WBSGVS Chapter 225 V1

Texture—real cinematic quality—isn’t something just anyone can achieve.

Many fast-paced, mass-produced dramas on the market give off a cheap vibe when that texture is missing.

But when a production does get it right, the result is so stunning, it makes you want to scream with excitement.

This one-and-a-half-minute teaser was edited by Qingli over three days.

Huo Tianzhuo had filmed nearly a month’s worth of footage beforehand. Aside from scenes involving the leads, which couldn’t be used, the rest was fair game. Qingli only took one day off; since then, she’d been shooting nonstop. Most of the major story beats were already in the can.

In the original novel, there are three major climaxes—each more intense than the last.

But to avoid burning through all the surprises too early, Qingli only edited footage from the first one—and not even the climax itself, just the lead-up: a brewing storm behind the tranquil walls of the inner palace, where verbal daggers fly between women, hinting at the torrential downpour to come.

Because it was a teaser, no character appeared for too long. The goal was to show just enough without spoiling anything. Once the story beats were cut together, the rest of the time was spent in post-production, perfecting the tone, the ambiance.

Despite having been out of the industry for years, Qingli wasn’t rusty at all. Because this body was the original creator of the script, her understanding of it was so deep, everything felt effortless.

Once everything was finalized, she just needed to wait for the right moment to release it.

Intrigue, scheming, love, loyalty, the bond between masters and servants…

All of these are themes the show explores.

The first teaser focused more on romantic tension, but Phoenix Slaughter (Feng Sha) is ultimately a career-driven drama. Attracting only shippers would’ve been counterproductive, so this time, the teaser was a bold shift in tone.

It didn’t go too deep, but it left viewers feeling completely satisfied.

So, under the show’s official account, the comments were flooded with netizens saying:

“Aaaaaah! Help! Knowing this show is still filming is torture!”

“I can’t wait anymore! Hurry up and air it!”

“Liu Li, I misjudged you. You must have been the real director behind Mirror Heart and those other dramas back then, right? This camera work is INSANE…”

“For real, though. This doesn’t feel like a rookie director at all. The visual storytelling? Top notch!”

“Okay, I take it back. I trashed Phoenix Slaughter earlier because of Royal Power, but Liu Li as a screenwriter and director? Total legend.”

It started with fans cheering. Then Royal Power (Huang Quan) fans got tagged, watched it themselves, and fell into the same hype spiral. Eventually, the teaser climbed the trending chart and caught the attention of casual viewers.

The show’s official account blew up, gaining over a million followers, rivaling even some fourth-tier celebrities.

The teaser tweet itself racked up over 20,000 comments—and counting.

That alone was proof of its quality.

As the director of Royal Power, Huo Tianzhuo had been plotting a triumphant comeback. At the launch ceremony, the cast was star-studded. Beyond Zhao Muyun and Su Yan, even the supporting actors were household names. It cost a fortune, but it guaranteed enough buzz to take over multiple trending spots and draw massive attention to the show.

Unlike Phoenix Slaughter, which came preloaded with fan anticipation and popularity, Royal Power had no original IP backing. There was no built-in audience. The only way to succeed was to come out swinging.

That’s why, before the launch, Huo Tianzhuo had the marketing team fully prepped. The plan was to trend on social media using the lead actors’ styling reveals, and of course, to throw some subtle shade at Phoenix Slaughter. After all, the two dramas had been rivals from the very beginning. Dissing the competition was part of the strategy—it made Royal Power look superior.

After the ceremony, Huo Tianzhuo washed his hands and immediately asked his assistant, “Well? Are we trending? What spot?”

The assistant looked hesitant. “We are… Number two.”

“Only second?” Huo frowned. “What, did another celeb scandal break or something?”

After all, Su Yan was a traffic magnet, Zhao Muyun had just had a resurgence—despite recent drama—and the rest of the cast had solid followings. With that kind of lineup, there was no reason Royal Power shouldn’t have hit number one.

The assistant handed him the phone. Huo Tianzhuo opened it and saw the top trending topic:
[#AbsolutelyStunningTeaser]

“Tch!” Huo Tianzhuo sneered. “Trending from a teaser? That’s such an obvious paid boost.”

He tapped the link and was stunned to see it came from the Phoenix Slaughter official account.

“What the—??” Huo Tianzhuo’s expression darkened.

They’d barely been filming—how the hell did they already have a teaser ready? And weren’t they worried about revealing too much, ruining audience anticipation?

The video autoplayed. Instantly, a stunning color palette filled the screen. Characters appeared one by one—calm, deliberate, but each line packed with weight. Even without context, you could sense layers of hidden agendas in every scene. Combined with the film-like cinematography, it didn’t feel like a TV show at all.

It felt like a damn movie trailer.

Shit.

Huo Tianzhuo’s expression grew increasingly grim.

Just a while ago, he had smugly assumed Su Qingli had lost the plot, turning what should’ve been a political thriller into a romance.

That’s why he’d bet big on the emotional angle, revising the script with his writers to ensure audiences would be drowning in sweet, addictive couple moments.

And now Phoenix Slaughter drops this?

A pivot straight back to court intrigue?!

And how the hell did they even get voice-overs recorded in such a short time?

And that editing—those techniques—who the hell is helping the Phoenix Slaughter production team?!

Huo Tianzhuo was completely thrown off. Clutching his phone, he watched the one-and-a-half-minute teaser again and again, trying to grasp that familiar feeling, hoping it would give away who was working behind the scenes.

Every director has their style. Insiders in the industry can often recognize someone’s work just by looking at the finished product.