How did a street urchin from the film crew end up in a Northern Song Dynasty drama called "The

At midday, the sun blazed high, its scorching rays relentlessly pouring down on the earth. Jin Shuai, dressed in fine clothes and exuding an air of grandeur, arrived at a rather upscale restaurant in the county town. Magistrate Wang had previously vowed to extend the hospitality due to his position, and thus, the restaurant entrance was already packed with people. Magistrate Wang stood respectfully at the forefront, surrounded by a group of prominent local merchants and gentry, all dressed in fine silks and satins, their expressions filled with obsequiousness and flattery, eagerly awaiting Jin Shuai's arrival.

As soon as Jin Shuai appeared, everyone hurriedly stepped forward and bowed in greeting. Magistrate Wang, beaming, jogged to Jin Shuai's side and led him into the restaurant. The group arrived at a private room, and as soon as they opened the door, they saw a middle-aged man sitting there leisurely. A hint of doubt arose in Jin Shuai's heart, but before he could ask, Magistrate Wang quickly introduced him with a beaming smile: "Your Excellency, this is the eldest son of Master Cao from this county. Master Cao retired from the court and has been enjoying his retirement in this county ever since."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man slowly rose, his movements seemingly elegant yet exuding an indescribable arrogance. He merely gave a slight bow, his tone calm yet carrying a hint of haughtiness as he said, "My name is Cao Yang, greetings to Your Excellency. My father is advanced in years and slightly unwell, so he specially appointed me to come and welcome Your Excellency. Due to the short notice, the preparations have been somewhat inadequate; I hope Your Excellency will forgive any shortcomings."

On the surface, Cao Yang appeared impeccably polite, every action and word flawless. However, his slightly raised chin and the unintentional disdain in his eyes betrayed his arrogance. Jin Shuai, seeing this, inwardly sneered, but maintained a smile on his face, calmly replying, "You're too kind. I'm sorry to have bothered you." In that instant, a phrase flashed through Jin Shuai's mind: "I still prefer your unruly demeanor," as if, in his eyes, Cao Yang's behavior was merely a small interlude in the grand drama he was about to unleash.

In an inconspicuous house in a corner of the county town, a room was temporarily used as an interrogation room. The atmosphere inside was oppressive and suffocating; the flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows in every corner. Chen Zhong sat steadily in a chair, his face cold and stern, like a stone statue, exuding a chilling aura of authority. His adjutant, Zhao Feng, stood to the side, gripping the torture instruments tightly, personally carrying out the interrogation.

As early as when Jin Shuai received the so-called "welcome" invitation, he had already keenly sensed the opportunity and decisively ordered Chen Zhong to seize the moment and act swiftly to arrest the relevant individuals and begin interrogation, striving to obtain confessions as soon as possible. The warehouse manager and several key clerks, knowing that their scheme had been exposed, attempted to resist to the end. They clenched their teeth, refusing to open their mouths, their eyes revealing a hint of wishful thinking and stubbornness.

However, faced with such a tough stance, Zhao Feng showed no mercy. The whip whistled through the air, making a sharp sound like the roar of an angry beast; the clamps tightened slowly, the immense pressure causing the tortured to groan in agony. One instrument of torture after another was used, the bloody scene and ear-piercing sounds like a judgment from hell. Meanwhile, Chen Zhong was also busy, observing the changes in the tortured's expressions while employing coercion and enticement. Chen Zhong spoke coldly, his voice not loud, but each word struck the hearts of the group like a heavy hammer: "Think carefully, how many people in your families can bear this crime? You are nothing but pitiful wretches coerced. The Duke truly prefers to catch big fish; he has little interest in wasting his time on small fry like you."

These words were like the last straw, weighing heavily on the psychological defenses of these people. Finally, the warehouse clerk broke down first. He could no longer bear the dual torment of body and mind, letting out a desperate cry and confessing through tears: "I confess, I confess everything! It was Master Cao! It was Master Cao Shichang from the west of the city who did it! He... he colluded with the warehouse manager! Every time new grain entered the warehouse, they would secretly switch it under the cover of night! They would fill the grain bags with sand and only cover them with a layer of old grain, trying to fool the inspectors... The real grain that was stolen... was all... sold to Master Cao at a low price..." The clerk's voice, choked with sobs, echoed in the silent interrogation room, revealing the unsavory secret behind the scenes.

