I, Am a Living Yama; Empress Advises Me to Stay Calm - Chapter 51

Chapter 51
Not only was Wu Xiaoyue exceptionally beautiful, but she was also exceptionally talented—a genius strategist not just of the century, but the millennium, no—ten thousand years! Her brilliance was unparalleled, and in addition to her striking looks and abilities, she had a royal bloodline that many envied. As the younger sister of the Empress of the Great Zhou and her Majesty’s most trusted minister, she was revered throughout the land.

Wu Xiaoyue’s strategic brilliance was unmatched. After delivering a crushing blow to the Qing Dynasty, which had long coveted the Great Zhou, through a series of devastating poison strategies, she gained widespread recognition. Even her lazy servant, Yang Dayi—lazier than a pig, dumber than a dog, greedy, lustful, and obsessed with big breasts—couldn’t help but admire her, declaring in awe, “Your Highness, you are truly the greatest beauty and strategist of all time, commanding victories from a thousand miles away. You are the most intelligent and beautiful woman in the world.”

As Wu Mingyue wrote these words, her lips curved into a smile. She couldn’t resist fidgeting with her slender legs, her skirt swaying slightly, offering glimpses of her graceful figure. Biting the end of her brush, she continued, her inspiration flowing freely.

Princess Wu Xiaoyue, she wrote, unmoved by the flattery of her foolish servant, didn’t let it distract her from her grander ambitions. Instead, she pioneered the ‘Great Zhou Bao,’ sparking a cultural revolution across the Great Zhou by controlling public opinion and aiding her sister in consolidating her rule. She also penned timeless works like ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’ and ‘Romance of the Western Chamber,’ which became popular across various nations, driving the sales of the newspaper to unprecedented heights.

Noble sons from various countries fell at the feet of the incomparable princess, whose intelligence and beauty were unparalleled. This made her lazy, stupid, greedy and lustful servant, Yang Dayi, who loved big breasts, jealous.

The lazy servant Yang Dayi, as stupid and greedy as ever, admired her even more and began to develop secret feelings for the unparalleled strategist. Yet, how could such a noble and intelligent princess ever fall for a lazy, stupid, lustful man who had an obsession with big breasts? In her wisdom, Wu Xiaoyue coldly rejected his affections, leaving him heartbroken and in despair.

But Wu Xiaoyue, the greatest beauty of the empire, had grand ambitions far beyond trivial matters of the heart. She aimed to make the Great Zhou Bao the number one newspaper in the world. And she already had a brilliant plan to increase its sales manifold!

Meanwhile, her dim-witted servant, Yang Dayi, was completely clueless about her grand vision, hopelessly unable to comprehend even the smallest hint of her brilliance.

As Wu Mingyue penned these words, her smile deepened. Her brush moved with confidence, and her eyes gleamed with excitement.

Let’s see if you can keep your secrets now, villain! she thought gleefully. This princess will write you into oblivion!

After some time, she finally put down her brush. Her face was flushed with excitement, her slender frame brimming with energy. Humming a little tune, she placed the booklet on her bedside table, feeling accomplished.

The inspiration she had drawn from Yang Yi’s Dream of the Red Chamber and Romance of the Western Chamber had opened a whole new world for her. Now, she too was creating stories—stories that would capture hearts and minds.

Humph, I’m reluctant to let that scoundrel be a supporting character as my servant.

With a smug laugh, she flopped onto her bed, pulling her skirt up carelessly as she laughed, thoroughly enjoying herself.

…

Meanwhile, across town, Yang Yi sneezed.

Achoo! He rubbed his nose, mumbling, “Did I catch a cold last night? Must be from sleeping uncovered…”

Just then, a servant entered, bowing respectfully.

“Master, the greenhouse you had constructed is now finished. Would you like to take a look?”

Yang Yi’s eyes lit up.

“Let’s go. I want to see it.”

