Chapter 438 Turmoil

"According to the statistics of the Prefect of the Capital, since the game was updated, the number of people who died suddenly in the capital has increased exponentially."

"Besides Suo'etu and Hesheli Wanyi, not many officials entered the game. So far, only the two of them have been found to be alive."

"Based on data analysis, this update seems to be geared towards the general public."

"Currently, due to the series of sudden deaths, rumors are rampant in Beijing, and people are filled with anxiety."

...

This is the first formal all-staff meeting since Xiaomengge was established.

Because of their initiative, Songgotu and Hesheli Wanyi also became listeners of this meeting.

Looking at Emperor Kangxi and his eight princes sitting at the very top, Wanyi felt even more confident about her future.

Soetu was even more proud and pleased with himself. Although he couldn't say it out loud for the time being, he believed that he was already superior to Mingzhu and Tong Guowei.

After listening to the reports from one person after another, Emperor Kangxi, sitting at the head of the table, frowned deeply.

He had been mentally prepared for the expansion of the game's player base for some time. But he didn't expect it to happen so quickly and so suddenly.

Xiaomeng Pavilion had only recently started, and it was clear that their small group of a few dozen people were insufficient to handle the potential presence of players from the entire Qing Dynasty.

"Baocheng, Baoqing, tell me your thoughts."

It is a test of teaching skills, but also a genuine inquiry.

After all, Yinreng and the others were among the first to enter the game, and their understanding of the game far surpassed that of others.

Yinreng stood up first and said, "At this time, there are many speculations among the people, and it is important to appease them. Players are only a minority of the population, and we cannot neglect one aspect for the other."

Kangxi nodded and looked at Suo'etu: "Suo'etu, you will assist the Crown Prince in handling this matter."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I obey."

Suo'etu immediately accepted the order. He knew that as a player who had just passed the first level, he was still no match for the others in the game. But when it came to handling government affairs, he was still better than these greenhorns.

"Your Majesty, I believe that seizing the initiative is of utmost importance." Yinzhi stood up, his words particularly aggressive. "No one knows when the game will be updated for the third time, or how it will be updated, but no matter what, as long as we can maintain our leading position, the Qing Dynasty will not fall into chaos."

"Your subject seconds this opinion."

Yinqi and Yinzuo also agreed. Although the course was grueling, their minds had clearly been changed, and they now highly valued "dignity" and "truth."

Yin Zhi added, "In my opinion, we should increase our investment in 'Baoyu's School Days,' postpone the development of new dungeons, and focus on breaking free from our reliance on the in-game store and establishing our own cultivation and forging system. That should be our priority at present."

Kangxi had no objection. As the emperor, he naturally wanted the royal family to take the initiative. Therefore, he looked at Yinzhi and said, "Eighth Prince, I am entrusting you with the main control of the 'Baoyu's School Days' copy. You will be responsible for leading people into the copy to study."

Everyone knows that Yinzhi has the highest favorability in front of Jia Baoyu. With him entering together, the chances of others successfully being selected as companions are almost 100%.

"Your subject obeys the decree."

Yinzhen glanced at him and then stood up, saying, "Father, it's unlikely that we can find all the people from the common people who have entered the game. But I think that if there are suitable candidates, we can recruit them into Xiaomeng Pavilion and make them an asset to the Qing Dynasty."

"That makes sense. Since you brought this up, you'll be in charge. I'll have the Prefect of the Capital assist you. Are there any other questions?"

"Your Majesty, if someone uses items from the mall to cause trouble, how should this be handled?"

"With the number of players increasing daily, should we announce this to the world?"

"Xiaomeng Pavilion is currently short-staffed, making it difficult to locate players. If we cooperate with other departments, there's a risk of exposure..."

Due to the unexpected situation, Xiaomeng Pavilion's development has temporarily stalled, and everyone is working hard to cope with the current crisis.

However, the turmoil had only just begun. In the distant Jiangnan region, a strange storm was quietly brewing.

...

"The Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince suddenly fell into a deep sleep."

When Emperor Kangxi arrived at Yikun Palace after receiving the news, his face was very grim. He comforted the flustered Consort Wenxi and Consort Yi, and looking at the imperial physicians who could not find the cause, he had a bad feeling.

"Take Xiao Jiu and Xiao Shi away."

Suspecting that the two had entered a game, and disregarding the objections of the two concubines, Kangxi ordered his men to bring Yinzhen and Yinzhen back to the inner palace of Xiaomeng Pavilion.

"What happened?"

"They must have entered the game."

"Are gamers affected this widely? Are there no age restrictions anymore?"

Yinreng's expression was not good, but he wasn't particularly worried about Yintang and Yin. After all, these two had been reborn and weren't ordinary children.

But the fact that they were both dragged in means that many more children in the community will be dragged in as well.

Given the current state of affairs in the Qing Dynasty, there were few people in the general population who were either educated or skilled in martial arts. Therefore, compared to the success rate of those they carefully selected and recruited, the mortality rate of those who entered voluntarily was extremely high, not to mention children.

“Latest news,” Yin Zhi hurried in, “the large-scale team game ‘Grand View Garden Prequel’ has disappeared from the monthly rankings.”

The monthly leaderboard is displayed after players have completed one solo qualifying game and one team co-op game. Players are required to complete at least one game each month.

Previously, they had used "Baoyu's School Days" as a substitute, and the original plan was delayed due to the surge in players.

However, there are still people who are assigned to monitor the game daily and research potential content in advance.

However, the Grand View Garden series, specifically "The Grand View Garden Prequel," which has consistently appeared on today's list, is no longer there.

"Has someone in the general public cleared the pass?"

Kangxi was somewhat surprised, clearly not expecting this.

"If we calculate the time, it's possible."

It's been almost half a month since the update, and if you're brave enough, it's not impossible to beat the game.

“Not only are they bold,” Yinreng shook his head upon hearing Yinqi’s murmur, “they are also very ambitious.”

To dare to enter the game so far in advance when one's life is threatened requires either exceptional self-confidence or an even greater desire that outweighs the desire to live.

Yinreng was right. Soon, an urgent report came from the Jiangnan region that some treacherous individuals were stirring up trouble among the people under the guise of being "favored by Heaven." By using methods that could "summon wind and rain," they had gathered a group of people who wanted to "overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming" and were causing trouble in the Jiangnan region.

When this matter reached the previous dynasty, it caused endless arguments in the court.

Some ministers advocated immediately sending troops to suppress the unrest and quell it with swift and decisive action; others believed that the matter required careful consideration and suggested that the government could offer amnesty.

One faction believed they were just tricks and nothing to fear; the other faction firmly believed that the officials in the Jiangnan region were not stupid and might actually have some strange methods.

The two factions of ministers each held their own views and refused to yield, awaiting Kangxi's decision.

When Yinzhen and others proposed making it public, Kangxi hesitated somewhat. But now, reality left him no room for hesitation.

More than the potential chaos that might ensue after the game's release, Kangxi could not tolerate it becoming a weapon for ambitious individuals to rebel against the Qing Dynasty.

Therefore, Xiaomeng Pavilion officially stepped into the limelight.