Kazdel's Restoration and the Promise Fulfilled by Chen Qi and Theresa

"Yes, I've escaped this drudgery, and he wants to escape it too!" Wei Yenwu immediately realized that everything was now part of his younger brother's plan. He was taking advantage of the moment when everyone was most relaxed, when everything was busy but not urgent, to run away!

The reason why the Emperor of Great Yan did not dare to flee was because national policy reforms were imminent, and he was indeed ill at the time. He was also indispensable in the filming of "Great Yan Dynasty". If he fled, problems would immediately arise.

During these two weeks, Wei Yenwu gradually became familiar with court politics, and national policy reforms were slowly proceeding under their plan. Now that the grand drama has just finished filming, things like compiling books and securing broadcasting rights, although tedious, are ultimately minor matters; once given orders, they can be done even without him.

Emperor Yuan of the Great Yan Dynasty was deliberately creating the illusion that he was "very busy," intending to leave the palace at this time!

"No wonder my younger brother wanted Wenyue to participate in the discussion; he was trying to detain Wenyue to buy time for his escape. I should have realized it sooner!"

Wei Yenwu's face turned pale and then red. He never expected that he would make such a mistake despite his careful planning. He had been on guard against this younger brother for so long, and they had just finished putting on such a tragic show, only to betray him, their older brother, right after the performance!

"There's no time! I need to go to the palace to find Wenyue right away! Kid, could you, Little Tal, Little Chen, and a few people from your crew please keep watch over all the palace gates? Especially that old crooked tree in the southeast corner—get there as soon as possible!"

"That's where I got the leverage to climb over the palace walls, and I'm sure my younger brother will follow suit!"

"Don't worry, I'll take the blame if anything happens! The important thing is that this kid absolutely cannot get away before I find Wenyue!"

As Wei Yenwu spoke, his tone became increasingly firm. He knew that his younger brother must have set up this scheme a long time ago, and that he had already fallen into the trap and was probably too late.

Wei Yenwu immediately made the arrangements, and Chen Qi immediately summoned Patriot, Xi, Nian, and Młynar, among others. But just as Chen Qi was quickly directing everyone to the locations Wei Yenwu had specified, a beautiful figure unexpectedly walked slowly over.

"Yenwu, you don't need to worry, His Majesty the Emperor can't escape."

"... Wenyue?"

However, at this moment, as Wenyue, who appeared completely unchanged, walked towards the group step by step, Wei Yenwu, who had been extremely nervous, unusually showed a blank expression. He stared at Wenyue in front of him for a long time before finally asking dryly, "You're alright? That's great."

"What could possibly happen to me? Don't forget, I know the Lion's Roar Technique. Even if I didn't, I wouldn't be someone that one or two Imperial Guards could detain." Wenyue rolled her eyes helplessly. She always felt that no matter how strong she was with Wei Yenwu, this guy just never learned his lesson and completely forgot that she was also a fighter.

"Besides, those Imperial Guards wouldn't detain me at all. What do you think I've been doing all this time while you were putting on this show?"

"Now, all we need to do is wait for His Majesty the Emperor to return on his own; he can't escape now."

Meanwhile, the Emperor of Great Yan was completely unaware of Wenyue's arrangements. He had already changed into a set of civilian clothes that he had prepared beforehand, and deliberately did not have any imperial guards or ministers accompany him, only having them wait in the main hall, saying he would be right back.

"Most of the palace guards are currently stationed in the main hall, making the defenses weak. Besides, I doubt anyone would expect me to go out in broad daylight!"

The Emperor of Great Yan believed his plan to be perfect. Although it imitated some of the tactics his elder brother had used to escape, he ultimately thought it through more meticulously.

Wei Yenwu took advantage of the darkness, dressed in a black robe, to step out of the palace through the crooked tree, and then sped out of the imperial city in a land boat that he had prepared in advance. Moreover, in order to pursue speed and reduce weight, Wei Yenwu reduced the weight of the land boat in every possible way, to the point that there was no passenger seat for him.

