Huayu Chunqiu, starting from being adopted by a fairy mother

Chapter 324 Holding Tai'a Upside Down
"Jiang Wuyang, a true friend!"

"Young Master Jing, I'm truly impressed."

"Congratulations! The Warlords is a huge hit."

"Liu Jing, how did you film the scene of being slowly sliced ​​to death? You didn't actually use a knife to cut him, did you?"

"That's ruthless! I felt a pang of pain watching that scene."

"You're just feeling the pinch because of the movie ticket, aren't you?"

……

Liu Jingyi always arrives at the film set early, and many people arrive even earlier than him, greeting him in turn.

"The Warlords" has taken over from "Lust, Caution" and become another beautiful sight in cinemas.

A few days ago, Liu Jing got a dozen movie tickets, one for each person.

He originally wanted to take Qianqian to the movies last night, but she insisted on thanking Fan Xiaopang, so they couldn't go.

To give everyone time to watch the movie, the film crew made a point of wrapping up early yesterday.

Many people surrounded Liu Jing, asking about the story behind the scenes.

They are film and television professionals, but also viewers. After watching it, they were still very curious about some of the plot points.

"Ahem, what are you all doing? Aren't we filming today?" Chen Jiashang scolded.

Normally, when he, as the director, enters the venue, a large crowd gathers around him.

Today was different; he coughed several times, but everyone just glanced at him.

"Haha, if everyone still wants to see more, I'll get another batch of movie tickets tomorrow." Liu Jing laughed. Let alone a few hundred movie tickets, even a few thousand wouldn't be a big deal for him.

Based on everyone's discussion, he was quite pleased; his efforts this time had not been in vain.

With a little effort, he could potentially become a Best Actor winner.

"Liu Jing, when our 'Painted Skin' is released, don't forget to get a few more batches." Chen Jiashang's tone was sarcastic.

Both being directors who moved north to Beijing, seeing Peter Chan's success filled him with a mix of joy, envy, and disappointment.

This is a do-or-die situation for him. If "Painted Skin" fails, he will be left with no good outcome.

Since the beginning of the new century, co-productions between mainland China and Hong Kong and Taiwan have gradually become the mainstream. However, there are still some Hong Kong and Taiwanese filmmakers who believe that co-productions are simply to cater to the mainland market, sacrificing the local characteristics of Hong Kong films and abandoning the concept of free creation.

In 2003, the mainland and Hong Kong signed the CEPA trade agreement, which opened up broader opportunities for many industries in Hong Kong.

Chen Jiashang realized that a new opportunity had arrived for the film industry, and that this agreement would give wings to Chinese-language films and provide a new engine for the development of the film industry.

He used to be a director of Hong Kong gangster and police films, but this time he suddenly adapted the classic mainland novel "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio", which was criticized by many people in Hong Kong and Taiwan for "leaning towards mainland culture".

Before filming began for "Painted Skin," a Hong Kong and Taiwan producer publicly criticized, "Chen Jiashang has lost the soul of Hong Kong films and turned it into a CCTV drama."

What are the traditional characteristics of Hong Kong films? They are accustomed to a fast-paced, genre-driven, and low-cost model, represented by figures such as Tsui Hark and Fatty Wong.

Mainland productions are different; they feature large-scale scenes, big budgets, and high production values. They have everything you need: scenery, locations, people, and money. Directors enjoy making films there.

Filming periods often last several months, production processes are measured in years, and filming costs are in the tens of millions. In contrast, Hong Kong films typically cost less than five million yuan.

That's not all; Chen Jiashang broke the unspoken rules of Hong Kong and Taiwan film production.

In the past, whether it was a film made in Hong Kong and Taiwan or a co-production, Hong Kong and Taiwan male leads were always used, and mainland actors had to play supporting roles to carry the Hong Kong and Taiwan stars.

This time, Chen Jiashang was very bold, abandoning Hong Kong and Taiwan stars. All five main actors, except for Donnie Yen, are mainland actors.

An investor from Taiwan recommended Ruby Lin to play the role of Pei Rong, but Chen Chia-shang rejected it, sparking strong dissatisfaction from Taiwanese media.

