IBKAWB Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: Beautiful Hand**

Re-translated by: Namizaki

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Unlike the drawn-out palace dramas of recent years, <Empress of the World> maintained a tight, focused pace with no filler episodes. As the plot unfolded, the world of the drama gradually expanded from the confines of a small courtyard to encompass the entire nation.

True to the original novel, <Empress of the World> became the dark horse in the second half of the year, earning widespread acclaim for its balanced pacing and meticulous attention to costume and makeup within just ten episodes.

While monitoring <Empress of the World>, Chi Zhongqiao also kept an eye on several other dramas airing concurrently. However, after their premieres, three of the four series he had high hopes for flopped.

“There weren’t many good dramas in the first half of the year either,” Chi Zhongqiao remarked. “If we want to win any awards, <Fragrance That Pierces the Bone> is our only real competition.”

<Fragrance That Pierces the Bone> was a historical romance drama currently airing on a regional television station and heavily promoted by Clear Spring Video. Its male and female leads were both rising stars with massive fan bases, and the series had already generated considerable buzz even before its official marketing campaign began. Moreover, the drama itself was genuinely well-made.

As a result, <Fragrance That Pierces the Bone> currently held a solid lead in viewership over <Empress of the World>. While both dramas shared a similar historical setting, their tones diverged sharply. <Fragrance That Pierces the Bone> adopted a lighthearted and saccharine approach, as if the production team were running a candy shop, stuffing each episode with so much sweetness it risked giving viewers diabetes.

Lu Yuzhou asked, “Brother Qiao, which one do you think has a better chance of winning?”

Chi Zhongqiao countered, “Which one are you rooting for, Yuzhou?”

Lu Yuzhou replied calmly, “I’m not rooting for either drama. I’m just rooting for you, Brother Qiao.”

Chi Zhongqiao couldn’t help but wonder if the pastries he’d brought Lu Yuzhou earlier that day had been too sweet.

“You still haven’t answered my question, Brother Qiao,” Lu Yuzhou said, settling beside Chi Zhongqiao and waiting for him to speak.

Of course, Lu Yuzhou already knew the final outcome: <Empress of the World> would sweep the awards, winning Best Director, Best Screenwriter, and Best Supporting Actor, making it the biggest winner among this year’s dramas.

Chi Zhongqiao pondered for a moment before saying, “Sweetness eventually becomes cloying. <Fragrance That Pierces the Bone> is like that dessert—overly sweet and lacking restraint. Based on the recent episodes, it’s likely to lose its momentum, meaning there’s a ninety percent chance it will fall apart.”

“In contrast, <Empress of the World> has a dramatic plot with more tearjerking moments than laughs. But the greater the bitterness, the more unforgettable the occasional sweetness becomes. While <Empress of the World’s> current ratings and buzz lag behind <Fragrance That Pierces the Bone>, its true critical acclaim and viewership surge will come in the mid-to-late stages of the series.”

To put it bluntly, <Fragrance That Pierces the Bone> lacked staying power. Still, it was a good drama. It was a pity that the pastry chef had ruined this dessert made with top-tier ingredients; otherwise, <Empress of the World> might not have surpassed it.

Lu Yuzhou asked, “Is it because tragedies are always more moving?”

Chi Zhongqiao tilted his head, thinking for a moment before shaking his head. “Strictly speaking, <Empress of the World> isn’t a tragedy. You could even say it has a complete ending, just one with a lingering regret.”

That regret was Mu Yan. While the male and female leads found their happy ending, Mu Yan, who had gone to the battlefield for his country and faced life and death for his beloved, chose to remain unmarried for life.

Though not the main lead, Mu Yan was destined to become the most classic and deeply moving character in the entire series. He was almost certain to win Best Supporting Actor this year.

“You really chose an exceptional role for me,” Chi Zhongqiao said with genuine admiration.

Lu Yuzhou raised an eyebrow slightly.

Chi Zhongqiao continued, “The old man told me—this drama was actually your investment, and you picked the role for me.”

