Let you play a corrupt official, are you saying you want to make progress? - Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Qualities a Corrupt Officer Should Possess

And just like that, it abruptly came to a sudden stop. The chime of the ten o’clock bell rang, breaking the serenity. Despite the reluctance of many, the program concluded.

“What on earth is the third point?”

“Hurry, tell us! I’m eager to know. Don’t make me kneel and beg!”

“We earnestly request the program team to extend the duration. Two hours is far too short. It’s just not enough to watch!”

The viewers found the program too brief. Two hours couldn’t satiate their appetite.

Qin Xuan descended from the stage, receiving a warm embrace from the director. This time, the program was a remarkable success. It surpassed all their prior efforts. Qin Xuan was undeniably a gifted individual.

After leaving the stage, Qin Xuan went to the broadcasting room. It was unsurprising that the station manager and others were already waiting for him.

“Qin Xuan, you’re incredible! I never expected you could cook!” The station manager said, getting right to the point.

“I have some knowledge, and I put in some effort to research in advance. Since I knew the governor enjoyed eating, I had to learn some cooking,” Qin Xuan explained, providing a reason.

“The image of the corrupt officer you portrayed was exceptionally vivid. I even started to wonder if you’ve time-traveled from ancient times. You’re a real pro!” the station manager teased, all in good fun.

“Alright, let’s not dwell on that. This program was a significant success. You’ve truly embodied what a corrupt officer should be. We all believe that the draft you submitted today was exceptional. The project is approved, and we’re planning to have you work on some character development for specific individuals. The station wants to promote it!” The station manager revealed the purpose of their meeting.

Qin Xuan was now in high demand, and he had single-handedly brought the topic of corrupt officers into the limelight. Since the country had previously promoted anti-corruption and integrity, this theme would always be relevant.

The station manager decided to capitalize on this momentum and move quickly. “So, you mean I should start working on character development for specific individuals to make them more well-rounded?” Qin Xuan inquired.

“Yes, given your current situation, that’s the best we can do for now,” the station manager nodded. Ideally, they would have liked Qin Xuan to create an entire novel, but the daily show had already consumed much of his time.

Professor Yang speculated that Qin Xuan also spent a considerable amount of time preparing for his return home. Without effort, there would be no way to gather information on many government officers, and the program would stall.

“Station Manager, I’ve already thought through the entire story, and I can find time to write it,” Qin Xuan replied confidently. The content of “In the Name of the People” was deeply etched in his mind.

“That fast? Alright, Qin Xuan, we’ll go with your plan. However, I have two requests. First, take care of your health. Your health should be your priority. Without good health, everything else is meaningless.

Second, the content you create must be vivid and realistic. Today’s audience is very opposed to the stereotypical content we used to have. The higher-ups are of the same opinion,” the station manager emphasized with two important requests.

Qin Xuan could tell that the station manager genuinely cared about his well-being. “Don’t worry, Station Manager, I’ll make sure to complete the task,” he assured.

“Good, Qin Xuan. If you need anything, just let us know, and the station will fully support you!”

After a brief report, Qin Xuan left the broadcasting room, preparing to return home. However, his plans for a relaxing evening were thwarted by the eager online community. They demanded that Qin Xuan start a live stream.

The primary reason was that today’s program had been exceptionally captivating, leaving the audience wanting more. They simply couldn’t get enough. So, after freshening up, Qin Xuan began his live broadcast.

“Qin Xuan, you’re finally here! I missed you so much. Today’s program was full of valuable insights!”

“It’s really interesting. Qin Xuan, I would like to know why these officers in the Ming Dynasty had to use their own money for disaster relief?”

As soon as he went live, the viewers began bombarding him with questions. The content of today’s episode had been quite rich, and some viewers hadn’t fully grasped all the details, so they turned to Qin Xuan for clarification.

“It’s quite simple. In ancient times, the spirit of unity we have today didn’t exist. When we face problems nowadays, we come together as one to tackle them. But in ancient times, the lives of the lower classes were not valued. Many of the influential families and clans in ancient times didn’t care about the lives of the common people,” Qin Xuan explained.

The viewers nodded in agreement. Qin Xuan had hit the nail on the head. Over the past few days, watching his program, they had seen that most of these corrupt officers exhibited this kind of attitude.

Whether it was Wang Zhi or others, it appeared that they didn’t prioritize the lives of common people.

“Qin Xuan, I have a question. Why did people in ancient times always aspire to enter the imperial court? Was it really that desirable? Some low-ranking officers don’t seem so glamorous, and I’ve seen many people spending their entire lives preparing for the imperial exams. Is it truly worthwhile?” Asked a viewer, posing a fundamental question.

“I’ve got this one! Learning is the foundation of everything! Buddy, have you been watching the past few episodes for nothing?” another viewer playfully asked.

Upon seeing this question, Qin Xuan smiled faintly. “It’s similar to some parents today, going to great lengths to prepare their children for civil service exams.

The rationale is quite alike. Some of these kids have been graduates for five or six years, but they’re still trying to pass the exams. The mindset is the same!” Qin Xuan explained.

