New Age Artists

Chapter 592: The Strongest Man in the World, the Source of the Prosperous Tang Dynasty

The atmosphere in the cinema is great.

Audiences who paid a high price to get the premiere tickets for a glimpse of the film felt it was totally worth it.

A large number of war and action scenes are magnificent, imposing, passionate, heroic, and gushing with life energy. They vividly depict Li Shimin's boyhood and youth, and how he climbed to the pinnacle step by step through his wise and courageous performance.

When he was young, he had the spirit of a hero. Then he led the army, and the wars were like a hammer forging iron, erasing the impurities of Li Shimin. He was tempered into steel, invincible, with his own momentum, and stood tall in the world. Then he was appointed as the general of Tiance, the head of the military officers, above the princes and the three ministers, which was almost a leap in the level of life, awe-inspiring and inviolable, and the style of painting was different.

The style of the film is not restrained at all. Er Feng flies up to hit people and knocks down a row of soldiers with one punch. It is different from the traditional kung fu films with fancy moves, but it displays naked violence and extremely powerful martial arts.

In one scene, after being hit by a stray arrow, Li Er went crazy and beat up dozens of people.

Literally a blast, wearing armor, charging on a warhorse, slashing with a long sword, and with the help of the horse's momentum, blood and flesh flew everywhere.

In terms of armed combat, Shen Santong made a strict requirement and must show the power of the world's strongest carbon-based creatures and hexagonal warriors.

The result was very good, and it was presented in the movie, which made the audience feel warm all over.

This is not a fantasy film, this is real history!
At most, it is a bit romanticized, but the basic facts are correct, Li Er is the bravest of the three armies.

Many audiences felt refreshed from head to toe, with a tingling sensation as if they were electrified and goose bumps appeared on their skin. It was extremely refreshing to drink a sip of ice cola in the dog days of summer.

Liu Yan, the host of the show, waited for a long time until the applause subsided a little, and said, "Welcome our main creators, the two directors, our supervisor Director Shen, and our leading actors."

Guo Fan shared the story behind the film's production: "In order to show the scenes of thousands of arrows being fired and horses charging, we used a combination of special effects and real scenes, with a large number of stunts."

"There are special effects companies from our Santong Entertainment, more than a dozen special effects studios in China, and several other studios from around the world. Thousands of special effects engineers are rendering the special effects for this film."

“The director strives for perfection, which results in a powerful scene.”

Liu Yan brought up the topic and asked Lu Yang, one of the directors, to share the story of the filming.

Audiences and guests talked about their viewing experience.

The guests all praise each other, no one will say anything nonsense in this occasion, even if it is a bad movie, they will praise it.

The entertainment industry is a very closed circle. A certain screenwriter in later generations curses people all day long, and the people he curses are those he doesn't get along with. He doesn't curse those on his own side.

Moreover, it is these people who have fooled normal investors and they are still cheating people in this life.

The first batch of Internet players who entered the industry were also being cheated. Of course, it was only after a few years, when Penguin and Ahri found the right posture and dealt with these people, that they started to cry out in pain.

Crying out in pain doesn’t mean you know you’re wrong, but rather that you’re going to die.

If he could still make money after being kicked out, he wouldn't come out and make a fuss.

In this life, Santong Entertainment has risen and brought about a new trend, but Santong Entertainment cannot control other companies in the same industry and cannot stop people from taking shortcuts to get rich.

It’s time for communication.

A twenty-something audience member asked: "I noticed that there are marching tents in the movie. They are very convenient for setting up camp. Except for the materials, the principles are the same as what we have now. Did the Tang Dynasty really have this technology?"

"You observe very carefully." Guo Fan nodded, and then said, "It's true. Your question is also one of our current mysteries."

Unlike Shen Santong, Guo Fan does not make analogies.

This myth was formed because a group of people in the literary and art circles ate garbage from outside and portrayed ancient China as static, but in fact it was not.

Guo Fan said: "The ancient times were not static, nor unchanging, but were developing and progressing."

"World War I and World War II promoted the development of society. We have experienced so many changes of dynasties. We have had many wars of the scale of World War I and World War II. During the war, technology also advanced."

"During the Qin Dynasty, there was already a concept of standardization in weapons, and broken parts could be reassembled."

"I talked with Director Shen, and he put forward a point of view that the culture we have left behind now was technology, high technology at that time."

"For example, the calendar is a core technology. With it, we can grow food. Our ancestors spent many years observing and researching it and got it right. It is a high-tech product of the tribe."

"Another example is the Tang Dynasty's three-color glazed pottery, which is also a technology. After the baptism of time, it has been preserved and become a culture."