There's still a lot of negative news over there, criticizing the casting of "Painted Skin," condemning director Chen Jiashang, criticizing Liu Yifei for not being able to play a fox spirit, and criticizing Fan Bingbing for not being able to play a virtuous wife.

Some people initially criticized Liu Jing for not being able to play a general, but with the release of "The Sacred Flame" and "The Warlords," these voices gradually faded away.

Apart from the actors, the special effects, costumes, production, and everything else were all handled by mainland Chinese companies.

The Hong Kong Film Workers Union protested that co-productions had poached local talent, with a large number of Hong Kong and Taiwan film and television professionals following suit and moving north, leaving local producers without a pool of talent.

Previously, when Chen Jiashang and Liu Jing were drinking, Chen Jiashang remarked, "The era of Hong Kong films' unbridled growth is coming to an end, and another golden age of the film industry is about to arrive. I don't know if this time is a mistake, but if we don't take this step, we'll never know if it's right or wrong. I hope it's wrong, but I hope it's right even more..."

Liu Jing believes Chen Jiashang's analysis is very accurate. As the first person to bravely take this step, Liu Jing admires the director.

He has already extended an olive branch to Chen Jiashang; Golden Harvest needs a director like him.

With the success of "The Sacred Flame Token", the once-fallen banner of Golden Harvest has been raised again.

2008 was an Olympic year, a year in which the world rediscovered China.

Golden Harvest is ambitious, with various plans ready to be launched. Departments are being rebuilt from scratch, and the cinema chain is being fully upgraded. It is also a year in which the film industry is rediscovering Golden Harvest.

"Don't worry! Chunqiu will pick a few movie theaters, and I'll book the whole theater," Liu Jing promised.

"Um! I think the flagship store in Chunqiu Times Square is pretty good." Chen Jiashang said with a smile.

"goodbye!"

Liu Jing took filming seriously, even wearing the armor that made him look like he was on a hot plate.

Sisi was studying the script at the hotel. She didn't have many scenes here, but there were many dialogue scenes in the palace, which would be a test for her.

Fan Xiaopang ate a lot last night and didn't go to sleep until 5 a.m. He then took a nap at the hotel during the day.

No one was surprised; this woman had been catching up on sleep at the hotel for a few days.

As the sun gradually moved westward, Fan Xiaopang arrived at the film set and quietly sat in a corner to watch.

She joined the crew early not to drink with Xixi, but to gather her strength and prepare her emotions.

The scene in the Prince's mansion where she confronts Sissi is a great test of her acting skills.

Just as it was time to wrap up, Sisi arrived right on time.

She was very excited to see Xiao Fan. "Sister Bing, 'The Warlords' has been released and grossed over 1600 million yuan. Tonight, it's my treat. Let's watch the movie first, and then celebrate properly. We won't leave until we're drunk!"

Fan Xiaopang paused for three seconds, "It is indeed worth celebrating, but when 'The Sacred Flame' was released, its box office was only over 1700 million on the first day."

“That’s different. ‘The Sacred Flame’ is released on Friday, while ‘The Warlords’ is released on Wednesday,” Sisi explained.

Fan Xiaopang smiled and said, "Okay! You treat me to a movie tonight, and I'll treat you to dinner. But it can't be too late; I have a scene to film tomorrow, and I need to get up early to do my makeup."

"Okay." Sisi was disappointed; it was a valid reason. Maybe they shouldn't watch the movie at all.

That evening, Fan Xiaopang invited Qianqian to a movie, but Liu Jing did not go.

The screenwriter of "Chinese Paladin 3" urged him to provide feedback on version 2.1, and he needed to respond as soon as possible.

Sissi also has scenes tomorrow. The two of them came back early and didn't have a second showing after watching the movie.

Liu Jing was very honest and didn't touch anyone.

The two women were quite well-behaved; one was in no mood for anything, and the other was already full.

Filming continued the next day, and "The Warlords" once again grossed tens of millions at the box office, causing Liu Jing to receive more phone calls.

Liu Jing doesn't have many scenes here, and he'll be leaving the set in a few days.

