Video platforms have different project focuses, and each drama targets a unique audience, leading to variations in actor selection. The Immortal Doctor of the Great Song Dynasty was a mid-budget web series aimed at a female audience. As long as the actors are attractive and possess basic acting skills, there generally aren't any major issues. Projects like this often favor nurturing young actors or breaking in new teams. Sometimes they flop, sometimes they explode, it's all pretty normal.
The setup for The Immortal Doctor of the Great Song Dynasty was a 'seasoned screenwriter + young director + rising actors,' which was a fairly standard combination. Coupled with a reasonable budget, the return pressure wasn’t all that high either.
However, the mega-production Brother Li was in charge of was a major project. He was in a frantic rush to find a replacement because a certain actress suddenly dropped out before filming began, leading him to choose Zhang Anluo, who had recently received positive reviews. Zhang Anluo, backed by her agency Orange Entertainment, was highly favored by the platform's top executives. Her 'breakthrough performance' in The Immortal Doctor of the Great Song Dynasty also contributed to her opportunity to join the new production.