ARTBFAEWM 29.1

Chapter 29: Brotherly War Part 1

The news that the drama was set to film at Qiuming Mountain had already been circulating for a while. A bunch of fans had gathered there early, and as soon as the bus arrived at Qiufeng Plaza, it stopped. People began to get off one after another, with screams from the crowd never ceasing.

Although the crew had people specifically assigned to watch over the situation, some fans still managed to sneak in videos and upload them online.

As a highly anticipated xianxia drama of the year, there were countless netizens eagerly awaiting the show. With popular stars in the cast, the hype from both fans and anti-fans was strong. The video, once posted online, caused a massive stir.

The most widely shared was a roughly ten-second video showing the actors getting off the bus. First, Sang Yuan, Xiao Pangzi, and others were seen getting off, and in the last five seconds, Zhou Beiyang, Jin Yanliu, Yan Huihua, and Lu Yao stepped down one after another.

Four handsome young men, all dressed in traditional costumes, appeared even more stunning under the slightly blurred camera, truly a feast for the eyes. The impact of seeing these beautiful male actors appear one after another was far more shocking than even the high-definition photos of Jin Yanliu. After watching the ten-second video, all that lingered in people’s hearts was the dazzling beauty of the entertainment world.

Fans of Liuye led the way, while fans of Yangshu weren’t far behind. Amidst the fans’ gushing compliments, even casual onlookers were stunned by the visuals.

– “Visual attack from Jin Yanliu, visual attack from Zhou Beiyang, visual attack from the new actors!”

– “I really have to watch this drama! The actors are way too attractive!”

– “What’s rare is that these handsome guys are all top-tier, yet each has their own distinct charm.”

– “The marketing for this drama feels so familiar. Are these leaks real or just promotion?”

– “Who cares if it’s marketing? As long as it’s visually pleasing, that’s enough. Finally, no more fake-looking hairstyles, and the costumes look high quality—gorgeous!”

– “It’s mostly because the people look good. I’ve already seen some top artists on Weibo creating fan art of the characters.”

– “Wow, this show’s getting a lot of love even in your circle? No harsh critiques?”

– “What can we do? We’re all visuals fans these days. Who doesn’t like looking at beautiful people?”

– “There are countless white-clad beauties in historical dramas, but finally, we’re getting a red-clad beauty.”

– “Jin Yanliu in traditional costume! Just thinking about it makes me scream. And to top it off, he’s playing Mu Huaying, a tragic and powerful character. I’m practically turning into a gopher from excitement!”

– “I heard this drama has already secured a summer slot on a satellite TV station? Isn’t summer almost over? Will it be ready in time?”

– “They’re filming as they air! Sister!”

– “Oh my god, does that mean it’ll be on soon?! So exciting!”

Cheng Fei showed the online feedback to Jin Yanliu: “The ratings for this drama will definitely be fine; everyone’s eagerly waiting.”

Jin Yanliu had truly won from the start. With just his face alone, he could dominate the entertainment industry. However, Cheng Fei didn’t think Jin Yanliu was just a pretty face; he was also quite sharp. Seeing the market’s response, it seemed that taking on this danmei adaptation was indeed the right move for him.

Male beauty was the trend. Not only had Jin Yanliu’s fanbase not decreased, but thanks to his stunning traditional costume look, he had garnered a whole new set of fans.

Speaking of which, although Jin Yanliu’s dramas in recent years had been popular, they still didn’t quite match the explosive success of his debut campus drama. It was time for him to take on another big hit and push his career further.

As soon as Jin Yanliu and the others arrived on set, Liu Qichang handed them a new script.

The script was only given to him and Yan Huihua. Jin Yanliu accepted it and asked, “Director, a new page on the first day?”

Liu Qichang explained, “I thought about it. The scene where you two brothers meet for the first time needs some changes. Let’s not waste today’s beautiful weather and setting.”

