The hired internet trolls from Huoyan Media exploited this point, aggressively steering the narrative. Their insinuation was that Jiang Ling’s excellent portrayal of Zhao Hede was not due to her acting prowess, but because she was a real-life counterpart to Zhao Hede. It was only natural for her to perform well, they argued. Zhao Hede’s seductive charm was evident to the audience, and unconsciously, they began to associate Jiang Ling with a seductive vixen who could bewitch men. Zhao Hede’s chilling act of strangling the prince in front of the emperor was disturbing and sent shivers down one’s spine. In reality, Jiang Ling was also likely a ruthless woman, unscrupulous in achieving her goals. This analysis was presented as logical and irrefutable, especially given Jiang Ling’s previous reputation for terrible acting. If it wasn’t a natural performance, how could her portrayal of Zhao Hede have been so outstanding?
Her fans, while not blindly attacking her like others, did not defend Jiang Ling either upon realizing this. Only a segment of her male fans, who prioritized looks over character and were considered "brainless," ignored the trolls’ slander and fought back fiercely against her detractors. However, these fans constituted only twenty percent of Jiang Ling’s total fanbase, and how could they withstand the combined onslaught of so many trolls and uninformed bystanders?
Jiang Ling found the situation both amusing and vexing. She had always prided herself on her acting, firmly believing that skill was the ultimate principle, regardless of one’s profession. She never expected to be targeted for being too good at her craft. What kind of a situation was this!
Jiang Ling knew that the person who tied the knot must also untie it. The issue stemmed from her role as Zhao Hede, and to quell the controversy, she had to rely on Wang Jianzhong and the production team of "Empress of the Heavenly Dynasty." As long as they could provide irrefutable evidence to expose the scheming Lv Wenwen, her fans who doubted her character and were observing from the sidelines would rally, crush the opposing fans and trolls, and completely shift public opinion in her favor.
After about an hour, Wang Jianzhong finally responded, stating that Jiang Ling secured the role of Zhao Hede through her merit, not through unspoken favors, and that he and Jiang Ling maintained a clean and proper relationship. Furthermore, Wang Jianzhong @ed Lv Wenwen’s Weibo account, issuing a warning: “Considering your youth and ignorance, I do not wish to push this too far. I advise you to delete your posts and apologize. Otherwise, do not blame me for being impolite!” Wang Jianzhong knew that Lv Wenwen’s nature would not change, and she would not back down. This was a preliminary warning before taking further action. The intention was to inform the vast online community following the matter that he, Wang, had shown Lv Wenwen courtesy. If she refused to comply, he would then reveal the evidence to expose her.
This statement ignited the gossip and curiosity of countless onlookers. They were all eager to know what gave Wang Jianzhong the confidence to warn Lv Wenwen. Had Lv Wenwen truly engaged in some shady dealings on set? Seeing that Wang Jianzhong did not meekly surrender and instead dared to warn her, Lv Wenwen became furious. She posted another lengthy message, accusing Wang Jianzhong of making unwanted advances and firmly denying any wrongdoing, claiming that both he and Jiang Ling were at fault. Her devoted fans also believed their idol was being bullied by the older man, Wang Jianzhong, and escalated their accusations with strong rebuttals.
[You old pervert, do you think saying this will scare my Wenwen?]
[Stop dreaming. Wenwen has the support of so many fans; she will never yield.]