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

"Hurry up, Chen Yu, bring it up quickly, we can't wait!" Meanwhile, the screenwriters from top-tier film and television companies behind the scenes looked increasingly grim. What were they just trying to console themselves with?

They thought Chen Yu had just written such an awesome line and scene, surely they couldn't do it again, right? And here he is again?! Looking at the words "Who Dares," an ominous feeling welled up in their hearts. "Won't this scene be even more explosive than the last one?" "Just looking at the title makes it feel incredibly tense." A member of the writing team couldn't help but swallow hard. "Is it going to be Hai Rui going head-to-head with Zheng Bichang and He Maocai?" "If that's the case, then this scene's popularity will probably..." Before he could finish his guess, his speculation was immediately interrupted by the team's star screenwriter.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

"Are you going to tell me that Hai Rui is going to roar in court and yell at Zheng Bichang and He Maocai, 'Who dares to challenge us?'" "That sounds exciting, but this is a political drama! What right does a county magistrate have to challenge the governor and the provincial judge? That's against the rules of officialdom!"

"What kind of official does that? Impossible, absolutely impossible."

"In my opinion, Hai Rui and his men will probably make some kind of pledge, trying to get Zheng Bichang and the others to gamble, and then Zheng Bichang and his men will back down. It definitely won't be a direct confrontation." "Clickbait! Chen Yu is definitely using clickbait here!" The top screenwriters' assertions eased the unease in everyone's hearts a little. However, Chen Yu's plots and lines have always been so unexpected, already slapping them in the face countless times.

Even now, they still couldn't relax and were staring intently at the words Chen Yu was writing on the screen.

In Act Twenty-One, after Wang Yongji's earlier poignant statement of "feeling the same way I feel the same hunger," the room fell silent. He Maocai was clearly at a loss for words. At this moment, Zheng Bichang finally spoke coldly. His words revealed his exceptional skill. He first acknowledged that what Wang Yongji said was indeed the truth of Jiande County.

But then he changed the subject, saying that Zheng Bichang had once served as the provincial governor of a province, and that he knew the realities of every county in Zhejiang, not just Jiande.

Having taken it back, Zheng Bichang immediately launched an attack.

Each county has its own reality, and each province has its own reality, but the reality of our Great Ming Dynasty's two capitals and thirteen provinces is that the national treasury is depleted!

[With Altan Khan of the Mongols constantly invading from the north, and Japanese pirates causing disturbances along the coasts of Zhejiang and Fujian, the court needs to deploy troops, pacify the seas leading to the Western Ocean, recruit soldiers, and build ships. This is the most pressing reality facing the court!]

[A mere county magistrate, taking the small accounts of his county to the big picture of the nation, even went so far as to threaten his superiors withholding approval for national policies!]

Zheng Bichang's expression turned fierce, and his tone rose, indicating that he had no intention of letting Wang Yongji and Hai Rui stay at the meeting and cause any more trouble.

Having already secured Gao Hanwen's approval, the strategy of combining tax relief with economic development seemed a sure thing. However, Wang Yongji's intervention unexpectedly created further complications!

We can't let this accident continue; these two people need to leave the scene immediately!

[The imperial court has regulations that prohibit county magistrates from attending provincial meetings. Guards, summon two county magistrates!] After this outburst, the impact of Wang Yongji's earlier remarks was overshadowed by the imposing presence of Zheng Bichang, the governor of Zhejiang.

The gatekeeper quickly removed Hai Rui and Wang Yongji from their seats.

But Wang Yongji didn't move, and neither did Hai Rui; they remained standing there, staring intently at Gao Hanwen. At that moment, He Maocai shouted angrily, also wanting to quickly drive away Hai Rui and Wang Yongji, who had caused this commotion. [Who's really in charge here?]

[The Grand Chancellor has ordered you to leave, did you hear me?!]

The oppressive feeling was like a landslide and a tsunami, rushing towards us.

Even through the screen, viewers could feel the overwhelming sense of pressure. This was different from the oppressive atmosphere emanating from the previous Jiajing Emperor, a master of political maneuvering who maintained a delicate balance. His oppressive aura was chilling, yet outwardly composed. Jiajing would never simply order someone to leave.

However, in the Zhejiang officialdom, there was little room for balance. This was clearly the most direct measure taken by the entire Zhejiang officialdom against Hai Rui and Wang Yongji...

You two county magistrates aren't even qualified to attend court and participate in discussions. If I tell you to get out, then you have to get out! Once you're gone, the motion is done. It's that direct, without any political maneuvering! But this kind of oppression based on official authority is often the most direct and effective.

