This dialogue, by its very nature, suggests that Yang Guifei was not referring to Zhen Huan, but rather to Consort Hua herself.
The second instance occurred during Princess Wenyi’s birthday banquet, when Zhen Huan performed the "Startling Egret Dance." She embodied the essence of Consort Mei, appearing as a modern-day Consort Mei.
Consort Mei’s romantic rival was Yang Yuhuan, and Zhen Huan’s greatest enemy at present is Consort Hua. One ancient, one modern, Consort Hua, who held sway over the inner palace, was precisely a replica of Yang Guifei.
The third time, Consort Hua, jealous that Zhen Huan had received shoes made of Shu brocade, also found a way to acquire two bolts of it, proudly declaring, "The swift horse gallops, and it is so fast."
Cao Qinmo chimed in, laughing, "A swift horse carries a fragrance, and the imperial consort smiles!"
This phrase, "A swift horse carries a fragrance, and no one knows it is lychee coming," also refers to Yang Yuhuan.
Yang Yuhuan had a corrupt minister brother, Yang Guozhong. The siblings wielded power and acted recklessly.
Coincidentally, Consort Hua also had a brother, Nian Gengyao, whose merits overshadowed those of the emperor. The siblings were arrogant and domineering.
Therefore, Consort Hua, Nian Shilan, was the very embodiment of Yang Yuhuan.
"Swallow thin, round beautiful," referring to the slender grace of Zhao Feiyan and the voluptuous beauty of Yang Yuhuan.
Yang Yuhuan is a representative of ancient beauties of ample build. As her replica, Consort Hua naturally had to be a bit plump to fit the characterization.
The phoenix coronet with kingfisher feather inlay that Consort Hua wore was solemn and magnificent in design. Only someone with a slightly plumper figure could carry it off.
If she were too thin, wearing such a large kingfisher feather coronet would make her look like a child trying on adult clothes; it would be awkward no matter how you looked at it.
Jiang Ling felt that she could embody the role of Consort Hua, both in terms of appearance and acting skills.
Her only drawback was being too thin.
Female celebrities in the entertainment industry are all fanatics of body management, and she was no exception.
Through dietary restraint and frequent exercise, her current weight was only slightly over ninety catties, far from matching Consort Hua’s physique.
She did not want to play Consort Hua precisely because of this concern.
But now, there was no other option. Having already agreed to Zheng Xiaolong, she could only focus on gaining weight frantically.
Sister Sa, after hearing Jiang Ling’s explanation, exclaimed, "So that’s how it is, but is it really necessary? Gaining weight is easy, but losing it is hard. If you gain weight now, you’ll have to lose it again after filming. The back-and-forth is too taxing. Why not just act as you are?"
Gaining weight was painful, but losing it was even more so. The thought of that process made her tremble.
"That won't do. I am an actress. Once I accept a role, I must take it seriously and become the character. Gaining weight is indeed difficult, but in any profession, is there anything that isn't difficult? Take the street sweepers who clean the streets; they have to get up at five or six in the morning during the cold winter. Isn't that difficult? I eat from this bowl, so I must dedicate myself to every role," Jiang Ling said very seriously.
She always had high standards for filming and would not allow herself to be careless with any role.
Especially now, as a top-tier celebrity, her casual performances earned tens of millions in salary. If she were to be perfunctory, she would not be able to live with herself accepting such money.
"Alright, I'll help you find some weight-loss strategies!"
Sister Sa knew Jiang Ling was opinionated and that she couldn't persuade her, so she relented.
Binge eating is a major dietary taboo because it leads to easy weight gain.
However, for those who want to gain weight, it is undoubtedly the best choice.
After the casting for "The Tale of Pure Yuan Musk," the crew gave the actors over a month to immerse themselves in their roles.
Jiang Ling seized the opportunity, using this month to gain twenty catties, finally making her barely able to support the kingfisher feather coronet.