The IMAX theater at the Capital's Wanda Cinema.
The premiere roadshow press conference for "The Legend of Han and Chu" had not yet begun,
but the air inside the venue was already thick and scorching from the excessive crowding.
The aisles were jam-packed with dia personnel carrying their "Long Guns and Short Cannons,"
every face etched with exhilaration.
Backstage in the lounge, the atmosphere was heavy.
The massive monitor screen clearly broadcasted the chaos outside.
On both sides of the red carpet, aside from the frenzied dia, a group of people holding protest banners had actually gathered.
"Capital's ga, art's sorrow!" "Boycott problematic artist Jiang Ci!"
The chants, picked up by audio equipnt, noisily filtered into the lounge.
Qin Feng's brows were knitted into a tight knot.
He held a thermos cup, blowing on the steam rising from it, but didn't take a single sip.
"Old Wei, this spectacle outside, isn't security going to do anything?"
He looked towards Director Wei Song, who was resting with his eyes closed beside him. "This is practically turning into a special trial session."
Wei Song didn't even lift an eyelid, his gaze still fixed on the screen showing the entrance to the red carpet.
"No need."
His reply was unnervingly calm.
"Let them make a scene," Wei Song's voice remained placid,
"The louder the gongs and drums, the higher the stage is set. Wait until the lead actor steps onto the stage, then we'll see who are the monsters and demons."
Qin Feng was taken aback, wanting to say more, but seeing Wei Song's utterly confident deanor, he ultimately swallowed his words.
Fifteen minutes past the scheduled ti, the waves of protest inside the venue grew increasingly intense.
Just as everyone's patience was about to run out, at the far end of the red carpet,
a pure black entourage van silently slid into everyone's view and ca to a stop.
The commotion on-site suddenly died down.
All the cara lenses swiveled in unison, aiming at the tightly closed car door.
The car door slowly slid open.
A polished black handmade leather shoe stepped onto the red carpet.
Imdiately after, a tall, slender, and upright figure erged from the vehicle.
The hundreds of reporters and black fans on-site all fell into a brief, collective speechlessness upon clearly seeing the newcor.
He wore a sharply tailored black three-piece suit, his tie impeccably knotted.
The slightly gentler bangs from a few days ago were all combed back, revealing a smooth, full forehead.
The lines of that face carried a cold, sharp aggressiveness.
Cara flashes erupted in a frenzy, trying to capture any trace of unease or panic on his face.
Jiang Ci paid no attention.
He didn't even give a glance to the dia on either side, rely raising a hand for a simple wave in acknowledgnt.
Then, with one hand, he fastened the first button of his suit jacket.
He lifted his foot and stepped onto the red carpet.
His pace wasn't fast, but it was terrifyingly steady.
He didn't look at any of the caras on either side, nor did he acknowledge the shrill protests.
His gaze remained fixed straight ahead, on that battlefield that belonged to him.
Several reporters who had originally prepared to rush forward and shove microphones in his face,
upon eting the sweep of his gaze, instinctively took half a step back, clearing a path.
It was an indescribable sense of oppression.
That indifference said: You are unworthy.
The red carpet wasn't long, yet he walked it as if it were a coronation.
His figure disappeared into the cinema entrance.
The cacophony composed of protests and curses,
after freezing for several seconds, erupted again with an even more piercing intensity.
"Who does he think he's fooling! An actor who got his position through capital!"
Jiang Ci's figure appeared at the cinema entrance.
He walked step by step towards the stage along the reserved pathway.
On stage, Qin Feng watched him approach.
The tense lines on his face subtly relaxed,
and he gave an almost imperceptible nod towards Jiang Ci.
Jiang Ci's gaze t his, and he gave a very slight nod in return.
Then, under the watchful eyes of all the main creators and the host,
he walked straight to the very center of the stage, to the empty seat next to Director Wei Song.
The seat belonging to Xiang Yu.
He calmly took his seat.
The press conference continued.
The host struggled to pull the proceedings back on track, but everyone was distracted, the atmosphere awkward and tense.
Finally, it was ti for the most stimulating part: the dia Q&A session.
A hand shot up high among the reporters' seats. A bespectacled man practically jumped up from his seat, snatching the microphone.
He was clearly paid, his face wearing undisguised malice as he spoke in a sarcastic, insinuating tone.
"Teacher Jiang Ci, hello."
He deliberately dragged out his words.
"There have been many rumors about you on the internet recently, saying you can't distinguish between the drama and reality, and even need psychological intervention to leave your role."
"I'd like to ask, given your current ntal state, are you truly suitable to portray a role like Xiang Yu, which carries such heavy historical weight?"
"Could your personal emotional issues mislead the general audience's understanding of this historical figure?"
All the caras in the venue instantly focused on Jiang Ci.
Qin Feng's face darkened, his hand already gripping the microphone in front of him, ready to speak.
But Jiang Ci was faster.
He reached out, pulled the microphone in front of him towards himself, unhurriedly, adjusting its height slightly.
He didn't answer imdiately. Instead, he lifted his head and looked at the reporter who asked the question.
A mont later, he spoke.
"Have you seen the film?"
His words weren't loud, yet they clearly reached every corner of the hall.
The reporter clearly hadn't expected such a counter-question; the smugness on his face froze.
"It's... the film hasn't been released yet..."
He stamred in reply.
An extrely faint curve appeared on Jiang Ci's face.
He leaned back, his entire body relaxing into the wide chair back.
"You haven't seen it," he repeated, then, in a completely matter-of-fact tone,
uttered the second half of the sentence. "Don't you think your question is rather superfluous?"
The mont his words fell, the entire hall erupted in an uproar.
"Pfft."
A barely suppressed chuckle ca from beside him.
Qin Feng's previously darkened face, upon hearing Jiang Ci's retort, saw all his worries vanish into thin air.
He looked at Jiang Ci's utterly taking-it-for-granted expression.
This seasoned and steady Film Emperor quickly lowered his head, picked up his thermos cup,
trying to mask his uncontrollably shaking shoulders.
All the dia in the hall went crazy!
This wasn't responding to criticism; this was the most rciless slap in the face, delivered live in front of the entire nation!
Just as the atmosphere on-site teetered on the edge of losing control, Director Wei Song took the microphone.
"What Jiang Ci ans," Wei Song surveyed the entire hall,
slowly adding, "is that after you've watched the film, if you still think there's a problem with his ntal state..."
He paused, delivering the fatal blow.
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