Let you play a corrupt official, are you saying you want to make progress?

Chapter 8: Clever Excuses and Secret Plans

After returning home, Qin Xuan freshened up and prepared to continue his live stream. After all, live streaming was a way to connect with his fans. The production team didn’t conduct interviews afterward, and live streaming also helped the audience better understand history.

[“Wow, Qin Xuan, you’re finally alive! Your performance today was outstanding!”].

[“I can’t believe the way you manipulated the situation. It’s brilliant, and you even managed to get your nephew involved.”].

[“Exactly, it’s so clever, and nothing leaked.”].

[“Qin Xuan, I saw the officer Weibo say you’re playing a corrupt officer. Is that true?”].

[“It seems so. The officer account said Qin  Xuan is going to play a corrupt officer, starting from a minor position to a high-ranking one.”].

As soon as he went live, the online community started chatting enthusiastically. The questions they asked were things they genuinely cared about.

“Yeah, that was the plan. After all, Wang Zhi was not originally a good person. If I became a clean officer like Hai Rui, it would be hard to climb from being a scholar to a high-ranking officer,” Qin Xuan thought for a moment and replied.

Why were virtuous officers in ancient times often called “clean streams”?

The reason was simple: to be a virtuous officer, you would inevitably disrupt others’ interests.

When you disrupt others, people will reject and ostracize you. Virtuous officers were not well-received in the ancient officer circles.

[“Qin Xuan, I just saw the officer Weibo. He said something about the third episode. They might change the cast. Is it true?”].

One danmu (bullet screen comment) asked, and a gift accompanied the comment.

[“Whoa, I just checked it too. It seems like they just posted it. Are they trying to destroy a bridge after crossing it? No, if Qin Xuan leaves, I’m not watching anymore.”].

Qin Xuan nodded slightly. “The director told me that the original intention of the ‘Walking into History’ program was to set many challenges to see who could survive the longest. It’s just that the difficulty is too high, and all the others failed. They will add another challenger tomorrow, and when they fail, I can naturally return.”

Qin Xuan wasn’t particularly interested in this so-called “relationship-based” challenger. People with real talent wouldn’t need to rely on connections. Moreover, the challenges ahead were becoming increasingly difficult. Qin Xuan suspected that bringing this person in was an attempt to replace him.

It was very likely that this “relationship-based” challenger would have a character similar to his own. When dealing with someone as cunning as Wang Zhi, he had to tread carefully. A slight misstep could lead to irreversible consequences.

[“Qin Xuan, your way of arranging people is really smart. Did people in ancient times like to place their relatives in important positions?”].

A viewer couldn’t help but ask. When they watched, it felt quite exciting. As long as you became Wang Zhi’s relative, even if you were a distant nephew, you could take off.

“Yeah, in ancient times, this bureaucratic system was common. They would appoint their relatives without hesitation.”

“This practice has been eliminated in modern times, but in the past, they would go to great lengths to get you in,” Qin Xuan explained.

Those groups of civil officers would use every means to insert their people, whether they were friends, relatives, or students. Nepotism was very common in ancient times. Remember the character Qiteng in the popular TV series “In the Name of the People” during my time? It’s not just relatives. They’d even want to recruit stray dogs from the village as police dogs.

[“Qin Xuan, does that mean if you become powerful, you’ll do the same?”].

“In the show, my character does that. When one achieves great success, everything around them is elevated. However, the Qin Xuan in the show doesn’t have those relatives.

He’s on his own,” Qin Xuan replied as he watched the barrage of comments.

[“Qin Xuan, do you know that Wang Zhi, the eunuch from the Ming Dynasty, is said to be very remarkable?”].

Someone expressed interest in Wang Zhi. It’s said that Wang Zhi was the prototype for Yu Huatian.

“Yeah, Wang Zhi was the eunuch of the Chenghua Emperor and a legendary figure. Eunuchs leading military campaigns were unique throughout the dynasties. He was appointed as the director of the Xichang at the age of sixteen, and at twenty-two, he swept through the Mongolian courts. Truly, he had an extraordinary life,” Qin Xuan spoke highly of Wang Zhi. For a eunuch to achieve what he did was indeed impressive.

[“Qin Xuan, why could Wang Zhi command the military and sweep through the Mongols, while other generals during the Chenghua era couldn’t?”].

“It might be a combination of factors, including timing, location, and people,” Qin Xuan shrugged and didn’t elaborate too much. Historical accounts often remain vague on such matters. However, through his recent experiences at the Ministry of Justice, Qin Xuan sensed some new possibilities.

Since Zhu Qizhen was captured, the control of the Ming Dynasty emperors over the border armies had declined. These border troops might have traded with the Mongols, such as smuggling weapons, armor, ironware, and food.

Historical records indicate that the price of food exported to the Jurchens during the late Ming Dynasty was a hundred times that in the interior. This contributed to the Ming Dynasty’s inability to subdue the Jurchens in its later years, not because they couldn’t defeat them militarily but because some high-ranking officers didn’t want to eliminate them.

Trading with the Jurchens was their livelihood. Looking at the problem from the perspective of a corrupt officer, you’ll find that what seemed irrational before now makes sense.

