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

Chapter 31 Chen Yu has gone on a killing spree again! Act Ten: Dike Destruction and Flooding of Fields!

"The viewership of the third season since its premiere has exceeded that of the first two seasons in the same time slot by a full five times!"

This bombshell news stunned everyone present, leaving them speechless with disbelief.

For a moment, whether genuinely impressed or just putting on an act, the invited industry guests and paid audience members all spontaneously applauded, with cheers rising and falling. Yet, for many, the forced smiles on their faces were more like cries, their eyes filled with undisguised astonishment and embarrassment.

Whether it was the film industry representative who had previously declared that the popularity of "Ming Dynasty" was about to plummet, or the contestants competing on the same stage, they were all filled with intense resentment and frustration.

What's going on with the plot of "Ming Dynasty"? Why hasn't it fallen apart yet?!

Could there be another bombshell? Impossible, absolutely impossible! The hype can't keep rising like this forever; it'll eventually come down! They gritted their teeth, their eyes glued to the big screen, eagerly awaiting the moment when the popularity of "The Ming Dynasty" would plummet. But no one expected that in the very next second, as Hu Zongxian and his entourage, who had just returned to the governor's mansion through the back door, were discussing how to deal with the rioting civilians, a new bombshell exploded out of nowhere!

Tan Lun was the last person in the group to step into the main hall of the Governor's Mansion.

He had barely settled into his chair when Ma Ningyuan abruptly ripped off his official hat and slammed it down on the table in front of him with a loud "thud." You see, Ma Ningyuan, the prefect of Hangzhou, was a figure of immense power in the eyes of ordinary people—a man whose every stomp shook the ground. In the main hall of the governor's mansion, who among those present wasn't a high-ranking official wielding considerable influence? His rank was practically insignificant.

Anyone sitting in this room, if you pick one out at random, is a high-ranking official of the imperial court who holds the power of life and death over a region.

Even Tan Lun, who was specially sent to Zhejiang by the Qingliu faction, was a full rank higher than Ma Ningyuan in terms of official position, and had the powerful Prince Yu as his backer. Yet Ma Ningyuan chose this extreme method of throwing his official hat, flipping the table in front of a hall full of high-ranking officials, and his words were aimed directly at Tan Lun!

"We're risking our lives to implement national policies, and yet some people are sabotaging us from behind!"

"Let's be frank: does the imperial court still need anyone to carry out the national policy of converting rice paddies to mulberry fields? If everyone keeps sabotaging us like this, we can't do this job!"

This scene is definitely another highlight of the character Ma Ningyuan. Viewers in front of the screen were thoroughly entertained, and even in the newly established Ma Ningyuan forum, the members were thrilled and completely immersed in the scene.

"So cool! That's freaking awesome!"

"Did you all see that? Prefect Ma is a real man, a true role model for us all!"

"One should learn from Prefect Ma! I've decided that I'll dedicate my life to achieving the goal of being able to throw my official hat in front of so many powerful figures!"

The Ma Ningyuan Tieba forum, which was only established a few days ago, has seen its number of followers skyrocket thanks to this wave of popularity, transforming from a forum for discussing the character into what netizens call a "forum for young people striving for success and inspiration."

Ma Ningyuan's act of throwing down his official hat was like lighting the fuse of a powder keg. The already tense atmosphere instantly ignited, and a storm of criticism aimed at Tan Lun suddenly swept through the entire hall. Zheng Bichang spoke first, his words laced with barbs, each sentence carrying heavy pressure, pressing down on Tan Lun.

"It's been four months, and the mulberry fields that the imperial court ordered us to convert to other crops are not even one-tenth complete yet. The cabinet sends urgent messages every few days to hold us accountable, which is why we are so eager to get Prefect Ma to expedite the process."

"I really don't understand how things got to this point."

"Today we just finalized a deal with Western merchants for 500,000 bolts of silk. If we can't weave that much silk and fail to deliver, it won't just be a matter of losing our positions."

Then there's He Maocai, the Zhejiang Provincial Surveillance Commissioner who's been navigating the world of criminal law for twenty years. He opened his mouth with his characteristic ruthlessness, glancing sideways at Tan Lun, his words practically spitting fire: "I think someone is deliberately going against the court's national policies!"

"Who exactly gave the order for Qi Jiguang to transfer the troops? Today, in front of Minister Hu and Eunuch Yang, stand up and explain yourself!"

