Chapter 106: 90: Spring Water People's Home Chapter 106: The Thousand Years' First Female Talent, Portrayed with Eighty Percent Liken

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

Lin Xiyu arranged her hairpins, changed into Hanfu, found a place with few people and beautiful scenery in Baotu Spring Park, and while reciting her lines, she depicted the appearance of the Thousand Years' First Female Talent in her mind, striving to explain her life vividly, so that television viewers watching the promotional video would feel as if they were there.

At the same time, Guben, under Director Du's strong urging, participated in a cameo once again, dressed as the Southern Song hero resisting the Jin, Xin Qiji.

—

"In 1084, Li Qingzhao was born in Jinan, her former residence was within Baotu Spring. Her ci poems are clear, beautiful, and sorrowful; she is a representative of the graceful and restrained school of ci poets, and later generations call her the Thousand Years' First Female Talent."

"Last night the rain was sparse and the wind sudden; deep sleep could not dispel the remaining wine. I ask the one drawing the curtains, but they say the crabapple remains as before. Do you know, do you know? It should be green fat and red thin."

"This ci was written by Li Qingzhao when she was 17, and in that year she met her husband Zhao Mingcheng in Kaifeng and married him."

"Zhao Mingcheng was 3 years older than Li Qingzhao. After marriage, the couple shared interests and their affection grew deep."

"In the third year after marriage, that is, 1103, because Song Huizong heavily employed the New Party that supported Wang Anshi's reforms, her father Li Gefei and her father-in-law disagreed politically, making her position very awkward. Thus she temporarily parted from her husband and returned from Kaifeng to Jinan, writing the famous ci lines."

"I still remember the day at the creek pavilion at dusk, drunk and unaware of the way home. When the mood was spent, we returned late by boat and mistakenly entered the place deep with lotus flowers. 'Zheng du, zheng du,' startling a shoal of gulls and egrets."

"The explanation of this line 'zheng du, zheng du, startling a shoal of gulls and egrets' is not merely describing flying birds, but using gulls and egrets as a metaphor for the struggle between the two parties, startling an outsider, and that outsider was Li Qingzhao herself."

"In 1106, there was a general amnesty under heaven, and Li Qingzhao returned from Jinan to Kaifeng to reunite with her husband. Later, because her father-in-law failed in his struggle with Cai Jing for the position of prime minister, he vomited blood and died, affecting her son Zhao Mingcheng."

"The couple returned to Zhao Mingcheng's old home and lived a life of envying only the mandarin ducks, not the immortals."

"In 1121, after 14 years of seclusion, Zhao Mingcheng suddenly received a transfer order and was sent to Lai Zhou to serve as Prefect. Li Qingzhao did not accompany him for some unknown reason."

"Because they had been childless for many years, Zhao Mingcheng took two concubines in Lai Zhou. Although the concubines also bore no children, a rift appeared between the two."

"After Li Qingzhao learned of this, she used ci to allude to people, expressing her dissatisfaction and sorrow."

"Red lotus fragrance faded, jade mat cool in autumn. Lightly untying my silk robe, I alone board the orchid boat. Who in the clouds sends brocade letters? When the wild geese return, the moon is full over the west building."

"Flowers drift on their own, water flows on its own. One kind of longing, two places of idle sorrow. This emotion has no way to be dispelled; just as it leaves my brow, it rises to my heart."

"In 1127, the Jingkang Humiliation, the Northern Song fell. After Zhao Gou ascended the throne, Zhao Mingcheng was transferred to serve as Prefect of Jiangning."

"The Southern Song court faced the Jin soldiers' southern invasion with nothing but retreat, living in ignominy. Zhao Mingcheng guarded Jiangning but abandoned the city and fled. Li Qingzhao was deeply disappointed by his cowardly behavior, and at the place where Xiang Yu committed suicide, she wrote that famous summer absolute verse."

"Alive, be a hero among men; dead, be a hero among ghosts. To this day I think of Xiang Yu, who refused to cross the river east."