The warehouse manager was ashen-faced, his eyes vacant and lifeless, as if his soul had been ripped away. He knew all was lost, all struggles futile. His legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground, muttering, "It really was Master Cao… and… and the county magistrate and assistant magistrate in charge of money and grain in the prefectural government… they also… also accepted money from the Cao family… they helped cover up the accounts… every time someone came down to inspect the warehouse, they… they would tip them off in advance…"

With the warehouse manager's confession, the layers of the bamboo shoot were peeled away, gradually revealing the shocking corruption and collusion between officials and merchants in Cheng County. As the saying goes, pulling up a radish brings out the mud; this confession uncovered even more previously unknown details. It turned out that the Cao family's influence was deeply entrenched, having bribed not only the warehouse manager and numerous officials in the prefectural government, but also several powerful prefectural judges in Yanzhou, and even the magistrate in charge of criminal cases in the prefecture—all of whom had received enormous sums of "tribute" from him!

The Cao family's methods were even more cunning and insidious. Through their connections as transport commissioners, they took advantage of the canal transport network to smuggle stolen government grain to prefectures in Jiangnan where grain prices were higher, reaping astonishing profits in the process. Meanwhile, the Chengxian granary, which should have been responsible for providing relief to disaster victims, had long since become an empty shell under their various evil deeds, leaving only endless desolation and despair, becoming a victim of their greed and corruption.

Inside the restaurant, an air of extravagance permeated the ornate beams and painted rafters. Jin Shuai sat among the guests, seemingly chatting and laughing with them, but in reality, he was subtly stalling for time. He appeared relaxed on the surface, but his eyes kept glancing unnoticed towards the door, as if waiting for something.

At that moment, Chen Zhong had successfully obtained a confession, and immediately led a squad of soldiers to swiftly surround the restaurant. He moved with agility and steady steps, exuding an undeniable air of authority, heading straight for the private room.

Chen Zhong abruptly pushed open the door to the private room. Everyone, still immersed in the false atmosphere of harmony, was startled by this sudden turn of events, their relaxed expressions instantly freezing. Cao Yang felt a sense of foreboding; a bad premonition surged within him. He tried to remain calm, but couldn't hide the panic in his eyes, and hurriedly asked, "Lord, what...what does this mean?" However, Jin Shuai didn't even bother to glance at him, maintaining his cold and stern expression, as if Cao Yang's words were nothing more than a passing breeze.

At this moment, Chen Zhong strode directly to Jin Shuai, his posture upright and his expression solemn. He respectfully presented the confession containing the crimes of everyone present. Jin Shuai did not reach out to take it, but slowly rose and spoke in a loud voice with a chilling authority: "Not bad, not bad efficiency. Has the commander of the Xiang Army arrived?" After saying this, he walked out of the private room.

"Your Excellency, the commander of the garrison is already waiting outside," Chen Zhong replied immediately, his voice firm and powerful, echoing in the private room.

"Show that confession to Magistrate Wang! Let him die knowing why. As for everyone here, pack them all up and take them away!" Jin Shuai said, stepping out of the private room, leaving a group of stunned merchants and gentry standing there. They seemed to be frozen in place, their faces filled with terror and disbelief, watching helplessly as their fates were completely rewritten in that instant.

After Jin Shuai turned and left, Chen Zhong, his face full of disgust and disdain, unceremoniously threw the confession at Magistrate Wang's face. Magistrate Wang, startled by this sudden action, trembled and instinctively reached out to catch the confession. His hands shook uncontrollably, like withered leaves falling in the autumn wind, as he shakily looked down at it. After only a few glances, the irrefutable evidence of crimes recorded in black and white felt like heavy hammer blows to his heart. Faced with this irrefutable evidence, Magistrate Wang felt his vision go black, his legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground, his mind blank, filled with only one thought: It's all over now, everything is ruined.

Outside the restaurant, a dense crowd had gathered, creating a bustling and lively scene. Commander Xue Chenxu, the commander of the local militia, stood tall and solemn, leading over a hundred soldiers who waited in perfect unison. In addition, many civilians who had heard the commotion had come to watch the spectacle, curiously peering around and whispering amongst themselves. However, these civilians were firmly kept at least ten paces away by Commander Jin's guards, unable to approach even an inch.

Jin Shuai strode out of the restaurant with steady steps, his imposing presence like a mountain pressing down, causing the surrounding air to momentarily freeze. Upon seeing this, the Xiang Army Commander Xue Chenxu hurriedly stepped forward, performed a crisp and clean salute, and said in a loud and respectful voice, "Xue Chenxu, Commander of the Xiang Army of Cheng County, pays respects to Your Excellency!"

Without any attempt at pleasantries, Jin Shuai stared intently at Xue Chenxu, his gaze sharp and unwavering, and asked bluntly, "Do you know anything about the Yicang matter?" His tone was icy and piercing, as if it could penetrate Xue Chenxu's heart and scrutinize every thought in his mind.

