The world of film and television begins with the God of Medicine.

Chapter 1525 Getting Things Done
Yan Shifan's actions caused enormous trouble, something that Yan Song and his son never expected.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot seemed to have gone mad, constantly conducting internal investigations and questioning and investigating everyone in the palace, determined to find out all the relationships between each person.

This caused widespread panic, completely disrupting the festive atmosphere of the New Year. Amidst this chaos, before the New Year, Yan Song petitioned to retire, but Jiajing Emperor refused.

After the New Year, on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Censor Zou Yinglong submitted a memorial impeaching Yan Song and his son Yan Shifan. That same day, Yan Shifan was imprisoned…

"This is the infamous Imperial Prison."

Qi Dazhu looked around curiously. "Third Master, it doesn't seem much different from our Chun'an prison, except it's a bit bigger."

Zhu Qi laughed: "Your county prison can only hold the county clerks at most, but our Northern Garrison Prison holds all the important figures."

"I don't think these big shots are any different from the clerks in our county," Qi Dazhu muttered.

With his hands behind his back, Wang Yan strolled around and nodded in satisfaction: "You're right, Dazhu has improved. The people in this prison are just like those below. They're all disloyal to the emperor, unloving to the people, and treacherous villains who only think of themselves, without a sovereign, father, or country."

The only difference is that they commit far more heinous crimes and embezzle far more money than their subordinates. But this doesn't mean they are inherently worse than their subordinates; after all, those subordinates simply can't rise to the top, not that they are incapable of committing worse acts.

Zhu Qi shook his head: "I know that you sold your family property in order to become an official and make money. If you don't do what they do, how will you make money? It's just a matter of how much."

“Look at you, Seventh Master, you’ve completely forgotten those wonderful days in Chun’an. The brothers there, whose food and drink did they eat and drink every day? Each meal cost at least two taels of silver, and they ate three or four meals a day for three months straight, which adds up to six or seven hundred taels of silver. Even if I took that money, who could say anything? Even if it went up to the Emperor, His Majesty wouldn’t even give it a second glance.”

Wang Yan sighed, "It's all Hai Rui's fault. He was so eager to take care of all the wealthy families that I went hungry. In the end, His Majesty gave me money to eat and drink well, which made the whole family look healthy and energetic."

Zhu Qi laughed: "That's right, I've forgotten all of that. Back then, the brothers really ate and drank well, mainly because you trained the cook so well. Hai Rui is actually very smart, but he's just stubborn."

"If I keep a straight face, no one can really find fault with me spending my money; it's all a gift from His Majesty."

"The eldest master is usually very serious, but when he's with the third master, he's completely different. Everyone says that the third master is the one who can control the eldest master," Qi Dazhu said with a grin.

Wang Yan glanced at him and said, "In Chun'an, there's no one I can't handle."

Amidst laughter and conversation, the group walked deep into the prison.

The smell inside was not pleasant; the damp, foul odor was unpleasant.

It was in this environment that Wang Yan saw Yan Shifan, disheveled and dejected, imprisoned in jail.

"Oh my, isn't this the famous Young Grand Secretary? How did you end up in such a state?" Wang Yan mocked him directly.

"It's like a tiger fallen into the plains being bullied by dogs. You bastard, you even came to watch your grandpa make a fool of himself?"

"Young Grand Secretary, you have such a bad memory! You've only been locked up for a few days and your brain has already turned to water? Before you were punished, I slapped you in the face in public. I'm here now just to see you make a fool of yourself and make you suffer."

Oh, right, there's something else. Your wife, concubine, and daughter are probably all going to be sent to the brothel. I reckon I'll get a promotion in a few days, then I'll go to the brothel and have some fun.

"You son of a bitch!" Yan Shifan cursed, running over and grabbing the wooden bars of the cage. "You bastard, you've done so many evil deeds, you deserve to die a horrible death! Zhu Qi! Is this a place where just anyone can come in? I want to see His Majesty! I want to see His Majesty! I'm innocent! I'm innocent!"

Zhu Qi ignored Yan Shifan's roar and turned to look at Wang Yan: "That's what everyone who came said. Once they were tortured, they spilled everything like beans."

He sighed again, looking at Yan Shifan with some regret, "It's just that His Majesty is sentimental and didn't order us to investigate thoroughly, otherwise you would be living a life worse than death right now."

"Hmph, it's all about the victor taking all the credit!"

"Damn it, what kind of world is this, where the victor is king and the loser is villain? Whose world are you fighting for?"

Wang Yan kicked out, and with a crack, Yan Shifan's leg was broken.

Yan Shifan let out a loud cry and then lay on his back on the ground, writhing in pain.

"You bastard, you'll die a horrible death! You'll die a horrible death!"

Yan Shifan's voice was so mournful that it broke the hearts of all who saw it and brought tears to their eyes...

Wang Yan looked at Zhu Qi: "Seventh Master, is there any trouble?"

Seeing Wang Yan's blissful expression, Zhu Qi was speechless. Damn it, you've already done it, why are you still asking?
He said wearily, "If it were someone else, they would definitely be in trouble, but for you, there's no problem. It's just that I, Zhu Qi, broke the rules by bringing an outsider into the imperial prison, and I'll get a beating. It's nothing serious."

