Chapter 134: Premiere

Chapter 134: Premiere

After "Chivalrous Fragrance" premiered, Zheng Xiao not only helped by sharing posts but also pulled out his TV, tablet, and phone at home to show his support in a practical way.

"What about 'War Flames'?" Shao Yao couldn't help but ask him.

"My dad, mom, brother, and nephew can handle it."

Lu Xu remained silent.

...

While waiting for "Chivalrous Fragrance," Tan Qi spent the entire day cleaning and neatly tidying up the table—she hadn't been this efficient since 'The Year I Was 18' aired.

She prefers watching dramas; they can be screenshotted, and new memes can be found in the bullet comments. They can also be rewatched repeatedly, although Lu Xu's face has a more striking presence on the big screen.

Film directors tirelessly craft atmospheres, making characters look more polished under the cinematic lens.

But, Lu Xu doesn't have enough movies!

Tan Qi is thinking about buying a projector so she can comfortably watch dramas from her bed.

Indeed, Lu Xu motivates her; he is her source of inspiration!

At exactly 8 o'clock, Tan Qi quickly refreshed the Cloud Video homepage, and sure enough, "Chivalrous Fragrance," which previously only had a single trailer, had released its first and second episodes.

"I have just one question: why only two episodes a day?"

"Taking a step back, can't the platform air ten thousand episodes a day?"

Tan Qi quickly liked these two bullet comments.

Although it's important for actors to keep an air of mystery, Tan Qi sincerely hopes that Lu Xu will appear more often, which is very important to her.

From the trailer, Tan Qi already knew what kind of show "Chivalrous Fragrance" was.

As a fan, she loves seeing Lu Xu play such spirited roles, youthful and handsome—handsome actors should play more handsome roles!

Only when Lu Xu's face appears on the screen does she believe that Nie Yunzhang is the famous handsome man from the history books!

...

The opening theme of "Chivalrous Fragrance" still carries the style of "The Son of Heaven," with orchestral and stirring music that immediately transports one back in time to an ancient era, a powerful era with a wise and martial emperor and generals defending the borders.

Tan Qi's gaze couldn't help but linger on the last scene of the opening, where Nie Yunzhang's life has come to an end, frail yet even more handsome. His gaze so intense it could take your breath away.

Tan Qi resisted the urge to replay the opening theme and started watching the first episode of "Chivalrous Fragrance."

It begins with the famous palace coup of the Chu Dynasty.

The Son of Heaven is muddle-headed, the East Palace is unstable, and the court naturally splits into two factions.

Although the Nie family is royal relatives, the more critical the moment, the more they need to hold their ground and not easily take sides.

Nie Yunzhang, as a member of the Nie family, got along well with the crown prince since childhood but was always warned by his family not to lean too much towards the crown prince.

"If Prince Qi ascends the throne in the future, will you have a good outcome?"

The scene shifts to a young man on the screen speaking in a lazy tone: "Don't worry, Dad, Prince Qi won't make it."

The man's eyelids drooped as if he were still half-asleep, his appearance was loose and sloppy, lacking the sharpness and efficiency expected of someone from a noble family. To put it more specifically, he looked like a monkey.

Yet, Tan Qi couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement.

Yet another completely different character!

Each of Lu Xu's roles gave her a fresh sense of novelty, and this one—Nie Yunzhang's first appearance—radiated youthful energy!

Lu Xu's actual age was quite different from Nie Yunzhang's at his debut. For an actor, playing younger or older roles is no easy feat, but in Tan Qi's opinion, playing younger is tougher because the eyes don't lie.

Yet, Lu Xu's eyes showed no sign of world-weariness, and paired with his period costume, he could be perfectly described as having sharp eyebrows and starry eyes.

Young Nie Yunzhang was full of life, and Lu Xu didn't play him as a fool, but instead brought out the character's youthful energy, making him utterly charming!

Tan Qi had a vague sense that Lu Xu's acting skills were improving.

"Finally, the pup isn't stuck in those tragic roles anymore!"

"Yay, yay!"

"Editing is in progress, Nie Yunzhang X Qin Zhao, Lu Xu's period costumes are unbeatable!"

Fans were thrilled with the makeup and styling in "Chivalrous Fragrance," which clearly showed that money had been spent. Nie Yunzhang's outfit in the first episode was stunning and perfectly suited. It's no exaggeration to say Lu Xu's face would look good even in a potato sack, but with the polished makeup and styling, he was the epitome of a dashing young hero.

