Chapter 584: *Chinese Paladin* Sets Sail (9,000-word update!)

Whether Yan Lingyu can come to act in the role of Ling'er in *Chinese Paladin* is secondary; Lu Yanhe now wants to know more about what happened to Yan Lingyu that made her suddenly want to give up the path of an actor.

In fact, since the screening of *Late Spring*, Lu Yanhe hasn't had much contact with the actors of this film. Except for Wang Jing, because she acted in *Squid Game* and was chosen by Lu Yanhe to act in *Telephone* with Jiang Yuqian, the contact with other actors was only maintained during festivals, greeting each other a few words.

On one hand, they didn't have much intersection in their daily lives, and on the other hand, when filming this film, Lu Yanhe didn't have much private friendship with them. At that time, Lu Yanhe was already famous and had a higher status in the crew than Liu Bige. Other actors were newcomers. It was difficult for them not to be nervous or restrained when facing Lu Yanhe, so how could they develop a good private friendship?

It was just from normal interpersonal communication that they got to know each other because of this film and had contact information. Compared with ordinary friends, they were still more familiar.

Lu Yanhe immediately contacted Wang Jing first to see if Wang Jing knew about Yan Lingyu's situation.

Once Wang Jing heard his confusion, she explained: "Lingyu acted in two more films later, and they were criticized quite miserably. She herself also lost confidence in acting, and later refused to take any more dramas."

Lu Yanhe didn't know the situation of those two films Yan Lingyu acted in later. He didn't even know those two films existed in his impression. Maybe it was because he was too busy during that time and didn't notice.

Yan Lingyu was mainly because of those two films, which caused a huge conflict with her agency. Both films were taken by the agency for her. At that time, after the screening of *Late Spring*, Yan Lingyu was already famous and quite concerned by the industry. Newcomers pay special attention to the starting point. Yan Lingyu's starting point can basically be described as one of the highest starting points in Chinese film history, so much so that her acting skills were slightly inferior and were not criticized.

No one had too high expectations for a newcomer's acting skills. Being able to do it without being out of character and having such a face full of atmosphere was enough to let this industry wait for her to hone her acting skills and grow slowly.

Yan Lingyu was in such a situation when she was taken by the agency for the two films later. Neither film was a serious theme. One was a youth cruel love story, and the other was a big magic production. As a result, both box offices flopped, and they were also scolded very fiercely by the audience. Yan Lingyu, who served as the heroine in them, was naturally the focus of the fire.

The scolding lasted for almost half a year, and then Yan Lingyu was scolded into autism and refused to act again.

"Half a year ago, I heard that she seemed to want to terminate the contract with the agency, and I don't know how they talked, but there has been no new movement." Wang Jing said, "Do you need me to ask?"

Lu Yanhe thought for a while and said: "Help me ask."

"Fine." Wang Jing responded and said, "Actually, she called me back then and asked for my opinion."

"What opinion?" Lu Yanhe was somewhat confused.

"Whether it is possible to ask you for help." Wang Jing said, "She probably didn't go to you in the end, right?"

"No, after the film promotion ended, we just liked each other's moments on WeChat, and greeted each other during festivals."

"Sure enough, she was very afraid of disturbing you and causing you trouble." Wang Jing said, "When I signed with the company, I listened to your opinion, so I waited for a year and signed with Arctic Light Video after *Late Spring* was screened. She probably still felt that her matter was very troublesome, so she was too embarrassed to open her mouth to you."

"So, maybe she is not unwilling to act, but now the contract restricts her, making her unwilling to take dramas?" Lu Yanhe asked.

"Maybe. However, maybe Lingyu is also really unwilling to act. During the time she was scolded by many people, she was quite collapsed, really quite collapsed. Both Qingqing and I went to accompany her. She was not good at all, and I was afraid she would be depressed."

Wang Jing sighed.

"The main thing is, I heard from Kong Fan that she was also quite jealous and excluded at school. Jingyi school is already very competitive, and the relationship between girls is even more subtle. If it weren't for the matter of the two films later, wearing the halo of the heroine of *Late Spring*, she would still have a group of people fawning over her. But after she was scolded, she was basically alienated. Kong Fan is a boy and has a girlfriend, so it's not convenient to help, so Qingqing and I went to Jingyi to find her from time to time, or made an appointment to take her out."

