You were asked to write a political intrigue drama, but you wrote "Da Ming 1566".

On the other hand, watching various experts dissect and analyze the script of "The Ming Dynasty," Chen Yu was completely dumbfounded.

Ah this?

Yan Song and Yan Shifan, a father and son who are infamous throughout history for their wickedness, have become synonymous with loyal ministers in the eyes of the audience.

Yan Song, in particular, was practically worshipped by the audience.

What kind of patriotic and concerned Grand Secretary Yan is this? What kind of claim that he controlled half of the Ming Dynasty's territory? Even more outrageous is that some people actually say that Yan Song cherished talent and protected younger generations the most, and that even if their political views differed, he would try his best to accommodate them.

When Chen Yu saw these comments, he was almost dumbfounded.

Don't you know how many loyal and virtuous people Yan Song harmed in his lifetime?

But in your mouths, he's become a kind-hearted elder?

As for the other interpretations, they left Chen Yu both amused and exasperated.

Gao Gong was given the nickname "eloquent tongue," which is somewhat plausible.

After all, Gao Gong in history was known for his fiery temper, always ready to criticize anyone he met, which is why he was extremely unpopular in the court.

But he just couldn't understand when the main storyline of "The Ming Dynasty" was being seriously interpreted as a plot to usurp the throne.

It has even become a generally accepted fact?

Crown Prince Yu was further analyzed as a top-tier ambitious man whose level of cunning likely far surpassed that of the Jiajing Emperor.

No, Prince Yu's meager abilities are hardly worthy of being compared to Emperor Jiajing.

To be honest, Princess Yu's shrewdness and methods were a whole level above Prince Yu's. No wonder she was able to hit it off with Zhang Juzheng, who revitalized the Ming Dynasty, after she became Empress Dowager.

This is what it means for heroes to truly cherish each other.

As for Prince Yu himself, his abilities were so poor that it was unbearable to watch.

But Yan Ning confidently declared that this character was the biggest villain in the entire series?

In response, Chen Yu could only ask one question: Is his mental state really okay?

After reading so many comments, it seems that the only thing netizens are right about is this:

Xu Jie was undoubtedly the most cunning old fox in the Ming Dynasty; there was no exaggeration in that!

As for the other interpretations, Chen Yu had expected them to be wrong, but he never imagined they would be this wrong.

It's veered all the way down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench!

Just as Chen Yu was staring at the comments from netizens, the expression on his face became increasingly interesting.

He completely forgot that he hadn't paused the live stream at all, and all the viewers in the official live stream could clearly see his expression and reaction at that moment.

Some sharp-eyed netizens had already noticed that Chen Yu was watching the comments in the live stream, which was why his expression kept changing.

In an instant, the smiles on the faces of these people could no longer be maintained.

"Hahaha, Chen Yu's expression right now clearly screams 'Unbelievable!'"

"Could it be that he didn't realize that Yan Ning and Teacher Shuping had already completely figured out the plot of his script?"

"He certainly didn't expect that so many big shots would gather in the live stream right now, frantically dissecting and analyzing the script of 'Ming Dynasty'."

"He's laughing so hard he can't live anymore. Chen Yu must be feeling cold all over and sweating profusely right now."

As soon as these comments appeared, those viewers who hadn't noticed Chen Yu's expression before burst into laughter.

"Haha, do you guys have microscopes in your eyes? They're so sharp!"

"I was completely absorbed in the script of 'Ming Dynasty' and didn't even notice Chen Yu. Pfft, why is Chen Yu's expression so ridiculous?"

"How can that not be strange? You painstakingly wrote such a brilliant script, only to have a group of big shots brainstorm and predict the plot's direction with almost perfect accuracy right off-screen. Wouldn't you be dumbfounded too?"

At the same time, Yan Ning looked at Chen Yu's strange expression on the screen and couldn't help but curl the corners of her mouth, revealing a look that was both smug and playful.

"Chen Yu, I thought you were really omnipotent, but I never expected to see you make such an expression."

"Hmph, feeling numb now? Didn't expect I'd uncover your deeply hidden plot to usurp the throne, did I?"

"Honestly, his expression... is kind of cute."

"I was so focused on reading Chen Yu's script before, but now that I'm taking a closer look, he's just too handsome."

