1978 Synthetic Writers

Chapter 46: Storytelling

Teacher Cai Ming has worked with great directors such as Qian Jiang, Chen Huaiai and Wang Haowei since she was young.

When she was in the fourth grade of elementary school, Beijing Film Studio was selecting a "Little Haixia" across the country to prepare for the filming of "Haixia", and Xie Tieli personally selected her.

As soon as I graduated from junior high school, I joined the Actors Troupe of Beijing Film Studio and became the youngest actor in the studio.

"Don't think about her. Have you studied the role?"

"I read Border Town every day and I almost memorized it."

"Then you act one out for me to watch first."

"What to play?"

Jiang Xian copied the script. There were no copiers or computers at that time, but the Beijing Film Studio had special script transcribers who used carbon paper to copy several copies of the script at the same time.

This is not an easy job. First of all, the transcriber's handwriting must be neat. Secondly, he must be able to recognize the handwriting of the screenwriter teacher Ma Zhangfei. Finally, the service must be provided 24 hours a day.

"Just play this part:

After seeing the new bride and the sedan chair at Song's shop, Cuicui's psychology underwent subtle changes.

She began to desire to be loved by someone similar to her, and then she thought of Er Lao."

This is an interior monologue.

To put it in simple terms, it means to perform a "Spring Fever" segment.

"Is it going to be performed here?"

"Let's act."

Jiang Xian took out a handful of melon seeds from his pocket and sat on a chair, watching with great interest.

Zhu Lin sat awkwardly on the edge of his bed, her face slightly flushed and her eyes evasive, like a shy little deer, restrained and uncomfortable.

"I don't think it's right." Jiang Xian stopped them. "Look, Cuicui saw girls of her age getting married and realized that she was also old enough to get married. She longed for the second brother but was too embarrassed to express it. So she must be shy and conflicted, wanting to touch him but pulling her hand back."

Jiang Xian knows nothing about acting.

He analyzed the film for Zhu Lin based on his intuition and the movie scenes in his memory.

"Shy and conflicted, wanting to touch but pulling back. Let me try again."

Zhu Lin sat on the edge of the bed again, fidgeting for a while.

Jiang Xian commented: "It's a little more interesting this time, but it lacks the blushing and heart-pounding feeling when thinking of her lover."

Zhu Lin burst out laughing. "What are you talking about? Besides, there's no way I can learn this in such a short time."

"Sharpen your spear before the battle, even if it's not sharp, it will shine."

"Come on." Zhu Lin pouted and spread her hands, "Give me some of the melon seeds."

Jiang Xian put his hands together like a funnel, and melon seeds spilled out.

Peanuts and melon seeds are in short supply nowadays. During the Spring Festival, each resident is provided with half a pound of peanuts and two ounces of melon seeds with a voucher. These are really something you can only "taste" once a year.

This also gave birth to a very legendary character, the silly Guazi - Nian Guangjiu.

Nian Guangjiu was called "fool" by others every day, so his melon seeds were simply called "Silly Guazi". Just this "fool" made millions by selling melon seeds in the 70s.

"I've come to terms with it." Zhu Lin was crunching melon seeds, her lips as bright as if she'd put on lipstick.

"What are you thinking about?"

"I probably won't be able to audition for the role of Cuicui, but it doesn't matter. It's fine if I can play a small supporting role. I can just take it as an experience gain."

"Well, everyone started out as an extra." Jiang Xian consoled him.

I pondered in my mind.

Not only that, there are quite a few.

Gong Li, Lao Mouzi, Jiang Wen, Zhang Ziyi, Wang Zuxian, Daniel Wu
The beginning is the peak.

Shaoxing Road in Shanghai is lined with green trees.

In front of the No. 74 Little White Building, there is a signboard of Storytelling Magazine. The three characters of Storytelling were newly written by calligrapher Zhou Huijun this year, and the image logo is a storyteller with his feet up, which has been used since the founding of the magazine.

