Huayu Chunqiu, starting from being adopted by a fairy mother

Chapter 378 Whipping
Old Han remained silent; the living room was quiet.

He invited so many celebrities, and none of them asked for payment; they all came because of his reputation.

The favors we made in the past are now reaping the rewards.

Moreover, given his status as the head of China Film Group, he deserves to work for free.

But this little guy seems to be a troublemaker and doesn't really care about his pride.

Thinking about it carefully, it seems that he really didn't provide any help to the other party during their growth process or along the way.

By the time he offered help, it was already icing on the cake.

"Everyone is working for free." Xu Qing smiled, her spirits lifted.

"..." Liu Jing was a little confused. There were quite a few celebrities invited. Were they all going to work for free? Even if Jackie Chan was willing, Li Lianjie might not be.

It wasn't that he was disrespecting Lao Han, but rather that he genuinely hadn't considered that aspect.

"You're celebrating your mother's birthday, do you expect me to pay for it?" Old Han said matter-of-factly.

“Yes, it’s best to say so on this day,” Liu Jing said confidently.

He was experienced; Sisi was exactly that kind of person, always waiting for his and Sister Li's birthdays to ask for money. First, buy a bunch of gifts, worth at most a few thousand yuan, but the real goal is tens of millions—that's the real way to make a huge profit.

"One dollar for the film, take it or leave it," Old Han said irritably.

“I’m not a money-grubbing person. Forget about the pay. You promised me a few roles.” Liu Jing was very generous.

“Five, no, three. Whoever wants to make an appearance, you can recommend them to the crew.” Old Han held up one hand, then stingily bent down two fingers.

He sighed, "That's settled then, I have to rush to the next event."

"Uncle Han, there are many rooms here..." Liu Jing got up to see him off, casually trying to persuade him to stay.

"No, this is too scary, I'm afraid I'll have a heart attack." Old Han waved his hand, and when they reached the door, he explained in a low voice, "Don't worry about Gu Xiaomeng's problem. She was just being a little temperamental, she didn't mean anything by it."

"Sister Qing is a very sentimental person, and I, as her younger brother, dare not take offense," Liu Jing joked.

Old Han laughed heartily and left under Shen Ao's guidance.

The assistant director lived in another building and was also responsible for guarding the main entrance.

Liu Jing watched them go, then chuckled. "You treat her like a princess, and I treat her like a princess too. There's really nothing to mind."

"I never thought that someone as famous as Zhou Xun would be competing with her for a role." Zhao Xiaodao said with a wry smile. She used to think that competing for roles was limited to second- or third-tier actresses, and even to nobodies like them.

“Anyone would scramble for something that’s profitable, and Zhou Xun is no exception. Xu Qing is back from abroad and desperately needs to make her presence felt. With the entire Beijing entertainment circle backing her, what wouldn’t she dare to do?” Liu Jing remarked.

"Before becoming a chess player, even a movie queen is a chess piece, just a slightly bigger one," Zhao Xiaodao remarked.

"There are different levels of chess players." Liu Jing stretched and patted Zhao Xiaodao's head with his lowered hand. "You're really something, you even dare to scold Lao Han."

Zhao Xiaodao asked anxiously, "Big...Big Brother, he won't retaliate against me, will he?"

"Who do you think you are? He doesn't even want to know who you are," Liu Jing said dismissively.

Zhao Xiaodao took a deep breath, testing his lung capacity, and said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Liu Jing wasn't in the mood to sit in the living room and gather his emotions. He started climbing the steps, then suddenly stopped. "What are you standing there for? Come on up."

"You...you...I...I..." Zhao Xiaodao stammered, thinking that Liu Jing was going to eat her.

"What do you mean 'you'? What do I mean 'me'? Go wash that pile of clothes right now. Don't try to slack off, I need to wear them tomorrow." Liu Jing scolded, "I just helped you out, and now you're trying to get away with it?"

"Idiot! All you've got is a big radish, all you're good for is being a womanizer and a hollow shell," Zhao Xiaodao muttered under his breath.