“You have excellent taste, young man,” Chi Zhongqiao said with a smile.

Lu Yuzhou quietly admired the face so close to his own. En, I do think I have an excellent taste.

*******

As Chi Zhongqiao had predicted, the viewership of <Empress of the World> steadily increased.

The early episodes of the drama featured the crowd-pleasing trope of “face-slapping” and character progression, maintaining a relatively lighthearted tone. However, as the plot progressed to the point where the female lead and the Young Lord were forced to separate, the entire drama’s atmosphere abruptly turned heavy. CP fans were emotionally tormented with each episode, and the drama’s official hashtag and related topics dominated social media.

In contrast, <Fragrance That Pierces the Bone>, which had initially gained immense momentum and showered viewers with saccharine sweetness to the point of overwhelming them, gradually lost its appeal. Many viewers found the later episodes to be pure, forced sweetness—sweet for the sake of being sweet—and couldn’t bear to watch any further.

Conversely, <Empress of the World’s> critical acclaim began to explode, its social media buzz far surpassing that of <Fragrance That Pierces the Bone>. When Mu Yan rushed to the battlefield in the mid-season, fans who had initially rooted for the second male lead and female lead’s pairing were heartbroken, while Mu Yan’s dedicated fans wept uncontrollably.

Mu Yan’s character was exceptionally well-written. Unlike typical second male leads who are hopelessly devoted yet trapped by parental decrees, he was willing to fight for his love and possessed the capability to do so. Alas… their mutual affection ultimately shattered under the crushing weight of national duty and imperial authority.

[I don’t understand! Why did they have to be separated? I truly can’t comprehend it. They loved each other deeply, and Young Lord even convinced Madam of the Duke of Dingguo. Why couldn’t they be together?]

[OP, wake up! Their story was doomed from the start… or rather, Young Lord was destined for a tragic end. The Duke of Dingguo’s military achievements threatened the Emperor, and the Young Lord’s own military prowess only exacerbated the situation. With their family controlling the military, marrying Peipei, the daughter of a civil official, would create a military-civil alliance… Did they want to lose the throne?]

[OP, Peipei is the Prime Minister’s daughter! To secure the Prime Minister’s support, she was always destined to marry a prince. Their relationship was doomed from the beginning, unless the Duke of Dingguo’s Manor rebelled.]

[How could they rebel? My Young Lord is a gentleman! (bursts into tears) He’s loyal to the Emperor and loves his country, but his ruler doesn’t care for him. This feudal imperial system is killing people!]

[Young Lord, my darling, how can you be so handsome and so adorable at the same time?!]

*********

“Still, <Empress of the World> owes its success entirely to the failures of its competitors,” Chi Zhongqiao said, shaking his head as he watched his contemporaries’ shows flop one after another.

Having acted in dozens of dramas, including some that became cultural phenomena, Chi Zhongqiao knew <Empress of the World> fell far short of those masterpieces. Its explosive popularity was pure luck.

Even Guo Ancheng had to admit this.

<Empress of the World’s> viewership ratings stabilized around 1.5%, and its streaming numbers on Clear Spring Video were equally impressive.

The main cast experienced a surge in popularity, with Chi Zhongqiao reaping the greatest rewards. He became completely swamped, juggling classes with promotional appearances, sometimes not returning home until the dead of night. Tragically, Lu Yuzhou’s final exams coincided with the company’s year-end rush, leaving the two so busy they barely saw each other.

When the plot reached its midpoint—the episode featuring the widely circulated NG clip—the ensuing online frenzy catapulted Chi Zhongqiao to the top of the trending searches.

[#ChiZhongqiao’sBeautifulHands,A GentlemanLikeASword]

Chi Zhongqiao woke up to this trending topic and stared at it in disbelief for a full minute. Clicking on the first result revealed a short, few seconds-long video clip.

It was a close-up of Chi Zhongqiao’s hand.

