Chapter 134
The two children abandoned by Zhou Ye were still unaware of the situation, so Zhou Jingchen ultimately chose not to kill them. He simply revoked their status as heirs, expelled Yudie, and sent them to the imperial palace under an assumed name. However, to prevent future exploitation, he created a facade of disposing of them. Those close to the two who knew about the situation were exiled to the northwest to prevent future trouble.
Thanks to the support of military power, the land reform went more smoothly than expected. In the first year of Xiao Shubai's reign, Zhou Jingchen once again opened a special examination.
Old Master Yu returned to the imperial court with his entire family, re-entering the court as the Prime Minister. Zhang Changli, his trusted apprentice, and a number of previously wrongfully convicted officials were also reinstated after their injustices were overturned. The eldest uncle of the Yu family, a renowned scholar whose students were renowned throughout the world, served as the Chief Priest of the Imperial Academy, presiding over the imperial examinations. Although Zhou Jingchen, upon arriving in Yanjing, had executed a large number of former officials, removing corrupt officials from high positions, he remained steadfast in holding crucial positions where any disruption would be detrimental.
Killing is easy, but filling a vacancy is hard. Although Old Master Yu, with his reputation among scholars, has mobilized many capable individuals to pledge their loyalty to the court, a major shake-up of the various states within Dayan still requires a constant influx of new blood.
While Zhou Jingchen was recruiting fresh talent through the imperial examinations, he also vigorously promoted talented people from humble backgrounds, regardless of their background. Gradually, burying oneself in study became a common practice in Dayan.
Furthermore, Zhou Jingchen commissioned the development of detailed commercial and Dayan laws. Drawing inspiration from Ye Jia's business experience, he intended to use commerce as a catalyst to rapidly revive Dayan's economy. He also sought to circumvent the flaws of previous laws through practical application, formulating laws more suited to the current situation. He reduced taxes, encouraged the reclamation of farmland, built canals, and, with the government as a lead, opened up north-south trade routes and maritime transport.
…
It took Zhou Jingchen five years to save the dying Dayan from the brink of bankruptcy.
As the treasury grew more and more prosperous, the military became stronger, the population surged, and the people of Dayan lived and worked in peace and contentment, Zhou Jingchen finally made a decision - to attack Zhou Ye.
Years ago, Zhou Ye fled south with over 10,000 imperial troops. Initially fleeing to Jiangnan, he gradually moved southward, establishing his own regime in the southernmost reaches of Dayan. Years passed, but Zhou Ye's power failed to grow. Instead, it became increasingly squeezed by the relentless defenses of the Lingnan Army. Zhou Ye seemed unfazed, continuing his own path, immersed in his romantic entanglements.
Although Gu Mingyue, posing as Lin Zeyu, secured Zhou Ye's love, she was later exposed and fell into a dead end. Perhaps because she is the heroine of this book, she remains by Zhou Ye's side even after her tendons are severed. It's simply that their relationship, from a carefree pampering, has morphed into a deeply abusive love affair. Ultimately, Zhou Ye dies at Gu Mingyue's hands. She suffers from severed limbs, pregnancy, miscarriage, pregnancy again, miscarriage, and so on. After Zhou Ye gouged out both of her eyes, Gu Mingyue finally couldn't bear it anymore and, with Lin Zeyu's help, poisoned Zhou Ye with a glass of poisoned wine.
However, Zhou Ye’s death was not as beautiful as Zhou Jingchen’s. After his death, Gu Mingyue cut his body into pieces and threw it into the sea to feed the fish.
With Zhou Ye's death, the Imperial Guards, who had been resisting stubbornly, lost their core. Ultimately, they couldn't hold out for more than a month before being absorbed into the Lingnan Army. After seven or eight years in this shabby place, Lin Zeyu was finally able to wear men's clothing again. Before leaving, he blinded Gu Mingyue and rushed back to the capital.
Gu Mingyue had her hands and feet broken and her eyes blinded, and was placed in a farm in Lingnan to live out her life.
He had originally intended to kill her, but unfortunately, Gu Mingyue seemed to be under divine protection. Aside from Zhou Ye, no one else could harm her. After Zhou Ye's death, Lin Zeyu had tried numerous ways to kill her, but Gu Mingyue always managed to miraculously avoid disaster. After receiving Lin Zeyu's secret letter, Zhou Jingchen chose not to kill Gu Mingyue. After all, Gu Mingyue's appearance at that moment was practically dead.
Ye Jia was unaware of these matters. She wasn't as adept at government affairs as Zhou Jingchen, nor as sharp and intelligent as him. Ye Jia, therefore, capitalized on her strengths and minimized her weaknesses, focusing on the responsibilities of national economy and people's livelihood. She began by improving weaponry, developing water conservancy projects, and improving food production and trade regulations.
Not to mention the shock and outrage Zhang Changli felt when he was brought back to Yanjing and learned Zhou Jingchen had, in fact, usurped the throne. For days, he'd rushed to the imperial study, pointing his finger at Zhou Jingchen and cursing him. While he didn't quite call him a traitor, it wasn't exactly a pleasant call either.