The crew members, seeing Chen Yu's expression, all felt that he must be completely numb.

Within seconds, the group's expressions changed one by one, and then they couldn't help but burst into laughter.

This was originally one of the classic program effects of the "Creators Competition".

In each season of the show, the contestants' genuine reactions to the audience's comments drive a surge in popularity.

At this moment, their backend data clearly shows that the popularity of the "Creator Competition" on its first day of broadcast is unprecedented and is still soaring.

Clearly, Chen Yu's utterly dejected expression created a top-notch entertainment effect, prompting viewers to share and forward it wildly.

Teacher Shuping, who was on the judging panel, coughed lightly twice, and a hint of apology appeared on his face in addition to his smile.

He was so engrossed in discussing the plot with Yan Ning that he completely forgot that this matter might cause Chen Yu considerable trouble.

Seeing all these overwhelming plot analyses, Chen Yu must be having a terrible headache right now.

However, it shouldn't be to the point where they can't continue writing, since these are just superficial analyses, at most providing a rudimentary outline.

There are many areas where we can make changes and improvements.

With Chen Yu's current writing skills and foundation, no matter which storyline he chooses, he will definitely be able to write "The Ming Dynasty" into a masterpiece.

His only fear was that Chen Yu would be influenced by these comments and rashly change the storyline he had originally planned, which would lead to the collapse of the later plot.

Thinking of this, Teacher Shuping immediately had a staff member connect Chen Yu's microphone and say a few words.

"Chen Yu, don't let these plot speculations online influence you."

"These are just basic frameworks. Whether a story is outstanding or not, the outline can only determine a small part. The real essence depends on the details and interpretations you write."

"Just stick to your original idea, Chen Yu."

Upon hearing Teacher Shuping's reminder, Chen Yu glanced at the screen full of jovial comments in the official live stream and his expression became even more peculiar.

The next second, a faint smile appeared on his lips.

So now everyone thinks they've seen right through the script of "Ming Dynasty"?

Even from the comments in the live stream, it seemed that Chen Yu was already drenched in sweat and about to break down.

Thinking of this, Chen Yu simply smiled.

If the audience and judges are having fun, then let them be.

I just hope that when they realize their guesses are completely different from the actual plot, they can still laugh so happily.

After all, the theme of this first round of the competition is intellectual stimulation.

Recognizing one's own cognitive biases is the first step in increasing wisdom.

Immediately afterwards, Chen Yu chuckled softly, locked his phone screen, stopped looking at the comments, and started typing on the keyboard again.

[The Ming Dynasty, Act III, Part IV]

The real battle is only just beginning!

As Chen Yu typed those words, the viewers in the live stream were instantly drawn back to the screen.

Everyone watched intently, eager to see how the plot of "Ming Dynasty" would unfold.

What will be the final outcome of this court debate in the Golden Palace?

A few seconds later, the words that appeared on the screen were the passage from the account of Gao Gong, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, settling accounts in court.

Last year, the national treasury's total revenue was 45 million taels, and the annual budget finalized at the beginning of the year was 39 million taels. Logically, this should have resulted in a surplus of 6 million taels.

However, in reality, the total expenditure for the entire year last year amounted to a full 53 million taels, a genuine overspending of 8 million taels.

[If we compare it to the budget set at the beginning of the year, the actual overspending amount is as high as 14 million taels!]

"Young Grand Secretary, how should our Ministry of Revenue sign this document regarding this matter?"

When Gao Gong uttered these questions, the viewers in the live stream were instantly shocked.

They thought the next step would be the same old war of words and roundabout talk, but Gao Gong directly presented the concrete figures.

Moreover, these figures are accurate and rigorous, and they contain the financial logic of budgets and final accounts. Anyone with a discerning eye can see that they have undergone rigorous accounting and statistics.

This sparked a discussion among many viewers who were not familiar with the topic.

"That's an incredibly shrewd calculation!"

"Were people in ancient times all so good at arithmetic?"

Those viewers who knew a little about history were speechless.

"Dude, stop messing around. In ancient times, scientific development such as investigating things and extending knowledge was not valued much, but divination has existed since ancient times, and many masters of divination were ridiculously skilled."

"Putting everything else aside, an official like Gao Gong working in the Ministry of Revenue is responsible for compiling statistics and accounting on a daily basis. If he couldn't even do that kind of accounting, how could he have climbed to the position of Vice Minister of Revenue?"

