Jiajing's Final Decree and the End of *The Great Yan Dynasty 1566* / The Great Yan Brothers "Force the Palace" for the Throne

"Your Majesty... I dare not." The Little Wanli answered Jiajing's question with tears in his eyes. This answer pleased Jiajing greatly. He was clearly very optimistic about the talent that the Little Wanli had shown. He believed that this child would surely surpass his father in the future!

"It's good that you know you wouldn't dare." At this moment, Jiajing was also passing on his last imperial wisdom to his most favored grandson, admonishing him word by word:

"Let me tell you. No one else's promises to you count; only what you can decide for yourself matters—understand?"

"Your subject understands."

Watching the Little Wanli cry, Jiajing naturally felt a pang of pity. However, in order to pass on all his imperial wisdom to future generations, he had to suppress his heartache and force his grandson to abandon all his illusions.

He could have carefully taught his grandson how to be a ruler, but now he no longer has that time... He can only leave the idea that "the most ruthless family is the imperial family" to his grandson.

As the Little Wanli departed, Jiajing watched his grandson's retreating figure. Having just imparted to his grandson the idea that "only he himself could be relied upon," a sliver of hope lingered in his heart... a hope that his grandson might turn back, even just a reluctant glance, to offer him some solace.

But in the end, none of this fantasy came to pass. Watching the departing figure of the Little Wanli, Jiajing knew that his grandson had taken his words to heart... but he had also lost his last remaining loved one.

Everyone thought Jiajing was heartless. The Jiajing who believed that "two dragons cannot meet" should be an extremely indifferent political animal when it came to family ties. But who would have thought that Jiajing, who was most indifferent to all of this, was actually the one who longed for all of this the most?

"Even my grandsons... don't want to acknowledge me anymore..."

The wounds were deep within his heart. At this moment, Jiajing's spirit finally collapsed completely. He was now utterly alone. In this world, no one could understand him anymore, no one could acknowledge him anymore—not even the emperor, nor his father, nor his grandfather. Even with his exceptional intelligence, he had held onto nothing...

"Father, what's wrong, Father?!"

When Prince Yu saw his father's will collapse, his first reaction was not excitement for his impending ascension to the throne, but rather to immediately support Jiajing. However, Jiajing, clinging to his last shred of strength, issued his final decree to his son:

"Carry... carry me to the bed."

"--yes!"

As the Emperor of Great Yan, playing the role of Prince Yu, agrees, Prince Yu in the drama slowly carries his father, who has always been indifferent to him, on his back; while in reality, the Emperor of Great Yan similarly carries his elder brother, with whom he once had a "deep-seated hatred".

"... Can you carry it?"

"I can carry it, I can carry it."

At this moment, it seemed that all the grudges and resentments had vanished with their actions. Both Prince Yu and the Emperor of Great Yan were well aware that what they were carrying was not a person, but the Great Yan empire entrusted to them by that person.

Whether it was Prince Yu or the Emperor of Great Yan, they both had to be able to carry this mountain on their backs, no matter if the mountain was riddled with holes or towering and majestic.

Now, with this scene of a dragon carrying a dragon on its back, everyone understands that it is a signal that Jiajing's life is about to end. At this moment, the Grand Tutor, who had been silent all along, took the initiative to stand up and looked solemnly at the emperor played by Wei Yenwu.

The Grand Tutor rose to his feet, and gradually, every official of the Great Yan present followed suit, watching Jiajing depart with the same courtesy. Now, in their eyes, Jiajing's image was fully fleshed out, and regardless of his merits or demerits, they were willing to regard him as a true "Emperor of Great Yan" worthy of their recognition.

In the end, Jiajing was about to deliver his final edict to the Great Yan, to draw what he considered the best conclusion to his absurd life.

PS: Chapter 3 today! (Ah, so tired, my typing is getting slower and slower, Kurushi... I'm going to sleep for a while, I won't react no matter how I move, I'm going to collapse...)

Volume 1: Chapter 336: Jiajing's Final Edict, the End of "The Great Yan Dynasty 1566"

Logically speaking, the Great Yan, which is currently in a prosperous era and has been governed by several wise rulers, should, according to Great Yan ancestral precept of "appointing the virtuous and senior, with the wise as the ruler," criticize and disapprove of an emperor like Jiajing who neglects state affairs and treats officials and the people poorly.

