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

Chapter 119

Zhu Yuanzhang deeply admired Yang Yi’s talent and wished to retain him in the Ming court.

Biao is too kindhearted; he needs a heartless and ruthless confidant to assist him, Zhu Yuanzhang thought, narrowing his eyes. His beard bristled slightly.

“A loyal minister indeed.”

He paused briefly before continuing, “In that case, I will not force you. However, since Ming and Great Zhou are now allied nations…”

His voice trailed off, and a sly glint flickered in his eyes.

“I have a few questions for you that I hope you will not hesitate to answer.”

Yang Yi remained composed, his tone calm. “Please go ahead, Your Majesty.”

He was uncertain of Zhu Yuanzhang’s intentions but resolved to adapt as necessary. I don’t think Zhu Yuanzhang can do much to me, he thought, his expression unwavering.

Zhu Yuanzhang stroked his beard, a faint smile playing on his weathered lips.

“What do you think are the shortcomings of our Ming Dynasty?”

The hall fell silent at once.

The Jin Yi Wei guards, including Mao Xiang, who stood discreetly in the corner, appeared astonished but quickly masked their expressions. They lowered their heads, breathing evenly, their postures as rigid as statues.

Zhu Biao, on the other hand, stared at Zhu Yuanzhang in shock. He had only been instructed to bring Yang Yi to the hall and never expected his father to pose such a provocative question—especially to a minister of Great Zhou.@@novelbin@@

Yang Yi himself was momentarily taken aback. He had not anticipated that Old Zhu would openly seek his opinion. However, as he studied Zhu Yuanzhang’s smiling face, understanding dawned.

This is a test, he thought. He doesn’t care about my loyalty; he’s measuring my abilities.

A faint smile crept across Yang Yi’s lips. Since Zhu Yuanzhang had asked so directly, Yang Yi decided to offer a plan—one that might inadvertently hasten Ming’s downfall.

Yang Yi exuded an air of calm confidence, his posture upright like a steadfast pine tree.

“Of course, there is,” he replied smoothly.

The hall grew even quieter.

Zhu Biao and the other attendants looked at Yang Yi in bewilderment. This man truly dared to speak his mind. Even Zhu Yuanzhang appeared momentarily startled.

He had asked the question out of curiosity, not expecting such a direct response. Most would have resorted to vague platitudes to deflect the question. Intrigued, Zhu Yuanzhang motioned for the palace maids and eunuchs to leave the hall.

When only Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Biao, the Jin Yi Wei guards, and Mao Xiang remained, the Emperor gestured for Yang Yi to proceed.

“Minister Yang, tell me…”

Yang Yi took a moment to gather his thoughts before answering.

“In my opinion, there are several areas where Ming could improve.”

Zhu Yuanzhang’s eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Yang Yi, his expression unreadable.

For a man who had risen from beggar to emperor, crafting the rules and regulations of Ming with his own hands, hearing such criticism was unexpected.

How could this man see so many flaws in my labor of love?

Even Zhu Biao and Mao Xiang were astonished. Could Yang Yi truly be treating Ming as if it were Great Zhou?

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned, his curiosity piqued. He couldn’t decide if Yang Yi was speaking nonsense or setting a subtle trap. Yet, his instincts urged him to listen further.

“Go ahead,” he said, leaning slightly forward.

Yang Yi’s smile deepened. “First, there’s the matter of granting titles to the Royal Princes,” he began.

“As far as I know, all the Ming princes are still in Ying Tian.”

Zhu Yuanzhang’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

Yang Yi continued calmly, “Your Majesty fought against the Yuan people, drove some away, and established Ming. However, the Yuan people in the north still pose a threat. If the court relies solely on local troops without the support of the princes, Ming’s stability may be in jeopardy.”

Zhu Biao’s eyes widened. This man truly understands Ming,

Even Zhu Yuanzhang appeared startled. Yang Yi’s thoughts aligned with his own unresolved concerns about dividing the territories among his sons.

“What do you suggest?” Zhu Yuanzhang asked, curiosity overcoming his initial hesitation.

Yang Yi replied without hesitation. “It’s simple: establish three lines of defense against the Yuan people in the north.”

The hall buzzed with silent astonishment.

Yang Yi elaborated, “The first defense line is the Great Wall. Using it as a border, grant lands to the princes from west to east, linking their territories to form an impregnable barrier.

“The second and third lines are the Yellow River and Yangtze River. By granting the upper and middle reaches to the princes, you create additional defenses. Any invader from the north would need to break through three fortified lines to reach the court.”

The room fell into stunned silence.

Is this man truly advising Ming? the guards wondered, incredulous.

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at Yang Yi, his thoughts churning.

The plan was brilliant—both pragmatic and visionary. Yet Zhu Yuanzhang hesitated. Was Yang Yi genuinely helping, or was this a ploy to sow discord?

Zhu Biao broke the silence. “Minister Yang, if the princes are granted territories and military power, won’t that undermine the court’s authority? History has shown us the dangers of such actions—the rebellion of the Seven States during the Han Dynasty comes to mind.”

Yang Yi smiled, his eyes sharp. “Crown Prince, who do you believe was to blame for that rebellion?”

Without pause, Zhu Biao replied, “The Seven States, of course.”

Yang Yi’s smile deepened. He turned to Zhu Yuanzhang.

“What do you think, Your Majesty?”

Zhu Yuanzhang pondered before answering.

“The fault lay neither with the Seven States nor the enfeoffment system. It was the Emperor’s lack of benevolence. Emperor Jing sowed discord by plotting to kill King Wu’s heir and stripping the Seven States of their lands. An emperor so harsh invites rebellion.”

Zhu Biao fell into contemplative silence.

Yang Yi’s subtle smile returned. Old Zhu still thinks in terms of familial loyalty, unable to trust outsiders.