Chapter 38 (End)
Another Spring Festival holiday has arrived.
The film "Sword Awakens," invested by Shan Hai Live and directed and written by Tang Manjing, has finally been released.
An antique sword, known as the "Zhaowu Sword," which had been lost overseas for over a century, has returned to its homeland.
Researchers accidentally discovered a shocking secret after comparing it with ancient books: behind the figure originally hailed as a national hero, the real hero who made outstanding military achievements was a female general whose deeds had been buried by history!
This discovery instantly exposed all the flaws in the local government's narrative of its "hometown of heroes," leading to significant economic losses.
In an attempt to cut their losses, investors decided to take the risk of stealing the "Zhaowu Sword".
Meanwhile, the original collector in England changed his mind and sent agents to try to steal the sword back.
At this very moment, this female general from a century ago is unexpectedly reborn in modern society. She is shocked to discover that her past achievements have been swallowed up and erased by men, reducing her to an insignificant accessory in historical narratives. In order to reclaim everything that belongs to her, her primary target is the "Zhaowu Sword," which carries her past glory.
Thus, three groups with different goals became entangled, and a hilarious yet thrilling treasure hunt began in the modern city!
Oh, and most importantly, the female general's name is Yan Hui.
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Comedy has always been a favorite genre among domestic audiences. This is especially true of a blockbuster that blends time travel, historical mystery, treasure hunting adventure, and comedy, featuring a unique premise of a female general rewriting history over a century, and a thrilling plot of three factions vying for a treasure.
It instantly stood out among the many films released during the Spring Festival season, attracting the attention of the vast majority of viewers.
Upon its release, the film's box office performance soared. It easily surpassed 1 billion yuan in its opening weekend, quickly topping the box office charts with a momentum that left other films released at the same time far behind.
In cinemas, sold-out screenings have become the norm, with many viewers locking in tickets a week in advance to secure good seats. There have even been lively scenes of "a family of three bringing their elderly relatives to watch the film for the second time" and "friends booking out the entire theater together," demonstrating the film's appeal.
On social media, discussions about "Sword Awakening" have continued to surge, with related topics frequently trending on social media.
What's even more surprising is that Tang Manjing, the director and screenwriter of this phenomenal film, is a complete newcomer with no experience in theatrical films.
But it is precisely this fearless spirit that allows "The Sword Awakens" to break free from the framework of traditional genre films. Unbound by the established formula of "time travel + comedy," it uses delicate strokes to perfectly blend the weight of historical revelation, the tension of treasure hunting adventure, the exhilaration of the female general's rebirth, and the absurdity of the three-way battle. This makes the audience laugh heartily at scenes like "the female general riding a shared electric scooter like a warhorse," while also resonating with moments like "the female general touching the Zhaowu Sword and reminiscing about the battlefield" and "the solemnity when revealing historical truth."
This narrative rhythm, which blends laughter with tears and exhilaration with heartfelt emotion, has even impressed seasoned film critics, who exclaimed that if this new director isn't a genius, then he must have had a master mentor guiding him!
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Later, in an official interview with CCTV, Tang Manjing talked about the inspiration for this story.
"When I was a freshman, my roommate and I went on a trip to the south and visited a small village called 'Aojia Village'."
Legend has it that the village was once occupied by the Japanese army, who set up an armory in the back mountains.
Unable to bear the humiliation, the villagers discussed the matter and, by drawing lots, chose a young man to blow up the armory and sacrifice himself for his country. His childhood sweetheart and fiancée, Huiniang, also chose to die for love that same day.
Back then, I was deeply moved by this love story.
However, years later, when I consulted historical records and conducted investigations, I learned that the story was fabricated.
The true story is that the young man was afraid of death and tried to escape, but he fell off a cliff and accidentally died.
His fiancée was the real hero; she volunteered for the mission, sacrificed her life, and saved the entire village.
The woman's name was Yan Hui, not Hui Niang, who didn't even have a surname.
She died for the greater good of her country, not for a man she loved!
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Inside Zhang Mo's office, a large electronic screen occupying an entire wall was playing a live interview with Tang Manjing.
Zhang Mo, holding a glass of lemonade, smiled at Yan Hui, whose eyes were red, and teased, "Are you really planning to leave? Why don't you stay in the mortal world for a few more years and watch a few more TV series?"
"My worldly ties are severed, and I should go where I belong." Yan Hui appeared very calm. "Besides, the TV dramas these past few years have been getting worse and worse; I simply can't keep watching them."
Zhang Mo: "......" That makes so much sense, I can't argue with it.
Yan Hui's gaze fell on Tang Manjing's face on the screen, and her expression softened: "I've already saved a farewell video on Manjing's computer. It's an encrypted video, and the password is her birthday. Please remind her to take a look, Mr. Zhang."
Zhang Mo: "Not saying goodbye in person?"
Yan Hui smiled bitterly: "I've said goodbye to her in person five times, and each time she cries as if she's about to die." She can't leave, she simply can't leave.
Zhang Mo nodded: "Okay. I'll talk to her when I have time."
I've already spoken to the King of Hell. If you want to be reincarnated, she'll arrange a good place for you.
If you don't want to for the time being, you can stay in the underworld and become a civil servant.
Yan Hui bowed slightly to Zhang Mo, her voice full of gratitude: "Thank you, President Zhang. And please take good care of Manjing in the future."
Zhang Mo: "Definitely."
Yan Hui's golden figure gradually disappeared.
The interview with Tang Manjing was still playing on the large electronic screen.
"Later I kept thinking, why was Yan Hui's story changed to 'dying for love'?"
Why is it that a heroine who sacrificed her life for the entire village can only be hidden in the corner of legend as "Huiniang," a name whose even surname is vague?
We seem to always tend to find a specific person to whom a woman's courage can be placed as a symbol—for her husband, for her children, for the glory of a certain man.
But Yan Hui is different. Her courage is for the land beneath her feet, for her neighbors, and for her own conscience that she should do this.
Thank you, Yan Hui, and thank you to everyone who was willing to listen to this story.
I also hope that all women can be like Yan Hui in the movie, no matter what era they live in, clearly knowing what they want and bravely living the life they desire.
End of article
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