Wang Zhi’s surprise sweep of the Mongol courts, as recorded in historical texts, caught everyone off guard, including his people, who didn’t know in advance.

This, in turn, left the opposing side unable to make decisions. Qin Xuan suddenly felt enlightened. Wang Zhi’s ability to sweep the Mongol courts was not just due to his strength but also because of the element of surprise, which minimized the possibility of internal spies tipping off the Mongols.

“Ding dong! Congratulations to the host for successfully identifying the issues from the perspective of a corrupt officer, leading to a system reward.”

“Reward: System space expansion.”

“Reward: Access to all information on Zheng He’s voyages.”

At this point, the system’s notification sound rang unexpectedly. Qin Xuan sensed that something new had been added to his knowledge, and his system space had significantly grown. He was pleasantly surprised by this unexpected gift.

The voyages of Zheng He, which the Chenghua Emperor had planned for Wang Zhi to oversee, had mysteriously lost their records, and many officers were against these maritime activities. The fact that the system rewarded him with this information was a delightful surprise.

Qin Xuan continued his livestream for a while and eventually ended the broadcast. This time, the live stream had earned him a substantial reward from the system.

The following day passed quickly.

At 8 p.m. that night, the program began promptly. Contrary to what had been advertised, Qin Xuan didn’t take the stage. Instead, a young man named Luo Chen appeared, seeming somewhat inexperienced.

The director briefly introduced Luo Chen’s role during the Chenghua era. He was also a student of Wang Zhi, serving as the sixth-ranked officer in the Ministry of Justice and a trusted confidant of Wang Zhi.

​【Whoa, his background is just like Qin Xuan. Are they trying to replace Qin Xuan?】

【I feel like Qin Xuan has offended someone.】

【Let’s wait and see. Maybe this person will surprise us!】

While viewers had some reservations, they decided to watch for a while.

Qin Xuan silently observed Luo Chen and confirmed his suspicions. The person appointed from above had a similar personality to his own. The setting changed once more, and this time it was still within the Ministry of Justice, specifically in Wang Zhi’s study. Wang Zhi sat in his chair while Luo Chen attended him.

“The son of the head of the Imperial Kitchen has committed an offense and is waiting outside. Remember, you must uphold justice and decide on a fair punishment.”

Luo Chen quickly nodded and replied, “Mentor, I will uphold justice.”

Wang Zhi sighed softly, put down his teacup, and sighed again.

Luo Chen, thinking that Wang Zhi was urging him, hastily added, “Mentor, rest assured, I’ll go right away!”

Upon hearing Luo Chen’s response, Wang Zhi appeared momentarily surprised but didn’t say anything. He simply waved his hand, signaling for Luo Chen to leave.

The scene abruptly halted. The director knew this was a challenge failure because the storyline couldn’t progress further. It was evident that Luo Chen had made a mistake.

Viewers were bewildered.

【What? Is this a failure?】

【I don’t like the replacement, but I don’t understand what Luo Chen did wrong.】

【Is it that you can’t do a good job by just following orders?】

【Did Wang Zhi give some hidden hints that we missed?】

Viewers were clueless about why it had failed. In the studio, the program’s director and staff were equally puzzled.

“It’s probably because Wang Zhi had some underlying intentions. Since Luo Chen is set up as his confidant, he should have understood this layer of meaning, but Luo Chen didn’t,” Yang Chongming pondered and provided a reasonable explanation.

“Let’s have Little Qin come up. I’m curious about the right approach,” the program’s director said with some anticipation.

So, amid the viewers’ expectations, Qin Xuan took the stage. This time, the scene was the same as before.

“The son of the head of the Imperial Kitchen has committed an offense and is waiting outside. Remember, you must uphold justice and decide on a fair punishment,” Wang Zhi spoke, repeating the same line.

Qin Xuan responded, “I understand, Mentor. I will administer the appropriate penalty without inviting any criticism.”

Wang Zhi nodded approvingly, but then his expression changed, and he seemed troubled about something.

Qin Xuan noticed and asked, “Mentor, it appears you have something on your mind?”

Wang Zhi sighed softly, “My wife has a distant relative who runs a restaurant, and she has asked me to look after it. I’m somewhat concerned. Furthermore, this incident with the head of the Imperial Kitchen reminds me of the exquisite imperial dishes His Majesty savored during our audience. It brings back many memories and makes me quite nostalgic.”

Wang Zhi waved his hand, saying, “Alright, let’s not discuss this further. Get on with your duties.”

Qin Xuan took his leave, and the scene transitioned to the interior hall of the Ministry of Justice.

Viewers suddenly had a realization.

【I get it now! Wang Zhi’s sigh was meant to prompt his subordinates to ask, and he cleverly expressed his wishes.】

【I understand, too. Wang Zhi made two points: a relative’s restaurant and praise for the imperial kitchen.】

【That’s amazing! The sigh was a way of indicating his desire to be asked questions. Since Luo Chen didn’t ask, the storyline couldn’t proceed. But Qin Xuan asked and triggered a new plot.】

【Impressive! Is this an attempt to make money?】