IDEI CH57

Miao Xi’s trusting gaze fell upon Qi Yanning, and he offered a gentle smile.

He said to her, “Miao-jie, shall we try on the costumes and begin the screen test now?”

Miao Xi nodded readily. The crew was fully assembled, and as the female lead, she was the first scheduled to shoot character test portraits.

While the full wardrobe had yet to arrive, the most crucial pieces—those designated for the initial promotional portraits—were fully completed, stored safely in the styling room awaiting use.

Qi Yanning instructed a nearby stylist, “Bring out female lead costume sets A01, B15, and C17.”

The stylist hadn’t expected Qi Yanning to address him directly; startled for a moment, he quickly hurried off to comply.

While the stylist retrieved the wardrobe, Qi Yanning and Miao Xi walked into the female lead’s private dressing room.

Miao Xi’s assistant, Xiao Chi, had already turned on the air conditioning and organized the vanity counters.

“Qi-ge!” Xiao Chi paused when she saw him enter, her eyes lighting up. “You’re the head stylist for the production?”

Qi Yanning gave a slight nod.

Xiao Chi beamed with delight. “Awesome! With you here, our Miao-jie is guaranteed to look gorgeous!”

Qi Yanning arched an eyebrow slightly, offering no reply.

Thoroughly familiar with the script, Miao Xi reined in her excitable assistant, chiding gently, “Xiao Chi, styling for a dramatic role isn’t like walking a red carpet.”

Costume and makeup existed to serve characterization and narrative; keeping an actor perpetually glamorous was impossible, and speaking like that sounded unprofessional.

Xiao Chi tapped her forehead in sheepish embarrassment, but remained elated, merrily bustling off to wash fruit for Miao Xi.

Only then did Qi Yanning turn to Miao Xi. “Teacher Miao, today’s camera tests involve three distinct looks. The stage managers should have briefed you in advance.”

Miao Xi nodded.

“We will begin with the first look: the female lead’s earliest appearance in the remote countryside. Next will be the favored consort look, followed by the empress look.”

He paused, a hint of amusement tugging at the corners of his lips. “Another three-look marathon. Miao-jie will have to endure another exhausting day.”

Miao Xi, who had been listening with rapt attention, burst into laughter. “Xiao Qi, you really know how to tease!”

She hadn’t expected this formidable stylist to make lighthearted banter, almost caught off guard.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the stylist returned with the garments. With Miao Xi’s permission, Qi Yanning invited the rest of the styling team into the room to observe the process.

Master stylists were rarely this generous about letting others watch their craft, but Qi Yanning possessed absolute confidence. The accumulated mastery of two lifetimes was not something that could be replicated merely by watching.

He permitted their observation so they could absorb his techniques, ensuring the visual identity across the entire production remained cohesive.

Only then would the final footage appear harmonious. Otherwise, placing an actor with stark flat brows and spider-leg lashes beside authentic classical styling would instantly shatter the immersion.

Once the stylists had assembled with notebooks in hand, practically trembling with quiet excitement, Qi Yanning set to work on Miao Xi.

Jin Ge Chang Feng Xing was a sweeping female-led historical epic, tracing the turbulent shifts of an entire era through the life of its protagonist.

The heroine, Jin Ge, was a maiden born into destitution who entered the palace through a twist of fate, eventually branded as a “calamitous consort.” Yet when the emperor died suddenly, it was this very woman who single-handedly steadied the crumbling imperial court, reigning as the de facto sovereign who revived the Heng Dynasty.

And after nurturing the young heir into a capable ruler, this legendary figure displayed zero lust for power, returning governance to the new emperor before departing the imperial palace to pursue a secluded spiritual path, eventually dying peacefully of old age in the small mountain village of her birth.

Such a legendary life had been adapted into countless historical dramas before, yet previous iterations inevitably degenerated into petty romantic melodrama.

The author of the original novel, however, had approached the story from a completely different angle. The source material was vast and majestic; whether depicting harem intrigue or brutal political warfare in the imperial court, every move was perilous, authentic, and breathtakingly sharp.