“How can that be?” Wang Yan said. “Seventh Master, Dazhu and I are also wanted criminals of our Northern Garrison Command. Weren’t we arrested to investigate our collusion with the Japanese pirates? It’s only natural for us brothers to go in and out of the imperial prison. This Yan Shifan is an incorrigible dog. When he saw me passing by, he pounced on me and attacked. In my panic, I kicked him and broke his leg. See? That’s how we got our job done.”

Zhu Qi exclaimed in astonishment: "Brother Wang, you are truly superior."

"Nonsense! Lawless! Outrageous! Deceiving the emperor!" Yan Shifan felt even worse, rolling around in pain as he continued to curse.

“Aren’t you the one who did all of this?” Wang Yan shook his head helplessly. “How can a person be so shameless? Alright, Seventh Master, take me to see Zheng Bichang and He Maocai. They are my superiors. It would be outrageous for me to come all this way and not pay my respects.”

The conversion of rice paddies to mulberry fields isn't over yet. The current series of events is a continuation of this conversion; Zheng Bichang and He Maocai are still alive, though not long for this world. They're said to be executed this autumn.

……

"He broke all three of their legs? He's quite vengeful."

In the Yuxi Palace, after hearing what had happened, Jiajing said, "He also harbors resentment towards me."

Lü Fang quickly chimed in, "Your Majesty, what Wang Yan is furious about is that he destroyed the dikes and flooded the fields, showing no regard for the lives of the people. This was done by Yan Shifan, who was incredibly audacious, and his subordinates Zheng Bichang and He Maocai. They have no loyalty to their ruler or their country; their crimes are heinous. Even Your Majesty was kept in the dark. As for what happened afterward... Wang Yan is a reasonable and pragmatic person; he understands His Majesty's good intentions."

"You actually put in a good word for him."

“His prescription is good. Master has been eating and drinking well lately. My most important task is to take good care of His Majesty. He makes His Majesty happy, so of course I will speak up for him.”

"That's good. I've been eating well and sleeping soundly lately." Jiajing nodded with a smile. "Did you give him the silver?"

“This servant was thinking of going in a little while. Yan Shifan has been apprehended, and Yan Song is also returning to his hometown. Their plan to use Wang Yan and Qi Dazhu as a pretext against Prince Yu is now out of the question. Wang Yan and Qi Dazhu are innocent. Wang Yan is a capable man and cannot be idle. Shouldn’t Your Majesty arrange a task for him?” Jiajing hummed in agreement. He knew that Lü Fang was simply reminding him of this matter. Since Wang Yan had survived the assassination attempt and had begun to overthrow Yan Song, it was only natural to give Wang Yan, this thoughtful person, a suitable position. If he were left idle for too long, and given how young Wang Yan was, resentment would inevitably arise, and the emperor and his ministers would become estranged, which would be undesirable.

After a moment of contemplation, Jiajing asked, "Where do you think I should send him?"

“Wang Yan is a thoughtful person, and His Majesty also values ​​him, so he certainly cannot be sent out to a foreign land. I remember that last time he came to the palace, I said that he was suitable to go to the Ministry of Works, but His Majesty said that he was of low rank and position, and no one listened to him. He was most suitable to be a chief official, where he could have more freedom to act.”

Lü Fang offered no suggestions, but simply repeated Jiajing's earlier words. With Yan Song about to retire, he would have no one left to rely on. The most trusted advisor at the moment was Wang Yan; to please Jiajing, he would remain close at hand and could be summoned at any time.

Looking at it this way, there aren't many choices.

Emperor Jiajing thought for a moment and said, "I remember that before the New Year, auspicious snow fell and caused a snow disaster. The magistrate of Daxing County failed to provide adequate disaster relief. I haven't had time to figure out how to deal with it yet."

"Yes, Your Majesty, it is indeed Yan Shifan, the magistrate of Daxing County..."

Hearing this, there was no need to hear any more. Jiajing waved his hand to interrupt Lü Fang: "Investigate this person and make Wang Yan the magistrate. I want to see how he can govern my capital."

"My lord, Wang Yan is probably in a difficult position. He has no say in matters within the capital, and he also has difficulty handling matters outside the capital. It's not going to be easy..."

"Li Shen of the Tang Dynasty wrote a poem that goes, 'Sow one grain of millet in spring, reap ten thousand grains in autumn; there is no idle land under heaven, yet farmers still starve to death.' What in this world is easy? He himself also wrote a poem that says, 'Though battered a thousand times, it remains firm and strong, letting the winds blow from east, west, north, and south.' I heard that this poem was widely praised by upright officials. Let's see if this honest official who wants to stand up for the people can withstand the winds from east, west, north, and south."

Lü Fang laughed: "Master, Qingliu is praising Hai Rui. This poem was written by Wang Yan and given to Hai Rui. I heard that Wang Yan personally made a fan, painted a bamboo and rock picture on the fan, and wrote this poem about bamboo and rocks. Hai Rui treasures it very much."

