Dark Sand: My Players Are All Actors
Chapter 347 - 228 Another Possibility (9000 words for monthly ticket)_4

Players speculated about the possible progress of the series and couldn’t help but look forward to it.

...

"Jing Gong, what you see is the first of three other possibilities that I am showing you," said Meng Yuan.

As Meng Yuan cleared the fog of history for Wang Wenchuan, a brand-new world appeared before him.

It was still the Qi Dynasty, still the Political Affairs Hall during the time of Wang Wenchuan’s reforms, only this time, the person sitting in the Hall was not the historic Wang Wenchuan, but Chu Ge, who was disguised to look very much like him.

This was Chu Ge’s instance-clearing video!

Wang Wenchuan was somewhat puzzled, "This is..."

Meng Yuan explained, "Jing Gong, in fact, in later ages, many people have discussed your reforms.

"And in the process of debating ’how to make the reforms successful,’ they also conducted several different kinds of speculations.

"What you are seeing now is a speculation by one of the descendants, impersonating your identity.

"Please watch."

Wang Wenchuan was suddenly enlightened and watched intently with Meng Yuan.

At this time, the focus of the series also shifted to Chu Ge’s perspective, taking him as the main viewpoint of Wang Wenchuan, introducing the entire reform process.

After taking over Wang Wenchuan’s identity, the first thing Chu Ge did was to go to the palace to meet the Emperor and submit the new official system law drafted, trading off the power of the Prime Minister to gain greater support from the Emperor.

Then, using Wen Jun’s phrase "sharing the world with the scholars and officials," he issued a heart-striking argument to all the old parties.

Immediately following was the brutal party strife and the suppression of dissent...

Chu Ge’s solution had already been circulated among the players.

Because so far, it remains one of the best solutions for Wang Wenchuan’s line.

Following the original route of Wang Wenchuan’s reforms was insufficient for clearing the "Desiring to Speak Yet Stopping" instance; further efforts had to be made on Yu Jiaxuan’ s side.

But if Chu Ge’s path of powerful Prime Minister is taken, it is possible to win the battle of Niu Zhu Pier with enough military funds without deliberately spending a lot of time courting Yu Jiaxuan’s line.

Taking the initiative to strengthen the emperor’s centralized power and in the process of the emperor’s centralization, pick the right moment to strike, targeting the old party officials, constantly removing the opposition, consolidating position, and implementing the new laws...

Chu Ge’s solution also lasted for two episodes.

In these two episodes, spanning five years marked by a severe drought, the first five years were mainly for seizing power, while the latter five years were for consolidating position, suppressing the rebound of the old parties, blocking the Emperor’s ears and eyes, and ultimately forcefully enacting the new laws.

Although the players already knew about this route, for many viewers witnessing this solution for the first time, it was still astonishing.

Especially in the series, the game "Dark Sand" automatically reveals various details of the reform process, displaying them from different perspectives such as those of the old party officials, the Wude Bureau, the Emperor, the common people, and so on, making the details more comprehensive and persuasive.

At the end of the episode, Meng Yuan looked at Wang Wenchuan, "Jing Gong, what do you think of this possibility?"

Wang Wenchuan’s expression became somewhat rigid, clearly, Chu Ge’s solution had also taken him by surprise.

However, since this solution was grounded in the historical conditions of the time, it was not hard for Wang Wenchuan, who could have been the Prime Minister, to understand.

After a moment, he gave his own thoughts.

"This person’s mastery of power is indeed rare.

"By supposedly serving the Emperor and using the Emperor’s authority to eliminate ministers, he ultimately implements reform through cunning schemes, indeed managing to play the world like a fiddle, to take and demand at will. Forcing through reforms is naturally not a problem.

"Without the worries of being dismissed as a Prime Minister and without any obstruction, taking the path of powerful Prime Minister is to forever solve the problem.

"However... once you set foot on this path, there is no turning back. Will the initiator not have any legacy?

"This move is likely not only to leave a curse for thousands of years but also to risk igniting instability in the dynasty, strife among factions, and an uncontrollable ruler."

Although the series did not directly show the "aftermath" of this method, both Wang Wenchuan and those clever players could roughly guess it.

Taking the route of powerful Prime Minister is like opening Pandora’s box.

In the short term, it can indeed force through reforms, but what will happen after the Emperor dies?

Chu Ge’s method represents the true powerful Prime Minister, seeking to void the Emperor and become the uncrowned king as a civil official.

Only by exercising imperial power in the guise of the Prime Minister could reform be a possibility.

In this process, it is absolutely impossible to do so with upright means, and one must go to any lengths.

Using the Wude Bureau to dig up dirt, engaging in party strife, flattery, and deception are all essential parts of the strategy.

Once finally becoming a powerful Prime Minister, if one seeks personal gain and embezzles, a forever-cursed name will be left behind, listed with the likes of Yan Maoqing, Wang Chong, and other infamous officials throughout history;

But if one truly implements reforms, revitalizing the dynasty and bringing welfare to the people, perhaps one’s historical reputation will be slightly better, but not by much.

After all, the suppressed scholars and officials will spare no effort to blacken one’s name in historical records.

And in the long term, while Chu Ge’s solution may allow more successful implementation of new laws in the short term, it could induce more problems over time.