Chapter 110

Chapter 110

[Li Erfeng Becomes Wanyan Gou – 30 (Future-Era Extra)]

After the livestream ended, **#The Truth Behind the Deaths of Qinzong and Huizong#** remained an explosive trending search on Weibo for three full days before finally reverting to the ordinary color used for less sensational topics.

The discovery of the letters written by Emperor Shizong Wen and Empress Dowager Zheng, honored as Xianci, sent enormous shock waves through the historical community. Ordinary people were just as profoundly shaken.

A-Fei Has So Many Cats: “I never imagined the truth would be anything like this. Officially stunned.”

Young Pioneer Little Dream: “+1 to never imagining it! Honestly, if they hadn’t found a handwritten letter bearing Emperor Shizong’s seal in Yongyou Mausoleum, I wouldn’t have believed a word of this no matter who told me!”

A Cup of Cloudy Wine: “Hey, who would? Just like Elder Tang said, our view of people in ancient times has always been too one-dimensional. We assumed their heads were stuffed with nothing but rulers being rulers, ministers being ministers, fathers being fathers, and sons being sons. Who could have imagined that this pack of rule-followers was capable of something like this?”

I’ll Freeze Before Wearing Long Johns: “Honestly, the figures I remember best from Song are Emperor Shizong Wen, followed by Yue Fei, Empress Wei, and a few others. My impressions of everyone else were shallow. I thought Empress Dowager Zheng seemed decent, the imperial princesses were pitiful, and the ministers were all very loyal. But after watching the livestream and listening to Elder Tang explain the deaths of the real and false Qinzong and Huizong, those people suddenly came alive. They became living, breathing human beings who had truly existed in this world.”

Boundless Waters: “Say no more, sister. The image is too vivid. I’m already delighted!”

Someone else raised an objection. “Am I the only one who thinks Emperor Shizong was too cruel? Killing a man should take no more than cutting off his head. Qinzong and Huizong were also his elder brother and father. Killing them was one thing, but he chose a punishment as brutal as lingchi-and everyone in the comments is cheering? Do any of you have humanity?”

Stars and Little Deer: “Holy shit, where do you live? From now on, I’ll make sure not to smoke anywhere near your house. Wouldn’t want the fumes to make a holy relic crystallize inside you!”

Chen Xiaosong Isn’t Loose: “Notre-Dame burned down, so you have nowhere left to live, is that it? Do you know what Qinzong and Huizong did? Do you know how many Song subjects died because of those two men? Do you know how many households vanished when the Jin army invaded south, or how many women suffered sexual violence?! No. You know nothing. All you know how to do is fart through your mouth!”

Others turned their attention elsewhere. One posted a screenshot of Emperor Shizong Wen’s letter and wrote, “Am I the only person who noticed that, just as the histories say, Emperor Shizong Wen was a calligraphy master?!”

“Me, me, me! I noticed too!”

“Sob, the gap between Emperor Shizong and me is greater than the gap between a human and a dog!”

Song histories had recorded that Emperor Shizong Wen’s calligraphy was outstanding, unsurpassed in his day. Unlike Emperor Huizong’s, his script was powerful and expansive, carrying all the majesty of a Son of Heaven. Unfortunately, very few examples survived, and those that remained into the modern era were later destroyed in wartime.

For that reason, some historians had inevitably begun to doubt the claims. Perhaps later generations had viewed Emperor Shizong Wen through rose-tinted lenses. Perhaps they had praised his writing merely because he was an emperor, while his actual skill had been nothing exceptional.

Well, it might not have utterly crushed the entire Song calligraphy scene, but it had certainly ranked among the very best.

Emperor Shizong Wen had already been an unrivaled hero of his age and possessed countless admirers. After the revelation concerning the real and false Huizong, his already soaring popularity exploded once again. Even *Ode to the Great Song* was swept up in the aftermath. History fans organized wave after wave of complaints to the broadcast regulator, and the mighty River Crab of Censorship extended its enormous pincers. The garbage drama was forced off the air before it could even reach its finale.

The whole country rejoiced. Justice had been served!

At the same time, Chi Jian began preparations to film *The Life of Emperor Shizong*.

That was right. It would no longer be *Ode to the Great Song*, a show that refused to let Emperor Shizong appear for the first five episodes. This series would place Emperor Shizong at the center from the very beginning.

It would not be long. The preliminary plan called for only seven episodes.

Episode one would briefly establish the background: the crisis-ridden Song under Emperors Qinzong and Huizong; Emperor Shizong’s experiences in his youth; the Jingkang Incident; and the moment Emperor Shizong accepted his mandate in a time of mortal peril, ascended the throne, and saved a collapsing realm.

