Chapter One: Unfulfilled Ambition

  "Child, after a few more years, no one will be able to rely on Mother anymore." Gong Xuehua was also shocked after the hug, she never expected that the other person's expression would be so natural. It was much better than the first time they rehearsed together!

  That expression is exactly the true prince and mother's heart-to-heart talk expression. At least she can't pick out too many faults.

  But the play is still being filmed, no matter how amazed she is at his progress, she can only continue acting first.

  "Mother wants you - to contend for the position of Crown Prince!"

  "We're here." Chen Jialin and the other two were completely focused on the scene, what followed was the essence of this passage.

  He silently watched Lin Xiao, this feeling was completely different from when he saw Kangxi after the defeat of the Galdan campaign. No matter how much he was the emperor, with his nine-layered heavenly authority, there was always a distance between them, but with Hui Fei, it was an unbreakable mother-son bond. Especially since Gong Xuehua was good at playing this kind of role.

  "Will it bring even greater surprises?" He suddenly had this idea and looked at it more carefully.

  "Mother!" Lin Xiao exclaimed, and with a "thud", he knelt down, the two lines of hot tears that had been brewing for a long time suddenly flowing out.

  "My goodness!" "No way?" "Really cried? Come on, say it's coming?!"

  In an instant, the surroundings were like a pot exploding, and even people who couldn't stand Lin Xiao were stunned.

  "CUT!" Chen Jialin shouted angrily, turning her head to yell outside, "This is a filming set! Who allowed you to make so much noise?! If you shout again, get out of here completely!"

  After shouting, he immediately turned his head excitedly and looked at Lin Xiao. In his eyes, he seemed to have seen a treasure!

  "Jade contains gold." Si Qinge smiled and nodded at Lin Xiao.

  "Maybe in a few years he'll be a movie emperor." Chen Jialin got excited.

  This time, Shi Qianhao and Chen Daoming both smiled. "Movie Emperor? Hard to say, Director Chen, you're not unaware that the first requirement for a Movie Emperor is not talent, but perseverance. Only after drifting in this circle for several years with some small achievements can one qualify to compete for this award."

  "Are there not enough people who have died on the wall of newcomers?" The assistant next to him also laughed and said, "However, this Lin Xiao is really a talented person. At least in our crew, except for a few established actors, old actors, he's the only one."

  "Is he a Hua Xia person now?" Chen Jia Lin's mind lit up, and she turned her head to joke "If we bring him out, it wouldn't be bad to make him my regular partner."

  "Lao Chen, Huaxia is actually a subsidiary of Yongle." Chen Daoming also laughed "Others are film and television production companies."

  "Haha, they're now just a brokerage firm with a film and television production label." Chen Jialin laughed loudly. "Poaching people? We'd better hurry up. Our Zhongyuan brand may not be able to compete with Yongle in real estate, but in the entertainment circle, ten Yongles can't compare to Zhongyuan."

  "Lao Chen, you're really here?" This time it was Chen Dao Ming's turn to be surprised. "Digging up new people? It's fine for other companies, but not for Yongle... no, Huaxia. But they're cutting off their own roots."

  Chen Jialin smiled and didn't answer, saying "Let's watch this play first, let's see the effect after filming."

  He finished speaking and picked up a loudspeaker, shouting "Take a ten-minute break to let the actors adjust their emotions. We'll start shooting again in ten minutes."

  Everyone let out a sigh of relief, and Gong Xuehua was no exception. She gave Lin Xiao a complex look. Just now, she felt pressure on a newcomer for the first time.

  "Not bad." Just as Lin Xiao was about to walk over, she finally let out a sigh and spoke up.

  Lin Xiao was taken aback for a moment, then turned back and smiled, saying "Thank you, senior, for the compliment."

  She nodded and walked back to her position, the agent immediately came over, saying discontentedly "Xue Hua, why is it so difficult for a newcomer like you to handle? This play is completely your solo show, the role of Huifei is more important. This play is exactly the time for you to show off your skills."

  Gong Xuehua pressed her brow, and after a long time, she replied, "He's very formidable. He doesn't seem like a newcomer at all. Anyway, I've never seen a newcomer make progress as terrifyingly fast as this."

  "In any case, we can't waste the opportunity."

  "I know, I was too careless just now. Next time, I will perform with all my might. If people say that an old actor like me can't suppress newcomers, it's too embarrassing." Gong Xuehua nodded and closed her eyes to meditate.

  Lin Xiao returned to his own position, he had just sat down and taken a sip of water when he heard a voice.

  "Brother, got a cigarette?" A young man next to him leaned over.

  Lin Xiao looked at his dry and cracked lips, smiled and said "I don't smoke."

  The man patted his head, "Ah, yeah! Every day watching you rehearse here, I've never seen you smoke. Right, my name is Cai Dechuan. We can be considered old comrades in learning drama. Today's the first time seeing you perform, didn't expect it to be so impressive."

  "Lin Xiao."

  "Of course, I know. That day's incident made you quite famous. After today, probably everyone in the crew will know you." Cai Dechuan pulled out a cigarette and winked "Just making small talk with you, don't mind, do you?"

  He puffed on his cigarette and said, "That's how it is in the film industry. You meet people from all over the place, and who knows, one day someone will make it big and bring you along with them, and then your fortunes will change."

  Lin Xiao smiled and said "The crew doesn't allow smoking."

