Chapter 51: Monetizing Traffic

The Song Dynasty timeline.

Huangzhou.

Su Shi stood outside the humble thatched hut, gazing up at the Sky Screen.

"Three million people…"

He was a literary giant renowned throughout the land.

To write a single ci-poem required courtesans to sing it and copyists to transcribe it.

Only after years of accumulation could it spread from Jiangnan to Bianjing, causing paper prices in Luoyang to soar.

What an impossibly long time that was.

But the intangible thing called "network" in the Sky Screen.

Shattered the absolute limits of time and space.

In a single night.

It shoved a single piece of calligraphy into the eyes of three million people.

"Instantly transmitted across the realm." Su Shi clasped his hands behind his back, his eyes flickering with profound trembling and awe.

"The spread of culture can reach such terrifying heights."

"If only I had been born in the future, and written an essay exposing the ills of the age, and cast it into that network…"

Su Shi dared not think further.

That power could topple the court in an instant and sway the entire scholarly world's condemnation or praise.

…

The Tang Dynasty.

Taiji Palace.

Li Shimin did not smile.

The day before, he had laughed heartily, stroking his beard, delighted that his daughter had fully inherited his legacy and would shock the ages.

But now, upon hearing Lin Xuan's conclusion—"three million people watched and liked"—

The Eternal Emperor's political instinct screamed its highest-level alarm.

Li Shimin turned.

He strode back to the dragon throne and sat down.

Three million.

This was a number capable of toppling any feudal dynasty.

Li Shimin saw through the true nature of the "network."

It was not a stage for entertainment—it was an bottomless black hole drawing together the hearts of all under heaven.

"Where is the commander of the Baiqi Division!"

Li Junxian stepped from the shadows of the hall, knelt on one knee, and bowed his head deeply.

"Your servant is here."

Li Shimin leaned forward, looking down upon the general who commanded the Tang Dynasty's most vital intelligence agency.

"Did you see the power within that glowing box?"

Li Junxian's forehead glistened with cold sweat.

"Your servant… saw it. It gathers people with terrifying speed."

"Speed?!" Li Shimin slammed his palm onto the imperial desk.

"That is public opinion! Three million minds converged into a single point in one night!"

Li Shimin's eyes narrowed slightly, and chilling murderous intent spilled forth.

"Today, they gather to gaze upon a single piece of calligraphy."

"Tomorrow, if someone spreads a single phrase in that network—'The Tang Emperor has lost the Mandate'—"

"Or if someone shouts, 'Are kings and generals born of noble blood?'"

Inside the hall, the civil and military officials all shuddered.

They followed the Emperor's train of thought.

Their scalps prickled with dread.

In the Tang, if someone rebelled, they had to post proclamations and conspire in secret.

The court had months to detect the plot and mobilize troops to suppress it.

But in the future,

That proclamation would reach three million eyes in a single night.

Before the court's armies could even assemble, millions of incited mobs would rise up and tear down the palace walls.

"Water can carry a boat; water can also capsize it."

"That network is the fastest, most furious flood under heaven!"

Li Shimin drew the vermilion imperial brush from the desk and hurled it at Li Junxian.

"From this moment, the Baiqi Division shall draw three hundred elite troops from the outer court!"

"Establish a new bureau, dedicated to eavesdropping on the gossip of Chang'an and all provinces, prefectures, and counties!"

"Teahouses, taverns, brothels."

"What are the people talking about? What grievances do they harbor against the court? No matter how trivial, report every three days!"

"Prevent small leaks before they become floods—Tang must never allow public opinion to gather into an ocean while the court remains ignorant."

"I want every whispered word of the people under heaven to fall into my ears!"

Li Junxian bowed his head deeply.

"Your servant obeys the imperial decree! I would die ten thousand deaths without hesitation!"

After witnessing the terrifying information-distribution power of the modern internet, the Tang Dynasty's intelligence agency.

Was forced to initiate the highest-level ancient-era public opinion surveillance evolution.

The feudal imperial power's stability-maintenance methods were pushed by the Sky Screen to another extreme.

After days of heavy rain washed over the entire city, the sky brightened.

Lin Xuan sat on the sofa and entered the content creator center of the short-video platform.

A red settlement notice popped up on the backend.

The video imitating the flying-white calligraphy saw its data explode.

The platform, based on its extremely high completion rate and interaction rate, issued its first traffic revenue share.

