This director is vindictive.

Chapter 511 The Grandeur of the Tang Dynasty—The Sword Slices Through the Sky, the Rainbow Robe Captivates the World
Although this was the premiere of "The Empress's Wedding," the film actually became secondary at this moment.

At the premiere, a variety of unique Tang Dynasty delicacies were served.

All that's left for outsiders is envy, jealousy, and hatred.

In fact, whether the film is good or bad is no longer important.

With a premiere venue decorated in the magnificent style of a Tang Dynasty palace, and delicacies that will leave you wanting more, there will naturally be a variety of refreshing and amazing programs.

The spotlight shone on the main stage, and suddenly a muffled "thud" was heard as all twenty-four Jie drums exploded at the same time—the drummers' arms were bulging with muscles, and the drumsticks wrapped in red silk struck the cowhide drumheads with thunderous force, even causing the tricolor wine cups on the table to tremble.

Everyone present couldn't help but turn their heads to look, and the next moment...

The musicians of the China National Traditional Orchestra entered in single file to the beat of the drums.

The musician in the front row plucked a string with his fingertips, and the twenty-three silk strings burst forth with a clear and melodious sound like pearls falling onto a jade plate.
The musician, holding a five-stringed pipa with a curved neck, suddenly began to play with lightning speed, exuding a fierce and murderous aura reminiscent of "Ambush from Ten Sides."

Even more astonishing was the white-haired musician in the back row, whose bamboo flute-like bili suddenly produced a high-pitched sound that pierced through the clouds and split rocks—this ancient instrument, lost for thousands of years, could actually simulate the neighing of warhorses!
The sheer power of this kind of classical music can probably only be truly felt when performed live.

This is a cultural treasure passed down from our ancestors.

It is also a unique treasure belonging to the Chinese nation.

At this very moment, even the delicious food on the table seemed to lose its appeal. Reporters were busy taking pictures, and the audience had forgotten about the food, with all eyes focused on the main stage.

As the classic prelude to "The Qin King's Battle Song" began, fifty golden-armored warriors charged out from the passageways on both sides. They wore phoenix-winged helmets and wielded twelve-foot-long broadswords, each strike accompanied by a "whoosh" sound as they cut through the air.

"Fuck!"

"Fuck!"

Such a scene is truly quite rare.

Especially the 4-meter-long Mo Dao (陌刀), because a Mo Dao that is 4 meters long is really too exaggerated for a performance.

But the sense of awe was overwhelming.

Of course, the Mo Dao here wasn't a real sword, but a prop. Even so, the slashing of those fifty golden-armored warriors still shocked the entire audience.

In particular, the lighting effects made the blades appear as a dazzling galaxy under the palace lanterns, and the audience in the front row could even feel the chill of the blades brushing against their faces—it turned out that the golden armor had hidden mechanisms that would spray a special ice mist when it was wielded!

Exclamations of "Holy crap!" echoed throughout the scene. This was something that hadn't been described in books, yet everyone hadn't had a direct experience of it. But right before their eyes, the chilling aura emanating from the scene gave them a suffocating feeling of impending doom.

Of course, Chen Mo spent a lot of money on this show, because this kind of performance is quite rare.

In addition to the limitations imposed by the conditions, the cost of this program far exceeded everyone's expectations.

Of course, the results were also very obvious.

In addition to being shocked, it is still shocking!
Even more stunning was the sound design—when the bili (a type of reed pipe) played a high-pitched sound that pierced through the clouds and split rocks, the surround sound system hidden in the dome simulated the whistling sound of arrows flying overhead, startling many viewers who instinctively shrank back.

As the performance reached its climax, fifty warriors roared in unison, and as their longswords cleaved down, dry ice mist erupted from the ground, projecting laser shadows of thousands of soldiers onto the mist screen. Some audience members noticed that the murals on either side of the theater had come to life—through AR technology, Tang Dynasty cavalrymen from the murals charged into the real battlefield, joining the warriors in a performance spanning a thousand years.

