[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment":3,"chapter-the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-chapter-99":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Intelligence King of Chinese Entertainment",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2260402,4411,"Chapter 99: You Used to Call Me Xiao Yan, I Didn","the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-chapter-99",99,"\u003Cp>In the days leading up to \"Emperor Wu of Han,\" Yan Li's scenes primarily focused on Huo Qubing's individual storylines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On one hand, it allowed him to find the character’s state; on the other, the lead actor Chen Baoguo’s schedule was too packed, and group scenes required coordination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Yan Li first filmed most of Huo Qubing’s solo scenes, then later shot his scenes with Chen Baoguo and the group scenes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This kind of multi-episode historical epic was far more complex in terms of specific shooting and progress management than Yan Li had imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He originally thought that after finishing the scenes at Hengdian, he would directly go to the grasslands to shoot, then wrap up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now it seemed the grassland scenes might not align smoothly with his schedule; perhaps he would finish shooting at Hengdian, leave the crew for a while, then return to the grasslands once part of the crew relocated there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The initial estimate had been to reserve two months, but the \"Emperor Wu of Han\" crew didn’t guarantee those two months would be consecutive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder they were hiring newcomers—two months of availability, possibly with interruptions in between, plus preparation time, added up to nearly half a year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Young stars with fame and no shortage of roles might not even consider such a supporting part or have this kind of availability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li felt he’d boarded a pirate ship, but since he’d already started filming, he couldn’t run away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, for Yan Li, filming in segments, pausing, then filming again actually made it easier to handle other matters—just meant traveling back and forth a couple more times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides daily filming, Yan Li was also carefully observing how the \"Emperor Wu of Han\" crew operated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, he had experience with filming and distribution, but behind-the-scenes production, coordination, and crew scheduling were an entirely different matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With such a large-scale production as \"Emperor Wu of Han,\" the behind-the-scenes team worked with Moqi  and professionalism—he could learn from them, so that when he eventually led his own projects, he’d know exactly where to focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the \"Emperor Wu of Han\" crew members found it strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li, an actor, didn’t hang out with fellow actors during breaks; instead, he kept hanging around them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He freely handed out Yuxi cigarettes and asked endless questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When asked why, Yan Li replied that acting was a hard path—he wanted a backup plan, in case he ever couldn’t make it as an actor, he’d switch to behind-the-scenes work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the lead actor, Yan Li’s status was special; crew members naturally gave him some leeway. Combined with his social skills and generous nature, he quickly bonded with many people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially several capable assistant directors, cinematographers, sound engineers, and art department staff—he even invited them out for drinks and fun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In less than a week, several of them were already calling him “Brother Li.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Something’s off. Definitely off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crew wasn’t short of sharp minds; for instance, the other assistant director Han Xiaojun, noticing Yan Li’s unusual behavior, began asking Li Xing for information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little Yan? He’s a good guy. He told me he’s considering moving behind the scenes—it’s perfectly normal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s incredibly hard to break through as an actor!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every year, hundreds of graduates from major art schools flood the industry, not to mention countless outsiders switching into entertainment and extras trying to rise up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But how many new actors actually become famous—or even just slightly known—each year?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To make a living, most minor actors switch careers or turn to behind-the-scenes work; everyone’s long been used to this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Han Xiaojun felt it wasn’t that simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li himself had excellent conditions and was already starring in \"Emperor Wu of Han\"—his career was going well, with a promising future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, given Yan Li’s generosity and confident demeanor, Han Xiaojun suspected he might be a rich kid just experiencing life—there was no sign of a struggling, depressed actor forced into behind-the-scenes work. Why rush to find another path?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m quite interested in this guy. Can you help me introduce myself?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Xiaojun’s mind turned, and he proposed to actively get to know Yan Li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Li Xing narrowed his eyes slightly—he knew Han Xiaojun well; he’d worked with Director Hu Mei even longer than Li Xing and was even more valued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As an assistant director, Li Xing mainly assisted the director on set, coordinating departments—in short, he was just an assistant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Xiaojun, besides these duties, also handled some executive director tasks, occasionally independently overseeing the filming of less important scenes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, Li Xing had only been slightly curious about Yan Li’s behavior and hadn’t taken it seriously—but Han Xiaojun’s move jolted him awake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though uncertain about Yan Li’s true situation, proximity gave him an advantage—he knew Yan Li first; he couldn’t let Han Xiaojun reap the benefits for free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Li Xing made up a random excuse and brushed off the matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Han Xiaojun wasn’t easy to deter; if Li Xing helped make the connection, fine—but even without him, Han Xiaojun had other ways to meet Yan Li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Wang Palace, side hall\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today’s scene depicted Prince Huainan and his son conspiring to rebel, while Emperor Wu was away on tour; fearing the rebels might take advantage, he sent Huo Qubing to deliver an imperial edict reprimanding them and other minor matters to deceive them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Huainan and his son, guilty at heart, heard the imperial envoy had arrived and secretly prepared an ambush, planning to strike first if things turned suspicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they didn’t expect Emperor Wu had sent Huo Qubing, his close aide; intimidated by Huo’s aura and deceived by the edict’s content, they dared not move and obediently awaited reprimand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This scene was deliberately designed to highlight Huo Qubing’s courage and integrity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing full well the Prince and his son were plotting treason, he dared to enter their camp alone, pointing directly at their noses in rebuke—truly a young hero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crew began filming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li, as Huo Qubing, still wore his long hair tied in a crown, clad in armor with a crimson cloak draped over it, holding the imperial edict in his left hand and resting his right on his sword, two Feathered Forest guards following behind him as he strode forward with imperial bearing from the main hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon entering, Huo Qubing immediately sensed something amiss, slightly turned his head, then continued calmly forward, stopping at the center of the hall, gazing sternly at Prince Huainan with a clear, powerful voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Imperial official Huo Qubing, commissioned by His Majesty, comes to question Your Highness. Prince Huainan, Liu An, receive the edict.