Chapter 78: A Poisonous Plot Affecting Millions of Lives!
The hall fell silent. Outside, the winter chill was biting, but within the heated hall, there should have been warmth. Yet now, a piercing cold filled the air, and every face turned toward Yang Yi, astonishment and trepidation in their eyes.
They knew well that Yang Yi, Great Zhou’s renowned Poison Expert, had devised many ruthless schemes before. Though his tactics were often labeled inhumane, none had ever crossed this line.
But now he spoke of a plan that he, of all people, deemed “too against the will of Heaven” and “too inhuman.” It made everyone shudder with dread. Just how evil must this scheme be?
A chill ran down their spines as they exchanged uneasy glances. Shangguan Wan’er pressed her lips together, her gaze locked on Yang Yi, with surprise and caution clear in her eyes. For Yang Yi to call any plan too inhuman meant it was indeed sinister to the core.
Wu Zhao, the Empress, sat silently, pondering for a moment before speaking slowly.
“This must be the Qing Dynasty’s last desperate attempt. If we win, we can overlook the losses suffered thus far. But if we lose, they will not spare us… Prime Minister Yang, what is your plan? Speak freely.”
Although she knew that Yang Yi’s plans were often ruthless, she could not accept the idea of Great Zhou—having just expanded their territory—now facing the possibility of losing all they had gained and even confronting a mortal threat.
Every gaze shifted to Yang Yi. Xu Jingzong, Wei Yuanzhong, and the other ministers instinctively furrowed their brows, their faces drawn in concentration. A plan that made Yang Yi cautious was certain to be formidable.
Yang Yi smiled faintly under their scrutinizing stares.
“Everyone, there is no need to be so tense. This plan targets our enemies, not ourselves.”
The hall remained quiet, as each person knew that Yang Yi’s schemes had a way of unsettling even the bystanders.
Yang Yi then bowed to the Empress.
“Your Majesty, my plan involves the use of smallpox.”
The room froze. Smallpox? Wu Zhao’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“You plan to use smallpox?”
Yang Yi’s smile deepened.
“Yes. The enemy’s forces far outnumber ours. Without extreme measures, they will continue to harass us endlessly. But there is a unique solution.”
The atmosphere grew heavier as Yang Yi explained, “We can collect the pus from smallpox-infected patients and smear it on our weapons and arrows. When our soldiers strike the enemy, they will infect them.
“Smallpox will spread through their ranks, crippling their army. We may not even need to lift a finger; their forces could be decimated by the disease alone.”
An intense silence fell over the hall, so profound that even the slightest breath could be heard. Faces paled, and they stared at Yang Yi as if he were a madman.
Smallpox! The very mention of it brought shivers. The disease was untreatable and universally feared. And now, Yang Yi proposed using it as a weapon.
Wu Zhao’s eyes widened, and her lips parted slightly in disbelief. Even with her mental preparation, she had not expected such a drastic strategy. Her heart trembled with unease.
Shangguan Wan’er, standing nearby, was equally stunned, her face mirroring the hall’s atmosphere of shock and dread.
After a long pause, Zhang Jianzhi managed to swallow and speak.
“Prime Minister Yang, smallpox is highly contagious. If we smear our weapons with it, won’t our own soldiers be at risk of infection?”
The other ministers nodded, realizing the danger of such a strategy backfiring and harming their own forces.
Wu Zhao’s gaze turned sharp. “Yang Yi, wouldn’t this result in excessive casualties among our own soldiers?”
Yang Yi’s eyes gleamed with confidence.
“Your Majesty, what if I told you I have a way to ensure that our soldiers remain safe from smallpox?”
A stunned silence filled the room. Impossible! If anyone else had claimed such a thing, they would have been met with ridicule. But Yang Yi was not just anyone.
Smallpox, synonymous with death, had plagued humanity for centuries. And now, Yang Yi claimed he could guarantee immunity?
Wei Yuanzhong stroked his beard thoughtfully.
“Prime Minister Yang, while I trust your dedication to the Great Zhou, smallpox has long been an incurable plague. Are you certain you can control it?”
Xu Jingzong and others nodded, their expressions a mix of doubt and concern.
Yang Yi remained calm. “Lord Wei, I never propose anything I am not confident about. The problem persisted because no one approached it from the right perspective. But now that I am here, rest assured, smallpox will not be an issue for us.”
His words left the room in stunned silence. Wu Zhao’s eyes held a glimmer of hope.
“Yang Yi, what is this method you propose?”
Yang Yi looked around the hall. “Have you noticed that those who survive smallpox never contract it again?”
The officials exchanged glances. Xu Jingzong, recalling past outbreaks, nodded slowly.
“Ten years ago, our Great Zhou had a smallpox outbreak, which I was in charge of. Prime Minister Yang is right; those who survived the disease seemed immune afterward.”
Yang Yi continued, “Precisely. When smallpox infects a person, the body creates a resistance to it. But the disease is too potent, and many cannot withstand it, dying in the process.
“My method is to use a milder virus, cowpox, to inoculate our troops. It is not as deadly, but it will enable their bodies to build resistance to smallpox. Once this resistance is established, our soldiers will be immune to smallpox.”