He tricked his amnesiac partner into becoming crippled.

Chapter 249 The Marquis Has No Clever Heart 26

It was late autumn, and a few fiery red maple leaves fell from time to time, piling up at the base of the trees. A young maidservant bent down and carefully swept them with a broom.

"squeak"

The front gate opened, and a man entered, his brows furrowed with urgency. It was Liang Jinglan, who strode quickly inside with his long, well-proportioned legs.

The destination is Wenyan's dormitory.

He opened the door very naturally, then closed it quietly, and everything returned to silence.

The young maid couldn't resist her curiosity and peeked out.

The servants in the manor were already used to Liang Jinglan entering and leaving Wen Yan's bedroom.

It's just a bit too early today. We usually come at night.

Looking up at the sun, it hadn't completely set yet, hanging on the mountain peak, with a slight tendency to fall.

The young maid was lost in thought; the sounds of hushed conversations inside the room were indistinct.

Not long after, Wen Yan, wearing a snow-white fox fur coat, opened the door first, followed by Liang Jinglan. The two of them frowned slightly, their brows forming the same arc.

There must be an urgent matter.

Wen Yan noticed the maid carrying a broom, called her over, and said in a light voice, "Jingqiu, tell the master that there is an urgent matter in the palace."

"Yes." Jingqiu dropped the broom and ran away like the wind.

Wen Yan tidied her clothes and led Liang Jinglan toward the palace, with the remaining details to be discussed along the way.

Liang Jinglan: "...Will His Majesty be able to pull through?"

Wen Yan half-lifted the curtain and glanced at the clear, bright sky over the capital, then paused: "It's very risky."

The imperial court is likely about to undergo a major upheaval.

Liang Jinglan remained silent, a faint melancholy etched on her face.

He reached out and enveloped Wen Yan's cool fingertips, slowly warming them with his burning palm.

My mind is a bit more chaotic than usual.

Wen Yan placed her other hand on his neck, his neck being the warmest spot for him.

His tone was nonchalant, his enunciation casual, as he pondered his next move.

"It's alright, they won't make a fuss."

In the palace.

The empress lay on the bedside, weeping uncontrollably. The favored concubines followed suit, wiping away their tears. The emperor's eyes widened, his pupils darting around in their sockets.

His face was unnaturally pale, his cheeks were sunken, and he slumped against the couch, with his most trusted eunuch beside him.

When Wen Yan arrived, he seemed to sense something and turned his head slightly to look at her: "My... Qing."

Without him having to call out, Wen Yan hurried over and rushed from the door to the bedside in the next instant, inviting the concubines out one by one as he wished.

He knew Wen Yan's abilities and that she was an upright and principled official. Despite the prime minister and others trying to undermine her time and again, he never believed them.

He simply threw the memorials and reports presented by Wen Yan in front of the group.

Since taking office, Wen Yan has done everything he could, spent all the money he spent, and the kind ministers have "donated" all sorts of rare items. It's all written down in black and white.

The faces of those people who were causing trouble were slapped so hard they swelled up high.

After that, whenever anyone tried to undermine him, the emperor would throw down a memorial and snort, "Fine, any one of you should submit a detailed report explaining your integrity and righteousness as an official and in serving the people. I might consider calling you my ministers."

The officials could only hold the document, looking it over from left to right, their faces pale as they stammered in silence.

They've all accepted bribes and made some extra money, but none of them are as clean as Wen Yan.

Furthermore, they dared not gamble on their standing in the emperor's eyes.

The emperor truly placed his heart and soul in Wen Yan, trusting her completely.

So, when he realized that his time was coming to an end, the first thing he did was call Wen Yan over.

As for those weeping concubines, he couldn't get rid of them no matter what he did; they were making a scene, probably spies from various families trying to tip them off.

"Wen Yan, can I trust you?"

The emperor called Wen Yan's name in its entirety for the only time, and despite his weakness, his expression was so serious and earnest.

Wen Yan suppressed his grief, his face handsome and clear, his dark eyes filled with sincerity and integrity.

She didn't elaborate much, only saying, "I am trustworthy, I promise, if the country does not prosper, I will commit suicide at your grave."

The prime minister and others who arrived later happened to hear this resounding statement.

They remained silent for a moment, then walked to the emperor's bedside and knelt down to listen to his last words.

"Effective immediately, the Sixth Prince shall be established as the Crown Prince, and I shall succeed to the throne after my death. Minister Wen Yan shall be appointed as Regent to assist me in my succession."

The officials were astonished. The sixth prince was only four years old at the time. What could a four-year-old child know?

This means that the throne has been partially handed over to outsiders.

