Yang Jie

*Tai Chi* wrapped production in August. Chen Qi was run off his feet—writing *Justice Bao*, writing *An Amorous Woman of Tang Dynasty*, and overseeing post-production on *Tai Chi*. He was so swamped that he hadn't even held Sister Xue's delicate hand in a long time. There was good news during this stretch as well. Fu Chi had written back to him personally, reporting that Great Wall was already filming *Wrong Turn*. It would take only a month to wrap and could be released before the year's end. Fu Chi also thanked him for supporting the left-wing faction. After conferring with Wang Yang, Chen Qi wrote another letter wishing them success, holding off for now on mentioning *Tai Chi*. If *Wrong Turn* performed well at the box office, bringing it up then would have a far greater impact. The Yuen Clan Stunt Team was also filming *The Miracle Fighters*. That film was tricky to make and was expected to take four months, slated for release early next year. When it came out, it would credit him under that shabby pen name: Dongfang Ren. Separated by thousands of li, events in Hong Kong were nevertheless increasingly entwined with him. He had a grand blueprint in his mind and a vast horizon in his sights. Those around him were constantly energized by his zeal; they talked of "the big picture" and "vision" at every turn, puffing up everyone's ambitions and making them feel distinct from their domestic peers. ...... The year 1980 saw many momentous events as well. The central authorities decided to establish Special Economic Zones in Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou, and Xiamen, signaling a deeper push toward opening up. These cities officially entered the fast lane, surging ahead by leaps and bounds throughout the 1980s—a world apart from the inland cities. Naturally, common folk paid little mind to that. What captured their attention was that right after *Xinwen Lianbo*, the station began airing *Weather Forecast*. Autumn was the finest season in the capital. The trees flanking the streets were tinged with faint yellow, the flowers had not yet withered, and the air was pleasant, if a bit dry. Wang Chongqiu pedaled his bicycle down the road toward Beijing Film Studio. Yang Jie sat on the back rack, hugging his waist tightly. Yang Jie had married the twenty-six-year-old Wang Chongqiu when she was forty. She already had three children at the time, and had given birth to another after their marriage. The two had an age gap of fourteen years. In the blink of an eye, Yang Jie was already fifty-one this year. Though her hair was still quite dark, wrinkles were impossible to hide, and her face was unmistakably that of an old lady. Holding onto Wang Chongqiu in the prime of his manhood, passersby would never have guessed they were husband and wife. "That script is wonderfully written. I fought tooth and nail to secure it, or someone else would have snatched it away!" "With a temper as fierce as yours, who'd dare fight you for it?" "Plenty of people! Not to brag, but having directed opera films for so many years, I know classical aesthetics inside and out. *The Case of the Beheading of Chen Shimei* originated from opera anyway; I'm sure I can do it justice." Yang Jie was slight and petite, yet her voice was full of vigor, forceful and commanding. When Wang Fulin took the script for *Justice Bao* back to the station, it sparked fierce debate. Meetings dragged on for days over whether to shoot it or not. In the end, Deputy Station Director Dai Linfeng made the final call: Shoot it! It was Bao Qing Tian, after all! An incorruptible official, a loyal minister, punishing the wicked and rooting out evil—what was there that couldn't be filmed? Once that was decided, people practically fought over the director's chair. Ultimately, it went to Yang Jie. Her seniority was simply too formidable. Her father had been a Central Committee member of the China Democratic League who died a martyr in 1949. Her mother hailed from a scholarly family, and her maternal aunt was Wei Gongzhi, a female soldier of the Red Army's Long March and one of the wives of Marshal Ye. She herself had previously been an announcer for Qingdao Radio Station. On June 2, 1949, when the People's Liberation Army captured Qingdao, it was her voice that broadcasted to the entire city: "Qingdao has been liberated!" Later, she was transferred to the capital to direct opera films, specifically recording Xiang opera for the Chairman. Last year, she directed a single-episode television drama, *Taoist Priest of Mount Lao*, transitioning into the ranks of TV directors. And then, as everyone knew—it was *Journey to the West*! In truth, she directed many other works after *Journey to the West*, but none achieved comparable influence. Yet that