Chapter 315: The Main Cast of the New Three Kingdoms Is Almost Set, the Crownless God of Drama

In June, Yan Li returned to Beijing after attending some events in the southwest and convened an internal meeting for the Three Kingdoms reboot cast.

The casting process for this drama has already been underway for several months, and with filming just around the corner, all key roles must be finalized and preparations begun.

This meeting also stirred the hearts of many.

Before this, several roles had already been tentatively assigned, but final approval still required Yan Li's personal nod.

Last month, due to special circumstances, Yan Li had no time to attend to this matter, so it was postponed until this meeting, where everything would be discussed and decided on the spot.

Considering the scale of the Three Kingdoms reboot project and the significance of certain roles to the actors involved, this could be said to be a meeting determining many people's fates.

Northeast, Fu City

Yu Hewei, back in his hometown on business, spoke to his sister with distracted attention, his thoughts fixed on Yan Li's meeting.

Yu Hewei's background was unusual: a Northeasterner, graduate of the Shanghai Theatre Academy, who was assigned to the Jin Ling Military Region and spent years performing in theater, later taking minor TV roles without much success.

In 2003, recommended by the screenwriter of Historical Skies to director Gao Xixi, he played the villain Wan Gubei in that drama.

This role was distinctive, and he portrayed it excellently, earning him fame and launching his career in the entertainment industry.

For actors trying to climb the ladder, talent and luck are only part of it—they also need someone to lift them up.

Either you have a company behind you, or you bow to a senior!

Yu Hewei's senior is Gao Xixi; all the dramas he's appeared in—Historical Skies, True Times, Wrong Bus, Men's Limits, Glorious Years—were directed by Gao, making him one of Gao's go-to actors.

Even this audition for Three Kingdoms reboot was recommended by Gao Xixi.

One of the investors in Three Kingdoms reboot is Gao Xixi's company, Xiao Ma Benteng; though Gao hasn't become a top director, recommending a few actors is no problem.

Yu Hewei wanted to play Cao Cao because he felt the role was more compelling, and moreover, the first TV drama he ever acted in was Cao Cao, where he portrayed Xun Yu.

Thus, Yu Hewei harbored a certain obsession with the role of Cao Cao.

But Gao thought he was better suited for Liu Bei, so he advised Yu to audition for Liu Bei.

Yu Hewei dared not disobey his senior, yet he still couldn't let go of his desire, so he boldly auditioned for both roles.

This wasn't unusual in auditions; actors often try multiple roles when their appearance is similar, since it's hard to say which fits better—trying more than one is understandable.

Because of the recommendation, Three Kingdoms reboot didn't find him bothersome and let him audition for Liu Bei first, then Cao Cao.

But the result was unexpected: the main candidate for Liu Bei was rejected, while Yu Hewei was listed as a backup for Cao Cao.

He even defeated multiple rivals and was submitted as the top candidate to Director Yan.

Yu Hewei was thrilled yet anxious.

He had some name recognition, but only a little—he still largely depended on Gao Xixi, had rarely played a lead role, and was only vaguely familiar to the public, with few people knowing his name.

In Three Kingdoms reboot, it's unclear who the primary male lead will be, but Cao Cao is undoubtedly a strong contender.

Unlike the stereotyped portrayal in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, this version depicts Cao Cao as a ruthless warlord, packed with many Gao Guang moments.

If he landed this role, it would be a milestone in Yu Hewei's career; he might not become a superstar, but his fame would rise significantly, allowing him to stand firmly on his own in the industry.

Yu Hewei was nearly forty, and he felt this might be his only chance in life.

If he missed it, he might remain just another struggling minor actor in the industry.

"Lao Jiu, Lao Jiu…"

Yu Hewei, growing increasingly distracted, was nudged by his sister; he was the ninth child, with eight older brothers and sisters.

"Huh?"

His sister pointed to the phone on the coffee table: "What 'huh'? Your phone's ringing."

Yu Hewei picked up the phone—the caller ID was the producer of Three Kingdoms reboot, someone he'd dealt with before.

He grew nervous, hesitating for a moment before daring to answer.

He hoped to hear the good news he longed for, yet feared a devastating blow.

In the end, he answered just before the ring stopped; his sister, sensing something important, fell silent and watched her brother anxiously.

"Hello, Lao Yu, it's Liu Qing'an. Are you free?"

"Brother Liu, I'm here, go ahead."

Yu Hewei had previously tried to build rapport with Three Kingdoms reboot staff, treating Liu Qing'an to meals several times, and their relationship was decent.

"Cao Cao hasn't been finalized yet, but you need to come to the company right away—Director Yan wants to see you."

