What should you do when encountering a protest abroad?
Thanks for asking—he was just stepping off the plane in Paris.
Chu Zhi sat in the hotel, casually watching. He wasn't particularly curious, so he didn't pay much attention. From what he could see, the banners expressed dissatisfaction with the government's reduction of pension benefits.
At the moment, he was watching the show Taratata100%.live. Planning ahead, the time was 11:47 a.m. on March 22 in Paris, and only three days remained until the global release of his album. He was here to promote the new album on the program.
To be honest, Chu Zhi had never done variety shows to promote albums since his dramatic comeback. His popularity was already high enough that general publicity was sufficient.
"Appearing on programs to promote a new album—that's just the usual schedule for an ordinary singer," Chu Zhi said.
He would appear on two programs in total. The other was arranged by Sony Records for NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in the United States.
Tonight, he would head to 7 Place Henri, the studio of France 2, to record Taratata100%.live, a music program.
Taratata mimics the sound of a trumpet and is dedicated to introducing and inviting prominent rock singers. Since Chu Zhi had made a name for himself at the Wacken Music Festival, he had the leverage for negotiations and arrangements.
The Emperor Beast would sing Bones, a signature track by Imagine Dragons, an autumn-leaf-sweeping single from the Western world. Since he aimed to shine, he would go all out and hold nothing back.
For major performances like this, repetition made it easy: all he needed was to relax and perform as usual. Chu Zhi picked up the complimentary newspapers in the hotel room: L'Equipe, Paris Entertainment, Le Figaro, and L'Écho.
They covered finance, entertainment, sports, and politics. Chu Zhi focused on the entertainment papers, because a singer should keep an eye on the industry.
Scanning the headlines, the top story involved renowned French director Lirde Bargoin and his film The Charm of Sicily. The script had been leaked by the producer, provoking protests from SCUM.
SCUM was an extreme feminist organization in France, famous for an incident at last year's Cannes Film Festival, where members tore off their gowns in protest, writing "Stop.raping.us" in paint on their bodies.
Considering that, could such protests ever be simple? Bargoin's situation was in total chaos, and Chu Zhi's initial decision to decline the invitation had been correct.
The Emperor Beast, silently gave himself a mental nod of approval. Scrolling down, he spotted a familiar name: Briton Leipzig.
They had briefly interacted at the first Saint Petersburg International Cultural Forum. The newspaper simply reported that Leipzig's lover had an affair with his wife, and the enraged party had acted violently—hence the news.
This trip to Paris reinforced that attending various forums, music festivals, and salons slowly built connections.
Flipping further, Chu Zhi came across news about himself. Paris Entertainment was notoriously sharp and critical, not only toward Chu Zhi but toward Chinese people in general. Sometimes, even insiders got scolded.
[Our paper maintains reasoned and justified positions, never attacking any singer without cause, but some singers inevitably become targets.
Listening to the first two electronic albums by Asian singer Chu Zhi is harsher than a fight between bulldogs and St. Bernards. If you value your ears, don't expect anything from The One Gazed Upon by Gods.
…]
Chu Zhi finished reading without any reaction. No need to get angry—losing your temper hurts only yourself. The Emperor Beast never let news reports rile him, unless they violated his core principles, like insults toward firefighters.
Lunch was at the Bulgari Hotel's restaurant, where Chu Zhi invited Lao Qian, Wang Yuan, and Xiao Zuzhi.
"Why the long face, Sister Wang? You don't even have an appetite?" Chu Zhi asked during the meal, noticing Wang Yuan picking at her pasta absentmindedly.
To be fair, Bulgari Hotel in Paris was famous for its pasta—arguably better than many in Italy.
"I saw French entertainment news reports about Xiao Jiu," Wang Yuan said. "Most of the comments were negative. If it were just about the work, fine, but some remarks were unexpectedly discriminatory."
"France has serious immigration issues," Lao Qian added. "So local older white people tend to discriminate more against people of color. Besides, these foreign media outlets have long controlled cultural output, so this reaction is normal."