"I reckon if Gao Gong were alive today, with a little training in computer science and modern accounting standards, he'd be more than qualified to be the CFO of a listed company!"

This series of figures further confirms the earlier speculations by the bigwigs about the deficit in the Ming Dynasty's treasury.

The annual overspending was 14 million taels, which accounted for almost one-third of the national treasury's annual revenue. No wonder the bigwigs in the court were arguing so fiercely!

Then, Gao Gong's next words in the script made countless viewers widen their eyes in astonishment.

Of the 14 million taels of overspending, 3 million taels were owed to the Ministry of War. Why did we specifically sign off on the Ministry of War's bill?

[Because the Ministry of War's overspending of three million taels was ultimately spent entirely by the Ministry of Works.]

Therefore, all of last year's total overspending of fourteen million taels was a hole created by the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Personnel!

【Let's start with the three million taels of silver from the Ministry of War. The Ministry of War didn't spend a single penny, yet they drafted a receipt for our Ministry of Revenue to sign and approve. Young Grand Secretary, tell me, how are we supposed to sign this document?】

Gao Gong settled this score clearly.

The quick-thinking viewers realized it instantly.

"Holy crap, that makes sense, doesn't it?"

"The Ministry of Revenue's responsibility is to verify accounts. They certainly can't just sign off on overspending bills like this that don't reflect the actual amount. Anyone who's ever worked can understand that, right?"

"If they were deliberately targeting Grand Secretary Yan and his son, that would indeed be quite unethical. But now, after hearing Gao Gong's explanation, it makes perfect sense that they would sign off on the Ministry of War but not the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Works."

After Gao Gong unleashed this series of punches, the audience couldn't find any points to refute him. They could only stare intently at Chen Yu's screen, waiting to see how Yan Shifan would respond.

But Yan Shifan's next response left everyone speechless.

Because Yan Shifan completely ignored the numbers and instead directly targeted Xu Jie and Gao Gong.

Both of you were present when this ticket was drafted, and you both saw it being drafted.

[You didn't say a word back then, but now you're blaming the Ministry of Works for this mess. What are you really up to?]

This tactic of avoiding the main issue and shifting the topic instantly made countless viewers' hearts skip a beat.

"Oh no, why does the young Grand Secretary look like he can't answer?"

"This is clearly a change of topic. Holy crap, could it be that the young Grand Secretary really can't handle Gao Gong's question?"

"The huge deficit of 14 million taels was entirely created by the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Works, which were under the jurisdiction of the young Grand Secretary."

"There's even three million taels hanging in the Ministry of War's account; something just doesn't seem right."

The audience looked at each other, and the same thought popped into their minds at the same time.

"It's over!"

"Could it be that the young Grand Secretary really embezzled funds?"

"If that's really the case, then Yan Shifan is incredibly foolish!"

"Won't this ruin Grand Secretary Yan's reputation for integrity built up over a lifetime?!"

As the audience watched the plot unfold, they sensed that Yan Shifan was showing weakness and clearly had something to hide.

In the blink of an eye, everyone's heart clenched tightly.

They had been pondering for a long time how Prince Yu, in alliance with a group of officials whose power was far inferior to theirs, could orchestrate a coup to seize the throne. Emperor Jiajing, Lü Fang, and Yan Song were all at the pinnacle of political maneuvering and court status.

Looking at it now, could it be that Yan Shifan's embezzlement has been caught red-handed?

Immediately afterwards, the court dialogue in the script continued. Gao Gong delivered a series of sharp and beautiful punches, forcing Yan Shifan to avoid the main issue and dodge the question. After that, Xu Jie, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke again.

[Seeing something doesn't mean it's been verified. We checked with the Ministry of War last night and discovered a discrepancy in this expenditure.]

Xu Jie's opening remarks disgusted the audience, who reacted as if they had swallowed a greenbottle fly, and immediately erupted in anger and curses.

"Damn it, what kind of bastard is Xu Jie? How come he's still alive?"

"Let me state first that I don't like Gao Gong, but Xu Jie had previously handed the situation over to Gao Gong, who, despite being a junior Grand Secretary, managed to turn the tide and turn the tide. That was Gao Gong's doing."