This director is vindictive.

Chapter 408 Netizens: I suggest filming it! Director: Film it! History: Did you ask me?
If we're talking about the most powerful dynasty in Chinese history, the Tang Dynasty is definitely a towering peak that people look up to.

During the Tang Dynasty's golden age, all nations paid tribute to the emperor, and its history, culture, and customs have been passed down to later generations.

In the film and television industry, there are countless popular works adapted from the history of the Tang Dynasty.

For example, the historical drama "The Longest Day in Chang'an," which received rave reviews during the summer season, was praised by viewers for its exquisite costumes, makeup, props, and sets as "infinitely close to the glorious Tang Dynasty that has been imagined countless times in history."

For example, Chen Shiren's "The Legend of the Demon Cat" was also filmed beautifully, showcasing the sleepless city of Chang'an in that era.

“The Last Transfer in the Northern Desert of the Tang Dynasty is indeed very suitable, but the script is not easy to write!” Chen Mo said after thinking for a while.

"The reason why it's considered suitable is actually related to the current environment! Although 'Man Jiang Hong' wasn't made very well, it did very well at the box office, and audiences were willing to buy tickets. Why do you think that is?" Chen Mo asked with a smile.

Zhao Liying pondered for a moment and said, "Because of national pride?"

Chen Mo snapped his fingers: "Right!"

"Actually, there have always been many netizens complaining online that our country has thousands of years of history and countless stories to draw inspiration from, but unfortunately, the directors make all sorts of messy films and adaptations. It's such a waste of so many wonderful and legendary stories," Chen Mo said with a smile.

"And that's not all. Movies are different from TV series. In fact, the grand backdrop of the Tang Dynasty is not conducive to film creation!" Chen Moyou continued.

"Why?" Zhao Liying asked, puzzled.

"Because since it is the Tang Dynasty's golden age, or rather, the golden age of every dynasty, it is actually difficult to tell a story. For example, when people think of the Tang Dynasty's golden age, they think of its prosperity and strength."

But a problem arises: since it is a time of peace and prosperity, the stories that happen are less likely to be filled with conflict.

On the contrary, the late stages of a dynasty, the era of transition from prosperity to decline, are more suitable as the historical backdrop for a film.

"Why do many famous poets write their best poems when they are frustrated and unsuccessful? The reason is the same!" Chen Mo added.

"You see, this short film chose the An Lushan Rebellion, a historical event that marked the decline of the Tang Dynasty, as the starting point for the story."

After the An Lushan Rebellion, the Tang Dynasty's garrison in the northern deserts was recalled to Chang'an to quell the rebellion. The remaining several thousand soldiers were trapped by 25 enemy troops and lost contact with Chang'an. Twenty-five years later, only the last two cities, Xizhou and Kucha, remained in the northern deserts.

This era of transition from prosperity to decline naturally possesses a stronger visual impact.

A homeless man appeared on the battlefield strewn with corpses.

"Wouldn't it be more intriguing and dramatic to see a well-dressed scholar appear in the prosperous city of Chang'an?" Chen Mo said with a smile.

Zhao Liying nodded repeatedly.

"So you mean you want to film a story set against the backdrop of the An Lushan Rebellion?"

Zhao Liying's eyes lit up, but then she frowned and said, "But isn't this kind of subject matter too heavy?"

"Aren't you afraid that Zhang Yuqi and the others will scratch you up?" Zhao Liying suddenly thought of Chen Mo's wedding preparations and became somewhat gloating.

Chen Mo's expression stiffened for a moment. Good heavens, it really was!

But sometimes, once those thoughts arise, they just can't stop.

Chen Mo shook his head and chuckled, "Heaviness isn't the problem; the key is how to film it."

"And this subject matter is really good!"

"The reason why the short film 'The Last Transfer of Funds in the Northern Desert of the Tang Dynasty' is so moving is that it condenses a grand history into two ordinary people—look at the homeless man and the old soldier who escorted the military funds. Don't they represent the last backbone of the Tang Dynasty?"

Even Chen Mo now has to admit that this short film is really well made!

All the necessary elements are present.

Moreover, it tells a complete story in a short film.

He thought for a moment, picked up the tablet next to him, and quickly used AI to search for relevant historical information.

He sighed, "The white-haired soldiers of the Anxi Protectorate have been guarding the Western Regions alone for more than forty years. They didn't know when Chang'an fell, they didn't know when the new emperor ascended the throne, and they were still waiting for the order that never came until their hair turned white. If this story is filmed well, it will be more shocking than any special effects blockbuster."

"Don't you think it's incredibly moving to see that group of lone soldiers finally take off their helmets, revealing their full heads of white hair? If that weren't real history, I doubt anyone could have made up such a story," Chen Mo said, looking at the pictures in the historical materials.

Looking at the restored paintings on the screen, depicting white-haired veterans with tattered armor but impeccable military bearing, Zhao Liying suddenly murmured, "Like 'The Eight Hundred'?"

Chen Mo shook his head and said, "That's different. In my opinion, it's even more tragic than that."

"Sometimes, it's actually harder to stay alive and persevere than to sacrifice yourself! Especially since they've persevered for so many years!"

Chen Mo traced an ancient map with his finger: "At that time, the Tang army in the Western Regions was facing a combined force of the Tibetans and Uyghurs, truly a situation of being besieged on all sides. But if you look at the historical records, their military flags never fell until the very last moment."

