IDEI CH45

Director Wang and his team arrived very quickly. Before long, they were already at the gates of the TND villa.

Qi Yanning packed a few things simply and set out with Director Wang’s group.

This time, Director Wang’s production crew included the director himself, an assistant director, and several staff members. Consequently, they had driven over in two commercial vans.

Naturally, Qi Yanning got into the same van as Director Wang.

“Xiao Qi!” Having not seen him for a while, Director Wang showed no signs of fatigue; on the contrary, he looked even more energized.

“Long time no see. I finally managed to catch you.”

“Lately, to make sure this production is as good as it can be, I’ve been poring over the script with the screenwriters and the historians I invited. Every day they argue over artistic presentation versus historical accuracy—it’s giving me a headache.”

Director Wang shook his head. He claimed it was a headache, but the smile crinkling the corners of his eyes betrayed how much he was enjoying the process.

Watching the director say one thing while meaning another, Qi Yanning let out a soft laugh.

“This time, it was a blessing in disguise, though. It helped me discover a few promising young screenwriters,” Director Wang said.

“The reason the original author was willing to sell the rights to me in the first place was that the terms I offered showed the utmost respect for the book. At first, I had an old friend of mine handle the adaptation, but he had too many of his own ideas and clashed constantly with the original author. With neither willing to yield, the resulting script couldn’t even maintain basic internal logic.”

Director Wang’s expression dimmed slightly. He recalled the frustration of reading that script back then. In that draft, characterizations were completely fractured, and the plot logic floated in thin air. One second the protagonist was ruthless, slaughtering gods and demons alike; the next second, she turned into a bleeding-heart saint.

After he blew up in anger, that old friend privately handed him a draft he had adapted independently.

That version did have consistent characterizations… but what did it have to do with the original novel? The female lead’s highlight moments had all been reassigned to male characters, reducing her to nothing more than a tool to string the plot together.

That script even made him wonder if a hex had been put on his old friend to produce such a pile of garbage. His friend used to be capable of writing nuanced, delicate female characters, so how did it end up like this here?

As a result, he tactfully rejected his old friend’s script and politely asked him to leave the production.

Afterward, he used his industry connections to find a few screenwriters to fill in temporarily. Because of the urgency, he couldn’t find any big-name writers on short notice, but these lesser-known writers had the advantage of being obedient and having solid fundamentals.

He then invited the original author to oversee the writing team, and the script adaptation finally proceeded smoothly.

What comforted Director Wang was that among these screenwriters, there were indeed a few excellent ones. Some possessed rigorous logic, able to pinpoint and cleverly patch up plot holes one by one, while others had a unique, elegant vocabulary and a great flair for dialogue. It was a gathering of talent, which somewhat soothed the hurt Director Wang felt from his old friend’s betrayal.

After that, Director Wang devoted his entire mind to the script. When his old friend brought up recommending a wardrobe consultant, out of trust for his old friend and a trace of inexplicable guilt, he agreed.

…And then came the incident where the wardrobe consultant got even the basic historical silhouettes wrong.

Director Wang rubbed the bridge of his nose.

The van was being driven by the assistant director, not an outsider, so he simply recounted the entire sequence of events to Qi Yanning.

“…As soon as you pointed it out, I went to investigate, but Xiao Qi, you probably can’t imagine how absurd and frustrating the truth was.”

Director Wang sighed. The radiant energy he had shown moments ago instantly gave way to a trace of exhaustion.

“That old friend of mine… I was blind to his true nature,” he frowned deeply. “During my investigation, I discovered that all his scripts over these many years had actually been polished by his wife. He has a bit of talent, but his mindset is feudal and pedantic; all those delicate, moving emotions were written by his wife.”

“His wife never asked for credit, so no one in the industry knew that more than half the success of this famous grand screenwriter belonged to his wife.”

“A while ago, Zhang Xiong—that’s my old friend—divorced his wife due to his own infidelity. As the party at fault, he was left with nothing, so he desperately needed money. That’s why he treated the job on my new drama as a lifesaver. He never expected I would fire him, plunging him straight into destitution.”