Sisi arrived early, wanting to see Fan Xiaopang's makeup, but unfortunately, Fan Xiaopang hadn't arrived by the time filming started.

It wasn't that she was late; it was that her scene was in the afternoon.

“Action…”

They would sacrifice their lives for their fathers and mothers.

I shed my blood to repay my hometown.

I traveled ten thousand miles, slaying bandits, all to save my beloved.

Wearing golden armor, they grow stronger when faced with the strongest opponent.

Listening to the folk song that was a mix of classical and vernacular Chinese, Wang Sheng looked relaxed and occasionally glanced back at Xiao Wei beside him.

Xiao Wei smiled broadly, seemingly quite pleased with the occasion.

"Crack! Pass this one, dismount now."

A simple scene took a whole morning to film.

Sisi jumped off her horse immediately. She often rode horses with Liu Jing, so she was quite good at horseback riding.

"Director, has Sister Bing arrived yet?"

"She's here, getting her makeup done."

Sisi couldn't wait any longer. She chuckled twice, rolled up her sleeves, and ran to the dressing room.

"Liu Jing, what are you doing? That's the women's dressing room," Chen Jiashang called out quickly.

"You need something from me, right?" Liu Jing muttered. It's not like I haven't been there before, and I've never seen you call out to me.

"Hey Liu Jing, I heard that Qianqian and Fan Bingbing drink every night?" Chen Jiashang asked, troubled.

"What? You have a problem with them getting along well?" Liu Jing asked with a gloomy expression.

"Ahem, I'm worried that their confrontation scenes will affect their performance if they act like this off-screen," Chen Jiashang quickly explained.

He witnessed firsthand the relationship between Xixi and Liu Jing.

There have been many rumors about Fan Xiaopang and Liu Jing, but there's definitely something going on between them, according to what Cheng Long told him.

Before filming began, he had dinner with Cheng Long, who earnestly told him, "Fan Bingbing is indeed very beautiful, but don't touch her. Liu Jing is petty; if anyone touches his woman, he'll really turn on them."

"I'll remind them," Liu Jing said, also troubled.

Sisi's wicked intentions remained unresolved, as if she were possessed. He hadn't enjoyed the blessings of having multiple wives, and the troubles lingered in his heart. He was very distressed; he couldn't reason with her, couldn't be persuaded by force, and couldn't be scolded. He even considered convincing Fan Xiaopang to take the photo.

This was easy to convince him, since Xiao Fan had done it before and was very familiar with the process.

Zhang Min already has her information; it doesn't matter if Qianqian has an extra copy.

"I heard from our cinematographer Huang Yuetai that you were the one who shot several scenes that brought Gao Yuanyuan to life during the filming of 'The Warlords.' I'm entrusting these two to you. The success of this film depends on whether we can get their emotions moving; the confrontation between the two of them is crucial," Chen Jiashang instructed.

"Do you have anything else to do?" Liu Jing already had a plan in mind and wasn't worried about this at all.

It's extremely difficult to make two women as close as sisters.

But it's incredibly easy to turn the two into adversaries.

If he so much as teases them, the two will surely become like oil and water.

He didn't even need to stir things up; the two women prepared themselves mentally, let go of their inhibitions, and were ready to deliver a powerful performance.

"Double Bone Dragon, ugh, Cheng Long couldn't get through to you on the phone, so he contacted the film crew. He needs to talk to you. Call him back when you have time, otherwise it's fine." Chen Jiashang felt much more relieved seeing Liu Jing's expression.

"Okay, I'll reply to him now."

When Liu Jing is filming, he either turns off his phone or hands it to his assistant.

This assistant is a proper assistant; he has his own team, but they are only responsible for his work.

One phone call was made, and Cheng Long answered instantly.

There were plenty of pleasantries and congratulations, and after a few minutes of casual conversation, we got down to business.

After discussing the main topic for several minutes, it all boils down to one sentence: Jackie Chan agreed to film "The Myth 2".

"Tch! That old fox really won't act until he sees the rabbit. He only remembered this because 'The Sacred Flame' and 'The Warlords' did well at the box office." Liu Jing hung up the phone, laughing heartily.

