Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 598: The TV series "Blood Bull Queen" sails out to sea on an aircraft carrier, and the death of Bai Qi! (Bonus chapter for Xue Gao)

[P.S. Please see the end of the article/this chapter includes accompanying images.]

As the poignant and lingering melody of the ending theme song of the second episode of "The Book of Peace: Vastness" finally faded and the screen went dark, the imprint of a Chinese epic had already been deeply etched onto the global cultural landscape in early September 2010.

It almost seamlessly connects with "Ball Lightning," taking over as a new phenomenon as that Chinese science fiction film gradually fades from the scene.

For Western audiences, unlike the novelty of the ancient civilization brought by the first episode, the sense of powerlessness in the historical tragedy and the coldness of the political game presented in the second episode triggered a deeper and wider ideological tsunami.

The second episode of Zhijie Video undoubtedly surpassed 100 million views within 24 hours. The growth rate was slightly slower than the explosive period of the first episode, but the extremely high retention rate showed that the audience was incredibly engaged. The Weibo was filled with topics such as #WhoKilled400,000People#, which continued to ignite in-depth discussions on history and human nature.

In the North American market, The Book of Peace faces competition from Netflix's AMC Breaking Bad, whose third season just ended and whose popularity is still going strong, as well as Mad Men, whose fourth season is currently airing, and Showtime's Dexter, among other cable TV hits.

The AMC mentioned here refers to the television network "American Movie Classics," and is not related to the AMC theater chain "American Multi-Cinema," which Wanda is preparing to acquire.

AMC is a classic American cable television network and a leading provider of American TV series. In addition to the aforementioned hit shows such as "The Walking Dead" and "Broadway," "The Walking Dead" and "Better Call Saul" are also produced by AMC.

Surrounded by such strong competitors, as a non-English historical drama, "The Book of Peace" ranked fifth on Netflix's global popularity chart, which in this era is perhaps as difficult as a Chinese film winning an Oscar.

However, in a parallel universe unknown to the Chinese people who are caught up in their obsession and revelry, Chinese dramas will be almost non-existent on international streaming platforms such as Netflix until 2025.

Among Asian countries, South Korea is undoubtedly the biggest winner in the international export of film and television content. Netflix even used "The Squid Game" as a core strategic series to promote it globally, and other genre series, including "The Grim Reaper" and "Zombie School", have continued to gain high popularity and a stable audience.

With its mature industrial system, highly genre-based narratives, and precise emotional resonance, South Korean works have successfully established "K-Content" as a golden brand on global streaming platforms.

Japanese animation, on the other hand, took a different approach, leveraging its strong foundation in anime to gain an absolute advantage in the animation field.

New chapters in popular anime such as Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer, as well as the continued popularity of the final chapter of Attack on Titan, have given it an unshakeable position among certain audience groups.

In terms of live-action dramas, although some, like "First Love," have achieved regional success with their pure love themes and aesthetic styles, their influence is still slightly less than that of top Korean dramas.

South Korea and Japan have already taken their turn, so shouldn't it be China's turn next?

In fact, the third place is India. Netflix uses Indian-developed series such as Sacred Games to attract South Asian and Southeast Asian audiences and fans of specific genres internationally. Even BL dramas from other Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand have formed a stable subculture.

The once wildly popular Chinese period fantasy dramas like "The Untamed" and "Eternal Love," as well as realistic dramas like "The Hidden Corner" and "The Long Season," are still primarily confined to the domestic market. There's still a significant gap between them and South Korea, which has achieved the best cultural export among East Asian countries and made the Korean Wave a part of everyday consumption for ordinary viewers in Western countries.

This marks the first time Netflix has undertaken the task of cultural promotion driven by its Chinese owner, collaborating with domestic video platform Zhijie Video to exchange information based on backend big data analysis.

As mentioned earlier, the Cinematch algorithm, a big data legacy left by former Netflix president Hastings (Chapter 332), played a crucial role in this marketing and strategy analysis.

According to backend data, the popularity of the second episode, thanks to word-of-mouth, not only did not decline, but rose steadily, firmly occupying the top of the list and competing with the aforementioned American dramas.

In particular, the Taiping Book performed exceptionally well in the two key metrics of “view completion rate” and “user rating”, demonstrating that it attracted a large number of “high-quality users” who were able to immerse themselves in the content and give it high praise, rather than just clicks out of curiosity.

In the model built based on massive user viewing data provided by the Cinematch algorithm team, Wenjie's film and television production and marketing departments astutely discovered:
Users who enjoy watching historical dramas such as "Rome" and "The Tudors," as well as those who give high ratings to fantasy epic films such as "The Lord of the Rings," showed significant interest in and gave high ratings to "The Book of Peace."

The system then began to push the Book of Peace to users with a preference for "history/epic" on a large scale, accompanied by the tag "If you like Rome, you might want to try this Eastern epic." This is an efficient way to drive cross-cultural traffic.

Meanwhile, at the back-end analysis center of Zhijie Video in China, a data mining operation based on a larger scale and closer to the behavior of local users is also underway.

The analysis paints a picture of an audience that is far more complex than simply "female-oriented" or "history buffs," and the role played by actress Liu Yifei also presents a powerful, multi-dimensional, and gender-transcending appeal.

Data shows that the audience profile of "The Book of Peace" presents a rare gender balance, with male viewers accounting for about 52% and female viewers accounting for about 48%.

This kind of balance is extremely rare in film and television dramas. A deeper analysis of user behavior reveals the seemingly different, but actually intertwined, viewing motivations of viewers of different genders.

First, for male viewers, Xiao Liu satisfies both their rational and sensory desires to "eat one fish in two ways".

Male viewers showed great enthusiasm for repeatedly watching and discussing scenes related to war, political strategies, and weaponry. The barrage and comment sections were filled with research posts on the tactics of the Battle of Changping, the organization of the Qin army, and the etiquette of the Warring States period, demonstrating that the drama's solid historical foundation successfully captured the hearts of core male history enthusiasts.

