Unexpectedly, this departure lasted for two years, during which time Jinshu was used to express all her longing.
Now that her throne is secure and the world is at peace, she can't find anyone to give her the grand wedding she once promised, turning this iron-fisted empress into a waiting-for-husband stone.
After enduring another winter and summer, Lingyan finally returned to Xijing in a relaxed manner. She was immediately forced to hold hands with Gu Zhong and announce their marriage in court.
Not only Lingyan, but all the officials in the court were stunned by her sudden and unexpected move.
If I'm not mistaken, even if the names are different, the woman His Majesty is holding hands with must be the former Prime Minister who sacrificed her life many years ago for His Majesty's greater cause.
Even after the chaos caused by powerful clans, he still earned the praise of many upright scholars and literati, and can be regarded as a model of loyalty and righteousness.
The first prime minister, who is also Lingyan's father, showed no intention of acknowledging her.
However, the ministers who survived that turmoil and Gu Zhong's loyal supporters realized how much they had been deceived.
However, the current problem is that His Majesty wants to make the Imperial Tutor Empress, and a woman Empress! This is unprecedented in history, disregarding human relations and defying the principles of Heaven.
However, no matter how much the imperial censor risked his life to remonstrate in the palace, Gu Zhong and Lingyan's hands clasped together even more tightly.
A grand wedding, rejected by the world, is being prepared intensively under the direction of the ruler of the world.
"Your Majesty, you are acting recklessly."
Lingyan rubbed her forehead, her head throbbing with pain.
“Sir, I have said that one day I will act recklessly. This is a marriage agreement that has been made, how can it not be valid? It is just that I cannot enter my Gu family ancestral temple under my real name, which is still a hardship for you, sir.”
Gu Zhong seemed unaware of the audacity of her actions and, still unsatisfied, wanted to go even further.
"...In the eyes of the people, I am a dead man. Your Majesty should not challenge the acceptance of the court officials. Marrying a woman is already a great transgression, and marrying a teacher is an act of moral decay and will not help the stability of the country. I am already very satisfied that Your Majesty has this intention."
Lingyan quickly stopped her from having any dangerous thoughts.
"Would you be willing to marry me so easily, sir?"
Gu Zhong blinked his innocent eyes and suddenly asked with a pure and innocent expression.
"willing…"
Ignoring Gu Zhong's little scheme of deliberately presenting two options, she figured that since he had acted first and informed her later, how could the imperial edict be withdrawn? Ling Yan readily agreed.
Upon hearing the answer he wanted to hear, Gu Zhong's eyebrows curved into a smile, his joy evident in his eyes.
"From now on, my husband and I will hold hands and admire this vast land and its prosperous and glorious era together!"
"We must be bound together forever, through the highest heavens and the deepest hell, for you alone."
"Then, Your Majesty, in the next life, will you remember me..."
"I will never forget!"
Springtime is in full bloom, willow branches are newly sprouting, phoenix crowns and rosy clouds adorn the scene, a ten-mile-long red bridal procession.
That year, the phoenix flowers in Xijing were in their most beautiful bloom.
Postscript: "The Gu family's ancestor, a woman, became emperor. She was knowledgeable about the people, the situation, the times, and how to use them. She pacified the barbarians, plotted to seize power from aristocratic families, widely promoted land distribution, and greatly developed the imperial examination system. The Gu family's golden age, with peace and prosperity, began with the ancestor. Only the matter of establishing an empress was controversial."
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Author's Note:
This world is over. Hooray! The key character actually appeared quite some time ago!
Tomorrow is a new world, the entertainment industry.
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#Starlight Shines
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Chapter 29 Agent and Movie Queen (Part 1)
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The autumn wind blew rustling by, and fallen, withered yellow leaves twirled and flew merrily ahead of the roadside.
The setting sun pierced through the clouds and filtered through the towering steel and concrete buildings of the city, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
In the most bustling commercial plaza in the city center, a huge electronic advertising screen stands, repeatedly playing trailers for newly released movies. The exquisite visual effects attract pedestrians to stop and watch.
The handsome man on the billboard in the office building smiled brightly, while on the advertising screen he was dressed in white and exuded an ethereal aura, causing lively young girls to scream wildly.
"Aaaaaaah!! Mountain God!"
"Ge Tan! My idol!"
"Peach Blossom is the best fantasy film I've seen in the past two years!"
"The Peach Blossom Fairy is so beautiful! What's the actress's name again? I declare! From today onwards, I'm a fan of her looks!"
"It seems to be... Gu Zhong?"
A woman wearing a beige trench coat and sunglasses that covered half her face walked past the chattering students while holding a parasol.
Upon hearing the name "Gu Zhong," she looked up at the screen in the distance. The girl on the screen had gentle features, and her every smile and frown was pure and innocent. In a fleeting glance, she seemed like a fairy who had descended to earth.
As she tilted her head back, the umbrella cast a shadow around her straight nose, and her deep red lips curved slightly into a captivating smile, tinged with a hint of pride.
Returning to the long-lost modern society, Lingyan felt a deep sense of familiarity. It was an ordinary, unremarkable world, where the cultural and entertainment industries flourished.