“He probably grew to hate me because of that, and hatched a scheme to siphon money from my production.”

“That so-called ‘wardrobe consultant’ was the father of the girl he was two-timing. He was indeed a member of the Heng Dynasty Research Association, but the kind of bottom-tier member who got in just by paying dues. And acting as the wardrobe consultant, the batch of clothes he purchased came from a garment factory he was familiar with. He didn’t even check them carefully.”

Even after so much time had passed, bringing this up again left Director Wang feeling rather low. He wasn’t sure what hit him harder: his old friend betraying him for money, or realizing his old friend’s talent was a complete sham.

“Fortunately, I held back a card and was able to hold him accountable. The investment funds have been recovered.” Director Wang looked at Qi Yanning, sparks of anger flashing in his eyes. “Xiao Qi, you wouldn’t believe it—they didn’t even spend a third of that money buying those clothes!”

Qi Yanning understood. It seemed that for screenwriter Zhang Xiong to avoid capsizing his career for so many years, his wife—ah, ex-wife—deserved immense credit.

And look, the moment they divorced, his true character was laid completely bare.

Director Wang forced himself to collect his emotions. “The recovered funds, plus the new investment Boss Ling added, are more than enough to purchase a batch of exceptionally high-quality costumes and props. This time, I will definitely be more meticulous.”

“Xiao Qi, I’m leaving this in your hands,” Director Wang said earnestly.

***

The TND villa wasn’t particularly far from the garment wholesale market. Just as Director Wang finished recounting recent events, they arrived at the market.

It was the same familiar street of ancient costumes, but with plenty of time today, Director Wang preferred to browse several shops.

They walked into a shop at the corner of the street. With one glance, Director Wang felt somewhat disappointed. The clothes here looked nice enough, but…

The patterns were either too complicated and cluttered, unsuited for the camera, or the fabrics were too flimsy and garish. If used in a film or television drama, they would give off a strong, cheap photo-studio vibe.

Refusing to give up, Director Wang browsed a few more shops, even having the staff try on the clothes to test how they looked on camera.

Sure enough, they weren’t up to par.

Going from high spirits to deep disappointment took only an hour.

“That’s enough. The shops at the entrance of each street here are the most comprehensive. If we can’t find anything here, the smaller shops further in will be even worse,” Director Wang said. His gaze swept over Qi Yanning, who hadn’t spoken since they started. “Xiao Qi, do you have any suggestions?”

Qi Yanning looked at Director Wang. Over the past hour, Director Wang had already broken a sweat.

“Director Wang, how about I take you to see a shop first?” Qi Yanning said with a smile.

Director Wang felt a bit confused, but nodded anyway.

The group followed Qi Yanning to a shop at the very end of the street. In truth, halfway there, Director Wang was already puzzled, but out of trust in Qi Yanning, he remained silent and followed along.

However, regardless of how doubtful they felt on the way, the moment they stepped inside the shop, they were struck with awe.

The clothes hanging on the walls this time were clearly not from the same batch as Qi Yanning’s last visit, but whether it was garments adhering strictly to historical silhouettes or innovative, convenient modified designs, they were all eye-catching.

Director Wang immediately spotted a garment on the wall in the style of the Heng Dynasty.

It was a tangerine-red winter coat embroidered with exquisite chrysanthemum patterns, paired with a black skirt, looking both regal and vibrant.

His gaze swept over the other garments and found that whether it was the color palettes or the craftsmanship, they were impeccable.

“Xiao Qi, how did you find this shop?” Director Wang asked, unable to tear his eyes away from the clothes.

“It’s a small shop opened by a university classmate.”

Director Wang frowned, seemingly weighing the situation. Having just experienced an absurd ordeal, he wanted to avoid this kind of “nepotism” at all costs.

“However, Director Wang, I didn’t bring you here to recommend this shop,” Qi Yanning said at an unhurried pace. “As you can see, this is a small store. It cannot supply the wardrobe for an entire production.”

