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Li Yifu frowned upon hearing this and couldn’t resist a sarcastic comment.

“Lord Yang is quite bold to make the Empress wait for him”

The officials exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of skepticism and irritation. It wasn’t just Li Yifu who felt this way.

The notion of a seventh-ranked official from the Central Secretariat keeping the Empress and high-ranking officials waiting seemed audacious, if not audacious.

Shangguan Wan’er pursed her lips, casting a quick glance at the Empress. Wu Zhao sat on her imperial carriage, her cold, noble demeanor betraying no emotion.

Her authoritative voice rang out, “We will wait.”

The crowd fell silent, the tension palpable. Li Yifu’s face flushed with embarrassment and frustration, his fists clenching in anger towards Yang Yi.

The officials, witnessing the Empress’s open support for Yang Yi, knew better than to voice their discontent.

They stood in quiet anticipation, their earlier criticisms now tempered by the Empress’s patience.

Moments later, Yang Yi arrived, flanked by a group of workers carrying five wooden barrels. Each barrel was half the size of a man and tightly sealed.

Yang Yi approached the Empress and presented the barrels with a flourish.

“Your Majesty, the strategy I mentioned to make the Turks suffer setbacks is contained within these barrels…”

A murmur of surprise rippled through the crowd. The officials were astonished.

The gravity of the situation became clear: Yang Yi had brought something crucial for dealing with the Turkish threat. The presence of the barrels sparked curiosity and speculation.

Li Yifu’s eyes narrowed, a cold glint flashing within them.

He never expected that Yang Yi, without making a sound, would once again propose a method to deal with the Turks to the Empress.

If he didn’t keep an eye on this young man, he would end up causing major events.

The Turks’ habit of raiding southern border towns had always been a top concern for the Central Plains countries.

Not just Great Zhou, but neighbouring countries like Tang and Ming also suffered from their incursions.

Could this young man really handle it?

Li Yifu said indifferently, “We all know of Lord Yang’s patriotic heart, but the Turks are not easy to deal with. If Lord Yang treats them like disaster victims, he might end up failing miserably…”

Other officials displayed subtle disdain, whispering among themselves. They exchanged skeptical remarks about Yang Yi’s bold claims.

One official noted, “The Turks are so formidable that even Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty suffered losses against them. Yang Yi might be overestimating his abilities.”

Another added, “Indeed, many renowned generals wouldn’t dare claim they could easily defeat the fierce Turks. Yang Yi is still too young.”

A third official commented, “Youthful bravado is one thing, but it must be backed by real strength. Boldness alone isn’t enough.”

The crowd was generally pessimistic about Yang Yi.

If the Turks were so easy to deal with, they wouldn’t be such a headache for the countries of the Central Plains. This young man underestimated everyone.

Yang Yi smiled slightly, seemingly unfazed by Li Yifu’s words.

“Minister Li’s advice is duly noted. However… should we cower just because the Turks are formidable and our success or failure affects our position? We receive the Empress’s salary and should share the Empress’s worries. Even if we fail, it’s better than being a coward!”

Pfft.

Shangguan Wan’er couldn’t help but laugh, but she quickly realized her mistake and covered her mouth.

Her clear eyes still held a hint of amusement as she looked at Yang Yi.

This Lord Yang had a unique way of insulting people.

Li Yifu’s face turned alternately green and white. His vision darkened. How many years had it been since someone dared to be so insolent in front of him? This young man actually dared to call him a coward?

Outrageous!

The officials present also held back their laughter. Although they didn’t have high hopes for Yang Yi, they didn’t like the arrogant and domineering Li Yifu either. It was quite amusing to see Li Yifu being put in his place.

Inside the imperial carriage, Wu Zhao’s lips curved slightly.

She said nonchalantly, “Alright, everyone, stop arguing. Yang Qing, does your strategy to defeat the enemy really depend on those barrels behind you?”

Her words drew everyone’s attention to the barrels. They were all curious to know what was inside.

Yang Yi folded his hands. “Your Majesty, indeed. The contents of these barrels can increase our chances of success against the Turks.”

Li Yifu snorted. “Nonsense. Do you know how difficult it is to deal with the Turks? Do you really think that a few barrels can defeat them? If it really works, I’ll eat those barrels.”

Yang Yi’s mouth twitched, a strange expression on his face. “Minister Li, are you sure?”

Li Yifu looked at him and scoffed inwardly. He didn’t believe that a young man who had never seen the battlefield would be able to make the Turks suffer.

“Of course, I’m sure,” he said.

Yang Yi nodded. This old man was truly ruthless.

He calmly said, “In that case, Minister Li, please open the lid of the barrel. The contents are the ingenious items we will use to defend ourselves against the Turks.”

Everyone was curious. Shangguan Wan’er couldn’t help but stand on tiptoe. Even Wu Zhao in the imperial carriage straightened her back slightly to see what was inside the barrel.

Li Yifu frowned, not sure what trick this young man was playing. But he was sure that Yang Yi couldn’t possibly succeed. It was probably just a clever but useless device. How could these things possibly deal with the Turks?

He snorted coldly, stepped forward, and lifted the lid in one swift motion. As he did so, a wave of intensely foul-smelling hot air rushed toward his face. The scorching heat instantly burned his skin.

Li Yifu screamed, dropped the lid, and stumbled back a few steps.