"Like mobile phones, they were technology and very popular in the past, but now they are outdated and have not withstood the test of time and have not become part of culture."

"Mobile phones, smartphones have the potential to become a culture."

Shen Santong nodded. They had discussed this before.

This view is that modern technology cannot be special, nor can it be regarded as Western technology. Just as modern medicine is not the same as Western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine can also be modernized.

Similarly, it is hard to say whether the technology that seems powerful now can be retained and become culture. Being advanced now does not mean it will be advanced in the future.

This view is more equal, preserving one's own cultural heritage while also keeping an equal eye on foreign developments.

It is very novel in the present, because according to this meaning, ancient China had technology. Now the technology of countries like the United States may also be backward, and it is still unknown whether it can become a culture.

Shen Santong looked at the audience's reactions and saw that many people seemed surprised, so he couldn't help but sigh secretly.

In today's literary and artistic field, mentioning ancient China is like a stagnant pool of water.

Every time he opens his mouth he talks about the imperial system, the Qin system, centralization and so on, which sounds deadening.

Obviously many people were influenced by it, otherwise they would not be surprised by some ancient military technologies.

The West has only gained the lead in modern history.

This lead was accidental in the long run, and as power has changed hands so many times, it can only be generally referred to as the West.

It is a fact that China has lagged behind in modern history, but it is not an original sin.

By catching up with the times in great strides, it is a "technique" but it does not mean that one's own way is completely wrong.

Of course, suffering creates glory. As we have emerged from the sufferings of modern history, the level of "Tao" has evolved accordingly.

A college-aged audience member asked curiously, "I want to ask, is it true that Li Shimin loved to cry?"

The historical consultant answered this question: "There are many crying scenes in the official history. He was a very emotional person. In today's words, he could easily empathize with others."

"Li Shimin was a man of true character. He internalized his fame and status, and controlled it. He was not arrogant, and was a true man."

The audience was thoughtful and vaguely touched.

There are many scenes of daily life in the film, such as Cuju, where people start playing and fighting with others.

This point is a foreshadowing for the second part. The man who fought with Li Er was called Wang Wuai. After Er Feng ascended the throne, he hid himself. Li Er asked someone to use something to fish, and the fish was caught. He then rewarded him with a smile.

When he was in Taiyuan, he mingled with peddlers and made friends with anyone who had a skill.

Shen Santong is very clear that the prerequisite for being happy is to be truthful. Only when it is truthful and the world is portrayed well can it be said to be really happy.

If it’s not real, the excitement will be empty.

An audience member asked Shen Santong: "Director Shen, as the producer of this play, what is your job? What do you think of Li Shimin?"

Shen Sandong said: "My requirements are all general, such as having an upward spirit and youthful spirit."

"For this purpose, in addition to the screenwriters of the film, I also found online writers. Tian Can Tu Dou, the author of "Battle Through the Heavens", is also here, and they helped to polish the details."

Shen Santong expressed his gratitude.

The audience was surprised again.

I didn't expect that a play like "Li Shimin" would hire an online writer. Many people subconsciously think that movies are better than online novels.

The guests present were also surprised, some frowned, and felt uncomfortable.

There is a feeling that something you love is being ruined.

This is a movie!
Shen Santong's behavior is completely heretical!
It's a huge violation of art!
Shen Santong saw the reactions of the audience and guests, but he didn't care.

Potato's ability to tell stories has been proven over time.

As the top person in the field of online literature, even in the days when pirated resources can be easily found, "The King of All Appearances" has over 1 paid copies on WeChat, and Diannang also has tens of thousands of average subscriptions.

Most screenwriters don’t have this ability. If they had it, they wouldn’t need to be screenwriters.

Shen Santong greeted Tu Dou and met everyone.

Potato shyly stood up from his seat, greeted him and sat down. Shen Santong continued: "I won't say much about Li Er's achievements, everyone knows. I will just talk about him as a person."

"He has absolute self-confidence and full trust and care for his subordinates. This confidence comes from his absolute strength. He not only knows others but also knows himself. He shines with the brilliance of humanity. These are the precious and lovely aspects of his character."

"In our current terms, it can unite people."

"On the other hand, he is very decisive."

"At Xuanwu Gate, I told Yuchi Gong that if Fang and Du did not come to join the team, they would be executed on the spot. That is, you should go and see them. If they have no intention of coming, you can cut off their heads."

The Xuanwu Gate Incident was a sudden event. Due to the changes in the stars, it had to happen. The masterminds were Zhangsun Wuji and Hou Junji, one of whom planned it while the other implemented it.

