Chapter 125, "Mountains and Rivers" is released.
"Mountains and Rivers" is a historical romance drama with intrigue. The original novel was very popular and even won the Mao Dun Literature Prize that year. After the project was approved, it became an S-level production for the platform, with top-tier directors, screenwriters, and actors.
Zhao Feiyan's role is small, but her status is extraordinary. She is the male lead's ideal woman, but the two drift further apart due to political and family reasons. As a result, the ideal woman is trapped in the deep palace and loses the male lead's love, leading to a series of entanglements between her and the male and female leads.
This character is the absolute villain in the book, a typical example of someone whose love turns to hatred.
Generally speaking, such villainous female supporting characters are often unpopular, but since the director and screenwriter were announced, it has suddenly become popular - everyone feels that with such a team, they will definitely be able to explore the deep emotional logic of the villainous female supporting character, show the complexity and three-dimensionality of the character, and not just be superficial.
Such characters have the potential to become wildly popular, and may even be more popular than the female lead.
Therefore, a group of second- and third-tier actresses pulled out all the stops to vie for the role, but Director Tang had high standards and was very selective, so in the end, no one knew who would ultimately get the part. Zhao Feiyan joined the cast not only because of the location in Qinghe Ancient Town and Lu Xiaoqi's financial support, but also because Director Tang was drawn to her face and classical charm—captivating and perfectly suited to be the "white moonlight" (a term for a romantic, idealized character).
Her joining the cast was kept secret until the drama was about to be released.
Then, an uproar ensued.
[Hilarious! After all that tearing and arguing, a newbie just picked up the scraps.]
[Tsk, she's actually an internet celebrity. There's a big difference between internet celebrities and stars, okay? So many filters, but she behaves herself under the camera. I wonder what Director Tang was thinking?]
[An industry insider passing by: Rumor has it she got the role by bringing her own funding. You can search for information about her connection to Qinghe Ancient Town; Qinghe Ancient Town is one of the investors in this drama.]
So that's how it is.
Immediately, opinions were divided. However, the Zhao Feiyan of today was not the Zhao Feiyan who first arrived in this era. She now had over 20 million followers across several platforms, making her a bona fide internet celebrity. Therefore, Liu Chan and the others didn't need to worry about these matters; the fans naturally flocked to her.
[Tch, starting this hierarchy of contempt? My sister's been on the Spring Festival Gala, she can handle any camera angle, so forget about your entertainment.]
[What internet celebrity? My sister is a young dance artist, thank you.]
[The show hasn't even aired yet and you're already taking out loans and getting into trouble. Wait until it's released and you'll all be proven wrong.]
Amidst all the noise and commotion, "The Mountains and Rivers" finally premiered, receiving the prestigious treatment of a major drama of the year, broadcast jointly by national television and video platforms. And as expected, it immediately became the top-rated show in its time slot.
The visuals are stunning, the character designs are exquisite, and most importantly, the plot is solid. The first eight episodes were filmed in Qinghe Ancient Town, depicting the meeting of the male and female leads. The scenery of Qinghe Ancient Town is vividly presented under Director Tang's camera, making it hard to look away.
This also sparked heated discussions online. It coincided perfectly with the anniversary ticket promotion of Qinghe Ancient Town, which directly helped the sales department achieve 300% of its KPI. The sales director was so eager to give Director Tang a banner of appreciation.
Zhao Feiyan appears in the middle to later stages of the story.
Director Tang changed her role from Imperial Noble Consort to Empress, telling a story of childhood sweethearts turning into bitter enemies, a tale of love amidst hatred. Due to her family's political stance, she harbors resentment towards the Emperor, the male lead, and refuses to see him. However, she cannot bear to see the male lead and female lead fall in love, and commits many malicious acts to torment the female lead. In the end, her family is raided and exiled, and in despair, she plots against the male lead, causing him to misunderstand her, and then takes her own life, finally finding liberation.
Having served as empress for decades, Zhao Feiyan could easily portray the role. She didn't need to learn etiquette, temperament, or manners; once the makeup and costume were on, she was the empress.
During filming, many staff members even felt a sense of awe and fear, and wanted to bow to her in respect.
With such a filter and aura, there's no sense of distance between Zhao Feiyan and the character. She only needs to use her own emotions to respond to the emotions in the plot, so the overall performance of the role is quite good. Even the most professional film critics can't find any fault with it.
