On October 16th, in Yi Naji and Kai Cai, the weather was clear. At 9:18 am, Fang Yang led Huang Xiaoping, Zhuge Jianming, Zhou Xin, Zhou Yi, Zhu Qi, Liu Kexin and others to step forward to worship the gods and burn incense. At 9:30 am, Fang Yang unveiled the red cloth covering the camera and took several group photos of all the main actors for costume photos. The opening ceremony was then concluded.

At 10:00 AM, Fang Yang led the main creative team to a press conference on a simply constructed stage.

Zhuge Jianming took the stage as a guest host. After a series of witty opening remarks, he began to introduce director Fang Yang, assistant director Huang Xiaoping, and lead actors Zhou Yi, Zhu Qi, Zhou Xin, Liu Kexin, and others. There were about 40 or 50 media outlets and more than 100 people in the audience, who took photos to commemorate the occasion. In an instant, the flashbulbs went off everywhere, making it difficult for everyone on stage to open their eyes.

The subsequent media interview session started off normally, following the pre-arranged requirements. However, a reporter from a southern media outlet asked a rather pointed question: "Mr. Fang, as a musician who has never acted before, what reasons led you to take on the role of director? Are you perhaps more skilled at directing than Director Huang?"

Fang Yang looked at the sleazy man wearing a badge from a Southern Media outlet. He was clearly there to cause trouble. "Everyone has a first time. For example, I've never written a book before, but I wrote 'The Legend of the Twin Dragons of the Tang Dynasty.' I've never written a song before, but I've now written a whole bunch of songs. I've never written poetry before, but the poems I've written can render all other poems useless. So please don't use your pitiful 18 IQ to speculate whether my 180 IQ is capable of doing this!"

The audience of over a hundred burst into laughter. The words were indeed incredibly hurtful, making the lewd man's face turn bright red. "Mr. Fang, how dare you insult a reporter like this? Do you have some kind of opinion about the journalism profession?"

Fang Yang looked directly at the reporter named Xiang Yu and said, "Please don't spread rumors or misinterpret my meaning. There are so many reporters listening in the audience. If you respect others, you will naturally gain respect. Of course, you can make things up, but I believe that all the reporters here will act impartially. Okay, let's continue with the questions."

Ignoring Xiang Yu's anger, Fang Yang turned to the other reporters, "Hello, Mr. Fang, I am Zhou Huamei from Jiang Province Entertainment Media News. I noticed that the main actors in this drama are all relatively unknown actors. Why not invite some big-name actors? At least that would be beneficial for the promotion of the drama and would also gain the support of fans."

Fang Yang looked at the beautiful reporter in her thirties and smiled, "First of all, I want to clarify that not all films and television dramas rely on the fame of their actors; secondly, the total investment for our drama is only fifty million, which translates to just over one million per episode. If an actor's salary accounts for seven or eight hundred thousand, it will crowd out other budgets and lead to shoddy production; finally, I don't think the acting skills of our lead actors are inferior to those of big-name actors. Ultimately, a drama's success depends on its quality. As long as the quality is high, I believe the audience will definitely buy it. What do you think?"

Fang Yang's words were met with applause from the reporters below. In recent years, more and more TV dramas have invited popular celebrities to play leading roles. Their huge fees have led to a continuous increase in the cost of TV dramas. Those with insufficient funds have resulted in shoddy productions. Although there are fans watching, it is a consensus in the industry that TV dramas are becoming less and less interesting!

The lackluster content and poor acting have led to a situation where the bad drives out the good in China's overall film and television market. Not to mention compared to the United States, it is far inferior to neighboring island nations and South Korea. The fact that theaters are losing money year after year is just one reflection of this.

As the applause gradually subsided, a reporter turned to Huang Xiaoping and asked, "Director Huang, you are a top director at Shanghai TV. I heard that this is a crucial moment for you to strive for a second-tier director position. At this time, your choice to serve as the assistant director for this TV series, does it mean that you believe this series will greatly enhance your reputation?"

Huang Xiaoping slowly picked up the microphone. "This reporter's question is excellent. I wonder if you've read Mr. Fang's novel? I've read it three times. Although it's not finished yet on the website, thanks to Mr. Fang, I've read the later parts. This book truly deserves its reputation as a masterpiece in the martial arts world in recent years. The entire series revolves around a longevity formula, weaving together the imperial court, aristocratic families, sects, wandering knights, and ordinary people, recreating the chaotic social conditions at the end of the Sui Dynasty. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a history book!"

"We invested a total of 50 million yuan in this drama, most of which was invested in sets, props, cinematography, and post-production special effects. It can be said that this drama is a carefully produced and conscientious production. It will recreate the magnificent scenes of that era. At the same time, the actors were carefully selected by us according to the needs of the plot. Although they are young, their acting skills are all on point, and they will definitely live up to the expectations of the audience."

Huang Xiaoping is a veteran director. With just a few words, he calmed the atmosphere and inadvertently revealed some important information. I believe that once the reporters publish these things in the newspapers, it will definitely stir up a storm of quality.

"Zhou Xin, right? I heard you're the daughter of Zhou Haijun, the chairman of Jinghua Film and Television. Is your leading role in this drama related to your background?" A reporter was still trying to find fault.

Zhou Xin gave the reporter a deep look. It was another entertainment reporter from the south. "I graduated from the Beijing Film Academy. I am an actress by profession. I was chosen to play the lead role in this drama through a casting call. My friend, do you think that all children of leaders are necessarily good-for-nothings or spoiled brats? Can I assume that you have a very serious hatred for the rich or officials in this society?"

Zhou Xin, who earned the nickname "Witch" at Jinghua Film and Television, is not someone to be trifled with. This reporter will be labeled with a big accusation, and no matter what her purpose is, she will definitely not have a good outcome!

The reporters were also terrified, they couldn't afford to mess with them, so they turned to interview the other lead actors, "Zhou Yi, right? I wonder what kind of dramas you've acted in before? Are you feeling any pressure playing the male lead Kou Zhong in this drama?"

Zhou Yi had experienced many such situations and was adept at making polite remarks. "I've acted in about ten TV series before. I'm truly honored that Mr. Fang and Director Huang chose me to play Kou Zhong. I've been studying the script a lot lately and I'm confident I can play Kou Zhong well. Of course, there's pressure. Mr. Fang's novel is such a classic. I'm afraid I won't be able to play the role well and will be attacked by the book's readers, haha."

Zhu Qi was also asked the same question. After the two reporters had been turned down twice, no one dared to ask any more outlandish questions. The questions that followed were all conventional, and everyone got along well. Afterwards, everyone received their red envelopes and the event ended.