Chapter 157: The Struggle Between the Old and the New

In the sweltering July heat, accompanied by the refreshing breezes blowing from air conditioners everywhere, the first trailer for the 1995 version of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" was officially broadcast to the citizens of Hong Kong.

"Gathering heroes from all over the world to compose an unparalleled love poem"—the short trailer, just over two minutes long, after a round of careful editing, clearly and concisely explains the main plot of the entire story.

This isn't some new drama that needs to keep the plot secret; it's a classic martial arts masterpiece that has been adapted into a novel, a movie, and a TV series many times. Therefore, the trailer's editing is different from the secrecy surrounding new dramas. Instead, it tries to show the most exciting scenes to the public, attracting both familiar viewers and new viewers who are only vaguely familiar with the plot.

Opinions vary on the actors and their acting skills, but after another decade of technological and equipment upgrades, the 1995 version, tentatively titled "New Version of Love and Heroism," is clearly far superior to the old version in terms of visuals and production.

Especially since Li Sishi, who has been highly anticipated since her debut and is known as the "real-life version of Fairy Yunya," has been a focus of attention. Even though we had seen her character's look in newspapers, magazines, and news reports before, the still photos and her appearance at the press conference still lacked the atmosphere of the drama. So, while most people were eagerly anticipating her performance, there were also a few doubts about Li Sishi.

Li Sishi always just watched these kinds of comments without making a fuss: whether they were good or bad, the truth would be revealed after the series aired, so why bother with these clowns?

In this industry, any artist who hasn't been criticized by all sorts of strange and bizarre comments can't be considered top-tier!

Sure enough, as soon as the trailer was released, those critical voices immediately disappeared. Instead, they took advantage of the hype to compare the old version with the upcoming new version, and even the prequel "New Version of Romantic Swordsman" that aired last year was inevitably brought up again in this heated debate between the old and new versions.

To be honest, influenced by factors such as a preference for the past over the present and childhood nostalgia, last year's "New Version of Romantic Heroes" also stirred up a lot of controversy. In particular, the actors who played the male and female leads, Zhang Zhichen and Shu Xin, were criticized. The former was ridiculed for looking too bookish and not like the male lead Huo Sheng, but rather like the second male lead Yang An. The latter was criticized for being too similar to Zhong's version of Qing Rong in the early episodes. It wasn't until later, when Shu Xin found her footing and began to perform Qing Rong in her own unique style, that the controversy subsided a bit.

Compared to the port city and the big city

While the mainland version of "83 Love and Heroes" starring Wang Yihua and Zhong Feiying achieved phenomenal ratings, the Hong Kong version of "83 Love and Heroes" starring Hou Beihua and Cheng Yutian was more popular and well-received by the public and the original author. Unfortunately, the dubbed version was not well coordinated during the import process, and the gap between the dubbed version and the original version was too large, which caused it to lose the market foundation laid by the prequel and regrettably become a hidden gem.

However, this unexpected regret is also an opportunity for Li Sishi and Luo Xuan's version of "The Romantic Swordsman" to open up the market again, allowing this version to stand on the shoulders of its predecessors, climb to a higher level, and see a wider view.

In order to preserve her classic screen image, Li Sishi has been neglecting Rong Juezhang's mahjong games lately, spending her days following the TV station's announcements to carry out promotional activities, implementing a two-pronged strategy of achieving both a ratings miracle on the mainland and a ratings miracle in Hong Kong.

Despite knowing that young people should prioritize their careers, Rong Juezhang, who had repeatedly failed and still couldn't win, couldn't help but find an opportunity to call her. His message was nothing more than that she was "fickle" and had forgotten her old flame for someone new...

"Wait, let's not even talk about how I've played mahjong with you so many times and never won a single ten thousand yuan from you. Strictly speaking... the time I've known Ah LOK..."

"It must have been before I even knew you, right?" Li Sishi looked completely bewildered.

"I played 'Yang Si' before him!" Rong Juezhang, who had played Yang Si in the movie version, was so angry that his hands were shaking when he tried to make a phone call during a break, only to be tricked by You Jiating again...

Too lazy to deal with her overly lively cousin, Li Sishi hung up the phone and turned to stand with Luo Xuan and other cast members to prepare for an interview with the host.

As the producer, Li Xuansheng was extremely satisfied with Li Sishi, who was so down-to-earth and always available. His only regret was that Li Sishi was destined for greatness and would eventually follow in the footsteps of Shang Lanyu and Huang Qianyan to work on the big screen. Otherwise, he would definitely have kept her by his side as his go-to leading lady.

Fortunately, although she didn't manage to snag Luo Xuan, a very promising prospect, she still has him in her grasp. Moreover, the two have been friends for a long time, and given Li Sishi's "loyal" nature, reminiscent of old-time artists, any future collaborations or cameos are easy to discuss.