With source material this exceptional, it was no wonder a veteran director like Wang Ning’an had been utterly captivated, acquiring the intellectual property without hesitation to begin production immediately.

Miao Xi had accepted the role precisely because of the script’s brilliance. In truth, given her current industry stature as a freshly crowned film queen, returning to television had invited mockery from industry snobs who accused her of lowering her standards.

What Qi Yanning needed to craft right now was Jin Ge’s look during her youth in the mountain village.

At this stage, Jin Ge’s parents were dead, leaving her to survive under the roof of an aunt and uncle. Forced to perform endless manual labor every day, she was a taciturn, dust-streaked young girl.

Qi Yanning began by adjusting Miao Xi’s complexion. Through recent disciplined skincare, her skin had grown fair and radiant; for this first camera test, he needed to subdue that glow, dulling the finish into an authentic sallow texture.

Next, he tidied her natural brows, using precise contouring and subtle highlights to simultaneously convey both youthful immaturity and deep physical exhaustion.

A young stylist watching from the side stared at Qi Yanning in sheer disbelief.

What kind of miraculous hand was this? Youthfulness was traditionally derived from plump, luminous cheeks, wide bright eyes, and rosy lips, whereas an overworked peasant girl demanded gaunt fatigue and dull, sallow skin—elements that normally aged a face drastically.

To evoke youth and bone-deep weariness simultaneously while keeping the makeup so clean it appeared born of nature was nothing short of wizardry!

The stylists hadn’t anticipated Qi Yanning demonstrating such jaw-dropping technical execution right out of the gate, their eyes fixed unblinkingly on Miao Xi. Before long, the transformation was complete.

Standing before them was no longer the thirty-year-old film queen Miao Xi, but the fifteen-year-old Jin Ge, toiling like a beast of burden in her relatives’ household!

The young girl appeared drab and weathered, dressed in a faded, stiffened coarse-cloth tunic paired with patched trousers, her hair braided with a dull brown cloth strip slung behind her shoulder. She looked like an ordinary ancient peasant girl, yet meeting her gaze revealed a quiet, smoldering fire burning in the depths of her eyes.

It was as if Jin Ge had stepped directly out of the script and into reality.

“Whoa!” a young stylist gasped in awe. “Qi-ge, you’re beyond incredible!”

Qi Yanning continued inspecting Miao Xi’s face. After a moment, he reached forward with concealer, carefully sealing over the pierced holes in her earlobes.

Now the look was complete.

Miao Xi had already sunk fully into character. Her voice dropped, turning soft and meek, lacking physical stamina: “Xiao Qi, should I head over for photos now?”

Qi Yanning nodded.

Watching Miao Xi depart, he tapped the tabletop and addressed the whispering stylists: “Alright, wrap it up. Let us go check on our male supporting lead.”

The stylists fell silent at once, trailing closely behind Qi Yanning as he strode toward the dressing room of the actor portraying Emperor Mingguang.

They could dissect Qi Yanning’s base application techniques later; right now, following him to absorb new knowledge was far more critical!

On the soundstage, Wang Ning’an and the director of photography were ready.

The two sat before the monitors in quiet discussion, while other crew members chatted in hushed murmurs.

Everyone knew that Wang Ning’an’s new production broke every mold of his past work. Not only had he discarded his longtime screenwriting collaborators in favor of fresh writers, but he had also cast a slew of unknown newcomers. The sole heavyweight lead was Miao Xi, with only a handful of minor roles handed to idol actors.

Even more radical, Wang Ning’an had appointed Qi Yanning—who possessed zero film set experience—to helm the entire hair, makeup, and wardrobe department.

No one knew what kind of spell Qi Yanning had cast over Wang Ning’an, convincing the veteran director to spend astronomical sums on bespoke historical garments and props while granting Qi Yanning complete autonomy over visual design.

Could Qi Yanning actually deliver? Many harbored deep skepticism. With a cast devoid of mainstream traffic and dominated by fresh faces, the crew was far from optimistic.

“Do you think Qi Yanning can pull off television drama styling?” a production coordinator asked softly.