This barrage of questions came like a storm, and even without explicitly naming names, not only those involved but also viewers watching the script on screen could clearly feel the almost solidified oppressive atmosphere in the lobby and the impending storm.

Just looking at the script on paper and putting themselves in Tan Lun's shoes, many viewers couldn't help but feel a chill down their spines, and cold sweat would trickle down their backs.

"My God, that's terrifying! The atmosphere is suffocating!"

"Tan Lun's career is probably completely over this time!"

"I was thinking that even though Tan Lun was sent to the murky waters of Zhejiang, maybe with his abilities he could still make a breakthrough and find a way out."

"But after watching this scene, I realized that in a place like this, transferring someone is like falling into a pit—there's no way out! The environment is so corrupt; how can one person possibly change it?"

"It's like being sent to the most difficult places to help alleviate poverty. Don't dream that you can lead the whole village out of poverty and into prosperity as soon as you arrive. You should just go to bed early."

"Even someone of Tan Lun's stature, who is so highly regarded by Prince Yu, has only been in Zhejiang for a few days and is about to suffer a major setback."

"Sigh, I've really learned a lot; it's all lessons learned."

Just when everyone at the scene and in front of the screen thought that Tan Lun was doomed and completely finished, a line of dialogue exploded like a thunderclap in the lobby.

Hu Zongxian, a core member of the Yan Party and holding the dual positions of Governor-General and Governor of Zhejiang, surprisingly took on all the responsibilities and managed to protect Tan Lun.

"It was I who ordered Qi Jiguang to take the soldiers away."

This seemingly casual remark was more shocking than a thunderclap. It not only stunned the audience in front of the screen—no one expected that Hu Zongxian, a staunch member of the Yan faction, would stand up for Tan Lun, a member of the Qingliu faction—but also left all the officials in the main hall of the script speechless, their faces filled with disbelief.

Immediately afterwards, Hu Zongxian displayed the shrewdness he had cultivated over decades in officialdom. It was clear to everyone that he was unwilling to forcibly implement the conversion of rice paddies to mulberry fields, yet his methods of speaking and acting were exceptionally skillful. He first asked Zheng Bichang how the matter of borrowing grain from neighboring provinces was progressing, and upon receiving the reply that the borrowing was not going smoothly, he immediately raised his voice.

"If the court punishes me, I will bear all the blame. If the people are full of complaints, they should blame me, Hu Zongxian."

"Converting rice paddies to mulberry fields is a national policy set by the imperial court, and it must be implemented."

"But if we forcibly convert rice paddies into mulberry fields this year, the people won't be able to grow any grain, and the silk they produce won't be enough to buy food. By autumn, there will inevitably be a rebellion in Zhejiang!"

"The imperial court must produce an additional 300,000 bolts of silk every year, not a single one less. But if for the sake of these 300,000 bolts of silk, we are forced to produce 300,000 rebels within my territory, I, Hu Zongxian, am afraid I cannot bear the responsibility for that crime!"

These words truly showcased the pinnacle of official rhetoric. Every word emphasized the necessity of implementing national policy, yet subtly implied that, given the current situation, this policy simply couldn't be forcibly pushed through. This speech left Zheng Bichang and He Maocai speechless, unable to utter a single word in rebuttal.

Immediately afterward, Hu Zongxian turned to Ma Ningyuan, a trusted confidant he had personally promoted, and ordered him to immediately release all the people who had been arrested, then open the floodgates to irrigate the rice seedlings in the fields so that the people could resume their farming as usual. Ma Ningyuan, who had always been completely devoted to Hu Zongxian and obeyed his every word, naturally obeyed the order immediately. As soon as he accepted the order, the tense and stormy atmosphere that had just been on the verge of conflict instantly crumbled, all anger dissipating.

Zheng Bichang and He Maocai were speechless, but Yang Jinshui, the head of the Jiangnan Textile Bureau sent by the Directorate of Ceremonial, had a direct interest in this silk deal. At this point, he had no choice but to step forward and make a statement. As soon as he opened his mouth, he invoked the palace and the emperor, using imperial power to pressure them.

But Hu Zongxian didn't engage with him, responding instead with a flawless, evasive maneuver. Yang Jinshui's words implied that if the silk quota wasn't met this year, the palace would surely punish and hold him accountable; but Hu Zongxian completely ignored him, continuing to talk about procuring and borrowing grain. His attitude couldn't be clearer: he didn't want to continue arguing about the forced conversion of rice paddies to mulberry fields.

