I, Am a Living Yama; Empress Advises Me to Stay Calm

Heichi Changzhi remained silent for a moment before slowly saying,
“Deputy Minister of the Central Secretariat, Yang Yi.”
The tent fell still.
Everyone was stunned, their eyes wide with shock.
They had all heard of Yang Yi’s reputation. The infamous
had spread like wildfire through the army, and his
, which completely duped the Qing, had cemented his notoriety.
No one had expected such a vicious plan, but given his previous tactics, this ruthless move seemed entirely in line with his style. It all made sense now. This strategy was terrifying but fitting.
The soldiers were filled with mixed emotions, their eyes drifting unconsciously toward Li Cunxiao, who stood among them. After all, wasn’t Li Cunxiao recommended by Yang Yi?
Guo Jingzhi, with a serious tone, asked, “General, now that we have the strategies, which one will we use?”
All eyes turned to Heichi Changzhi. The plans were there, but they were too ruthless. If executed, their reputation would suffer greatly.
Heichi Changzhi gritted his teeth. The Empress had forbidden retreat, clearly signaling her desire to destroy the enemy. She even provided two ruthless strategies to ensure victory. As her subordinate, it was his duty to take the blame for whatever came next.
Taking a deep breath, he made his decision.
“We will use the first strategy… We’ll start tonight. We must defeat the enemy quickly!”
He knew that after winning, they would need to occupy the city. The second strategy, while devastating, would leave them with a plague-ridden wasteland—not worth the cost.
A chill spread through the soldiers.
“Yes, General,” they responded, voices tight with apprehension.
…
In an opulent mansion, a burly man in casual attire drank from a large jug of wine. This man was none other than
, the Qing Emperor Qianlong’s favored general. When Yang Yi had visited the Qing capital, Nianqi had been tasked with watching over the Great Zhou envoys. But the envoys escaped with the money, enraging Qianlong.
Now, with war breaking out between the Great Zhou and the Qing, Nianqi had been sent to the frontlines to redeem himself. Yet, Heichi Changzhi was no ordinary general, leading to a stalemate between their armies.
Nianqi, however, felt secure. The enemy camp had been struck with plague, and he believed it was only a matter of time before they collapsed. Then, he would lead his forces to victory in one swift strike.
He lazily grabbed a handful of fried rice, took a swig of liquor, and smacked his lips in satisfaction. Life was good.
Hurried footsteps approached.
“Lord Nianqi…”
A guard rushed in, pale-faced.
Nianqi glanced at him, frowning.
“Why the panic? What kind of behavior is this?”
The guard swallowed nervously and whispered, “My lord, there is an enemy attack…”
The dim lantern light flickered, casting a rosy glow on Nianqi’s face. Slightly tipsy, he waved the guard off dismissively.
“Yucheng is well-fortified. Let them try a night attack. It won’t be the first time they’ve attempted this.”
Sweat beaded on the guard’s brow.
“My lord, this time it’s different…”
“They’re using catapults to throw plague-infected corpses into the city.”
Nianqi’s hand shook, the wine jug slipping from his grasp and shattering on the ground. His tipsy expression vanished, and his face paled as the weight of the words sank in.
His voice, almost unrecognizable from shock, broke the tense silence.
“What did you say?”
“They threw the corpses in?”
The guard nodded repeatedly.
Nianqi’s mind felt like it was exploding, buzzing loudly. He swallowed hard, suddenly leaping out of his chair.
“Quick, take me to see!”
“Yes, sir,” the guard responded hastily.
Moments later, fully armored, Nianqi arrived at the city wall. What he saw made his blood run cold. Corpses littered the battlements—bodies with purple, bruised skin, clearly victims of disease, not natural death.
The enemy had indeed catapulted plague-infected corpses into the city.
Nianqi’s vision darkened; he nearly fainted.

These Zhou soldiers are too ruthless! To devise such a heinous strategy—they’re like demons!
Snapping out of his shock, he roared, “Everyone, drag these corpses away!”
The bodies needed to be taken to an uninhabited area and burned immediately. If they remained, the plague could easily spread to his troops, and disaster would strike.
But the soldiers nearby were terrified, frozen in place. These were plague-ridden bodies—who would dare touch them?
Veins bulged on Nianqi’s forehead. He had been drinking, neglecting discipline, and now his men were hesitating. In a fit of rage, he drew his sword, its blade gleaming menacingly in the flickering torchlight.
“Anyone who hesitates will be dealt with according to military law!”
The soldiers trembled, but under Nianqi’s furious glare, they had no choice. Gritting their teeth, they began moving the corpses.
Seeing them act, Nianqi finally exhaled, but his tension remained.

If the plague spreads through the city, he’s finished.
Losing the battle would be bad enough; given his favor with the Emperor, he might escape with just a reprimand. But if the entire city became infected and thousands died, that would be an unforgivable crime.
Meanwhile, the Zhou army showed no signs of letting up. Their catapults worked efficiently, launching a constant stream of diseased corpses into the city. With every minute, more infected bodies piled up.
Nianqi’s veins throbbed, his fury rising to new heights. If this continued, the city would be overrun with plague victims. He had no time to waste.
Gritting his teeth, he made a split-second decision.
“Send the order—open the city gates immediately. We fight these damned Zhou soldiers to the death!”
If they didn’t engage the Zhou forces soon, they’d be drowned in the growing wave of diseased corpses. First, they had to drive out the enemy—those vile Zhou soldiers!