The upstairs lights were dim, and the corridor was shadowy. Zhao Xiaodao, now acting like Zhao Xiaodan, followed closely behind Liu Jing.

The corridor light flickered, and she quickly grabbed Liu Jing's clothes, trying to suppress a scream.

She silently complained, "Where are the opera singers? Where are the drinkers? Where are the lines being practiced? Why are you all so quiet now?"
"Thank you."

A cigarette ember, two bright eyes, a cloud of white smoke, and a short figure.

The door was half open, and Zhou Xun leaned against the door frame, thanking them in a hoarse voice. She had overheard the conversation downstairs.

When Master Han arrived, she naturally had to go and greet him.

"what……"

A loud shout echoed throughout the building. Those performing opera, drinking, and practicing their lines all came out.

Zhao Xiaodao jumped onto Liu Jing's back, clung tightly to his neck, and burst into tears, "Big Radish, I want to go home, I don't want to film anymore..."

"Excuse me, I..." Zhou Xun was also quite frightened. This girl was very small, but her voice was loud.

"Zhao Xiaodao, are you trying to strangle me?" Liu Jing patted Zhao Xiaodao's buttocks. He finally found an advantage: it was firm and perky, and felt very good to the touch.

"Xiao Xun, what's wrong?"

After Zhao Liying's shout, Chen Kun was able to speak and walk normally again.

"It's nothing, I think I scared her." Zhou Xun said somewhat awkwardly.

"Hey! Don't be afraid, little girl, there are no ghosts or monsters in this house," Wang Zhiwen comforted her.

“Yes, they are all people,” Wu Gang emphasized.

Instead of offering comfort, Zhao Xiaodao cried even more miserably; a person scaring another is more frightening than a ghost.

Who are all these people in this room? They're either movie stars, popular actresses, or the hottest young actors; there's not a single normal one among them.

"I'm fine." As Zhao Xiaodao cried, he suddenly realized that if he wanted to become a movie star, he might have to go crazy like them first.

"I thought the director was bullying the little girl." Zeng Li glanced at Liu Jing, snorted lightly, and said with a hint of disdain.

Favorability +1
Liu Jing was dumbfounded. What was going on? Were they kidding him?

It increased a little yesterday, and increased a little more today, this...

"Xiao Xun, no matter what, you scared her to tears, so you should compensate her with two movies," Chen Kun joked.

"Okay." Zhao Liying wiped away her tears, and her crying stopped abruptly.

"..."

Everyone was stunned for a moment, looked at each other, and then burst into laughter.
-
Old Han left, and then Old Han came back; a week has already passed.

Snapped……

The whip lashed against the edge of the pool, and Old Han strained his face with force.

Snapped……

Another lash came down, and everyone trembled as if the whip had struck themselves.

Snapped……

Chen Kun stood off-screen, trembling. "If this were a real film, two lashes would cripple me."

After a dozen or so lashes, Old Han was sweating profusely when Shen Ao finally shouted, "Cut!"

"Phew! If this were back in my day, I could have given him dozens of lashes in one go." Old Han threw away the whip and wiped his hands with a towel.

"Okay! Xiao Dao, bring Commander a cup of tea and let Commander Zhang rest." Liu Jing sat behind the monitor, with Xiao Dao standing behind him, dutifully fulfilling his duties.

"Mineral water is fine, a cold one, please." Old Han wiped his sweat; cracking the whip was hard work too.

Today is the day Lao Han joined the crew, and also the day he leaves. Lao Han plays Commander Zhang, but he only has a few scenes.

There's a scene at Qiu Manor, a scene with Takeda, and a scene where he whips Bai Xiaonian.

Bai Xiaonian was suspected of being the "Old Ghost" and suffered a lot of torture. When he saw Commander Zhang, it was like seeing a relative. He called out "Commander" with a face full of grievance.

To his surprise, the commander did not stand up for him. Instead, he picked up a whip and began to lash out at him without saying a word.

