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

Chapter 18: Using Bran for Disaster Relief?

At this moment, the station’s leaders were amazed by the results. This time, it was a text demonstration sent out through various platforms like Doudin.

Initially, they hadn’t anticipated the response to be as massive as it was. Within just an hour, the combined viewership across all platforms had exceeded 70 million. This was an incredibly impressive number.

The station manager couldn’t calm down for a long time. After all, this was just the initial draft in text form. It didn’t have the same immediate visual impact as a video. However, it had garnered remarkably high viewership, and what was even more astonishing was the overwhelmingly positive feedback.

Whenever people saw that it was Qin Xuan’s work, they eagerly clicked on it. Furthermore, they loved the characters he had created.

“Qin Xuan is a real talent. Please adapt this into a show soon!”

“Yeah, the TV station should invest and create a program or TV series!”

These comments were pouring in from social media channels.

Qin Xuan had given each character a basic backstory. While these stories weren’t yet interwoven, they provided a three-dimensional feel to each character. That was Qin Xuan’s gift.

“Qin Xuan is truly a genius. I can’t understand how his mind works. I love the character of Director Chen. I want to learn a foreign language too!”

The response from the viewers was overwhelmingly positive.

“The characters Qin Xuan has created are so well-rounded. It’s as if they are right in front of us. We strongly request that the station turn this into a video. I’m sure it won’t be any worse than ‘Walking into History.'”

“Qin Xuan is truly a treasure for the station.”

The online community held Qin Xuan in high regard.

At this moment, Qin Xuan was a bit bewildered. The station manager and the team had acted swiftly. In his previous world, getting approvals would take at least a month.

Moreover, when anyone submitted a document to their superiors, they had to intentionally leave a noticeable minor issue, like a punctuation mark or formatting, so the leaders could make corrections and feel involved.

But in this world, Qin Xuan didn’t have to consider those things. The station manager and the team focused on improving the television station. Individual interests took a backseat to collective interests.

At this time, the station manager called, and he got straight to the point,

“Qin Xuan, to keep it short, we’ve already uploaded your initial draft, and you should be aware of the response. Start your broadcast quickly while the iron is hot. We expect future collaborations in film and television, as well as publication deals!”

The station manager spoke rapidly, but it was clear that he was in a very good mood.

“Okay, I understand. I promise to complete the task!” Qin Xuan promptly replied.

He held a deep respect for the station manager, who took good care of him and treated him with sincerity. This respect was heartfelt.

“Alright, now is a great opportunity. The current market response is excellent, so you must seize this moment.”

After that, the station manager hung up the phone.

Qin Xuan should have been resting at this point, but the situation was special, and the response to his draft was quite favorable. Naturally, he needed to seize this opportunity.

As expected, when Qin Xuan just went live, the barrage of comments from viewers inundated him.

“Qin Xuan, can you teach me a foreign language?”

“I’m suddenly so in love with learning!”

“Thank you, Qin Xuan. You’re the first person who’s made me enjoy studying a foreign language!”

The viewers had started using this meme about “learning a foreign language,” which was a cover for an older man interacting with a foreign woman to pursue a romantic relationship.

Seeing the enthusiastic comments from the viewers, Qin Xuan felt a bit overwhelmed. An outstanding work, regardless of the era, always received a warm reception. He hadn’t expected that by simply writing stories about some characters, the viewers would become completely engrossed.

If he could develop these stories into complete narratives, the effect would undoubtedly be even more pronounced. Qin Xuan took some time to chat with the viewers and answer their questions. After the chat, the station manager invited him into a group chat.

There were a few unfamiliar faces in the group, but the chat’s name revealed its purpose—discussing publication and adaptations into film and television.

The station manager’s actions were indeed swift.

The station manager also had a private chat with Qin Xuan. “Qin Xuan, these publishing and film/television adaptations will come sooner or later, but for now, your focus should remain on ‘Walking into History.’ Don’t let minor opportunities distract you from your larger goals,” the station manager advised, emphasizing the importance of staying on track.

He was concerned that Qin Xuan might get too anxious initially and lose sight of the bigger picture. Therefore, he provided this timely reminder to Qin Xuan.

“Don’t worry, station manager, I know how to strike a balance,” Qin Xuan quickly replied.

It was worth noting that the station manager was considerate of Qin Xuan. In his previous world, even if he performed well, the station manager wouldn’t have treated him this way.

After establishing the group chat, everyone briefly introduced themselves, but there was no further discussion. Qin Xuan understood that they were still assessing his value. After all, the content he was producing was sensitive.

Unlike historical themes, his work was based on modern subjects. Convincing investors to make decisions would be a challenge unless it had a significant impact and was a massive hit.

During the weekend, aside from taking some time to rest, Qin Xuan continued his live broadcasts, engaging with viewers and making progress with his writing.

On Sunday evening, the official account announced that starting from the next week, “Walking into History” would have a special weekend segment—an extended version of the story.

Qin Xuan also received a notification from the station manager that he was aggressive, and Qin Xuan was deeply moved.