——————
Gu Zhong's story in this life is a tragedy that takes place in the entertainment industry, and it is also the story of countless nameless minor actors who are submerged in the hustle and bustle of life.
With her outstanding temperament and appearance, she was spotted by a top director and chosen as the female lead in his new film. Coincidentally, Gu Zhong has a deep passion for acting and is a true acting fanatic.
Coupled with a brilliant script and a deeply moving tragic love story between the two main characters, the film achieved instant fame with perfect timing, location, and circumstances—a truly excellent start.
But fate played a little trick on them. Ge Tan, the male lead who was also a newcomer, fell in love with Gu Zhong on set. The innocent and naive Gu Zhong couldn't resist Ge Tan's sweet words, and the two secretly started dating.
If that's all there is to it, he'll only lose a portion of his fans, and Gu Zhong won't suffer any additional losses.
What happened next was unexpected.
It's unclear when or where Gu Zhong offended someone so badly that they orchestrated a scheme to ruin her reputation and good name, all thanks to a few dubious hotel photos and a pot-bellied investor.
In an era where gossip is as plentiful as snowflakes, no one cares about truth or falsehood; all that matters is grabbing attention. From heaven to hell, it only takes a moment.
The company ignored her, and all she could get were bad movie offers. Gu Zhong didn't give up, and she gave her best performance in every bad movie.
On the surface, Ge Tan acted like a trusting and considerate boyfriend, but behind the scenes, he secretly got involved with a big star in the entertainment industry.
Just when Gu Zhong was once again being ridiculed by the public for his bad movies and messy editing, he suddenly made a high-profile announcement of his relationship with a top actress, and won a few minor awards, becoming a popular actor overnight. He was enjoying great success.
Then, as if it were all preordained, rumors of her being a mistress and throwing herself at someone spread like wildfire, and layer upon layer of accusations were hurled at her.
The company, which had been doing nothing, completely abandoned Gu Zhong, but greedily wanted to sell her for a good price before abandoning her, simply because a rich second-generation was willing to invest.
Who could have predicted that this rich second-generation would be a drug addict? Gu Zhong had just been forced to attend a party by his agent, and coincidentally, he ran into a crackdown.
Once an artist gets involved with drugs, their career is completely ruined, and they can only wait to be completely blacklisted.
Having been kept as a mistress, having an affair, and using drugs—you've crossed all the moral boundaries that the public finds unacceptable. Even if you're exceptionally talented and have superb acting skills, you can no longer survive in this world of fame and fortune.
Betrayal by a lover and the ruin of one's career are too much for even the strongest person to bear.
Suffering from depression, Gu Zhong jumped from the top of the city's tallest building on a snowy night, ending her dramatic and unfortunate life.
——————
This circle involves countless interests, both large and small, but ultimately, capital is the most fundamental force.
Therefore, from the moment Lingyan was born into this world, she chose to embark on the path of a business tycoon. Fortunately, her family was quite well-off in this life, and she showed extraordinary business acumen from a young age, winning her family's entrepreneurial support.
Starting with a technology company and backed by the government, he became a rising star in the business world in his early thirties and is also listed on the Fox list.
However, market rules cannot be defied by one person. Spreading too thin will lead to overexpansion, and taking too big a step will result in a fall. To enter the entertainment industry, one must proceed steadily and cautiously.
That's why she's here in the meeting room of Starlight Entertainment's building.
"Hello, I'm your agent, Ling Yan."
She smiled and reached out her hand to the girl in front of her.
—She's not qualified to be a boss yet, so she can only reluctantly be an agent for now. You have to understand that she paid a considerable price to persuade the planning department to snatch up this rising star, Gu Zhong, in order to get into Starlight Entertainment.
As one of the largest entertainment companies in China, Starlight Entertainment can be said to have monopolized half of the entertainment industry. Even if they are optimistic about Gu Zhong, a newcomer who became famous overnight, they may not necessarily offer her particularly generous conditions. However, as a giant at the top, even the worst resources will not be too bad.
It's much better than that shabby, opportunistic little company that Gu Zhonghui used to sign with. They won't easily give up on any artist. If the company truly protects and supports them, there will be far fewer dirty tricks.
"Hello, Sister Yan."
Gu Zhong blinked obediently, reached out his fair and delicate hand to hold Ling Yan's hand, and even gave Ling Yan a nickname on his own.
Are you satisfied with the contract?
Ling Yan asked somewhat nervously, "A B-type visa is the best condition I can currently negotiate for Gu Zhong."
"Actually, I don't care, as long as I have a good script."
Gu Zhong raised his index finger and tapped his chin, his eyes filled with pure love.
Is this why this fool almost got lured away by that lousy company?
Lingyan couldn't help but rub her forehead, feeling that if she wasn't careful, Gu Zhong could be tricked into being sold.
"Starlight Entertainment always has the best resources, so you don't need to worry about the script."
Lingyan spoke softly, her eyes filled with an indescribable tenderness.
Although Gu Zhong is already twenty years old this year, he still looks like a child with a touch of innocence. His soul, untouched by the pollution of the world, is always particularly endearing.
"Is it okay to date at work?"
Suddenly, Gu Zhong blurted out a sentence that caused Ling Yan's good mood after their reunion to plummet.