"Have many French entertainment outlets covered my new album?" Chu Zhi suddenly asked.
"All the fashion and entertainment papers have participated in the discussion," Wang Yuan replied.
This confirmed that over 80 million yuan in promotion was not wasted. Chu Zhi felt satisfied: criticism meant attention.
"Don't get worked up, Boss Wang," Lao Qian said. "Tonight, Jiu-yé will be on the program. If they doubt now, there will only be more black-to-fan conversions later. We must trust Jiu-yé's talent."
Sometimes rational understanding doesn't match emotional acceptance.
Wang Yuan knew logically that criticism meant visibility, but as a dedicated fan, she didn't like anyone doubting Xiao Jiu.
It was a bit like watching someone else's kitten wanting to write ten thousand words every morning but knowing it was impossible.
Life assistant Xiao Zuzhi rarely intervened in their conversation. Her job wasn't simple: visible tasks included managing the red and black water bottles, baijiu, and hot water.
Invisible tasks included preparing travel neck pillows, waist cushions, spare clothes, ironing outfits, and readying snacks.
After six months of familiarization, Xiao Zuzhi organized everything efficiently. Chu Zhi had already adjusted her salary three times; currently, she earned 11,000 yuan per month, exceptionally high considering the market rate of 3,500–7,000.
Chu Zhi never forgot gifts for her either. Last year for her birthday, he gave a 18,888-yuan Jingdong gift card, from a previous Double Eleven endorsement.
Recording began around 6 p.m., so the team left at 4 p.m. By then, protest crowds had mostly dispersed—after all, demonstrations also ended on time.
Bulgari Hotel was very close to George V Metro Station, meaning it was near the Champs-Élysées. But reaching Place Henri took less than five kilometers in distance yet over forty minutes due to traffic lights and peak hour congestion.
The television headquarters at 7 Place Henri housed channels 2, 3, 5, and the Franco-German Cultural Channel—all state-run. Channels 1, 4, and 6 were elsewhere as private stations.
Each Taratata100%.live episode invited multiple singers; Chu Zhi was just one of them. The station had Gémine Lacroix handle logistics, as she spoke some Chinese: a few words like "ni men hao," "wo jiao Géminee," "from Paris Vaugirard" and nothing more.
Chu Zhi spoke French for the rest of the communication.
"You must have studied in France—your French is excellent," Gémine said, surprised.
"I think my French accent isn't perfect," Chu Zhi modestly replied. "I'm just interested personally; I haven't had formal training."
His translated French poetry collection could still be published, French just enough for translation.
"Sir, your French sounds more like a Parisian than me," Gémine said, leading them to the twelfth floor.
"Naji, this is Mr. Chu," she told the host. "My Chinese skills aren't sufficient to communicate. Mr. Chu's French is excellent."
Host Naji, in his early sixties, had once acted but was not famous. Later he found moderate success in low-budget comedies and documentaries. A former Egyptian immigrant, Naji had done very well but disliked helping his former compatriots and openly disliked Egypt.
Anyway, he had never invited a famous singer from the Arabic world. Hearing that a Chinese singer spoke French improved his attitude significantly.
"I saw the news that Mr. Bargoin wants to cast Mr. Chu as the male lead due to his appearance. Seems the rumor may be true," Naji said.
"Based on the news, Mr. Bargoin's current situation may not be optimistic," Chu Zhi replied.
A southern accent! Naji was pleased—he disliked northern and southwestern accents, especially those using Flanders French.
"Mr. Chu, the other three singers are D'Angus Danny, Quentin Peter, and Chatham Reno. Can we schedule you third?" Naji asked. Chu Zhi had little say, so he had no objection.
They arranged it, and Chu Zhi went to the makeup room, guided by Gémine.
"Would you like coffee, Mr. Chu?" Gémine asked warmly.
"Yes, coffee without sugar," Chu Zhi replied.