Especially in the scene where she dies, she falls into the male lead's arms, showcasing the pinnacle of her acting. Her eyes are filled with tears yet she wears a smile; she has no lines, but her gaze conveys a sense of relief and remembrance before she closes her eyes.
The accompanying flashback scenes of the two childhood sweethearts brought tears to the eyes of viewers in front of their televisions.
[My heart aches for the Empress. Come to think of it, it was actually the Emperor who betrayed her first!]
[+! This is the psychological transformation of a woman wounded by love. Her 'evil' was not innate, but rather forced forth by imperial power. Faced with a choice between the throne and love, her lover chose the former.]
[Who would have thought I'd cry buckets for a villain? Zhao Feiyan's performance was so moving; you couldn't hate her as the empress, you only felt sorry for her.]
Her death ironically made her the male protagonist's eternal "white moonlight."
Empress Zhao Feiyan's character died halfway through the series, but until the very end, the debate among fans about whether the male lead loved the female lead or her continued to rage, no less intense than the "Zhu Qiqi vs. Bai Feifei" controversy from years ago.
This demonstrates the success of the role.
The claim that Zhao Feiyan was a "professional empress" has become a point of ridicule for everyone—of course, Lu Xiaoqi put in a little effort to make that claim.
At first, I wasn't too optimistic because she was a social media influencer transitioning to acting. But after watching her performance, I was totally won over! She's the queen I've always dreamed of!
[I find Zhao Yizhu really interesting. She plays an empress in a dance drama, an empress on the Spring Festival Gala stage, and then she plays an empress again in a TV series. She really is a professional empress actress! (laughing and crying)]
[Upstairs, she's playing the Empress in a large-scale musical in Qinghe Ancient Town, hahaha.]
[It's true, I heard her fans like to call her "Empress" in private, which is quite cute.]
But she truly had the bearing of an empress; her manners and demeanor were very classical, exuding nobility and majesty.
Yes, yes, I feel her queenly aura isn't acting; it comes from within.
......
"I think this time it should be settled." After reading some of the comments online, Lu Xiaoqi was genuinely happy for Zhao Feiyan.
The ratings for "The Mountains and Rivers" were truly outstanding. This year's television drama market was rather bleak, but "The Mountains and Rivers" reversed the trend in the last quarter, becoming a blockbuster. She couldn't help but marvel at how powerful television and film media are.
One TV series is worth all the previous efforts.
Zhao Feiyan disagreed with her view and smiled, saying, "If it weren't for your previous efforts, you wouldn't have gotten this role."
Every step she took was worthwhile.
“That’s true,” Lu Xiaoqi nodded happily, of course, “So how are you feeling now?”
Zhao Feiyan smiled as she saw her cautious expression.
“I can vaguely sense an opportunity,” she said reservedly. “This time, perhaps it really will be possible.”
Lu Xiaoqi was overjoyed: "That's wonderful!"
Two great wishes were at stake: one for Zhao Feiyan, the other for Zhang Zhongjing. Now, the former could finally see a glimmer of hope. After chatting with Zhao Feiyan for a while, Lu Xiaoqi stayed in the Huan Yin Ge theater to watch their rehearsal for a bit longer.
Zhao Feiyan and Gongsun Jin teamed up, with Gongsun Jin playing a male role, exuding an indescribable handsomeness and charm. The interaction between the two was very engaging.
Lu Xiaoqi sat below, resting her chin on her hand, watching with a warm, maternal smile on her face.
They're so cute together!
Fortunately, the drama "The Mountains and Rivers" has already been released; otherwise, once the CP fans of her and Gongsun Jin have gained momentum, the public opinion situation would probably become complicated again.
After watching the rehearsal, she also went to the small theater to see Zhu Lianxiu's performance.
It's been a long time since I've managed to steal a moment of leisure amidst my busy schedule.
Upon entering the small theater, I was immediately taken aback by the sheer number of people. The space under the stage, originally spacious and designed for relaxation and elegance, was now packed with seats side-by-side. Furthermore, the back rows no longer had small tables, so there was no tea or snacks; it was simply the same seating arrangement as a traditional theater. Fortunately, most of the audience members seemed content, without any signs of displeasure.
"Are there all these seats now?" Lu Xiaoqi asked the greeter at the door in a low voice.
The hostess smiled and said, "This was suggested by the theatergoers. Because they often can't get tickets, they'd rather have more seats, even if it's a bit crowded."
