Huayu: King of Kung Fu

Chapter 129 The Old Master Calls

Most of the most classic period martial arts films were made in the 1990s.

Since the turn of the century, only a few films such as "Brotherhood of Blades", "Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame", "Reign of Assassins", and "The Swordsman" have been worth watching.

The plot of "Brotherhood of Blades" is good, but the action is terrible.

None of the actors were trained as action actors, so the fight scenes were very perfunctory, which greatly dissatisfied Lin Hu.

Now, Yuen Woo-ping has mentioned that "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" will revive the popularity of period martial arts films and has suggested that Lam Ho make one.

Lin Hu felt that after making two modern films and one period film, it was time to make a period drama.

Then how about we bring out "Brotherhood of Blades"?

Using the original plot of "Brotherhood of Blades", adding a group of actors with martial arts skills, and having Yuen Woo-ping as the action choreographer, how could it not be good?

Lin Hu casually mentioned the concept of the film.

When Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty ascended the throne, the powerful eunuch Wei Zhongxian was wiped out by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

There were three sworn brothers in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the bravest and most upright, but each had his weaknesses.

The eldest brother hoped to be promoted to a centurion, the second brother wanted to redeem a famous courtesan from the brothel, and the third brother was being used against him.

In order to escape their predicament, the three brothers decided to accept the secret mission from the Eastern Depot's commander to assassinate Wei Zhongxian.

Lin Hu didn't go into too much detail, only giving a general overview, indicating that this was a story involving both the imperial court and the martial arts world.

Yuen Woo-ping has participated in the production of dozens of films and can distinguish between good and bad. Upon hearing the story, he immediately felt that it was very promising and expressed great interest.

With Yuen Woo-ping as the action choreographer, the film's action sequences were guaranteed to be top-notch. Lin Hu then suggested, "Brother Dan, how about you play the boss?"

Of the three brothers, the second brother is the main character, so Lin Hu is naturally left to himself.

Donnie Yen had already acted alongside Lin Hu once, so he didn't mind doing it a second time and immediately said, "Sure!"

"Then we've settled on this. However, we can't determine when it will be launched yet. You can go and take care of other things in the meantime."

"Okay, I just took on a project, I'll be back as soon as I'm done."

After dinner, everyone went back to the hotel to rest.

Their hotel wasn't far away, just across the street.

Lin Hu, having had a few drinks, suggested to Gao Yuanyuan, "Let's walk back and sober up!"

Gao Yuanyuan asked, "What if someone recognizes you?"

She was still shaken by the riots that had taken place during the day.

"Who would recognize me so late at night?"

"Oh well!"

Gao Yuanyuan also hoped to spend time alone with Lin Hu.

The two strolled hand in hand along the Yellow River Road.

In those days, Huanghe Road was the most bustling place in Shanghai. As far as the eye could see, it was packed with people, and taxis lined up all along the street.

The street was lined with restaurants on both sides, and neon signs were everywhere, each one bigger than the last.

The street, which is only a few hundred meters long, is lined with restaurants offering cuisines from all over the country. Whenever a new restaurant opens, celebrities are invited to cut the ribbon.

The two strolled slowly along with the crowd. Despite it being the dead of winter, they were both wearing down jackets with their hoods up, and no one recognized them.

In fact, the more bustling and prosperous a place is, the more freely they can wander around without worrying about being recognized, except at night.

Lin Hu bought a box of butterfly cookies, took one out, fed Gao Yuanyuan a bite, then ate the other half, praising, "Delicious!"

Gao Yuanyuan rolled her eyes at her, looked at the crowded people ahead, and said, "It's really lively here."

"Of course, it's said that this place is the face of Shanghainese people. If you don't do business on Huanghe Road, you're not sincere."

Gao Yuanyuan hummed in agreement, then suddenly said, "I really love the feeling of walking with you on the street, just like here right now..."

Lin Hu understood Gao Yuanyuan's meaning. If Gao Yuanyuan had been shameless enough to stay when Zhou Xun chose to leave, she might have become Lin Hu's official girlfriend.

By the time she realized what was happening and wanted to turn back, Lin Hu already had Fan Binbin, so she could only remain the other woman.

Although she accepted the status quo, she was unwilling to accept it deep down.

Lin Hu felt a little guilty towards her, and holding her hand, he said, "Yuanyuan, one day, I will hold your hand and walk openly and proudly down this street!"

Was this a promise or a lie? Lin Hu himself didn't know.

Gao Yuanyuan didn't know whether she believed it or not. She smiled sweetly and said, "I want to eat butterfly cookies."

Lin Hu took out a tablet and offered it to her, but Gao Yuanyuan said, "You eat one first, then feed me!"

On the crowded street, the two of them fed each other butterfly cookies, one bite for each other, feeling even sweeter than kissing.

After returning to Beijing, Lin Hu wrote the script and recruited a team to prepare for the film "Brotherhood of Blades".

To film a movie about the Embroidered Uniform Guards, the flying fish robes and embroidered spring knives are standard equipment, so we need to design them carefully.

He's a superstar now, and top figures in the industry are willing to work with him. Negotiations go relatively smoothly, it just depends on their schedules.

Regarding the cast, it's confirmed that Donnie Yen will play the eldest brother, he will play the second brother, and the third brother...

Lin Hu called Wang Baoqiang over and said, "Baoqiang, you've been with me for three years. Now I'm making a new film, and you'll play the role of the third brother!"

This is a bit strange. Why should he play the third brother after following him for three years?

Wang Baoqiang, however, was overjoyed. He wished he could kneel before Lin Hu and stammered, "Thank you—thank you—"

elder brother!"

"Hurry up!"

Wang Baoqiang grinned: "Thanks, brother!"

Lin Hu patted him on the shoulder: "Act well, don't embarrass me."

Wang Baoqiang followed Lin Hu, a kung fu superstar, and naturally debuted in action films.

However, given his physical appearance, it would be difficult for him to carry a kung fu film on his own.

Ultimately, he will have to return to the path he took in the original timeline.

Lin Hu finalized the role of Wang Baoqiang, and then, while he was with Gao Yuanyuan, he said to her, "You should play the female lead in this film!"

The original version of "Brotherhood of Blades" was highly praised after its release.

However, one aspect that has been heavily criticized is Liu Shishi's portrayal of Zhou Miaotong.

Viewers complained that her eyes were lifeless, like she was blind, and even gave her the nickname "Blind Sister".

Lin Hu thought that the role of Xia Jie could be played by the Third Sister.

As for Yuanyuan's acting skills, they're about the same as Shishi's, but she's even better looking.

Moreover, she is quite suitable for those pitiful roles, such as Zhou Zhiruo, who became a very popular character.

With Yuan Yuan in the role, the film's flaws have largely disappeared.

Gao Yuanyuan actually quite enjoyed filming with Lin Hu. It wasn't that she particularly loved filming, but rather that it allowed her to be with Lin Hu openly and legitimately.

So she readily agreed, "Okay!"

Now, the three brothers and the female lead have been confirmed, and the remaining important roles of Wei Zhongxian, Run Ge, and Zhao Jingzhong still need to be confirmed.

Lin Hu's requirement was that the martial arts in the martial arts films must be visually appealing, and the action films must be performed by action film actors, so the selection range was actually very narrow.

He was pondering who he should invite when he suddenly received a call from Zhang Yimou, who invited him for tea.

Lin Hu was taken aback, thinking to himself, "He's not looking for Li Lianjie, but me?"