This clip was taken from a scene where Mu Yan confronted Prince Yu. In the aired drama, Mu Yan didn’t draw his sword, but to convey the character’s suppressed rage and murderous intent, Chi Zhongqiao deliberately added a subtle detail: his hand rested on the sword hilt, his fingers constantly stroking the scabbard, as if he were ready to draw his sword at any moment.

Iron armor covered most of his palm, leaving only a section of cold, pale fingers exposed. These fingers were tightly gripping the pitch-black sword hilt, the stroking motion betraying the General’s inner ferocity.

Comments:

[This hand… I’m going insane.]

[I’d lick it clean!]

[This scene was absolutely stunning. Every detail, from his eyes to his fingertips, was brimming with emotion. When the camera zoomed in on his eyes, I almost cried. It broke my heart—why does such a good man have to endure so much suffering?]

[His acting is phenomenal! I was sobbing like a dog, crying while simultaneously licking my screen. I truly love him! I love this man!]

However, this trending topic wasn’t bought. By the time Chi Zhongqiao saw it, it had already sunk to the very bottom of the trending list and would likely disappear within the next hour.

Chi Zhongqiao sat bolt upright in bed, shocked. Had yesterday’s episode already aired?

Xu Xingzhou had completely stumbled during this period, both during the initial filming and his subsequent self-promotion. Now that this episode was airing, Xu Xingzhou’s resentment was likely multiplying exponentially.

And today, Chi Zhongqiao was scheduled to participate in the recording of Ginger Candy TV’s flagship program. Yan Cheng and Xu Xingzhou would both be present, which meant…

Chi Zhongqiao sighed. “Xu Xingzhou will almost certainly try to sabotage me today.”

Though he wasn’t afraid of Xu Xingzhou, he preferred to avoid trouble. The mere thought of dealing with Xu Xingzhou, who was likely already green with envy, gave Chi Zhongqiao a headache.

As <Empress of the World> gained popularity, Xu Xingzhou’s own fame gradually increased. He repeatedly hinted in fan groups and on Weibo that the recent trending searches had been bought by rivals jealous of the drama’s success, claiming he had nothing to do with it and had already apologized to Chi Zhongqiao. His devoted fans eagerly swallowed these lies and began spontaneously defending him on other platforms.

The general public, having already consumed the gossip, had no interest in rehashing old news. Xu Xingzhou’s Weibo and fan communities now radiated an air of peaceful tranquility. He had successfully escaped the earlier ridicule.

“I hope he’s truly learned his lesson,” Chi Zhongqiao murmured, putting down his phone. After a final check of his outfit, he stood up.

The program that invited the cast of <Empress of the World> was a long-running show on Ginger Candy TV, popular for many years with both critical acclaim and high viewership. Receiving an invitation to this show was a cause for celebration.

As Chi Zhongqiao descended the stairs, his phone buzzed twice in his pocket. He pulled it out to see Lu Yuzhou calling.

“Brother Qiao, are you coming down now?”

“I’m already downstairs,” Chi Zhongqiao replied.

“Okay, I’ll wait for you in the parking lot.”

Chi Zhongqiao tilted his head. “Weren’t you supposed to go to school today?”

“Just had to submit a design. I asked a classmate to take it for me.”

Right, Yuzhou doesn’t have classes today.

Chi Zhongqiao entered the parking lot and immediately spotted Lu Yuzhou standing by a car.

He hurried over. “Why are you waiting here? Isn’t it hot?”

“I switched cars,” Lu Yuzhou explained. “I was afraid Brother Qiao wouldn’t be able to find me. Let’s go. I’ll drive you to the recording studio.”

Chi Zhongqiao paused, surprised. “Huh? Why?”

Lu Yuzhou turned to face him, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Because I wanted to skip work today.”

Chi Zhongqiao chuckled—he’s probably just nervous about my first time recording a show.

***

**Author’s Note:**

*Subtle Flirtation Mode Activated: Lu Yuzhou: “I want to skip work~”*

*Chi Zhongqiao, blinded by affection: “Okay, okay! Whatever you want!”*