The Emperor of Great Yan didn't believe he had Wei Yenwu's racing skills, so he chose another method. He sneaked out of the palace in broad daylight, and based on his intelligence, he learned that a caravan was heading to Gouwu, so he went with the caravan and left the capital.

"My brother probably thinks I can run as fast as him, but I'm going to wait in the capital for two days, right under his nose."

"That way, even if he digs three feet into the ground, he won't find it. This throne should have been his long ago. This is the life I want!"

However, although the Emperor of Great Yan was happy for a while, he still felt a little uneasy about leaving without saying goodbye... After all, the political reform of Great Yan Nation was imminent. Although everything was basically arranged, and he believed that Wei Yenwu would do a better job than him, he was still a little uneasy about leaving irresponsibly after managing Great Yan for so many years.

Thinking of this, the Great Yan Emperor's originally cheerful steps slowed down slightly. Just then, a familiar voice rang out again:

"You didn't leave immediately. I was right about you. You are indeed more suitable to be emperor than your brother."

"Grand Tutor?"

The Emperor of Great Yan paused, and as he turned around, he saw the Grand Tutor, dressed in plain clothes, watching him with a smile. Having been caught red-handed, the Emperor of Great Yan knew immediately what identity the other man held in order to meet him.

"No... teacher, you knew it all along."

"It's not just me; in fact, all the officials know you want to escape, but no one knows how to persuade you." The Grand Tutor, looking at the Great Yan Emperor before him whose luggage was already prepared, couldn't help but chuckle a few times, and said:

"But it's no use trying to run now. You can't leave the palace. That old crooked tree your brother stepped on was moved a few days ago."

"Furthermore, Madam Wen Yue has already made arrangements for the Imperial Guards. Currently, the Black Cape who withdrew from the Imperial Guards are responsible for the defense of the palace. The Imperial Guards protect the inner palace, while the Black Cape protect the outer palace. Even if you can get onto the city wall, you can't escape the Black Cape."

"As for the caravan, it set off some time ago. The memorial was approved by Duke Wei, but it didn't reach you because it wasn't a matter of state."

"... Am I being forced to abdicate?" However, as the Grand Tutor finished speaking, the Emperor of Great Yan realized that he seemed to have no way to retreat. Moreover, in the current situation, any emperor would have thought that he was being rebelled against by his own subordinate, the Duke Protector of the Nation!

But the Emperor of Great Yan knew all too well that Wei Yenwu would never rebel against him; in fact, he secretly hoped that Wei Yenwu would rebel!

It's quite funny, really. This throne, which should be coveted by everyone, is now something neither of the two brothers wants to sit on, and they've even gone so far as to stage a coup... It's truly a one-of-a-kind situation.

"That's true, but I came here to prevent things from escalating to the point of a 'coup.' Surely Your Majesty wouldn't think I'm also involved in a 'coup,' would you?"

The Grand Tutor the farce that had unfolded. Even in his many years of life, he had never seen two brothers fight to this extent over the throne. He then straightened his expression and said:

"Your Majesty, you must have heard from this old minister that Duke Wei was somewhat more intelligent than Your Majesty back then."

"I've heard that phrase enough. I know I'm not as good as my elder brother." The Emperor of Great Yan shrugged. Knowing he couldn't escape the throne, he didn't give up, but felt a greater sense of defeat.

I... have lost to my elder brother again. Even though I went through all sorts of hardships to bring him back to the starting line, I still lost.

"... Actually, this old minister has always praised Duke Wei in this way, but Your Majesty probably doesn't know the second half of what this old minister said, does Your Majesty?"

At this moment, facing the gaze of the Emperor of Great Yan, the Grand Tutor also revealed a smile and said, word by word, "But if we were to choose a ruler for Great Yan, the eldest prince is too impetuous, unruly, and restless. Although he is strong in both literary and martial arts, he is not suitable for Great Yan to recuperate and develop."