However, the data also shows that when Gu Nan, played by Liu Yifei, appears, especially in close-up shots, the amount of real-time bullet screen interaction and the instant dwell time of male viewers will increase significantly.

This indicates that for a large number of male viewers, the viewing experience is multifaceted:

On one hand, there is the main enjoyment of immersing oneself in the magnificent historical subject matter, and on the other hand, there is the additional pleasure of appreciating Liu Yifei's performance, which combines heroism and beauty.

This may not be simply about "looking at beautiful women," but rather a high recognition of the charisma and charm that a top actor exudes when perfectly embodying a role. In the words of a data analyst:

"For male users, Taiping Shu offers a 'two-in-one' experience that combines rational thinking with emotional aesthetics, which is an important reason for its strong user stickiness."

For female viewers who are simply or mostly fans of Liu Xiaoliu, they are seeing a Gu Nan who is completely different from her previous pure and beautiful image.

She is a man in a woman's body, intelligent and resilient, yet also helpless in the face of the grand sweep of history.

Even from a slightly more "fierce" perspective, Liu Yifei is a female character who breaks free from traditional constraints and demonstrates wisdom and courage in a male-dominated world of power struggles and wars, which provides female viewers with a strong sense of identification and value recognition.

Of course, regardless of whether the audience is male or female, Liu Yifei's appeal is amplified by a common factor: the inclusiveness of internet video platforms.

As the internal data analysis report of Wenjie points out:

Only a few can afford the Gucci brand she endorses, and some can regularly buy movies, but watching her top-tier dramas on Zhijie Video for free is almost the only way to enjoy her top star power and superb acting skills at zero cost.

This unprecedented accessibility efficiently transformed Liu Yifei's influence into a massive audience base that supported the series' expansion beyond its original target audience.

This is precisely why Xiao Liu's popularity and search volume among foreign websites and Western audiences have increased significantly.

On Twitter, the total number of tweets related to “Crystal,” “Yi Fei,” and “The Daughter of Time” increased by 850% in two weeks. The latter is the English title of the book “Taiping Shu,” which means “Daughter of Time” and specifically refers to Gu Nan.

In addition, because her roles in "A Home Away From Home" and "The Sky of History" still left some impression on Western audiences, coupled with her latest Gucci endorsement and the bombardment of the Crystal Palace Club, Liu quickly rose to the position of a trending female star on Twitter.

This is a trend generated from multiple angles including movies, TV series, sports, and fashion. Even if other domestic and foreign female stars are envious, they must realistically recognize that this is not replicable. It is also one of the few ways for Chinese female stars to "land on the beach" overseas with high intensity.

On Mytube, the "eldest son of the Republic of Asking the World" that once made great contributions to Boss Lu's business expansion in North America, Xiao Liu's account, which had been inactive since 2007, miraculously gained 100 million followers. Many Western viewers went to watch her previous videos on tea art and Chinese cuisine, and then urged her to update her "Book of Peace" along with other videos.

These were all "strategic videos" that Lu Kuan used to attract viewers and make it easier to sell them for high prices on Mytube. Ultimately, they weren't the main profession of an actress, and Xiao Liu herself lost the motivation to continue. (Chapter 310)
But what is surprising now is the emergence of a large number of secondary accounts. These video accounts, created by Chinese overseas students, overseas Chinese, and a small but highly enthusiastic group of Western fans attracted by the "Taiping Shu" and Liu Yifei, have sprung up like mushrooms after rain, and have begun to truly "generate electricity for love".

The materials they uploaded can be described as a "digital archive" of Liu Yifei, with an astonishing amount of content:
Fans have done their best to restore the picture quality of classic scenes from Liu Yifei's early representative works, such as Zhao Ling'er in "Chinese Paladin", Xiaolongnu in "The Return of the Condor Heroes", and Bai Xiuzhu in "The Story of a Noble Family", and added carefully translated English subtitles.

These videos are often titled with "Crystal Liu | Young Fairy Goddess Compilation";
Tags such as "The Best Moments of Xiao Longnü" directly target Western audiences who were attracted by the resolute "Gu Nan" in "The Book of Peace" and wanted to learn about her past sweet or ethereal image, which received a warm response.

Fans of Liu Yifei in North America searched far and wide for interview videos of Liu Yifei both domestically and internationally.

From her early, somewhat awkward debut in China, to her confident English interviews with foreign media at the premiere of "A Home Too Far" when she ventured into Hollywood, and to her recent behind-the-scenes photos in a fashion shoot while promoting Gucci.

These videos were edited into thematic compilations such as "Crystal Liu's Charisma in Interviews" and "Her Journey from China to Hollywood," helping Western audiences build a three-dimensional, timeless image of the star.

Ironically, some uninformed Western fans commented on the once-popular video of the "August 825 Incident":
She brought to life a young girl heartbroken over unrequited love! Her acting was superb! (Chapter 287)
They even thought it was a film set, a real scene from when Crystal and her husband, director Lu, collaborated on a movie in their early years...

On a more sophisticated level, video bloggers from both China and abroad created mashups of her action scenes in "The Book of Peace" with those in "The Return of the Condor Heroes" and "A Different World," along with a variety of other forms of support, thus amplifying and echoing this unprecedented level of popularity.

Similar to attempts to promote Chinese culture abroad, this is also the first time a Chinese actress has entered the Western audience's field of vision from such a comprehensive perspective.

Based on these core data and public opinion phenomena, China TV News, the most professional TV drama media in China, put forward a core viewpoint and prediction:

Liu Yifei's rise to fame seems to be forming an interesting cycle.

She initially gained widespread recognition in China and even Asia through TV series such as "The Story of a Noble Family", "Chinese Paladin", "Zhu Xian", "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils", and "The Return of the Condor Heroes", completing her first accumulation of "national popularity".