Episode two would show Emperor Shizong traveling north and Empress Wei driving off bandits. It would portray Emperor Shizong’s sweeping reforms, his demotion of the peace and surrender factions, and his promotion of loyal ministers as Li Gang, Zong Ze, Yue Fei, and others gradually gathered at his side. It would also show him executing surrenderist ministers such as Huang Qianshan and Fan Zongyin on trumped-up charges.

Episode three would depict the Battle of the Yellow River, with Emperor Shizong personally taking command, sweeping all before him, and capturing Zongfu alive, followed by the Song-Jin agreement to exchange hostages.

Episode four would begin with a brief explanation of Jin’s tradition of succession from elder brother to younger brother, naturally introducing the divisions of power within its imperial clan. Midway through the episode, Song and Jin would reach an agreement. Empress Dowager Zheng and the others would travel south, meet Emperor Shizong at the gates of Dongjing, and stage the famous drama known as “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”

Episode five would cover Emperor Shizong’s second personal campaign, Qin Hui’s death, and Song’s overwhelming victory. The army would recover Taiyuan, Shandong, and other territories in a single stroke. While the realm celebrated, panic would spread through Jin, which would dispiritedly send envoys south to negotiate peace. The Song court would seize the opportunity to propose the famous Treaty of Jianyan.

Episode six would show the two sides formally ratifying the Treaty of Jianyan. Jin would pay an enormous military indemnity to Song and cede the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun. At the same time, Jin would descend into civil strife, and Qinzong and Huizong would return to court. They would be brought before the assembled officials and identified in turn by the civil and military ministers, Empress Dowager Zheng, Noble Consort Dowager Cui, and the imperial princesses. In the end, the two men would be declared Jurchen impostors and executed by lingchi.

Episode seven would depict Jin’s internecine struggle and final division into two rival states. Song’s Prince Consort Wang Bian would insult and abuse a Princess, prompting Emperor Shizong to have him torn apart by five horses. After Song recovered its strength, it would march to war again. Yue Fei would destroy Western Xia, while Emperor Shizong himself campaigned north and destroyed Jin.

In the final scene, after the fall of the Supreme Capital, Emperor Shizong would ride through the city gates with a horsewhip in hand and look south. A faint smile would cross his face, his bearing full of heroic confidence. Then he would urge his horse into the city and vanish into the dust.

The end.

The plot would be exceptionally tight, every episode packed with satisfying payoffs, and the story entirely faithful to history. It would not contain a single messy romance subplot. The whole production was aimed squarely at slapping the eighty-five-episode *Ode to the Great Song* in the face.
Today, a trained historian and die-hard fan of Emperor Shizong Wen was going to show the director, screenwriters, and producers of *Ode to the Great Cowardly Song* what professionalism looked like-and prove that the best things came in concentrated form!

Chi Jian was a gifted historian who understood the Jianyan era far better than most. He was also an excellent writer. After staying awake for two nights to finish the script, he tucked his laptop under his arm and visited his adviser with dark circles beneath both eyes.

Elder Tang opened the laptop, put on his glasses, and read the entire script from beginning to end. He looked slightly surprised, then soon began to smile. “You really want to film this?”

Chi Jian nodded. “I really do!”

“Then film it.” Elder Tang lifted the tea from his desk and took a sip, looking perfectly unruffled. “Why ask me? I don’t have any money to give you.”

Chi Jian stood and began massaging Elder Tang’s shoulders with practiced attentiveness. “I’m still young, aren’t I? I need you to see whether I’ve made any mistakes. If a professional finds something wrong later, you’re the one who’ll lose face!”

Elder Tang gave an amused snort and patted the laptop. “Send me an electronic copy. I’ll polish it for you. Emperor Shizong Wen may be the central figure, but you can weave in a few secondary threads where appropriate. Show Yue Fei being given his opportunity, or the aged Zong Ze retaining all his will to fight. You can also give the women somewhat larger roles-Empress Wei, Empress Dowager Zheng, Empress Dowager Meng, and Princess Huifu, for example. I don’t mean adding romance. Love is far from the only emotion in this world worthy of celebration.”

Chi Jian learned a great deal from the advice and quickly thanked him. “Then I’ll have to trouble you with it!”

“And one more thing.” He scratched his head and shamelessly pressed his advantage. “You may as well see the Buddha all the way home. You must know plenty of Song specialists. Introduce me to a few. I’ll visit them one by one and invite them to serve as historical consultants. We should strive for perfection!”

“Fine.” Elder Tang agreed without giving it much thought. “We’ll do as you say.”

