This scene was shot with multiple cameras.
The first camera team mainly filmed the interior, while the second team filmed the exterior. When it was finally released, there would be a big close-up of Chu Feiliang—an unflattering, face-on “death shot.”
It wasn’t until Rong Guang was watching the playback that she realized from where Zhao Xiuqi was sitting, you could see Chu Feiliang outside the window just by turning your head.
In other words, during the half-hour they were in character, Chu Feiliang had been kneeling there the entire time, never once standing up.
Her gaze was almost constantly fixed on Chu Feiliang’s figure in the corner. Her back was ramrod straight, and from the start of filming to the end, she hadn’t moved at all. Her knees were in direct contact with the cold, rough ground, and after staying motionless for half an hour, the extent of the damage was imaginable.
“Not a bad performance.” Zhang Nanchuan squinted, carefully reviewing the take. He said, “To be able to complete such a long shot in one take, the younger generation is truly formidable.”
Not many people dared to use a long take that went from start to finish.
Including Zhang Nanchuan, he had actually only planned to give it a try today.
Otherwise, while Rong Guang and Zhao Xiuqi were playing chess, he could have easily called a halt, waited for post-production to cut to a close-up of their hands, let the actors rest for a bit, and then filmed the subsequent shots.
But he didn’t do that.
He also wanted to see what would happen—after all, a successful camera movement can not only make an actor, but also make an entire drama.
When the bullet comments were filled with words like ‘This long take is amazing,’ ‘The director is awesome, the actors are awesome, the production is awesome,’ he, as the chief director, would be the proudest.
He hadn’t expected it to actually succeed.
Zhang Nanchuan gave Rong Guang a thumbs-up, his face full of amazement, and said, “Your line delivery is also top-notch.”
Normally, an eighteen-year-old’s voice isn’t very stable. In their age group, it’s fine in daily life, but once on camera, it can seem a bit weak.
But Rong Guang not only delivered her lines perfectly, but her timing, the endings of her sentences, and even her control of the rhythm were no different from a veteran actor who had been immersed in the entertainment industry for many years. The surprises she gave Zhang Nanchuan were increasing almost daily.
Rong Guang, however, didn’t accept the praise.
She looked at the people standing beside her and said softly, “It’s mainly because Teacher Zhao and Teacher Chu are amazing. Without them leading me, I couldn’t have performed so well.”
Zhao Xiuqi waved his hand, pleased by the compliment. “Hey, it’s nothing. This is what we should do. For you to perform so well at your age, that’s your own skill.”
Rong Guang wrinkled her nose and didn’t argue further.
She was still a little unhappy. No one is inherently destined for success. Everyone had clearly put in the same amount of effort, but only she was being praised so much by the director. It shouldn’t be like this.
Seeing Chu Feiliang’s slightly unnatural gait, she took two steps forward and asked eagerly, “Sister, does it still hurt?”
“It doesn’t hurt much.” Chu Feiliang looked at the set and said, “Hurry and get ready. We have to shoot the next scene right away—don’t you have to pick up Chacha tonight?”
“Yeah.” Rong Guang nodded, looked at the clean floor, gritted her teeth, and said, “Sister, otherwise…”
“Don’t say what you shouldn’t.” The hand Chu Feiliang had on her shoulder moved up to cover Rong Guang’s mouth. She said, “Since you’ve chosen to be an actress, you must at least be worthy of this profession. Body doubles, props—those are things used only as a last resort. There are thousands of ways to be lazy, but they are all condemned by everyone. If you want to continue on this path, don’t get any crooked ideas. It’s best not to even think about it.”
Rong Guang wilted.
She didn’t argue.
Just now, she had indeed wanted to suggest Chu Feiliang wear a pair of knee pads—but Chu Feiliang was right. With laziness, once you get a taste of its sweetness, you’ll keep wanting more.
If the audience found out, or if someone in the crew with ulterior motives exposed it, the impact would be imaginable.
“I was wrong, Sister.” Rong Guang pursed her lips, still offering a small defense for herself, “Actually, I’ve never been lazy.”
“I know.” Chu Feiliang smiled, thought for a moment, and said with a serious expression, “After all, back then, I was something of a big, mysterious fan leader of yours.”
This statement surprised Rong Guang. “You…?”
Chu Feiliang rubbed her chin, sat on the ground for a moment while waiting for the staff to clear the set, and said, “It’s about chasing stars. How can it be called chasing stars if you don’t spend money? You can’t just be a freeloader—don’t you also buy the products I endorse? It’s a matter of courtesy, we’re even.”
Rong Guang’s face turned slightly red. “This… is the first time I’m hearing this.”
Zhang Nanchuan, very much spoiling the mood, started hurrying people along with a megaphone from the side.
Rong Guang’s eyes sparkled as she said with a smile, “For the farewell concert at the end of the year, I’ll definitely work hard!”
“I’ll be waiting for your performance.” Chu Feiliang smiled.
Only then did Rong Guang reluctantly return to her position.
“The Eldest Princess, scene thirty-three, shot four, take one. Action!”
After finishing the game of chess, Wen Mou left the imperial study, led by a young eunuch.