When choosing a temple name, it's likely that they would have to pick a less-than-ideal one for Jiajing; "Shenzong" or "Gaozong" would be considered too polite.

In any case, Jiajing finally realized his mistake and began to use the last few hours of his life to benefit future generations and think about the descendants of the Great Yan, based on his life's insights and experiences. At this moment, he deserved the title of "Emperor".

The emperor, a muddle-headed ruler, wanted to leave something for his children at the end of his life. No matter how absurd he had been in the past, at least at this moment, all the officials of the Great Yan Dynasty were willing to regard him as their "emperor" and listen solemnly to his last words.

"What's going on? Why did everyone stand up all of a sudden?" Nian, who was engrossed in the story, noticed the change around her. Just as she was about to say something, Ling covered her mouth.

"Don't speak at this time, my dear sister." Ling covered Nian's mouth while staring intently at the scene on the screen. At this moment, there was no trace of drunkenness in Ling's eyes, and she looked more serious than usual. She said softly:

"This marks the end of an emperor's reign. In any case, let's give this repentant Emperor Jiajing some respect as a monarch."

As Ling finished speaking, a heavy silence descended upon the scene once more. Everyone remained silent, watching the final moments of this monarch...

In the drama, at Jiajing's instruction, the Prince Yu, played by the Emperor of Great Yan, took the bronze chime that Jiajing always used, as well as the bronze rod used to strike the chime. Prince Yu slowly opened a hidden opening at the end of the bronze rod and took out three edicts that Jiajing had hidden for who knows how long.

The deeper the matter, the more it was something Jiajing had already planned out. The first edict concerned a recent event, and Jiajing spoke calmly at this moment:

"The Prince Chu is dead... without an heir, and many of the surrounding vassal kings want his estates."

"Our royal family... truly owes the people far too much."

This emperor, who had spent his entire life prioritizing his own interests as a monarch, spoke for the first time about issues from the perspective of the common people. Whether it was a sudden awakening or a desire to do something for the people in his final moments and accumulate some good karma, Jiajing offered the best solution for the people:

"I will not give the Prince Chu of Chu's land to them! It totals 1,457,326 mu, and it will all be returned to the people who originally farmed for the Prince Chu."

"Tomorrow, I will order the Ministry of Revenue to send someone to handle this matter... This can be considered my last act of justice for the people."

"... Your Majesty (Father) is wise."

However, when the Jiajing in the drama issued this decree, not only the Prince Yu in the drama, but also the officials of the Great Yan in real life, all bowed and shouted in unison as proof of their approval of the Jiajing's actions.

Even if a ruler is only a wise ruler for a few hours, as long as he truly does things for the Great Yan family, Jiajing and his family will acknowledge him as their father during that period.

The second matter concerned Hai Rui. Prince Yu opened the second edict, and at that moment, Jiajing's slightly weary but unprecedentedly resolute voice echoed slowly once more:

Zhang Juzheng once said, "Hai Rui is a powerful tool of the nation..." This is a very ordinary statement.

"This Hai Rui is a divine sword of the Great Yan Dynasty! Only the virtuous can wield it."

"I am of meager virtue... You are more benevolent than I am, so I will leave it to you."

At this point, Jiajing gave a self-deprecating laugh, seemingly mocking himself for realizing his mistake too late. Otherwise, with Hai Rui as his guiding light, and given his talent and abilities, he would surely have been able to overcome all obstacles.

Unfortunately, Jiajing himself no longer had this opportunity, so he could only place his hopes of tearing a hole in the decaying Great Yan on his son and grandson.

"In the future, when dealing with corrupt officials or implementing new systems, only this person can be invincible and unstoppable."

It turns out that Jiajing had already figured out how to use Hai Rui. Although Jiajing often spoke negatively about Hai Rui, when the three emperors were together, Jiajing told Hai Rui all about his imperial strategies, which is enough to prove that he put aside his imperial dignity and valued and expected much from Hai Rui.

