I'm not mentally ill, I'm a master of a thousand faces!

Chapter 423, Loyalty, Loyalty!

Hahahaha

Xie Qingya laughed so hard she was shaking.

Her allure and aloofness were just a facade.

Beneath this disguise.

It is unparalleled ambition.

An ambition that few people can see.

Her beautiful appearance and temperament.

It is indeed a disguise.

"Many men say they 'understand me,' but you're the first one who truly understands me," Xie Qingya said calmly. "Many times, men think that women can only achieve success and status through their looks, figure, and family background. But few people realize that we can also obtain everything in this world through our own wisdom."

"Wisdom, ambition, desire. I want to be the president of Huaying Film Studio. I want to dominate, master, and control."

And they want to dominate, master, and control.

Her stance is absolutely contrary to the world of Hollywood.

This contradicts Wang Chen's views.

So, don't lose.

"Guan Yu, she wants you."

"I am not Guan Yu, I am Li Yun."

"To her, who is Cao Cao, aren't you just like Guan Yu? Hahaha! She wants to control, dominate, and even control you," the director's personality teased Li Yun from the side.

You are the object of a woman's desire to 'control and dominate'.

This is definitely not a compliment.

"I am Li Yun, I am Kongming, I am Lü Bu, but I am definitely not Guan Yu." Li Yun said calmly, "I have no sense of loyalty to my lord, I only follow my inner desires."

From the perspective of one's inner desires.

Li Yun felt that he should be more like Lü Bu.

That kind of thought, the pursuit of desires in one's heart.

But it has Kongming's bottom line and morality.

Perhaps I don't actually only want to be like Lu Bu or Zhuge Liang; I just want to be a regional overlord.

Whatever.

at this time.

Li Yun then went to the set of "Bodyguards and Assassins".

Although the main setting of "Bodyguards and Assassins" is Hong Kong, it was actually filmed in Shanghai, where a movie city was built to recreate the scenes of the Hong Kong dock area.

The cost of achieving a 1:1 absolute reproduction was nearly 80 million.

Thanks to this, this project has been able to have a script since the 90s, and it's been 10 years now.

It took 20 years for this project to be approved and for filming to begin.

At this point, Chen Kexin, as the producer, screenwriter, and supervisor, arrived.

He was a little nervous too.

After all, he spent fifteen years working on this script.

How many fifteen-year periods are there in a lifetime?

Regarding the siege of October.

There is also the awareness that one can only allow oneself to succeed and not to fail.

Although Li Yunlai was hired as the director.

In reality, Chen Kexin does not intend to relinquish too much of his power.

This is his own script.

A script that took fifteen years of painstaking effort to create.

I simply don't have time to worry about much right now, which is why I thought of asking Li Yun for help.

And Li Yun's strength is indeed beyond doubt.

Window on Asian Cinema

And then there's the currently popular film, "Let the Bullets Fly".

This undoubtedly proves one thing.

For the director profession.

For the acting profession.

Li Yun's strength is beyond doubt.

Even veteran powerhouse Li Mo was slightly inferior to him.

old.

This is a new era.

I wonder if the new era's sailboat can catch up with this old friend.

The future is unknown.

But "Bodyguards and Assassins" is a sharp sword.

They should be able to deliver a devastating blow to the Chinese entertainment film industry.

Leave your mark with your own light and shadow.

Then, everything that was meant to come arrived.

The cast.

It can be described as luxurious.

This ensemble film features Donnie Yen as Master Yen, Wang Xueqi as Master Yen, and Fan Bingbing as Fan Bingbing from Golden Harvest.

There are also various celebrities and actors.

Even big names like Jacky Cheung and Tony Leung Ka-fai made cameo appearances here.

In two words: connections.

Two words: face.

Xie Qingya had enough face and connections in her eyes, and was a representative of Huaying's faction.

A woman who may become the president of China Film Group in the future.

Although, at present, the probability is not very high.

But her connections and her voice still play a decisive role here.

But about placing bets.

They were always running back and forth.

Moreover, she was in charge of internal investment, unlike her rival Wang Chen, who was in charge of foreign investment.

The budget for the lineup and appearance.

When all of this comes together in this star-studded lineup.

A minor problem will then arise.

When many masters gathered here.

Who can truly submit to whom?

"This time, I feel that the biggest problem is not external, but internal."

Xie Tingfeng clicked his tongue at this moment.

The problems with an All-Star roster.

It's basically that nobody will submit to anyone else.

"I think there are quite a few external problems as well. Emperor Entertainment withdrew its investment," Zhen Zidan said at that moment.

There aren't many reasons why the investment was withdrawn.

Large companies rarely withdraw their investments for a single reason.

Rather, it is a comprehensive judgment based on multiple reasons.

To determine that a certain film is not worth investing in.