Lu Xiaoqi nodded knowingly. She noticed that many of the opera fans were actually quite young, not all of them elderly as she had imagined; it was probably about half and half. Thinking about it, it made sense. She herself would quite like to come and listen to Zhu Lianxiu sing a piece from time to time, but she just didn't have the time.
"Is my private room still available?" she asked.
The greeter chuckled awkwardly, sounding a little guilty: "...You rarely come, so the manager had us book the private room for a long time. Those guests are very generous; they book it for six months at a time and come over every now and then."
A private room costs over 100,000 yuan a month.
Lu Xiaoqi: ...Very good!
"Never mind," she waved her hand helplessly, "I'll just stand back and watch."
Listening to opera, standing is just as good, but it's a bit bittersweet. Being the boss and having to stand while listening to the opera—sigh!
Zhu Lianxiu's performances are no longer limited to the short play "The Injustice to Dou E" she performed before. She has also been busy this year, restoring Yuan zaju plays. Yuan zaju plays are not just about the tragic indignation of "The Injustice to Dou E". They cover a wide range of themes, including love, legal cases, history, chivalry, and many witty, humorous, and lifelike masterpieces.
"The Orphan of Zhao", "The Soul of the Maiden", "Autumn in the Han Palace", and "The Romance of the Western Chamber" are all well-known classics.
After experiencing such a wonderful adventure, Zhu Lianxiu wanted to bring those wonderful Yuan Dynasty plays to the stage, so that her journey would not have been in vain.
Zhu Lianxiu sought help from Li Guinian, asking him for several musicians and recruiting others from outside, finally assembling her own troupe. She first staged the complete "The Injustice to Dou E," and then rehearsed "Saving the Courtesan."
Today's performance in the small theater is "Saving the Courtesan".
A crisp gong rang out, silencing the noise in the arena.
The lights focused, and the sounds of traditional Chinese instruments began, but it wasn't the tragic and desolate atmosphere of "The Injustice to Dou E"; instead, it carried a lively, even slightly playful, local flavor.
The curtain rises, revealing not a lavish hall, but a simple yet rustic brothel setting. Zhu Lianxiu, playing Zhao Pan'er, enters the scene.
Her attire today was completely different from Dou E's. She wore a light red dress, not made of fine silk or satin, but well-tailored, which accentuated her graceful figure. Her eyebrows and eyes were delicately painted, but she lacked the seductive charm of a courtesan, instead displaying a clear and clever intelligence. Holding a round fan, she smiled before speaking, and her eyes revealed a forthright and spirited nature.
"In this Bianliang city, who doesn't know my name, Zhao Pan'er?"
When she opened her mouth, her voice was still clear and melodious, but it had completely changed. It was no longer the mournful cry of Dou E piercing the clouds and splitting rocks, but a slightly lazy, self-deprecating, yet confident, accent from the streets. Her words were clear and crisp, like pearls falling on a jade plate, with a natural sense of rhythm.
Zhu Lianxiu has a beautiful voice; she's a natural-born diva. With the sound effects enhanced by "Huanyingge," she can immerse herself in the music immediately.
Her introduction vividly portrayed Zhao Pan'er's identity, personality, and insightful understanding of the world. The audience, young and old, were immediately captivated by this vibrant character.
Young audiences, in particular, found that this traditional opera was anything but dull, which greatly increased their interest.
The actor who played Zhou She in "Saving the Fallen Woman" was a teacher found from the provincial opera academy. He had a solid foundation in opera and his singing was also excellent.
Zhu Lianxiu perfectly captured Zhao Pan'er's "feigned tenderness, genuine scheming" nature. Sometimes coquettish, sometimes shrewish, she was hypocritical and calculating at every turn. She completely outmaneuvered Zhou She, and Zhou She's numerous embarrassing moments only highlighted Zhao Pan'er's exceptional wit.
Zhu Lianxiu's singing, recitation, acting, and martial arts skills are fully displayed here. Her lyrics are witty and lively, and her movements are crisp and clean, making her both beautiful and cool.
In the end, Zhao Pan'er successfully tricked Song Yinzhang into giving her a letter of divorce, rescued him, and Zhou She lost both his money and his reputation, and was punished. The play ended in a joyful and satisfying atmosphere. Thunderous applause and cheers erupted in the small theater.
The laughter and cheers from the audience were noticeably more numerous and frequent than when they had seen "The Injustice to Dou E" before. Lu Xiaoqi, leaning against the wall, couldn't help but smile.
