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

“The officials of the Zhou Dynasty were indeed subdued by Yang Yi!” one official murmured.
“Remarkably, the Single Whip Law and the policy merging the head tax with the land tax were implemented without resistance.”
Zhu Yuanzhang took a deep breath, his face a mixture of astonishment and admiration. He had never expected the deeply entrenched nobles and aristocrats to be so thoroughly intimidated by Yang Yi.
Zhu Biao, also taken aback, asked, “Did people really file reports with his complaint office? Father, isn’t he afraid of causing a major upheaval in Zhou’s officialdom?”
Zhu Yuanzhang sighed, a glint of respect showing in his weathered eyes.
“That’s exactly his brilliance,” he replied.
“Yang Yi knew that if he followed the rules, the investigation would drag on for at least ten years. The officials would stall, undermining both decrees into oblivion.
“So, he fabricated complaint letters and quickly arrested Li Yifu. By ruthlessly eliminating his entire family—even the children—he sent a message, terrifying the officials into compliance.”
“He used dozens of lives to teach a lesson,” Zhu Yuanzhang continued. “A ruthless strategy indeed.”
Zhu Biao, realizing the depths of Yang Yi’s strategy, took a deep breath.
At first, he had thought Yang Yi was killing indiscriminately, but now it seemed all was premeditated. This man’s methods were beyond ruthless. Even Li Yifu’s little grandson had been sacrificed.
Then, with a start, Zhu Biao looked at his father in disbelief.
“Father, did you say the letter of complaint was forged by Yang Yi? How do you know?”
Zhu Yuanzhang snorted, “Biao’er, you’re still too naive. Though it’s just a guess, I’m ninety percent sure. Think about it—the complaint box had been there for a long time, and no one dared to submit anything.
“Do you think an ordinary person would report a high-ranking official? Yang Yi orchestrated the letter to make an example of Li Yifu, showing the people that no official is above justice. At the same time, it warned the other officials against any illusions of impunity—a masterstroke.”
Zhu Biao nodded in shock, realizing his father was right.
Zhu Yuanzhang, stroking his chin, remarked, “Biao’er, though you’re older than Yang Yi, you still have much to learn.
“He’s even willing to kill women and children to achieve his goals. No wonder he is seen as the Zhou Dynasty’s most ruthless strategist. His methods are brutal, but he achieves results.”
Zhu Biao shivered, reminded that his father, too, had earned a fearsome reputation in his day. But Yang Yi’s ruthlessness might have even surpassed his father’s.
…
Li Shimin stared in disbelief. “Did he succeed so quickly and decisively?”
Everyone in the hall was stunned. They had all thought Yang Yi would fail against the powerful nobles, yet he had won. Was there anything this man couldn’t accomplish?
The hall was silent, but Li Shimin, envious, finally spoke up.
“Could I attempt the Land Tax Reform and the Single Whip Law here in Tang?”
Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling exchanged uneasy smiles. The entrenched power of the Tang aristocrats far exceeded that of Zhou. Li Shimin sighed, understanding their concern.
“If only Yang Yi could serve as my minister,” he said wistfully. I’d trade ten thousand Xuanjia troops to have him here.”
The ministers looked on, astounded; they hadn’t realized just how valuable Yang Yi had become in Li Shimin’s eyes.
…
“He actually succeeded?” Liu Che’s breath caught as he read the reports. Zhufu Yan and the others were similarly astonished.
Since the Zhou Dynasty had established diplomatic relations with the Han, they had kept a close watch on its developments. They had expected Yang Yi to fail—but his decisive victory over the nobles shocked them all.
Liu Che clenched his fist, turning to Zhufu Yan with a proud smile.
“See? If Yang Yi can succeed, then I can too, in time. Stay close to him, Zhufu Yan—I admire this man’s resolve.”
Zhufu Yan nodded respectfully, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
…
Ying Zheng sat silently, the hall eerily quiet. Li Si and the other ministers watched, their thoughts roiling. None of them had imagined Yang Yi would use such a merciless strategy to swiftly bring the officials to heel.
After a moment, Ying Zheng’s eyes shone with an unusual gleam.
“I misjudged him,” he murmured.
“It’s a pity I’ll never meet this man—truly a regret of my life.”
Li Si and the others were taken aback, realizing that Yang Yi had earned a place in their emperor’s heart even higher than their own.
…
After presenting the steel smelting technology to Empress Wu Zhao, Yang Yi was met with astonishment. In this era of cold weapons, superior steel could mean the difference between victory and defeat.
With Yang Yi’s advanced smelting techniques, their army would be better equipped.
Though the Empress didn’t ask how he had come up with these methods, she marveled at his intellect. In her mind, Yang Yi was an unstoppable genius.
Days later, Yang Yi organized a team to set up a small glass factory, eager to begin production. Glass would become a critical resource in time, and with his knowledge, the factory’s success seemed inevitable.
…
Wu Zhao, frowning slightly, closed the memorial and addressed the court.
“For years, our Zhou Dynasty has struggled with wars and natural disasters. If not for Minister Yang bringing in silver, we might not have survived.
“Now, the wars are behind us, and the Qing remnants have mostly been eradicated…”