"Wood, come here quickly."

"Coming."

Coming!

They have indeed arrived.

With Qianqian's help, Fan Xiaopang walked out of the dressing room.

Her hair was styled in a high bun, adorned with silver and pearl hairpins, with delicate chains hanging on either side. While exuding nobility, it also gave off a sense of constraint, as if she were wearing an invisible shackle.

A jade belt cinched at her waist accentuated her slender figure. She wore a purple, cross-collared ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with dark gold fretwork embroidered on the lapel—a symbol of her noble family background.

She had willow-leaf eyebrows, matte red lips that weren't gaudy, and a beauty mark under her eye.

He holds a round fan with a broken peony embroidered on the surface.

Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating her jade-like face, a beauty that took one's breath away.

"You surprised me." Liu Jing breathed a sigh of relief.

In his memory, the ancient costume roles played by Fan Xiaopang were either maids like Jin Suo, or cute and playful Xiao Qingting, or beautiful and charming Yang Guifei, or proud and arrogant Jinmaoshu, or Su Daji who brought disaster to the country.

She has played many roles in period dramas, all of which are known for their beauty; she has never played a dignified wife.

Liu Jing was very worried that she couldn't handle such a role.

Seeing this makeup and posture now, I'm completely relieved. She possesses both stunning beauty and tragic charm, elegance and grace, creating a powerful visual impact.

This is Pei Rong's normal state; initially, she was a virtuous wife and loving mother.

In the middle of the story, a demonic transformation occurs, and in the later stages, the demon transforms to atone for its sins, accompanied by a different makeup style.

Liu Jing had seen three different makeup looks and was secretly impressed by the director's design.

Fully leveraging Fan Xiaopang's striking good looks, the three stages of Pei Rong's "suppression-explosion-destruction" are transformed into visual symbols, creating a unique female protagonist.

"I won't let you down." Fan Xiaopang smiled slightly. Since I've sworn to be your sharp blade, I naturally have to have some ability.

Sisi had almost given up on the idea of ​​getting Fan Xiaopang drunk, but after drinking for a few days, she gained two pounds.

Gaining weight is always easy, but losing it is never simple.

"Sister Bing, your makeup is really stylish. You look like a perfect wife and mother. I'll treat you to dinner tonight so I can ask you for some tips." Qianqian was annoyed by their conversation, as if she had become an outsider.

Fan Xiaopang's bright smile froze instantly. My goodness, another round? Fine! I'll just get drunk tonight, otherwise this will never end.

With Liu Jing around, you can drink as much as you want, drink with peace of mind, and drink freely without any worries.

"Okay! It's my treat tonight. Thank you for getting this role for me." After thinking it over, Fan Xiaopang readily agreed.

One was intentional, the other unintentional; Xixi's alcohol tolerance had increased, and she actually got Fan Xiaopang drunk.

Liu Jing had also drunk quite a bit, and Xixi felt that he should have entered a blackout state.

The last time she was able to successfully photograph Liu Shishi, it was because Liu Shishi had drunk too much, and she helped her to the bedroom.

Fan Xiaopang was also drunk this time, and although he staggered, he still made it back to his room without incident.

After Sisi finished showering and was about to make her move, she realized she didn't have a room key to get into the house.

Knocking on the door to wake them up? How can we film that then?

Looking for Fan Xiaopang's assistant? Haha, you're asking for trouble.

There was a photographer, a director, and the male lead was missing, but the female lead was also absent, so the operation failed once again.

She complained bitterly to Liu Jing, "How could you be so incompetent? You didn't even have a room key for Fan Xiaopang's room. With your abilities, how are you going to ever cheat on me again?"

The next day, the two women slept for most of the day at the hotel. Since no one was going to treat them to dinner that night, they needed to rest.

Bai Bing arrived, bringing a lot of news for the boss.

With the popularity of "The Warlords", many people wanted to collaborate with Liu Jing, and various invitations followed.

Her assistant can handle some things, but there are some she really can't.

A certain company offered 20 million yuan to have Liu Jing endorse its brand.