Or rather, the risk is very high.

It's as big as using cold, hard calculations to determine the rate of return on investment.

It's not even as good as depositing it in a bank.

"So, sir, you now know why Emperor Entertainment Group is withdrawing its investment?"

"It's simple, they just don't have high hopes for it. They don't have high hopes for this patriotic film called 'Bodyguards and Assassins'," Donnie Yen joked. "They have a new way to invest."

It's not just actors and directors who want to go to Hollywood.

Investors also want to go there.

At the very least, we should try to do something that combines Chinese and Western elements.

This is an inevitable trend.

When resources become increasingly concentrated, small and medium-sized directors have reached a point where they have nowhere to turn.

"Hmph, is Hollywood really that good? Not necessarily. I think that if there's enough money to invest in domestic films, they can definitely make good ones too." Xie Tingfeng surprisingly had a bit of a rebellious spirit.

"Haha, that's not something we need to focus on. We just need to make good films, do our own thing well, and present the films. Good films don't care if they're from Hollywood or China."

The veteran actor Wang Xueqi standing next to him didn't have as much of a grudge or conflict.

He felt that pursuing the art itself in a work was more important.

And the script for "Bodyguards and Assassins".

He felt it could be considered a "good work".

While it doesn't quite reach the level of "excellent," it's still pretty good. With this cast, the film's final quality should reach a decent level.

It all depends on whether the directing team and the acting team can bring the script to an "excellent" level.

The directing team.

Li Yun.

One of the lead actors, Li Yun.

This young, hot young star.

A celebrity who also holds a prominent position in mainland China.

A "big star" in Hong Kong's entertainment circle.

Actually, the people who feel most connected to Li Yun are probably Donnie Yen and Nicholas Tse.

One was a former partner, and the other was a former rival.

In a daze.

They were still vying for supremacy yesterday.

But now, the other side has surpassed him.

As a director.

As an actor.

To stand on the same stage as big stars like Wang Xueqi.

That's truly admirable.

If we have to talk about status...

Today, Li Yun is definitely on par with Donnie Yen, a middle-aged martial arts actor.

It's important to know that Donnie Yen is a top martial arts star in Hong Kong and even mainland China.

One of the top ones.

In terms of status now, they have all reached the level of "big stars".

We first met in "SPL: Sha Po Lang".

Then came "Ip Man".

And now, there's "Bodyguards and Assassins".

"A scholar who has been away for three days should be looked at with new eyes." Now, we are on equal footing, and now, in addition to my achievements as a director.

Needless to say, Xie Tingfeng is also from the younger generation.

They were rivals back then.

But now.

At this moment, Xie Tingfengfeng said.

Do you think he's good enough to be a director?

"If nothing unexpected happens, he can," Zhen Zidan paused and said, "I think he can."

"I don't think so. In fact, I think his decision to become a director is the main reason why Emperor Entertainment withdrew its investment."

Xie Tingfeng said, "I remember that the director of 'Bodyguards and Assassins' was originally supposed to be Chen Desheng, but now it has been changed to a director who is not as experienced."

Chen Desheng's resume is even better. His film "Black Mask" in the last century, as the first superhero movie in China, also achieved remarkable success.

"Experience can explain the past era, but it cannot determine the achievements of the new era. Li Yun, his films, are at least on the path of pursuing the new era." At this moment, Donnie Yen shook his head.

but.

Li Yun's problem probably lies in his preference for comedy, romance/art films, and action films.

He had tried and proven all of these elements.

Like the movie "Bodyguards and Assassins" right in front of us.

It is a combination of commercial action and mainstream storyline, and it also has a profound core.

Even if we take a step back and assume that someone with strong control is indeed needed to manage the film, it is still necessary.

To bring together those complex elements.

To present and express it.

This is definitely not an easy task.

There are no comedic elements in "Bodyguards and Assassins".

There was no delicate emotion involved either.

He was very rugged.

It was so rugged it was unbelievable.

A very serious situation.

Profound, heavy, profound.

if you can.

Choose between director Chen Desheng and Li Yun.

Who would you choose?

answer

"Chen Kexin, you think Li Yun's resume is shallow, but you also value his directing talent, so you chose him to be your director, right?" Andy Lau said casually from the side.

How can you say that?

Chen Kexin said with a mix of amusement and exasperation, "I sincerely hope that my movie can be made well. It's the culmination of so many years of hard work, how could I let someone ruin it?"

"Director Chen, how long have we known each other?"

"Fifteen or twenty years? That's a long time anyway."

"Yeah, it's been a long time anyway. The Hong Kong entertainment circle is only so big, it's almost impossible not to know each other."

Liu Dehua then spoke.

Chen Kexin indeed sighed.

"Yes, so many years have passed, and the first investor who believed in my script is already dead."

