While others focused on developing the Great Zhou, only Prime Minister Yang pondered how to dismantle other nations. He was truly a living Yama. Destroying a culture was far crueler than destroying the human body.
Wu Zhao was stunned. Her rosy lips parted slightly, unable to close. Before Yang Yi had spoken, she would never have imagined that “public opinion” and “sowing discord” could be wielded with such precision.
The thought of these strategies taking effect, turning the youth of foreign nations against their own cultures while glorifying the Great Zhou, sent a chill down her spine.
Such an insidious scheme—this was cruelty taken to its extreme. How deeply must one understand human nature to devise such a terrifying strategy?
Wu Zhao pressed her lips together, silent for a moment before speaking slowly.
“Minister Yang, your strategies are truly ingenious.”
The officials nodded in admiration. The brilliance of these plans lay in their subtlety. Like water seeping into cracks, they would infiltrate enemy nations without making waves, yet their effects would be undeniable.
By the time these countries realized something was amiss, it would be too late. There would be no defense against it.
Yang Yi smiled. “Your Majesty, for these strategies to take shape, they require a medium.”
The court fell silent, eyes turning toward him. Wu Zhao frowned. “A medium?” Discover more novels at novel·fıre·net
Yang Yi nodded. “All these strategies rely on the silent power of ‘public opinion’ to shape the minds of the people. But this influence cannot depend on mere word of mouth. It needs a vessel—something that can reach everyone… namely, text. And the most direct manifestation of its power is the newspaper.”
He paused before continuing, “However, newspapers are not the only option. I believe Great Zhou can produce a collection of stories—books filled with tales that glorify our empire. Whether these stories are fabricated or based on real events, they must all present Great Zhou in a positive and uplifting light.”
His eyes glinted. “I shall call it a magazine. Unlike newspapers, which report news, magazines will serve as entertainment. They will weave their way into the daily lives of foreign citizens, saturating their world with our culture.”
He leaned forward slightly. “These magazines will be everywhere, spreading Great Zhou’s influence far and wide. No matter their age, as long as these magazines appear around them, they will eventually be affected.
“At first, they may read with curiosity or skepticism, but as they encounter more and more of these stories, a longing for Great Zhou will take root. Imagine these magazines scattered on tables, beds, even the ground.
“The moment someone picks one up and starts reading, our culture begins to shape them. The influence will be subtle—imperceptible at first, yet unstoppable. Like boiling a frog in warm water,” he concluded, his voice calm yet ominous. “In short, I would call it cultural invasion.
The hall fell deathly silent.
All eyes were on Yang Yi, shock and disbelief etched onto every face. Their scalps tingled. None of them were fools. The moment Yang Yi introduced the concept of magazines, it was as if the fog had lifted, revealing a chilling truth.
Just as he had said—these unassuming collections of stories, embedded in everyday life, had the power to reshape entire nations.
So long as people read them, they would be influenced. The only difference was the extent of that influence.
It was an insidious plan—who would ever suspect that something meant for leisure could become a weapon? The term “cultural invasion” was disturbingly accurate.
No wonder he was Prime Minister Yang. One sinister idea after another.
Wu Zhao inhaled deeply, her phoenix eyes filled with awe. Cultural invasion. Those two words encapsulated everything perfectly. Just imagining it sent shivers down her spine.
Yang Yi had recognized how deeply rooted cultural identity was in shaping a nation’s people—so instead of attacking their bodies, he had chosen to erode their loyalty by offering them an alternative.
The so-called magazine was merely a vessel for Great Zhou’s cultural infiltration.
If this strategy succeeded, foreign nations would unknowingly produce citizens who secretly admired Great Zhou—who longed for it, even as they lived under their own rulers.
The implications were staggering. What would happen to these unsuspecting people as Great Zhou’s culture slowly “corroded” them?
Even more terrifying was that this plan did not need to be hidden. It could be implemented in broad daylight, and no one would suspect a thing.
The elites, the rulers—they would never concern themselves with trivial entertainment literature. Meanwhile, the common people would embrace it, flipping through the pages with eager hands, unaware that they were being shaped by it.
And the common people were the majority of any nation.
Wu Zhao steadied herself, her expression complicated. Pressing her lips together, she exhaled softly.
“Minister Yang, this strategy can only be executed by you. No one else could carry it out as flawlessly.”
The court instinctively nodded.
Who else but Yang Yi could perfect such a strategy?
Yang Yi bowed slightly, his voice firm. “I will not betray Your Majesty’s trust.”
Xu Jingzong stroked his beard with a wry smile. “Prime Minister Yang’s plan is impossible to guard against. Those without firm convictions will be led astray without even realizing it.”
The officials exchanged uneasy glances, still reeling from the enormity of the strategy. They couldn’t deny it—if they were in the position of an ordinary citizen, reading these seemingly harmless stories, would they have noticed anything?
And if even they would be unsuspecting, what of the common folk?
Once the general populace fell under the spell of Great Zhou’s culture, the foundations of foreign governments would begin to shake..