“No matter which world you’re in, pursuing a career in government service always feels like the ultimate goal. While the culture here may not be as rampant with connections and favoritism, there are still many people dedicated to the pursuit of government positions and civil service exams. The underlying motivation remains much the same.”

“Whoa, Qin Xuan, when you put it that way, it makes sense. I think I’ve got it now!”

“Damn, I didn’t see it before, but now that you mention it, it’s crystal clear!”

With just a few simple words, Qin Xuan managed to clarify things for the viewers.

“Qin Xuan, I have another question. When you provide disaster relief, does the Emperor know about your secret actions?” Another viewer inquired.

“Of course, the Emperor knows. Anything that ordinary people can see, the Emperor unless he’s a complete fool, can see as well. And it’s not that he doesn’t want to intervene, but rather, he often can’t,” Qin Xuan replied helplessly.

This was the issue of the late Ming Dynasty. The national treasury was empty, and the wealth was concentrated in the hands of powerful families.

Did the Emperor not know about this? He did, but he often couldn’t do much about it. Things that might seem unreasonable on the surface often have a rational explanation.

“We shouldn’t look at these problems from our current perspective. The ancient people had different ways of thinking. If they don’t keep the upper-class folks satisfied, how can they expect the commoners at the bottom to be content?” Qin Xuan shrugged.

This was his observation during the time he had been hosting the program.

“I finally understand the difficulties Qin Xuan faces with disaster relief. He’s not doing it because he wants to. He’s doing it because he has to.”

“I’m in tears. If I traveled back in time, I would target those corrupt officers.”

“By the way, Qin Xuan, what’s the third point? Can you give us a hint?”

Some viewers couldn’t resist asking about the third point.

“I don’t see any harm in revealing it. I mentioned it earlier. The third point is that the Emperor is aware of the behind-the-scenes actions, and as long as disaster relief is being carried out, he’ll often turn a blind eye,” Qin Xuan replied after glancing at the barrage of comments.

“Whoa, it seems like that’s the case. No wonder Qian Yu seems so experienced.”

“Qian Yu probably feels that talking with Qin Xuan is a breeze. They’re both clever individuals.”

After some more broadcasting, Qin Xuan eventually ended the livestream.

Detailed interpretations of this episode’s video soon appeared online. Qin Xuan was now a sensation, practically taking the internet by storm.

The next day, Qin Xuan decided to sleep in because it was the weekend, and his program aired from Monday to Friday.

Although the station manager had applied for an extension on Saturdays, it hadn’t been approved yet. So, Qin Xuan planned to make the most of these two days to rest.

When he woke up, he noticed that he was trending online. Surprisingly, the reason he was trending was the dishes he had prepared the day before.

Many internet users were imitating his cooking, especially the “Blanched Pearls in Clear Water” and the “Golden Braised Red Shrimp.” These two dishes have inspired numerous bloggers to recreate and improve them.

Qin Xuan realized that some people in the comments genuinely believed these dishes were real. “People in this world are really sincere,” he said.

Initially, He was concerned that his social skills and customs from his previous world might affect the people in this world, but he found that it wasn’t the case. The reason the old world resembled ancient times was because it provided fertile ground for such practices.

Many people hid behind connections and felt that such practices were entirely normal. For instance, if a young person in a workplace was suddenly promoted for no apparent reason, everyone assumed it was due to their connections or favoritism.

However, Qin Xuan’s current world was different. People believed in meritocracy. If someone got promoted unexpectedly, everyone assumed they had the skills and abilities to justify it. The cultural soil was the key.

While there were still some people in this world who practiced favoritism, it couldn’t flourish without the fertile ground to support it.

During the weekend, Qin Xuan managed his time very well. He rested, went out for a walk, and then returned home to start his literary work.

With the content already in his mind, Qin Xuan quickly developed the images of several characters. On Saturday afternoon, he submitted the content promptly.

His swift action earned praise from the station manager. Once Qin Xuan had submitted his work, the station manager immediately sprang into action, and everyone on the team responded actively. The enthusiasm was beyond what Qin Xuan had anticipated.

The station demonstrated extraordinary efficiency. By the evening, the officer media channels of the station started publishing Qin Xuan’s creative content. The loyal fans were disappointed to find no program that day and were pleasantly surprised to discover new content.

Qin Xuan had been at the helm, creating characters depicting corrupt officers. Curious, these fans visited the station’s official media channels to learn more.

As they delved into the content, they were captivated. Qin Xuan breathed life into the character of Qi Tongwei. The viewers were left in shock and discussing with each other,

“Whoa, isn’t this Director Qi the epitome of a perfect relative in my mind?”

“This is the true face of ancient officers. ‘When one man climbs, every dog must jump.’ This guy would even want to recruit village mutts as police dogs!”

“I can’t believe it. It’s just text, but the image in my mind suddenly became vivid.”

“Qin Xuan is amazing!”

“I told you, it’s not just the program that’s incredible. It’s Qin Xuan. Even without AI technology, his character development is top-notch.”