Half of the audience were veteran opera fans. After the curtain call, they threw coins onto the stage, especially those in the private boxes. Lu Xiaoqi even noticed that the trinkets that landed on the stage gleamed with silver and gold, and she clicked her tongue in amazement.
Unsurprisingly, these are "small silver ingots" and "small gold ingots" specially offered by the ancient town's money exchange for tourists to tip. Although they are not real gold or silver, they are still quite expensive.
How extravagant!
The actions of the veteran theatergoers inspired the younger theatergoers, and the small theater became lively and bustling for a time.
Lu Xiaoqi chatted with Zhu Lianxiu backstage and also met Teacher Ning, who played Zhou She.
"Teacher Zhu is truly amazing." Teacher Ning praised Zhu Lianxiu highly. "When she said she wanted to restore Yuan Zaju (a type of Chinese opera), I thought it was simply a pipe dream."
As we all know, Yuan Zaju (a type of Chinese opera) has long since disappeared, evolving into other theatrical genres. The opera world has had a tough time these past few years; preserving what already exists is already a struggle, let alone reviving what has vanished.
So at first, Teacher Ning scoffed at the invitation. But the other party persisted and even sent several excerpts of Yuan dynasty songs sung by Zhu Lianxiu.
Upon hearing this, Teacher Ning couldn't sit still any longer. She bought a ticket for the next high-speed train and came over immediately. She and Zhu Lianxiu hit it off immediately and agreed to partner with her.
He was also puzzled as to how such a young-looking girl could have so many Yuan Dynasty musical scores, but she only briefly mentioned that it was a family heirloom, so there must be some hidden story. Teacher Ning didn't ask any further questions.
Now that the entire play "Saving the Courtesan" has been performed, Teacher Ning is filled with admiration for Zhu Lianxiu.
"Our school wants to invite Mr. Zhu to teach a class every week, but unfortunately Mr. Zhu is too busy."
Zhu Lianxiu said apologetically, "I really haven't been able to find the time in the last year or two."
The main problem is that the opera school is in the provincial capital, which is quite far away. It would take two days to travel back and forth to attend a single class, which is very inconvenient. If it were in Qinghe City, she would be very willing to go.
Lu Xiaoqi's heart stirred upon hearing this.
She looked at Teacher Ning with a smile: "Teacher Ning, we are going to open a school next year, and we will set up a drama department. If you are willing, we can train and teach together."
Teacher Ning was stunned: ...This is possible?!
Lu Xiaoqi had already started listing the advantages of her side: "Look, we have Teacher Zhu, and many other highly skilled musicians. Most importantly, we are sponsoring traditional opera culture, so our students can directly find employment in Qinghe Ancient Town..."
Will Zhu Lianxiu's opera performances be limited to the ancient town from now on?
Of course not!
That would be such a waste. They could easily go on tour like "Treading on the Golden Lotus".
When she talked about employment, Ms. Ning's eyes lit up slightly.
Employment is a real pain point for opera students these days. With opera in decline, many graduates face unemployment, forcing them to turn to social media or desperately try to enter the entertainment industry. Therefore, Lu Xiaoqi's suggestion really resonated with Teacher Ning.
“Let me think…” he murmured.
That's amazing!
Lu Xiaoqi certainly wouldn't pressure him to make a decision right now, and besides, Teacher Ning couldn't make the decision alone; the school would need to discuss it several times. She smiled and said, "Okay, take your time to think it over. We can discuss the details later."
The group then put aside that topic and started talking about Zhu Lianxiu's play "Saving the Courtesan".
Lu Xiaoqi felt it absolutely deserved a larger stage. The advantage of the Huan Yin Ge's small theater was that it allowed for close interaction with theatergoers, but the disadvantage was that it could only accommodate a limited number of people.
Zhu Lianxiu had the same idea: "I'm discussing with the manager about allocating three afternoons a week to me, and there shouldn't be any problem."
She is also eager to take on the challenge of the big stage.
Seeing that she had made arrangements, Lu Xiaoqi felt relieved.
She couldn't help but chuckle to herself. Others worried that they didn't have enough or good enough things, but she worried that she had too many good things and was afraid that one of them would be overlooked.
What a sweet burden!
......
The Chinese New Year was approaching when "Mountains and Rivers" was completed.
Lu Xiaoqi's college roommates had taken their annual leave in advance, planning to spend three days in Qinghe Ancient Town before heading home from Qinghe City. Lu Xiaoqi naturally wanted to treat them to a meal, and even invited her senior, Zhang Jing, to join them for dinner.