"Back then, the late emperor asked this old minister to instruct the two princes, and this is how this old minister described Duke Wei, who was then the eldest prince. If he were to become emperor, he would surely be the 'Martial Emperor' of the Great Yan Dynasty. However, what the Great Yan needs now is precisely not a Martial Emperor."

"In the hearts of this old minister, and in the hearts of all officials and common people, Your Majesty, you have always been the most suitable emperor for the Great Yan Dynasty. The people of Great Yan respect you far more than they respect the last Emperor Wuzong."

After the Grand Tutor's words slowly faded, he saw the Great Yan Emperor before him remain silent, yet the dragon tail revealed behind him was gently patting the ground. He knew that the child had changed his mind, and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

As expected... Madam Wen Yue was right. Praising him as better than Wei Yenwu was the best way to persuade him to return to the throne.

"Your Majesty, this old minister has not come here simply to persuade Your Majesty to return to the palace. Your Majesty still has the opportunity to leave the palace and live your own life in the future, it's just not now."

"The Great Yan still needs Your Majesty, and the officials also need Your Majesty. Therefore, this old Madam Wen Yue and drafted a 'The Gentleman's agreement' for Your Majesty and Duke Wei."

"The Gentleman's agreement?" Upon hearing this, the Emperor of Great Yan repeated it with a hint of doubt. The Grand Tutor nodded emphatically and chuckled softly:

"The Gentleman's agreement concerning the future of the Great Yan is also intended to prevent a situation like that of Jiajing, and to allow all the Gentleman rulers of the Great Yan Dynasty to demonstrate their strengths at the appropriate time."

PS: This is the second chapter today! (Thank you all for your support! There will probably be two chapters tonight, so please be there to watch!)

Volume 1: Chapter 338: The Restoration of Kazdel, Chen Qi and Theresia's Fulfilled Promise

A week later, Chen Qi's crew's giant landship finally sailed out of the Great Yan Imperial City. Manfred was also on board, and the group slowly headed towards Kazdel, which had been designated beforehand.

Just as the Grand Tutor had predicted, Wei Yenwu and the Emperor of Great Yan, witnessed by the Grand Tutor and the officials, Chen Qi and the production crew, and Chongyue and the "Sui" faction, finally reached a "The Gentleman's agreement." Both brothers had the right to inherit the throne, but neither wanted to be the one to claim it.

"Currently, the Terra is in a period of turmoil. The Great Yan has been closed off from the world and has had very little interaction with the outside world. Although its national strength still stands proudly among the powers, if this continues, the Great Yan will inevitably head towards decline."

"Under the leadership of the late emperor, the Great Yan a kingdom that was free from the 'gods' of humanity. A nation that is obsessed with war and expansion can never understand the source of the Great Yan's prosperity. Both literature and military prowess are of paramount importance to the Great Yan."

"However, times change, and the national policies of the Great Yan should naturally adapt to these changes. Today's Great Yan needs a wise and virtuous ruler, while the future Great Yan may need a powerful and valiant ruler. A true sage ruler is one who, in the right era, can lead the people and officials of Great Yan to unite as one."

In the grand hall, the Grand Tutor, not only as a pillar of the nation but also as the teacher of these two brothers, after discussing with Madam Wen Yue, spent a long time preparing a "The Gentleman's agreement" that would satisfy both brothers.

"Therefore, I have gathered the opinions of all officials from the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers, and decided to use a 'term of office' of forty years as the standard. After His Majesty completes his term, a suitable candidate will be chosen from the royal family to succeed to the throne of Great Yan."

"In other words, starting from Your Majesty's reign, after another fifteen years, unless a major crisis occurs, such as a massive Catastrophe, a total war, the Seaborn, or Demons forces, preventing Your Majesty from temporarily ending your term, Your Majesty may hand over the throne to a successor whom you deem suitable."