Lin Xuan's gaze fixed on that number.

Available for withdrawal: eight thousand six hundred yuan.

He stood up and walked toward the playpen at the other end of the living room.

Xiao Sizi sat on the crawling mat, playing with a plush toy bear in her hands.

Lin Xuan squatted down and held the mobile phone screen before the little girl.

"Look here."

Xiao Sizi leaned her head over, blinking her big eyes.

"I know this number—you taught me—it's… eight thousand six hundred!"

"This isn't just a number—it's money, the currency of the future," Lin Xuan said, putting away his mobile phone, his tone growing serious. "The people who saw your writing are paying you for it."

Xiao Sizi froze.

In the Tang Dynasty, she was a princess.

Her food, clothing, and necessities were all allocated by the Imperial Household Department. She knew gold and silver were valuable, but she had never earned a single coin herself.

"I… earned money?" She pointed at her own nose, utterly astonished.

Lin Xuan rubbed her chubby cheeks. "Yes, earned with your own skill."

"Today, I'll take you out. This money is yours to spend however you like."

Xiao Sizi came back to herself.

A tremendous sense of accomplishment surged through her heart.

She leapt up from the crawling mat, forgetting her slippers, barefoot on the floor, jumping excitedly twice.

"I can earn currency! Lin Xuan, I'm not just eating for free!"

She shouted loudly, then turned and ran toward the entrance.

Half an hour later.

The two appeared on the busiest pedestrian street in the city center.

The air after the rain was fresh.

On both sides of the street, high-end children's clothing stores and imported toy shops had spotless display windows.

Lin Xuan held Xiao Sizi's hand.

"Pick anything you like."

"Eight thousand yuan is enough to buy a cartload of toys back home."

Lin Xuan slowed his pace, gesturing for her to look at the shops along the street.

Xiao Sizi shook her head.

Her gaze passed directly over the windows filled with Barbie Dolls and dresses.

She tugged Lin Xuan's finger and walked straight toward a corner shop with dazzling new-Chinese-style decor: a milk tea shop.

A long line formed outside the shop.

The neon sign above the door flashed.

Xiao Sizi stopped before the ordering counter.

She tilted her head up, staring at the glowing digital menu on the wall.

After scanning the entire display, she locked onto the item with the highest price.

Thanks to Lu Chen, her twenty-four-hour super-dedicated teacher, and Xiao Sizi's own natural talent for learning.

She had already learned to read modern characters!

"Excuse me," Xiao Sizi stood on tiptoe, gripping the marble counter with both hands. "I'd like a Double Fruit Grape Bubble Ice."

The clerk, seeing the little girl in a long dress, as if carved from pink jade, felt her fatigue vanish and smiled as she bent down.

"Little sister, would you like extra ice? That's thirty-two yuan."

Xiao Sizi glanced back at Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan pulled up his mobile phone's Payment Code and handed it over.

Xiao Sizi accepted the mobile phone with both hands.

Imitating the customer ahead of her, she raised the screen and aimed it at the scanning terminal.

Beep—!

A crisp sound.

Payment successful.

Ten minutes later.

The clerk handed over a sealed plastic cup.

Thin beads of water clung to the cup's rim.

A thick layer of white cream sat atop the purplish-red fruit tea.

Xiao Sizi clasped the cup with both hands.

It was icy cold.

She did not rush to insert the straw.

Instead, she turned and walked over to Lin Xuan.

She raised the icy milk tea high.

On tiptoes, she brought the straw's tip to Lin Xuan's lips.

"Brother Lin Xuan, you drink first."

"Thank you for taking care of Sizi these past days."

Lin Xuan blinked slightly, gazing at her innocent, hopeful face.

Something soft deep within him was gently pricked.

He bit the straw and sucked in a large gulp.

Icy, sweet-tart grape flesh blended with rich dairy cream slid down his throat.

"Very sweet," Lin Xuan said, straightening up and pinching the girl's cheek. "You drink it."

People came and went along the street.

A few passersby witnessed this scene.

One girl covered her mouth, gazing at Lin Xuan with envy: "What a well-behaved, high-quality little human."

"This dad is so lucky! And you can tell the mom must be stunning too—so envious, so envious, so envious!"

300ml masterpiece: "The Frail Xiao Sizi Knocked on My Door, and I Became the Divine Sovereign of Ten Thousand Dynasties"—click to read now!