Not long after, three familiar figures emerged from the crowd, dragging suitcases and chatting.
"Xiaoqi!" Sun Wei, with her sharp eyes, spotted her first and waved excitedly.
"Sisters! Over here!" Lu Xiaoqi greeted them with a smile.
The joy of a long-awaited reunion was instantly ignited. The four girls happily hugged each other at the exit, their chatter attracting the attention of many people around them.
"Wow, Xiaoqi, you look amazing! The water and soil of Qinghe really do nourish people!" Zhou Tianran teased, pinching Lu Xiaoqi's cheek.
"Yeah, yeah, being CEO Lu really changes people. That aura, wow." Li Ting chimed in.
"Come on, you guys!" Lu Xiaoqi slapped their hands away, both amused and exasperated. "You must be exhausted from the long journey, right? Come on, let's park the car in the underground parking lot and go back to the ancient town to settle down first."
She naturally wanted to help them with their luggage, but Sun Wei stopped her: "Oh dear, how could we trouble President Lu to carry the suitcases himself? We can do it ourselves."
"Exactly, otherwise we'll look so weak and frail."
Lu Xiaoqi knew they were joking, so she let them be and led the way while asking, "How was the journey?"
"It went smoothly! I was just so excited, the high-speed train felt slower." Zhou Tianran took her arm. "We've been rewatching 'Mountains and Rivers' the whole way. I'm so excited about going to the actual filming locations soon!"
Lu Xiaoqi smiled and said, "It seems that our investment was quite successful."
Although the drama has ended, its popularity remains high, and its long-tail effect is expected to be significant. Qinghe Ancient Town has indeed seen a surge in drama fans visiting the area recently.
"Tsk tsk tsk, now he really does sound like the boss the moment he opens his mouth," everyone teased.
Lu Xiaoqi felt a little guilty and chuckled twice: "Oh, I'm just in charge. The real boss is behind the scenes."
“That’s still pretty impressive,” Zhou Tianran said. “If you hadn’t told us not to tell anyone, we would have been bragging about it in the group already. You’re our only connection in the wealthy circle right now.”
Sun Wei spoke her mind: "Exactly, let Yao Yuan regret his actions."
After these words were spoken, everyone fell silent for a moment.
Sun Wei glanced cautiously at Lu Xiaoqi's expression.
Lu Xiaoqi waved her hand dismissively: "Hey, why bother with him? I've already forgotten what he looks like."
"Exactly, what a jerk, why even remember him!"
"Does our CEO Lu need any more handsome guys around him right now?" The roommates immediately chimed in, changing the subject to another topic that interested them.
"I want to see Zhao Yizhu! I'm a fan!"
“And Su Zirong,” Li Ting’s eyes lit up, “My God, is he really not wearing a filter?”
Even Zhou Tianran blushed and said shyly, "Then I like so many people: Su Zirong, the musician, Gongsun Jin, Teacher Yuwen..."
Lu Xiaoqi exclaimed, "You've really covered our entire ancient town!"
Zhou Tianran laughed heartily: "That's right, I'm a die-hard fan."
When the group arrived at the parking lot, the driver was waiting in an Alphard.
Lu Xiaoqi now has a decent cash flow and doesn't need to be as frugal as she was a year ago. She no longer refuses things that can make her life more comfortable. However, most of her choices are still practical; luxury cars worth millions or even tens of millions are still not within her consideration.
After the three of them got into the car, they started taking all sorts of selfies and then editing them.
“Even though I won’t mention your specific position, you can still brag about it in the group chat and on your WeChat Moments,” Zhou Tianran winked at Lu Xiaoqi. “Otherwise, wouldn’t it be like wearing fine clothes in the dark?”
Lu Xiaoqi laughed out loud and went with them.
She didn't mind her identity being revealed; she was just too lazy to deal with all the inquiries.
Upon arriving at Qinghe Ancient Town, Lu Xiaoqi arranged for them to stay in an empty house in Zone 4, instead of a hotel. Therefore, the Alphard drove directly to the side gate of Zone 4.
As soon as they got off the bus, they saw Su Jun leaning against the side of the tour bus, scrolling through his phone. He was tall and elegant, with a straight and upright posture. The warm winter sun outlined his clear and sharp jawline and high nose bridge. His features were handsome and refined. When his gaze swept over them, they felt as if the surrounding noise had been shut out.
"Holy crap! He's really a handsome guy!"
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