The plot of "Chivalrous Fragrance" was just as compelling. Nie Yunzhang didn't get much screen time in the first episode, which mostly revolved around palace intrigue, but the tension during the assassination attempt on the crown prince was palpable—every courtier had their own agenda, and even the eunuchs played dumb.

Maids, eunuchs, imperial favorites, former officials, royal relatives... everyone had their own schemes, and even the emperor, widely seen as incompetent, wasn't as clueless as people thought.

The more perilous the crown prince's situation, the more Nie Yunzhang's timely appearance seemed like a divine intervention.

In this scene, the interaction between the crown prince and Nie Yunzhang was so intense that the screen was flooded with "!!!!", making it hard to even see their faces.

The crown prince's look of shock and surprise, paired with Nie Yunzhang's warm, sunny smile in the same frame, was like a princess meeting her rescuing knight!

And then, the second episode ended.

"????? Dare you release one more episode?"

"Hello? I just got into the mood, hey hey hey!"

"I am very disappointed, what harm would releasing one more episode do?"

For the first two episodes of "Chivalrous Fragrance," Liu Chunfeng and Qin Yu estimated the viewership to be around ten thousand, expecting a much better start than "The Son of Heaven." After all, the director and screenwriter's expectation for "Chivalrous Fragrance" was an average popularity of over ten thousand.

But the result—

That morning, Liu Chunfeng woke up Qin Yu, who was still in a deep sleep. As a screenwriter, Qin Yu's schedule was very irregular, and even though Liu Chunfeng had collaborated with him several times, waking him up this time still earned Liu a stern scolding from Qin Yu.

But Liu Chunfeng couldn't hold back.

Because the premiere popularity of "Chivalrous Fragrance" was over 13,000!

In his career as a director, he had never had a show with such high popularity!

There was no helping it; after all, he came from a background of serious drama. In the early years, the internet wasn't as developed, and the audience had fewer choices. Now, shows with high topic interest and gimmicks are clearly more popular.

"Can it go any higher?" the director couldn't help but ask.

"If it can't rise, maintaining the current popularity is also good."

After washing his face and brushing his teeth, Qin Yu then opened his computer to check today's popularity data—

On the chart, *Illusory Realm*, which had been airing for a week, ranked first with a popularity of the 14,000+.

*Illusory Realm* had reached the part where the female lead took her first revenge, personally killing the immortal who had humiliated her that day.

The immortal still appeared ethereal and untouchable in his white robes, but Lu Yao, like a vengeful ghost, examined his lifeless body.

She realized that at the moment of death, whether mortal or immortal, everyone was equally vulnerable.

This scene attracted countless fans, causing *Illusory Realm*'s slightly declining ratings to rise again.

Second place went to *Chivalrous Fragrance*.

*War Flames* ranked third with a popularity of 11,000+.

For the audience, this was just a routine ranking, but for the entire TV world, it was an achievement not seen in a long time.

Three dramas all surpassing 10,000 in popularity—what did that signify?

In other slower seasons, perhaps only one drama would surpass 10,000, or maybe none at all.

"Are all three dramas good?"

"Yes! *Illusory Realm* and *War Flames* are both amazing. *Chivalrous Fragrance* has just started, so it's hard to tell yet."

"Hahaha, I watch *Illusory Realm* every day before watching *War Flames* with my parents. They were initially reluctant, but now they watch it with me."

"I can't let anyone miss the second episode of *Chivalrous Fragrance*! Does anyone understand the redemptive tension?"

"I totally get it!"

*Illusory Realm*'s plot is now in its climax, *War Flames* is in a more captivating chapter, and although *Chivalrous Fragrance*'s pacing isn't particularly fast, it fully portrays the experiences of a historical figure.

Nie Yunzhang isn't a one-dimensional character, nor is he the "born-to-be" war god from history books. He has emotions, ambitions, and aspirations.

After the third episode, once the crown prince is saved, he begins his counterattack, with Nie Yunzhang becoming the blade that paves the way. At this point, the charm of the character slowly reveals itself.

Nie Yunzhang is definitely not a straightforward character.

Born into a noble family and related to the royal family, he forged a friendship with the crown prince in his youth. His loyalty to the crown prince is genuine, and his care for his family, as well as the hardships he endures in training, are evident to everyone.

In history books, Nie Yunzhang is only briefly mentioned, but he is clearly a more dynamic figure.

"It feels like I've gotten to know Nie Yunzhang."

"*Chivalrous Fragrance* really adds a lot of intricate details about Nie Yunzhang. They might not be entirely true, but to me, they feel real."

"He's a good brother, a good son, a good servant, and also has a spirited side. I love it!"