But then again, it's normal that the person entrusted with this task is Wen Yan.

After the emperor finished speaking, he waved his hand, looking exhausted, and dismissed everyone, leaving only Wen Yan, the prime minister, and a group of confidants to give instructions.

The breathing sounds grew louder with each breath, and her eyelids gradually drooped and closed.

In December of the ninth year of the Yuanli era, the emperor passed away.

In the spring of the first year of the Qingli reign, the new emperor ascended the throne, and Wen Yan served as regent to assist him.

Changes in the imperial court were often accompanied by bloodshed and severed limbs.

The sixth prince's ascension to the throne was remarkably harmonious.

The four-year-old toddler tried hard to put on a serious face, pretending to be dignified, but in reality, her little hands were sweating profusely with nervousness.

His eyes darted around nervously, searching for someone, until he spotted the head of the court officials, a man of striking good looks and refined, aloof demeanor.

That was his teacher, Wen Yan.

Wen Yan slowly opened her eyes; just standing there, she was like a pillar of strength.

After returning to the imperial court for a year, he promoted new officials from humble backgrounds and formed his own faction of royalists. The second and third princes were suppressed by him and dared not vent their anger.

Two months passed between the emperor's death and the new emperor's ascension to the throne, and no one questioned it.

Who dares?

As Wen Yan spoke with a smile, Liang Jinglan stood behind her with a cold face, clearly showing her disdain.

Then the new officials all took sides and joined in the criticism.

She has military power, and she also has political power.

Anyone who wouldn't give up and insisted on jumping out would be dragged out and beheaded after a few rounds. After this happened several times, they would finally behave.

The opposition silently withdrew their toes; they only had one head, and it was not worth chopping off.

The new emperor was young, and Wen Yan was in charge of almost all the decisions.

She's ruthless when it comes to people; she doesn't play games with you. If you can get promoted, you get promoted; if you can't, you get out and make room for the people below you.

"Lord Li, how are the ships being built by the Ministry of Works progressing?"

Lord Li declined, saying, “Your Majesty, you are unaware that we have been working day and night, employing all the skilled craftsmen, but I simply cannot build the giant ship you requested, a ship capable of carrying hundreds or thousands of people on long voyages. Moreover, the national treasury is empty and we cannot afford to squander it.”

Wen Yan chuckled: "I'm also counting on the mediocre people you keep under your wing who are only good for eating and drinking to build ships. I'll select them from the civilian population. I'll focus on merchant ships."

Lord Li was displeased. Wasn't this just creating trouble for himself?

He tried to refuse again, but was stunned by Wen Yan's icy gaze.

“Lord Li, the country is supporting you, not to do nothing. If you can’t do it, then step down.”

Should one step down?

No, no, no, he worked incredibly hard and spent a lot of money to get this position. If he were to step down, wouldn't it be a waste of time and effort?

"No, no, no, Your Majesty, rest assured, I will definitely do my best."

"How many months can you guarantee I'll see the ship?"

"...This, this, one...no, no, no, half a year, half a year."

Wen Yan nodded in satisfaction.

Merchant ships used by businessmen to transport goods are far superior to those in the hands of the imperial court. Instead of learning from and adopting these methods, they are simply sitting around doing nothing and will eventually be eliminated.

She then calmly outlined several plans: building cement roads, reducing agricultural taxes, refining salt, and making the imperial examinations more focused on practical matters...

This drew criticism from the old stubborn man, so he casually beheaded a few people and dismissed several officials before finally distributing the work in his hands.

There's no such thing as cultivating relationships or personal connections.

He acted like a scoundrel and a rogue; he should be killed.

She didn't even need to lift a finger; with just a glance, Liang Jinglan understood perfectly, dragged the person outside the main hall, and they worked together seamlessly.

The prime minister and other cunning old foxes glanced back and forth between the two men, sensing something was amiss, but they pursed their lips and remained silent.

Since it's not about undertaking massive construction projects, building the Star-Picking Pavilion, or developing longevity pills—such foolish things—and it seems to be quite beneficial to the country, let's just let it be.

Besides, with Liang Jinglan's robust physique, a group of old men combined couldn't even touch the tip of his shoe. To be on the safe side, it's best to play dumb.

As long as you don't cross the line of interests, it's fine.

The new emperor was at the height of his affection, and as usual, he sought out Wen Yan after court.

However, Liang Jinglan always accompanied Wen Yan whenever she came.

His bright eyes were filled with doubt, and the words that were on his mind came out: "Lord Liang, you seem to be following your teacher around like a shadow."

After saying that, she hurriedly covered her mouth with her little hand.

Oops!

How could you say that out loud!