Liu Qing'an spoke briefly, and Yu Hewei was overwhelmed with surprise and joy.

He wasn't foolish—if he'd been rejected, why would Director Yan bother seeing him? To be summoned meant the matter was far from over—it was very promising.

"I'm currently in my hometown in the northeast—I'll book a ticket immediately and should arrive in Beijing by afternoon."

"Good, hurry up. Try to get here today—don't make the boss wait."

After hanging up, Yu Hewei quickly packed his things and called friends to help book tickets—preferably a flight, otherwise he'd have to drive; trains were too slow.

He was lucky—he managed to buy a last-minute ticket and arrived at Yi'an just before the end of the workday.

Liu Qing'an came to meet him; their relationship was close, almost like half-brothers.

If Yu succeeded in landing the role, Liu's influence within Three Kingdoms reboot would grow, so he was genuinely invested in Yu's outcome.

"Director Yan is busy right now—wait in the lounge."

Yu Hewei was nervous; he'd met Yan Li before, but this was his first private meeting, and it concerned his very fate—he was already remarkable for not trembling.

"Brother Liu, any taboos or preferences I should know about with Director Yan?"

Yu Hewei turned to Liu Qing'an for advice; the latter looked slightly awkward: "To be honest, I've never had a private meeting with Director Yan either."

Liu wasn't a veteran of Yi'an—he'd only joined two years ago and had been stuck in minor projects.

Because he performed well, he gained recognition from above, and with the massive scale of Three Kingdoms reboot needing staff, he was assigned as a producer on this project.

But there were several producers on Three Kingdoms reboot, and he was at the bottom of the hierarchy—otherwise he wouldn't be dealing with a candidate like Yu Hewei.

So although Liu Qing'an had attended many meetings with Yan Li, he had no experience with one-on-one interactions.

Still, he was at least an Yi'an insider—he might not have eaten the pig, but he'd seen it run—and he had some understanding, which offered Yu Hewei at least a little help.

Yu Hewei was still nervous, so the two of them chatted about other things to distract him.

"Before you came, was Liu Bei's role already decided?"

"Who?"

"You've met him before—Xin Baiqing from the National Theatre."

Yu Hewei remembered him; this man was also one of the top candidates for Liu Bei, and he seemed very gentle.

It was said the production team originally wanted to hire popular big names like Chen Daoming or Zhang Fengyi, but later thought they were too old, and the team wanted some freshness.

Both Yu and Xin benefited from this—they had some fame but weren't major stars, considered semi-new faces, yet possessed solid acting experience and ability.

"What about Guan Yu and Zhang Fei?"

"Guan Yu is basically settled on Hu Jun. Actually, Director Yan and the directors weren't entirely satisfied, but they simply couldn't find anyone better."

Yu Hewei nodded, since Cao Cao and Guan Yu had scenes together, he'd specifically observed the Guan Yu casting group.

Indeed, each candidate had advantages and disadvantages; Lu Shuming was the only one, so they had to pick the best among the rest. Hu Jun was the recognized symbol of the tough guy—famous, skilled, at least guaranteeing a baseline.

"All the original candidates for Zhang Fei were eliminated. Director Kong Sheng went to the Opera Academy and picked a new actor—a huahua performer, a complete newcomer who'd never acted in a film before."

Yu Hewei was surprised; he knew the production team had struggled over Zhang Fei's casting.

No matter what, Hu Jun could at least hold the line for Guan Yu and spare them from too much criticism.

Zhang Fei's image was restrictive—the actors chosen either looked brainless or perpetually angry. In Yan Li's words, he wanted the General of the Cavalry, Marquis Zhang, not a village idiot or a mountain bandit.

He'd assumed they'd settle for someone mediocre, but the production team panicked and took the risk on a newcomer.

"His name is Yue Qi. You'll see him later—you shouldn't underestimate him. He's never acted, but since childhood he trained in the basics, performed on stage for twenty or thirty years—he's got real skill."

Yu Hewei thought about it—he realized new actors weren't all the same.

Opera was also a form of acting; many opera performers had switched to film and become excellent actors. Art schools like Beijing Film Academy and Central Academy of Drama loved recruiting students with dance or opera backgrounds.

Liu Qing'an kept gossiping with Yu Hewei: this Zhang Fei was unquestionably the most legendary casting choice in the new Three Kingdoms.

With no ideal actor available, they turned to opera performers.

This idea came from the new Dream of the Red Chamber crew—they'd used several opera actors.

Originally, the director team's target was Guan Yu, since Guan Gong operas had always been a popular genre in opera—perhaps they could find a "Matchless Guan Yu."

But after searching, they found none. The few who came close were too old—even older than Liu Bei's father.