Looking at the data returned from the recent survey and the popularity of the trailer after its release, Li Xuansheng sat in his office with mixed feelings.

Last year, the performance of the new version of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" was not ideal, which already made him bear the brunt of the criticism.

He faced considerable pressure; yet, despite the pressure from all sides, he still chose to play the male lead Yang Si in the new version of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes". This was a battle he fought against reality for his dream.

And tomorrow night, a battle that could have jeopardized his career is about to begin.

Just as I was silently reflecting, I suddenly heard someone knocking on the door.

"Ein." Li Xuansheng quickly composed himself and gestured for the person outside to come in.

The office door was then turned open from the outside, and a beautiful face, both joyful and angry, came into Li Xuansheng's view.

"What can I do for you, Ah May?" Li Xuansheng asked with concern, putting down the documents in his hand.

"Actually, it's nothing big. I just finished recording a program, so I came over to tell the producer about my expectations and thoughts on this drama..." Li Sishi took two steps forward and immediately saw a large pile of documents on the table related to this upcoming remake of a classic martial arts drama.

The document she cared about most was seemingly not valued, buried at the very bottom of all the other documents, with only a small corner showing.

"Oh, so you still have ideas about selling the drama, right?" Li Sishi had already discussed this issue with him politely during filming, but even though the TV station had begun to pay more attention to the mainland market...

However, given the current situation where they often fail to gain favor or command high prices, TV station executives tend to adopt a "chicken rib" mentality, believing that making a small profit is a victory.

They certainly don't care as much about selling to Taiwan and Southeast Asia, where they've always had a good working relationship.

“Yes, I have high hopes for this drama. I think it will be very suitable for the mainland market, and it may even open up a whole new world for us.” Li Sishi nodded and added, “Every era has its own aesthetics and trends, and now is precisely the time for the mainland market to flourish…”

"So I still hope that the TV station can pay more attention to the mainland market. Once we open up the market, there is great potential in the mainland." TBL TV station has always been neutral and leans towards the blue camp, so Li Sishi is not afraid of any strong rejection from her words.

On the contrary, with the return to the motherland imminent, most people are eagerly anticipating that day, to the point that traditional and classical elements are gradually filling everything around us, making people miss their hometown just across the water as soon as they see it.

The captivating and nostalgic cultural and entertainment memories of Hong Kong are inextricably linked to the memories of this generation, whose hearts remained connected even though they were separated by the strait.

.

Li Xuansheng listened carefully and attentively to Li Sishi's words, nodding in agreement, but he still looked troubled: "Your idea is good, but due to practical factors, it still has to be postponed for now..."

"But don't worry, if this show does well, the subsequent resource investment will definitely continue to increase. If you want to take the opportunity to go back and do some promotional activities, meet with the audience in mainland China, etc., for the sake of money, not many people should refuse."

It is said that Li Sishi not only has a positive outlook on the development of the mainland, but has also taken her uncle's family and stepfather's family to the north several times to buy land and buildings. She is truly a young woman who loves her homeland.

Moreover, she grew up in a foreign country and yet still has such a red heart—this is more like those predecessors who experienced hardship in the port city in their early years and slowly rose from the bottom.

No wonder Pei Yansang and others like her so much; she is not as impetuous as today's young newcomers, but rather has a calmness that transcends time.

There is so much to be done—not only the hometown the person in front of me mentioned, but also this young girl who is still too young at the moment.

Looking intently at the girl's determined yet expectant gaze, even before seeing the release of the new series, Li Xuansheng felt he could foresee that this "real-life version of Fairy Yunya" would definitely become a classic character for another decade.

It's even possible that she might not be inferior to the beautiful Qing Rong who tragically passed away, and that she and that person would become an unforgettable cinnabar mole and a distant white moonlight in the hearts of this generation of television viewers in the turbulent era.

"Thank you for the praise, producer." Aside from a few moments of humility on stage, Li Sishi, who can be a little narcissistic in private, always expresses her gratitude politely and sincerely for compliments.

Next, we discussed some details about the film.

Li Sishi finally got up and thanked Li Xuansheng again before quietly leaving the room and closing the door. She waited with anticipation, longing, and a touch of trepidation for the official premiere of this version of "The Romantic Swordsman" the following night.

There are quite a few people who share the same feelings as her.

Tonight, the port city is destined to have another sleepless night for many.

Lying on the narrow dormitory bed, Luo Xuan stared at the dim ceiling until dawn, when finally he succumbed to exhaustion and sleepiness and fell into a deep sleep.

And on the screen, where light and shadow intertwine, this pair—the Eagle Hero and the Cloud Cliff Fairy, destined to become the most authentic portrayals of the original story in the hearts of the 90s generation—will, tonight, transcend time and space, their footsteps echoing the poignant yet deeply moving theme song, as they quietly journey to the mortal realm.