The blow was real, but it didn't actually hit Chen Kun; instead, it hit the mannequin on the edge of the pool.

"Change the prop to a whip, and we'll continue filming in five minutes," Liu Jing instructed.

"This one didn't pass?" Old Han was astonished. How could something as simple as cracking a whip fail?
“Takeda suspected Commander Zhang, and Commander Zhang whipped Bai Xiaonian as a brave man cutting off his own arm to clear his name. Your whipping only had force, but not the ruthlessness and the pain,” Liu Jing explained.

"It hurts?" Old Han asked, puzzled.

"You're experienced with the relationship between Commander Zhang and Bai Xiaonian, so I don't need to spell it out. When you're cracking the whip, just treat that pond like a beloved concubine..."

"Alright, stop talking. I know what to do," Old Han interrupted. "If you keep talking, I'm afraid I'll beat you too."

When Lao Han returned to Qiuzhuang, he had a completely different feeling. The atmosphere here was extremely oppressive, and tension seemed to permeate the air.

"Give Commander Zhang a shorter whip; it'll be more effective when you whip him."

Liu Jing stroked his stubble; he should have Xiao Dao trim it that evening. To be fair, Xiao Dao's skills were quite good, as his nickname hadn't gone wrong.

"Roger that!" the props officer shouted, and everyone else quickly moved a couple of steps away from the director. On their first day at Qiu Manor, everyone thought Wang Zhiwen's smile was the most perverted.

Now that people's thinking has changed, the director's thoughts while stroking his stubble are the most perverse.

Old Han felt the same way, and he had high hopes for acting opposite Liu Jing today. "Don't underestimate me just because I haven't acted much," he thought, "I believe my acting skills are on par with those award-winning actors." He wanted to give it his all, to completely outshine Liu Jing, and show the young man what he was made of.

In order to play his scenes with Takeda well, he has been secretly practicing a lot lately.

It was indeed a complete thrashing. Liu Jing was in full force, dominating him from start to finish, and he was completely led by Liu Jing.

The scene was filmed three times, but Lao Han still felt his performance was too poor and asked for another take. The director refused, saying the third take was good enough, capturing Commander Zhang's outwardly fierce but inwardly weak demeanor.

Old Han was extremely frustrated; he found Liu Jing's praise of his acting skills very grating.

"Mr. Han, there's no more cold mineral water left."

"Room temperature is fine," Old Han said, not minding at all. He unscrewed the cap and took a couple of sips. "Your name is Zhao Liying?"

"I...I..." Zhao Xiaodao tensed up instantly. Was he still holding a grudge against me for scolding him? Should I tell him that I'm Da Luobo, no, Young Master Jing's woman?

She had just grasped the meaning of the phrase "using someone else's name to make a big deal out of nothing."

On the set of "The Message," she commanded more authority than the assistant director when dealing with the staff. She no longer experienced the harassment she often faced as an extra.

She had long understood the principle that it's good to have a big tree to lean on for shade.

In front of ordinary people, she could rely on Fan Xiaopang as a powerful figure. But when facing Lao Han, Fan Xiaopang was clearly not enough, and among all the people she knew, there was no one more powerful than Liu Jing.

"Don't be nervous. If that kid sees this, he'll think I bullied you. I'm just curious, what does 'Zhao Xiaodao' mean? How did you get such a nickname? Are you good with a knife?" Old Han was indeed curious. Liu Yifei was a famous female fighter, and in many interviews, she stated that her swordsmanship was taught by Liu Jing.

Now, Yang Mi and Liu Shishi have emerged. One has fierce punches and kicks, while the other's moves are as smooth as flowing water. Both of them say that Liu Jing taught them.

With the release of "Ip Man," Tang Yan rose to fame. After so many years of hard work, she finally had a classic role and was promoted to the ranks of second-tier actresses.

There are no fight scenes featuring her in the movie, but Donnie Yen mentions that Tang Yan also knows Wing Chun, having learned it from Liu Yifei. He said he fought Liu Yifei during the filming of "Painted Skin" and was no match for her.