Subsequently, she gained international recognition by entering Hollywood through films such as "A Home Away From Home" and "The Sky of History".

Now, having achieved some success in the film industry, she seems to have returned to where her career began—television dramas—but this time the stage is global streaming media.

The article further analyzes:

Compared to movies, TV series offer greater companionship and a lower viewing threshold. The sustained exposure and character depth brought by a phenomenal TV series are unmatched even by successful movies.

Gu Nan in "The Book of Peace" is complex and profound, and Liu Yifei's performance gives her a powerful charm. This may make Western audiences no longer see her as a fleeting "Eastern face", but as a "story partner" who can meet every week and experience the turbulent times of the Warring States period together.

This deep connection is an effect that even director Lu Kuan's films may not achieve.

The article's conclusion is bold and full of anticipation:
If "A Home Away From Home" and "The Sky of History" made the world aware of the name "Liu Yifei", then "The Book of Peace" is likely to bring her into the daily lives of ordinary audiences around the world, and a new paradigm of "Chinese pop star" may be born through this.

She is no longer merely a displayer of Eastern wonders, but a bearer of universal emotions and high-quality narratives.

This time, she once again relied on television dramas, the most accessible and powerful medium.

From Bai Xiuzhu to Gu Nan, let's look forward to Yi Fei's further growth.

It is hoped that she can ride on the cultural aircraft carrier of Wenjie to showcase to the world the profound and rich culture, Chinese women, and Chinese history, as well as their inner and outer beauty.

On September 7, 2010, Lu Kuan, who had finished communicating with North America about "The Book of Peace", "House of Cards" and "Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire", which had just finished writing the first season script, arrived in Beiping by plane.

The following day was the graduation ceremony for the 06 class of the Pan-Asia Film Academy, which was also the opening ceremony that the Beiping Film Academy had specially postponed in order to wait for this honorary alumnus to return.

Meanwhile, according to Wenjie's announcement, news about the Beiping Film Festival and Wenjie's latest film projects will be released at that time.

However, the news that drove domestic filmmakers and students of the Beijing Film Academy crazy, and even attracted many fervent admirers from the Central Academy of Drama and the Shanghai Film Academy to rush to Beiping overnight, did not receive much attention or discussion that night as it usually does.

My wife has stolen all the attention from the washing machine; today is the broadcast day for the third episode of "The Book of Peace: Vastness".
-
The third episode doesn't immediately jump into the plot; instead, it opens with a striking close-up of a cultural relic.

The camera suddenly focuses on a painted wooden carriage.

The composition is meticulous and the lighting is even, like an official archival photograph from a museum, full of the solemnity of cultural relics.

The carriage is antique, with brown horse models standing tall and proud, and a black canopy clearly visible. Even the small figurines standing beside the carriage are meticulously crafted.

Below the image, clear textual information is provided, including its era, origin, and current location, presented in a bilingual format to Taiping Shu audiences worldwide.

This shot lasted for about three seconds, which was enough for viewers, especially Chinese viewers, to recognize it as a common scene in museum artifact displays, and a sense of doubt might arise in their minds.

"Did they play the wrong movie?"

At this moment, a sudden change occurred.

The camera seems to come alive, slowly moving forward and focusing on a detail of the carriage wheels or the umbrella canopy.

At the same time, the colors in the picture gradually changed from the "standard color temperature" of the exhibition hall to a warm yellow cinematic tone, and the light gray background also spread out like ink stains, turning into swaying tree shadows and a gloomy sky.

Ambient sound effects subtly infiltrate:

First came the faint sound of the wind, followed by the rumble of wheels rolling over the road and the clatter of horses' hooves.

The most exquisite moment lies in the "crossing" of the image.
When the camera zooms in so close that it almost touches the painted wood grain, a very natural light and shadow flicker like sunlight shining through a gap in the clouds, but this place is even more mysterious, and the scene has completed a seamless transition from "static cultural relic" to "dynamic story".

It was the same carriage, but the horses seemed to have been infused with life, their muscles trembling slightly, and the carriage was traveling on a muddy road, bringing a real sense of bumps and jolts.

The camera then zooms out, and the audience is surprised to find Bai Qi (played by Li Xuejian) sitting solemnly inside the car, while Gu Nan (played by Liu Yifei) beside him is holding a brush and writing intently on silk.

From the glass display case in the museum to the tumultuous journey home at the end of the Warring States period, this "magic" spanning two thousand years, produced by Butian Pictures, was completed in just a few seconds.

Then a line of faint text lit up and then disappeared:
"The light carriage, a type of carriage made of horses, can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. It was mostly used by high-ranking officials and generals. The image is based on a relic from the Han Dynasty. Its form follows the ancient style, and one can imagine that it was similar to the carriage used by Lord Wu'an, Bai Qi."

A film-quality opening so brief that it's easy to miss or even skip, yet it captivates audiences in that instant. It's an unprecedented level of sincerity and meticulousness towards history and the audience!

"Wow! At first I thought it was an opening advertisement or an interlude introducing cultural relics, but I didn't expect it to transform directly into the show! This transition is so cool!"

"I got goosebumps! It felt like history came alive! This carriage isn't a prop; it actually came straight from a museum!"

"This is the right way to cultivate cultural confidence! When we Chinese make historical dramas, we don't create a fictional world; we directly immerse you in real history. That car is an authentic artifact from the GS Provincial Museum!"

"As a French audience member, I was deeply moved by this opening. In our Louvre, we also display the remains of ancient Roman and Gallo chariots and knightly equipment, which always silently tell the story of the past, but are always separated by glass. But 'The Book of Peace' makes us feel like we are not watching a play, but rather glimpsing the real scenes of China's Warring States period through a time rift."

……

This simple yet profound opening has garnered unanimous praise from audiences worldwide, and the series always manages to unexpectedly touch a nerve with viewers.

