Yan Jing'an's life was nearing its end, so why he wanted to see Jiang Ting at this time was obvious to everyone.
Jiang Ting had been planning to meet him, and after receiving his letter, she went there that same day.
Yan Jing'an's face was so white it was almost transparent.
Upon seeing him, Jiang Ting's eyes revealed a clear sense of regret.
Yan Jing'an has lost far too much weight; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe him as emaciated.
Thinking back to his refined and handsome appearance when we first met, and looking at his current state, how many people can help but feel sorry for him?
Brother Jiang.
Yan Jing'an's lips were deathly pale, but the smile in his eyes was just as it had always been.
Jiang Ting felt heavy-hearted. He didn't waste any words and only asked Yan Jing'an, "What do you want me to do for you? As long as it's within my power, I will definitely not refuse."
He did not refer to himself as "朕" (the imperial "I"), but placed the two of them on a relatively equal footing.
Yan Jing'an deserves the most credit for this victory.
He asked for nothing, resigned from his post and returned home, and Jiang Ting would surely reward him.
Yan Jing'an was still smiling.
As he laughed, his gaze drifted into the distance.
"I haven't lived a completely unsuccessful life. Looking back on the past few decades and then at today, I've come a long way..."
Jiang Ting listened quietly.
Yan Jing'an's life can certainly not be considered a failure; in a sense, he is already a very successful person.
He was a prodigy in his childhood, and his family honored him as a child prodigy. He did not become a prodigy like Zhong Yong, and at a young age, he became famous all over the world with a good article.
Even though he passed the imperial examination and did not become an official, his writings, which expressed his feelings about nature, were still widely praised.
Many people who read his articles regarded him as a kindred spirit they had never met.
Many people have benefited from his kindness and witnessed his magnanimity.
He has a distinguished background, countless friends, and an extraordinary life.
In the eyes of others, he was undoubtedly a renowned scholar.
In the few years he had left to live, he devoted himself to the court, sharing the emperor's burdens and working for the well-being of the people, becoming a confidant of the emperor.
If a person can live to such a state, then what does he have to do with failure?
"After I die, I hope Your Majesty will not bestow upon me an excessively high official position, nor will you sing my praises. I have only done what a subject should do. As for my family, you need not worry about them."
"The Yan family, as a prominent clan, has produced few talented individuals over the years, and its internal corruption has long been rampant. If they enjoy my glory after my death, they will surely become even more complacent. I do not wish to aid and abet evil; I have already done enough for the family."
Yan Jing'an automatically inherited a portion of the family's property after birth, but he did far more for the family than he inherited.
So many prominent families, why is their reputation still so widespread today? It's all thanks to Yan Jing'an, a talented scholar praised throughout the land.
Yan Jing'an may seem to only know about romance and poetry, but he is a genius, and geniuses don't just talk the talk.
Previously, many of the Yan family's assets had been squandered by the family's descendants, and Yan Jing'an had taken them all back.
He understood the rules of business operations and secretly maintained the extravagant lifestyle of others.
Later, he became disappointed with the Yan family and then let them go.
He had done enough for the family; the family's children only needed to study hard to bring glory to the family.
But they lie on the foundation laid by their ancestors, indulging in a life of decadence and complacency, without any ambition.
With Yan Jing'an around, they used his name to flaunt their wealth and seek personal gain.
Yan Jing'an saw through the corruption within these people and no longer wanted to associate with them, so he left for distant lands.
Now that he is about to die, if the Yan family still wants to suck his blood to enrich their family, Yan Jing'an will certainly not give them the chance.
"Please bestow the honor only upon me, and do not extend it to my family."
Jiang Ting agreed.
But he knew very well that Yan Jing'an was too famous, and if he were to pass away and Yan Jing'an were to be rewarded, the Yan family would still want to take advantage of the situation.
But that was all Yan Jing'an could do.
"Don't worry, I will find someone to deal with the old grievances of your family and prevent your Yan family from declining in one fell swoop."
Yan Jing'an's eyes shone brightly: "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Jiang Ting shook his head: "No need for thanks."
After a pause, Yan Jing'an spoke with much more caution this time: "Besides that, there is only one person I am worried about."
Jiang Ting knew without even guessing who this person was.
“My wife, I’ve ruined her life… I initially wanted to free her from her lowly status before we got married. But later, I gradually became infatuated with her, couldn’t help but fall in love, and dragged her down, causing her heartbreak… My life ends here, but hers is still long. If I don’t settle her affairs properly, I fear I won’t be able to die in peace…”
At this point, Yan Jing'an gave a wry smile.
Jiang Ting's tone became more serious: "Don't worry, I won't let anyone bully her."
Yan Jing'an shook his head and couldn't help coughing several times. Seeing the bloodstains on the handkerchief, Jiang Ting's expression became even more serious.
"Your Majesty may not know, but my wife's background is not so simple... She is the daughter of a courtesan."
Jiang Ting's pupils contracted slightly.
"If you still remember, you should recall that the late emperor investigated and punished a high-ranking official surnamed Jiang, who was her grandfather... I investigated that case carefully. That official, Jiang, was assassinated, which is why he suffered this calamity. If we investigate further, he and Jiang Tian's father may be spared the death penalty, but they will not escape punishment."
At this point, saying all this is pointless.
It is true that Jiang Tian's grandfather was murdered, but his own hands were not clean either.
If he can atone for his crimes through good deeds, then public humiliation at the execution ground is acceptable.
The Jiang family claims they are innocent, but they are not entirely innocent; however, the initial criminal charges were indeed somewhat excessive.
Jiang Ting felt a tightness in his chest.
He had not expected that Jiang Tian was actually the descendant of a disgraced official.
No wonder Yan Jing'an chose to marry her in order to free her from her lowly status.
It should be known that if an ordinary citizen marries someone of low social status, they will be imprisoned.
Yan Jing'an passed the imperial examination and became an official. If he were to marry someone of low social status, he could help Jiang Tian escape that status.
Yan Jing'an told him all this probably because he was afraid that someone with ulterior motives would make a fuss and harm Jiang Tian.
“Those past events are all gone, but Jiang Tian was born with a sin on her conscience. She was a posthumous child, and her father had already passed away when her existence was discovered. Her mother secretly gave birth to her and raised her in a brothel. Later, she was forced to work as a prostitute and wrote me a letter, so I rescued her and took her to my hometown. Who would have thought that the Yan family's sons would be so fond of her beauty, bully her, and try to take her as a concubine?”
“I couldn’t bear to see her continue to be humiliated, so I took her traveling. Later, I went with the flow and became her husband. Her life was not smooth sailing, but rather full of hardships.”
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