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On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Hanno's family had nowhere to go since her grandparents had passed away. They stayed at home, watching television to pass the time. After playing online games for a while, Hanno opened a Word document and continued writing.
Yue Junzhe received a call from Wang Lin, informing her that The Golden Branch and the Withered Tree was completed and would air on Infinite Television next week. Intrigued, Yue Junzhe turned on the television, expecting a trailer to be released at this time.
Sure enough, after one episode, a familiar yet unfamiliar scene appeared on the screen: in the palace at midnight, a group of eunuchs hurriedly made their way outside but were blocked by the approaching golden carriage. Consort Ru made a grand entrance. Compared to Deng Cuiwen, Liza's acting was equally impressive, exuding an aura of sharp nobility.
"The holy words say, 'To know one's mistakes and correct them is virtuous,' but I believe that knowing one's mistakes must also be corrected appropriately; otherwise, it is of no use," Consort Ru said calmly, and in the next moment, she ordered the death of Consort Chen.
Following this, as Court Ladies entered the palace, the youthful and beautiful Er Chun, Yuying, and other Court Ladies brightened up the previously somber scene, greatly attracting interest. The trailer was undeniably captivating; when Yue Junzhe went to school, all she heard were discussions about The Golden Branch and the Withered Tree.
"Did you see the trailer on Infinite Television last night? There's a new drama coming out that looks really exciting. I'm already hooked."
"I didn't see it. What's it called? What's it about?"
"It's called The Golden Branch and the Withered Tree; it's about the struggles of women in the palace. It's so thrilling—more intense than men's wars."
"Really? Then I'll watch it tonight. If it's as good as you say, I'll start watching Infinite Television too."
"I'm telling you, the costumes in The Golden Branch and the Withered Tree are gorgeous—much better than those outdated outfits in previous dramas. You could wear them in real life."
Yue Junzhe smiled with her lips pressed together; aesthetics had certainly evolved over decades. She had completely brought over the designs of the concubines from The Golden Branch and the Withered Tree from her past life. When Wang Lin and Fang Menghua first saw her design sketches, they were amazed; Fang Menghua couldn't resist having one made by a tailor for herself. Later during filming, many actresses succumbed to the allure of beauty and sought tailors to create capes they found appealing.
"There are so many stars in it! Liza, Sister Zhi, Min'er, Huang Xingxiu... and Zi and Lui Leung Wai—are they going to recreate SH Beach?"
"You forgot Huang Ruohua; he's my favorite! His portrayal of Guo Jing is so adorable. It's a pity Weng Meilin isn't participating."
"…"
"…"
As discussions about The Golden Branch and the Withered Tree filled her ears, Yue Junzhe thought that this drama had already succeeded halfway. As for its success after airing, she was not worried at all; her past life had already proven that audiences were very receptive to palace intrigue dramas filled with scheming and rivalry.
In the afternoon, when Yue Junzhe returned home, he did not see Aunt Yi but instead caught sight of the stunning Yidongmei. Yidongmei had fully recovered, her beauty rivaling that of a star from the Ming Dynasty. Even someone as well-traveled as Yue Junzhe couldn't help but blink in surprise.
"Why are you here? Where's Aunt Yi?" he asked.
Yidongmei quickly replied, "My mom isn't feeling well today, so I came to help her out."
Yue Junzhe asked with concern, "Is Aunt Yi alright?"
Yidongmei shook her head. "It's just her old ailment acting up. She'll be fine after some rest; it's nothing serious. Besides, I'm here mainly to personally thank you."
Yue Junzhe smiled and said, "Aunt Yi and Uncle Yi have already thanked me; you don't need to worry about it. Buddhism teaches that saving a life is more valuable than building a seven-story pagoda. Helping you was just for my own sake."
"I don't understand much about Buddhism, but I will remember your kindness and repay it in the future," Yidongmei said stubbornly. "I've already prepared the meal; please try it and see if it suits your taste."
Yue Junzhe washed his hands and sat down at the dining table, inviting Yidongmei, "There are so many dishes; I can't finish them all by myself. Come eat with me."
After hesitating for a moment, Yidongmei sat down across from Yue Junzhe—Aunt Yi occasionally joined him for meals as well.
The dishes were exquisitely prepared; although they weren't quite as good as Aunt Yi's cooking, they were still better than what most others could make, at least superior to Yue Junzhe's own efforts.
Yue Junzhe gave a thumbs up. "Dongmei, your cooking is really good."
Yidongmei blinked her beautiful almond-shaped eyes and softly said, "Sister Yue, I've changed my name; I'm no longer called Yidongmei."
Yue Junzhe was surprised. "Why would you change such a nice name? What are you called now?"
Yidongmei replied, "The teacher at my training class said my name sounded too rustic and helped me change it to Yixue Zui."
Yixue Zui?! Oh my, what a charming name! It sounded like something straight out of a romance or time-travel novel that had just become popular.
Yue Junzhe forced a smile and praised her, "That's a lovely name."