Lu Yanhe really didn't know any of these things.

This made him inexplicably low in mood.

Although Lu Yanhe didn't have much private friendship with Yan Lingyu after filming, they were actors who had cooperated, and they got along quite well during filming. As a result, she encountered such things later, and he didn't even hear about it.

Lu Yanhe told Wang Biao about this matter and asked Wang Biao to help him check what was going on with Yan Lingyu and her current agency.

Wang Biao now has quite a wide network in the entertainment industry and soon found out some basic situations. After *Late Spring*, Yan Lingyu signed with Fengxiangbiao. Fengxiangbiao is also a big company with strong strength. When they signed Yan Lingyu, they specially published news.

"Yan Lingyu's agent is called Du Weixian. There is indeed a rumor that Yan Lingyu and Du Weixian were not very happy last year. There was a show that was originally set for Yan Lingyu to go on, but in the end, someone was changed temporarily, saying that Yan Lingyu refused to come." Wang Biao said, "It is said that Du Weixian took this show without Yan Lingyu's consent. At that time, she had already broken up with Du Weixian."

Lu Yanhe sighed.

"Yan Lingyu hasn't taken any work for more than a year. Many people in the circle feel that she has been frozen by Fengxiangbiao."

"How long did she sign the contract with Fengxiangbiao?"

"Eight years, there are still five years left."

Lu Yanhe: "..."

Lu Yanhe told Luo Yuzhong about the situation.

"Yan Lingyu might not be able to come to act in *Chinese Paladin* for the time being."

Luo Yuzhong frowned when he heard the back.

He is an old hand, and he knows a lot more about these things in the entertainment industry than Lu Yanhe.

Over the past many years, I don't know how many times I have seen such things.

He asked: "Have you talked to Yan Lingyu?"

"Not yet," Lu Yanhe said. "I am preparing to go find her directly. Last time I called her, she didn't say anything, and only said she didn't want to act anymore. If I don't talk to her in person, I am afraid she won't tell me the truth—Wang Jing has already helped me understand the situation. Anyway, her first drama was filmed with me. I will see where I can help her. But this matter involves the conflict between her and the agency, and our drama is about to start filming, so I estimate it won't catch up."

Luo Yuzhong noticed the genuine concern on Lu Yanhe's face and nodded, saying: "I will communicate with Fengxiangbiao company. You talk to Yan Lingyu and see what she thinks. With her good appearance conditions and having filmed *Late Spring*, it is a pity to give up being an actor so early."

Lu Yanhe didn't expect that Luo Yuzhong would take the initiative to communicate with Fengxiangbiao company. Is he so appreciative of Yan Lingyu?

However, one thing to say, Yan Lingyu's appearance is indeed top-notch even in the entertainment industry. She is not that kind of ordinary big beauty. Her facial features and charm are very story-telling, plus her natural cold and taciturn temperament, she was unforgettable in *Late Spring*. To some extent, although she is not a replica of the fairy sister, the temperament on her is unique.

Maybe directors like Luo Yuzhong, the more actors they see, the more they understand what kind of face is precious.

"The director might have decided that Yan Lingyu must act in the role of Ling'er."

Speaking of this matter, Chen Siqi said her guess.

"For the story of *Chinese Paladin*, the weight of the role of Ling'er is quite heavy. It can be said that she is the background color of this story. Although you wrote this story completely according to Li Xiaoyao's growth line, Ling'er occupies the biggest key in Li Xiaoyao's growth line," Chen Siqi said. "Li Xiaoyao is the real part, Ling'er is the virtual part, more spiritual, pure, like a beauty that cannot truly exist in the world. If this role cannot stand, the whole story will be discounted."

Chen Siqi's words shocked Lu Yanhe.

Of course, he knows how important the role of Ling'er is to *Chinese Paladin*. When this drama became popular back then, it was clearly a big male lead drama, but the role of Ling'er almost had the momentum to compete with Li Xiaoyao, because the character setting of this role was too perfect, almost the most perfect character setting that has ever appeared in film and television dramas, and both boys and girls like it.