The gaffer shook his head. “Hard to say. The test clips Director Wang posted looked solid, but who knows what his actual standard is under real production pressure.”

“We’ll find out shortly,” the coordinator chuckled. “If his craft falls short, he’d better prepare to be blasted by Director Wang!”

The two exchanged knowing grins. Having worked on multiple productions with Wang Ning’an, they knew the director had a notorious temper. Anyone who failed his standards was subjected to a blistering tirade; traffic starlets in the past had chosen to break their contracts and pay penalties rather than endure his wrath.

If this trendy stylist who had taken the internet by storm relied merely on silver-tongued charm to dupe Director Wang, he was in for a brutal awakening!

They glanced casually toward the studio entrance—

“Hey! How did you get in here!” the coordinator barked!

How had an unauthorized person wandered onto the soundstage? And dressed in such filthy rags?

Frowning, the coordinator stepped forward to chase the intruder out, only to freeze dead in his tracks.

This… this was their female lead, Teacher Miao!

He stood dumbfounded as Miao Xi glided past him toward Director Wang.

Wait, their female lead was doing camera tests dressed like this? Completely devoid of glamour, drab, dusty, and thoroughly plain.

What do we do? Our production feels doomed.

The coordinator’s heart sank with dread.

Over by the monitors, however, Wang Ning’an’s eyes lit up the moment he saw Miao Xi approach.

This styling was too perfect!

“Miao Xi! Exactly like this! This is precisely how Jin Ge looked before entering the imperial palace!” Director Wang slapped his thigh in sheer excitement.

The corners of Miao Xi’s lips curved into a timid, shy smile.

“Ah, fully in character already,” Director Wang realized with satisfaction. “As expected of a film queen, brilliant!”

Praising Miao Xi, he wasted no time turning to the photographer: “A-Liang, quick, quick, quick! While the female lead is in peak form, start shooting!!”

The entire soundstage snapped into motion.

And that was merely the start of the day. It wasn’t until eleven o’clock that night that Director Wang called wrap, releasing a massive breath of relief.

Clasping the hand of his assistant director, Li He, Wang Ning’an said with fervent urgency, “Li He, keep a sharp eye on Xiao Qi, under no circumstances let him slip away!”

“You must keep him locked down!”

“If Xiao Qi runs off, our production is finished!!”

Assistant Director Li He wore a look of utter helplessness. Did that sound like proper professional conduct!

Yet recalling the visual concepts he had witnessed today, his heart swelled with awe. How long had it been since he had seen styling of such staggering brilliance?

Every look matched the narrative and character arcs to perfection, exquisite and saturated with authentic classical elegance.

Setting aside Miao Xi’s remarkable opening look, her subsequent favored consort concept was radiant, bold, and magnetic, while her empress look was stately, dignified, and charged with imposing authority.

If Miao Xi’s performance could be attributed partly to her consummate acting chops, the styling of the other cast members proved that Qi Yanning’s craft could actively pull an actor into their role!

The actor portraying the fourth male lead—the young Zhuangyuan, or imperial top scholar—was an obscure idol with modest acting experience, attempting a period drama for the very first time. Yet the moment he donned the crimson scholar robes today and held the official court tablet while gazing into the lens, everyone on set felt as though they were gazing upon a brilliant, spirited historical genius! There was not a shred of modern dissonance; he looked as though he had stepped straight through time. Even more baffling, under the notoriously unforgiving classical hairline styling, he looked infinitely more handsome than in his modern wear.

Is this even reasonable?

That had been the immediate thought running through everyone’s mind upon seeing the transformation.

Yet that shock quickly turned into unadulterated joy.

It wasn’t reasonable, but it was immensely satisfying! This was their production’s head stylist!

At this level of mastery, debating reasonableness was redundant. Even if Qi Yanning performed literal magic right in front of them, they would happily play dumb and block the cameras for him.

The assistant director chuckled to himself. Today, during the group ensemble shoot, had it not been for the cold modern camera rigs surrounding them, he would have genuinely believed he had traveled back in time!