"A textbook example of cultural export!" A CCTV reporter exclaimed to the camera while filming: "The money spent on this performance may be more than the entire budget of some period dramas, but every penny is visible—from the restoration of musical instruments to the research on martial arts formations, this is the true grandeur of the Tang Dynasty!"

The grand and magnificent "Qin King's Battle Song" and the re-enactment of the Mo Dao (a type of long-handled sword) ended, but the audience was still savoring the experience.

"I got goosebumps all over during Bili's solo just now!"

"The killing intent of the Mo Dao Formation is absolutely amazing! Although there was a Mo Dao Formation in the TV series 'The Great Tang Dynasty in the Northern Desert,' seeing it live, even just as a performance, is incredibly shocking! That chilling aura, are you serious? I almost peed my pants!"

"The Tang Dynasty cavalry charging in on horseback in that mural was truly awe-inspiring!"

"Am I the only one who found the simulated whistling sound of arrows whizzing overhead frightening? I really thought a rain of arrows was coming."

"That seems to be the 'Spearhead Formation' recorded in the Tang Dynasty's 'Li Weigong's Art of War'?"

"Where did they find these golden-armored warriors to perform? Their movements are absolutely amazing! You can't imagine someone without martial arts skills putting on that kind of presence!"

"They must be martial arts performers, right? I think a few of them look familiar!"

For a moment, the scene was filled with noise as everyone excitedly discussed the amazing performance they had just witnessed!

The reporters inside the venue immediately broadcast the footage of the golden-armored warriors slashing with their long-handled swords.

It immediately went viral online.

"Holy crap, what is that? A knife that long? That's ridiculous!"

"Wow, that's a huge production! I really want to see it live, it's a truly world-class performance!" "You guys are really something! If you're so capable, why don't you just find the full video? What's the point of posting a picture to whet your appetite?"

Meanwhile, the audience members inside the stadium took out their phones to share the photos on WeChat Moments and Weibo, highlighting the Versailles theme.

What's it like to be led to the Hanyuan Hall (crossed out) cinema by a Jinwuwei (Imperial Guard)?
When the Central Folk Orchestra performed "The Qin King's Battle Song" live, the sword on the back of the general in the front row really startled me (thankfully I didn't kneel down)."

Nine-grid illustrations of the performance of "Qin King's Battle Music"!
Another netizen posted a picture: Mo Dao Formation.JPG
"Who understands, family members! My hairpin was shaking when the pipa's principal player plucked the strings! The whistling sound of the arrows almost made me kneel down and beg for mercy."

Some people were so frightened that they sat down on the ground.

Only by being there in person can you truly understand that the historical records' description of "mountains of onlookers, their faces filled with dejection" is indeed true!

"Aaaaaah! You guys are really awful! I want to be there, I want to eat, I want to sit on the ground!"

"Similarly, I'd be happy to watch it sitting on the ground!"

"This is incredibly intriguing! You guys are really like Versailles in disguise!"

While netizens outside the venue were extremely envious, the audience members attending the premiere inside the venue had no time to pay attention to their sarcastic remarks.

Because the next show is coming up.

Speaking of the Tang Dynasty, besides the prosperous Chang'an and the Tang Dynasty's famous Mo Dao (a type of long-handled sword), the most famous or representative of the Tang Dynasty's splendor is probably the "Rainbow Feather Robe."

The second program was "Rainbow Feather Robe"!
As the music of "The Song of Rainbow Feathers" flowed from the konghou and bili, the thousands of palace lanterns on the dome of the theater suddenly went dark, leaving only a beam of moonlight pouring down on the center of the stage.

Twelve dancers gracefully arrived with light, delicate steps. They wore gowns specially made by Huayun Workshop—light gauze sleeves with cloud patterns and starlight embellishments that flowed with the music, every inch of their garments adorned with pearls as fine as morning dew, their movements like a cascading silver river.