But Chen Siqi, before this drama came out, just by looking at the script, clearly understood the importance of the role of Ling'er to *Chinese Paladin*, not just the importance as a heroine. Lu Yanhe felt more and more how accurate Chen Siqi's judgment and vision for a drama are now.

No wonder, every time Chen Siqi can find the most suitable promotion and marketing method for a drama. A person who doesn't really understand the drama cannot figure out what method is the most suitable.

Lu Yanhe said: "I haven't figured out how to talk to Yan Lingyu about this until now."

Chen Siqi thought for a while and said: "I think you should first figure out whether she is still willing to film. This is the most critical thing. If she has no intention at all, even if she solves the agency's problem, it will be of no avail. You have to find other actors as soon as possible."

"Hmm." Lu Yanhe nodded. "I have already made an appointment with her to have lunch near her house tomorrow noon. Why don't you accompany me? I am not very familiar with her either. If it is just the two of us, it will be awkward."

Chen Siqi said: "It's no problem for me to accompany you, but I don't know her either. Maybe it will make it harder for her to open her mouth to say her thoughts. Didn't Wang Jing say it? She wanted to ask you for help before, but didn't in the end, afraid of troubling you."

"Also."

Chen Siqi: "You just talk to her openly. One is the role in *Chinese Paladin*, which is indeed suitable for her. Two is setting aside *Chinese Paladin*, you have cooperated before and have such fate. If you can help, you can't just turn a blind eye

Lu Yanhe nodded.

Yan Lingyu still looked exactly as she had when they were filming, as if nothing had changed.

She had come all by herself, with no bodyguards and no assistant. She only wore light makeup, looking less like a female star and more like a college student still studying at university.

Lu Yanhe praised, "You're still as beautiful as ever."

Yan Lingyu smiled, lowered her head slightly, waved her hand, and said, "I'm really sorry, Yan He. Thank you for thinking of me for your show, but I might really not be suited to be an actor."

Lu Yanhe was taken aback.

They hadn't even started with small talk, and Yan Lingyu had immediately jumped straight to the point.

This left him a bit bewildered.

"It's fine, let's sit down," Lu Yanhe said. "I was also very shocked when I suddenly heard you say you didn't want to act anymore. I asked Wang Jing, and that's how I found out about what happened to you after you filmed *Late Spring*."

Yan Lingyu's smile held a hint of desolation.

"It was very humiliating."

"How could it be? It actually doesn't have much to do with you yourself," Lu Yanhe said firmly. "It was the director who didn't find your good qualities and capture them on film. Look at how well you performed in *Late Spring*; you stunned everyone."

The light in Yan Lingyu's eyes was dim; even such words didn't seem to bring her much of a stir.

"Besides, I've also heard about the situation with your company," Lu Yanhe changed the subject and said, "Lingyu, you say you don't want to act anymore—is it that you truly don't want to, or is it because of your agency?"

Yan Lingyu stared blankly at Lu Yanhe.

"Although we don't keep in touch much, if you have any need for help, you can always come to us, even if I might not necessarily be able to help," Lu Yanhe said very earnestly. "Beyond wanting to understand your thoughts on acting, I also wanted to ask you in person: what exactly is your situation with your agency right now, and what can I do to help you?"

Yan Lingyu's eyes truly turned red in an instant.

That is no exaggeration.

Perhaps even movie special effects weren't as swift as that moment of hers.

Human emotions are sometimes like thunder or sudden rain, arriving abruptly without warning.

Lu Yanhe waited for Yan Lingyu to calm down and begin recounting what had happened between her and her agency. By the time he heard the end, he felt a sense of relief instead.

The conflict between Yan Lingyu and her agency was, in truth, neither big nor small.

To put it plainly, it was just that the two films Yan Lingyu took on according to the company's requirements had terrible repercussions, which dealt a severe blow to her. Consequently, she questioned the roles the company booked for her and refused to cooperate with the work they arranged.

The agency did not realize that Yan Lingyu at that time was simply hurt by the previous results; if they had coaxed and persuaded her properly, things would have been fine.