But by accident, they didn't find Guan Yu—they found a "Living Zhang Fei." His posture and presence were excellent; most importantly, after removing his beard and face paint, his appearance also had that certain quality.

He was also the first main role finalized in today's meeting. Yan Li only saw his face and watched two costume rehearsal scenes before directly approving him in the meeting.

Yu Hewei felt a bit envious—hearing this, he realized such type-cast actors held a huge advantage here.

"What about Zhuge Liang?"

"Not decided yet."

Liu Qing'an shook his head: "Sun Quan is settled on Deng Chao, Zhou Yu on Yan Kuan. If yours is confirmed, the only major role left uncast is Zhuge Liang—but this role won't be filmed for a while, so there's still time."

Yu Hewei stayed silent. Previously, Huang Xiaoming had been the top contender for Zhuge Liang.

There was public opinion online, and some insiders supported him too.

But Huang Xiaoming was under Huayi's contract—this likely involved a clash between major companies, and as a nobody, he'd better stay out of it.

"By the way, Liu Ge, who's Yuan Shao?"

Yu Hewei asked; in the script, Yuan Shao had many scenes and confrontations with him, so he was paying attention to this role.

"Ma Yue—he played Li Shimin in The Long Song of Zhen Guan. He originally auditioned for Liu Bei, didn't get it, but Director Yan thought he had noble bearing and could play Yuan Shao."

Another great actor!

Yu Hewei felt considerable pressure: Xin Baiqing was a pillar of the National Theatre, Hu Jun was a top star, Yuan Shao was Ma Yue, who had brought Li Shimin to life.

The Cao camp ministers and generals' casting list had also been gradually released—he'd reviewed their profiles and representative works; none were easy opponents.

Even if he got the role, if he performed poorly, he'd likely be replaced—or suppressed by others—and become the worst version of Cao Cao.

Just as he was thinking this, someone knocked on the dressing room door. A woman tapped lightly.

"Mr. Yu Hewei? Director Yan requests your presence."

Yu Hewei stood up. Liu Qing'an helped straighten his clothes, then nervously followed the woman to Yan Li's office.

He knocked and entered. Yu Hewei was momentarily stunned by the luxurious office—he'd visited Yi'an several times, but this was his first time in Yan Li's office.

No wonder he was an entertainment tycoon. Yu Hewei's already nervous demeanor grew even more cautious under the opulent surroundings.

This was precisely why some bosses built grand headquarters and luxurious offices and workspaces.

Beyond personal indulgence and vanity, they aimed to elevate the company's and their own image—to intimidate, suppress, and confuse visitors, making it easier to control them.

But Yu Hewei's status was too low for Yan Li to use this tactic.

Yan Li saw him enter and gestured to sit: "Do you smoke?"

Yu Hewei wanted to pretend he didn't, but feared being exposed later, so he nodded. Yan Li took two cigarettes from the pack and offered one. Yu Hewei grabbed the lighter first and lit Yan Li's cigarette.

Offering and sharing cigarettes during talks was like small talk—a way to build rapport and ease tension.

As they exhaled smoke, Yan Li looked at Yu Hewei: "The role of Cao Cao is extremely difficult. Frankly, many in the production team have little confidence in you."

Yu Hewei opened his mouth to speak, but Yan Li raised his hand to stop him: "But I watched your audition—I was impressed. Some in the team support you. So I considered it, and I'm giving you a chance."

"Let me be clear: if you perform poorly, the production team will consider replacing you. You're not the only one with this condition—several actors are under the same terms."

"Simply put: I've given you the chance. Whether you seize it depends on you."

Yan Li pointed to a document on the desk: "This is the contract. Sign it, and you get the role of Cao Cao. But if you perform poorly, the production team can unconditionally terminate your contract—you get nothing, and you'll waste your time…"

"I'll sign."

Before Yan Li finished speaking, Yu Hewei bluntly agreed.

After graduating from Shanghai Theatre Academy for over a decade, he'd finally gotten this chance. No matter what, he had to take the gamble.

Besides, wasting some time meant little to him—the potential reward was enormous. If he didn't take it, he'd regret it for life.

"Ambitious."

Yan Li praised: "Don't worry—if you're confirmed as the lead, there will be a proper contract, and your salary won't be cut a penny."

Yu Hewei replied gratefully: "Thank you, Director Yan."

"Playing Cao Cao well, so our crew gets more praise and less criticism, is the greatest thanks you can give me."

Yan Li said, sliding a business card over: "This is Professor Bao Guoan's phone number—we've already informed the crew. Go interview him later for advice. By the way, do you have Weibo?"

"Yes, I registered the moment Weibo launched."