Chapter 66: Truly Suited to Play Huo Qubing—Fond of Unconventional Tactics and Risky Moves

Cuiyu Tea House

A few more minutes passed before Director Hu Mei couldn’t help interrupting Yu Yanli’s fluent monologue.

After all, this was an actor audition, not a lecture—no one could sit through an hour-long talk, especially with more actors waiting behind.

Though she halted Yu Yanli’s speech, her expression had softened considerably compared to earlier; her gaze toward him now carried genuine appreciation.

She felt this young man not only had an excellent appearance but also a proper attitude—a promising prospect.

Screenwriter Jiang Qitao and Jiao Huang also held a favorable impression of Yu Yanli.

From a screenwriter’s perspective, they naturally favored actors with deep understanding of the character, plot, and historical context.

From the standpoint of a senior actor, they appreciated young newcomers willing to put in the hard work to study their roles.

All three developed a liking for Yu Yanli; the audition atmosphere gradually shifted from stern and tense to warm and amicable.

Hu Mei flipped through Yu Yanli’s file: “It says here you can fight—can you handle action scenes? How’s your horseback riding?”

“No problem at all.”

Yu Yanli nodded, emphasizing his role as Yuwen Chengdu in “Heroes of Sui and Tang.”

Outsiders didn’t know Yuwen Chengdu in “Heroes of Sui and Tang” was just a background villain.

On the surface, however, the title of the second greatest hero of Sui and Tang still carried weight; portraying such a fierce warrior proved Yu Yanli’s image suited a general and that he had some experience.

Hu Mei turned and whispered a few words to Jiang Qitao, glancing occasionally at Yu Yanli and nodding slightly.

Conservatory-trained, excellent appearance, played a general before, trained in martial arts, knows how to ride, and understands the role deeply.

Aside from his youth and lack of fame, he was easily the most well-rounded candidate she’d auditioned so far.

Yet precisely these two points were ones Hu Mei didn’t care much about.

When she filmed “The Emperor in Han Dynasty,” she’d used many unknown actors and plenty of newcomers.

Like Li Wei, Hong Zhou, Hong Shi, Liu Molin, and Qiao Yindie—all were newcomers with few prior dramas.

Even Lin Jing, already confirmed for the role of Wei Zifu in “Emperor Wu of Han,” had only been in the industry a few years and was the same age as Yu Yanli—both born in 1980.

With Chen Baoguo and Jiao Huang anchoring the cast, there was no need for supporting actors to carry promotion or publicity, so Hu Mei wasn’t afraid to use newcomers.

In fact, she thought newcomers were better—blank slates were easier to paint on, and they were more obedient and cheaper.

Hu Mei pulled out a thinner script for Wei Qing and handed it to Yu Yanli, asking him to familiarize himself and try a scene.

With little dialogue and plot, Yu Yanli memorized the lines in minutes, cultivated his emotions, and then performed with Jiao Huang personally coaching him.

After two scenes, Hu Mei stayed silent, scribbling notes on her pad, still uncertain.

In her view, Yu Yanli’s Wei Qing was slightly immature but acceptable—barely satisfactory.

His level met her requirements, yet it didn’t move her deeply; it hovered in the gray zone—too good to discard, but not good enough to fully commit to.

Yu Yanli sensed Hu Mei’s hesitation and spoke up: “Director Hu, could I try for Huo Qubing instead?”

Huo Qubing?!

Hu Mei froze, then realized—she’d been too fixated.

If Wei Qing didn’t work, she could switch to another role!

Indeed, Yu Yanli’s youth made him less suitable for the middle-aged and elderly Wei Qing, but perfect for Huo Qubing.

Earlier, Hu Mei had considered Yu Yanli for Wei Qing because his facial features carried a certain maturity and composure, matching her vision of Wei Qing’s reserved humility.

But meeting him in person, she now saw that while polite and respectful, Yu Yanli also possessed traits typical of youth.

Especially when he spoke passionately about Wei Qing just now—confident, bold, fearless, radiating the spirit of a young man.

Hu Mei turned to Jiang Qitao: “Do you have the Huo Qubing script?”

He shook his head—they’d prepared only for Wei Qing’s audition.