They treated Yan Lingyu as a disobedient actor and were determined to teach her a lesson.

Thus, Yan Lingyu, who was already heavily criticized due to the film's performance, was surrounded by negative reviews almost every moment under the attacks of the company-arranged internet trolls.

The company even demanded that everyone from top to bottom give Yan Lingyu the cold shoulder and not give her a pleasant look.

Yan Lingyu's mood and state of mind collapsed directly under these conditions. By the time she realized that all of this was directed by the company, her mentality had already broken down more times than she could count. And even though she knew what the coldness and hostility from her surroundings were about, she had no power to contend with the company.

Yan Lingyu was "taught a lesson" until she was powerless and disheartened. She had thought about asking Lu Yanhe or Liu Bige for help, but she knew clearly that when it came to her management contract, even Lu Yanhe and Liu Bige couldn't help much. When she proposed terminating her contract to the company, they spoke up directly: the termination fee was 30 million.

Since she entered this industry, let alone 30 million, she hadn't even seen 3 million.

A massive mountain pressed down upon her, and she had no way to climb over it.

So, just like that, she decided to give up and stop being an artist; she would no longer act.

"Actually, it's not a big deal. If she could just soften her stance, lower her head, and be honest, we wouldn't have given her the cold shoulder for so long. When we signed her, we invested quite a lot of resources into her. If she doesn't work, we are the ones losing money. The young lady is arrogant and won't listen to arrangements. We had already arranged a show for her—a permanent guest spot on a hit variety show—and we spent so much effort to negotiate it, but she said she wouldn't go, so she didn't."

Luo Yuzhong sat in the office of the boss of the agency, listening to the complaints and grumbling of another man along with the boss.

Yan Lingyu's agent, Du Weixian.

"It's her honor that you can take a liking to her and ask her to act," Du Weixian said with a fawning smile. "It's just that her temper is indeed quite stubborn. Director, she won't even answer my calls now. Actually, I have a newcomer I'm managing, a newly signed one whose appearance is no worse than Yan Lingyu's. Would you like to meet her?"

Luo Yuzhong: "I can meet her. There are still some roles in this show that haven't been cast, but my best candidate for the female lead in my heart is Yan Lingyu. Mr. Chen, if you are willing to give me this face and let her come to act in my show, you shouldn't be at a loss. This show is a Xianxia drama starring Lu Yanhe, Li Zhibai, and Yan Liang. I don't need to say much about how much attention the female lead of this show will receive. After this show airs, you can slowly settle the internal matters between Yan Lingyu and your company yourselves. What do you think?"

Du Weixian still wanted to speak.

Mr. Chen shot a sideways glance, and Du Weixian instantly shut his mouth.

Mr. Chen smiled slightly at Luo Yuzhong and said, "Director, it is her honor that you can take a liking to Yan Lingyu, and it is also our honor. Don't worry, before the crew starts filming, we will definitely send Yan Lingyu to report to the set."

Luo Yuzhong nodded. "Then many thanks to Mr. Chen. It is perfectly normal for young people to have a temper and throw tantrums. I believe that after this incident, Yan Lingyu will definitely grow. As elders, we should be more tolerant and less resentful. Once they grow up, they will naturally be able to understand our feelings."

Mr. Chen nodded.

"We will organize a round of auditions later. There are still quite a few roles in our show that haven't been cast yet. At that time, I hope Mr. Chen will send more actors with potential to audition and provide us with more choices," Luo Yuzhong smiled.

"For Luo Dao's show, as long as our actors have time, we will let them audition," Mr. Chen said with a smile. "Please provide more guidance. It doesn't matter if they get the part or not; just being able to receive your pointers is enough for them to benefit."

The two exchanged pleasantries and settled the matter. Mr. Chen personally saw Luo Yuzhong to the elevator. After he went down, he turned to Du Weixian and said, "What is the situation with Yan Lingyu exactly? When was she shelved by us? Isn't she the female lead of *Late Spring*?"

Du Weixian's expression changed slightly. He opened his mouth, wanting to explain a few words, but Mr. Chen didn't seem to want to listen to him.