The lead dancer suddenly raised her wrist, and the gold-embroidered shawl drew a stunning arc in the air. As her toes touched the ground, the hundred birds outlined in gold thread on her skirt seemed to come alive, fluttering their wings as if about to take flight under the light.

Suddenly, the dancers in the back row dispersed like flowing clouds, and the twenty-four silk fans they held in their hands unfolded with a "whoosh." The fan surfaces were actually figures from the "Pounding Silk" painting, dyed using the ancient Tang Dynasty "clamping" technique. As they spun, they transformed into a flowing scroll painting.

If the previous performance of "Qin King's Battle Song" represented the abundant martial virtue and masculine side of the Tang Dynasty, then "Rainbow Feather Garment" represents the graceful beauty of the Tang Dynasty!
The audience at the scene was completely captivated.

Actually, people don't usually watch classical dance programs very often.

Even if they exist, they are mostly on screens or mobile phones.

After all, in reality, it's very difficult to see even if you want to.

But at this moment, after witnessing this magnificent "Rainbow Feather Dress" dance live, they felt even more deeply what it means to be there in person!
However, this was not the most exciting part. The most exciting part was when, as the music reached its climax, twelve gilded lotus platforms suddenly rose from the ground. The dancers twirled and leaped onto the lotus platforms, their shawls and skirts bursting open due to centrifugal force.

At this moment, the mirrored installation on the dome reflected their figures infinitely, and the two thousand audience members felt as if they were in the "flying apsaras dance" in the Dunhuang murals, holding their breath.

The sense of immersion is unparalleled!
The reporters at the scene forgot to take pictures for a moment, all stunned by this exaggerated and wonderful scene.

Suddenly, all the music stopped abruptly.

The dancers froze in a pose resembling "playing the pipa backwards," while the lead dancer's pearl veil was lifted by the wind, revealing Fan Binbin's face—it turned out she had already secretly changed costumes and joined the dance!

This stunning moment triggered screams from the entire audience, and even the musicians from the China National Traditional Orchestra forgot to put down their bows.

Many of the invited fans immediately recalled Fan Binbin's masked dance in "The Empress of China".

The audience erupted in cheers, with shouts of surprise sweeping through the entire theater.

A seasoned film critic in the front row suddenly stood up, oblivious to the fact that his phone fell to the ground with a "thud": "This isn't just dance! It's practically a live-action version of 'Ladies Wearing Flowers in Their Hair'! It's absolutely stunning!"

"From now on, whenever the Empress or the Rainbow Feather Robe is mentioned, Fan Binbin will be unavoidable!"

"It was unavoidable to begin with; even the Empress Wu Zetian in 'Honor of Kings' was modeled after Fan Bingbing's look!"

At the same time, a final photo of Fan Binbin's pearl-embroidered veil being lifted by the wind was also released by reporters.

This once again made netizens who couldn't attend extremely envious.

The Weibo hashtag #FanBaiandTheEmpress'sMillennial Bond# suddenly became a trending topic!

"From 'The Empress of China' to 'The Great Wedding of the Empress,' this woman has portrayed Wu Zetian as her own alter ego, hasn't she? (Image: Nine-grid comparison of stills and lead dancer costumes) Anyway, now when I think of Wu Zetian, the first thing that comes to mind is Fan Bingbing!"

"No problem, I suggest changing Fan Binbin's ID card name to 'Wu Zhao Fan'! This cultural bond is even stronger than a capital marriage!"

"This is no longer a simple character creation, but a cultural symbol forging that has lasted for ten years - from the dragon robe red carpet of 'The Empress of China' to the retirement ceremony of 'The Empress's Wedding', Fan Binbin's team has always been deconstructing the traditional power narrative with the persona of a 'contemporary empress'."

I used to think Liu Jialing's portrayal of Wu Zetian was quite convincing, but after this comparison, I've completely forgotten about her and only remember Fan Bingbing's Wu Meiniang!

(End of this chapter)