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

The hall fell silent.
Wu Zhao pressed her lips together. “It’s still the last resort…”
Yang Yi’s lips curled. “The last resort is to sacrifice some soldiers to severely weaken the Turkish army.”
A trace of astonishment flashed in Wu Zhao’s eyes. She hesitated. Every soldier of Great Zhou took years to train. Besides, they currently held the advantage. Even if the Turks managed to invade a few cities, the plundered wealth would only slightly alleviate their decline—it would never solve their economic collapse.
As long as they dragged it out, there was no need to sacrifice soldiers. However, prolonging the war introduced more variables.
Wu Zhao considered it for a long time before looking at Yang Yi. “How many will have to be sacrificed?”
Yang Yi stroked his chin, deep in thought. “Not many. A few thousand should be enough.”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “That many? How many enemy troops can we take down?”
Yang Yi smiled. “That depends. If we’re lucky, we could wipe out their entire army. If we’re unlucky, we’ll still kill tens of thousands.”
Wu Zhao fell silent. Did it really come down to luck? She gritted her teeth.
“What exactly is the plan?”
Yang Yi’s smile didn’t waver. “Your Majesty, have you heard of Mount Udegen?”
Wu Zhao thought for a moment. “That’s where the Turkish royal court is located, isn’t it?”
He nodded. “That’s right. The Turkic royal court sits within the mountain range, and Mount Udegen remains snow-covered year-round.
“Most of their forces are now gathered at our border for a final battle. If we send troops from another direction to strike at the Turkish royal court, Jie Li Khan will have no choice but to send part of his army back to defend it.
“But that alone isn’t enough. The Khan has many tribal troops. Once they converge with Jie Li Khan’s forces, our army will struggle to break through their encirclement and return to Great Zhou.”
Wu Zhao’s eyelids twitched. She knew Yang Yi wouldn’t suggest a futile effort.
He continued. “If Jie Li Khan’s army surrounds them, they can bury explosives on Mount Udegen. Once detonated, they’ll trigger an avalanche. No Turkish troops caught in it will survive.
“At that point, Jie Li Khan will have no choice but to retreat. Once he pulls his remaining troops back, Wei Qing will be free to pursue them. The Turkish army’s defeat will be inevitable.”
Silence filled the hall.
Wu Zhao’s eyes widened. Staring at Yang Yi, she saw how calm he remained. Her lips parted slightly in shock.
No wonder he said it depended on luck. Surviving an avalanche was entirely a matter of chance.
Taking a slow breath, she suppressed the unease in her chest. Yang Yi’s strategy was ruthless—he was using a natural disaster as a weapon.
Her voice was quiet. “No wonder you said some soldiers would have to be sacrificed. Under the force of an avalanche, none of them will survive.”
Yang Yi nodded, his expression unchanged. “Necessary sacrifices win wars. If we don’t send enough troops, Jie Li Khan won’t see it as a threat and won’t retreat.”
His gaze was steady. “Right now, Jie Li Khan is desperate for an opportunity. If he captures our troops, he could use them to negotiate.”
Wu Zhao frowned. After a moment, she sighed. “That’s true. Then let’s proceed with your plan. I’ll allocate more troops. Who do you intend to lead the attack?”
Yang Yi stroked his chin. “Guo Jingzhi has returned from the Song Dynasty, hasn’t he? Send him.”
He paused, then added, “Doesn’t he have a son now? Guo Ziyi?”
Wu Zhao frowned. “What do you mean?”
Yang Yi smiled. “Since he has a son to carry on his name, he can be sacrificed.”
Wu Zhao’s eyes darkened.
Yang Yi continued. “I’ll make arrangements. If all goes well, this should further minimize our casualties.”
Half a month later, in the Great Zhou military camp, Wei Qing stared at the secret letter in his hands. His fingers tightened around the parchment.
The soldiers around him exchanged glances.
“General, what’s wrong?”
“Did His Majesty send new orders?”
“Is it reinforcements?”
Wei Qing remained silent for a long moment before speaking. “There are reinforcements… but not here.”
Confusion spread among the soldiers.
…
Meanwhile, in the Turkish camp, Jie Li Khan frowned at the scout’s report. He turned to Gomohan.
“The Great Zhou army has sent troops to the southern foothills of Mount Jinshan?”
Gomohan’s face was grim. “According to our scouts, they’ve divided their forces into several units, moving unpredictably. After entering Turkish territory, they vanished without a trace.
“Based on our estimates, they’re likely heading straight for the royal court. The enemy force numbers at least tens of thousands.”
Jie Li Khan’s eyes narrowed. These cunning Great Zhou soldiers were using a feint to mislead them.
If the scouts hadn’t caught them, and if the Zhou troops had captured the Turkish royal court, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Without hesitation, he gave his orders. “Gomohan, take one hundred fifty thousand light cavalry and return to defend the royal court. We cannot let these Zhou forces succeed.”
Gomohan inhaled sharply. Jie Li Khan had assigned him the core of their cavalry. Horses were already scarce among the tribes—this was the heart of their military strength.
He straightened. “Yes, Khan.”
Jie Li Khan’s gaze turned cold. “I want prisoners. If we capture these tens of thousands of Zhou soldiers, we can use them to negotiate.”
…
More than a month passed.
A Turkish soldier rushed up to Gomohan, panting. “Report! The enemy was last sighted near Mount Udegen!”
Gomohan scoffed. “So they really were aiming for the royal court.”
His grip tightened on his weapon.
“Fortunately, we caught them in time.”