A certain director approached Liu Jing to act in a film, tailoring a role specifically for him.

A certain event invited Liu Jing to attend; it's high-class and the price is high.

A certain TV station is preparing for a gala...

I could handle all of these junior assistants, but I refused them all with reasonable excuses.

The 2008 Spring Festival Gala was being prepared, and an invitation was extended to Liu Jing, hoping that he could perform on stage.

An invitation had already been extended last year, but Liu Jing declined, citing that he was filming a movie at the time.

The assistant dared not refuse the invitation again this year. She couldn't participate last year mainly because the boss didn't know what song to sing, a regret she'd always felt.

Liu Jing sighed and told his assistant to decline, citing filming commitments. They could always find a time if they squeezed in some work. But he couldn't go anywhere this year because he had to go to the US to be with his wife during her pregnancy.

Zhang Min's due date is in February, which happens to be the New Year, so he plans to take Qianqian there to celebrate the New Year.

The filming of his scenes in "Painted Skin" was done ahead of schedule in order to wrap up filming earlier.

So, with Xixi acting this way these past few days, Liu Jing dared not say anything.

It's perfectly acceptable for Sisi to express whatever emotions she wants.

But he gradually realized that something was wrong, and it seemed that it wasn't just because Zhang Min was about to give birth.

Chen Jiashang saw only superficial harmony; what he saw was a fierce confrontation.

Liu Jing has no immediate plans to resolve this issue; this situation is conducive to filming.

Seeing that Liu Jing was about to leave the group temporarily, Qianqian kept quiet for two days and then extended another invitation, "Sister Bing, the South Korean presidential election has started. I'll treat you to dinner tonight so we can celebrate. I'll also call Mengdie and talk about Inception."

This time she was well-prepared, having learned from her experience, and even ordered Liu Jing to get her a room key.

Fan Xiaopang sighed, "Qianqian, I'm on my period. Is something wrong? We're not enemies, let's be frank. If I've done anything wrong, just tell me."

"What could I possibly have to do? I just want to have a drink." Sisi smiled politely. "We're nothing but wooden idiots."

Originally, you went your sunny path and I went my narrow bridge, but our paths crossed because of a man.

Liu Jing and Fan Xiaopang exchanged a glance, their smiles clearly genuine.

Fan Xiaopang stepped forward and helped Qianqian tidy her wind-blown hair. "Qianqian, in my heart, you're like a younger sister. I have no intention of competing with you for Liu Jing, not before, and not in the future. To be honest, I envy you. But envy aside, you are still you, and I am still me. We do have a secret relationship, I won't lie to you about that. There's no such thing as pure friendship between men and women; our physical relationship is also the basis of our cooperation. I crave money and status; I want to climb up, I've always wanted to. Liu Jing can help me achieve this wish, and all I can do is work for him and let him enjoy this body. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement; you can consider us business partners. Liu Jing will always be yours; no one can take him away from you."

"Is that so?" Sisi snorted softly.

She did feel a sense of crisis. She used to think that the wood was hers and that no one could take it away from her no matter what.

Letting you touch some jade dew is my reward to you.

"The Yin-Yang Sacred Fire Order" was a huge hit, and Liu Jing's directorial debut propelled him into the 100 million yuan box office club.

Before, he was just an actor; from that moment on, actor was just another label for Liu Jing.

These actresses in the entertainment industry pounced on Liu Jing like cats smelling fish.

These people don't seek titles or positions of power; they just want resources.

No matter how powerful Spring and Autumn, Jiahe, and Qin Shi are, with Sister Li in the open, they can only see but not touch.

But the director with a budget of 100 million yuan belongs to Liu Jing, and they can see and benefit from it.

"Here's a USB drive for you. The password is Wood's birthday. I hope you can get a good night's sleep." Fan Xiaopang smiled, touched Qianqian's cheek, and put the USB drive into Qianqian's hand. "Keep it safe and don't lose it, or I definitely won't be able to sleep."

Holy crap! They've turned the Tai'a sword upside down and handed it over to Chu!
Liu Jing was shocked. This woman was ruthless, even to herself.

(End of this chapter)