The Grand Tutor pondered many things. "The Great Yan Dynasty 1566" made him see many problems, such as whether the Great Yan would have wise rulers in every generation, and the issue of power between the monarch and his ministers. If, like the Jiajing, a foolish ruler held power, the Great Yan would decline; and if the ministers held most of the power, the monarch would be sidelined—this is a very worthwhile issue to explore.

The Grand Tutor ultimately came to a conclusion—that there was no good solution. Every era has its own circumstances. For example, in their current prosperous Great Yan Dynasty, the emperor wanted to hand over power to Wei Yenwu, but now was not the time. Great Yan still needed him to recuperate and rebuild.

Wei Yenwu, on the other hand, is more suited to leading the Great Yan and winning victories amidst turmoil. The Great Yan not only needs to recuperate and rebuild, but also needs sufficient peace to develop the strength to confront powerful enemies, rather than being gradually corrupted under the guise of peace.

Even the wisest emperor will eventually grow old; you can't expect an emperor to never make mistakes. Even the most virtuous and capable leader will change; time erodes everything, even the original aspirations you think you can hold onto.

What they can do is pave more paths and set more precedents for future generations. With precedents, many things can be adapted. The Great Yan Dynasty cannot stick to the old rules and "ancestral teachings" and must adapt to the changes of each era.

For example... in the current situation. The Grand Tutor can guarantee that neither the Emperor of Great Yan nor Wei Yenwu are incompetent rulers; it's just that the future they will ultimately lead Great Yan to will be completely different.

Therefore, the Grand Tutor set this "forty-year" term, a proposal that, while not making either of the brothers ecstatic, was acceptable to both. And this acceptable premise was enough to convince him that the two would definitely sign the agreement.

"Twenty-five years have passed since Your Majesty assumed personal rule, therefore, barring unforeseen circumstances, Your Majesty may step down after fifteen years."

"And fifteen years from now, Your Majesty, that will be enough time for Duke Wei to raise his descendants. At that time, after Your Majesty has met Duke Wei's descendants, perhaps you will have a different opinion?"

The Grand Tutor's meaning was clear. In the background setting of "The Great Yan Dynasty 1566", the Emperor Jiajing was a descendant of Wei Yenwu. The Grand Tutor did not completely believe that this was the future of the Great Yan. He hoped that the Great Yan Emperor could wait for a while, until Wei Yenwu Wenyue raised their offspring, and then see what the future plans were.

This has two advantages. First, it allows them to see if Wei Yenwu's descendants are truly the future Emperor Jiajing who will inherit the Great Yan imperial power. If so, could they change Jiajing's future, and the future of the Great Yan?

Secondly, if the Emperor of Great Yan truly intended to pass the throne to Wei Yenwu, then the fact that Wei Yenwu, the future emperor, had a child would at least guarantee the future of Great Yan. This would prevent a situation like the Jiajing Emperor in "Great Yan Dynasty," who, having been orphaned at a young age and having no one to rely on, developed a suspicious and anxious personality.

A qualified monarch knows how to gradually transfer his power to his successor. One major reason why Jiajing only trusted himself in the drama was that none of his ministers were his own "old guard."

Prince Yu did not have this problem. Xu, Gao, and Zhang, the three men under Prince Yu's command, had long been arranged by Jiajing to become his future trusted ministers. Even if Prince Yu was truly weak and indecisive, with his three subordinates supporting him, it was unlikely that he would stage a coup or a mutiny.

"Fifteen years from now, Your Majesty and Duke Wei will both be in your prime. Duke Wei will have a worthy successor, ensuring the stability of our Great Yan for at least a hundred years. Your Majesty can take advantage of your youthful vigor to travel the world, just like Duke Wei did back then, and you may even be able to make contributions to our Great Yan."

Undoubtedly, such a "The Gentleman's agreement" would be very beneficial to the future of the Great Yan and to the two brothers. While they were still hesitating, Chongyue, the representative of the "Sui" side, finally stepped forward.

"Now, all of us brothers and sisters have been pardoned... Although my second brother and the others are still somewhat stubborn, Your Majesty need not worry."