The purpose of this opening shot, as represented by the production company, is to strongly declare to a global audience—

Everything presented in the Taiping Book, from the system of carriages, horses, and clothing to the regulations and systems, is verifiable and supported by physical evidence.

We did not create this from thin air, but based it on solid archaeological discoveries and academic research. Just like this "painted wooden carriage," it instantly adds a golden halo of "credible history" to the series.

The profound and extensive Chinese civilization is not a specimen sleeping in a museum; its bloodline still beats strongly in today's cultural creations and is once again presented to the world by us, the descendants of the Chinese nation, who have passed it down from generation to generation.

The camera zooms in, focusing on the Warring States period chariot bumping along the muddy dirt road.

The vehicle was open on all sides, with only a black canopy on top providing any possible sun protection, making the expressions of the people inside completely visible.

The wheels rolling over deep ruts created a continuous, rhythmic rumble, along with the clatter of horses' hooves, forming the main sound effects of the journey.

The weather was overcast, but there was no rain; the air was filled with dust and the scent of distant wilderness.

Inside the carriage, Bai Qi, played by Li Xuejian, leaned against the carriage, his body rising and falling slightly with the swaying of the vehicle, but his gaze was unusually calm, as if the turbulence outside and his inner thoughts belonged to two different worlds.

He glanced at his apprentice beside him, who was struggling to maintain his balance amidst the swaying, and said, "Gu Nan, write a letter on my behalf and report it to the King."

Despite countless trials and tribulations, he remains steadfast and determined; he must still do what needs to be done.

Gu Nan nodded, carefully spread the silk cloth she carried on her lap, and took out a brush and a small bowl containing ink.

She immediately held her breath, dipped her brush in ink, and held the tip of her brush above the silk, ready to record.

Bai Qi's gaze was fixed on the desolate landscape rushing past outside the car window. His speech was steady, as if he were stating a given, cold fact, rather than discussing a strategy concerning the lives of hundreds of thousands of people:

"Your Majesty, I rise with utmost trepidation and bow twice to submit this memorial:"

Gu Nan's pen fell, the Qin seal script she had studied for a year was neat and powerful.

"In the Battle of Changping, thanks to Your Majesty's might and the soldiers' valiant efforts, the Zhao army's elite forces were wiped out, and less than one in ten able-bodied men remained in the country. The people were terrified, and the country's strength was greatly diminished. This is a golden opportunity from heaven to sweep away the Zhao state and pacify the world. Today is the day. If we hesitate and allow them to catch their breath, and wait for them to unite with the other states, we may nurture a festering wound that will become a major problem, and it will be too late to regret it."

His words, like the battles he commanded, progressed step by step, with rigorous logic.

Gu Nan's wrist was steady as she recorded every word. She could feel the immense power contained beneath the calm tone, enough to destroy a country. She also knew that behind this power lay the iron-fisted logic that a Qin general must follow, as well as the suffocating personal fate she had foreseen.

"I humbly offer this advice: we should press our advantage and advance to achieve our goal in one decisive battle. I request to lead three armies to besiege Handan."

"Firstly, it would allow General Wang He to lead his troops eastward, swiftly attack Pilao, seize the strategic pass of Taihang, cut off the route of reinforcements from Shandong to Zhao, and leave Handan isolated."

"Secondly, we can send General Sima Geng with a detachment northward to swiftly pacify Taiyuan and Shangdang, thus securing our flank and deterring the northern regions."

"Thirdly, I wish to personally lead the main force of the central army straight to the walls of Handan, dig deep trenches and build high ramparts, surround the city without fighting, exhaust its people and demoralize them. When their food supplies run out and reinforcements are cut off, internal strife will surely break out, and then we can take it in one fell swoop."

The camera pans between Bai Qi's profile as he calmly analyzes the battle, Gu Nan's slightly furrowed brow as she focuses on writing, and close-ups of the pen tip moving steadily across the silk.

The bumps in the carriage are conveyed through slightly shaky camera work and continuous rumbling sounds, but the conversation between the two people inside the carriage is exceptionally clear and steady, creating an inherent tension.

The shadows cast by the umbrellas on their faces, a play of light and dark, symbolizing both the bright prospects and potential risks of the decision they were making at that moment.

Bai Qi paused slightly, as if giving the entire strategy a final mental review of its feasibility, before concluding with an almost sighing yet incredibly resolute tone:
"With three routes advancing simultaneously and supporting each other, the State of Zhao can be secured, and the balance of power in the world will be transformed. This is truly a once-in-a-millennium opportunity. I urge Your Majesty to make a wise and decisive decision as soon as possible."

"Though I am old and frail, I am willing to serve Your Majesty with utmost loyalty and courage. I am filled with trepidation as I write this memorial, and I eagerly await your command!"

Gu Nan wrote the last sentence, the tip of his pen pausing slightly on the character "至" (zhi), completing a perfect finishing stroke.

A brief silence followed, with only the sound of wheels rolling over the road remaining.

She looked at the ink-stained words on the silk, which seemed to leap off the page, and then looked up at Bai Qi, who had closed his eyes to rest again, as if he had just assigned a routine task. She felt a mix of emotions.

Will the King of Qin listen? And will Fan Ju let him go?

The scene shifts, revealing the Xianyang Palace amidst continuous rain, imposing and solemn, yet also exuding an invisible sense of oppression.

As recorded in historical texts, after Bai Qi returned, he went straight back to his residence, then claimed to be ill, declined all visitors, and lived a secluded life.

The King of Qin's edict quickly reached the residence of Lord Wu'an. The tone seemed concerned, but in fact it carried an undeniable pressure: "I have heard that Lord Wu'an is exhausted from his journey and am very worried. I grant him permission to rest and recuperate. However, the affairs of the state are difficult, and the four directions are not yet at peace. We still need you to recover as soon as possible so that you can once again be a pillar of the state."