Furthermore, not every monarch would dare to utter the words "promote a new system." Every time a new system is implemented, it inevitably offends the interests of the ruling class, and for the Great Yan, this meant offending the interests of the vassal kings and officials.

Hai Rui was a divine sword that, if wielded tightly, could clear obstacles for the emperor and strike fear into the hearts of all officials on a path that offended many. And this divine sword was just right for the somewhat cowardly Prince Yu.

In the drama, the Emperor of Great Yan, who plays Prince Yu, was already sobbing uncontrollably. He looked up at Wei Yenwu, who looked like he was on his last legs and whose body was covered with dragon scales. Even though he knew it was all acting and makeup, he still couldn't help but feel a sense of disorientation.

It was as if... in some other time and space, his elder brother had become emperor, but at the end of his life, he had entrusted the entire Great Yan empire to him.

Yes, the Emperor of Great Yan understood his elder brother. If he were to allow him to succeed to the throne, he would do everything in his power to pave the way for his younger brother's future and give him a stable Great Yan. Because to Wei Yenwu, his younger brother was actually very similar to Prince Yu, always serving as his elder brother's follower.

Because his talent was inferior to that of his elder brother, the Emperor of Great Yan appeared somewhat timid and shy from a young age. It wasn't until Wei Yenwu fled that he suddenly lost his father and the support of his elder brother, forcing him to become strong and shoulder the responsibility of the Great Yan dynasty, moving forward step by step with great difficulty.

If it weren't for all of this... they should have been such good brothers... why did they have to scheme against each other like this?

"--Why are you crying? Let me finish speaking."

Seeing his younger brother standing before him, tears streaming down his face without him even realizing it, Wei Yenwu forced a smile and chuckled, but quickly returned to his usual self, saying:

"I have read Hai Rui's memorial to me no less than a hundred times. She once said that none of the officials could understand it, and no one could understand it at all—that's true."

"Hai Rui meant that my Great Yan Dynasty... should prioritize the people, with the emperor and his ministers governing together. I have reigned for forty-five years, and it has always been a one-man rule."

As he said this, Wei Yenwu turned his gaze to his younger brother. At this moment, what he wanted to say to his brother perfectly overlapped with what Jiajing had said to Prince Yu:

"... You are too weak, you don't have the ability. Let the Grand Secretariat and the Six Ministries and nine ministers shoulder more responsibility... and appoint virtuous ministers as the chief ministers."

"... Your Majesty." At this moment, the Emperor of Great Yan, playing the role of Prince Yu, was already weeping uncontrollably, but fortunately, he still remembered his identity and asked haltingly:

"In my Great Yan Dynasty... who are the truly virtuous ministers? Please, Father Emperor, enlighten me."

"There are no truly virtuous ministers." However, to such a question lacking in independent judgment, both Jiajing and Wei Yenwu gave their seasoned answers, "Whether someone is virtuous or not is sometimes beyond their control."

"Look carefully... Use the virtuous when they are capable, and discard them when they are not!"

"I've already made arrangements for you. Now, please look at the third decree."

As Prince Yu moved, the paper quickly turned noticeably yellow, indicating that it had been hidden for quite some time. On the paper, the names of three people were clearly written: Xu Jie, Gao Gong, and Zhang Juzheng, the three representatives of the Purists Faction.

"I have already appointed these three as your teachers. Use them in the order of their names..."

Upon seeing the names of Xu, Gao, and Zhang again, everyone finally understood just how deep Jiajing's cunning was. It turned out that the gathering of the representatives of the Purists Faction around Prince Yu was a result of Jiajing's long-term arrangement. Jiajing trusted all three of them and believed that they could all be trusted as Grand Secretaries!

"Such an ability to recognize talent... such a gift... what a pity, such a pity... he had the potential to become a wise and virtuous ruler."

Seeing this scene, Chongyue could no longer hide his regret. There was nothing he could do; Emperor Jiajing was truly someone he couldn't help but lament... In the short time before his death, he had paved the way for the future of the Great Yan for at least thirty years! If he had been able to wholeheartedly govern the country, his achievements might not have been inferior to those of the wise rulers of the Great Yan throughout history!

Thirty years is enough time for any monarch to figure out the ways of the court and grow into a ruler who can govern the country well. Jiajing's trip and actions opened up a new path for the Great Yan.