"I know." Commander Xue gritted his teeth and answered in a low voice, his voice carrying a hint of hesitation and helplessness.

"Why didn't you report it? Did you also receive a bribe?" Jin Shuai's gaze was like lightning as he stared coldly at Xue Chenxu, his eyes seemingly able to see through every secret in his heart, his tone revealing undisguised questioning and authority.

"No, Your Excellency! It's just that the Cao family is very powerful and can control everything in Cheng County. This humble general..." Xue Chenxu stammered, his head gradually lowering, as if he dared not look directly into Jin Shuai's sharp gaze, his words full of helplessness and cowardice.

"What exactly is the mission of a soldier?" Jin Shuai frowned and asked loudly, his voice echoing in the air like a resounding bell.

Xue Chenxu kept his lips tightly closed and remained silent, as if he were caught in a deep struggle of self-blame.

"Answer me!" Seeing his appearance, Jin Shuai was even more furious and shouted loudly. His voice was like a thunderclap in Xue Chenxu's ears.

Startled by the loud shout, Xue Chenxu trembled violently, instinctively straightened his body, and shouted with all his might, "Defend our homeland!"

"Speak louder, I can't hear you!" Jin Shuai stared coldly at Xue Chenxu, unmoved, his eyes conveying an unquestionable command.

"Defend our homeland!" Xue Chenxu shouted at the top of his lungs, his face flushed red. His voice echoed around him, as if he wanted to vent his guilt and determination at the same time.

"Hmph, at least you have some backbone!" Jin Shuai sneered, his gaze sweeping over Xue Chenxu like a sword. "Then tell me, is this the kind of miserable state of Cheng County, where the people are living in misery and the dead are everywhere, that's the home you're protecting? As a soldier, you're so cowardly and hesitant, you've truly disgraced the military! I'll punish you with thirty lashes, do you accept that?" Jin Shuai's words were sharp, each one like a knife, piercing straight into Xue Chenxu's heart.

"This humble general accepts the punishment and is willing to accept it!" Xue Chenxu did not hesitate at all. After saying this, he was about to unbutton his clothes and take off his shirt to receive the punishment of being beaten with a stick.

Jin Shuai, his expression cold and his gaze sharp, stared at Xue Chenxu before coldly issuing orders: "I'll remember this beating for now! Now, I order you to immediately carry out several important tasks. First, quickly arrange for someone familiar with the city to act as a guide, fully cooperating with my soldiers in the operation to arrest people and ransack homes. Make sure everything is foolproof, leaving no one out! Second, immediately dispatch capable men to carefully count the true number of disaster victims in the surrounding villages and towns of Cheng County. This data must be accurate and without the slightest carelessness! Third, immediately open the official granaries..." Find an open space within the city and quickly set up a soup kitchen. Begin distributing soup immediately. During the distribution, ensure order is maintained. Anyone who dares to cause trouble or disrupt the proceedings will be executed without exception! The soup must be of such consistency that chopsticks inserted into it will not topple over. If it does not meet this standard, you will be beheaded! Zhao Feng is in charge of this arrest operation. You will assist him with all your might and complete it within two hours. Anyone who dares to disobey orders will be killed without mercy! With each sentence Jin Shuai spoke, the chilling killing intent in his eyes intensified. His cold words were like sharp blades in winter, each word exuding unquestionable authority.

"Yes, Your subordinate obeys!" Xue Chenxu was intimidated by the imposing manner of the Golden Marshal. He quickly straightened his chest and raised his head, responding in a loud and firm voice. He then turned around and hurriedly arranged and deployed various tasks.

After Zhao Feng and Xue Chenxu left, Chen Zhong escorted Cao Yang, Magistrate Wang, and others out of the restaurant. Cao Yang, his hands bound behind his back, looked disheveled but remained arrogant. Upon seeing Jin Shuai, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Hmph, Lord Zhiyong, do you know I am a collateral relative of the Sage! You dare to arrest me? The Sage will certainly not let you off! If you know what's good for you, you'd better release me immediately, or you'll regret it!"

"Oh my! He's actually a member of the royal family? That's really strange. Could it be true? Is it a case of the flood washing away the Dragon King's temple? But, shouldn't we wait until I verify his identity first? Haha..." Jin Shuai's lips curled up slightly, his eyes full of amusement, and he said slowly, "Suppress him and give this noble member of the royal family a proper welcome."

"You, you are simply too ungrateful! You are so audacious, you will not have a good end!" Cao Yang shouted and cursed as he was forcibly dragged away by the soldiers, his distorted face showing his ferocity.