Chapter 1096: Chapter 1095: Yellow Crane Tower Costume Show
Black screen, a crane’s call.
The black screen slowly fades away, revealing clusters of white clouds, a clear blue sky, but the perspective is from the sky.
Then, a figure in black and white sweeps across, wings spread, red-crowned long legs, weaving through the clouds, free and easy, leisurely and at ease.
The camera follows the white crane, moving closer.
Only to hear the white crane let out a long cry, flapping its wings once, piercing through the white clouds, diving down.
In the next moment, the camera comes closer, the white clouds grow thinner, slowly dissipating, revealing the panoramic view of modern Jiang City below.
Skyscrapers, streams of cars, people coming and going, bustling and noisy.
The white crane disappears from the camera, which continues to sweep across the city’s landscape, with the Yangtze River Bridge, Jianghan Customs Building, Guishan TV Tower, Qintai Grand Theater, Jiangcheng University, and others passing by in sequence.
As the camera sweeps past these landmark buildings, time accelerates, sunlight changes, clouds scatter and pass, the sky gradually darkens, and city lights gradually brighten. When the day is completely dark and the lights fully illuminate, the camera arrives at the most famous building in Jiang City.
Yellow Crane Tower.
Yellow Crane Tower is surrounded by golden lights, focus on light and shadow, like a bright pearl in the night.
The camera circles around Yellow Crane Tower and arrives beneath the main tower, aimed at the main entrance, with visitors in the camera queuing to enter the tower for a tour.
Then, the camera slowly retreats, pulling back to the plaza below, where the back of a woman wearing a khaki tailored trench coat appears in the camera.
"Tao Ying finally makes her entrance!"
"Wow, what’s happening? I was wondering why this video is so long; the intro is incredibly extended?"
"I have to say, ever since Tao Ying started shooting modern building transformation shows, the video quality has visibly improved, seems more and more dedicated."
"And increasingly expensive..."
"Moreover, Tao Ying never does live streaming, or product promotions, or receives advertisements."
"Rich lady, hungry hungry!"
"Why only the back? I want to see her front view!"
When the camera comes to Tao Ying’s back, it finally stops, setting the main focus on Tao Ying’s back view.
Then Tao Ying steps forward, walking toward the entrance of Yellow Crane Tower, surrounded by bustling tourists.
Families, couples, young people, elderly, people from Hua Country and foreigners alike, holding phones and cameras, chatting with each other, high-spirited and joyful.
Tao Ying follows along, treading the path, ascending the steps, quickly reaching the main entrance, and despite the surrounding tourists, even the interior scenes of the tower are clearly visible in the camera.
"Hey hey hey? Why hasn’t there been a change yet?"
"Tao Ying isn’t dancing either, such a pity!"
"Don’t worry, don’t worry, Tao Ying’s video quality keeps improving, this video is the longest, wait... whoa?"
"High energy ahead!"
"High energy ahead!"
Just as Tao Ying steps through the entrance of Yellow Crane Tower, the screen flashes, special effects unfold, the imagery immediately transforms.
The previously modern and trendy music seamlessly transitions to the "Feathered Robe Dance", and the originally bright lights inside Yellow Crane Tower instantly change, becoming the flickering light of candle flames, yellow and red intertwined, yet not dim at all.
When the audience looks again, they see that Tao Ying, who was dressed in a trench coat moments ago, has already changed outfits. She steps lightly, her hair like cascading waterfalls, dressed in a skirt with simple gauze cloud patterns and golden thread, wearing a jade hairpin with hundred-flower tassels, holding a flower basket with peach blossoms, cherry blossoms, apricot flowers, and pear blossoms elegantly in it.
This time, however, what surprises the audience is not Tao Ying, but the surrounding environment.
Candle stands, red silk lamps, carved beams and painted columns, draperies softly hung.
Eight Immortals tables, lantern-hung chairs, bird and flower screens, ink wash murals.
