Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 9 Yin Zhiping

Zhang Jizhong and Lu Kuan sat facing each other in the RV. On the narrow square table was a cup of Dafo Longjing tea that Big Huzi had bought while filming in Xinchang, Zhejiang Province.

Lu Kuan smiled and thanked the bearded man for his courtesy, then sipped his tea leisurely.

"Not bad!" He took a sip of tea.

"It's fresh, mellow, sweet, and refreshing, and the soup is a bright apricot green, though the water is a bit rough."

Zhang Jizhong gave the young Taoist priest a thumbs-up: "Master Lu is knowledgeable. I was planning to go to Dayang Mountain in Suzhou to fetch some spring water to make tea, but... "

"Oh... I'm really exhausted right now."

Lu Kuan smiled noncommittally. He had already learned what had happened from Jiang Qinqin's phone call.

It was because a set of ropes from the props team had aged and scraped against the sharp rocks of Tiger Hill, which caused the hero Guo Jing to turn into a bear.

Listening to the change in the way the bearded man addressed him from Master Lu to Master Lu, he thought it was time to settle the battle profits.

Well, Master Benlu will clean up your memory and then plant a Trojan horse in your head!

"Master Lu, 300,000 yuan in consulting fees is not a problem. What do you think about the other aspects?"

Lu Kuan sighed deeply, his face troubled. "It was effortless three days ago, but now there are twists and turns, and resolving it won't be easy."

Zhang Jizhong's face looked a little grim. Was this going to be another escalation?

He wanted to ask the other party to get out of the car, but he didn't want to cause any more trouble at the last minute when the crew was sprinting.

Every day the progress is delayed costs hundreds of thousands of dollars in personnel expenses, and it also affects the post-production time and the release schedule.

Choosing the lesser of two evils, he patiently said, "Three hundred and fifty thousand. Master Lu, please take care of everything!"

Lu Kuan laughed dumbly, looking surprised. "Director Zhang, you're being too kind. This isn't about the money. I just have a small request."

"I want to play a role in the play, I wonder if it's possible?"

"Hmm? Please speak?" The bearded man was a little surprised. He didn't expect that the outsider had such a strong addiction to acting.

"Yin Zhiping, I'll be playing myself, you can find someone else to try out for the role."

Zhang Jizhong was a little speechless: "This..."

He cast aside the filter of religious mystery and observed the young man in front of him in casual clothes. From his appearance to his temperament, it was no exaggeration to say that he was outstanding.

When I think about the request he made, it is so appropriate.

Yin Zhiping only appears in two or three episodes in the entire drama, and his role is not important, but it is a role with lines, actions and close-ups, which is perfect for a newcomer to test the waters.

This is clearly a deliberate plan, with every move on one's part carefully considered.

What a scheming person.

Zhang Jizhong picked up his teacup and said with a smile, "It seems that Taoist Lu still has a dream of becoming an actor?"

Lu Kuan pretended to be profound and said, "The so-called straight heart is the Dao field. When a Taoist priest comes down from the mountain, he must experience the world of mortals."

"In this vast world, the entertainment industry is dirty, mercenary, complicated, and full of beautiful women and skeletons. It fits perfectly."

Human nature is evil, and every top circle is bound to harbor filth, but the entertainment industry is particularly prominent under the spotlight.

Zhang Jizhong was a little hesitant and said that he was deliberately mysterious and cunning, but the judgments and predictions of the two events were so mysterious that people had to believe them.

It is said that he has an ethereal air and is not worldly, yet he is willing to get involved in the mundane affairs of the crew and actors. How can this be the behavior of a hermit?
Lu Kuan laughed and said, "Director Zhang, don't worry too much. It's the 21st century. The identity of a Taoist priest is not something I can put on the public. I have to make more preparations for the future." This was what he really thought. As the saying goes, "The right way to unite, the unusual way to win." He couldn't always rely on this mysterious behavior to make friends with all parties. He had to use his occasional inspiration at the critical moment, otherwise there would be too many loopholes!

Starting as an actor and getting involved in the game, taking advantage of the fact that people in the circle are keen on supernatural things to mix resources, and maneuvering in this society of capital and human relations is the right way. The identity of a Taoist priest can only be used as a cover and is not worthy of being in a respectable position.

Zhang Jizhong didn't care whether his words were true or not. Anyway, such a small role would only appear for less than 20 minutes, so he just gave it to him. The most important thing now was to restart the suspended crew.

Lu Kuan also took the money and gave Da Huzi some advice from a public relations perspective: "Li Yapeng is injured and hospitalized, and Zhou Xun is emotionally unstable. Reporters will definitely come to hear the news. The crew must be prepared to deal with public opinion."

"You mean?"

"They hyped up the story of them falling in love on set to overshadow the negative news about filming delays and injuries to the main cast, just to stir up the heat."

Zhang Jizhong looked at him in astonishment. This was not a very clever move, but a common hype tactic used by the crew. However, it was still very strange coming from the mouth of a young Taoist priest who had just entered the entertainment industry.

But I have to admit that it is the best solution at present.

"Also, Director Zhang can privately inform Li Yapeng's current girlfriend, Qu Ying, the sooner the better."

Lu Kuan leisurely blew the floating leaves in the teacup, throwing this dirty work to the bearded man without any psychological pressure. He believed that the other party would make the best choice.

With the hype he used in several previous Jin Yong adaptations, it would be strange if he didn't seize the opportunity to hype up the love triangle to a blast and warm up for "The Legend of the Condor Heroes"!
With a "clang", the teacup in Zhang Jizhong's hand slipped, and the tea spilled everywhere, wetting the small table.

The road is wide, but your heart is dirtier than mine!

It seems that since people got to know this little Taoist priest, he has been constantly refreshing people's perception of him.

Now it was as if everything was shrouded in mist and fog, making it impossible for Zhang Jizhong to see his true face.

But one thing is certain, this is a smart person, and it is always right to make friends with smart people.

As for the original actor Cheng Haofeng, he naturally became a victim of the dirty deal.

It's not surprising that the strong prey on the weak.
-
The crew's studio.

"What? You? Yin Zhiping?"

Jiang Qinqin was a little bit incredulous. She didn't know whether she was crazy or the world was crazy.

Taoist priests have all come down from the mountains and entered the entertainment industry.

"Ahem..." Lu Kuan clenched his fist and coughed twice, feigning anger and saying, "Sister Jiang, do you think my image is not up to par?"

She just felt it was a little too sudden.

She was still shocked by his mysterious predictions just a second ago, but now he seemed to have fallen back to earth and become a person in the entertainment industry who was as keen on progress as she was.

Jiang Qinqin slapped his arm in annoyance, and then saw directors Zhang Jizhong, Ju Jueliang and others walk into the studio.

"Is this an audition for you?" Jiang Qinqin finally believed what he said.

The crew stopped working again today, and the only reason all these directors were present was because of what Lu Kuan had just said.

Everything was ready. Lu Kuan changed into his costume and hardly needed any makeup, exuding an otherworldly Taoist aura.

Zhou Jie plays Guo Jing and performs a letter-delivering scene in a yurt.

"Your name is Guo Jing, right?"

Lu Kuan looked arrogant, glanced at the young man coming out of the yurt, and challenged him with a look of disdain.

(End of this chapter)