On Monday evening, I had a significant degree of autonomy in shaping the content of this segment.

The efficiency was  8 PM, and much to the anticipation of many, Qin Xuan’s show went live.

【Wow, do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this?】

【Finally, it’s starting. These past days have been unbearable without it.】

【Qin Xuan, start quickly. I still want to watch your corruption!】

Amidst the audience’s anticipation, Qin Xuan’s figure appeared on the screens of the masses. He was once again in the office of the provincial governor, and the scene was set in his previous conversation with Qian Yu.

Facing Qian Yu, Qin Xuan began to discuss the third point he had discovered. “Qin Xuan, please tell me, what’s the third point?” Qian Yu was eager to know.

“The third point is that His Majesty is aware of our actions, but as long as we use the silver provided by His Majesty to resolve the famine, he will not delve deeper into the matter,” Qin Xuan explained without changing his expression.

Qian Yu was very appreciative after hearing this. “Good, Qin Xuan, I didn’t misjudge you. You are young, but your insights into these matters are so profound!”

He then asked a crucial question, “So, for this relief operation, what kind of grain are you planning to buy, and how do you intend to distribute it?”

Qian Yu wanted to know how Qin Xuan intended to handle this situation.

“For the relief grain, I plan to use lower-quality grains and mix in some bran. This way, we can ensure that all of this grain reaches the common people,” Qin Xuan stated his idea.

“Good, good, Qin Xuan, you’ve impressed me!” Qian Yu praised Qin Xuan endlessly.

Qian Yu held Qin Xuan in high regard. This wasn’t his first time dealing with disaster relief, and though Qin Xuan’s idea might sound unscrupulous, it was highly effective. If they continued to provide high-quality grains, it would never be enough because it would be difficult to ensure that it all reached those in need.

Today, if anyone provided a large amount of high-quality grain, it would be sold off tomorrow. In the Ming Dynasty era, where Qian Yu lived, such a situation was common.

However, Qin Xuan’s method was much better. At least those manipulating resources would not be interested in this grain. Therefore, it would be easier for this grain to reach needy people.

The online audience was somewhat divided about this.

【Wow, Qin Xuan is so cunning!】

【Is bran even edible?】

【Why use inferior quality?】

Some netizens didn’t quite understand and started a debate. They felt that Qin Xuan’s method was too explicit. Nevertheless, it was all in good fun since this was a simulation, and there was no real disaster. Knowing that Qin Xuan was playing the role of a corrupt officer made it more acceptable.

After discussing the relief operation with Qian Yu, Qin Xuan carried it out. The imperial court had sent many officers this time, and Qin Xuan was just one of them. Various officers were assigned specific regions to manage.

The camera switched to another officer, Huang Jiang, who did Wang Zhi mention the Household Department Vice Clerk earlier. It was evident that Huang Jiang was an honest officer, as he had used all the silver provided to purchase high-quality grain. This made the viewers praise him for being a good officer.

​【I feel that the officer who is having the most success in this relief operation is Huang Jiang!】

【I think so, too. Qin Xuan could have done a great job, but he’s focusing on profit!】

The viewers were currently quite appreciative of the AI-simulated character, Huang Jiang. The scene on the stage continued to change, and Qin Xuan, as the protagonist, was actively involved in the relief efforts, personally supervising the officers under his command.

Since the grain was inexpensive, Qin Xuan distributed some of the extra money to his subordinates, which motivated everyone to work hard. The scenes of the disaster were moving, and viewers were deeply touched.

After visiting the disaster area, Qin Xuan returned to the government hostel arranged by the governor, and he found someone waiting for him in the room, which he knew to be the Household Department Vice Clerk Huang Jiang, mentioned earlier.

Finally, in a room, Qin Xuan met with Huang Jiang. Huang Jiang held a small bag of something, and upon opening it, it was revealed to be a subpar grain mixed with bran.

“Master Qin, we are both officers of the Six Ministries, and His Majesty has assigned us to relieve the people. Yet, you dare use such low-quality supplies to deceive them! Doesn’t your conscience bother you?” Huang Jiang began to reprimand Qin Xuan.

“I want to know, Huang Jiang, how did you handle it?” Qin Xuan did not answer directly but instead asked.

“Hmph, I used only the best grain, of course!” Huang Jiang raised his head proudly.

“I am guiltless in my heart!” Huang Jiang believed that he had done what was right.

“I can tell you with great responsibility, Huang Jiang, you simply don’t understand this Ming Dynasty. Without unexpected interference, your supplies won’t reach the common people. They’ll be exploited layer by layer. What you distribute today will be sold at exorbitant prices tomorrow.”

“The commoners won’t even get to eat bran, and they’ll be left to starve to death!” Qin Xuan shook his head, expressing his regret.

Huang Jiang had likely been too idealistic and never considered deeper issues.

【Oh, is it this dark?】

【I think it might be. If that’s the case, I understand why Qin Xuan is doing what he’s doing.】