Charming beauties, elegant scholars, cups and toasts exchanged, discussing style and elegance.
Melodies rise, xiao sounds moving, eyes like water, smiles growing deeper.
"Whoa!?"
"With my limited knowledge, a single ’whoa’ can conquer the world!"
"Isn’t this so real? The girl passing by just now was so beautiful; she looks like a combination of Liu the Celestial Immortal and Yang Mi!"
"This is definitely not special effects! Tao Ying must have hired dozens of extras!"
"Nonsense extras, look at those girls, and the scholars, landlords, officials, Knights, could ordinary extras deliver such performances?"
Though the camera follows Tao Ying, it also uses a lot of space to display the interior environment and characters.
There’s a woman seated within a beaded curtain, playing the zither softly, another standing beside a candelabra, playing the xiao with her head raised.
Attendants hurriedly move to serve dishes and wine, dancers gracefully meandering, long sleeves fluttering.
Scholars drinking and composing poetry, a landlord spending lavishly, officials waving their brushes, Knights laughing and drinking heartily.
A full depiction of a luxurious restaurant’s interior in a flourishing era.
"I’m impressed..."
"If current TV dramas put in half the effort of this short video, the domestic historical fantasy idol dramas would be saved."
"Where did Tao Ying find so many actors?"
"They’re definitely not extras; have you ever seen extras that are so handsome, pretty, and immersed? Each of them must be at least of minor star caliber."
"Why hasn’t Tao Ying shown her face yet? I want to see her face in this video!"
In the frame, Tao Ying still doesn’t turn around, but continues to hold the flower basket, gracefully meandering, walking forward.
Then, the people she meets along the way, upon seeing Tao Ying, step forward a few steps, bowing respectfully.
A scholar bows, receives a plum blossom, rejoices enthusiastically.
A dancer bows, receives a pear blossom, cutely bends.
An official bows, receives a peach blossom, stands with hands cupped in salute.
A musician bows, receives a cherry blossom, retreats after bowing.
A Knight bows, receives an apricot blossom, drinks heartily in thanks.
"The atmosphere immediately heightened!"
"Who is Tao Ying playing? The owner of this restaurant?"
"Maybe the head of the restaurant?"
"Surely not the head; the head attracts appreciation, affection, or covetous glances, but you see the actors’ gaze toward Tao Ying is one of respect."
"Professional! That’s why I still want to ask, where did these extras come from?"
"Those girls are too pretty, aren’t they? I’d love to be an extra!"
The camera follows Tao Ying, walking through the hall, arriving at a side staircase and continuing upwards.
Second floor... third floor... fourth floor... fifth floor...
Tao Ying’s pace doesn’t stop, and inside the tower, it’s all about drinking and enjoyment. The camera, though often flashing past, focuses on the details, as each floor’s decor, people, and even music are different.
Details maxed out, like a real ancient restaurant.
Tao Ying strolls to the fifth floor, walks through a corridor, turns past a screen, and walks out from a porch, arriving at a rooftop terrace.
The camera sees, beyond the rooftop’s view, countless lights from thousands of homes glow, yet it’s a dimly lit ancient city.
"Whoa, walking through a door leads to another world!"
"Such dedication!"
"A big fan of Tao Ying!"
"Is this ancient Jiang City? The Great Tang Era?"
On the screen, Tao Ying reaches into the flower basket with her right hand, grabs a handful of colorful flower petals, and sprinkles them into the sky.
As the colorful petals fall, a crisp crane’s call echoes in the sky, then a black and white crane, red-crowned with long legs, wings spanning five meters, swoops in mid-air, passing by the tower.
In the instant the white crane sweeps past, Tao Ying steps into the air, rising into the void, and sits atop the white crane just as it passes by.
In the next moment, the white crane rises into the sky.
As the white crane soars, the camera follows, the background a full moon hanging in the sky, when the woman on the crane suddenly turns back, looks at Yellow Crane Tower from the camera lens, and smiles charmingly.