  "It's okay, I'll go out. When it's time for dinner, eating alone is boring, so let's eat together instead. My buddy will treat today."

  The crew is just like going out to work. People still need friends. Lin Xiao didn't refuse, nodded and said "Okay".

  "It's settled then." Cai Dechuan smiled and said, "There's a good roast chicken place on the back street, let's go have a few drinks together at noon."

  Lin Xiao nodded, and Cai Dechuan also knew that he had to leave some time for others to simmer their emotions, so he wisely left.

  “A！”

  The filming started again, and with this voice, Si Qianhua saw Gong Xuehua on stage and burst out laughing.

  Chen Daoming threw over an inquiring glance.

  "I am a woman, more familiar with women than you." Su Qianghua smiled and said "Gong Xuehua has been stirred up by her competitive spirit, this play is going to be interesting."

  "Haha, you're speaking more and more like an old ancestor."

  As expected, Gong Xuehua's expression and body language were even more convincing than last time. If the previous time was just to get by, this time she had a more resolute goal.

  Lin Xiao was even more skilled than before. Chen Jialin couldn't help but sigh in amazement at this "visible progress", which was too terrifying.

  "Here." Everyone held their breath again, and it was the same scene as when Gong Xuehua had Lin Xiao go for the throne earlier.

  The scene was eerily quiet, and no one noticed that this was the treatment reserved for those old actors when they were filming.

  "His expression is perfect!" Sun Lei secretly admired, looking at him while asking Cai Dekuan beside him "Did he talk to him about lunch?"

  "Got it." Cai Dekuan also stared at him unblinkingly "OK."

  "Ah, a talent like that would never die in vain against the newcomer wall." Sun Lei said affirmatively. "If we don't build a good relationship now, by the time they become big shots, there won't even be any lingering affection left."

  On the scene, Gong Xuehua has become choked with sobs, and she trembled as she shouted "You're confused!"

  Her fists rained down on Lin Xiao's back one after another.

  "I've been in the palace since I was fourteen, and now I'm the Imperial Noble Consort. What more could I ask for?! What else could I want?!" She shouted hoarsely "Do you want us mother and son to be banished to the Cold Palace when we're fifty or sixty?"

  "Oh?" The director and all the on-site directors' eyes lit up. This scene only has lines, and how to perform depends on personal interpretation. The script doesn't specify, which means even the screenwriter can't say for sure what's the best way to act it out.

  But Gong Xuehua's portrayal now is not like the imperial noble consort at all, but rather like a crazy shrew from the streets, yet it doesn't feel unnatural at all, and the overall effect is very harmonious.

  "Very good." Su Qianhua also nodded in approval. "If I were acting, I'm afraid I would have chosen this approach too."

  "It's really been said, and Gong Xuehua has completely let go." Chen Daoming smiled and said, "Now, let's see how Lin Xiao responds. Gong Xuehua is not a supporting actor. Her acting style, if following the script, would be to remain silent. But this way, it's completely covered up."

  Gong Xuehua pummeled for a while, and with a heart-wrenching grip, she tightly grasped Lin Xiao, her fingertips turning white. Lin Xiao could feel the pain in his arm.

  She choked with sobs and said, "Now the only hope is that you can ascend to the throne. Then all my suffering over the years... will be worth it..."

  Everyone's eyes were on Lin Xiao, and next was the conclusion of this scene. Lin Xiao remained silent in response.

  However, there were three people who did not want it to end like this.

  "I always feel that ending like this is a bit unsatisfying." Chen Daoming said while drinking his tea.

  "Keep watching."

  Lin Xiao was silent, but the director didn't yell "cut" or "stop".

  "Mother!" Less than two seconds later, Lin Xiao suddenly raised his head, his still reddened eyes staring tightly at Gong Xuehua, saying word by word: "The son does not want to fight for this throne! I am now a subject of the Great Qing, and in the future, I will also be a subject of the Great Qing!"

  "Cut! That's a wrap!"

  Before everyone could react, a burst of applause suddenly rang out on the set.

  Everyone was stunned, not daring to believe their eyes, and the applause was not loud. The key is who applauded!

  Shi Qingshuo and Chen Daoming! Queen of Cinema and King of Cinema!

  They even applauded together!

  Everyone was stunned for a few seconds, then suddenly, everyone applauded together!

  "Beautiful!" "Lin Xiao! Awesome!" "Really didn't expect this from a newcomer?!"

  In a corner, Gao Lan Chun and Xue Zhong Rui were also applauding sincerely. The two of them had arrived for a while, after finishing a game of chess, they had nothing to do, so they came to the scene to take a look, unexpectedly they just happened to see this scene.

  "Getting old." Xue Zhongrui sighed with a bitter smile, "If new actors are all this fierce, what's the point of us old guys coming out?"

  "Oh? Su Xiang, you can't say that." Gao Lan Chun called out the theatrical term "A young man like this, one in ten years is not bad."

  "Haha, Mingxiang is joking."

  On the scene, Chen Daoming and Siqin Gaowa both stood up and spoke out for the first time in front of everyone.

  "You acted extremely well. Among the new generation, you are the best actor I have ever seen."

  "Which one is better then?" The assistant asked, pushing the atmosphere forward.

  "After a moment of thought, they said, 'Actually, speaking seriously, Gong Xuehua's performance was more vivid. The heart of the Empress Dowager, who is both an empress and a mother, expecting her son to inherit the throne, was fully portrayed. However, I want to praise Lin Xiao here."