The scenery today was breathtaking. It had just rained, and the distant green mountains were shrouded in white mist. The set, with its few “sacred trees” adorned with seven-colored flowers and their reflections in the lake, truly looked like a celestial realm.

Jin Yanliu glanced at the new script, noting that it changed the initial meeting between Mu Huaying and Ye Hengyang.

In the original novel, Mu Huaying sneaked into Sifangzhou during the Xianmen Pilgrimage Assembly and attempted to assassinate Ye Qingdu at night. After being injured, he hid in Ye Hengyang’s room, which was the first meeting between the two brothers. Now, it had been changed so that the brothers had a fleeting encounter during the Xianmen Pilgrimage Assembly.

Liu Qichang explained, “I feel that the emotional entanglement between you two brothers is already intense and full of ups and downs. If your first meeting is a bloody one, the whole story would be too tragic from start to finish. By softening this initial encounter, it can make the later developments more poignant.”

Jin Yanliu agreed that the change wasn’t a big deal. After all, it was just a glance in the crowd, with no dialogue or interaction. Making the encounter more beautiful might indeed attract the audience more.

At 8 a.m., the crew officially started shooting. The first scene was a large-scale one, with over a hundred people standing in place, waiting for the shooting instructions. Jin Yanliu and Sang Yuan, who was playing Mu Wushuang, stood together. He glanced at Yan Huihua and the others, then looked over at Lu Yao and Zhou Beiyang.

Lu Yao, draped in colorful robes and wearing a flower crown, stood on a lakeside pavilion, while Zhou Beiyang led a group of Xianmen disciples behind him. The crew’s smoke machines spewed clouds of mist, which drifted across the water’s surface, faintly revealing the two intertwined seven-colored sacred trees in the middle of the island.

“All departments ready,” Liu Qichang shouted excitedly into the megaphone. “Three, two, one, action!”

The previously still crowd instantly came to life, bustling with activity. Commoners in plain clothes mingled with Xianmen disciples. Jin Yanliu, in red robes with a high ponytail, followed Teacher Sang Yuan, who played Mu Wushuang, walking forward. The camera crane swung around from behind them, capturing Jin Yanliu’s face as he looked up. This was his first shot in the drama, and Liu Qichang’s requirements were very strict. Just for this first shot, they filmed over a dozen takes. The timing of his head lift, the angle, and even the way the two strands of hair floated across his forehead—all had to be perfect according to the director’s vision.

After finishing Jin Yanliu’s scenes, they moved on to shoot Yan Huihua and the others. Jin Yanliu sat by the monitor, supervising the process.

He had a lot of experience with filming, having acted in numerous projects. He knew how to make a shot look good, how to adjust the camera angles, and how to light a scene. With Liu Qichang in charge, he didn’t need to interfere much, but he still supervised the entire process because of Zhou Beiyang.

This was Zhou Beiyang’s first time acting, and it was his very first scene. It was crucial.

However, Jin Yanliu and Zhou Beiyang were currently in a cold war. If he showed too much concern, would Zhou Beiyang overthink it?

Fortunately, his worries were unnecessary because Liu Qichang himself took great care with the scene.

As a self-professed fan of good looks, Liu Qichang was very particular about visual aesthetics. Under his direction, almost every actor in the drama reached new heights of beauty. For Zhou Beiyang and Lu Yao’s entrance shots, many takes were filmed, with Jin Yanliu sitting by the monitor, watching Zhou Beiyang’s cold and stern face. His emotions were complicated.

He had always been worried that the impostor who crossed over would target Zhou Beiyang. Now, the impostor hadn’t even arrived, and Zhou Beiyang had already walked right into it.

Not to mention, he had always treated Zhou Beiyang as a younger brother, so accepting him was out of the question. Besides, the impostor would soon take over.

No, no, he had to cut things off quickly. Before the impostor arrived, he needed to make Zhou Beiyang give up completely.

To make him give up, he had to be ruthless. Being soft-hearted wouldn’t work.

To catch a tiger cub, you must enter the tiger’s lair!