However, Chongyue's sigh of regret resonated with the hearts of the officials of the Great Yan present. Many sighed that Jiajing's time was too late, while others rejoiced at Jiajing's sudden awakening... Some even shed silent tears of regret that Jiajing, who had just awakened and showed signs of becoming a wise ruler, was about to die because of his own absurdity.

However, facing the path that his father had already paved, Prince Yu, on whom Jiajing had placed high hopes, cried like a child. Clearly, Jiajing's actions made the terrified Prince Yu realize just how much his father cared for him.

For so many years, he had always believed that Jiajing saw him as a threat and that he might depose or even kill him at any time. Now, he had finally learned of Jiajing's feelings for him, but he was about to lose the father who had sheltered him from the storm.

"Father, please grant my decree... After these three... who else will there be?"

Faced with his son's breakdown, and his near loss of imperial authority, Jiajing revealed a self-deprecating and weary smile, his eyes filled with desolation and pity, and a deep sorrow welled up within him.

"... Only God knows."

A sigh, a self-deprecating remark. Jiajing, who had dreamt of becoming a god his entire life, still entrusted his final words to "Heaven," to the gods, ultimately revealing the absurdity of his actions, and slowly closed his eyes.

He was tired. Let it all end like this.

"Father..."

Jiajing's body gradually lost its life. Accompanied by the sorrowful cries of Prince Yu in the drama, the grief quickly permeated the screen, affecting all the officials of the Great Yan present.

It's unclear who took the lead, but the first official of the Great Yan, upon the death of Jiajing, wept uncontrollably and offered the emperor a grand send-off.

Then, the second, the tenth... one after another, the officials of the Great Yan, with sorrowful emotions, spontaneously bowed deeply to Jiajing on the screen, bidding farewell to this future emperor of the Great Yan Dynasty.

For a time, the main hall, which served as a temporary resting place, was filled with the incessant weeping of the officials. They were mourning Jiajing's sudden awakening, but it was too late. They were also saddened that the Great Yan Dynasty, riddled with problems, had only enjoyed a few hours of being a wise ruler.

At the same time, they were also moved by the final efforts that Jiajing left for Prince Yu and his descendants. At this moment, the officials finally recognized this Emperor Jiajing, who was both absurd and wise.

At this moment, Chen Qi gazed at the officials who were weeping bitterly, but did not interrupt their sorrowful emotions. Instead, he slowly explained the final ending of "The Great Yan Dynasty 1566" in a standard narration voice.

On the 14th day of the 12th month of the 45th year of the Jiajing reign (1566), the Jiajing Emperor Jiajing passed away. His temple name was Shizong of Yan, and his posthumous title was Qintian Lüdao Yingyi Shengdi Xuanwen Guangwu Hongren Daxiao Su Emperor.

According to the "Biography of Biography of Hai Rui" in the History of Yan, Hai Rui was overcome with grief upon hearing the news, vomited up all his food, and died on the wall.

"On the fifteenth day of the twelfth month of the forty-fifth year of the Jiajing reign in 1566, Prince Yu ascended the throne, establishing the reign title 'Longqing.' Following the edict of the late Emperor Shizong, he decreed that 'those who are alive should be summoned to serve, those who have died should be given posthumous honors, and those currently under investigation should be immediately released and reinstated.' With Hai Rui as a representative, he pardoned all the officials who had offered remonstrances, thus beginning the eighteen-year-long Great Longqing–Wanli Reform."

With this, the series "The Great Yan Dynasty 1566" has come to an end.

Apart from Chen Qi, no one knew the future fate of the Great Yan. Jiajing left behind a seed of hope and a divine sword for his descendants, powerful enough to overcome all obstacles. But no one knew that this seemingly hopeful prelude would lead to even greater disappointment in the future.

But now, Jiajing's life has come to a perfect end. In the future, the people, officials, and even future emperors of the Great Yan Great Yan Nation will remember this Emperor Jiajing who never appeared on the Great Yan Nation again, but who will serve as a warning to future generations.