The room fell silent for a moment. The setting sun cast long shadows of the two figures outside the window, seemingly imbued with a touch of historical melancholy. After a while, Zhao Liying suddenly chuckled, "Why do I feel like you've suddenly become a history teacher? But..."

She tilted her head and thought for a moment: "If we really film it this way, it doesn't seem to have much to do with 'Sunflower,' right? 'Sunflower' is about a female prisoner, and you're about a loyal minister of the Tang Dynasty."

Chen Mo said speechlessly, "Why should I have anything to do with them? I'm just suddenly very interested in this subject matter and this story. What I film is none of their business!"

To put it bluntly, "The Last Transfer in the Northern Desert of the Tang Dynasty" completely outclasses its competitors in terms of both concept and subject matter.

Of course, the premise is that the filming is good.

And who said there's no connection?

You claim to pursue artistic ideals? Then use genuine historical depth to directly contrast the other party's so-called artistic pursuits with cheap, low-quality goods.

Chen Mo picked up the phone and called the company directly.

Let them go and acquire the adaptation rights to that short film!
When given orders by Chen Mo, the big boss, the work efficiency is naturally ridiculously high.

Moreover, since it's just a short film, the adaptation rights aren't that sought after.

The copyright issue was resolved quickly.

Chen Mo also posted a new update on Weibo immediately.

"Thank you all for your suggestions on the new film. I just watched 'The Last Transfer in the Northern Desert of the Tang Dynasty' with @Zhao Liying and we have decided to officially launch the film adaptation of this project."

A lonely city thousands of miles away, a city full of white-haired people—such stories deserve to be seen by more people.

We are now soliciting submissions from across the internet:

1. Which classic scenes from the short film would you like to retain in the movie?

2. Do you have any suggestions for expanding the storyline?
3. Which actor would you most like to see in this role?
#The Lonely City of Tang Dynasty is being adapted into a movie#

The accompanying image is a still from the short film featuring the most striking image of white-haired soldiers in formation, along with the four characters "Anxi Protectorate" handwritten by Chen Mo.

This Weibo post instantly went viral online. After all, no one expected that Chen Mo would actually do it for real and directly involve netizens.

For them, this wave of participation was incredibly engaging.

The netizen who suggested adapting the short film in the comments section was especially enthusiastic.

"Holy crap! Chen Mo, you really listened to advice! I suggest keeping the 'military expenditure is the soul of the army' scene. The image of copper coins glittering in the desert is amazing! We need to find real veteran actors; young idols can't carry this kind of weight!"

"The Last Transfer in the Northern Desert of the Tang Dynasty"—wow, I watched this advertisement several times back then. I even searched for a lot of related information. Every time I watched it, I couldn't help but shed tears. It was so tragic!

"I nominate Zhang Yi to play the veteran! His tough guy image in 'Operation Red Sea' is perfect for it! For the other deserter, we can find Huang Bo; he's very suitable for this style!"

The female lead could be played by Tong Liya, who portrays a female leader of a Western Regions merchant caravan. Historical records do show that merchants from Central Asia did help the Tang army relay messages!

"Holy crap! Chen Mo is going to film the Anxi Protectorate? This is a huge boost to cultural confidence! I suggest referencing the costume and prop details of 'The Longest Day in Chang'an' to capture the texture of Tang Dynasty armor and the desert winds of the Western Regions! Also, please add a scene of daily life in Kucha City so the audience can see how the white-haired soldiers survive!"

(Image: Self-made comparison chart - the worn-out armor in the short film vs. the historical reconstruction)
"Serious reminder: General Guo Xin is a real historical figure! I suggest the movie end credits explain the aftermath—when the Tibetans breached Kucha, the last Tang soldier wrapped the military flag around his body and jumped off the city wall! If this scene were filmed, the box office would absolutely explode!"

(Attached is a screenshot of historical material: Recorded in Volume 226 of Zizhi Tongjian)
"#Anxi Protectorate Trivia# Additional Background: Historically, these Tang soldiers held out until 808, longer than the 25 years set in the short film. Records show that the last surviving soldiers, with white hair and beards, were still wearing their armor and, when faced with Tibetan attempts to persuade them to surrender, only said, 'We are soldiers of the Great Tang.'"

Immediately, netizens offered suggestions, and of course, there was even more amazement and excitement.

In fact, many netizens called for a movie adaptation back then, but unfortunately no one did it.

But now that Chen Mo, this rising star director in the film industry, is going to adapt this short film and that story, they are immediately excited.

However, not everyone is optimistic.

After all, although Chen Mo has made many movies in the past, this type of historical film is really rare.

Of course, only a small portion.

As Chen Mo's Weibo post gained traction, the hashtag #TheLonelyCityofTangDynastyMovie# quickly rose to the top of the trending topics list, and the original video's views surged by 300% within 24 hours.

China UnionPay's official Weibo account excitedly reposted: "Back when we were filming the commercial, we thought—this history deserves a movie!" @DirectorChenMo, keep it up! We look forward to seeing the iron-willed spirit of Anxi recreated on the big screen! #TheLonelyCityofTangDynastyMovie# (Image: Behind-the-scenes photos from the original commercial shoot)

What's even more interesting is that this repost instantly triggered a chain reaction. CCTV's documentary channel official Weibo account followed suit by posting a historical video: "The Last Days of the Anxi Protectorate: Take You to Understand the True Legend of the White-Haired Soldiers!"

(End of this chapter)