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

It was strange. Prime Minister Yang hadn’t made a single move. That in itself was suspicious. After pondering the matter for some time, Ying Zheng ultimately chose to remain observant and wait.
…
Half a month later.
Across the realms, reports from
,
, and
filled the streets. They spoke of rising silver prices, each newspaper clearly trying to fan the flames of speculation, pushing the rates ever higher through the force of public opinion.
In the capital city of Luoyang, seat of the Great Zhou…
“As you predicted, the Tang and Han have increased their purchases again. But their boldness is something to behold—matching the Ming directly with a plan to acquire 1.5 million jin of silver…”
Inside the royal chambers, Wu Zhao wore a blue satin jacket embroidered with delicate floral patterns, layered over a seven-colored silk skirt edged with gold thread. Her graceful neck and generous décolletage were as smooth and luminous as fine porcelain, while her full bust shaped the fabric into a perfect arc. She took a few slow steps across the chamber, then turned toward Yang Yi, her obsidian eyes quietly reflecting deep thought.
“At present, the price of silver among the people is skyrocketing,” she remarked. “Not long ago, one tael of silver could be exchanged for 1,200 cash in treasure notes. Now, it takes 1,600. If not for the policies we’ve enacted—and the release of government bonds—the rate might have soared even faster. I hear the speculators are beginning to stir again…”
Yang Yi chuckled. “To be honest, I didn’t expect Great Tang and Great Han to follow the Ming and purchase such a vast amount of silver.”
Wu Zhao gave a cold snort. “It’s clear they want to severely undermine our Great Zhou. We just finished a trade deal, and now they scheme behind our backs. Such shameless tactics.”
Yang Yi, however, didn’t share her indignation. He shook his head, looking quite at ease. “There are no eternal allies—only eternal interests. If the roles were reversed and Great Zhou held the upper hand, we would likely strike just as hard. They simply do not wish to see a powerful neighbor rise beside them.”
“But that’s fine,” he continued. “The more they invest now, the harder they’ll fall. I’m genuinely curious to see the expressions on those emperors’ faces when the time comes…”
He narrowed his eyes, voice turning lower. “It’s not yet time for us to announce the existence of our silver mines. For now, let’s issue a few minor decrees—nothing that will cause real change, but enough to make it appear we’re trying to contain the price hikes. They’ll believe we’ve hit our limit.”
Wu Zhao nodded thoughtfully, then cast Yang Yi a peculiar glance.
This man was truly wicked.
…
Another two weeks passed.
Silver prices surged once more.
The Great Zhou, despite appearances, still made no real effort to halt the rise. Instead, it issued a few superficial decrees that did little to change the situation—mere gestures to appear constrained and reactive.
Far to the southeast, in the Ming court, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang stroked his beard, a gleam lighting his tiger-like eyes.
“Yang Yi is out of tricks now… This time, our Great Ming will score a decisive victory over the Zhou. Once their treasure notes drop again, we’ll declare them banned in our territory. That will finish them off completely!”
Standing beside him, Crown Prince Zhu Biao’s gaze brimmed with admiration. “Father, your foresight is remarkable.”
Zhu Di chimed in without hesitation, eager in his praise. “Father, your strategies are awe-inspiring. That Yang Yi may call himself the most venomous strategist under heaven, but he’s powerless before you. Frankly, I think he should hand that title over.”
Zhu Yuanzhang was pleased by their flattery, though he masked his delight with a playful scolding. “You’re trying to flatter me to death. I’ve simply seized the opportunity before me.”
“But stratagems and schemes are merely small paths,” he added more seriously. “One must also act with the tide. This time, Yang Yi is doomed.”
…
In the Great Tang court, Li Shimin rubbed his beard thoughtfully.
“Increase the pressure in
. Let the narrative push silver prices even higher. The treasure notes of Great Zhou have already halved in value. Let’s apply a final push—turn them into worthless paper.”
Beside him, Chancellor Changsun Wuji smiled as he nodded. “Once the treasure notes collapse, there will be no salvation. Even Yang Yi, with all his talent, won’t be able to save them. If the Great Zhou’s currency system crumbles, all he’s worked to stabilize will fall apart in chaos.”
The gathered officials nodded in agreement, eyes gleaming with barely concealed excitement.
Though none of them had ever faced Yang Yi directly in the political arena, his reputation—and his ruthless, ingenious stratagems—had long cast a shadow across their plans. Even from the sidelines, they had been wary of him.
Now, if they could deliver a crushing blow to the Great Zhou and drag Yang Yi down with it, the invisible weight he placed on their hearts would vanish.
A cold gleam flickered in Li Shimin’s eyes.
“Yang Yi was too ambitious. He believed that by sheer will alone, he could elevate Great Zhou above the rest. But he forgot—the tides of the world cannot be reversed by one man alone.”
…
“What other nations can do, our Great Han can do as well.” Liu Che’s eyes gleamed with fierce determination, his expression defiant as he stood at the head of the court. “So what if he’s the most cunning strategist in the world? He still fell into our trap.
“If our allied nations jointly announce the ban on Great Zhou Treasure Notes, their paper currency will be nothing but waste paper!” He narrowed his eyes, a trace of triumph creeping into his voice. “This time, the Great Zhou is finished.”
Zhufu Yan, Sang Hongyang, and the other ministers could hardly conceal their excitement. If they could crush the Great Zhou’s economy in one decisive move, it would be the greatest triumph of their careers.
…
Within the solemn halls of Zhangtai Temple, the tension was palpable. The value of the Great Zhou Treasure Notes was in freefall—only one final blow remained before complete collapse.
Yet, despite the favorable winds, Emperor Ying Zheng appeared uncharacteristically restrained. Li Si, Wang Wan, and the other officials exchanged uneasy glances. They couldn’t understand his hesitation.
Li Si finally mustered the courage to step forward, his voice respectful but firm.
“Your Majesty, forgive my boldness, but I believe you’re overestimating Yang Yi. With the situation as it stands, even if he were an immortal descended from the heavens or the reincarnation of a sage, he could do nothing to reverse it.”
The officials nodded solemnly in agreement. Even the usually confident Meng Tian remained silent.
Ying Zheng’s brows knit tighter. Doubt crept through his chest, quiet but persistent.
The hall was silent as Wu Zhao stepped forward, her gaze cold and unreadable. Outside, the spring wind carried the distant sounds of the city, but within these walls, only her voice held sway.
“The value of our Great Zhou Treasure Notes has dropped to less than half its original worth,” she said, her tone calm but biting. “It’s time to act.”
She swept her gaze over the gathered ministers. “Those fools dared to join forces against Great Zhou. They will pay for it. I want to see Li Shimin, Liu Che, and Zhu Yuanzhang’s expressions when they learn that thirty silver mines have suddenly emerged within our borders.”
Her phoenix eyes shimmered with a touch of amusement, but the chill in her voice made the temperature in the room drop.
The ministers straightened and answered at once, voices firm. “Yes, Your Majesty.”