It's called showing consideration, but it's actually urging, and even contains a hidden warning.

Following this is the brilliant presentation in the Taiping Book of the turning point in the fate of the Zhao state and even the Warring States period, namely, Su Dai's persuasion of Fan Ju.

The production team specially arranged a highly dramatic indoor scene and strived to cast actors who perfectly captured the essence of the character.
In the luxurious yet somewhat effeminate study of Qin Chancellor Fan Ju, played by actor Wang Zhiwen, Zhao strategist Su Dai, played by Guo Jingfei, arrives gracefully.

Without much formality or pleasantries, Su Dai looked directly at Fan Ju, his words sharp and incisive, hitting the nail on the head, fully demonstrating the shrewdness of a strategist and his precise grasp of human nature:
"Lord Ying, do you know how unparalleled your achievements will be if Lord Wu'an were to conquer Handan in one fell swoop? At that time, being granted a fiefdom and a position of supreme power will be inevitable. Lord Ying, ask yourself, can you be content to remain below him?"

"If Zhao falls, the resentment and anger of its people will surely turn to Qin. However, Lord Wu'an holds a large army and carries the power of destroying a country. How much more powerful will his influence rise? At that time, will Your Majesty rely more on the strategist and the prime minister who can stabilize the rear, or... the famous general whose achievements overshadow the emperor and attract the attention of the world?"

"For the sake of Lord Ying, it would be best to allow Zhao to cede territory and sue for peace now. This merit of subduing the enemy without fighting can all be attributed to Lord Ying." Su Dai's lips curled into a meaningful smile. "The merit of Lord Wu'an can also be erased without a trace."

This part of the plot mostly explains how, after Gu Nan attempted to influence history, the historical trajectory returned to the "correct" course due to immense inertia, and it's also a part of the plot where Gu Nan doesn't appear.

However, thanks to the superb performances of actors like Wang Zhiwen, even mainland audiences familiar with history found this tale of cunning schemes and sharp debates among the strategists of the Warring States period fascinating.

When the news of the peace treaty arrived, Bai Qi was in his courtyard, under the eaves, silently wiping the longsword that had accompanied him in battle for many years in the light rain.

He calmly said to Gu Nan, who was standing to the side, "Your Majesty has fallen for their delaying tactic. After such a near-death blow, how could Zhao truly cede territory? It is merely seeking respite and forming alliances with other states."

His prediction soon came true; the State of Zhao indeed broke its promise and instead formed an alliance with the States of Qi and Wei to jointly resist Qin.

King Zhaoxiang of Qin was furious upon hearing the news, feeling utterly humiliated. In September of 259 BC, he forced Bai Qi to lead the army and attack Handan again.

When the messenger delivered the king's decree, Bai Qi was playing chess with Gu Nan in the courtyard.

"Your Majesty, I am afflicted with a serious illness and fear I am unable to shoulder this heavy responsibility. I would fail to live up to Your Majesty's grace and would jeopardize the affairs of the state." Bai Qi's voice was calm and unwavering. He did not even rise from his seat, his gaze remaining fixed on the chessboard.

The messenger looked troubled and emphasized that the king's command could not be disobeyed.

Bai Qi picked up a piece, gently placed it down with a crisp sound, and said calmly, "This battle is destined to be lost. It is not the fault of the general, but the situation is already hopeless. The court has lost the initiative, and the soldiers have become complacent. Forcing the battle will only waste the nation's strength and damage the spirit of our Qin warriors."

His tone carried a sense of desolation and resolute acceptance, as if he had seen through everything. After the messenger left dejectedly, only the sound of rain pattering on the leaves remained in the courtyard.

Bai Qi looked at Gu Nan, who was frowning and looking worried, and suddenly revealed a relaxed smile that was almost like that of a child, completely different from his solemn expression just now: "Let them fight and argue in the court. The outcome of the battle is no longer within my control."

"Remember this: a general must not only know how to advance, but also how to retreat; he must not only plan for victory, but also dare to admit defeat. Come, let me explain in detail why Wang He, when attacking Pilao, first seized the northwestern highlands, and why Sima Geng, when pacifying Taiyuan, prioritized appeasing the local powerful families rather than simply suppressing them..."

Viewers at this point felt a pang of sadness, sharing Gu Nan's sense of helplessness at knowing history yet being forced to watch it steadily advance.

Clearly, Bai Qi is now seizing every opportunity to teach his disciple, but what intrigues the audience even more is the details of Bai Qi's subsequent fate under Gu Nan's influence, and how she will establish herself in the Qin state after Bai Qi's death.

Regardless, while learning Bai Qi's military strategies, swordsmanship, and court policies, the female disciple played by Liu Yifei always seemed to be shrouded in a lingering sorrow.

The camera cuts to a single line of text that encapsulates the passage of time:

In the autumn of 257 BC, almost three years had passed since Gu Nan arrived in this era.

The valiant female swordsman in front of the television stood under the eaves of the Wu'an Jun Mansion, her expression growing increasingly composed, while the Wu'an Jun Mansion was becoming increasingly vulnerable and unable to withstand the pressure alone.

"Young man, even if your brows are furrowed so deeply that a horse could run across them, you still can't break free from this predicament."

Bai Qi strolled out of the study with a calm expression. “Go for a walk in the city, see the bustling streets of Qin, and hear the noise of Xianyang. There may be a more vibrant atmosphere in the city than in the deep courtyards and high halls of the court. Perhaps it can ease the knot in your heart.”

Gu Nan nodded silently, reverting to her "original self"—wearing men's clothing, and went out on her own.

Men need to vent, so they either drink or...

Thus, a side story unfolds, with Xiao Liu disguised as a charming young man from a turbid world. Although he doesn't deliberately search for someone, the scent of perfume, wine, and music naturally leads him to a pavilion with a sign that reads "Women's Quarters."