His reign title became a benchmark for the future Great Yan. He himself became a standard for comparison among the emperors of Great Yan. From then on, the people of Great Yan used the term "Jiajing" to summarize the actions of many emperors who were wise in their early reigns but incompetent in their later years, hoping to use this name to make them realize their mistakes.

In Terra, the historical significance of Jiajing surpasses his original stature, but at least it is certain that thousands of years from now, everyone will remember that the Great Yan had such a monarch who "did not exist in the records but truly did exist".

PS: First chapter today!

Volume 1: Chapter 337: The Great Yan Brothers' "Forced Abdication" for the Throne

"So, Jiajing's final temple name was 'Shizong of Yan,' which is quite fitting. It's neither a compliment nor a criticism, but rather a transitional title. This temple name can be seen as a sign that the Great Yan Dynasty was about to turn a new page from his time."

Filming for "The Great Yan Dynasty 1566" has finally come to an end. Now, having removed all his makeup and returned to his usual attire, Wei Yenwu no longer feels the loneliness and helplessness he felt when he "passed away."

It must be said that Wei Yenwu's final performance was nothing short of masterful. His acting seamlessly merged with the character of "Jiajing," demonstrating that Wei Yenwu had fully grasped the essence of the character and understood that he wasn't as "Jiajing" as many believed.

Ultimately, Jiajing was nothing more than a monarch who initially wanted to make changes, but eventually recognized reality and, lacking the power to do so, chose to consolidate his imperial power and not get involved in factional struggles. His desire to become a "god" stemmed from his desire to break free from his current predicament and create his own persona, but he never expected to become so immersed in it himself.

This balance was disrupted by the appearance of Hai Rui. Jiajing only decided to give her an important position after repeatedly confirming that Hai Rui had not formed cliques for personal gain and that she was a subject he could "subdue." If Hai Rui's river had truly flooded the emperor's mountain, it would only mean that she was a powerful minister who would inevitably pose a huge threat to Prince Yu's position in the future.

"It's strange, really. Jiajing is clearly the least 'human' character in the show, but the last two episodes are all about Jiajing's expressions of 'human' emotions."

"That's probably the contradiction in the character of Jiajing." Facing Talulah's question, Chen Huijie, already detached from the role, replied while enjoying a sumptuous meal provided by the palace:

"The most ruthless emperor was, in fact, the one most afraid of being misunderstood and distrusted... Yet he always remembered that he was a monarch, and in the end, like Hai Rui, he had no one to rely on. Perhaps he died a worthy death."

Chen Huijie couldn't help but sigh, but at that moment, she quickly noticed something and subconsciously looked around, immediately realizing that something was amiss.

"... By the way, everyone just finished filming, why are we the only ones eating here?"

"Where are the officials of the Great Yan? Or has His Majesty the Emperor gone?"

"I remember His Majesty the Emperor said goodbye to me before he left. He said he wanted to discuss with the officials the problems raised by Jiajing, as well as the compilation of the Memorial on Public Order and the imperial strategies of Jiajing. They planned to compile a book based on these issues so that it could be passed down to future generations."

At this moment, Chen Qi took the initiative to step forward and answer Chen Huijie's questions. Currently, Chen Qi is also busy finishing the editing of "The Great Yan Dynasty," and will then seek the recommendation of the Great Yan Emperor and the Great Yan Imperial Palace to broadcast it.

At that time, he wouldn't need to worry about the broadcast of "The Great Yan Dynasty 1566" at all. Manfred had already made preparations to take Chen Qi and the others to witness the restoration of Kazdel, and was just waiting for Chen Qi to finish his work.

"So that means all the officials and the emperor are in the main hall?" Upon hearing this, Chen Huijie felt reassured, but she didn't notice that Wei Yenwu, who had been relaxed, suddenly stiffened. She continued, "..."

"His Majesty seems to be recovering very quickly. Just half a month ago he was quite angry, but now he can not only act again, but also resume his rule."

"Ah, does that mean that Wei Yenwu doesn't have to continue as regent?" Talulah realized at this moment that this was a good thing for Wei Yenwu. He never wanted to be regent in the first place, and now he could finally get rid of this dreadful job.

But at that very moment, accompanied by a loud bang, Wei Yenwu suddenly stood up, finally realizing that something was wrong!