The audience put themselves in the shoes of Hai Rui and Wang Yongji and felt a sense of despair. Their boss wouldn't let them hold meetings, all the other high-ranking officials were in cahoots, and even their own superiors who were on their side had something on them that the other side could use against them.

How are we supposed to fight this?

At that moment, Hai Rui, who had not spoken since entering the hall, finally spoke. "But where are we being taken?" He Maocai demanded.

"Go wherever you need to go!" Hai Rui said coldly.

【Then we should go to Beijing, to the Ministry of Personnel, to the Censorate, and finally to the Meridian Gate!】【Let's ask the court why they summoned us to Chun'an and Jiande.】

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere on set froze instantly. Outside the script, the audience gasped in shock. They were stunned, utterly dumbfounded.

No one expected that, faced with the rejection of the entire Zhejiang officialdom, Hai Rui would speak so bluntly. The meaning was clear: he would not give up, he was determined to overthrow the Zhejiang officialdom, and make a complete ruckus!

At that moment, the audience swallowed hard. "This...this is Hai Rui?"

"Wow, this is too intense!" "The tension is palpable, it seems like Hai Rui is going to confront them head-on!" The screenwriters behind the scenes felt a chill run down their spines, their ominous premonitions gradually becoming a reality.

Their eyes widened.

The top screenwriter, who had previously asserted there would be no direct conflict, clenched his fists, his eyes bloodshot. "How dare Chen Yu?"

"How dare he write that?" "Hai Rui, a mere county magistrate, what right does he have to confront these high-ranking officials head-on? What makes him think he can win?" "I don't believe it! I don't believe Chen Yu can salvage the situation! If he can't, he's finished here!" Before his outburst could finish, Chen Yu in the competition room took a deep breath, his eyes gleaming brightly. The keyboard clattered, and Hai Rui's brilliance shone through! Lines of text appeared on the screen. Those screenwriters, still incredulous, saw Hai Rui's subsequent response, their faces shifting from flushed to pale to ashen, their eyes revealing...

It was a terror akin to seeing a ghost or god!

Meanwhile, it wasn't just the screenwriters behind the scenes who looked as if they'd seen a ghost. Viewers in the live stream and in front of their screens also gasped in shock upon seeing the words appear on the screen, their minds going completely blank.

Even some high-ranking bigwigs were stunned, as if struck by lightning, their eyes filled with awe!

On the screen, the aftermath of Hai Rui's confrontation with Zheng Bichang and He Maocai, in his capacity as county magistrate, appeared. Hai Rui stated that if he were to leave, he would go to the Ministry of Personnel, the Censorate, and even the Meridian Gate. He would step by step expose the truth and investigate the matter thoroughly! He Maocai angrily questioned him.

[Are you threatening the ministries and departments, or the entire superior government of Zhejiang?] Faced with the questioning of the provincial judicial commissioner who was in charge of the province's political and legal affairs, an ordinary county magistrate would probably be trembling with fear and anxiety.

But the aura emanating from Hai Rui showed no fear whatsoever; instead, it was as if he were interrogating everyone.

In his capacity as county magistrate, he interrogated the Zhejiang Provincial Surveillance Commissioner!

Hai Rui stepped forward, his expression icy, his words devoid of any fear, and questioned He Maocai and Zheng Bichang: "Just one day later, the imperially appointed Prefect of Hangzhou and Zhejiang Disaster Relief Commissioner has been threatened into silence by you. Whom can I, a mere county magistrate, threaten?"

Then, he looked at Gao Hanwen.

[Prefect Gao, we arranged to go to the grain market together yesterday morning, and then visit the various workshops to check on the silk market, but you were summoned by the governor's office.]

The Grand Chancellor just said that he had a long talk with you.

[But all afternoon and into the night, your attendants inquired everywhere, from the governor's office to the textile bureau, but they had no idea where you were. Could you tell me where the governor's office summoned you?]

[Where did the Grand Chancellor have a deep talk with you, and what was that deep talk about?] [Why, for the same proposal, did you vehemently refuse it the day before yesterday, but agree to sign it today, without any new reasons?] While seemingly directed at Gao Hanwen, every word was actually aimed at Zheng Bichang and He Maocai. Who present couldn't understand the subtext?

This clearly indicates that Zheng Bichang, He Maocai, and others did not call Gao Hanwen away for a deep conversation, but rather to set a trap!

He Maocai instantly reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He never imagined that someone would be so audacious! Besides being furious, he also felt a sense of fear.

