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

Chapter 22: Outrageous Matters Come Together

The school’s procurement practices were incredibly excessive, bordering on outright extortion. A power strip priced at 4,000 yuan was nothing short of daylight robbery.

Ordinary power strips in the market cost merely a few tens of yuan. This price hike exceeded a hundredfold, revealing the absurd profits the school had been raking in from this procurement.

The sum acquired from this single purchase was already mind-boggling. In Qin Xuan’s parallel world, this situation was even more absurd.

If this newspaper were to publish the story, it would unquestionably create a significant uproar.

The chief editor, upon reading the report, found it difficult to believe. If not for the undeniable evidence and the ongoing investigation, he might have deemed it too incredible to be true.

It was genuinely perplexing.

“Finally, we’re done with our work. Now we can watch ‘Walking into History!'” The people at the newspaper were eagerly anticipating it.

They had grown quite fond of Qin Xuan’s show as it offered a different perspective on history.

“Yes, if we weren’t swamped with this report, we would have already been enjoying Qin Xuan’s performance. His portrayal was a bit exaggerated before.

Now, it’s evident that this kind of thing can serve as a warning,” the deputy chief editor nodded.

The folks in the newspaper office had been following Qin Xuan’s show. Initially, some thought Qin Xuan’s depiction was overly dramatic, but now it appears to be the opposite. They realized that real life was often more illogical than what was portrayed on the show.

“It’s a cautionary tale for everyone. Come on, let’s see what’s unique today. Has Qin Xuan started causing trouble for someone else?” one of them commented.

After completing their tasks, they pulled out their smartphones. When they checked the news, they were left astonished.

“Isn’t this a striking coincidence? What the nephew did mirrors the school’s actions!”

“It’s eerily coincidental, almost unbelievable!”

The people at the newspaper were shocked by the resemblance. It was as if the nephew’s actions were a carbon copy of the school’s behavior. Qin Xuan’s commentary echoed the thoughts of those at the school.

They realized that if they had known earlier, they shouldn’t have fixated on the unit price.

“Do you think Qin Xuan has a crystal ball? If we publish this news now, it’s likely to cause a massive sensation. However, people might think our news is fabricated. Should we wait for some time before releasing it?” the deputy chief editor hesitated.

The problem lay in the timing, which was eerily coincidental. The show had just aired, and they were now covering this case. It all seemed almost unbelievable.

“Humph! Have you forgotten the core of journalism? It’s about truthfulness and timeliness. This news is inherently true, and we shouldn’t delay it,” the chief editor declared.

“We’ll report it as is, based on reality,” the chief editor decided.

After all, could news that was delayed for an extended period still be considered “news”?

In this parallel world, the news media hadn’t been tainted, and they didn’t partake in self-produced videos, self-interviews, and self-promotion online to gain traffic, as had been the case in Qin Xuan’s previous world. They were dedicated professionals committed to their craft.

On the stage, Qin Xuan delivered a stern reprimand to his nephew. The idea for the nephew to handle procurement had originated from Wang Zhi. It was a test to gauge his nephew’s performance and whether he could handle the task honestly. However, compared to Qin Xuan, his nephew’s performance fell far short. Even with guidance, his actions were bound to lead to problems due to their extravagance.

“Uncle Qin, is this Uncle testing me?”

The nephew was not foolish and immediately recognized the issue. Although he had achieved a few things, his rank was still not high enough to handle procurement matters. The only plausible explanation was that Wang Zhi wanted to assess his potential. Unfortunately, he didn’t pass the test.

Qin Xuan nodded without concealing anything. When the nephew heard this, his face displayed disappointment. His previous expectations had been too optimistic.

“Alright, encourage your wife to begin practicing her singing. That’s where the true focus should be,” Qin Xuan advised.

Having become Wang Zhi’s right-hand man, Qin Xuan was privy to many of Wang Zhi’s business ventures, including salt and iron trade, timber sales, and various other significant undertakings. Wang Zhi had a hand in almost all these businesses and given their scale, there was a pressing need to launder the money.

Apart from the art shop that Qin Xuan had established, Wang Zhi had now turned his attention to the theater. The idea for the theater had also originated from Qin Xuan. Despite his busy schedule, he managed to extract numerous benefits. It was similar to touching pork with their hands – even if they didn’t intend to, they would still end up with some grease on their hands.

After sorting things out with his nephew, Qin Xuan was summoned by Wang Zhi.

“Qin Xuan, do you happen to be acquainted with someone named Li?” Wang Zhi inquired of Qin Xuan.

