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

Chapter 59

The common people would certainly ask this question! By then, the rumors would no longer be just rumors; they would be confirmed as truth.

Wei Yuanzhong swallowed hard. This young man, Yang Yi, was truly ruthless.

Damn it, who could resist him?

Xu Jingzong, Zhang Jianzhi, and the others also felt chills run down their spines. They were immensely relieved. Thank God this guy was on their side.

Wu Zhao’s usually calm demeanor wavered. Her lips parted slightly, and she looked at Yang Yi with a touch of confusion.

Even she couldn’t help but feel shaken. His methods were truly cold-blooded, squeezing the last bit of value out of even the dead.

After a pause, she slowly said, “I’ll leave this matter to you.”

…

The next day, the Great Zhou Bao released a special edition, as expected. Niohuru Nianqing’s death reignited the rumors about Qianlong, which had lost some momentum.

Everyone was now asking the same question: If the rumors were false, why would Niohuru Nianqing die?

Obviously, Qianlong felt guilty! So the rumors weren’t just rumors—they were facts!

For a time, the gossiping commoners went wild. The Emperor’s private affairs had been exposed in public for the first time in history.

The fact that Qianlong had supposedly killed Niohuru Nianqing in a rage excited them even more. A supreme Emperor, desperate and humiliated, had shown his ugliest side.

Even the citizens of the Qing Dynasty became convinced. Their Emperor had indeed committed those shameful acts.

…

Qing Dynasty

Golden Throne Hall

“Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!”

Qianlong overturned the table, eyes blazing with anger.

“These Zhou people are spreading nonsense! Niohuru Nianqing clearly committed suicide! What does that have to do with me? That man was nothing but a liability!”

He was almost maddened with rage.

Initially, Qianlong had planned to distance himself from Nianqing and let the rumors die out. But Niohuru Nianqing’s suicide had completely reversed his plan. The Zhou had used Nianqing’s death to drag Qianlong’s name into the dirt again.

Now, those rumours were pinned firmly on him. Qianlong was so furious he could spit blood. He clutched his chest, his face pale and twisted with frustration. The past few days had been torture.

He turned sharply toward Fu Cha Fu Heng.

“Fu Heng, have you found out who’s behind this plot?”

Fu Cha Fu Heng swallowed hard.

“We have some clues. It seems to be connected to Yang Yi.”

“Yang Yi!” Qianlong’s eyes immediately widened.

Him again?!

He roared in anger, “If I don’t kill him, I swear that I am not human!”

Pfft!

In his fit of rage, Qianlong spat out a mouthful of blood. His vision blurred, and before anyone could react, he collapsed.

“Your Majesty!” The attendants rushed forward in panic.

…

Ming Dynasty

Fengtian Temple

Zhu Yuanzhang sighed heavily.

“We underestimated him,” he murmured.

Zhu Biao, standing by his side, stared at the newspaper.

The headline blared: Shocking! Qianlong’s Beloved General Suspected of Suicide.

His fists clenched.

“What? Niohuru Nianqing died in such a manner? Yang Yi’s strategy… It’s truly brilliant. This man’s tactics are terrifying.”

His eyes remained glued to the paper, his body trembling as a chill ran down his spine.

Too terrifying.

Both he and his father had been closely watching Yang Yi, trying to predict his next move. They had speculated that he might resort to poisoning Nianqing. But now it was clear—they had been completely wrong.

This poison master had used something far more intricate, killing without leaving a trace.

So ruthless!

Zhu Yuanzhang’s eyes were shadowed with both shock and admiration.

“This man is a truly unique strategist. His plan was perfect. From Nianqing’s capture to his suicide, everything unfolded exactly as Yang Yi intended. Now, Qianlong can never clear his name.”

“We thought he would use poison. Now, it’s clear our thinking was too naive. This Minister Yang is a real master strategist.”

Zhu Yuanzhang narrowed his eyes, his voice deep.

“What a brilliant use of a borrowed knife to kill! Using rumours to create a rift between Qianlong and Niohuru Nianqing, ultimately leading to Nianqing’s death.”

He sighed.

“Such a genius, and yet he’s not one of our Ming people. What a pity.”

He shook his head and added, “Even together, we father and son are no match for him.”

Zhu Biao was stunned.

“Father…” He had never expected his proud father to hold anyone in such high regard.

…

Tang Dynasty

Imperial Palace

Li Shimin’s expression was a mix of shock and admiration.

“We were wrong. We never expected Yang Yi to use such an unimaginable strategy, killing Niohuru Nianqing, extorting a fortune from Qianlong, and forever tainting his reputation with these rumours.”

Changsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, and the other ministers were equally astounded, their minds racing. They had always prided themselves on being the sharpest strategists of the Tang Dynasty, the famed twenty-four ministers of the Lingyan Pavilion. Yet, none of them had been able to predict Yang Yi’s approach.

Fang Xuanling took a deep breath.

“He manipulated the situation without even leaving Luoyang, forcing Nianqing to his death and tarnishing Qianlong’s name in the process. Could this young man truly be a born sage? He’s only twenty years old.”

Du Ruhui smiled bitterly.

“It’s terrifying. Nianqing’s every move was carefully woven into Yang Yi’s plan. His insight into human nature and his ability to manipulate it is simply unheard of. It’s something I can’t even begin to match.”

Changsun Wuji let out a long sigh.

“He’s already this formidable at just twenty years old… We are old and outdated.”

The group fell silent, each of them feeling a deep sense of unease. Yang Yi’s ruthless strategy had shaken them to the core.

…

Qin Dynasty

Zhangtai Temple

Ying Zheng muttered to himself,

“There really was a perfect solution.”

Before Niohuru Nianqing was sent back to the Qing Dynasty, he carefully weighed all the possible outcomes. In his mind, there was no way to both extort money from Qianlong and eliminate the threat of Nianqing.

Yet in less than a month, Yang Yi had flipped the entire situation on its head.

Qianlong had lost a fortune, Nianqing was dead, and the rumors had smeared Qianlong’s name beyond repair.

Every step had been calculated to perfection.

This was the brilliance of the Great Zhou’s Poison Expert.

Ying Zheng sighed.

“He played with Qianlong and every onlooker from a distance. To strategize from inside the tent and win a thousand miles away… I am no match for him.”

His ministers, Li Si, Wang Wan, and Feng Quji, were just as shaken. It was the first time they had seen their proud Emperor admit someone else’s superiority.

Ying Zheng continued,

“From now on, gather every bit of information you can about him. He will be our most difficult enemy in the future.”

Li Si and the others felt the same cold dread. Yang Yi’s strategies were ruthless beyond belief.