But Jiang Qitao was the screenwriter; the script lived in his mind, and he quickly found a solution.

“I’ll find you a few scenes—basic plot and dialogue. You’ve studied Huo Qubing, so feel free to improvise. We just want to see how you embody the character.”

This suited Yu Yanli perfectly—he’d rehearsed privately beforehand, and without a script to constrain him, he could showcase his strengths.

This time, he didn’t need Jiao Huang to cue him; he prepared alone, then launched into performance.

He tilted his head slightly, stood tall, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room, voice strong and resonant.

“Someone once asked me, ‘Your aunt is Empress, your uncle is Grand General, you’ve been favored by the Emperor since childhood, born into wealth—why risk your life on the battlefield?’ I told him: I, Huo Qubing, didn’t come to fight for survival—I came to take the Xiongnu’s heads.”

“These barbarian invaders refuse to submit to our civilization, repeatedly violating the dignity of Han. I will sweep away the Xiongnu for the Emperor and restore Han’s glory.”

“Today, follow me on a surprise strike straight to their capital—capture the Xiongnu Chanyu first, break their bones, and make them feel the might of Han soldiers.”

“...”

Arrogant! Direct!

Noble! Valiant!

Fiery, youthful, radiant with vigor!

Watching Yu Yanli’s audition, Hu Mei’s eyes grew brighter—she’d chosen the right role.

Yu Yanli’s Huo Qubing was a quantum leap above his earlier Wei Qing performance.

Saying he embodied the Crown Prince in person was exaggerated, yet he clearly carried a hint of that spirit.

Jiang Qitao savored Yu Yanli’s lines—youth had such spirit; his delivery was even bolder than his own written dialogue for Huo Qubing. Hmm, worth considering.

Jiao Huang watched silently. When Yu Yanli finished, he tossed him a cigarette to help him relax.

Yu Yanli thanked him, accepted but didn’t light it, turning instead to Hu Mei—the one with final say.

“Director Hu, what do you think?”

Hu Mei paused, then handed him her notebook: “Write down your email. I’ll have someone send you the Huo Qubing script. Study it, and come back in a few days for a makeup and screen test.”

Yu Yanli’s heart leapt—he understood the subtext. Though unspoken, her words carried clear meaning.

Makeup test + screen test—she wanted to see his look and let producers and other senior crew members observe.

“Emperor Wu of Han” wasn’t “Conquest”—Director Gao Qunshu decided after two auditions. Nor was it “Heroes of Sui and Tang” or “The Treasure Basin,” where they didn’t even require a scene test.

This was a multi-million-dollar historical epic, a major project even by industry standards; Hu Mei held significant authority, but she didn’t rule alone.

Still, Huo Qubing was only a supporting role. If Hu Mei approved, and the makeup and screen tests went smoothly, the role was nearly his.

“Thank you, Director Hu. I’ll work hard.”

Yu Yanli quickly pledged his commitment. Hu Mei spoke kindly with him a while longer, then let him go—others were still waiting.

How Yu Yanli greeted and thanked Assistant Director Li Xing on his way out wasn’t important; Hu Mei turned to Jiao Huang.

“Jiao Laoshi, what do you think of that young man just now?”

Jiao Huang’s voice was deep and resonant: “Good looks, solid acting, willing to put in the work.”

And he’s sharp, with courage too!

He didn’t say the last part aloud—only thought it.

As a top actor with decades of experience, Jiao Huang had seen it immediately.

Yu Yanli had almost certainly come here aiming for Huo Qubing all along!

When he first auditioned for Wei Qing, Jiao Huang hadn’t noticed anything odd—he assumed the actor was young and underdeveloped.

But when Yu Yanli went all out for Huo Qubing, his performance surged dramatically—only then did Jiao Huang realize Yu Yanli had held back during the Wei Qing test.

This not only made them feel he was better suited for Huo Qubing, but also created a deliberate contrast—building suspense and surprise, earning maximum impression points.

But if he’d failed at Huo Qubing, he’d have lost his fallback option of Wei Qing too.

Thinking of this, Jiao Huang strangely felt Yu Yanli was truly suited to play Huo Qubing—fond of unconventional tactics, daring risks for greater rewards…

(End of Chapter)