"To awaken 'Sui,' all twelve fragments are indispensable. Although my second brother can learn and imitate, there are still things he cannot do... For example, my two younger sisters in Director Chen Qi's film crew, as well as your younger sister, he still cannot replicate their powers."

"And I will also go to find my second brother. Please rest assured, Your Majesty, within fifteen years, I will surely present Your Majesty with a satisfactory answer, and the 'Sui-Xiang' at the foot of the capital will definitely not revive within these fifteen years."

Chongyue and the Grand Tutor were quite in sync, both understanding that the Great Yan's recuperation and development must proceed smoothly and wholeheartedly over the next fifteen years, in order to prepare for what might be the most difficult forty years to come.

Fifteen years from now, whether it's the exploration of space in Columbia or the fight against Demons in Ursus in the north, most of these events will have come to a close during this golden period. The challenges Terra will face in the future will only be greater than they are now.

Therefore, the Emperor of Great Yan must cultivate a sufficiently solid foundation for Great Yan to face the challenges ahead in these fifteen years. After that, it will be time for Wei Yenwu, the "Martial Emperor," to exert his power.

Of course, the more important piece of information here is that the Emperor of Great Yan has allowed Wei Yenwu to have offspring as the "future emperor," which is one of the reasons why the Grand Tutor believed that Wei Yenwu would definitely agree.

Finally, under the watchful eyes of everyone, after exchanging bewildered glances, the brothers wrote their real names on the "The Gentleman's Agreement." With the imperial seal affixed, everything was finally settled, and the path for the next fifty-five years of the Great Yan was completely set.

"My younger brother has sheltered us from the storm for forty years, and I, as the elder brother, have protected the Great Yan from perhaps the most turbulent forty years... so it can't be considered a loss."

Now, on the ship, knowing that he would be going to the palace in fifteen years and sitting on the throne that was rightfully his, Wei Yenwu's mood was more open-minded than Chen Qi had imagined. Chen Qi, sitting beside him, couldn't help but ask:

"Wei Yenwu, haven't you always been uninterested in the throne? You were even more worried that this fire would burn you Madam Wen Yue. This time, you've accepted it so calmly, which surprises me quite a bit."

"You can't refuse, kid. No matter how I change my appearance, I'm still a member of the Great Yan royal family." Wei Yenwu took a drag of his cigarette, speaking to Chen Qi with a hint of joking.

"The royal family enjoys supreme power, but also bears the mission and obligation to protect the Great Yan. If the Great Yan is our home, and the people of the Great Yan are our children, then if we, the parents, don't Protection this Protection, who else can?"

"I didn't want to shoulder this responsibility before. My youthful arrogance made my originally timid younger brother bear it for twenty-five years. Now that Little Chen and Little Tal have grown up and don't need my care anymore, and you've also taken care of a major worry for me, if I don't take on this responsibility now, I wouldn't be like a member of the royal family."

Ultimately, Wei Yenwu's willingness to accept all of this stemmed from the fact that the potential threats posed by the capital city were now minimal. With Nian and Xi by Chen Qi's side, and Chongyue and the others already pardoned, how much trouble could a mere "Second Brother" possibly stir up?

"If you want to wear the crown, you must bear its weight. It's all for the sake of our Great Yan Dynasty. So, let me spend my forty years clearing away all obstacles for our descendants."

Wei Yenwu had made up his mind. Now that he had no worries, since he was about to face the most challenging forty years, he would let him handle everything well and leave a carefree era for his descendants.

Chen Qi understood Wei Yenwu's thoughts at that moment. Seeing that Wei Yenwu had developed a regal air after playing the role of "Jiajing" for a year or two, he couldn't help but smile and ask:

"So, you've already decided that after you step down from the throne, you'll hand it over to your child?"

"That's the second thing I wanted to say, kid." Wei Yenwu shook his head upon hearing this, his smile vanishing instantly, replaced by a rather serious expression. "My younger brother has already set a precedent for us. Wenyue and I can indeed have our own child. I've also discussed this with your aunt, and we plan to go back to Lungmen to discuss it further."