"Go and invite Mr. Wen to my office."

Mr. Wen, Wen Ken, the vice president of the agency responsible for artist management coordination.

This time, Du Weixian's expression didn't just change slightly; it changed completely.

"Buzz, buzz." The phone vibrated.

Yan Lingyu, who had returned to her apartment after having a meal with Lu Yanhe, picked up her phone.

On the phone was a message Lu Yanhe had just sent: Luo Dao has already talked to your company boss. They will change your agent and will also support you in acting in *Chinese Paladin*. As for how far you can handle your relationship with your company afterward, that depends on yourself. But no matter how you choose to handle it, the stronger you are, the more choices you have. I still hope you can seriously consider the show *Chinese Paladin*. If you come to act in it, perhaps it can completely change your current predicament.

Yan Lingyu sat on the sofa, looking at this message on the phone screen. She read it back and forth countless times, remaining silent for a long time and hesitating for a long time as well.

At the restaurant, Lu Yanhe told her that artists being bullied and exploited by their agencies was never a rare occurrence. He understood her current lack of self-confidence and self-deprecation, but this wasn't a problem of acting skills; it was a problem of her standing at a moment in life where she was being suppressed, and whether she would stand firm and endure it.

Lu Yanhe's words were like a stone roller, rolling back and forth over her heart.

Yan Lingyu still lacked confidence, and because she hadn't worked or acted for over a year, spending almost all her time at home alone, she had lost her sensitivity to the outside world—

Acting?

At this moment, Yan Lingyu suddenly covered her face and couldn't help but weep bitterly.

"Yan Lingyu is actually not a very confident person."

Wang Jing sat cross-legged in front of the coffee table, with Kong Fan beside her.

Lu Yanhe had specifically invited the two of them to eat hot pot at Huiziyuanqiao tonight—it was also because of this incident with Yan Lingyu that made him realize he hadn't been in touch with his friends from the *Late Spring* crew for too long.

He had originally invited He Qingqing as well, but she was filming on set and had to be absent.

Lu Yanhe was very surprised and asked, "She has a face like that, and she's still not confident?"

"It's precisely because she has been very pretty since she was a child that she has always been subjected to suppressive education by her mother, who said she had no other merits besides her looks and that she was good for nothing," Wang Jing sighed. "So she has actually always been quite unconfident. When she was with us, she didn't talk much. At first, I even thought she was cold and aloof and didn't want to bother with us."

Kong Fan: "She did indeed give everyone that impression at school. Everyone said she was as proud as a swan, which is why everyone didn't really dare to approach her. Never mind the girls; the boys in our school all felt she was a flower on a high peak that no one dared to approach."

Kong Fan and Wang Jing's words actually surprised Lu Yanhe quite a bit.

Because this completely shattered Lu Yanhe's impression of Yan Lingyu.

Yet, putting what the two of them said together with Yan Lingyu, it didn't seem inconsistent. Because Yan Lingyu was indeed like that in daily life; it was just that the way of interpreting it was different.

"I still hope she can properly resolve the conflict with her company," Wang Jing said, resting her chin on her hand.

At this moment, Chen Siqi returned.

Lu Yanhe heard the movement at the door and stood up, somewhat surprised.

"Why are you back now? Didn't you say you had a meal scheduled with someone?"

"I did have a meal scheduled, I came back first to change my clothes," Chen Siqi said. "I was drinking coffee during the day and accidentally spilled it on myself. The stain is too obvious."

Only then did Lu Yanhe notice a darker mark on her waist—it was just that because she was wearing a dark blue shirt, one wouldn't really notice it unless they stared closely.

Chen Siqi first greeted Wang Jing and Kong Fan.

"Sorry, because I had work scheduled in advance, I couldn't eat hot pot with you guys. Ah, I really want to eat hot pot—"

She looked at the hot pot with glowing eyes and waved her hand at Wang Jing and Kong Fan, "I have to go in and change my clothes, otherwise I'll be late. You guys eat slowly."

Chen Siqi only took five minutes to change into a set of clothes, and she still said goodbye to Wang Jing and Kong Fan with a warm smile and proper posture before leaving.