Zhou Jingchen knew that the old man was stubborn, straightforward and a bit pedantic, so he was too lazy to pay attention to him and just let him be.
The old man had been making a fuss for several days, but when he saw that Dayan's situation was gradually improving and the people's lives were getting better day by day, he began to feel guilty. He was not loyal to Zhou Ye, but he just couldn't stand the rebellious behavior.
But any action requires time to test. As the situation in Yanjing and Great Yan stabilized, he began to realize that Zhou Jingchen was diligently working for the welfare of the people of Great Yan and working tirelessly to restore the country. Gradually, his guilt turned into discomfort. He felt that he was still strong enough to return and serve the court, but Zhou Jingchen pretended to be deaf and dumb and ignored him, and he couldn't bring himself to ask for help.
So he would send visiting cards to the Beining Palace every now and then, asking to see Ye Jia.
With Ye Jia's help, he resumed his position as Minister of Agriculture and continued his research on various crops. To alleviate Dayan's food shortage, he specifically studied crops from the Western Regions. He procured these seeds through Ye Jia's connections and planted them on Ye Jia's fertile fields. Combining Ye Jia's knowledge of later-world planting techniques with his own experience in the northwest, he significantly increased grain production.
As long as the people of a court are prosperous and can live and work in peace and contentment, the court will soon become prosperous.
After six years of dedicated effort, Great Yan's national strength and military capabilities had significantly increased. Ye Jia had also transformed from a newly arrived, rural, foreign king who used land mines to intimidate court officials to a regent whose stomping of her foot shook the imperial court. Though a woman, she was the faith of countless women in Great Yan. Even Ye Jia herself hadn't imagined she would one day rise to such a high position.
It has to be said that heroes are made by the times.
As Dayan gradually regained its footing, Ye Jia's reputation grew. Dissenting voices emerged within and outside the court, accusing the foreign king, Ye Jia, of ulterior motives. A wave of critics emerged in Dayan, citing classic texts and satirizing the drawbacks and dangers of women's participation. Initially, Ye Jia focused on his work, unconcerned. However, the world's many ignorant people, and the ingrained patriarchal feudal society of male superiority and female inferiority, could not be changed overnight. As Ye Jia's prestige and power grew, these discussions began to surface in the court.
Ye Jia looked coldly at these so-called defenders of "tradition" and "morality". Apart from sneering, she only wanted to retire quickly.
She was clearly only in her twenties, but her energy was already exhausted, and she wanted to return to her fiefdom to retire. If Zhou Jingchen and his son hadn't pleaded with her to stay and not abandon them, she really wanted to quit. Considering that although little Shubai had grown into a little old man who was more mature than his father, he was still only seven years old, Ye Jia rolled her eyes and endured it.
Ye Jia could tolerate this, but Zhou Jingchen refused to tolerate these people. He would use violence to suppress any threats such as petitions and letters.
It must be said that some scholars who boast loudly and are good at writing poetry behind people's backs are very cowardly when confronted face to face. Under the absolute threat of force, they can only keep their tails between their legs and behave themselves.
Men have always been superior to women. Even Empress Wu Zetian couldn't change that, so Ye Jia never dreamed she could. However, she did make a small move. With her as her leader and Zhou Jingchen's support, after several days of intense debate in cabinet meetings, the old rule that barred women from serving in the imperial court from the Great Yan Dynasty was finally amended. Zhou Jingchen personally ordered funding for the establishment of a women's school and issued a decree allowing women to serve in the imperial court. Ye Jia also set an example by promoting many talented women to serve in her entourage and to important positions.
Not to mention the countless criticisms and accusations this action provoked from the righteous, creating another chaotic situation. However, the imperial decree had already been issued, and the righteous, despite their dissatisfaction, dared not take any drastic action. Zhou Jingchen was unlike the emperors of previous dynasties, who feared being criticized. He would actually kill anyone who crossed him. Furthermore, he wasn't the emperor, but merely the regent, temporarily acting as regent on behalf of Emperor Yuanqi.
The previous brutal suppressions scared many people, especially those educated people who knew that "our body and hair are given by our parents."
You can only accept it with a pinch of your nose.
In the following years, more and more noble families sent the girls who were detained in the backyard to school.
Ye Jia seized the opportunity to assemble a formidable army of women, assigning Xiaoli and Huanpei to train them. Divided into two divisions, the women, both civil and military, were composed of a large number of women who shared Ye Jia's faith. Their names were kept secret, and they were spread across various professions in Yanjing. Ye Jia possessed a wealth of insider information, effectively controlling the private habits of the nobles. After Ye Jia publicly stripped one noble after another of their unsuspecting nemeses, Yanjing's defenders of "moral principles" finally learned their lesson, and their secretive treachery was no longer a concern.
"Why do I feel so hegemonic?" Ye Jia occasionally reflected on himself and was involved in the Ming Dynasty's East Factory and Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Zhou Jingchen glanced at her with a half-smile: "Do you still reflect on it?"
