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

“You’ve executed over thirty officials this month, half of them fifth rank or higher,” Wu Zhao remarked with a slight frown.
“Are you saying you have no plans to continue?”
Yang Yi smiled faintly.
“My goal of intimidation has been achieved. The officials in Luoyang are all on edge now. I’ve acted impartially, from high-ranking to common officials alike—killing the chicken to scare the monkeys. Now it’s time to give these trembling ‘monkeys’ a chance.”
Wu Zhao was taken aback, curiosity glimmering in her cold, noble expression.
“What kind of chance?”
Yang Yi responded solemnly, “If we kill them all, at least seventy percent of the positions in the Great Zhou officialdom would be vacant. By now, they must be living in constant fear.
“I want to give them an opportunity: anyone whose actual land ownership doesn’t match the registered records should come forward, and I will spare their lives…”
Wu Zhao pursed her lips, a hint of realization crossing her face.
“I see now. No wonder you insisted on executing Li Yifu’s entire family—it was to terrify the other officials.”
Yang Yi nodded, smiling.
“Your Majesty is wise…”
Wu Zhao gave him a peculiar look. The execution of Li Yifu’s entire family, including his three-year-old grandson, had indeed sent shockwaves through the officials.
Now, with Yang Yi offering clemency to those who confessed, they were likely to come forward. Such a ruthless plan could only have been devised by Yang Yi; this strategy of killing the chicken to scare the monkeys was truly vicious.
…
In the days that followed, Yang Yi announced a one-month grace period for officials who had annexed land to confess voluntarily. Many, already terrified, stepped forward. Though they faced demotion or even dismissal, it was far better than having their entire families destroyed.
One month later, Luoyang’s land registry was updated. The Single Whip Law and the policy of merging the poll tax with the land tax were implemented successfully.
Even the officials in the capital surrendered; how could the local officials dare resist? The land survey proceeded smoothly and met little resistance.
…
“Hmm…” Wu Zhao frowned, reviewing the land register in her hand.
“These scoundrels have reported less than a hundred thousand mu of land, but in reality, they own over a million mu in Luoyang…” She sneered. “It seems my territory will expand significantly after this survey.”
Although frustrated, she also understood that land annexation was inevitable. At least in Great Zhou, the current reforms were proceeding. In a place like Han or Tang, where noble families were deeply entrenched, even these policies would face heavy resistance.
Yang Yi smiled.
“We’ll distribute the confiscated land to tenant farmers, register all excess land owned by the gentry, and tax accordingly.
“This will restore Great Zhou’s tax revenue to healthy levels by next year. The burdens on the poor will lessen, and within ten years, our Great Zhou will have the most populous country in the world.”
Wu Zhao blinked in surprise.
“The most populous country in the world? Why do you say that?”
Yang Yi gave her a knowing smile.
“With no per capita taxation, the common folk won’t worry about having too many children and not being able to pay taxes. They’ll have more children—and there’s only one thing to do at night.”
Wu Zhao’s cheeks flushed, her expression still cold as she glared at Yang Yi, secretly cursing him for his boldness.
…
Yang Yi opened the system panel he hadn’t looked at in a while.
He was startled by how high his Poison Expert Value had climbed. Thinking it over, he decided to use 100,000 Poison Expert Points for a lottery draw, keeping the rest in reserve.
Moments later, a series of rewards flashed across the screen:
Yang Yi looked over his winnings in astonishment. This draw had yielded exceptional items.
The character summoning cards for Yao Chong and Song Jing were especially valuable; these two were notable ministers of the Tang Dynasty, who contributed to the prosperous Kaiyuan era.
Combined with the Recruitment Order, these items could help fill the vacancies created after executing the previous officials.
The Glass Making and Steel Smelting techniques were cutting-edge technologies that would drive development. And Overlord’s Might would further enhance his physical abilities.
Just then, a warm current spread through his body, and Yang Yi felt his strength surge.
At that moment, the door opened. Wei Zifu entered, carrying a bowl of ginseng soup, her light purple silk dress accentuating her graceful figure. She seemed even more plump and graceful than before, her every move exuding feminine charm.
“Prime Minister, I made this soup for you. Please drink it to nourish your body.”
Yang Yi smirked inwardly.
he thought, then cleared his throat.
“Come here”
Wei Zifu blinked in surprise but approached him obediently. Yang Yi gently stroked her hair.
“Kneel down”
She paused, but, slightly flustered, she complied.