The Qingliu faction had nothing good to say about Wang Yan. An imperial censor impeached him, saying he disregarded etiquette and law, brazenly sunbathing in broad daylight outside the county government office while wearing only his undergarments…

These were all absurd things Wang Yan did, and Jiajing loved to hear them.

The main problem was that Wang Yan was too unconventional and too free-spirited, lacking the dignity that an official should have in front of the people, which damaged the prestige of the court. Even the upright officials did not want to see this.

There are also a whole bunch of other messy things like beating people in the street and forced buying and selling.

After laughing, Jiajing said, "If Wang Yan can stand firm, there will probably be plenty of drama in the future, hahaha..."

Lü Fang chimed in, "His Majesty is favored by Heaven. If he still can't stand firm, then he has truly failed in his imperial favor, and he can't blame anyone else."

……

In the afternoon, Wang Yan was sunbathing on a recliner when two eunuchs opened the door, and Eunuch Lü strolled in with his hands behind his back.

Wang Yan seemed flustered as she got off the recliner, looking somewhat disheveled.

"Oh, Eunuch Lü, what brings you here in person?"

"Why am I here? Have you forgotten what you did so quickly?"

Wang Yan protested, "His Majesty is about to fall from power, what's the big deal if I break their legs?"

"No matter what, Yan Song has served His Majesty for decades, and Yan Shifan has also made contributions to the country. It's not good to go too far. Otherwise, His Majesty will be branded as harsh and ungrateful. Can you bear that responsibility?"

"This humble servant cannot bear such a burden, but this humble servant can get things done. Who dares to speak nonsense? As long as Your Majesty gives the order, this humble servant will arrest people and confiscate their property."

"How can someone so young be so bloodthirsty? Many times, killing can't solve the problem." Lü Fang shook her head with amusement.

“My lord, it is precisely because I am young that I have to be so ruthless. Otherwise, how can I do things? How can I keep people in check? If I didn’t have these qualities, I would have been tricked to death in Chun’an. When the Xin’an River breached its banks, that damned bastard Chang Boxi tried to use me as a scapegoat. If I hadn’t been decisive and used both beatings and curses to subdue them, I would be buried with grass three feet tall by now.”

"Alright, after saying a few words, we've gone back to Chun'an again."

Lu Fang appeared displeased, then said, "I came here for two things."

Wang Yan respectfully cupped his hands in greeting, remaining silent.

"Firstly, the Ministry of Works bought a batch of cement and paid the palace in cash. Some wealthy families in the capital also bought cement to build houses. In addition, officials and imperial relatives in the capital, seeing that His Majesty was using white glass, also placed orders. The workshops were bustling with activity. They really made a lot of money. His Majesty, thinking that you are greedy and have no family property, will reward you with 10,000 taels of silver after the New Year."

"Long live my emperor."

"Wait, don't kowtow in a hurry." Lü Fang stopped Wang Yan and said, "The second thing is that His Majesty thinks you are a loyal and patriotic person who is willing to do practical things and stand up for the people. It is a disservice to you to be escorted to the capital this time. You certainly can't go back to Chun'an. Just stay in the capital and serve as the magistrate of Daxing County."

Wang Yan's eyes widened: "Eunuch Lü, I must have misheard you? The magistrate of Daxing County?"

“You heard me right, the magistrate of Daxing County.” Lü Fang was satisfied with Wang Yan’s attitude. “The saying goes, ‘If you employ someone, don’t doubt them; if you don’t trust someone, don’t employ them.’ Although you are young and this position is indeed too high, we should not be bound by conventions when it comes to recruiting talent. If someone is capable, they should be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities. His Majesty has high hopes for you, so you must not fail to live up to His Majesty’s favor.”

"Yes! Long live the Emperor!"

This time, Wang Yan really kowtowed.

Daxing County was an attached county of the capital, encompassing the area east of the central axis of the capital. Due to the special nature of counties within the capital, the magistrate's rank was the sixth grade. However, Wang Yan was merely a junior clerk, skipping six grades.

In other words, he went directly from being a member of the Standing Committee of Chun'an County to becoming the top leader of the Daxing District Committee, rising from a deputy division-level official to a full-fledged department-level official with real power.

Moreover, Wang Yan's actual power was far greater than that of a department head, after all, he was an official of that era, truly wielding the power of life and death. Wang Yan could also directly contact the top two leaders of the General Office, and in emergencies, he could even have a direct audience with the emperor.

The crucial point is that Wang Yancai is a young man who has just turned twenty.

In any politically stable system, such a thing is almost impossible. It seems that the founders of a nation all held power and reached the top in their twenties or thirties, and after things stabilized, they had to accumulate seniority. Even those with strong family connections didn't enter the inner circle until they were thirty, unlike Wang Yan, who reached this level at the age of twenty.

This shows that Wang Yan was very popular with Jiajing.

This also shows that the money wasn't wasted; it provided Jiajing with a huge source of wealth, allowing him to continue his extravagant lifestyle. They really did their job...

I want to express my sincere gratitude to all the kind readers who have given me generous support through tips, monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, and those who have been reading quietly!