Gémine stepped out, door ajar. Chu Zhi reviewed information on the other three singers; knowing one's competitors ensured confidence, even if the program had no competitive element.
D'Angus Danny, an American, was nicknamed "Cannon Danny" for his deep bass hitting the soul. Chu Zhi thought Western nicknames lacked imagination: a cannon hitting the heart leaves nothing behind.
Quentin Peter's nickname was more elegant, "Gentleman Peter." Both were pop-rock, though styles differed: Danny's music expressed freedom, Peter's had more romantic undertones. Peter was French.
The last singer, Chatham Reno, was the most popular, fifty years old. He had performed at the 2012 London Olympics. Before thirty-five, he sang folk, later rock, succeeding in both—one of the most famous international singers of the modern era.
Taratata100% invited a guaranteed audience-drawing star each episode; clearly, this time it was Chatham, the main attraction.
Minutes later, the station makeup artist arrived. During makeup, as usual, she complimented Chu Zhi's skin.
It was customary: makeup artists praised him on first sessions. Outgoing ones would comment more on his looks, as this one did, discussing skincare and minor cosmetic procedures.
Different from China, when recording started, Gémine knocked to notify him. The lounge doubled as a makeup room. Chu Zhi hadn't met the other three singers yet but could watch live footage on the small TV.
The recording took place in Studio 3, a relatively small space.
By Chu Zhi's estimate, it could hold just over a hundred people. The last time he had seen such a cramped venue was at a recording site of South Korea's MBC television.
"Welcome everyone to tonight's Taratata. We will bring you one hundred percent live performance." Naji, wearing his usual black suit over a black T-shirt or white shirt, greeted the audience. As he spoke, the crowd stood and applauded.
The show had been on air in France for more than a decade, always hosted by Naji, giving it a solid reputation.
"Let us welcome the first performer tonight—Mr. Quentin Peter." After a brief introduction, Naji moved directly into the program without any unnecessary chatter.
No further formalities were made. Quentin Peter went straight into his performance, presenting a theme song he had recorded for a French drama.
French dramas were almost unknown in China. The only somewhat recognized one might be Miss Loser…
Whether the song was good spoke for itself. Chu Zhi had watched the show earlier that morning and realized that the program's longevity—over ten years—was due to efficiency: sing when it was time to sing, interview when it was time to interview.
Quentin Peter was a local singer with decent looks. Although his fame was not top-tier, it was respectable. When the song ended, the audience applauded politely.
"I like Peter, I really like him."
"There is no singer more gentlemanly than him."
"His rock doesn't feel aggressive, it's very comfortable."
…
After his performance, Quentin Peter moved to the back of the studio to sit. Naji then faced him for the interview. Interviews were not fixed; each singer had a different core topic, usually their most controversial point.
Quentin Peter's controversy was "living off a woman." He appeared gentlemanly and educated but had been mischievous in college and even dropped out to pursue his music dream. Before his music earned him a living, he relied on his partner to cover daily expenses, and they had a child together.
In French society, "living off a woman" wasn't scandalous. The real issue was that once he became successful, he broke up directly, though he still cared for his child.
Naji's questions were not sharp, simply bringing up the topic. Quentin Peter insisted he owed nothing to his ex-girlfriend, as he had provided a significant sum after his success.
Backstage
"This is not rock at all." Chatham Reno frowned as he watched Quentin Peter's performance in the lounge. He disliked it.
Chatham Reno had abandoned folk for rock because he had experienced too much and had too much to express. In his philosophy, rock had to convey something, whereas Quentin Peter's songs focused too much on love.
It wasn't that love couldn't be a theme—Chatham Reno had ways to handle it—but Quentin Peter's lyrics seemed whining and superficial.
After a half-hour interview, the second singer, D'Angus Danny, took the stage. As soon as he sang, his deep bass hit like a cannon. The song was decadent and chaotic.
A line went:
🎵"Throw the condom out the window, look at my gun, I'm going to do something big…"🎵
The song's content was based on a real case in Georgia, where three sixteen-year-old students shot a college student.
