Yang Yi nodded slightly. “Indeed…”
At that moment, Zhang Jianzhi burst into the hall, panting.
“Latest news—Qianlong has also contracted smallpox!”
Everyone in the hall was stunned.
Yang Yi clapped his hands and laughed. “Serves him right…”
“Your Majesty, I believe our Great Zhou should send another army to attack the enemy’s capital. With a two-pronged assault, the Qing will be leaderless and fall apart in no time!”
Wu Zhao’s eyes lit up, and she nodded decisively.
“I will dispatch another army immediately.”
Though the Zhou’s military strength was not as vast as the Qing’s, this was a rare opportunity. Seizing it could elevate Great Zhou to a major power in the Central Plains.
Three days later, Yang Yi recommended that Dian Wei lead an army of one hundred thousand men to march on the Qing capital.
One month later, Dian Wei led his troops to continuous victories, advancing all the way to the capital. At the same time, Heichi Changzhi arrived from another direction, and the two forces joined to besiege the city.
Inside the capital, nobles frantically packed their belongings, preparing to flee. The enemy was at the gates; if they didn’t escape now, it would be too late.
The Qing officials were in complete disarray.
In the Golden Throne Hall, Qianlong lay on the dragon bed, barely breathing, his body covered in blisters and pustules—an alarming sight.
Fu Cha Fu Heng and others stood by, masked, awaiting the emperor’s final edict.
“…Pass the throne to the Crown Prince, and… I also appoint Fu Heng as the Chief Marshal of the Army to assist the Crown Prince in state affairs.” Qianlong’s eyes widened, his breathing laboured.
“Fu Heng, you must hold the capital.”
Fu Cha Fu Heng quickly nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
Qianlong nodded weakly, but then, as if remembering something, his face flushed, and he clenched his fists. Mustering his last bit of strength, he fixed an intense gaze on Fu Cha Fu Heng.
“In this… life, you must kill Yang Yi and bring his head to my tomb…”
Before he could finish, he drew his last breath. Wails of mourning filled the hall.
The next day, Fu Cha Fu Heng, now shouldering the empire’s survival, assumed command of the Imperial Guards to defend the capital.
However, due to Yang Yi’s revelation in the Great Zhou Bao that smallpox had spread because of Qianlong, the Qing Royal Family’s reputation plummeted.
Even with the Zhou army attacking, many citizens hoped for their arrival, believing the Zhou would genuinely vaccinate them against smallpox. The Royal Family had only exploited their lives.
Half a month later, the capital fell.
Despite Fu Cha Fu Heng’s best efforts, he was no match for renowned generals like Dian Wei, Li Cunxiao, Xu Chu, and Heichi Changzhi. They quickly entered the Qing capital, surrounding the palace.
Great Zhou—Council Hall.
“Your Majesty… a great victory! Emperor Qianlong is dead!”
“Our army has taken the enemy capital…”
A dust-covered soldier rushed in with the report.
The hall was filled with shock. Xu Jingzong and the others were stunned. Although they had hoped for this outcome, the actual capture of the Qing capital left them speechless.
After decades of recovery, the Qing Dynasty had wielded a powerful military and a prosperous economy! Yet, it had fallen to their Great Zhou.
Memories surfaced of Qianlong arrogantly proposing marriage to their Empress, even sending a formal national letter. That memory felt like yesterday, yet in just a year, the mighty Qing had collapsed!
Now, Great Zhou was about to rise from the Qing’s ashes, on the brink of becoming a dominant power in the Central Plains.
A chill ran through everyone as they instinctively glanced at Yang Yi. This cunning strategist had truly played a pivotal role. Though ruthless, his strategies had proven devastatingly effective.