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

Chapter 56:  Qianlong’s ‘privacy’ exposed!

Great Zhou.

“Can’t you accept twenty thousand bolts of silk, three hundred thousand ounces of silver, and three thousand horses?”

“Then let’s go back to our original terms: ten thousand bolts of silk, fifteen thousand ounces of silver, and one thousand horses. Tell Qianlong that if he still can’t accept it, he can forget about getting his beloved general back.” Yang Yi smiled.

Xu Jingzong and the others nearby shook their heads with wry smiles.

This kid is too cunning.

Originally, these were the terms they had agreed upon. But when Yang Yi informed the other party’s envoy, he deliberately raised the price temporarily to push the other side’s baseline higher.

That way, when Qianlong couldn’t accept the exaggerated demands, he would inevitably settle for the original offer of ten thousand bolts of silk, fifteen thousand ounces of silver, and one thousand horses.

A bit manipulative, but undeniably effective.

Wu Zhao raised her elegant eyebrows slightly as she leaned back in her chair, lost in thought.

“How is Niohuru Nianqing now?” Wu Zhao asked.

Yang Yi smiled and replied,

“The old man’s been locked up in prison all day, completely cut off from the outside world. The Great Zhou Bao has already published two issues detailing his relationship with Qianlong, exposing his background…”

He sighed, a hint of mockery in his tone.

“Recently, not only our Great Zhou, but even the surrounding states of Qin and Tang have learned of him. He’s undoubtedly the most famous man in Qing.”

“Now even those poor scholars who make their living by writing scripts are jumping on the bandwagon, using his story.”

“As soon as Qianlong pays up, the Great Zhou Bao will start exposing all the dirty deeds Nianqing did for him, along with their secrets of bullying men and women. By then, the whole world will know that both Nianqing and Qianlong are far from decent people.”

Xu Jingzong, Wei Yuanzhong, Zhang Jianzhi, and the others felt a chill run down their spines, quietly taking a deep breath.

Thank goodness Yang Yi is a minister of Great Zhou. If he served in an enemy state, they would be the ones in disgrace right now.

People live and die by their reputations, and none of them could imagine how Qianlong would bear the weight of such overwhelming public condemnation.

The Empress sighed quietly.

Fortunately, her keen eye had recognized Yang Yi’s talent early on.

Even Wei Yuanzhong and the others, seasoned ministers, felt a slight unease at Yang Yi’s words.

…

Three days later, in Qing.

“Your Majesty, an urgent report from Zhou…” Fu Cha Fu Heng said carefully.

“Ten thousand bolts of silk, fifteen thousand ounces of silver, and a thousand horses. They claim this is their final offer. If we do not agree, the negotiations are over.”

Qianlong, his sunken, bloodshot eyes staring at Fu Cha Fu Heng, gritted his teeth.

“Agree to their terms.”

These past days had been torturous enough. Dealing with these Zhou people… so utterly shameless.

Fu Cha Fu Heng respectfully bowed.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Qianlong closed his eyes and let out a weary sigh.

“Have them release Nianqing as soon as possible. I’ll send everything over right away.”

He wasn’t worried about Yang Yi and the others reneging on their word. If they did, Zhou’s reputation would crumble, isolating them from the other nations.

Fu Cha Fu Heng nodded again.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

…

Ten days later.

“Minister Yang, this is my emperor’s promise. Please release General Nianqing as soon as possible,” a man dressed in a peacock feather hat and a stone-blue silk robe said gravely.

Yang Yi glanced behind the Qing official. Large trunks were loaded onto carts, and Zhou officials were busy inspecting them, nodding to confirm.

Indeed, there were ten thousand bolts of silk and fifteen thousand ounces of silver. The thousand horses had already been inspected and moved to the stables.

Yang Yi, satisfied, couldn’t help but marvel at how valuable Niohuru Nianqing had turned out to be. He smiled and said, “Rest assured, I won’t go back on my word. Nianqing will be sent to you shortly.”

After dismissing the Qing envoy, Yang Yi turned back to report to the Empress.

…

Qianyuan Hall.

“Your Majesty, the ransom from Qing has arrived. I’ve already sent Niohuru Nianqing to the Qing envoy. They will leave Great Zhou in half a day,” Yang Yi reported solemnly.

Wu Zhao’s slender, pale fingers gently tapped the table, a cold, noble smile playing on her beautiful face.

“Very good.”

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s Great Zhou Bao.”

“Are all preparations in place?” she asked.

Yang Yi folded his hands in salute. “Your Majesty, I’ve already instructed the newspaper office. Everything is ready and waiting for the perfect moment.”

…

That night.

The newspaper office was still brightly lit.

“Make way…”

The courtyard where the papers were printed was bustling with activity. Workers hurried back and forth, ensuring the new edition of Great Zhou Bao was printed without delay.

Although they had prepared more than enough copies, Yang Yi felt it still wasn’t sufficient, so the printing had been running around the clock for several days.

Meanwhile, Wu Mingyue, with dark circles under her eyes, pouted her rosy lips in dissatisfaction.

“I’ve done all the work, and now you’re leaving?”

Yang Yi smiled, his hands tucked into his sleeves.

“Running the newspaper office requires the intelligence and beauty of the princess. If I stay, wouldn’t I just be overshadowing you?”

Wu Mingyue’s heart fluttered at his words, but she waved her hand dismissively, pretending not to care.

“Hmph. I’m doing this for my sister and for Great Zhou.”

“But is it really alright? The news should report the truth, and all that dirt on Qianlong… you made it up,” she said, frowning.

Yang Yi shook his head.

This princess isn’t cunning enough.

“When it comes to politics, there’s no such thing as right or wrong, Princess,” he replied with a knowing smile.

“Don’t you know that Qianlong is a lecherous man? It’s said that whenever he travels incognito, he takes every beautiful woman he sees, whether married or not, into his bed.”

“I’ve heard he has more children among the common people than in the palace. Exposing the true nature of such a man is also standing up for the many women he’s wronged.”

“Fighting for the people’s interests and shedding light on the dark for the weak—that’s the mission of Great Zhou Bao, isn’t it?”

“You claim I’m fabricating things, but if he were an honorable man, would any of my lies stick?”

Wu Mingyue felt a bit dizzy from his words. She pursed her lips, a flicker of disgust flashing in her eyes.

“I suppose so,” she muttered.

“People who defile other people’s wives and daughters deserve to die!”

Then, with a quick glance at Yang Yi, she smirked.

“But you, a pervert who likes to stare at women’s breasts, what right do you have to call others perverts?”

Yang Yi replied, righteously, “Princess, you misunderstand me. I’m merely trying to fulfill my parents’ expectations.”

“Huh?” Wu Mingyue blinked, confused.

“What does your perversion have to do with your parents’ expectations?”

Yang Yi adopted a serious tone.

“My parents always hoped I would become an outstanding person. And obviously, I’ve achieved four-fifths of that.”

“I’ve become very ‘out-standing’ (perverted).”

“…”

This scoundrel really knows how to justify himself!