It was no wonder D'Angus Danny had a place in the music scene. The ultra-low bass combined with violent lyrics felt "cool" to Americans.
"Low and rhythmic, the drum arrangement is interesting."
"I like his voice, it has a decadent feeling."
"I don't like the lyrics. If I had to pick, I would choose Peter without hesitation."
…
Many French people did not speak English. For a long time, they were proud of their language. Factually, French was indeed superior in some ways, but in the last five years, English had steadily encroached on French. This didn't mean all French people spoke English. In Europe, the proportion who did was relatively low. Thus, D'Angus Danny's lyrics divided the audience: some understood, others did not.
Danny's interview focused on a recent news story: he had driven drunk and injured a pedestrian. He paid damages but refused to apologize publicly.
Hollywood pioneered crafting public personas. Danny's refusal was deliberate—to maintain his "bad boy" image. Casual observers wouldn't buy his album just because he apologized. His core fans loved the "bad boy" persona.
Paying the fine was acceptable, apologizing was not. Even during Naji's interview, he maintained a haughty expression.
"Paying means I've complied with the court. Everything else is my freedom. Even God cannot make me apologize," Danny said.
"Oh, luckily I'm not a believer," Naji remarked.
Danny shrugged. Even indoors, he wore sunglasses and a black leather jacket, radiating disinterest toward anyone nearby.
After the singing and interviews, around thirty minutes later, the four guests filled the two-hour program.
"Now we welcome the third performer, a singer from China—Chu Zhi." Naji's introduction was brief as usual.
Chu Zhi sipped his coffee before going on stage, glad he had skipped drinking alcohol.
Entering the studio, the live feed didn't reveal much. The interior was better than MBC's small venue, especially in lighting and flooring.
The stage resembled an arena. The studio was C-shaped, with the entrance as the opening. Audience seating was slightly elevated, surrounding the band, host, and singers.
Chu Zhi reached the center, intrigued by the design, feeling the gaze of the audience from all sides.
"A singer from China?"
"Is this the first Chinese singer on the show?"
"The second, the guitarist who played before, was also Chinese."
"That one must have been from Japan, called Tongren."
"Occasionally listening to Eastern music is nice too."
…
There was no booing. In most cases, programs didn't openly disrespect performers. The crowd of around a hundred were mostly curious.
A Chinese singer? Chatham Reno felt that, in rock, he would still observe.
The first had superficial whining, the second was decadent hedonistic rock, and the third was a Chinese rock singer. Chatham Reno did not know enough to judge the Chinese singer.
The prelude was extreme, and Chu Zhi began:
🎵Gimme gimme some time to think, I'm in the bathroom looking at me
Face in the mirror is all I need, Wait until the reaper takes my life🎵
This was what it meant to command attention from the first note—Chu Zhi nailed it.
===
If you have been reading my historical translations, you probably know I keep a private glossary of ancient China terms in Google Docs. I usually share the link in the chapter comments. I realized some of you read on the app, and copying links there can be a hassle (´･ᴗ･`).
So I am officially uploading the glossary here on Webnovel under The Imperial Handbook: A Practical Guide to Ancient Chinese Society. This will make it easier to access, and I can keep updating it whenever I meet a useful term, office, rank, or cultural note. Whether you are new to history novels or want deeper context, I hope it makes your reading smoother and more fun. (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ
If it helps, please add the handbook to your Library and give it a read. While you are there, feel free to add the rest of my handbook series as well:
• The Xianxia Handbook: A Guide to Cultivation and BeyondIn short: for all things Cultivation, Realms, and Daoist magic.
• The Imperial Handbook: A Practical Guide to Ancient Chinese SocietyIn short: for historical topics, courts, bureaucracy, and daily life in the past.
• The Webnovel Handbook: A Guide to Slang, Tropes, and Inside JokesIn short: for community slang, inside jokes, and fun tropes. The cover is ready, chapters will follow soon.
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