Unlike the hustle and bustle around it, the entrance here is unassuming, but the music coming from inside is quite elegant.

Inside the hall, the guests were listening intently to the music played by a woman in plain clothes behind a gauze curtain. She was the courtesan Hua Xian, renowned for her exquisite musical skills.

Jing Tian has made her appearance.

Her appearance also sparked a small frenzy in the comments section, with all sorts of sarcastic remarks about "Liu 1 Jing 0" flying around, making it hard to understand.

As the music ended, a drunken nobleman, emboldened by his intoxication, tried to force the painting immortal to play a solo piece, speaking rudely.

As the curator looked troubled, Gu Nan quietly stepped in front of the painting master, her tone calm yet unquestionable: "To appreciate the joy of the masters, one must calm the mind. Forcing a work only adds noise; what is the point?" Her demeanor caused the纨绔 (playboy/spoiled brat) to retreat in a huff.

Gu Nan turned around and looked at the painter playing the zither, praising, "The zither music is ethereal, with a touch of rustic charm, truly rare."

The painting fairy looked up and saw that the "scholar's" eyes were clear and without any intimacy, only the appreciation of a kindred spirit. She then gave a slight bow and said, "I am the painting fairy. Thank you, sir."

The Book of Peace doesn't include any overly dramatic "heroine rescuing the damsel in distress" scenes here; Gu Nan's idea is quite simple:
How many hardships await me in the rest of my life?

It would be better to have a human-shaped CD player by your side for enjoyment, since you can only look at it and not eat it anyway.

In this scene, Liu Yifei completely embodied a disillusioned yet dashing and unrestrained man, his handsome face and slightly raised eyebrows making female fans in front of the TV swoon.

She extended a direct invitation: "The Wu'an Lord's residence is still lacking a music recorder to organize classics and occasionally discuss music. Although it is not luxurious, it can provide a peaceful and carefree environment."

The painter was grateful for his respect, but also tired of the hustle and bustle of the place. After a moment's thought, he agreed: "Since you do not despise me, I am willing to go."

Thus, Gu Nan's trip to relax brought back a great musician to the increasingly desolate Wu'an Jun Mansion.

This move not only relieved the Painter's predicament but also added a touch of tranquility to the mansion. What followed was a story about the Painter at the Wu'an Jun's mansion (Chapter 574).

The Fairy of Painting learned that this handsome young man from the turbid world was actually a woman, but she was still at ease staying in this "home".

This "home" was something the young lady Gu Nan said to her one night after she had been drinking, and it made Hua Xian feel a kind of kindness that did not come from this era, order, or class.

In her heart, he was the "young lady".

Viewers found the story of Jing Tian's character, Hua Xian, moving into the Wu An Jun Mansion in this way both natural and interesting, but also a little uneasy.

This character, who seems to be more than just a pretty face, will likely become a mirror reflecting Gu Nan's eternal loneliness for many years to come.

Her birth, aging, sickness, and death will all become blunt knives piercing Gu Nan's heart. The acquaintance and companionship at this moment may be the most profound foreshadowing for the desolate separation at that time.

……

After a subplot was used to lighten the tone of the overly heavy storyline, the global audience, noticing the sudden change in the background music, realized that the climax was about to begin.

At this climax, aside from Bai Qi's fate, nothing else matters.

A well-known Chinese anecdote is presented in sequence:

Faced with the Qin army missing Bai Qi, Lord Xinling stole the tally to rescue Zhao, and the allied forces defeated the Qin army at the gates of Handan. Wang He was defeated and Zheng Anping surrendered to Zhao. Qin suffered a crushing defeat that it had not experienced in decades.

The Qin court was furious. Under Fan Ju's constant attacks, King Ying Ji of Qin's shame and indignation finally overwhelmed all reason.

This time it wasn't exile, but a direct execution!

The messenger, carrying an imperial edict and a sharp sword, led elite armored soldiers to surround the residence of Lord Wu'an overnight. The firelight illuminated the mansion as if it were daytime, and a chilling atmosphere permeated the air.

The head envoy finished reading the edict expressionlessly, and then coldly added: "By order of the King, if Lord Wu'an submits to the law immediately, everyone in his household will be spared and their lives will be saved. If anyone disobeys... it will be considered treason and the entire family will be executed!"

The threat in his words was as chilling as ice.

Upon hearing this, Gu Nan, played by Liu Yifei, had her pupils shrink sharply. Her modern soul made her almost instinctively want to rebel. Her hand gripped the hilt of her sword, a resolute glint flashing in her eyes—

So be it, I'll kill one and that'll be enough!
However, Bai Qi, played by Li Xuejian, displayed astonishing calmness at this moment.

He didn't even glance at the messenger, but slowly raised his hand and gently pressed it on Gu Nan's tense arm.

Those hands were covered in calluses, yet they remained steady without trembling.

His face showed no fear, anger, or pleading, only an almost indifferent calmness, as if he had already anticipated the outcome, and even a barely perceptible, mocking indifference at the corner of his mouth.

This composure, transcending life and death, was more powerful than any roar, instantly stunning everyone present.

"Allow me to give my disciple a few final words," Bai Qi said in a hoarse but steady voice, leaving no room for doubt.

He turned and walked calmly toward the study. At his prompting gaze, Gu Nan suppressed her surging anger and followed him inside. The door closed in full view of everyone.

Outside the door, Madam Wei Lan closed her eyes in despair, seemingly already guessing what was going on.

Upon entering the study, where the outside view was blocked, Gu Nan could no longer hold back and cried out urgently, "Master! We..."

"Foolish!" Bai Qi turned around abruptly, his gaze sharp as lightning, revealing such a stern expression to her for the first time. "Haven't you learned your lesson from Changping yet?! Kindness without power is a death warrant! Impulsiveness without meaning is a path to death!"

"Politics is about learning to survive and win within the rules, not about throwing your life away like a fool!"