"Yixue Zui," she now preferred to be called, smiled. "I think this name sounds beautiful, and it brings me good luck. I just changed my name, and the teacher helped me find a job playing the third female lead in a play."
"Congratulations! Soon you'll become a star of the Ming Dynasty," Yue Junzhe said, feeling optimistic about this beautiful girl. Although Yixue Zui's name was not among the famous actresses of her past life, it wasn't due to a lack of talent or looks; rather, it was bad luck. Without her 'kind-hearted' benefactor helping Yijia with medical expenses, Yixue Zui might have passed away before even getting a chance to act on television.
"You are a student from the twelfth batch of the Infinite Training Class, right?"
Yixue Zui nodded.
"Are you classmates with Cecilia Tsang?"
Yixue Zui was surprised. "You know Cecilia Tsang?"
"I've seen her at the filming site." The twelfth batch had some well-known names like Cecilia Tsang, Liu Jialin, Wu Junru, Wu Qihua, Tao Dayu, and Liu Qingyun.
"Filming site?" Yixue Zui was even more astonished. "Sister Yue, aren't you a college student? Are you also an employee of Infinite?"
Yue Junzhe laughed. "I wrote a script that Infinite is filming. Cecilia Tsang has a role in it."
Yixue Zui's eyes widened suddenly. "Is it 'The Golden Branch and the Withered Tree'?"
Yue Junzhe nodded.
"You are the screenwriter for 'The Golden Branch and the Withered Tree'? Sister Yue, you are so talented!" Yixue Zui exclaimed. She had heard Cecilia Tsang talk about the show and knew it was an exceptional drama. She regretted her bad luck; her teacher had originally recommended her for a role but she missed out due to an injury. Who would have thought that the screenwriter of 'The Golden Branch and the Withered Tree' was someone she recognized?
Yixue Zui hesitated before asking, "Sister Yue, can I ask you for a favor?"
Yue Junzhe understood immediately. "You want me to write a new script and recommend you to the director for a role, right?"
Yixue Zui nodded eagerly. "I don't need to play the lead; I'd be happy with a supporting role."
Yue Junzhe readily agreed, "Sure!"
Indeed, a well-produced television show can capture the audience's hearts regardless of the era. Since its premiere, "The Golden Branch and the Withered Tree" has attracted countless viewers, including many housewives, men, and young people—men primarily drawn by the beautiful women in the show, and young people captivated by the intricate plots and schemes, finding it simply "cool." The ratings soared, and by the halfway mark of its airing, it had already matched the viewership of the '83 version of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," with "Shan" being just a minor detail. Infinite Heights was thrilled and decided to hold a celebration; Ms. Fang Menghua personally called to invite Yue Junzhe.
Wearing a gown tailored to her specifications, Yue Junzhe entered the banquet hall and instantly drew everyone's attention. The dress was stunningly beautiful and ahead of its time; men admired it while women envied it, all wanting to ask Yue Junzhe where she had purchased such a dress.
Feeling slightly uncomfortable under the spotlight, Yue Junzhe wished she had declined Fang Menghua's invitation.
Noticing Yue Junzhe's discomfort, Fang Menghua hurried over to greet her and led her aside.
"Your dress is truly beautiful! Where did you buy it?"
With fewer eyes on her now, Yue Junzhe sighed in relief and replied, "I had it custom-made by a tailor. If you like it, Aunt Fang, I can give you his business card so he can design something that suits your style."
Fang Menghua was delighted. "Then it's settled!"
Fang Menghua introduced Yue Junzhe to the attendees at Infinite Heights; many famous stars approached Fang Menghua to greet her, thus getting to know Yue Junzhe as well. Upon learning that she was the renowned author of "The Age of Great Strife" and "Xianjian," as well as a screenwriter for "The Golden Branch and the Withered Tree," everyone treated her with utmost respect.
After raising a toast to everyone, Yue Junzhe slipped away to rest. Just as she began to relax, Fang Menghua approached again, this time accompanied by Wang Lin and an elderly man. Yue Junzhe recognized him as Director Xiao Sheng, whom Fang Menghua had introduced to her earlier. Xiao Sheng was another prominent figure in television, rivaling Wang Lin—a master of martial arts dramas. He had produced numerous popular series across various networks and was particularly skilled in long-form martial arts dramas. His notable works included TVB's "Meteor Butterfly Sword" and ATV's "Cicada Transformation," "Dragon's Secret," and "The Legend of the Swordsman Princess." In 1982, Xiao Sheng joined Infinite Heights; he was the producer-director of Andy Lau's starring series "Divine Condor Heroes." He had hoped that "Divine Condor Heroes" would become the ratings champion of 1983 but was caught off guard by the unexpected rise of "The Golden Branch and the Withered Tree."
Fang Menghua smiled and said, "Nra (Yue Junzhe's English name), do you have any new scripts? These two big names from our station have come seeking me out; they want to film your new work!"
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