfred was momentarily at a loss for words... Fortunately, Chen Qi broke the ice at this moment, immediately saying:

"Alright, let's not talk about state affairs or official positions here. Since everyone is still waiting for the next part of 'The Great Yan Dynasty,' let's do our best to film the last bit of the story."

"When His Majesty watches the last few episodes, perhaps his mood will improve, and maybe he'll even recover from his illness. Then, this matter can be discussed by His Majesty himself. What do you say, Wei Yenwu?"

"... That makes sense, then let's leave it at that."

Wei Yenwu hesitated for a moment, then nodded. He planned to take advantage of the time when there were no state affairs and his younger brother was not yet prepared to flee, to finish filming the play as soon as possible. Then, he could stay by the side of the Emperor of Great Yan day and night until the day the power was returned to him.

He felt increasingly uneasy about his position as regent, his heart filled with unease... Especially these past few days, the fact that his younger brother, though weak, was still able to continue acting made him feel something was amiss.

Now, the final three episodes of "The Great Yan Dynasty" have arrived. After his debate with Hai Rui, Jiajing's health is deteriorating, and Jiajing is struggling with the question of whether or not to execute Hai Rui.

Clearly, Emperor Jiajing did approve of Hai Rui, but approval aside, Hai Rui's insubordination and disrespect for the emperor were a challenge to imperial power. If this matter were simply let go, let alone Jiajing, could his successor, Prince Yu, control Hai Rui? Wouldn't he be stripped of his power?

So, Jiajing also planned to make one last attempt at shifting blame and solving a riddle in his life. He wrote the two characters "good rain" and "sun and moon" and asked Xu Jie and the others to guess their meaning. Then, Jiajing asked them to do what he wanted them to do.

Clearly, these two riddles were no longer a challenge for the Clear Stream Faction members. They had gradually mastered Jiajing's riddle patterns, and Zhang Juzheng's analysis was spot on.

Good rain, good rain knows its season, it falls when spring arrives. The word "season" here refers to Li Shizhen, and in conjunction with the latter half of the poem, it implies that Li Shizhen secretly entered the palace to prescribe medicine for Jiajing.

As for "sun and moon," there is no doubt that "sun" means "Hai Rui," and the moon of the Great Yan is Hai Rui, while "sun" refers to Jiajing. This is Jiajing's rebuke of the Grand Secretariat. Their Grand Secretariat actually favored Hai Rui, the moon, but did not take him, Jiajing, the Great Yan Emperor, to heart.

However, Jiajing's praise of Hai Rui, calling him "the moon of the Great Yan," made everyone in the Grand Secretariat understand that Jiajing didn't necessarily want to kill Hai Rui. It was just that Hai Rui had shaken the imperial power, and the officials' attitudes were ambiguous, which put Jiajing in the position of emperor and made it necessary for him to kill Hai Rui.

However, if the officials remained resolute and the imperial power was consolidated, then if Jiajing spared Hai Rui's life, it would have a completely different meaning.

"No, there are only four characters. How can they be interpreted in so many ways? Do the officials of the Great Yan have nothing better to do than guess riddles?!"

However, back on set, the scene left directors Talulah and Nian feeling overwhelmed. Watching Xu Jie, Gao Gong, and Zhang Juzheng analyze the situation one after another on camera, they couldn't understand the deeper meaning at all.

"At least from the current perspective, Hai Rui can be saved; at least Jiajing doesn't want to kill him." Now, having officially wrapped up her role, Ling has returned to her seat as an audience member. Like most people, she simply hopes that Hai Rui can escape danger.

They weren't the only ones directly observing the performance; when the officials heard that these were the final episodes of "The Great Yan Dynasty," they all rushed to the filming location immediately.

All the officials of the Great Yan Dynasty eagerly hoped that Hai Rui would have a good ending, and even more so that the Great Yan Dynasty in the later years of the drama could be changed, that Jiajing would have a change of heart, and that he would work with Hai Rui to achieve the revival of the Great Yan.