Just as public opinion was overwhelmingly in favor of An Qiuyan, deeming Jiang Ling to have entered the cast with her family's money and bullied others with her status, the director, the male and female leads, and a host of supporting actors, as if by prior agreement, all spoke out in support of Jiang Ling.
First, the director, or "Big Beard," took to Weibo to lavish praise on Jiang Ling.
"Miss Jiang is the most spiritually gifted and the most serious and responsible young actor I have ever encountered."
"Having her portray the character of Tianshan Tonglao is not only an honor for me, Zhang, but also for the entire Tian Long cast and crew."
"At the same time, I eagerly anticipate the opportunity for future collaboration!"
Following closely was Gao Biao, who played opposite Jiang Ling as Xu Zhu.
"Which public account edited this dark, infernal video? To take things out of context and spout such nonsense, aren't you afraid of lawsuits?"
"I am here to responsibly inform everyone that Miss Jiang Ling is an excellent actress with a level of skill that belies her actual age." https:/
"She earned the role of Tianshan Tonglao through her own merits; there was no insider dealing involved. Anyone who doubts this is welcome to debate me."
Not long after Gao Biao's statement, Xie Yuxin, who also had many scenes with Jiang Ling and played Li Qiushui, posted on Weibo to clarify.
"Miss Jiang and I have many scenes filled with intense dramatic tension. She is a highly capable actress, and her performance was so good that I almost couldn't keep up."
"Beyond her acting, her lines and vocal variations even more astonished me. The role of Tianshan Tonglao spans a vast age range, from an eight or nine-year-old girl to a ninety-year-old woman, all of which she portrays with meticulous detail and no sense of incongruity!"
"Filming with her was truly exhilarating, and I hope to have the opportunity to cooperate again in the future!"
At this point, a netizen by the username 'Tian Long Crew Insider' posted a comment that was reposted by the crew.
"Hello everyone, I am the lighting technician for the Tian Long series. I was present for every scene, and I can testify that Miss Jiang secured the role through her abilities. Her portrayal of Tianshan Tonglao was almost completed in a single take for every scene. Many actors on set at the time praised her acting skills. The comparison between her and An Qiuyan's performances was indeed brilliant, but all that exquisite and nuanced acting was cut, which led to this misunderstanding!"
The reversal was so swift, it caught everyone off guard.
The onlookers and spectators were in an uproar.
"What, Tonglao's role was earned by Jiang Ling through skill? Are you serious?"
"It should be right. Jiang Ling is long past her prime, and the crew and other actors have no reason to lie for a washed-up traffic star like her, damaging their own popularity and reputation!"
"I took a closer look at the video released by that account, and it does have issues. An Qiuyan's performance was shown in its entirety, but Jiang Ling only had a still image. Speaking based on a picture doesn't prove anything."
"If the editing was indeed malicious, then we might have wrongly accused Jiang Ling this time."
"When Jiang Ling and An Qiuyan competed for the role of Tianshan Tonglao, it makes no sense that An Qiuyan had video footage while Jiang Ling did not. Hurry up and let the crew release the footage; the truth will then be revealed."
Netizens who sensed something amiss quickly flocked to the Tian Long crew's account, demanding the release of the unedited, raw footage.
The crew, seemingly unable to withstand the pressure, finally released the unedited on-site video.