Even though the whole process was quite hurried, it gave people a sense of thoughtful warmth.

"I'll see her downstairs. You guys eat first, I'll be back up immediately."

Lu Yanhe saw Chen Siqi downstairs.

Wang Jing and Kong Fan looked at each other.

The hot pot bubbled between the two of them.

After a long while, Wang Jing said, "Do the two of them have to be this sweet? It makes me want to fall in love."

Kong Fan smiled.

"Then you should fall in love. Haven't you met someone you like?"

"I have met someone, but I always feel that falling in love affects my work. The two I dated before both complained that my work was too busy and I didn't have time to go on dates with them, so I gave up."

"You should work a little less. Actually, I find it strange; your career ambition is the strongest I've ever seen."

"Is Lu Yanhe and Chen Siqi's career ambition weak? How can they be such a perfect match and have a bumper harvest in both career and love? I want a bumper harvest too," Wang Jing pouted. "Sigh, actually, if Lingyu could have half of Chen Siqi's personality, she wouldn't have been driven to such a breakdown."

Kong Fan: "She just signed with her agency too early. If she had been like you and waited until *Late Spring* was released before signing, the contract conditions would have been much better."

"I have to thank Lu Yanhe for that. It was he who suggested I shouldn't rush to sign. After the work is released, the situation is completely different," Wang Jing said. "Even though Lingyu was the female lead and received the most attention in *Late Spring*, I was the one who benefited the most, just because my contract with Beijiguang promised me one female lead role per year."

Kong Fan: "From the beginning, Lingyu felt she had been fooled by the agency. After she found out how poor the contract conditions she got were, there was friction between her and her agent. Later, as you know, the two films her agent booked for her were ones she didn't want to act in from the start. Her agent forced her to take them, and in the end, it was a disaster, and their relationship completely fell apart."

Wang Jing: "Fortunately, Yan He helped her coordinate from the middle this time."

"Actually, Yan He is really a good person. I quite regret not keeping in touch much before because I was afraid of disturbing him," Kong Fan suddenly thought of something, smiled, and said, "Actually, I was startled when I received his call today, thinking something had happened."

Wang Jing: "Who told you to think so much? You filmed with him for so long; if others don't know, don't you know what kind of person he is in private? Anyway, I basically ask for his opinion whenever I have something. He has experienced much more than us. With one piece of advice from him, we can avoid so many detours."

"You've collaborated with him so many times, of course it's OK for you to ask him."

"Didn't I start out just like you, only collaborating with him once? Besides, when filming, you were clearly the one closest to him. You were timid and didn't dare to disturb him, so who can you blame?" Wang Jing said. "And why be afraid of disturbing him? If you take advantage of his help and become better and more popular, you can also help him in return. When he started the Jump Up Theater, no actors were willing to act in such experimental short plays at first, so we went to act in them."

Kong Fan smiled, "If only I had your mindset."

"It would be strange if you had this mindset," Wang Jing said. "Do you expect Yan He to take the initiative to pay attention to what you need?"

"No, I just never thought about wanting him to specifically help me with anything," Kong Fan sighed. "Not everyone can be as casual as you."

"Casual?" Wang Jing immediately rolled her eyes. "Are you implying something?"

"Don't, I didn't mean that," Kong Fan immediately realized she had said the wrong thing. "I mean, this is determined by personality. You are very generous and can express your own thoughts very well, but whether it's me or Yan Lingyu, we actually don't have that kind of personality. It's not that we don't want to, but that we are incapable of doing so."

The two looked at each other.

The hot pot was still bubbling between them.

When Yan Lingyu finally confirmed she would play the role of Linger, Lu Yanhe thought he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

What Lu Yanhe didn't expect was that besides Linger, Luo Yuzhong also had a candidate in mind for another very important female role, Lin Yueru—

Xiao Yun.

However, before Lu Yanhe could say anything, Luo Yuzhong rejected it himself.

First, with Xiao Yun's current popularity and status, there was no need for her to come and play the female lead's supporting role in a male-led Xianxia drama. Second, *Chinese Paladin* had no extra budget to pay Xiao Yun's salary.

