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

Gao Qiu stroked his beard with satisfaction, a gleam of greed flashing in his eyes.
“We can sell a large portion of this glass, but we should also keep some in reserve. If its value increases in the future, we’ll profit even more.”
“In a few days, I’ll take a piece to present to the emperor. I’m sure he’ll be very pleased,” Gao Qiu added confidently.
Gao Kan nodded repeatedly, his face beaming with excitement.
“Of course! As long as you maintain the Emperor’s favor, Father, our Gao family will continue to enjoy wealth and prosperity.”
“Speaking of which, Yang Yi is truly a benefactor to both of us,” Gao Kan said, grinning.
Father and son exchanged a knowing glance and burst into hearty laughter, their tones full of pride.
…
Gao Kan brought a group of influential nobles who had invested in the glass to inspect the new batch. With nearly two million strings of cash divided among them, their investments were significant enough to demand personal inspection. Most of these nobles were members of the Song Royal Family or recently ascended aristocrats.
Such exquisite glass—it will surely fetch a good price in the future,” one noble exclaimed.
“Indeed! This time, we’ve struck it rich,” another added.
“Who would have thought the young master of the Gao family would have such audacity?” someone remarked with a sly grin.
“This glass is a rare treasure. If I didn’t need to sell it for money, I’d love to keep a few pieces for my collection,” another commented.
Gao Kan, soaking in their admiration, addressed the group. “I have already sent people to contact buyers. Rest assured, your investment will not go to waste. We’ll make sure everyone profits handsomely.”
The crowd nodded in approval. Profit was their ultimate goal, and nothing else mattered.
Someone chuckled. “You already have connections, young master?”
Gao Kan smiled confidently. “Indeed. I’ve sent people to reach out to buyers from the Qin, Han, Tang, and Ming dynasties. I’m confident they can handle this batch of glass.”
The group murmured in agreement.
“The young master is truly forward-thinking,” one noble said.
“Although the Great Song has many wealthy individuals, selling such a large batch of glass at a high price would be challenging. If we sell to other countries, we could even double the price,” another noted.
“Yes, we’re fortunate to benefit from the young master’s insight,” someone added.
Although their status wasn’t as high as Gao Qiu’s, these nobles still wielded significant influence in the Great Song. Their praises made Gao Kan feel elated. However, just as he was about to show off further, hurried footsteps interrupted the scene.
“Young master, young master! Something big has happened!” A servant rushed into the courtyard, clutching a newspaper, his face pale with fear.
Gao Kan’s expression darkened.
“Why are you in such a panic?” Gao Kan snapped. “Compose yourself. Even if the sky were to fall, I would handle it. What are you so afraid of?”
The nobles watched with faint smiles, their disdain for Gao Kan barely concealed. Despite his father’s immense power, they regarded the family as upstarts.
The servant swallowed nervously, cold sweat dripping from his forehead.
“Young master, something has truly happened. The latest issue of the
has just been published. The Great Zhou claims that they can mass produce glass…”
The courtyard fell deathly quiet. Every face froze in shock, eyes wide, and mouths slightly open as they processed the servant’s words.
Gao Kan’s heart skipped a beat. His triangular eyes widened, blood vessels bulging in the whites of his eyes. A chill ran down his spine, leaving him shivering. He leapt forward, grabbing the servant by the collar, his voice wild with disbelief.
“What did you just say? Mass production of glass? Stop talking nonsense!”
The servant, trembling under his young master’s glare, held up the newspaper with shaking hands.
“Young master, it’s written here. I didn’t make it up…”
Gao Kan’s eyelid twitched uncontrollably as a sense of foreboding gripped him. He snatched the newspaper and scanned the front page. His face turned ashen.
Gao Kan’s breath caught. His hands trembled as his gaze fell on the byline. There it was—Yang Yi’s name.
His pupils contracted.
A horrifying thought struck him.
His knees almost buckled under the weight of the realization. He felt as though he had been plunged into an icy wasteland. The immense fear left his mind blank.
The nobles, seeing Gao Kan’s stunned expression, exchanged uneasy glances. Their earlier confidence began to waver. One of them stepped forward, grabbed the newspaper, and skimmed its contents. A moment later, his voice rang out, sharp and panicked.
“It’s… it’s true! The newspaper says the glass production technology was developed by Yang Yi, the Minister of the Great Zhou Secretariat! Yang Yi also claims to have sold a batch to the son of the Grand Marshal of the Song State. We… we’ve been deceived!”