Qin Xuan pondered for a moment and recollected an individual by that name. On Wang Zhi’s end, there was also a tea business, and he had ties with tea merchants. Li oversaw the tea sales. Qin Xuan was aware of this and knew that Li had a modest background. Through his empathy for the common people and in conjunction with Wang Zhi’s operations, Li had garnered considerable respect among the public.

Qin Xuan expressed curiosity about the situation since Wang Zhi usually didn’t bring up matters without a valid reason.

“Yes, I’m aware that he manages your tea business, and he built a positive reputation among the common people due to his empathy. But why? Has he become unreliable?” Qin Xuan inquired.

Wang Zhi explained, “Yes, this Li has bypassed me and established direct contact with specific tea merchants.”

Bypassing Wang Zhi meant eliminating a significant portion of intermediary costs.

“Master, this individual is ungrateful, but we must exercise caution in dealing with him at this moment. If we act against him, it might make those tea merchants wary and could affect your future dealings,” Qin Xuan carefully analyzed the situation.

This was precisely why Li was behaving so boldly. If the Ministry of Punishments took action against Li, the tea merchants wouldn’t be naive, they would realize it was Wang Zhi’s doing, potentially straining their future relationships.

Wang Zhi nodded approvingly. Qin Xuan displayed exceptional shrewdness in identifying the crucial issue.

“Qin Xuan, you indeed consider matters thoroughly. Tell me, how should we address this?” Wang Zhi asked, his gaze fixed on Qin Xuan with anticipation, eager to learn how Qin Xuan would handle the issue.

Qin Xuan contemplated the matter, stroking his chin, and swiftly formulated a plan. “Master, your influence is more than sufficient to deal with Li. However, there’s no need for direct action against him. We can adopt an alternative approach.”

“Are you concerned that by supporting a new ‘Wang Boss,’ there might be ‘Zhang Boss’ or ‘Zhao Boss’ issues? That’s why we should address this proactively,” Qin Xuan explained.

Wang Zhi sat up straight, visibly pleased with Qin Xuan’s response. “Go on.”

Qin Xuan continued, “Li, who began as a commoner, is now prospering. So, from this day onward, let the lower-ranking officers at the Ministry of Punishments treat Li with the utmost respect, making him even bolder. People are prone to making mistakes, and those who become wealthy without opposition are even more susceptible.”

Wang Zhi lauded the plan. “This plan is excellent. Let’s put it into action. Your idea of boosting him is quite clever.”

As online users speculated about Li’s background and the potential outcome of the plan, time passed swiftly.

The show had been steadily improving in quality over the last few episodes, and viewers were becoming increasingly engaged. However, it was time for Qin Xuan to depart.

Time always flew by quickly when things were going well. The station manager briefly discussed some matters with Qin Xuan before allowing him to return home. These recent episodes of the show have witnessed a significant improvement in quality.

The program concluded, but online discussions continued vigorously. As the show gained popularity, it also attracted some opposition, which was common. Some individuals intentionally lowered the ratings of a movie or show they deemed excellent, even when it received positive feedback from viewers. In this case, opposing voices criticized Qin Xuan’s show as contrived and devoid of substantial meaning.

Nonetheless, most viewers supported Qin Xuan, appreciating how his program sparked an interest in history and served as a cautionary tale.

Most importantly, they found the simulated characters created by Qin Xuan to be vivid and relatable.

Amid these spirited online discussions, a news story broke that generated a substantial uproar. As soon as the news hit the airwaves, it created a major commotion.

“Goodness, is this for real?”

“Wow, the program just aired today and this news breaks? Is it authentic?”

“It’s probably not fake. They’ve already launched an official case and provided results.”

The news revolved around the school’s procurement of exorbitantly priced power strips, which was already an astonishing story in itself. When coupled with today’s episode of Qin Xuan’s program, it garnered even more attention.

The merging of these two narratives led to a distinctive and powerful reaction, particularly when some content creators edited and combined them. It was like a chemical reaction that resulted in an explosion of discussion.

Qin Xuan hadn’t anticipated that this world would experience these phenomena. He hadn’t foreseen that this world would also witness similar trends.

“Qin Xuan, did you time-travel or something? You’re extraordinary!”

“Yeah, you’re simply remarkable. This goes beyond what an ordinary person could predict!”

“Who said Qin Xuan’s show lacks meaning? Speak up now!”

“I’m still wholeheartedly supporting Qin Xuan!”

Online discussions were ablaze with praise and admiration for Qin Xuan and his show.