I am a historical film director in the entertainment industry.

Zhou Tao smiled and looked earnestly at Cheng Sheng, saying, "Director Cheng, your historical films are truly amazing! Just now, I felt like I was living in the late Han Dynasty or the Three Kingdoms period!"

"Thank you for the compliment," Cheng Sheng said modestly.

"I have a question: 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' is so deeply ingrained in people's minds, why don't you adapt it into a film, but instead want to film the true history of the Three Kingdoms?"

"Hehe, it's because everyone knows the novel 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' so well that they almost treat it as history. I want everyone to understand the real Three Kingdoms period, not the Three Kingdoms period in the novel, so that everyone can know what the real history was like!"

"Director Cheng, what you said is wonderful. We should not forget the true history. Your film 'Three Kingdoms' is even more amazing than the novel 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms'."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Sheng humbly replied, "This is not my achievement. I simply adapted 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' based on true history. The plot was written by our ancestors 1,800 years ago. We just didn't pay attention to it. The fact that I can make it so well now is only thanks to our ancestors."

After hearing this, Zhou Tao admired Cheng Sheng even more, feeling that he was too modest. If he really benefited from the ancestors' legacy, then why couldn't other directors do it?
"Director Cheng, what you said is absolutely right. Our ancestors have indeed left us a great gift, but not every director can make a good movie by following the history books. The movie 'Three Kingdoms' is the best historical film I have ever seen, bar none."

From Zhou Tao's serious expression and sincere eyes, it was clear that her words came from the bottom of her heart.

"Teacher Zhou Tao, what about 'The Great Tang Dynasty 1'? Is it worse than 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms'?"

Cheng Sheng blinked and said teasingly.

Upon hearing this, Director Chen and others nearby burst into laughter, feeling as if Director Cheng was setting a trap for the beautiful host.

"Both are your works, Director Cheng. Which film, 'The Great Tang Dynasty 1' or 'Three Kingdoms', do you find most satisfying?"

As expected of someone who can be a host on CCTV, Zhou Tao's reaction speed was too fast; he directly refuted Cheng Sheng's words.

“I’m satisfied with both.” Cheng Sheng was not going to fall for it.

"Hehe, Director Cheng, if you came to work at CCTV, I'm afraid I'd have to give up my position as a host to you."

Zhou Tao made a joke, but also praised Cheng Sheng for his quick thinking. He continued, "Director Cheng, I'm very curious. Usually, when directors film the Three Kingdoms story, they focus on Liu Bei, Cao Cao, Sun Quan, Lü Bu, Guan Yu, Zhao Yun, Cao Pi, etc. No one has ever focused on Zhang Jiao. Why did you choose Zhang Jiao as the protagonist in your Three Kingdoms film?"

Upon hearing this question, Cheng Sheng began to think.

He originally wanted to film a Three Kingdoms story focusing on Cao Cao and others, but the script provided by the simulation panel focused on Zhang Jiao. How could he explain that?

He didn't even consider it!
After a moment of contemplation, Cheng Sheng said, "Everyone knows what the situation was like at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty. The power of the imperial relatives and eunuchs was monopolized, natural disasters occurred frequently, and the court was corrupt and incompetent, which led to popular uprisings. Zhang Jiao used the slogan 'The Blue Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise,' which objectively reflected the resistance of the common people against the corrupt rule. The Yellow Turban Rebellion was, to some extent, just."

"There was once an ordinary man who, with just a yellowed old book, not only influenced hundreds of thousands of believers but also almost overthrew the entire world. He is Zhang Jiao in my movie. His name is like a gust of wind, sweeping away the peaceful life of the Eastern Han Dynasty and leaving it in ruins."

But have you ever thought about what would have happened if Zhang Jiao hadn't started his rebellion so early, but instead waited and continued to develop the Way of Peace?
Will he become a "savior" who completely changes Chinese history, or will he ultimately sink into the mire and disappear from people's memories?

Some say that Zhang Jiao could have been China's version of the "Scourge of God," performing a major surgery on the corrupt Eastern Han Dynasty; others insist that he would only bring greater chaos and subject the people to another round of turmoil.

Who is right? And who has overlooked the true secrets behind history? The two sides engaged in a heated debate, as lively as a marketplace.

Some people portray him as a "great and virtuous teacher" revered by everyone, saying that he has superb medical skills, strong religious appeal, and a genuine desire to rid the people of harm; others laugh at him as nothing more than a "half-immortal" who deceives people for fame and profit.

The most intriguing question isn't even these: If Zhang Jiao had waited for the chaos to erupt before making his move, would he have been able to turn the tide? Or would it have made things even more difficult? Did Zhang Jiao himself consider that the storm he stirred up was not just about changing dynasties, but also a massive explosion of ideas and beliefs?
Zhang Jiao was not born a hero; he was born into an ordinary family in what is now Hebei.

Perhaps the elderly folks downstairs with extraordinary skills are just like him.

His biggest turning point came when he accidentally obtained an ancient book called "Taiping Yaoshu".

This book doesn't contain any earth-shattering sorcery; it mainly talks about how to farm, cure diseases, and even some Taoist health practices.

This was the foundation upon which Zhang Jiao started his career. He initially relied on his knowledge of herbs to "cure illnesses and save lives" by mixing talisman water with rice soup.

Does it work? Many people do feel that their symptoms have been relieved, which is similar to many online "miracle drugs" nowadays. If you believe it, it will work; if you don't, it will just be water.

But it was this very skill that gradually drew groups of poor people around Zhang Jiao, desperate for any cure.

Everyone should have read the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Although the novel is embellished, it still contains some truth. The late Eastern Han Dynasty was like ants on a hot pan.

The emperor and the eunuchs were constantly engaged in power struggles, the aristocracy ate meat while the common people ate grass roots. Zhang Jiao, wandering the streets and alleys, clearly understood that small-scale squabbles could not accomplish anything significant.

"Saving one person is not as good as saving the world." The biggest problem in the Eastern Han Dynasty was not which emperor was in power, but that there was too little land and too many people, and the poor were so numerous that they were more crowded than an anthill.

The rich hoarded the land, and the farmers couldn't even earn a penny after a day of planting. There were only two solutions: either reduce the population or have the courage to redistribute the land. But whether it was an emperor or a tycoon, who would actually think of performing such a "bone-cutting operation"?
Standing in that corner of society, Zhang Jiao thought to himself: The Eastern Han Dynasty is a large and powerful state, but its corruption is terrible. What should we do? We can only innovate our tactics and mobilize everyone to oppose injustice.

Some say he's incredibly audacious, but if he were timid, he wouldn't have amounted to anything. Interestingly, while everyone publicly condemns him for spreading heresy, they're secretly terrified. If it comes to any real reform, they'll all retreat to their hideouts and refuse to get involved, no matter what. (End of Chapter)