Hearing this, Director Wang finally turned to look at Qi Yanning, a trace of bafflement between his brows. “So, you brought me to this shop just to let me look? To let me taste what I can’t have?”

Qi Yanning let out a light laugh. “Of course not. There is another place I want to recommend to you.”

“Have you ever heard of the Apparel Culture Research Association?”

Director Wang frowned deeply and shook his head hesitantly.

“It’s a grassroots association dedicated to researching classical attire. They make reproduction garments and also sell some to fund their research.”

“One of the master tailors in this shop is a member of the association.”

“Director Wang, are you interested?”

Wang Ning’an looked in the direction Qi Yanning was pointing. The colorful embroidered words “Apparel Culture Research Association” on a somewhat worn canvas bag caught his eye.

“Alright, let’s go take a look!” Director Wang replied briskly.

***

Deng Qingyun was the president of the Apparel Culture Research Association. He was currently sitting in the association’s conference room, his expression steeped in frustration.

He came from a well-off family with a strong cultural atmosphere, which fostered his love for classical culture from a young age. Growing up, he majored in history. During a field study, he saw ancestral garments collected by an old grandmother. Even after centuries, slightly worn by time, the exquisite beauty of those clothes was easily discernible.

He was mesmerized. Therefore, after taking over his family’s antique shop, he founded the Apparel Culture Research Association single-handedly and invited many fellow enthusiasts to join. After years of sifting the wheat from the chaff, the remaining members of the association were all people who genuinely loved classical attire.

Among them were designers, historians, embroiderers, dyehouse owners, and even inheritors of intangible cultural heritage weaving techniques.

The association’s daily routine involved researching the attire of various dynasties. From the craftsmanship of accessories to the selection of garment fabrics, they hoped to use their research to recreate those beautiful, magnificent clothes lost to the long river of history as closely as possible.

During their research, they often produced garments. The most exquisite pieces were kept in the association’s collection, while the rest were taken by members to sell in their shops, with the proceeds funding future research.

Previously, Deng Qingyun’s antique shop had been doing well, so he fronted most of the association’s research funds, including the rental fees for this venue.

But lately, his luck had been terrible. The antique business hadn’t been easy these past few years, and he had made several bad purchases, breaking his financial balance. Currently strapped for cash, he could no longer afford the association’s expenses.

Deng Qingyun sat in the conference room, completely unsure of how to break the news to the association members.

Because their association received no subsidies, everyone had gathered purely out of passion. If they knew Deng Qingyun could no longer shoulder the burden, they would likely choose to donate. But these members all had their own financial struggles…

Holding his phone, he hesitated repeatedly, sitting idly from noon until twilight.

Just as he finally made up his mind and began drafting his words, he received a call from an unknown number.

“Hello…” Deng Qingyun answered the phone in a low voice, listening absentmindedly to the person on the other end. But the next second, he sprang to his feet.

His chair made a loud clatter as it toppled to the floor from his sudden movement.

But he had no time to care.

“Director Wang? Wang Ning’an?” His face was etched with shock. A major director like that was actually contacting him?

“You want to visit the association…” He was a bit surprised, but happily agreed without hesitation, “Yes, yes, of course.”

“Our address? Oh, oh, it’s at… please wait a moment, I’ll draft a text and send it to you.” Deng Qingyun’s face was full of joy, and he was even a bit incoherent, “Is it convenient to come over now? Convenient, of course it’s convenient, I’ll wait for you at the association!”

Hanging up the phone, he still felt like he was in a dream.

He never expected that one day, he would receive a call from Director Wang Ning’an! And it was to visit their association!

You have to know, their association didn’t even get a few visitors in a month, let alone a big shot like Director Wang!

This…

This is an opportunity! Deng Qingyun thought reflexively.

If they grasped this opportunity, their association wouldn’t be forced to disband due to lack of funds!

Unable to sit still, Deng Qingyun didn’t know what to do, so he simply took out a mop and mopped the floor, then wiped the tables spotless.