The single life of "Bodyguards and Assassins" is indeed fraught with hardship.

The first investor who believed in this movie.

Now the grass on the grave is three feet tall.

From its birth until now, its fate has been fraught with hardship.

But no matter how many twists and turns its fate may have been, it is something that has been created with painstaking effort.

"So I wanted to present it to the world in the most beautiful way in my heart, to present it to all the audience. My vision of October Siege, to present the hardships and dangers of the October Revolution to the world, to present that history to the world in the way in my heart."

"No one understands Bodyguards and Assassins better than me. So I don't need a filmmaker who can threaten my control."

Chen Desheng and Chen Kexin had considered it. They also had a good relationship. But now it seems that just because Chen Desheng has a good resume, he will choose to take the lead himself.

Therefore, what I need is a capable deputy.

An excellent director.

But this excellent director absolutely cannot be above me, because this is my film.

It belongs only to me.

No one can dictate what a movie is made of.

No one can!

Li Yun happens to be a talented director who can be controlled.

Give him the title of general director.

But he was the one who actually controlled the production team.

This is what Chen Kexin wanted to do, and the reason she chose Li Yun.

The cast and crew of this movie are truly impressive.

It could even be described as arrogant and domineering.

Countless celebrities have made cameo appearances.

They are all big stars whose names you can recognize.

An all-star lineup.

Huaying's connections are truly impressive.

Xie Qingya actually managed to bring all of these guys over.

"That's interesting."

Li Yun was looking at the script for "Bodyguards and Assassins".

A person sits silently in their room.

Looking at this script.

The outline of the script is quite interesting. It depicts people from all walks of life, from the upper class to the middle class and from the lower class, all gathered together with different purposes, all in an effort to protect Mr. Sun Yat-sen.

The Xinhai Revolution.

Let's take this historical juncture as the background.

Between the old era and the new era.

In a history book, it's just a short sentence, a mere page.

But for that particular point in history...

How much bloodshed and sweat has been shed?

It is a tapestry woven from countless drops of blood and countless partings.

Sun Yat-sen, a man of immense brilliance, seems to be remembered only by people for their heroes with names.

And those without names.

An existence lurking in the darkness of history.

There is evil, there is tragedy, there are heroes, there are cowards, there are good guys, and there are villains.

And Li Yun.

As an actor, I happen to be playing a dog-donkey here.

Yan Xiaoguo.

At this moment, Li Yun was in a daze standing in the courtyard of a mansion. Maids and servants, beautiful and pure young girls, strong and powerful warriors and guards, everything that a powerful minister possessed was here.

Her long braid was tied on her head.

Ever since I can remember...

So it was taken for granted that it would hang on one's head.

This is tradition, this is glory, this is the proudest symbol of the Manchu people.

Symbolizing the Great Qing Empire.

This incomparably powerful country.

dynasty.

Dominate the Central Plains.

From the time I can remember.

My parents' teachings have instilled in me a deep sense of honor.

For Li Yun, this feeling was also exceptionally strong.

The country is really good to us.

We are truly worthy of the immense imperial favor our family has received over the years, including myself.

He began studying under the tutelage of the Emperor at the age of nine.

They encountered no setbacks along the way, because the fact that their family had been favored by the emperor for generations was not just a saying.

He began his career at the age of 16, and his achievements were all due to the emperor's favor. With his superb martial arts skills, he helped the court eliminate many people.

Whether they are remnants of the previous dynasty.

It was still the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

Yan Xiaoguo and his troops were seen on the battlefield.

He was already an important official in the imperial court at the age of 30.

Official position, martial arts skills, private army, gold and silver treasures.

More importantly, they also had the opportunity to follow their teacher, Chen Shaobai, and see the world clearly.

That feeling just arises spontaneously.

It is the idea of loyalty to the emperor and serving the country.

Li Yun had only ever felt this way with Zhuge Liang before: loyalty and righteousness. "You treat me like a national hero, and I will repay you with my life."

I swear to serve you to the death, and dare not disobey.

At this moment, Li Yun murmured to himself.

"Unbelievable, I actually genuinely feel that the Qing Dynasty was a good dynasty."

"Yes, whether it's good or bad is always subjective. Because I am one of the beneficiaries, I will dedicate my life, even my life, to maintaining this system."

"Loyalty was born in my mind! There's no way to remove that mark from it."

"Loyalty, loyalty, loyalty!"

"I will serve the Qing Dynasty to the death!"

Loyalty and betrayal.

Maybe.

Be a loyal subject devoted to the Qing Dynasty.

Not bad, right?

Just as Li Yun was thinking this...

Li Yun suddenly changed his mind.

She discovered that her consciousness had been detached from Yan Xiaoguo's consciousness.

Li Yun felt like she had become someone else.

This time, it's not a guy from a family that has held high office for four generations.