Li Shimin asked Yuchi to bring a knife to invite Fang Du to make the decision, or he would be executed on the spot if he refused. The two were half-hearted.

"Absolute self-confidence also brings tolerance." Shen Santong said: "He gained the throne in a fair way. Don't simply view Li Shimin as a usurper. His relationship with Li Yuan is confusing. In fact, he was a conqueror."

"Conquer the world?" Some viewers didn't quite understand.

Shen Santong said: "The most confusing identity of Li Shimin is that he is the son of Li Yuan."

"The first batch of Tang soldiers was recruited by Li Shimin himself. With this group of soldiers, Jinyang was captured, and then the Sui army in Jinyang was pacified. The recruitment was in March, and the soldiers only saw Li Yuan at the oath-taking ceremony in June."

After the Jinyang uprising, the Li family carried out a distribution of military power. Li Shimin was given the troops he recruited and became the third commander of the left army.

The original Sui army in Jinyang was divided into three parts: Li Yuan's central army heading south, Li Jiancheng's right third army, and Li Yuanji's Jinyang garrison army.

After entering the Pass, Li Shimin took the northern route and subdued the major forces in Guanzhong. Li Yuan and Li Jiancheng were stationed in Yongfeng Warehouse.

The military strength under Li Shimin grew explosively. After taking Chang'an and Li Yuan becoming emperor, the Li family carried out another distribution of military power.

The imperial guards were formed based on the troops stationed in Yongfeng Warehouse and the Sui army in Guanzhong, with eight general armies under the command of Li Shimin. The ratio of the two sides was roughly 6:20.

The first turning point occurred when 80,000 Tang troops died in the battle against Western Qin. By slaughtering the surrendered generals of Western Qin, Li Shimin was prevented from digesting the surrendered troops of Western Qin. Only then did the father and son achieve a balance in military power.

Li Shimin was also forced out of Chang'an by Li Yuan.

Only Li Yuan, Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji could not fight.

When Liu Wuzhou invaded, all the troops not affiliated with Li Shimin were wiped out, including Li Yuanji's Taiyuan garrison.

Finally, when Li Shimin went to fight against Song Jingang, Li Yuan gave him 3 troops. These were the last non-Li Shimin troops of the Li Tang Dynasty.

Song Jingang's invasion not only destroyed Li Yuan's army, but more importantly, it destroyed Li Yuan's military morale. Even Qu Tongtu, a general of the old Sui army, stood on Li Shimin's side.

After Song Jingang, Li Shimin was the only one in control of the Li Tang army.

"The son of Li Yuan is actually a very confusing identity. In the movie, Li Shimin has a long list of official positions. We can read it as a running gag and designed a relatively lighthearted plot."

"I don't think there's anything wrong with that. After all, he's a prince. But think about it, if a person has no family relationship with Li Yuan, for example, he is Zhang Shimin, Liu Shimin, or Zhao Shimin."

"If someone has Li Shimin's ability to lead troops and fight, and holds the same official position, you will immediately find that this person is more Dong Zhuo than Wang Mang, and more Sima Yi than Cao Cao."

"If you look closely at the official positions and responsibilities, you will find that Wang, Dong, Cao, Ma, as well as Liu Yu, Erzhu Rong, Gao Huan, Yang Jian, Zhu Wen, Zhao Kuangyin, and Yuan Shikai did not reach the level of Li Shimin."

"The next thing is the Xuanwu Gate Incident, the next part of the play, which will be spoiled soon. Fortunately, this is a historical theme, and the ending is clearly written."

Hearing this, the audience couldn't help but laugh.

Shen Santong also laughed and said, "The Xuanwu Gate Incident was more about Li Er having to overcome the hurdle in his heart. As long as he wanted, he could basically get it, because he was the one who conquered the world."

"Li Yuan couldn't kill him, just as Liu Ying couldn't kill Wang Mang in advance, Liu Bian couldn't kill Dong Zhuo in advance, Liu Xie couldn't kill Cao Cao in advance, and Cao Fang couldn't kill Sima Yi."

"Status relies on the endorsement of power. Without the endorsement of power, no matter how many imperial edicts you write, it will be useless."

Shen Santong criticized Cao Cao, saying that he was indeed a loser compared to Li Shimin.

"The problem with Cao Cao is that he can't win. It took Li Shimin only seven years to conquer the world, and Zhu Yuanzhang only took three years to conquer the north. Cao Cao was too slow. If he had conquered the world in three or seven years, many things would not have mattered at all."

The audience laughed again, but think about it and it is true.

A powerful unified dynasty conquers the world quickly and doesn't take long.