He waited for Director Wang’s arrival with nervous anticipation.

Fortunately, Director Wang and his group didn’t make him wait too long. Half an hour later, two commercial vans pulled up steadily at the association’s entrance.

Deng Qingyun strode forward and grasped Director Wang’s hand, “Director Wang, receiving your call today was truly a flattering surprise!”

Director Wang patted his hand and introduced the people beside him. After introducing the assistant director and staff one by one, Director Wang placed special emphasis on introducing Qi Yanning.

“This is Qi Yanning, the head of makeup and wardrobe for our new production,” Director Wang introduced him with great importance. “He’s also the one who recommended your esteemed association to us, so we came to take a look.”

Deng Qingyun looked at Qi Yanning, his first impression being that he was exceedingly young.

This young man had handsome features, looking striking yet unapproachable. Coupled with his tall, slender frame and calm, powerful aura, he gave off a serene and poised impression.

Deng Qingyun even perceived a very unique quality about him. Although he wore modern clothing, he looked as if he could seamlessly blend in with those antiques steeped in history.

Looks like he’s more suited to running an antique shop than I am.

Deng Qingyun thought in a daze.

But he quickly gathered himself.

“What aspects of the association would you like to know about?” Deng Qingyun asked with a bit of embarrassment. “The association’s venue isn’t very large, please excuse the modesty.”

The association’s venue was on Gudong Street. Gudong Street was a famous antique street in City A, surrounded by antique shops. The association was at the end of the street, in a two-story building filled with the marks of time.

Director Wang waved his hand, signaling it was fine. Deng Qingyun looked toward Qi Yanning, who had the most aristocratic aura, only to see him looking completely at ease as well.

He breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.

“I saw pictures of many garments on the association’s official website. I wonder if President Deng could take us to see them?” Qi Yanning cut straight to the chase.

Deng Qingyun nodded, “Of course.”

He led the group up to the second floor, where those clothes were kept.

As soon as they reached the second floor, Qi Yanning felt the difference. The temperature and humidity here were perfectly suited for preserving garments. Watching Deng Qingyun turn on the lights, the group immediately saw mannequins standing inside authentic glass display cabinets lining the walls.

On the mannequins, those exquisitely beautiful garments seemed to be glowing.

“Wow!” The crowd couldn’t help but gasp in admiration.

The staff members didn’t even dare to blink, afraid these exquisite clothes would vanish from their sight. They never expected that such a humble place could deliver a shock comparable to a museum.

These clothes were too exquisite. The fabrics were either silky smooth as water, or stiff and structured, yet under the lights, they all exuded a gentle, understated brilliance like jewels.

And the embroidery on them was even more magnificent. Take the sky-blue dress embroidered with lotus flowers in front of them, for example. Graceful lotus flowers bloomed from the collar all the way down to the hem, arranged with perfect spacing and density. The exquisite embroidery seemed ready to leap off the fabric, making one almost smell the fragrance of the lotus.

“This…” Director Wang was mesmerized, unable to tear his eyes away for a moment.

Qi Yanning merely cast a brief glance and nodded in satisfaction.

When everyone had recovered their senses, he turned to Deng Qingyun again, “If I remember correctly, isn’t there one piece that isn’t here?”

Deng Qingyun’s expression grew complicated. He looked at Director Wang, then at the composed Qi Yanning, and gritted his teeth, “That piece… is in another place. Shall I take you to see it?”

Qi Yanning nodded.

The group proceeded down to the basement.

This area was renovated entirely according to the standards of preserving precious antiques.

Deng Qingyun opened the door, and a beam of light shone on a dress right in the center of the basement.

Everyone’s eyes widened. They had been able to exclaim in awe at the exquisite dresses earlier, but now, they hardly dared to breathe.

There, under the light, stood a palace gown in black and red, embroidered with eighteen phoenixes in a ‘Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix’ motif, standing there in quiet majesty.

Those phoenixes were so vivid they looked ready to soar out at any moment!