Gu Nan was stunned by the drink and stood there, her lips moving but no sound came out.

Bai Qi's expression gradually softened, revealing a deep weariness. He walked to the wall, took down the bronze sword that had accompanied him throughout his life, and said softly, "So be it... accompany your master to practice swordsmanship one last time."

Liu Yifei's close-up shots on camera are clearly layered:

Her eyes instantly reddened, tears welling up and swirling in them, yet she stubbornly refused to let them fall.

His face was a mixture of immense grief, resentment, and obedience to his teacher's final request. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his trembling breathing, and silently drew his own sword.

The study was small, so the two didn't make any big, sweeping movements; they just exchanged the most basic moves.

The sound of the sword cutting through the air was deep and resonant. His movements carried an almost ritualistic heaviness. Bai Qi's actions remained precise, but he noticeably slowed down, as if he were guiding and feeling for the moment one last time.

Suddenly, after what seemed like an ordinary parry, Bai Qi's wrist faltered subtly, as if his strength had waned, leaving his defenses wide open.

The old war god suddenly moved with lightning speed, and Gu Nan's sword tip instinctively thrust forward—

"Pfft!"

A soft sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh rang out.

Gu Nan's sword actually pierced directly into his master's chest!

Xiao Liu's performance reached its peak at this moment. She was struck dumb, her eyes filled with extreme grief and indignation, and disbelief, horror and confusion.

Her hand gripping the sword hilt trembled violently, as if it were not a sword but a red-hot iron. She wanted to let go, but was frozen in place.

The barrage exploded instantly:

"Holy crap!!! Bai Qi did that on purpose!!!"

"Xiao Liu's expression was priceless! He switched from shock to utter despair in a second!"

"I burst into tears! Bai Qi taught Gu Nan her final lesson in this way: the cruelty of politics and the weight of choices!"

"The look in Teacher Li Xuejian's eyes brought tears to my eyes; it was a mixture of relief and expectation..."

Bai Qi swayed slightly, but a relieved, even sly, smile appeared on his face, as if to say, "See, this is politics. Sometimes, you have no choice..."

He whispered, "Help me...lie down."

"Master!" Gu Nan seemed to wake from a dream, threw down her sword, staggered forward to support the slowly collapsing old war god, and finally burst into tears.

Bai Qi lay on the cold ground, his breath weak, yet he clearly uttered his final words to Gu Nan, each word like a brand:
"You possess innate wisdom, and therefore you must bear destiny... Use this merit to establish a firm foothold in the Qin Dynasty... There are no more great generals in the court, and you have inherited my mantle. The King... will value you..."

"Later, you will take my head to see him, and you must treat him with the same respect you would show me..."

"From now on, when you see Fan Ju's car, let him go first. Even if you harbor resentment, you must smile. Always remember Chang Ping's lesson... Don't act impulsively or be kind without reason, lest you only hurt yourself..."

Li Xuejian's portrayal of Bai Qi in this still legendary long take brought tears to the eyes of countless viewers:
“I have killed countless people in my life, and the 400,000 deaths at Changping should all be attributed to me… But I want to stop the fighting with the fighting, so that the Qin Dynasty can sweep across the land and end the chaos sooner.”

"Gu Nan...go and see that eternal peace for me..."

With his last ounce of strength, he grasped his female apprentice's hand, the old war god's face revealing a final, tender affection before his death:

“Take good care of your master’s wife; she already knows what happened today. And the old housekeeper, Xiao Lü…” He paused, his gaze seemingly glancing towards the door, a hint of an elder’s knowing understanding in his eyes.

"And the Painting Fairy, you..."

Li Xuejian, who plays Bai Qi, lies on the cold ground, his breath weak and his gaze unfocused as he stares into the void.

That gaze seemed to pierce through the roof of the study, pass through the palaces of Xianyang, and fall upon the distant yet familiar homeland, upon a life both magnificent and bloodstained.

He murmured to himself, fragmented images flashing before his eyes like a revolving lantern, carrying endless desolation and sorrow:
The turbid yet warm Wei River in his hometown of Mei County shimmered with golden light under the setting sun, just like his childhood days that he could never return to.

The boundless, heavy waves of wheat on the Guanzhong Plain of Qin State were the granary that supported his countless expeditions.
During the Battle of Yique, the banners of the allied forces of Han and Wei fluttered in the wind all over the mountains and plains, but were eventually turned into mountains of corpses and seas of blood under the tip of his sword.
The raging flames of the Chu state atop the city walls of Yan and Ying illuminated half the sky, burning away the dignity and pride of an ancient royal family.

Amidst the audience's tears, Li Xuejian, who played Bai Qi, delivered a performance that can be described as divine in the final scene of the series—

Scenes from his life flashed by, finally coalescing into an almost inaudible sigh, mingled with blood and foam, that spilled from his lips:

"I have lived a life without shame before the Qin Dynasty... but I have failed the common people..."

His face, lying on the cold ground, suddenly flushed red, accompanied by the old war god's final, triumphant roar, as if in a final burst of energy:
"White up!"

He is dead!

……

Amidst a sudden, overwhelmingly tragic background sound, the screen displayed a historical narrative in both Chinese and English subtitles:
In 257 BC, the fiftieth year of King Zhaoxiang of Qin, in winter, Ci Qi died at Duyou Pavilion outside Xianyang City.

The Records of the Grand Historian, in the biography of Bai Qi and Wang Jian, states that when they died, "the people of Qin pitied them, and all the villages and towns offered sacrifices to them."

A war god of his generation, he did not die on the battlefield, but perished in the infighting of the court. His tragic end wrote the most desolate footnote to the Warring States period.

Hearing the commotion, the armored soldiers outside rushed in, and a close-up shot focused on Gu Nan, played by Liu Yifei.

If the previous scene was a long shot showcasing Li Xuejian's divine abilities, now it's time for Xiao Liu to shine.