Shen Santong said: "It was also because of the righteousness of the country that Li Shimin was confident and tolerant, which was also the source of the Tang Dynasty's magnanimity."

"At the same time, this is also the reason why Li Shimin did not cover up the Xuanwu Gate Incident in history."

"Li Shimin's self-confidence is one thing, but the key is that this incident cannot shake his legitimacy. His legitimacy does not come from his father, but from his own military achievements."

"For example, the Song Dynasty had to constantly discuss its own legal system. Why? Because its legitimacy was low!"

The audience burst into laughter.

Torture and frustration of Song every day.

Shen Santong said: "We curse Qin Hui, but some people say that Qin Hui was incompetent and General Yue was killed by Zhao Gou."

"But let's think about it. After unifying the country, wouldn't Zhao Gou want to regain it? There are many ways to control the army, and it doesn't necessarily require false accusations."

"We are not talking about human psychology, but the choice before Zhao Gou. There is no other choice."

"If he doesn't kill Yue Fei, will the southern landlords be willing? If the north is recovered, the soldiers will have their own land, and he will have his own soldiers. It will not be a must to rule the country with the literati, and he can choose not to do so."

"Will the interests of the South be damaged in this way? Zhao Gou wants to achieve great things, but where will the power come from? Will those who originally have the upper hand allow him to gain power?"

"I'm not saying Zhao Gou is good, but I'm saying that power is always needed behind decision-making."

"Similarly, the Song Dynasty had to discuss its own legitimacy because its legitimacy was low and it had to discuss it."

"The Xuanwu Gate Incident, in which the brother was killed and the father imprisoned, is extremely sensitive. The historians of the early Tang Dynasty, headed by Fang Xuanling, were cautious at first and wrote about the Xuanwu Gate Incident in a very obscure way. What was the result?"

"Li Shimin directly issued an edict to Chu Suiliang, Fang Xuanling and others: cut out the superfluous words and write the facts directly. The meaning is to say, don't be evasive, just write what needs to be written, I killed the person, I did the thing."

"So we can see the clear process of the palace coup, which is unique and authentic in history: the coup was launched at Xuanwu Gate because his old subordinate Chang He was guarding Xuanwu Gate."

"Li Shimin shot Li Jiancheng to death personally. Long before the Xuanwu Gate Incident, the military officers of the Prince of Qin's Palace had already controlled Li Yuan."

"Military generals led by Yuchi Gong forced Li Yuan to abdicate. Li Shimin married his brother Li Yuan, the Prince of Lujiang, and killed the descendants of Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji."

"This would have been a scandal in any dynasty, but Li Shimin asked the historians to write the truth without any taboos."

"In any dynasty, if this matter is not handled properly, it will have a bad impact on future generations and will trigger a series of chain reactions for the sake of the respected person."

"What I want to say is that to be able to have such a treatment, it is certainly because Li Shimin is brave enough to take the responsibility, but it is also because he can afford it!"

"That's the key!"

"Behind Li Shimin's self-confidence and tolerance is his great military achievements. His legitimacy comes from his victories, not from who's son or who gave him legitimacy."

"The choice before him is to make it public without undermining his rule."

"If it is not made public, it may be used by the bureaucracy to fan the flames."

"In my opinion, and only in my opinion, the Xuanwu Gate Incident was not a palace coup in the traditional sense, nor was it a usurpation of the throne. It was just Li Shimin taking back what belonged to him."

"Rather than saying that Li Shimin killed his brother and imprisoned his father, it is better to say that Li Yuan, Li Jiancheng and others took things that did not belong to them."

"From the perspective of filial piety, this matter is a bit taboo, but from a broader perspective, from the perspective of legality, this is not a problem."

"It is because the legal system is upright that the Tang Dynasty was able to flourish. Because the founder of the country was good at fighting, many things were no longer taboos."

"Of course, this is just my opinion. When dealing with historical themes, I personally believe that we should start from productivity, production relations and the nature of power. Only with this power can we make different choices based on our own preferences."

Shen Santong often tortures public intellectuals: "Our public opinion is full of chaos. Of course, there are problems of this or that kind, but the reason behind this is that we have strong legitimacy and have the option of withstanding all kinds of messy remarks on the table."

Shen Santong's understanding of the Xuanwu Gate Incident was refreshing to many viewers.

He couldn't help but nod repeatedly. Regardless of whether he was right or wrong, Shen Santong did have his own thoughts.

Some viewers can't wait to find out about the next part. The plot of the Xuanwu Gate Incident is in the next part. Seeing Shen Santong's clear and coherent explanation, the audience can't wait to take a look.

"Director Shen, are we shooting two films back-to-back this time?"

(End of this chapter)