single masterpiece alone was enough to etch her name permanently into history... In comparison, Wang Chongqiu was far more ordinary, just a cinematographer. When the couple arrived at Beijing Film Studio, right downstairs by the guesthouse, they happened to spot Gong Xue heading upstairs after dinner. Yang Jie had a bold, forthright personality and walked straight up to greet her. "Hello there! I'm a director from China Central Television. You must be Comrade Gong Xue?" "Hello, hello!" Gong Xue blinked. "Did you come because of *Justice Bao*?" "Oh? You know about it?" "Screenwriter Chen Qi and I are friends. He's upstairs in that building over there, Room 302." After exchanging a few words, Gong Xue went upstairs. Yang Jie nudged Wang Chongqiu. "Hey, doesn't she look just like Qin Xianglian? Delicate and beautiful, evoking such pity and tenderness—she fits Qin Xianglian's image perfectly!" "She does look the part, but she's a big star now after *Romance on Mount Lu*. Would she really come act in our shabby little drama?" "What do you mean, 'shabby little drama'? How do you know unless we try? Come on, let's find the screenwriter first!" Yang Jie was a sucker for good looks; whenever she saw pretty women or handsome men, she immediately wanted to cast them. With Wang Chongqiu trailing behind her like a shadow, the two went up the adjacent building and located Room 302. Chen Qi was in the middle of brainstorming *An Amorous Woman of Tang Dynasty* when he heard a knock on the door. Opening it, he felt a surge of amusement. Ever since *Romance on Mount Lu* hit theaters, he had met one famous figure after another—a clear sign that his own status had risen. "Hello, comrade. Are you Screenwriter Chen Qi?" "And you are?" "I'm the director assigned by the station for *Justice Bao*, Yang Jie... Good grief. Old Wang said you were young, but I kept wondering just how young that could mean. This is unbelievable." "Oh! Please come in, please come in!" Chen Qi ushered the pair inside and brewed tea. Yang Jie knew nothing about Ming-dynasty huanghuali folding chairs; seeing a chair, she simply plopped right down on it. The corner of Chen Qi's mouth twitched. *Never mind,* he thought, *let the old lady sit. Consider it my admission ticket for Journey to the West.* Her purpose in coming was, of course, to exchange thoughts on *Justice Bao*. Yang Jie was fiercer and bolder than many male directors. Just look at the artistic and entertainment value of *Journey to the West*—especially the entertainment value, which was far ahead of its time. Scenes like the White-Haired Rat Demon seducing the monk were sensuous to the bone, exquisitely crafted... Thus, as the two communicated, she thoroughly agreed with Chen Qi's view: the core of *Justice Bao* had to remain righteous and upright, the costumes, makeup, and props had to be meticulous, but the content and presentation could lean into entertainment. Chen Qi's thoughts ran deeper: if Yang Jie practiced on *Justice Bao* first before directing *Journey to the West*, it might make things smoother for her later on—such as handling the fight choreography. "I have two specific suggestions!" "Zhan Zhao has quite a substantial role. Entering government service as an itinerant martial hero in order to uphold justice under heaven, his character image must stand tall and firm, and the action sequences must be thrilling. It so happens I've just wrapped a martial arts film and have a whole martial arts crew on hand—you could consider using them." "As for the second point, it's about the cast. "I think it would be best to cast traditional opera performers on a large scale. They have solid foundations, body poise, and refined posture. Period dramas place great emphasis on that; everything needs to look beautiful!" "Xiao Chen, great minds think alike!" Yang Jie slapped her thigh, chuckling merrily. "I'm a bit of a perfectionist myself. I want heaps of beautiful women in my productions—pleasing to the eye and a joy to watch! We're of one mind on this: we absolutely must make heavy use of opera performers! "And not just Peking opera—it has to be local southern regional opera. Southern girls are so fresh and delicate." Chen Qi laughed as well. "We're on the exact same wavelength again. A crew is currently shooting *The Shaolin Temple* down south, and I've been meaning to visit the set. When the time comes to scout actors, why not bring me along? I can help you evaluate them." "Splendid! You're quite a responsible young man." Yang Jie had a very favorable impression of him: talented yet unpretentious, genial and articulate. If circumstances allowed, she would have loved to introduce her daughter to him. ...... "Achoo!" "Achoo!" Gong Xue rubbed her nose. *Huh? Why am I sneezing all of a sudden??*