Ye Jia rolled her eyes at him and lay down on the couch: "It's time for me to retire."
Zhou Jingchen looked at her, chuckled softly, and closed the document in his hand.
Power is addictive, but it gets old after a while. Ye Jia enjoys being busy, but she simply enjoys making money. As Dayan gradually achieves peace and prosperity, Ye Jia begins to contemplate retirement. With the Yu family, Liu Yuan, and Guo Huai presiding over the court, and many rising stars assisting, it's time for them to retire.
When little Shubai turned ten, Ye Jia finally laid down his burdens and returned to his fiefdom with Zhou Jingchen. Yu Shi wanted to go with them, but unlike the heartless couple who were willing to leave their own son alone, she ultimately stayed in Yanjing.
"Your parents are such idiots. You're still so young!" Yu looked at the calm and composed little Shubai at the age of ten, feeling both proud and distressed. "They just dumped such a heavy burden on you, without even caring about you!"
Little Shubai has long been numb to this unscrupulous couple of parents, and instead has to comfort his grandmother and ask her not to be angry.
Yu was not angry, she also wanted to leave.
In fact, in her opinion, it doesn't matter if she doesn't have the throne. The best thing is for the family to go to Beiting and live a happy life. But she also knows that the kingdom she fought so hard for cannot be handed over to others. Once she loses power, she will be at the mercy of others. This burden can only be taken on. After thinking about it, she touched little Shubai's head and said, "Your father and mother have been busy for so long, it's time to give you a brother or sister."
For Dayan, Jia Niang has not dared to get pregnant for so many years. Yu Shi also saw it and said: "Alas, we have worked hard to express our feelings."
…
In the eighth year of Yuanqi, Princess Ling'an Ye Wuniang finally fulfilled her dream of opening a big restaurant.
After arriving in Yanjing, Ye Wumei naturally received her own rewards. As a relative of Ye Jia, she was granted the title of Princess Lingyan. She was known for her stubborn nature, determined to achieve her goals. Even without Ye Jia's help, she managed to build a prosperous restaurant, gaining a reputation both within and beyond Yanjing. Her restaurant was always packed, and even those of lesser status couldn't book a private room for half a month.
Over the years, men in Yanjing eager to marry Ye Wumei have lined the city walls, many seeking matchmaking from Ye Jia. However, Ye Wumei has never considered marrying. Ye Simei and Yu Shi have repeatedly insinuated about the matter, but she has always remained uninterested.
Ye Jia wasn't forcing anyone to marry. If Ye Wumei wanted to marry, she could marry. She could live comfortably even if she didn't. After learning of Ye Wumei's attitude, Ye Jia turned away the endless stream of suitors. Unexpectedly, at the age of 23, Ye Wumei gave birth to a child. The suddenness of her birth shocked the entire capital. However, no one could figure out who the father of her child was.
Originally thought that the identity of the child's father would remain a mystery for the rest of his life, but when Ye Jia and Zhou Jingchen went to Jiangnan to pick lotus, they received an angry letter of complaint from Liu Yuan.
The letter lambasted Princess Lingyan for her heartlessness, abandonment, and licentiousness. She despised him for being over thirty, a middle-aged scholar, not only secretly keeping the Liu family's only child, but also for keeping numerous concubines in his mansion. He even kept three at once, indulging in daily pleasures in his mansion and corrupting the good morals of Yanjing. In the letter, Liu Yuan pleaded with Ye Jia to intervene and demand justice from Ye Wumei.
Ye Jia: “…”
Zhou Jingchen, who was watching next to Ye Jia, said: "..."
The couple looked at each other, their eyes filled with surprise and speechlessness.
"...When did they get together?" Ye Jia racked her brains, but couldn't recall any connection between Ye Wumei and Liu Yuan. If she remembered correctly, Ye Wumei had always thought Liu Yuan's nose was not a nose, and her eyes were not eyes.
"I really don't know about that." Although Zhou Jingchen was well-informed, he didn't care about the private affairs of his children. "They have nothing in common."
"Oh, we knew each other for a while in Huizhou." Ye Jia thought about it and only remembered that when they were in Huizhou, Ye Wumei had been pestering Liu Yuan for a while to get money. Although the two of them had some interactions at that time, they didn't seem to be very close.
After a brief thought, Ye Jia suddenly asked, "Liu Yuan has been without a wife, concubine, or lover for so many years. Is there something wrong with him?"
Zhou Jingchen: “…”
"Impotence?"
Zhou Jingchen's mouth twitched: "...What is Jia Niang going to do?"
what to do?
What else could he do? The complaint had already been addressed to Ye Jia, so of course he had to call her back. She was already retired, what else could he possibly want?!
Zhou Jingchen deeply agreed with Ye Jia's decision.
Zhou Jingchen lowered his eyes and took her into his arms, his face full of tenderness. The boat was floating in the lake. He reached out and pulled a lotus leaf to cover Ye Jia's head, smiling faintly, "Where do you want to go next, Jia Niang?"
Ye Jia somehow thought of oysters, silently slurping his saliva, and said firmly: "Minzhou."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
