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“However, I have never sought a reward, Your Majesty. It was our brave Zhou soldiers who defeated the Qing, faced the plague, and captured the enemy city. How could I dare claim the highest merit? And those soldiers who perished from the plague— they sacrificed their lives for the country and should be honored.”

“I humbly request that Your Majesty erect a memorial forest for these martyrs, with their names inscribed on monuments, so that future generations may remember and honor them.”

As his words fell, the previously restless hall fell into a stunned silence. Many officials were left speechless, their faces filled with astonishment.

Unbelievable! He was giving up such a monumental opportunity for promotion to honor a group of common soldiers?

Veteran officials like Xu Jingzong, who had spent decades in the court, nodded in quiet admiration. This was the art of language.

Those soldiers infected with the plague had never fought in battle, and by custom, their fate was to be cremated to prevent the plague’s spread. Yet, due to Yang Yi’s brilliant strategy, their bodies were now part of a victory.

Anyone with insight could see that Yang Yi deserved the highest merit. But here he was, claiming that those soldiers had sacrificed their lives for the country and deserved the highest honors.

This was rhetoric at its finest!

In just a few words, he had transformed the entire situation. What should have been merely a tactical use of fallen bodies was now a noble sacrifice for the nation.

It was a direct rebuke to Li Yifu. Li Yifu had accused Yang Yi of destroying soldiers’ bodies, but Yang Yi had reframed it as a sacrifice for the country. The difference in tone was immediately apparent to all.

Xu Jingzong and the others understood this well, and of course, so did Li Yifu. His face turned slightly pale, and he regretted his earlier rashness. Now, he stood in stark contrast to Yang Yi, appearing petty in comparison.

Shangguan Wan’er bit her lip, realizing just how skilled Yang Yi truly was. Her earlier worry for him was entirely misplaced—Minister Yang had masterfully countered Li Yifu’s shallow attempt to smear his reputation.

Wu Zhao raised her phoenix-like brows in surprise, having not expected Yang Yi to reject a personal reward in favor of honoring the fallen soldiers. Her admiration for him deepened. In a world full of cunning yet heartless individuals, sincere and considerate people like Yang Yi were rare.

Most fallen soldiers would have received modest compensation, and their families would have been informed of their deaths. But Yang Yi’s proposal to create a memorial forest not only honored their sacrifice but also secured their names in history.

The Empress grew even fonder of Yang Yi. He understood propriety, knew when to step forward and when to retreat, served the Emperor with loyalty, and connected with the sentiments of the people. Although his strategies were undeniably ruthless, his depth of character made him invaluable to the Zhou Dynasty.

Her lips curved into a faint smile, and her voice, imbued with imperial authority, echoed through the hall.

“I will not forget the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country. A monument will be erected in Luoyang with their names, and their families will receive significant compensation from the court. If their children choose to join the military, they will have additional opportunities for promotion in the future.”

Yang Yi smiled humbly.

“Your Majesty is wise.”

Wu Zhao’s smile widened slightly.

“However, your modesty will not diminish your achievements. Your merits are plain for all to see.”

“I will not overlook a meritorious minister. Here’s what we’ll do; you will be elevated to the title of Count of the County, and you will also assume the position of Deputy Minister of the Ministry of War.”

Yang Yi blinked in surprise, not expecting such a promotion at all. He immediately bowed. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

The Zhou officials in the hall were left in shock, reeling from the sudden turn of events.

Yang Yi’s maneuvering had truly left the court in awe. He had skillfully turned what could have been a simple promotion into a grand gesture of selflessness. By shifting the credit to the soldiers and asking for a memorial forest, Yang Yi not only garnered public recognition but also solidified his standing with both the Empress and the Zhou citizens.

Now, with the families of those fallen soldiers forever grateful to him, his reputation would be transformed entirely. His initial act of humility had, in fact, secured him more power and influence than a straightforward reward ever could.

The officials, their expressions conflicted, turned their gaze toward Li Yifu. His face shifted through various shades of green, white, and red.

He had just attempted to undermine Yang Yi, but Yang Yi, with a simple but devastatingly effective move, had humiliated him instead—publicly.

Under the weight of the crowd’s stares, Li Yifu felt his blood boil.

His anger surged, but there was nothing he could do. In fact, he was on the verge of coughing up blood from sheer frustration. At that precise moment, Yang Yi turned to him, a faint smile playing on his lips.