"That same year, Zhao Mingcheng died of illness. Li Qingzhao's ci poems changed from the lively and playful of her youth to the clear and sorrowful after experiencing the vicissitudes of life."

"The Southern Song situation was unstable, and Li Qingzhao wandered in exile. Three years later, on the road of exile, she met a scoundrel and married Zhang Ruzhou, suffering domestic violence."

"At that time in the Southern Song, divorce was permitted between husband and wife; a wife suing her husband would be sentenced to two years in prison."

"Li Qingzhao had a fierce temperament and would rather go to prison than divorce him. Fortunately, she was only imprisoned for nine days before someone lent a hand, sparing her the prison disaster."

"In 1143, the sixth year after Zhao Mingcheng's death, Li Qingzhao fulfilled his wish, compiling and publishing his 'Jin Shi Lu' that he had written, and writing a postscript for it."

"The 'Jin Shi Lu' is of great significance for the study of epigraphy. It records about 2000 types of bronze inscriptions and stone carvings from the Three Dynasties of antiquity through the Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties in chronological order, far exceeding the 500 types in Ouyang Xiu's 'Ji Gu Lu'."

"The 'Postscript to Jin Shi Lu' personally compiled by Li Qingzhao recalls the process of compiling the book with sincere brushwork and is hailed as a miraculous writing for all ages."

"The 'Jin Shi Lu' is not only a milestone in epigraphy, but also carries the academic ideals and life joys and sorrows of Li Qingzhao and Zhao Mingcheng as a couple. Its documentary value and human emotions are intertwined, becoming a unique witness to Song dynasty history and culture."

—

Lin Xiyu had memorized her lines and narrated the life of the Thousand Years' First Female Talent with emotion. Then, as Director Du required, she held a scroll in her hand and stood by Shu Yu Spring, easily reciting her ci poems—'Drunk in the Flowers'.

"Thin mist and thick clouds, sorrow fills the long day. Rui nao melts the golden beast. It is the Double Ninth Festival again. Jade pillow, sand couch; at midnight coolness seeps through."

"By the eastern fence with wine after dusk, there is hidden fragrance filling the sleeves. Do not say it does not stir the soul. Curtains rolled up in the west wind; the person is thinner than the yellow flowers."

Her features were delicate and petite, her figure slender, her willow-thin waist not encompassing one hand. The scroll in her hand added a strong scholarly air to her.

The Thousand Years' First Female Talent, under the director's guidance, let her portray an eighty percent likeness.

"Good."

Director Du was very satisfied with his creativity, clapping his hands and shouting praise.

"Next it's our hero resisting the Jin's turn to appear."

Li Yan glanced at Guben's costume and laughed, teasing: "If Xin Qiji were really this handsome, I could lick the screen every day."

Guben was 185 in height, tall and straight. Dressed in a military officer's uniform, his three-dimensional brow bones revealed a handsomeness that made it hard to look away.

"The skin is a bit white; paint him darker."

Hearing Li Yan's words, Director Du turned back and frowned.

"Pfft."

Lin Xiyu couldn't help it, covering her mouth and laughing out loud.

"I haven't memorized my lines."

Guben turned his head, looking at her with a half-smile.

"Eh."

Lin Xiyu's heart trembled. Sure enough, the next second she heard his teasing voice: "Let her speak; I'll just be a background board and show my face in the camera."

"Is there anyone who slacks off like you?"

Li Yan laughed angrily: "Xin Qiji is a hero resisting the Jin; his aura is different. It's not suitable for a girl to speak."

"I don't want to memorize lines."

Guben shirked: "Rote memorization is not my specialty."

Lin Xiyu: "......."

Feeling she had been sarcastically jabbed.

This person really was, constantly challenging her bottom line at all times.

"Xiao Bin, have you read carefully? Xin Qiji's lines really are not suitable for a girl to speak."

Li Yan patiently reasoned with him: "Xiyu is the sweet young girl type; narrating a rough-hewn general doesn't have that feel. Our Shandong big shots have that arrogant streak in their bones, and only a wild, untamed boy like you can truly bring it out."