To possess such capability… this Qi Yanning truly possessed extraordinary genius.

Director Wang was still buzzing with adrenaline. “Tell the post-production team to hustle and put in overtime. In three days, I want these character test portraits posted on Xingbo!”

“This will be our most powerful opening promotional campaign!”

Three days later, on the Hongdou Forum.

Inside the dedicated novel community for Jin Ge, the source material for Jin Ge Chang Feng Xing.

Countless readers were debating the upcoming adaptation with deep apprehension. Book fans were notoriously resistant to screen adaptations, having witnessed far too many beloved stories butchered beyond recognition.

[Has the casting been officially revealed?]

[Not yet, but industry leaks say a certain triple-crown Best Actress is locked in.]

[Why don’t you just post MX’s national ID number directly hhhhh]

[? No way, MX is great, but she is NOT the Jin Ge in my heart!!]

[Seriously, MX’s visuals alone aren’t enough, undeniably the ugliest Jin Ge in history.]

[Here’s something even crazier: Emperor Mingguang is reportedly Hang Gaojie.]

[With that stature, I’m at least not worried about it being rewritten into a male-centric power fantasy, but Hang Gaojie is definitely not the Mingguang Emperor of my heart either ahhhhh]

[This casting has shattered my mental defenses.]

[There’s something worse: Qi Yanning is the head of hair and makeup!]

[? Ah????]

[Wasn’t this announced ages ago? Did the person above live under a rock? Honestly, Qi Yanning’s skills shouldn’t be a concern… right?]

[He has never styled a period television drama before!!! I’m done, this production team, Wang Ning’an has gone completely senile!!!]

[Don’t drag Qi Yanning into this, his skill is rock solid. Skeptics can check Director Wang’s older Weibo posts showcasing Qi Yanning doing test makeup on his assistant for a favored consort look. It completely shattered stereotypes while fitting the role to perfection.]

[…Just came back from watching it. Qi Yanning is a god (lights cigarette.jpg). How does his mind even work! That gentle, articulate, bookish charm, paired with effortless, magnetic allure in motion… completely devoid of the tired cliché where favored consorts must be screeching, arrogant vixens, yet looking at her, you immediately know she is deeply beloved by the emperor.]

[The clothing was a bit lacking though, what a shame.]

[Uh… insider leak: no need to feel disappointed about wardrobe. Director Wang greenlit a batch of custom handmade garments, the obscenely expensive kind. Rumor has it Qi Yanning brokered the connection.]

[Qi Yanning has access to resources like that?]

[Not just that… this batch of garments is ridiculously exquisite and legendary. Word is Qi Yanning personally helped design the embroidery motifs.]

[Wait, why is Qi Yanning everywhere? Is he omnipotent?]

[Help, I’m actually starting to anticipate this!!! So when are the character portraits dropping!]

…

[The character test portraits are out! Transferring them over immediately!]

[Images * 9]

[Holy shit.]

[…Finished looking. I only have three things to say: First, Qi Yanning is a god! Second, Director Wang is a god! Third, WHEN IS THE PREMIERE?!]

Over on Xingbo, Director Wang had spent lavishly to secure a top trending spot, keeping the headline blunt and direct: #JinGeChangFengXingCharacterPortraits#

Countless netizens tapped into the feed, their eyes widening in shock.

This set of character portraits was breathtakingly exquisite!

They scrolled through frame by frame, lingering on the final image: Miao Xi clad in a black-and-crimson imperial court robe, looking back over her shoulder with an icy, imperious gaze.

Comments surged beneath the official post:

[Holy shit! Magnificent!]

[Look at this texture! Certain ‘mega-budget productions’ need to take notes on what true cinematic texture looks like!]

[Ahhhhh Miao-jie! I live for this ‘looking at trash’ gaze!!!]

…

Tens of thousands of comments converged into a singular demand:

“When does this air! Hurry up and release it! Do you hear me!”

Before cameras had even begun rolling, Jin Ge Chang Feng Xing, fueled by a single suite of peerless character portraits, was already met with monumental public anticipation.