A short while later, Yang Yi stood before his farmland—an estate he had leased where tenant farmers worked for him. Here, he had planted a variety of crops: sweet potatoes, corn, chilli peppers, cotton, and various fruits, all courtesy of his system’s rewards. He had also recently ordered the construction of greenhouses.

As he looked out over the rows of greenhouses, which resembled transparent tents glistening in the sunlight, Yang Yi felt a deep satisfaction. These modern greenhouses were unlike anything that could be constructed with the technology of the current era.

They were another reward from the system, equipped with advanced materials far beyond what the people of this time could produce.

Thanks to these greenhouses, he could grow fruits and vegetables out of season, significantly improving the quality of life. Standing there, admiring the result, Yang Yi felt that his small slice of modernity in the ancient world was not only a mark of progress but a quiet revolution.

Yang Yi nodded in satisfaction and praised the tenants beside him, leaving them both surprised and honored.

The next day, Yang Yi rose early and made his way to the Empress’s Qianyuan Hall.

Half an hour later.

“Are you saying… this so-called gunpowder has the power to split mountains and rocks?”

Wu Zhao looked at the pile of papers Yang Yi handed her with astonishment. The papers were filled with highly precise diagrams and terms that she could not understand at all.

Yang Yi replied solemnly, “Your Majesty, when have I ever exaggerated?”

Wu Zhao thought for a moment. It seemed to be true; this guy always did more than he said. Her phoenix-like eyes turned slightly.

“You want to use gunpowder in the military?”

Yang Yi nodded slightly.

“Exactly, Your Majesty.”

“Once gunpowder is introduced, it will have the power to change the balance of power between nations. It could even lay the foundation for the Great Zhou to unite the world.”

Wu Zhao was stunned and looked at Yang Yi in surprise. She had not expected the gunpowder he spoke of to be so powerful.

If she really had the power Yang Yi claimed, wouldn’t she have a chance to conquer the world?

At this thought, Wu Zhao’s heart could not help but beat wildly. The various nations in the Central Plains had created an unprecedented era of great strife. Any ambitious emperor would dream of being the one to end the chaos and achieve the unification of the world, becoming a legendary ruler for the ages.

The Empress stifled the waves in her heart and pondered for a moment.

“I will allocate funds for the development of this gunpowder.”

“However, you must be the one to oversee this matter, and no one else must know.”

If the gunpowder truly possessed the terrifying power Yang Yi described, it would be classified as a top secret of the Great Zhou. She trusted no one but Yang Yi with this task.

Yang Yi blinked.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Empress pursed her lips, her black and white eyes shimmering slightly.

She asked calmly, “How have you been getting along with Wu Mingyue  lately?”

Yang Yi was taken aback, not expecting the Empress to suddenly bring this up, leaving him at a loss for words.

After a moment’s thought, he replied, “Your Majesty, the Princess and I have been working together on the newspaper. The princess is very hardworking, and sales of the ‘Great Zhou Bao’ are very high.”

Wu Zhao looked at Yang Yi thoughtfully. It was clear that her question had another meaning. However, Yang Yi seemed to play dumb and gave an irrelevant answer.

The Empress’s face remained expressionless, but her heart grew more complicated. Hearing that Yang Yi didn’t directly address his relationship with Wu Mingyue, she couldn’t quite describe her feelings. She didn’t know if she should feel happy or dissatisfied, or perhaps a mixture of the two.

For the first time, the wise and mature Empress could not even understand her own true feelings.

As her elder sister, she hoped that Wu Mingyue could marry a good man, and Yang Yi was clearly a good choice. However, seeing the two of them getting along so well, she felt a twinge of jealousy. She didn’t even know why she had asked the question.

The Empress remained silent, and Yang Yi naturally didn’t say anything either. Both the Empress and her minister fell silent, and the room suddenly became still.

At that moment…

Shangguan Wan’er quietly entered and respectfully said, “Your Majesty, the people of the Qing have sent a letter from Qianlong…”