SWNOVELXO Chapter 101
Chapter 101
Wu Zhao regarded Yang Yi with a strange expression.
“Wait, I have a question…”
Yang Yi maintained his composed smile.
“Please, Your Majesty…”
Wu Zhao’s lips curled slightly, her dark eyes gleaming with curiosity.
“I heard that your family is quite ordinary, with no notable ancestors, and your parents died young. So, you shouldn’t possess so much glassware.
“One hundred pieces of glassware constitute a fortune that could rival the wealth of a nation. Where did you get them?”
The hall fell silent, stunned by her words. She was right.
They had been so overwhelmed by the staggering numbers—one hundred pieces of glassware and 50 million strings of cash—that they had overlooked the most glaring question.
Prime Minister Yang came from an ordinary background.
Where had he obtained a hundred pieces of glassware?
Even the Emperor himself wasn’t that extravagant.
Glassware was an extremely rare and invaluable treasure, impossible to replicate. Each piece was unique, crafted with precision and skill. Even the most talented artisans wouldn’t dare claim they could create identical glassware.
All eyes in the hall turned to Yang Yi.
Clearing his throat, Yang Yi spoke evenly.
“Your Majesty, I have mastered the technique of making glassware.”
Silence.
The hall froze as if time itself had stopped.
“Making glassware?” The Empress’s phoenix-like eyes widened in disbelief.
“Minister Yang, are you joking?”
Her voice carried less skepticism than astonishment. It wasn’t a matter of mistrust—such a claim was simply too incredible.
No one in the world had ever dared assert they could manufacture glassware.
Meeting Wu Zhao’s gaze, Yang Yi’s expression grew serious.
“Your Majesty, I have recently established a glass workshop. This glassware can now be mass-produced according to a standardized manufacturing process.”
Gasp!
The collective gasp echoed through the hall like a thunderclap.
Mass production?
The sheer audacity of the claim left everyone in awe.
Wu Zhao’s shock was palpable. Glassware—so rare it was considered a treasure—and now it could be mass-produced?
Xu Jingzong’s brows furrowed as if a realisation struck him. He turned to Yang Yi, his voice tinged with astonishment.
“Minister Yang, the reason you’re selling this glassware to the Song nobility, even encouraging them to pool their resources… Could it be that you’re waiting for—”
He stopped mid-sentence, unable to continue.
Yang Yi smiled knowingly. “Lord Xu’s assumption is absolutely correct.”
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.
“I am indeed planning for them to invest their fortunes in acquiring this glassware. Before they can sell it, I will announce to the world that Great Zhou can mass-produce glassware.”
Gasps filled the room again.
“In this way, the so-called rare treasures—each worth hundreds of thousands of guan and with fewer than a few dozen in the world—will no longer be rare. Naturally, their value will collapse, potentially dropping from hundreds of thousands to just a few hundred guan.”
Yang Yi’s tone remained calm, though his words sent shivers down everyone’s spines.
“Moreover, as our glassware becomes widely available, it will transition from being a luxury item to a household necessity. Prices will plummet to a few dozen coins, or even mere coppers.
“When that happens, no one will buy the glassware the Song nobles poured their fortunes into. They will suffer immense losses, which may destabilize the Song economy.”
He smiled faintly. “And as for Zhu Dong and Gao Kan, despite their high positions, they will undoubtedly face the fury of the entire Song nobility.”
Another gasp rippled through the hall.
This was brutal.
The “Living Yama” had struck again.
Xu Jingzong and Wei Yuanzhong were left speechless, even though they were accustomed to Yang Yi’s ruthless strategies.
Wu Zhao’s eyelids twitched slightly as she processed his words. Her phoenix-like eyes shimmered with shock.
No wonder Yang Yi had seemed so confident and calm. He had already set the trap.
50 million yuan—an amount equivalent to Great Zhou’s annual tax revenue.
The hall was silent for a long moment. Finally, Xu Jingzong stroked his beard and smiled wryly.
“Minister Yang, you are truly impressive—going to such lengths for a woman.”
The comment drew wry smiles from others.
Zhu Dong and Gao Kan would undoubtedly regret ever provoking Yang Yi’s wife. They’d not only lose their wealth but also face the ire of the Song nobility.
Yang Yi shook his head, replying seriously, “Lord Xu, you misunderstand.
“My plan accomplishes more than mere vengeance. It kills three birds with one stone.”
The hall buzzed with murmurs of curiosity.
Wu Zhao raised an eyebrow. “Minister Yang, what do you mean?”
Yang Yi explained, “First, the Song’s shameless attempts to exploit Great Zhou show a lack of respect. Cheating them out of 50 million strings is a small punishment—a lesson they won’t forget.
“Second, although our treasury isn’t strained, an additional 50 million yuan will enable us to undertake projects for the betterment of the nation.
“And third…” His gaze sharpened.
“Your Majesty has often mentioned that Great Zhou lacks an economic pillar industry. Since we lack geographical advantages, we must create a unique industry. I believe the glassware business is our answer.
“By using this opportunity to announce our ability to mass-produce glassware, we will captivate the world’s attention and firmly establish Great Zhou as synonymous with glassware.
“Even as prices drop with widespread availability, monopolizing the glassware market will ensure its role as our economic pillar. Glassware will become a staple of Great Zhou’s prosperity.”
The hall fell silent once more. Yang Yi’s far-reaching vision left everyone in awe.
Wu Zhao’s almond-shaped eyes remained wide as she clenched her pale hand into a fist, hidden within her sleeve.
What had seemed an impossible problem was solved effortlessly by Yang Yi, all while teaching the Song a harsh lesson.
Pursing her lips, Wu Zhao asked, “Minister Yang, you had already planned this glassware business?”
Yang Yi spread his hands with a helpless smile.
“Yes, Your Majesty. When you previously asked for strategies, I wanted to propose this. But you all dismissed it as a devious plot and wouldn’t let me speak.”
He looked around the room, his expression mildly amused.
“Do you still think it’s a devious plan now?”
A few ministers instinctively wiped their foreheads, sweat forming as they avoided his gaze.
The glassware business itself was harmless. But leveraging the Song’s greed as a publicity stunt…
Well, it certainly had the hallmarks of a “Living Yama” scheme.