"Mm-hmm, that's right."

Lin Xiyu took the chance to put him in his place: "He's usually all cool and arrogant, harder to tame than a wolf pup."

"Being mischievous again..."

Guben laughed in exasperation and gave her a knuckle rap on the head.

"Xiao Bin, this paragraph's lines are more humorous, no need to be too formal, just say them casually like you're telling jokes..."

Li Yan, while the two were joking, tentatively advised: "You don't want to memorize it; I'll write it on paper, and you can read it off."

"I'm not suited to a humorous style."

Guben still refused: "If you want comedy, I'll find someone for you, guaranteed to satisfy you."

Having said that, he didn't wait for Li Yan to speak, directly calling Wang Fan over on the public phone.

Wang Fan heard there was a chance to appear on TV and came flying, riding his cool motorcycle, arriving in less than ten minutes.

"No way, still have to memorize lines?"

Seeing a whole big sheet of lines, he instantly made a bitter face: "This is too much for me, do I look like someone who can memorize lines?"

"Or, I'll write it bigger for you, and you can hold it up with your hand."

Li Yan smiled bitterly in resignation and sighed helplessly.

—

"His writing surpasses Su Shi, his martial prowess surpasses Yue Fei; with pen he can secure the realm, on horseback he can settle the world."

"But his life was either fighting or on the way to fighting, either being transferred or on the way to being transferred."

"Though he had the will to serve his country, he had no gate to serve his country; he is the dragon among lyrics, the representative of the bold and unconstrained school, Xin Qiji."

"When reading, I thought Xin Qiji was a literary youth, 'countless times the crowd sought him, suddenly turning back, he was there where the lanterns were dimly lit.'"

"Only when grown did I know, Xin Qiji was the most combative literary youth in history."

"At 21 he became the big brother in charge, leading over two thousand little brothers, rising up against the Jin on Jin territory; poetry and lyrics were just his hobby, fighting was his main business."

"A monk named Yi Duan betrayed him, stole the military seal and handed it to the Jin; Xin Qiji chased him for three days and three nights and caught him back."

"Another traitor, Zhang Anguo, murdered the uprising leader Geng Jing; Xin Qiji, famed as the Traitor Reaper, took only 50 men, charged into an enemy camp of 50,000, bound Zhang Anguo with five flowers, brought him to Lin'an and beheaded him in public, shocking the whole country."

"This isn't a martial arts film, it's a fantasy film; such a feat, even the famed anti-Jin hero Yue Fei, would have to admit inferiority."

—

It must be said, Guben's eye was sharp, his judgment of people accurate.

He recommended Wang Fan not without reason.

As for Wang Fan, he had no other talents, but his oily, slick talk was unmatched.

Xin Qiji's first half of life, with cheat codes activated, made him say it all with such a hippie smile that it was hilarious, even Director Du was made to chuckle by him.

After the first half of the lines was spoken, Cameraman Brother timely turned the camera toward Guben.

Guben suppressed a smile and flourished the long spear a few times.

"Hey, look at these flowery fists and embroidered legs..."

Wang Fan laughed and goaded him: "You've got nothing but that face to look at, fine as a decoration, just like a vase in the entertainment circle."

"You're talking about yourself, right?"

Guben didn't indulge him at all, threw down the spear, rushed over a few steps, grabbed him by the neck and threw him down.

"Ow ow ow, my waist, it hurts to death."

Wang Fan thick-skinned rolled on the ground, playing possum and refusing to get up.

"Stop fooling around, it's time to shoot the next part; after filming, Sister will buy you ice cream."

Li Yan laughed and cried at once, bent down, patted his shoulder, and coaxed him in a kind voice.

"Sister Yan."

Wang Fan silently exchanged a glance with her, suddenly grinned: "Little brother has something to say, don't know if I should say it or not?"

"Say it."

Li Yan's heart gave a jolt, a bad premonition surged up.

"You've had an exposure."

