I became a movie star at the age of three; Dilraba and I are childhood sweethearts.

Xiao Chen pointed to the "concubines" who were gathered together not far away, discussing which face mask was the best.

He took a deep breath, his tone as heavy as if he were writing a will.

"Aunt Hua, it's too noisy."

"When I used to read scripts, I always thought that emperors with three palaces and six courtyards were enjoying a life of luxury."

"Now I understand that this is clearly the most cruel of the ten tortures of the Qing Dynasty."

He paused, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"I suddenly feel a bit sorry for the emperors of ancient times."

"How on earth did they manage to survive until their retirement amidst all that loudspeakers?"

Wang Jinhua could no longer contain herself, and her laughter echoed across half the film set.

Xiao Chen silently put on the hood of the sweatshirt behind the dragon robe and once again fell into a state of self-isolation.

This scene was captured by a photographer standing nearby.

Later, this photo became the most endearing behind-the-scenes moment in "Empresses in the Palace".

The caption reads: The most humble emperor in history.

Meanwhile, in the corner, Xiao Chen was pondering whether he could go to a place full of men for the next variety show recording.

Even going to do manual labor is better than listening to face mask brands here.

He closed his eyes, his mind filled with the question the actress had just asked him:

"Teacher Xiao, do you think this blush makes my skin look brighter?"

Xiao Chen only wanted to reply with one sentence: I just think you're conspicuous.

But he held back.

As an all-around male god, he has to maintain his last shred of dignity.

Even though this dignity has been almost torn to shreds by these "empresses".

Xiao Chen sat on a small stool, his bright yellow satin dragon robe gleaming in the sunlight.

Who would have thought that this tycoon, who owns hundreds of millions of dollars and holds an Oscar statuette, would be like this?

My biggest wish right now is to move to a quieter planet.

Wang Jinhua patted him on the shoulder.

"Just bear with it. Who told you to have a face that makes them want to talk?"

Xiao Chen sighed helplessly and looked up at the sky.

Meanwhile, in the pavilion in the distance, several actresses were secretly glancing in their direction.

"Look, even when the Emperor is withdrawn, he's still so charming."

"If I were Nian Shilan, I would rather die in his arms."

Upon hearing these two faint comments, Xiao Chen's body involuntarily trembled.

He silently moved the small stool ten centimeters further to the corner of the wall.

Wang Jinhua laughed so hard she almost cried when she heard the actresses' outrageous analogies.

She patted Xiao Chen's dragon robe, panting heavily.

"You silly child, if you said that three hundred years ago, you'd be dragged out and beheaded."

"But you know what, it's actually quite fitting."

Wang Jinhua wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and lowered her voice.

"That's how palace dramas are; women outnumber men."

"When there are many women, there are many disputes; they chatter and make a lot of noise."

"But who told you to take the picture yourself?"

Xiao Chen rubbed his temples.

"I wish I hadn't come to act."

That's what they said, but as soon as the director yelled "Action," the "humble emperor" who had been huddled in the corner and withdrawn vanished instantly.

Instead, there was the supreme ruler, majestic and awe-inspiring.

Xiao Chen slowly rose from the dragon throne, his bright yellow dragon robe drawing a sharp arc with his movement.

He didn't even look up; his gaze remained fixed on the floor tiles in front of him.

That imposing aura, though not meant to be angry, had already silenced the entire hall.

The actresses, who had been laughing and joking, were now completely silent, even unconsciously holding their breath.

This scene is a classic segment from the original work.

The emperor saw through the scheme of a certain concubine, stripped her of her rank, and banished her to the cold palace.

Xiao Chen was acting alongside a veteran actor, who was kneeling on the ground, his body trembling slightly.

The way she looked at Xiao Chen was devoid of the naiveté of a nineteen-year-old boy; it held only the cold indifference and scrutiny of an emperor, as if it could see right through one's heart.

That gaze was incredibly intimidating.

It made her almost believe that she really was the concubine who had committed the crime of deceiving the emperor, and a fine layer of cold sweat instantly appeared on her forehead.

"Drag him away."

Xiao Chen finally spoke, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable authority.

Three words, devoid of any extra emotion, only endless coldness and disappointment.

This sends a chill down your spine more intensely than a fierce roar.

The actress was moved by the emotion in his line and cried out in despair, instantly maximizing the emotional tension of the entire scene.

"Cut! Good! Excellent!"

The director stood up excitedly from behind the monitor, his face full of admiration.

The imperial aura emanating from Xiao Chen vanished instantly.

He strode forward and personally helped the actress who was kneeling on the ground to her feet, gently handing her a tissue.

"Teacher, you've worked so hard. I was so into character just now, I hope I didn't scare you?"

His voice returned to its usual clear and gentle tone, and the coldness in his eyes transformed into the warmth of a spring breeze.

The stark contrast before and after left those around him somewhat bewildered.

Is the emperor who was so intimidating just now really the same person as this humble and polite young man in front of me?

The actress took the tissue and patted her chest, still shaken.

"Teacher Xiao Chen, your acting is terrifying."

"I really thought I was going to be dragged to the Imperial Prison for punishment."

After a short rest, the next scene will be Consort Hua's main event.

Jiang Xin, the actress who plays Consort Hua, is frowning as she looks at the script.

She repeated the phrase "A bitch is just being pretentious" over and over again, but she just couldn't get the feeling out of it.

Either too ruthless, like a shrewish woman yelling in the street; or too bland, failing to reveal Consort Hua's arrogance and domineering nature.

The director also shook his head repeatedly, feeling that it was lacking.

The atmosphere on set became somewhat tense for a moment.

Xiao Chen watched for a while, then picked up his thermos and went over.

"Sister Jiang Xin, can I give it a try?"

Jiang Xin was taken aback, then handed him the script.

"Of course, please take a look at it for me."

Xiao Chen didn't accept the script; instead, he took the exquisite feather fan from Jiang Xin's hand.

He leaned lazily against the chaise longue, not even bothering to lift his eyelids, just gently waving his fan.

The surroundings fell silent instantly, and everyone's eyes were focused on him.

A faint, disdainful smile curled at the corner of his lips as he uttered the line in a lazy yet sarcastic tone.

"A bitch is just being pretentious."

The sound wasn't loud, but it was like a soft knife coated with poison, precisely piercing into one's heart.

That look, that tone of voice, that posture.

He perfectly portrayed Consort Hua's arrogant and disdainful attitude towards others.

The entire film set was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Jiang Xin stared blankly at him, her mind going blankly as if a door had been suddenly pushed open.

So that's how it is!

It wasn't anger, it wasn't roaring, it was... contempt!

It's a contempt that comes from the very core of one's being, a complete disregard for the other party!

"I understand! I understand!"