"But, fifteen years is only fourteen years if you subtract the ten months of pregnancy. A fourteen-year-old child is not old enough to rule, especially... what you did in the TV series, saying that Jiajing was my descendant, who grew up without parents to guide or rely on. That should serve as a cautionary tale."

Wei Yenwu gazed at Chen Qi beside him. In truth, he also longed to ask if his future son was truly Jiajing. But Chen Qi had never given a direct answer. Based on Wei Yenwu's understanding of Chen Qi, the boy's ambiguous responses meant that he himself was unsure.

Therefore, Wei Yenwu also believed that the future might be able to change. Even if his future son really was Jiajing, as long as he Wenyue had enough time to teach him, he would never repeat the old path in the TV series.

"But that alone is not enough. A fourteen-year-old child cannot rule in his own right, and my forty years in power have been the perfect opportunity to nurture him."

"... What if the training costs aren't good? What if something unexpected happens?" Chen Qi understood Wei Yenwu's thoughts. Just like Zhu Yuanzhang with Zhu Biao, the crown prince who had been by his side since childhood, so that the officials would have the trust. If Zhu Biao had succeeded to the throne back then, there probably wouldn't have been so many subsequent problems.

However, it was precisely because Chen Qi knew this history that he felt compelled to cautiously remind Wei Yenwu. Zhu Biao had died from overwork, but considering the physical condition of the Terra, this possibility was very small. But what if something unexpected had happened?

Especially during the forty years of Wei Yenwu's reign, the Great Yan faced considerable challenges, and it wasn't impossible for the Emperor to personally lead an expedition. Given Wei Yenwu's personality, a personal campaign was highly probable. What if something happened to a prince during this period?

"Well, I have another option, which is why I sent you to give me your answer."

At this point, Wei Yenwu's eyes became even more serious. This was the first time Chen Qi had seen a hint of solemn "killing intent" in Wei Yenwu's eyes.

The next moment, Wei Yenwu didn't speak, but through the rhythm of his internal energy, he transmitted his voice to Chen Qi. Immediately, Wei Yenwu's words echoed in Chen Qi's mind:

"--Don't make any moves against Little Chen, understand?"

As soon as Wei Yenwu finished speaking, Chen Qi blinked innocently and subconsciously looked to the other side. Chen Huijie, who was chatting happily with Talulah and whose True Lung blood was vaguely awakening within her, immediately understood what Wei Yenwu meant.

However, Chen Qi was startled by Wei Yenwu's idea and quickly relayed his voice to Wei Yenwu in the same way, asking:

"You intend to let Huijie succeed to the throne? Are you sure?"

"Of course not now. Little Chen still needs to gain experience. Over the next forty years, Little Chen will undergo training alongside my child, and... I plan to formally adopt Little Chen after I ascend the throne." After taking a drag of his cigarette, Wei Yenwu conveyed his plan to Chen Qi through his internal energy, saying:

"We trust Little Chen 'Wenyue abilities. In the Great Yan Dynasty, the eldest son is chosen based on merit. Little Chen will be the older sister of our Wenyue, and with this position, Little Chen status is unshakeable. In the future, no matter how many children Wenyue have, they will not, and dare not, rebel against their older sister."

"If nothing unexpected happens in the future, that would be best. But if something happens to Little Chen, or to Wenyue's or any of our other children... at least we'll have someone to rely on."

Wei Yenwu was well aware that having many children and grandchildren in the royal family was naturally a good thing, as it could ensure the continuation of the dynasty, but the potential threats were also significant.

One tragic situation is that "there are too many but not enough quality," resulting in a group of princes who squander their wealth. Another tragic situation is that "there are both many and of good quality," but each of them knows they are exceptional and believes they are qualified to be emperor.

The latter situation may not be less harmful than the former. The actions taken by the powerful among the elite in their struggle for power, as well as the damage done to the people and the Great Yan, are irreversible.