They had the investment. They had the script. All that remained was casting. The actor who would portray Emperor Shizong Wen was both the protagonist and the production’s most important decision-but that was precisely where the difficulty lay.

There was no helping it. Emperor Shizong Wen had been too young!

He ascended the throne at twenty and pacified every frontier by twenty-three. He entered the story as a young man and was still a young man at the end. Was history deliberately trying to make the casting impossible?

The records said Emperor Shizong had been handsome and imposing, openhearted and elevated, solemn and dignified. He had also been an outrageously overpowered genius who could bring peace to the realm with a writing brush and settle the world from horseback. Where could they possibly find an actor who fit that image?

Just thinking about the list of requirements made Chi Jian’s head ache.

First, the actor had to be handsome and masculine. That alone eliminated every pretty-boy idol in the entertainment industry. Being attractive was one thing. Being beautiful was another. Neither was the same as possessing masculine presence!

Second, he needed a foundation in martial arts and had to look good in action scenes. Emperor Shizong had spent most of the three years after his accession at war, after all, so much of the role would be performed on horseback.

Finally, he needed excellent acting skills and a mature, seasoned presence. They could not disgrace Emperor Shizong Wen onscreen.

This was impossible!

Chi Jian sighed inwardly. In the end, he decided to search for Emperor Shizong Wen’s actor while holding open auditions for the other roles.

Compared with the male lead, the rest of the cast would be fairly easy to find.

The principal female roles were Empress Wei, Empress Dowager Meng, and Empress Dowager Zheng, along with several noble Consorts Dowager and the imperial princesses. The younger actresses could be recruited directly from film academies, while two veteran performers could be invited for the older roles. The scene at the city gates involving the Emperor’s finger was one of the great dramatic highlights. They could not allow the performances to fall flat.

After finishing the script and making arrangements with the relevant authorities, Chi Jian announced on Weibo that he intended to film a series called *The Life of Emperor Shizong*.

Chi Jian was a wealthy heir. He occasionally posted historical explanations on Weibo and had accumulated several hundred thousand followers. The long article he had published earlier attracted enormous attention, pushing that number directly past one million.

His announcement created quite a stir. Some people supported him, some were excited, and others sneered that he had seen Song-themed productions become popular and wanted to exploit the trend. They claimed his earlier essay had been nothing more than an attempt to tear down *Ode to the Great Song* so he could promote his own project.

Chi Jian ignored them. He simply posted the sponsorships he had secured, the planned episode count, and his entire team of experts on Weibo. The sarcastic comments fell silent immediately.

Brother, you’re only filming seven episodes. Are you serious?!

And how did you recruit all those national-treasure-level experts?

Then someone dug up Chi Jian’s identity. He had been the top gaokao scorer in [redacted], earned a doctorate from Peking University, and came from an immensely wealthy family. Yet he genuinely had little interest in money. Rather than enter business, he had dedicated himself to historical and literary research.

The trolls: Sorry to bother you!

Once the project became well known, finding actors grew much easier. Chi Jian gradually finalized most of the cast, and a promising candidate emerged for Emperor Shizong himself.

He was a young man of Chinese descent named Fu Hua. After losing both parents, he had been adopted by a husband and wife from a family of traditional opera performers who had emigrated to the United States years earlier. He combined the opera training he had received since childhood with experience on the Broadway stage, creating a unique performance system of his own. Though still young, he had already won a Golden Globe.

More importantly, he possessed a powerful love for his ancestral country.

After considerable effort, Chi Jian managed to contact him and sent over the script. Fu Hua expressed strong interest. He had already booked a flight and would come to audition that weekend after finishing his business in the United States.

With a strong prospect for Emperor Shizong and Yue Fei’s actor already confirmed, the only major role left uncast was Empress Wei.

To be honest, Chi Jian still felt uncertain about how to portray her. She ought to be virtuous, gentle, and gracious. Yet according to the historical record, she should also possess a valiant, heroic bearing. How else could she have calmly driven off a band of attackers?

But those qualities seemed almost contradictory.

Chi Jian auditioned several actresses in succession but could not settle on any of them. Finally, he scheduled another round and asked the shortlisted candidates to return for a second audition.
That afternoon, Chi Jian had originally planned to meet with a history professor. Unexpectedly, a family emergency forced the other man to hurry home. He called to apologize and asked if they could reschedule.

Chi Jian was perfectly reasonable and naturally had no objection.

With the meeting canceled, his schedule was no longer so tight. He arrived at the film academy early but did not rush inside. Wearing a cap, he wandered through the campus. Partway across, he heard a man and woman arguing nearby. The young woman’s face looked familiar. She was one of the actresses who had previously auditioned for Empress Wei.