"Mr. Bian, here are the new letters and submissions."

"Oh, thanks."

Bian Huawei sat down in his seat busily.

"Story Club" is a bimonthly magazine, published every two months. It is a thin volume, in 32-page format, but it still keeps the editorial department busy.

There are too few manuscripts.

The most important task of the editorial department every day is to ask around for people who “love to brag”, record their stories, and publish them.

Or collect manuscripts from the past.

There really is no story. If you are pressed for time, you can only make it up. Bian Huawei has just finished making one up: The story takes place on Sanxing Island in Western Europe. There is a villa. It is said that no one can spend a night safely in the villa. The owner posted a notice that anyone who dares to spend a night on the island will receive 12 US dollars. A sailor went to the island. At o'clock in the middle of the night, there was a "dong dong dong" sound of footsteps coming from the room.
"It's so hard for me."

Bian Huawei rubbed his temples tiredly.

These days he could always find a bunch of hair on the pillow.

Sigh and continue reviewing.

There are quite a few manuscripts submitted, but only a few are useful.

"Ten Punishments of the Qing Dynasty"

"Um?!"

Bian Huawei's eyes suddenly widened, "Teacher Chen Qi's work is finally here!"

He couldn't wait to look at the first row.

"During the Tongzhi period of the late Qing Dynasty, Yang Naiwu, a juren, was falsely accused of conspiring with Xiao Baicai to poison her husband Ge Xiaoda. After a series of lawsuits, Empress Dowager Cixi issued an order for a retrial, which resulted in the loss of more than a dozen officials, causing a sensation in the court and the public."

This story tells about one of the four major unjust cases in the late Qing Dynasty, the case of Yang Naiwu and Xiao Baicai.

This case has been remade many times. The famous director Wong Jing alone has remade it twice, one is "Ten Great Punishments of the Qing Dynasty" written by Jiang Xian, and the other is "Justice, My Foot" starring Stephen Chow, which is a timeless film.

It is said that on a dark and windy night, neighbors broke into the house of butcher Ge Xiaoda and found Ge's wife Xiao Baicai covered in blood and unconscious, and Ge Xiaoda who had already died.

Xiao Baicai was brought to trial by the Governor Liu Xitong and was accused of committing adultery with the juren Yang Naiwu and conspiring to harm her husband.

Yang Naiwu argued sternly and refused to plead guilty. Due to his status as a juren, Governor Liu could not torture him and had to put him in prison.

Under torture by Governor Liu, Xiao Baicai confessed the whole story of how she met Yang Naiwu.
Bian Huawei was watching with complete concentration, he raised the enamel teacup twice in a row without drinking a sip of water.

This Chen Qi is really good at telling stories!

The narrative is concise and goes straight to the climax of the story.

The writing is simple and clear, with repeated climaxes.

Yang Zhengshi secretly plotted to murder Xiao Baicai, and Yang Jie was tortured into confessing. She was willing to "roll on the nail board" to save her brother.
These plots made him sad and angry.

It was not until the governor of eight prefectures cleared the two of their names that Yang Zhengshi was brought to justice and severely punished.

His brows relaxed, he clapped his hands in joy, and his whole body felt extremely refreshed.

The story of Yang Naiwu and Xiao Baicai has been widely circulated in the Jiangnan area, but few people can tell this story vividly and fascinatingly.

Although Chen Qi added some details, he also incorporated the ten real criminal laws. He did not make them up out of thin air, but instead added a sense of curiosity and horror to the story.

The general public is not indifferent to "strange and thrilling" themes.

"Death on the Nile" has previously verified the social aesthetic trends.

Death on the Nile is the first detective novel introduced to my country. The author is Agatha Christie, who also wrote Murder on the Orient Express and And Then There Were None.
"People are thirsty for this kind of knowledge." Bian Huawei filled out the review comments and handed it to his superior.

He had a premonition.

This article will definitely become popular.

(End of this chapter)