Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 316, Section 315: Son of the Dragon God
The saying goes, "Literature is like viewing mountains; one does not appreciate flatness." This "literature" encompasses everything related to literature and art.

Hot popcorn blockbusters all open with intense conflict, whether it's a car chase, a fight, or a breathtaking special effect.

now……

The dragon head in the clouds peeked out from the distance, and even though Madam Chu often saw it, she would be stunned for a moment every time she looked at the dragon head.

Seeing that the Queen was also looking up with interest, but unlike the others around her who were filled with fear and panic, she hesitated for a moment, then asked in a low voice:
"The Queen is a celestial messenger and goddess. Could she have ridden dragons and phoenixes in the Kunlun Ruins in the past?"

Qin Shi: "Huh???"

She originally intended to assert that there are no dragons in the world, but who knows if the end of science is not metaphysics?
Having experienced time travel and life-and-death reversals himself, he only gave a vague reply.

The palace servants around her, who had been listening intently, exchanged glances and felt an even greater sense of awe towards the Queen.

Then look at the dragon head that has quietly disappeared—there's no way around it, special effects are too expensive.

Hundreds of behind-the-scenes workers manipulate every scale and every strand of hair with delicate threads. The longer they remain, the easier it is for them to be exposed. It's better to remain a fleeting presence.

In short, the Queen's composure suggests that she must see him every day.
No wonder the dragon is so lifelike and majestic. After all, it was made with one's own eyes and personal account, so how could it not be lifelike?

Unaware of the various speculations circulating behind her, Qin Shi simply commented with the eye of an avid moviegoer:
"The opening is excellent and very engaging."

Imagine a theater troupe performing in the countryside. Behind the layers of audience members, someone suddenly stops and sees a huge golden dragon head suddenly appear in the thick white fog...

If we don't stop and work hard, wouldn't we be unworthy of being called people of Qin?
As for the story that follows, it's rather cliché.

Words are constantly evolving, and so are stories.

The Qin and Han dynasties were embroiled in constant conflict and warfare.

The various stories that existed in the old books were destroyed, whether intentionally or unintentionally, by the Qin and Han emperors, leaving very little for future generations.

However, if we look at the various plays and novels of later generations and trace back to the past, we can see that the stories we have now are still in a relatively straightforward stage.

For Qin's Moon, to generate buzz and have a clear focus, it's essential to grasp the core element—[promoting Ji Heng's reputation].

How should we promote it?
It is well known that important people always create an extraordinary background and story for themselves.

Swallowing a black bird, slaying a white snake, conceiving after a dream...

Ji Heng, then, naturally needs to be the son of the Dragon God.

You've got your background, but what about your work?

The act of destroying the six kingdoms was, of course, inspired by the endless wars among them and the homelessness of the people. The son of the dragon used violence to suppress violence, showing compassion for the common people, and quickly ended this chaotic situation to unify the world.

After the six kings were defeated, the world was united.

The integration of carts and books leads to endless business; towns, cities, mountains, and rivers remain the same throughout history.

The roads of Kyushu are free of wolves and tigers; long journeys need not be undertaken on an auspicious day…

In short, the son of the Dragon God saw the war and strife in Kunlun and was thus reincarnated as the King of Qin.

Then he conquered the six kingdoms and unified the world.

Although the country was unified, the people's lives remained difficult. Just as efforts were being made to improve people's livelihoods, news suddenly broke that the remnants of the six former states were rebelling, attempting to restore their kingdoms.

Ouch!

If the King of Qin is not good, why don't we look at the other kings of the past?
In short, once someone starts talking, what can't they say?

The King of Chu had a fondness for slender waists, and ordered his palace servants and ministers to starve themselves until their waists were so thin they could break in the wind.

In earlier years, the King of Wei loved cranes so much that he even bestowed official titles upon them and provided them with carriages.

The former King Zhao of Han was particularly fond of worn-out trousers and even enjoyed collecting and treasuring them—as for whether the trousers belonged to him or someone else, that's hard to say.

There was also King Xuan of Qi, who could only draw a weak bow but thought himself extremely powerful...

With enough effort, which monarch can't find an article worthy of being written about?
In comparison, their King of Qin was merely a bit domineering and irritable, but at heart he was still benevolent...

right?

Qin Shi sighed, listening to the blunt comparison and praise, he held back his tears, and scratched his toes in his shoe.

Lady Chu silently lowered her head.

For some reason, even though I've heard it many times, listening to it again now still gives me the creeps.

Regardless, this brief conversation of half an hour was indeed enough to clearly illustrate the current King of Qin's abilities and personality.

Then came several extravagantly dressed immortals—with colorful glass ornaments piled on their heads, bodies, and even adorning their clothes and shoes. When the lights shone on them, they created a dazzling and radiant display.

To people today, it is already extremely beautiful.

To warn the son of the Dragon God, the immortals waved their hands, bringing stars to the mortal realm—a meteor shower that bore inscriptions as a warning…

This makes sense, right?
In short, though it may be considered vulgar, its exceptionally beautiful costumes and props should still make it quite popular in rural areas today.

There's only one thing: "The makeup and styling are not good."

Madam Chu had already been chosen many times, and upon hearing this, she immediately retorted:

"How could it not be good? I have already had a very famous palace maid carefully do my makeup!"

Even before the report was submitted to the Queen, the makeup for these actors (as the Queen called them) had already begun to be prepared!

Qin Shi shook his head: "Now that there's no big screen, if you sit too far away, you can't see the makeup and details of the people on stage."

She considered the development of makeup and costumes in traditional opera and stage plays:
"Try using something like fish glue to lift the contours of the face, including the eyes, and then apply eyeliner—"

How were false eyelashes made? I wonder if they can be replicated now?
It doesn't matter if it's not real, as long as it's far away and dense enough.

The reason why opera actors wear such heavy makeup is to ensure that the audience can see them clearly.

A slight lift at the corner of the eye and a touch of black eyeliner—that's all it takes to make someone look lively and energetic!

Qin Shi became interested and examined Chu Furen's face, which was covered with a thick layer of lead powder. Then, he said to the palace maid beside him with great interest:
"Bring me my makeup bag."

Lady Chu realized something and immediately raised her sleeve to cover her face: "Do I wish to wash here?"

How could those two dark blue patches under her eyes be visible to everyone?
Qin Shi realized something.

After all, Madam Chu usually likes to dress herself up beautifully, but her current makeup is particularly heavy and cannot be concealed up close.

She sighed inwardly, but smiled gently at the moment:

"Your beauty is like that of a fairy princess; how can I let so many people see you? But I do have some cosmetics I'd like you to try out this new look for..."

She doesn't know how to do traditional opera makeup, but she can draw and mimic it from the side.

If we invite a few palace maids skilled in makeup and dressing to listen and learn, we can gradually adjust.

Madam Chu, who is over thirty, is actually at the age when she is most mature and charming!
　The two lines of poetry are from Yelü Chucai and Du Fu.

　　Historically, the most sensational and clichéd gossip is often the most eye-catching. However, the current core idea is to promote Ji Heng, so those sensational stories are not needed for now…

　　(End of this chapter)