The path from the imperial study to the front of the hall wasn’t actually far, but to extend that heavy feeling, Rong Guang could only slow her pace as much as possible, matching Zhang Nanchuan’s rhythm.
Finally, after turning past a long stretch of shadow, Rong Guang stepped into a patch of warm yellow sunlight, and her expression relaxed imperceptibly.
Not far in front of her was the scene of Ji Ying, played by Chu Feiliang, getting up from the ground.
Her posture was strained, but the expression on her face didn’t change in the slightest. Only the cold sweat beading on her temples showed that she was not entirely oblivious to the pain.
Rong Guang stood there for a long time.
The young eunuch behind her began to urge, “Please hurry, miss—this servant must see you to your sedan chair, and then I have to go back and report to my master.”
Only then did Rong Guang start walking, following the young eunuch out through a side door.
She said, “Your master is Li Fuquan, right?”
The young eunuch bowed, his head lowered. “Please don’t ask so many questions. Knowing too much won’t do you any good either.”
“I won’t ask too much.” Rong Guang had an innocent expression on her face. The side door was right in front of them, and waiting by the sedan chair was none other than Ji Ying’s personal adjutant.
Only then did she say, “Tell your master to be careful. Don’t slip up when you report back. This current Son of Heaven…”
She left her sentence half-finished, not continuing.
Rong Guang then let out a soft laugh, reached out to pat the young eunuch’s shoulder, and looked at his body, which was trembling like a leaf from her words. She said with a smile, “What are you so afraid of? I didn’t say anything.”
The young eunuch was about to kneel before her. “My good lady, please spare me…”
“I’ll spare you, I’ll spare you.” Rong Guang’s eyes curved into a smile. She estimated the time and said, “Go back. After that father and daughter finish talking, just say I’m waiting for her here.”
The young eunuch let out a breath as if he’d been granted amnesty, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and said, “Yes.”
Only then did Rong Guang slowly get into the sedan chair.
The moment the curtain was lowered, she finally let out a breath as if exhausted, her whole body falling backward.
She didn’t faint, but her face was deathly pale, filled with the tension of having survived a close call. She murmured, “Ji Ying really wasn’t trying to scare me. Her old man is indeed exceptionally paranoid…”
The adjutant outside heard her and said in a low voice, “Miss, watch your words.”
“Watch my words about what.” Rong Guang lazily rolled over, pulled out a handkerchief from the side, and wiped her sweat ungracefully. “The emperor says the same about himself, what are you so afraid of? Stop up ahead and wait for your general to return. The emperor won’t keep her for too long; she’ll be out in a quarter of an hour at most.”
“How do you know?” the adjutant asked.
Rong Guang scoffed, seeming to have recovered a bit. Lying in the spacious carriage, she crossed her legs and swung them slowly, saying, “This is why you’ve only been a personal adjutant for so many years. Use your brain more. Your general wouldn’t dare promote you even if she wanted to right now, for fear that promoting you would only hasten your death on the battlefield.”
The adjutant outside gave a muffled grunt and said no more.
However, things turned out exactly as Rong Guang had said. Just after a quarter of an hour had passed, the incessant sound of horse hooves came from a small road not far away, accompanied by the sound of a woman’s urging voice.
Rong Guang opened her eyes, which curved into a smile. “Your general is here.”
Chu Feiliang arrived on horseback and dismounted without a moment’s pause.
The moment she dismounted, her expression twisted slightly. Then, she asked, “Where is Wen Mou?”
“The young lady is resting in the carriage,” the adjutant replied respectfully.
Chu Feiliang frowned deeply, leaned into the carriage, and lifted the curtain to get a good look at the person inside, who was currently taking out dried fruit from her pocket to eat. Confirming that she was safe and sound, her expression relaxed. She sat down in the carriage and said, “Back to the manor.”
Rong Guang clapped her hands, slowly chewing on a small piece of dried apricot. She looked at Chu Feiliang and said, “Is the General so worried about me?”
Chu Feiliang gave her a cold look, saying nothing.
Rong Guang wrinkled her nose and stopped talking. She lifted a part of the curtain, hooked it to the side, and rested her chin on her hand to watch the passing scenery.
Sure enough, in less than a moment, Chu Feiliang couldn’t hold back any longer.
She said coldly, “I warned you long ago that if you were summoned, you should find a place to hide first, and we would discuss everything after I returned to the manor.”
“Where was the opportunity for me to hide?” Rong Guang looked innocent and held out her hands. “I don’t know who your emperor father found, but they said it was a summons, yet they just tied me up and dragged me over. It’s a good thing I didn’t listen to you and try to run by climbing the wall. I saw it from below the wall—a whole row of trampled plants. If I had really jumped, by the time you rushed back, the grass on my grave would be two feet high.”
Chu Feiliang’s expression changed.
Rong Guang’s outstretched wrists were covered in red marks, and many spots were swollen.
Not only that, but in the areas covered by her sleeves, one could even see the frayed bits from a low-quality straw rope, with strands embedded in her flesh.
Chu Feiliang’s voice was strained. “You…”
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