If Hai Rui continued like this, things would get messy! Therefore, he couldn't care less about anything else; he had to get rid of Hai Rui first! Compared to Hai Rui, Wang Yongji's destructive power was insignificant! So He Mao slammed his hand on the table. 【Rebellion!】

"Guards, take this Hai Rui out!" Just as a squad leader entered with two bodyguards, Hai Rui roared in return. "Who dares!" The roar echoed throughout the hall. Everyone present turned pale.

No one could have imagined that Hai Rui, a mere county magistrate, would dare to roar in court! Immediately afterwards, Hai Rui's gaze went straight to Zheng Bichang, the governor of Zhejiang.

According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, for any incumbent official appointed by the Ministry of Personnel, unless there is any evidence of collusion with the enemy, loss of a city, or bribery, the governor has only the right to impeach him, not the right to detain him!

Then, he added another sentence.

[Zheng Zhongcheng, order your troops to leave!]

These words caused fear to creep into the eyes of all the high-ranking Zhejiang officials in the hall as they looked at Hai Rui. To invoke the laws of the Ming Dynasty, to directly confront his superior, even addressing him by name and demanding he remove his men? This was simply a desperate man! A madman!

Not to mention those within the script, the audience outside the script, the screenwriters, and even those high-ranking officials felt extremely shocked and awe because of this scene!

Only then did they understand why Chen Yu had bestowed upon Hai Rui the title of "Great Ming Divine Sword." Sharpness!

It's just too sharp!

A person who dares to challenge his superior and refuses to back down is, if he isn't a divine swordsman...

Then what else is divine creation? Based on this performance alone, Hai Rui truly deserves the title of the Great Ming Divine Sword!

But little did they know, this was just the beginning!

Just as the chat in the live stream was about to explode, Chen Yu typed out the following text in a flurry, causing many viewers to stop their fingers from expressing their amazement and their attention to be drawn to the ensuing conversation.

Zheng Bichang was trembling with rage. But at this moment, he had no choice but to back down. "Fine, fine... I won't detain you now." But immediately afterward, his feigned refined elegance vanished, replaced by a fierce expression.

【But let me tell you, this court's decision not to detain you doesn't mean we lack the right to do so. Based on your disruptive behavior in the governor's office and your interference in national policy, I could send you to the capital in prison right now.】

【But this court now requires you to go to Chun'an to immediately implement the national policy of combining relief and economic development.】

[The disaster relief grain will only last for three days. If the national policy is not implemented by then, and the people starve to death or a popular uprising breaks out, I, the Grand Chancellor, will request the King's order to execute you!]

[Let me tell you, former Hangzhou prefect Ma Ningyuan, Chun'an magistrate Chang Boxi, and Jiande magistrate Zhang Zhiliang all died under the imperial edict!]

Zheng Bichang's move was practically an open threat. He brandished the imperial edict flag, threatening to kill Hai Rui! A chilling killing intent permeated the air; the governor's authority and the power wielding the imperial edict flag pressed down like a towering mountain. No matter how proud you were, could you defy the imperial edict flag? But Hai Rui stood firm, refusing to budge!

You said that Wang Mingqi killed Ma Ningyuan, Chang Boxi, and Zhang Zhiliang, right? Well, that's exactly what I was going to say! He looked coldly at Zheng Bichang.

【Ma Ningyuan, Chang Boxi, and Zhang Zhiliang deserved to die! This is exactly what I wanted to say.】 【Both sides spent three million yuan on repairing river embankments, but this year the embankments of the Baimao River and Wusong River in Yingtian are as solid as a rock. The embankment of the Xin'an River in Zhejiang cost two and a half million yuan, yet this year nine counties have experienced breaches.】

"Your Excellency, back then you were in charge of the provincial governor's office, and all the money was spent through your channels. How exactly did the Xin'an River dike breach?"

[This humble servant cannot consult the Censor today, but someone else will eventually.] [If the people truly starve to death and a popular uprising breaks out, the court will investigate, and the truth will eventually come to light! The Emperor's decree may execute me, Hai Rui, but ultimately, the ringleader and the most heinous criminal will not be spared!]

Upon hearing these words, everyone's expression changed, both on and off screen. Hai Rui was clearly referring to the breaching of the dikes and flooding of the fields! He was clearly implying that Zheng Bichang was one of the ringleaders! Zheng Bichang's face turned deathly pale.

This time, He Maocai didn't even need to say anything; for the first time ever, he picked up the gavel and slammed it down hard.