After *Chivalrous Fragrance* aired, the popularity of the first few episodes held steady at 13,000+, with no significant fluctuations. The ranking on the chart also remained unchanged, with *Illusory Realm* in first place, *Chivalrous Fragrance* in second, and *War Flames* in third.

All three production teams were satisfied—this was already beyond their anticipated ratings.

But because *Chivalrous Fragrance* and *Illusory Realm* performed so steadily, fans felt a bit on edge.

"Nervous about what might happen, but also looking forward to it."

"Haha, if nothing happens during Lu Xu's drama airing, I'd really find it strange."

"It's eerily calm, like the calm before a storm."

"Anyway, based on my years of observation, Lu Xu usually doesn't initiate attacks, but his passive defense skills are already fully stacked."

But unexpectedly, the three production teams stayed remarkably calm. The hot searches kept rolling in, but each focused solely on their own show, praising themselves without comparing to competitors.

TV drama forums, Weibo, and various fan communities couldn't help but analyze this phenomenon:

"Is it necessary to put others down? All three shows are doing well now."

"Actually, putting others down isn't necessarily bad, like during 'The Empress' era, but I think randomly doing so will only give Lu Xu more attention."

"It's better to just enjoy the shows. There are so many analysis posts about 'Illusory Realm' and 'Chivalrous Fragrance,' I feel like I've learned a lot."

Despite the production teams adopting a 'wait-and-see' approach, they couldn't stop someone from actively stirring up drama—

After months of preparation, 'Song of Tears' was selected for the competition category of an overseas award. While this award isn't as prestigious as the Oscars or the European Big Three, it's still part of the A-list film festival circuit.

The production team repeatedly highlighted the award on trending topics to inform domestic audiences of its significance.

As the male lead of 'Song of Tears,' Qi Di attended an overseas red carpet event, sending back promotional materials claiming he was the only overseas actor invited to the XX Film Festival and that the film was the sole domestic entry in the main competition.

In short, it means 'Song of Tears' is next-level amazing.

Even while abroad, Qi Di, a potential 'XX Film Emperor,' kept an eye on domestic developments.

For example—his Weibo homepage recently posted a new photo.

In the photo, Qi Di appears relaxed, with a stunning city nightscape visible through the window, showcasing the vibrancy of a European city.

A bouquet of red roses sits on his desk, and he's engrossed in watching 'Illusory Realm' on the screen.

"Binged ten episodes of 'Illusory Realm'—couldn't stop watching!"

Fans: "..."

Throughout the airing of 'Illusory Realm,' 'Chivalrous Fragrance,' and 'War Flames,' celebrities have consistently voiced their support for the shows.

Support is expected, but when it comes from Qi Di, it feels suspicious.

First, as a respected film actor and rising star, Qi Di has always dismissed TV actors.

Take Qiao Mengyao, the lead actress of 'Illusory Realm.' Despite her status as a drama queen, she worked her way up from supporting roles to enter the film industry, unlike Qi Di, who has exclusively worked in films since his debut.

Second, it's no secret in the industry that Qi Di and Lu Xu have a rocky relationship.

Now, with 'Illusory Realm' and 'Chivalrous Fragrance' airing in the same time slot, Qi Di's support for 'Illusory Realm' is raising eyebrows.

"This is going to be interesting lol."

"...Is it just me? He claims to have watched ten episodes, but the screen shows the fourth episode."

"Dude, seriously, no need for this, dude."

"Oh no, Lu Xu is going to cast a curse!"

"Hahaha I'm waiting for when the little dog will ride his bicycle out."

"He's going to perform that again lol." However, before Lu Xu could even roll out his beloved bike, the 'Illusory Realm' official blog dropped a new post.

"Marathoned ten episodes of 'Chivalrous Fragrance'—totally addictive!"

Netizens were speechless: "..."

#Stop it at the source#

#Someone, stop Lu Xu—he's about to ride his bike#

After the 'Illusory Realm' official blog posted this wildly erratic tweet, the 'Chivalrous Fragrance' official blog also responded: "Marathoned ten episodes of 'War Flames'—totally hooked!"

The spotlight then turned to 'War Flames,' and naturally, the 'War Flames' official blog also showed strong support for 'Illusory Realm.'

"Got it, we're just pawns in your game."

"What kind of wild production teams are these? Is the show even good? I need to see for myself."

"...?"

In the end, this stunt actually boosted the popularity of all three shows.

As for Qi Di's Weibo post, the 'Illusory Realm' production team didn't respond at all. However, they did like posts from other celebs backing 'Illusory Realm,' but skipped over Qi Di's.

It was pretty cringe-worthy.