“Minister Li,” he said softly, “you no longer seem concerned about encouraging bad practices, do you?”

The words struck like a dagger. The room fell silent once again as all eyes turned toward Li Yifu.

His face turned from iron blue to black, and then to a deep purple. His lips quivered as he forced out the words, each one bitter to swallow.

“No, it doesn’t,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I was thinking too much.”

A collective gasp echoed throughout the hall.

Li Yifu had been forced to admit his mistake in front of Yang Yi.

Though higher in rank, Li Yifu’s confession not only humiliated him, but it also shattered his authority in front of the entire court. Yang Yi’s methods, though subtle, were merciless.

With one deft move, he had taken revenge and elevated himself even higher. The officials now regarded Yang Yi with a newfound respect, knowing full well how formidable he truly was.

Half an hour later, as the officials were departing Qianyuan Hall, Yang Yi found a quiet corner and discreetly opened his system panel.

[Host: Yang Yi]

[Poison Expert Rating: 91,236]

Yang Yi blinked in disbelief. His recent strategy of using plague-infected corpses had directly boosted his Poison Expert level by nearly ninety thousand.

This was an enormous gain! Feeling quite satisfied, he couldn’t resist opening the system’s lottery once again. The thrill of the lottery was addictive, especially when his luck seemed to be on a roll.

[Ding! 90,000 Poison Expert Value consumed, lottery started.]

The system prompt flashed before his eyes. The prize pool lit up, a dazzling array of items swirling in front of him. After a few moments, a series of announcements rang out.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for winning a Ferghana Horse *1.]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a Policewoman Cosplay Outfit *1.]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host on obtaining Diamond Rings *10.]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for receiving the Gunpowder Making Technique.]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining Black Stockings *10.]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining Lubricating Oil *10.]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining Stamina Boost.]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining Stamina Enhancement.]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a character summoning card: Xu Chu.]

As Yang Yi scanned the rewards, his heart leapt. While the other rewards were intriguing, the Gunpowder Making Technique

 immediately caught his attention. He hadn’t expected to win something so monumental!

Historically, gunpowder development required significant resources and even cost lives. Even with his current high position, it would have taken an enormous amount of time to stabilize production. But now, he possessed perfected gunpowder technology! This was a tremendous victory, giving him a strategic advantage few could imagine.

Just as Yang Yi was reveling in his good fortune, a soft voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Minister Yang…” It was Hua Mei, the personal maid of Princess Wu Mingyue.

Yang Yi looked up, slightly startled, as she bowed respectfully.

“Minister Yang, the princess requests your presence.”

…

A short while later, Yang Yi stood in Shu Yu Palace. His mood, buoyed by his recent windfall, made him smile as he greeted the princess.

“Does the princess have some important business with me?” he asked, his tone playful.

Wu Mingyue pouted, her voice tinged with annoyance.

“Humph, it’s that reader who keeps writing to you. She sent you a bunch of letters, all through the newspaper.”

“You didn’t come to pick them up, so I had to bring them to you. It’s really annoying.”

Yang Yi was momentarily surprised before he remembered the fan mail he had been receiving. Ever since Great Zhou Bao became popular, readers from neighboring countries had started writing to him, particularly regarding his works, Dream of the Red Chamber and Romance of the Western Chamber. Female readers especially seemed captivated by his novels, and he had received a flood of letters.

There was one female reader, however, who stood out. She claimed to be from the Qin Dynasty, though she never revealed her identity.

Her letters were written with exquisite calligraphy, and her words hinted at a noble upbringing. Curious, Yang Yi had replied once, and this had sparked a steady correspondence.

Yang Yi couldn’t help but smile.

“Thank you, Princess.”

Seeing his delighted expression, Wu Mingyue felt an unexpected pang of jealousy and indignation. She snorted softly.

“Look at you, so pleased with yourself. Don’t get too happy too soon—this woman might be a two-hundred-pound fatty,” she snapped, unaware of the jealousy lacing her words.

Yang Yi laughed, his mood even brighter. Sometimes, Wu Mingyue could be quite adorable. He blinked playfully.

“Is the princess worried I might meet the wrong person?”

Lifting her head with mock pride, Wu Mingyue retorted, “Humph, why should I worry about you?”

Yang Yi, seeing through her act, nodded sagely.

“Ah, I see. The princess must be jealous.”