Moreover, matters concerning the well-being of an entire province were not within the jurisdiction of Yang Jinshui, a eunuch from the palace. Even if he was dissatisfied, he could only suppress his anger and let it go. A storm that seemed poised to tear the roof off was thus effortlessly averted by Hu Zongxian. But everyone knew that an even greater storm had already begun to brew.

[Hu Zongxian, Yan Song's most favored protégé, sent a memorial to the capital at top speed, urgently requesting the court to postpone the conversion of rice paddies to mulberry fields. A terrifying storm, capable of shaking the entire court, was quietly brewing.]

[The Ming Dynasty, Act Nine, The End.]

The moment Chen Yu typed the word "end," everyone present at the show and the viewers watching the live stream on their screens gasped in unison, as if they had been so engrossed in the story that they had forgotten to breathe, and were only now finally catching their breath.

The next second, the live stream's comments flooded the entire screen like a tidal wave, and posts in various discussion forums were refreshing at a frantic speed visible to the naked eye.

"Awesome! That's fucking awesome!"

"Holy crap, I suddenly realized I might have a bit of a masochistic streak. This feeling of holding your breath the whole time, almost suffocating, and then suddenly letting go, is just so damn addictive!"

"This scene was so well-written! It was high-energy from beginning to end, bringing back that feeling of top-tier masters battling it out!"

"Personally, I think that although the officials appearing in this scene are of lower rank than the Grand Secretaries and Ministers in the third scene's Golden Palace Council, the tension of this battle of the titans is no less than that scene, and may even be more nerve-wracking."

Even more exciting!

"The previous performance in the Golden Palace was a bit too far removed from our own experience, and we didn't quite understand many of the intricacies. But this one is different; we can understand much more of the twists and turns. That's what I call truly thrilling!"

"Chen Yu has written two major dramas of this caliber in just two days, each with its own highlights and style. He's going crazy!"

"Did you all sense that with that last sentence, after Hu Zongxian submitted his memorial, the matter didn't calm down at all; on the contrary, it felt like a storm was brewing, with undercurrents churning beneath the surface?"

"This is definitely the calm before the storm. I have a feeling the real bombshell is yet to come!"

Meanwhile, the staff of the "Creator Competition" program were all grinning from ear to ear as they watched the statistics updated in real time on the back end.

"It's over! It's really over!"

"The current real-time popularity has already surpassed the peak on the day of the first season's finale!"

"This is a brand new record since the start of our 'Creator Competition' program! And the popularity is still rising, it just won't stop!"

Looking at Chen Yu sitting there, their eyes were filled with fervor, as if they were looking at their long-lost father. This wasn't just meeting this month's KPIs; he had already secured the entire year's KPIs! This year's bonuses were going to be plentiful!

Meanwhile, those who had been hoping for the plot of "The Ming Dynasty" to collapse and its popularity to plummet were now stunned, as if they had been slapped a dozen times in the face. Their eyes were wide open, their faces filled with disbelief.

"No, something's not right! Why hasn't it collapsed yet?"

"How could he not break down?!"

Contestant number 3 stared intently at the screen, his eyes wide open as if they were about to burst.

Contestant number 6, Andrew, was furious. He slammed his pen on the ground, looking like a gambler who had bet everything at the table and lost it all. His eyes were bloodshot and frighteningly red.

"In the next scene, he's definitely going to break down!"

"I refuse to believe it! Can he really keep writing plays of this caliber, scene after scene? It's bound to fall apart, it's absolutely bound to fall apart!"

"Chen Yu! Go ahead and write another scene if you dare!"

At that moment, everyone's eyes fell on Chen Yu's face.

Chen Yu was laughing, a silent yet exhilarating laugh, as if he were thoroughly enjoying the story he was writing, the feeling of it pouring out from his fingertips onto the keyboard. After typing the symbol to end Act Nine, Chen Yu didn't stop; instead, the clatter of his fingers on the keyboard became even more frequent and rapid.

Now that the first gust of wind of this storm has already blown, how can we not let it sweep across the world and wreak havoc?

Chen Yu's smile grew even wider as he typed out a new line of text.

[The Ming Dynasty, Act Ten]

[The dikes have collapsed, flooding the fields!]