After being washed away by immense grief, something in those eyes was shattering and reforming; a cold, hard will was rapidly replacing the previous confusion and naivety.

She abruptly closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, all that remained was a chilling glint of light and unwavering resolve. She then picked up the bronze sword stained with Bai Qi's blood from the ground and swung it without hesitation!

He then took off his outer robe and carefully wrapped Bai Qi's head in his hands.

Holding the severed head, the greatest female swordswoman of the Warring States period suddenly turned around and looked at the Qin army's elite warriors. The men were intimidated by her imposing presence and retreated in a clamor, their armor clanging loudly!

What a face it was!
Sweat, tears, and splattered blood mingled together, crisscrossing across her pale face and leaving shocking marks.

The blood was still warm, slowly sliding down one side of her straight and elegant camel-hump nose, like a poignant tear stain, finally hanging on the tip of her nose, about to drip but not yet.

Her hair was stuck to her forehead with sweat and blood, and a few strands of wet black hair made her face look even more pale and almost transparent.

What's most terrifying are those eyes; just moments before they were filled with horror, collapse, and unbelievable pain, but now only resolute determination remains.

The actress's naturally prominent hump nose appeared as if it had been carved by a knife and axe, giving her profile a sharp, hawk-like profile. In the flickering firelight, it cast a resolute shadow, as if she were wearing a bronze mask forged from pain.

The camera zooms in, and the audience watches her walk step by step out of the study.

The package was still seeping blood; the warm, viscous liquid soaked through the coarse cloth, burning her palms and her very soul.

Torches flickered in front of the gate, armored soldiers stood guard, swords were drawn, their cold light gleaming.

The scene before them was simply too bizarre and terrifying:

A young woman covered in blood, her face as cold as a statue, her eyes sharp as a physical object, held a package that was still dripping blood in her hands.

With each step she took, she carried a silence and pressure that seemed to originate from the depths of hell.

As she advanced, the elite Qin soldiers were intimidated by her imposing presence and retreated, creating a gap in the originally tight encirclement.

The female swordsman Gu Nan carried her master's head through the courtyard, past the panicked servants, past her master's wife Wei Lan, whose face was streaked with tears and who was on the verge of fainting, and finally into the courtyard.

Finally, she stood beneath the night sky that had witnessed five thousand years of Chinese history, yet remained unchanged throughout the ages.

All the armored soldiers and messengers were intimidated by this strange and powerful aura, and not one of them dared to step forward to stop or rebuke them.

Gu Nan, played by Liu Yifei, looked around, her gaze sweeping over every frightened or bewildered face.

She held the dripping head high in her hand, gathered her strength, and her voice clearly echoed throughout the entire mansion, carrying a cold and resolute tone that severed ties with the past and left no room for doubt:
"Lord Wu'an, Bai Qi, disobeyed orders and harbored resentment, intending to plot a rebellion out of personal anger!"

"He has now been executed!"

Her gaze, sharp as lightning, shot towards the leading envoy and the group of armored soldiers, and she said sternly:
"You may verify your identities and report back to the King!"

As soon as these words were spoken, all was silent except for the crackling of the burning torches and the heavy "tap...tap..." sound of blood dripping onto the ground.

Gu Nan stood in the center of the courtyard, his figure stretched long and ghostly in the firelight, and he looked exceptionally lonely.

At this moment, she completed the most brutal transformation from a time traveler and apprentice to a survivor in a chaotic world.

The main melody of "Vast Expanse," a piano piece specially composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto for the first season of "The Book of Peace," rises quietly, like the cold dew soaking into the night of the Warring States period.

The sound of the zither was clear and lonely, carrying a sense of contemplation that transcended a thousand years, flowing slowly.

The camera slowly pulls up from the flickering firelight and the rows of armored soldiers in the courtyard of the Wu'an Jun Mansion, passing through the rooftops of Xianyang City, and finally settling on the vast and boundless starry sky.

The color tone of the scene shifts to a cool blue, the noise fades away, leaving only boundless silence and depth.

Just like in the previous two episodes, Gu Nan, played by Liu Yifei, utters her inner monologue, foreshadowing the end of this episode.

Her voice was no longer the clear, bright one of a young girl, but carried a hoarseness and serenity born of profound change, as if she were conversing with history itself:

"A page casually turned in the history book, a few lines of understated description..."

The camera pans across the cold seal script on the bamboo slips: In the fiftieth year of King Zhaoxiang of Qin, in winter, the Marquis of Wu'an, Bai Qi, was granted death.

"Perhaps, it is just a person's magnificent life."

The scene flashes back to fragments of Bai Qi's life, portrayed by Li Xuejian: his early military service, the victory at Yique, the fires of Yan and Ying, the smoke of Changping, and finally, his cold body in the study.

The music rose and fell gently, carrying an indescribable sorrow.

"My first relative on this vast land has died."

"I wonder if this will be... the last one."

The camera slowly zooms in on her tightly clenched, blood-stained hands, and the head in her arms that can no longer guide her.

The piano music creates a long pause here, like a sigh, blending into the vast night of the late Warring States period.

The third volume of "The Book of Peace: Vastness" has ended.
-
P.S. After finishing this episode, I'll take a break from writing *The Book of Peace* to move on to other plot points. Otherwise, it'll turn into a historical novel written within the framework of a Chinese entertainment novel. It's not that it's impossible, but...

Need more money!
To my dear readers who are just kidding, the "Book of Peace" details three episodes, showcasing the general structure and quality of the series, and introducing the ultimate theme of "peace throughout the world," which will be briefly mentioned later.

It will only be mentioned when there is a very exciting plot in a certain dynasty, such as Gu Nan and Zhuge Liang's "Questioning the Heavens at Wuzhang Plain".

If you have any other suitable scenes or historical events that would resonate with Liu Yifei's image, please leave a message here.

(End of this chapter)