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

The poppy flower had four petals, red and white, with a light red blush. Its capsule was shaped like an arrowhead, with fine seeds inside.
In his previous life, Yang Yi had once been curious and learned about this plant. He never expected to see it here and now.
Noticing Yang Yi’s unusual gaze, the Empress raised an eyebrow and followed his line of sight to the poppy.
“What is this…?”
Beside her, Shangguan Wan’er quickly responded, “The Arab envoy called this ‘Mi Nang’. It is said that it is one of the ingredients in the Arab antidote Diye Jia...”
Yang Yi raised an eyebrow in surprise. After all, poppies were originally used for medicinal purposes.
Wu Zhao thought for a moment. “Minister Yang, do you recognize this ‘Mi Nang’?”
Yang Yi crouched down with a smile and touched the poppy. “Of course I recognize it...”
“I saw it in an ancient book once.”
“This can be used in medicine, but it can also... bring disaster to the masses.”
Wu Zhao was shocked, her pretty face showing astonishment. “Bring disaster to the masses?”
“Is it really that powerful?”
Yang Yi sighed with some regret. “Of course...”
“When processed, this can become an addictive poison...”
“This poison can make people addicted, even dependent, to the point where they can’t break free.”
“Long-term use can cause hallucinations and leave people emaciated and gaunt.”
“And once someone is addicted, trying to quit causes nausea, vomiting, sweating, and diarrhea. It can even damage the liver and heart, leading to death.”
“Even the strongest person, once addicted, will lose their vitality and become a cripple.”
Wu Zhao and Shangguan Wan’er felt a chill in their hearts and their hair stood on end.
After a while, the Empress managed to suppress her shock and slowly said, “Is there really such a vicious substance?”
“Then I will have these things destroyed immediately!”
Yang Yi raised an eyebrow. “Destroyed?”
“Why destroy them?”
The hall suddenly fell silent.
Wu Zhao and Shangguan Wan’er looked at him in astonishment, confusion flashing in their eyes.
Wu Zhao pursed her lips in confusion. “Minister Yang, since you said that this substance is a highly toxic and addictive poison, why should we keep it in our Great Zhou?”
“What if it spreads throughout our country?”
“Such a poisonous substance must be destroyed!”
A cold smile appeared on Yang Yi’s chiseled face, his lips curling slightly. “Your Majesty, that blade is too sharp. The problem is not with the blade, but with how we wield it.”
Wu Zhao’s eyes narrowed, a look of shock flashing in her clear black and white eyes.
She looked at Yang Yi in horror. “Minister Yang, are you planning to...”
Shangguan Wan’er was also stunned. They knew Yang Yi quite well. From his words, it was clear that he did not intend to destroy this substance, but rather use it for their own benefit.
Yang Yi smiled faintly. “Even though this substance is highly addictive, it can be sold well because of that.”
“By selling it to other countries, we can not only make huge profits, but also subtly destroy their foundations.”
“If the youth of the enemy nations consume this substance, won’t they become useless?”
The hall fell silent.
Wu Zhao and Shangguan Wan’er gasped, their scalps tingling as they looked at Yang Yi. They had never expected Yang Yi to have such a plan.
The thought of this highly toxic substance spreading and potentially endangering millions of people sent shivers down their spines.
It had to be this Living Yama. Anyone else, knowing how poisonous it was, would have destroyed it long ago.
Only Minister Yang could calmly propose such a terrifying plan.
After a moment, Wu Zhao bit her lip, a trace of worry flashing in her eyes. “The Central Plains are only so big. If you sell it to Qin, Han, Tang, and Ming, it will eventually backfire on our Great Zhou.”
Shangguan Wan’er also nodded involuntarily. If this poison is as terrifying as Minister Yang says, it would be disastrous if it appeared in Great Zhou.
Yang Yi smiled slightly. “Your Majesty, rest assured. When did I ever say that I would sell it to the countries of the Central Plains?”
Wu Zhao and Shangguan Wan’er were stunned and looked at him in confusion.
Yang Yi’s lips curled as he asked, “Your Majesty, what do you think the future of the Great Zhou will be?”
This question immediately stunned the empress. Wu Zhao frowned and thought for a moment. “I want to unite all the nations under the sky...”
Yang Yi continued, “When Your Majesty speaks of all the nations under heaven, which nations do you mean?”
Wu Zhao was speechless for a moment.
She pressed her lips together and fell silent.
Yang Yi smiled and pointed upward. “Under the heavens, all land belongs to the king; within the seas, all people are his subjects.”
“When we speak of the world, it includes not only the lands within the seas but also those beyond.”
“The countries of the Central Plains and the northern tribes are all enemies of our Great Zhou. However, they are too close to us. If we use this substance recklessly, it could spread uncontrollably and affect our Great Zhou. But beyond the Western Regions, there are other countries, such as the Arabs...”
“Overseas, there are vast areas no less important than our Central Plains. There are many Western nations there. Therefore, I believe that our Great Zhou should develop a navy. The sea is rich in resources, and the age of navigation will inevitably become a golden era. We may also have conflicts with Western nations in the future...”
“Since they will eventually be our opponents, why not send this substance to them first? Not only can we make a large sum of money to enrich our treasury, but we can also harm these overseas nations, making it easier for our Great Zhou to conquer them in the future...”