At Xiao Yun's current market rate, even if she only asked for a "friendship price," it would still be a solid ten million.

Luo Yuzhong instructed the casting director to look for actresses based on Xiao Yun's type.

As for another important role, Anu, Luo Yuzhong finally had no candidate in mind and decided to leave it to auditions to find an actor.

This was the first time Lu Yanhe had seen how Luo Yuzhong determined the selection of actors during the early preparation of a show.

For some roles, Luo Yuzhong already had suitable actors in mind, while for others, he didn't have suitable ones for the time being. This category required the casting director to search for those who met the basic conditions and then invite them for auditions.

Back then, Luo Yuzhong had specifically organized an audition at Star Entertainment for a role with very little screen time in the show *The Golden Era*, which showed his high requirements for actors.

Lu Yanhe also discovered that almost all good directors attached great importance to casting.

So much so that Lu Yanhe felt it was excessive.

Luo Yuzhong clearly already had a portrait in his mind of what kind of actor should play each role. For many actors that Lu Yanhe felt were quite suitable when watching their videos, Luo Yuzhong crossed them out without hesitation.

He already had a clear understanding of what *Chinese Paladin* should look like.

Beijiguang Films also brought out their latest production management system, which would be used for the filming of *Chinese Paladin*.

Previously, the filming of a show required countless communication groups, phone calls, and on-site meetings, involving the mutual cooperation of various departments and job types. This process was mentally and physically exhausting and prone to errors. The production management system created by Beijiguang Films could aggregate information on filming materials, fund usage, filming progress, props, and scene dynamics in real-time. Every department could directly see the progress of other departments in this system.

Not only that, for green-screen shows with many special effects like *Chinese Paladin*, it could provide real-time virtual scene technology, allowing the sample footage shot on-site to directly present a rough effect combined with special effects. From this, one could judge whether the filming material could be used; if not, it could be reshot immediately—

In the past, such problems might only be discovered in the editing room. Reshooting at that time would either be time-consuming and laborious, or impossible to achieve, and could only be solved through other technical means, affecting the final quality of the film.

Actors could also see what their performance against the air looked like in the frame on-site at any time, which was convenient for the director and actors to make adjustments, avoiding the terrible effect of the actors' performance and the special effects production being out of sync in post-production.

Luo Yuzhong was very interested in this production management system provided by Beijiguang and kept studying it, occasionally exchanging thoughts with Lu Yanhe.

Lu Yanhe also learned the most advanced system currently used in domestic film and television production.

This completely changed the traditional way of filming.

He could foresee that when such a production management system was promoted throughout the industry, a major revolution would occur in the production link of the entire industry.

However, it wouldn't happen in the short term, because this was a system developed by Beijiguang Films itself and was not authorized or disclosed to the public.

Luo Yuzhong said: "Xiao He, let's discuss it with Beijiguang later and at least let them share this technology with us. Using such a system, how much time and waste can our filming save?"

Lu Yanhe was between laughter and tears.

"Then I have to go and discuss it with them. I don't even know if they will agree," he said.

Luo Yuzhong said: "This thing is truly good. It can even directly simulate the final effect through the design of the filming scene and camera movement in advance, allowing me to directly see a basic effect of different filming plans in this system. The on-site lighting and camera movement can all be simulated in this system to find a few best plans first."

Luo Yuzhong became more and more excited as he spoke.

Lu Yanhe said: "Fine, Teacher, let's go talk to them together later and ask them to authorize us to use this production management system, even if we have to pay a usage fee."

Only then did Luo Yuzhong nod with satisfaction.

"Then after you return from the Hexi Film Festival, we will first talk to Beijiguang about this, and second, we will start auditions," Luo Yuzhong said. "Before that, I will take the art team to scout locations and see which scenes can be filmed on location."

"Good."

Like a director such as Luo Yuzhong, although he also embraced current special effects technology, he was still more willing to film on location when possible. This was a habit formed by his generation of directors, and it was also their basic aesthetic view—

No matter how good the special effects made by computers are, there is always a bit of distortion.

Lu Yanhe naturally supported his teacher's idea.

With his teacher willing to direct, this show had already succeeded by half.