Lin Jia said, “I think the team behind *The Life of Emperor Shizong* is excellent-much better than the people who made *Ode to the Great Song*. I’ve already signed up. I’m not changing my mind.”

“Would you wake up?”

The young man laughed in anger. “You offend that many people and still expect to succeed? You ranked first in the entrance examination, and you’re first in your daily coursework. You have a brilliant future. Why insist on this audition?! Wen Sisi played Empress Wei in *Ode to the Great Song*. If you perform badly in *The Life of Emperor Shizong*, everyone will laugh at you. If you perform well, she’ll make you pay. You have no powerful background and no connections. What gives you the right to challenge Wen Sisi?!”

Lin Jia replied calmly, “Everyone in the industry knows *Ode to the Great Song* failed because the script was terrible and the producers and investors stuffed too many of their own people into the cast. Even if I skip this audition, I’ll still have neither a powerful background nor connections. Those people won’t hire me anyway.”

The young man’s expression darkened. “That’s still better than making enemies the moment you debut! If you take this role, who will ever cast you again?!”

Lin Jia frowned. “Cai Hong, how many students graduate from film academies every year? Other people may not know, but don’t we? How many of them become famous? How many top-ranked students disappear without a trace? We’re still students. We aren’t famous yet, but we’re already rushing to worry about how we’ll deal with industry seniors and power players someday. No one has even offered us an important role. Aren’t we thinking a little too highly of ourselves? I’d rather keep my feet on the ground. What do you think?”

Cai Hong raised a hand and rubbed his forehead, unable to keep the impatience from his voice. “So you’re determined to join the production, is that it? You think you’re guaranteed to become famous? Lin Jia, a normal audition would have chosen someone long ago, but that Chi Jian still hasn’t made a decision, and you keep insisting on going back. What I’m about to say isn’t pleasant, so don’t take it the wrong way-but don’t you dare go down some crooked path!”

Lin Jia had never expected her boyfriend to say such a thing. Shock and humiliation flashed through her eyes. She lowered her head and bit her lip, then quickly made up her mind. “Cai Hong, let’s break up. Our values are too different. We shouldn’t stay together.”

Cai Hong went still. A long moment passed before he demanded in disbelief, “Break up? What do you mean, Lin Jia? You really found yourself a powerful patron and think you’re going to become famous? Don’t forget, without me accompanying you to the entrance examination, would you have anything you have today?!”

Lin Jia’s face turned cold. “You only accompanied me to an exam. You didn’t lose a leg for me. There is no need to make it sound so solemn or bring it up for years afterward! I entered this academy in first place because of my own hard work and my teachers’ guidance. What did it have to do with you?”

She had nothing more to say to him. “I’ll transfer you the money for the train ticket and hotel from before I enrolled. I’ll even add a little for your trouble. That’s all!”

Without another glance at the devastated Cai Hong, she shouldered her bag and strode away.

Chi Jian had already seen Lin Jia during the earlier audition. He had thought the young woman portrayed Empress Wei’s tender side perfectly, yet something seemed to be missing. The flaw was not in her acting. It was in how the character had been written.

The rest of the auditions went exceptionally smoothly. Fu Hua took the leading role of Emperor Shizong Wen, Lin Jia ultimately won the role of Empress Wei, and every other part found its performer. Three days later, *The Life of Emperor Shizong* held a simple opening ceremony and officially began filming.

Chi Jian had money, and his family had connections. Fu Hua, Lin Jia, and the other actors were hardworking and never complained of exhaustion. With Elder Tang and the other experts cooperating fully, production wrapped three months later. After passing review, *The Life of Emperor Shizong* soon reached the public as a streaming series.

Emperor Shizong Wen was enormously popular, and the show itself had appeared on the trending searches before. Strong promotion added further momentum, giving the first episode an impressive view count. It could not match the opening numbers of *Ode to the Great Song*, but the result was still outstanding.

The audience had eyes. After being fed enough shit, they could still tell the difference between filth and a genuine delicacy.

By the time *The Life of Emperor Shizong* reached its third episode, word of mouth was spreading. Fu Hua was handsome and commanding, with exceptional acting skills. He quickly became the living incarnation of Emperor Shizong Wen in the eyes of viewers across the country. The rest of the cast delivered equally fine performances, breathing flesh and blood into the short seven-episode drama.

When episode four aired, its view count surpassed the most-watched episode of *Ode to the Great Song*. Its reputation remained impeccable, and its Douban score held steady at 9.4.

An extraordinarily gratifying result.

*The Life of Emperor Shizong* was a genuine hit.

The Weibo account of the director of *Ode to the Great Song* fell once again.

The most-liked comment read:

“The person who defeats you may not be another director. It might be a history student.”