Sure enough, the next second, Wang Fan spoke words that made people blush.

"Ah!"

Li Yan subconsciously lowered her head, looking at her own skirt.

She wore a knee-length pleated skirt, the flowing skirt hem blown by the wind, revealing her fair, round thighs.

As for the more hidden parts...

She narrowed her eyes, a chill light bursting from the depths of her gaze.

"Sister Yan, listen to me, actually I didn't see anything..."

Wang Fan sensed a murderous gaze slicing at his neck, dropped the act, and sprang up from the ground in one go.

"You'd better not have seen anything..."

Li Yan clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.

"Absolutely."

Wang Fan gave an awkward laugh: "Even if I saw, I'd say I didn't see."

"Come here."

Li Yan gritted her teeth and crooked her finger at him.

"I won't."

Wang Fan pretended to be afraid and shrank his neck.

"Come over here."

Li Yan's patience was nearly exhausted: "I promise I won't hit you."

"No."

Wang Fan had just uttered the word "no."

"Go on."

Guben suddenly pushed him hard from behind.

"Oh my..."

Wang Fan stumbled and nearly fell, landing right in front of Li Yan.

"Thud."

Li Yan impolitely gave him a fist.

Wang Fan's cheek turned sideways, and his left eye became a panda eye.

"Pfft."

Lin Xiyu spat out a mouthful of drink.

"Hey, this is getting out of hand."

Director Du had a heart attack, furious: "No restraint at all, and there's still half a paragraph of lines left unsaid."

"I'll say the rest below."

Guben stifled a smile and put out his fire.

"Xiao Bin, this is what you said..."

Director Du clutched his chest, breathless: "No more changing your mind. A person of his age can't take the tossing."

"Won't, won't."

Guben smiled and echoed: "I promise, there won't be any more slips, you can rest assured, old man."

"This damn weather, it hasn't rained at all, it's hot to death."

Director Du truly deserved to be called an old fox; he was delighted in his heart but revealed nothing on his face: "Let me first comfortably catch my breath."

"You rest first, old man."

Guben got him a small horse stool and placed it in front of the camera: "Let me first go over my lines."

"I'll give you ten minutes."

Director Du put on his director airs: "No more dragging it out."

Guben frowned: "Ten minutes is a bit too little, isn't it?"

"You little rascal, don't play tricks on me."

Director Du laughed and scolded: "You're a Provincial Top Scholar; what's so hard about memorizing a few lines? Ten minutes is more than enough. Let you perform a feat of reading ten lines at a glance and never forgetting what you've seen—that's more like it."

"You flatter me too much."

Guben gave an awkward smile and silently took the script with lines written on it from the old man's hands.

"These brats, if the tiger doesn't show its might, they treat me like a sick cat."

Director Du secretly laughed: "This director has been mixing in this circle for so many years; there's no Monkey King I can't subdue."

"You're impressive, old man."

Cameraman gave a thumbs-up, giving face by cheering him on.

"Hehehe."

Director Du touched the coarse beard stubble on his chin, smiling very happily.

—

"They say brave enough to lead the three armies goes to Guang, literary and martial excellence both to Qiji; Qiji is like Guang, but alas the Song emperor is not Han Wudi."

"Xin Qiji's first half of life was as overpowered as can be, his second half was just as stifled."

"Drunk, I raise a lamp to inspect my sword; in dreams, I return to the sound of bugles in connected camps. Eight hundred li to distribute roasted meat among my subordinates, fifty strings to play the sounds beyond the frontier, inspecting troops on the autumn battlefield."

"The horse gallops like Lu, the bow like a thunderclap string startling. Finish the emperor's affairs under heaven, win fame in life and after death, alas white hair grows."

"Xin Qiji's sword had killing intent, his lyrics had tenderness; it's a pity he was never given important use throughout his life. No matter how wretched reality was, he remained steadfast in his ideals."

"The Southern Song court could not support a soul with backbone. Before Xin Qiji died, he still shouted to kill the thieves; this was his final cry after a lifetime."