When the audience listed Liu Jing's apprentices, Shu Chang and Jing Tian also jumped in. They said their master was Liu Yifei, and they were fellow disciples with Tang Yan, but not from the same sect as Liu Jing.

When Lao Han heard the nickname "Little Knife," he subconsciously associated it with martial arts. Could it be that Liu Jing taught him this too?
"My...knife skills are so-so," Zhao Xiaodao stammered. Her cooking skills were also average, but definitely better than Yang Mi's. On Christmas Day, she made Liu Jing a bowl of shredded pork noodles and heard this comment. The noodles were quite good, much better than Yang Mi's.

"President Han, how are the preparations going?" Shen Ao urged.

"no problem."

Zhao Xiaodao left in a hurry. Is the head of Chinese cinema really this gossipy? No wonder the film and television industry is so gossipy; I've found the root of the problem.

"What did he say to you?" Liu Jing wasn't blind; he had seen Lao Han and Xiao Dao chatting.

"He wanted me to learn martial arts."

"..." Old Han is meddling a bit too much. You can manage the movie, but what the actors study is none of your business, right?

“Action…”

Snapped……

With a loud "Ouch!", Old Han hugged his leg and yelled, interrupting Liu Jing's mutterings.

"Kakaka..."

"Third Master, are you alright?"

"Commander, are you injured?"

"Mr. Han, should we call a doctor?"

"Let's just call 120."

"Don't amputate."

A crowd gathered around, the whip shortened, and Old Han missed the dummy, the whip's end brushing against his own leg.

"Why call 120? Who said to call 120?" Old Han got anxious and glared at Wang Zhiwen. Don't think I'm deaf. I'm perfectly capable. You're the one who said amputation. This guy is cunning.

Wang Zhiwen chuckled and stepped aside.

When it comes to being perceptive, Chen Kun is the best; he simply brought over a chair.

"I'm fine, I just need a few minutes of rest." Old Han sat in the chair, rubbing his calves.

That was hasty; I shouldn't have volunteered for the role. Liu Jing is neither Lu Chuan nor Jiang Wen.

"Mr. Han, would you like me to find you an action coach?" Shen Ao asked as he approached.

"Does our crew have a martial arts choreographer?" Old Han said irritably. Did you really think I knew nothing? I know better than you what the "The Message" crew has.

"Our director is omnipotent, so we let him take on the role as a professional action choreographer," Tang Wei explained. This wasn't flattery, but a fact. There aren't many action scenes in the film, so there's no need to hire a professional action choreographer and spend extra money. When filming action scenes, either the actors themselves choreograph them, or Liu Jing designs them.

"My Kunqu Opera was guided by the director, who is also the opera instructor for our production team," Chen Kun quickly added, showing that he was observant of President Han and, of course, even more observant of the director.

After saying this, he didn't forget to ask Duan Yihong, "Old Duan, right?"

"The Empty City Strategy was directed by my junior colleague Zeng Li." Duan Yihong was very honest. Seemingly sensing that the atmosphere was not right, he added, "The director also gave some guidance, but my junior colleague Zeng Li gave more guidance."

"Haha, this whole set of needle torture was designed by the director. It's a brilliant idea. The director is very knowledgeable about ancient punishments. We even talked about the ancient punishment system, from the five punishments system of the Xia Dynasty to the eight categories of Qin law, and then... cough cough..." Wu Gang became more and more excited as he talked, but when he noticed that everyone's expressions were off, he coughed twice to end the conversation.

"The rope torture was also designed by the director." Zhou Xun said with a somber expression. She felt that this form of torture was very cruel to women, second only to the wooden donkey. Later, she flipped through the novel and found that the adaptation was actually kinder; the tortures in the novel were even crueler.

"Looks like Liu Jing was the torture director for 'The Message'." Old Han glanced at Liu Jing. Those twenty million yuan were well spent; director, lead actor, screenwriter, action director, opera director, torture director…

"Our director speaks Japanese very well, even better than Xiao Rizi," Tang Wei praised. She was genuinely grateful to Liu Jing, as the entire film and television industry avoided her like the plague, but Liu Jing took her in and made her his assistant director.

One person said something, another person said something, and Old Han rubbed his legs as everyone gathered around him to keep him entertained.

Zhao Xiaodao muttered to himself, "That's really realistic."

That's right! When producer Zhang Min arrived, a group of people surrounded her like this, asking her how she was doing.

When Lao Han joined the film crew, everyone treated him better than they had treated Zhang Min.

Huo Wenxi came on Christmas Eve; he was also an investor, and they just exchanged greetings. Eagle King was declining; a scandal at the beginning of the year had dashed its former glory. Furthermore, Huo Wenxi was only an agent, not the person in charge of Eagle King.

Two male actors who played Japanese attendants joined the crew the day before yesterday, and these people didn't even greet them, acting as if they didn't see them.

“Action…”

Old Han rested, but he didn't change his whip. He gritted his teeth, as if Taizi was his enemy.

pop... pop...

After a dozen or so strokes, Shen Ao shouted "Cut!" and Lao Han, panting, threw down the whip. He had had his fill this time.

"Again, the first few times were too weak," Liu Jing instructed.

Old Han didn't say anything this time; he understood what was going on. He was still a little scared after that whipping, so he hadn't dared to use his full strength in the first few lashes.

Once, twice, and once more.

On the seventh attempt, Old Han was panting heavily and could barely speak. "What... what happened this time?"

"Commander Zhang, why are you getting gentler as you hit him? You must have eaten a lot for lunch." Liu Jing frowned. They spent an entire afternoon filming a scene of whipping someone. How come Lao Han is so bad at it? Either he's using too much force, or he's too weak, or his expression is wrong.

He regretted it; he should have politely declined Lao Han's offer to play Commander Zhang. Any actor he picked would have been better than this one.

"I've never been whipped more in my entire life than I have today." Old Han regretted it too; his arms were weak, and his legs were definitely bruised.

"Ahem, Director, Mr. Han, how about we hit me? Let's film it real, wouldn't that be more realistic?" Chen Kun raised his hand and weakly offered a suggestion under the watchful eyes of the two big shots.

Liu Jing and Lao Han seemed to understand something, then shook their heads at the same time, "Never mind."

"I'm fine..." Chen Kun quickly explained.

"Commander Zhang, in a moment, don't treat the dummy as a dummy; imagine it's Bai Xiaonian. Your beloved, whom you can't bear to kill, yet you have no choice but to. It's a mixture of pain for Bai Xiaonian, hatred for Takeda, and..."

Old Han didn't want to listen anymore, so he waved his hand and said, "There's nothing else, let's get started, I'm in the zone."

"Mr. Han, should we..." Chen Kun was about to say something more, but Old Han didn't want to hear it.

"Shut up," Old Han snapped. He felt nauseous just hearing you talk. He'd heard this morning that even dogs disliked this guy, and now he didn't think it was an exaggeration at all.

"Action..." Shen Ao had barely finished speaking when Old Han took a deep breath and lashed out with his whip.

Snapped……

His face was filled with anger, annoyance, and hatred, his eyes were cold, and his hands were steady, accurate, and ruthless.

Several audience members who had been dozing off earlier suddenly perked up and watched with great interest.

Zhao Liying shuddered. Something was wrong with this film crew. The leaders from China Film Group, who seemed perfectly normal when they arrived, were now acting like freaks. What frightened her even more was that while Old Han's acting was freakish, the audience around her was even more so. Big Radish was stroking his beard, Wang Zhiwen was grinning broadly, Fan Wei's eyes were glazed over, Wu Gang even wiped his mouth, and Chen Kun looked completely infatuated…

Eek! Zhao Liying hugged her arms and shrank back. Of the entire crew, I was the only one who seemed normal.

(End of this chapter)