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Huainan, not daring to delay, set down his scepter and stood respectfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Qubing, holding the edict with both hands, stepped to the upper position, turned around, stood tall, his expression cold and sharp, then raised his voice again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Imperial edict!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Huainan knelt to receive it. Huo Qubing did not speak immediately but scanned his surroundings and asked loudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is Crown Prince Liu Qian present?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Huainan hesitated slightly, remaining silent. Huo Qubing’s gaze was like a blade, his voice sharp as metal, and he demanded again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Prince Huainan, is Crown Prince Liu Qian present?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under pressure, the Prince’s son emerged from behind a screen and knelt to answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your subject, Liu Qian, is here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Huo Qubing nod in satisfaction, unroll the edict, and deliver a stern reprimand to Prince Huainan and his son, ordering them not to obstruct local officials or servants from traveling to Chang’an to enlist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Huainan and his son finally understood why the envoy had come—both shocked and relieved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Prince Huainan, please rise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Qubing told him to stand. Prince Huainan was helped up by his son, his emotions surging as he looked at the sharp, brilliant youth before him, and asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You are Huo Qubing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Qubing replied calmly, neither humble nor arrogant: “Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling Huo Qubing’s earlier display—the boy, barely grown, arriving with only two guards to rebuke them in their own palace, radiating such strength and vigor—Prince Huainan couldn’t help but praise him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed, your eyes blaze with brilliance—you are destined for greatness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Qubing did not rejoice at the compliment, responded politely, then calmly departed with his guards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good, cut.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After days on set, Yan Li, already well-prepared, had grown increasingly adept at portraying Huo Qubing—heroic, courageous, yet still brimming with youthful vigor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As screenwriter Jiang Qitao, who had watched his performance, put it: “Energetic, unstoppable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For actors, the key is to nail the character’s state and avoid basic mistakes like continuity errors or forgetting lines—this makes filming smoother and faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since joining the crew, Yan Li had been late for wrap only once, and the delay was entirely due to his co-actor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing this scene, Yan Li had another scene scheduled for the evening, but he wasn’t in a hurry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was just about to chat with a couple of crew members when Han Xiaojun approached him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Yan, your performance just now was exceptional.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master is too much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li politely declined. He wasn’t surprised Han Xiaojun had come to him—days earlier, the system had already alerted him that this man was curious about him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, Yan Li was slightly surprised Han Xiaojun had waited this long to approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But considering today’s shoot—the original executive director had suddenly been unavailable, so Han Xiaojun had taken over—he guessed Han had been waiting for such an opportunity to elevate himself and demonstrate his value.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A regular assistant director seeking to befriend him carried different weight than one who had previously directed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li didn’t mind such subtle calculations—he actually admired them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ambition is good; those eager to rise have drive, and once they see opportunity, they charge ahead fiercely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In contrast, Li Xing, even after sensing something odd, still held back, hesitated, and dragged his feet to get close—this was a minus in Yan Li’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Xing had his advantage: youth and ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Xiaojun, besides good instincts, had only average technical skills; without greater seniority, he might never have surpassed Li Xing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Han Xiaojun had luck—Yan Li currently had no one under him, so he wasn’t picky; if someone was decent, Yan Li was willing to give him a chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One was eager, the other willing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li treated Han Xiaojun to dinner, briefly introduced himself, and already the assistant director of \"Emperor Wu of Han\" was calling him “Brother Li.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Han Xiaojun was much older, this “brother” wasn’t about seniority—it meant “big brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As previously mentioned, the entertainment industry at this stage still carried strong gang-like overtones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s hard for actors to break through; it’s even harder for behind-the-scenes staff. To rise, one shortcut is to take a big brother, gain his favor and mentorship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, during this period and for many years to come, many film company bosses carried a “big brother” aura—high status and prestige, strong influence and charisma, with a group of followers relying on them for livelihood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Yan Li wasn’t interested in this system—he was doing business, not mingling in gangs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For younger people he was close to, calling him “brother” was fine—but Han Xiaojun, older and not yet familiar, was too much for him to handle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Call me Yan Zong in private. I don’t want to draw attention—just use my name on set.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back at the set, Yan Li saw Li Xing staring at him with a mournful look, like a woman abandoned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li felt a chill: “Brother Li, can you act a little more normal?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But by accident, after being provoked by Han Xiaojun, Li Xing finally made up his mind—he became much warmer toward Yan Li, adding a touch of flattery and respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From then on, Yan Li never heard Li Xing call him “Xiao Yan” again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first it was just vague address, but later, after hearing Han Xiaojun privately refer to Yan Li as “Director Yan,” Li Xing began calling him “Director Yan” too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to Han Xiaojun, Yan Li trusted and valued Li Xing more—he was more capable and better understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once, when Yan Li took leave, he brought Li Xing along to sign a contract with the “Detective Di Renjie” crew arriving in Hengdian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterwards, Yan Li explicitly indicated he was considering appointing Li Xing as co-producer for “Detective Di Renjie,” representing him as the producer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing a genuine film project with tens of millions in investment, the other producer being CCTV, and the allure of the producer title, Li Xing immediately bowed his head in submission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, Li Xing resigned from the “Emperor Wu of Han” crew, took two trusted subordinates, and threw himself into overseeing “Detective Di Renjie.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Li Xing’s example, Han Xiaojun grew even more obsequious toward Yan Li, yet Yan Li remained exceptionally low-key on set.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t afford to be anything but low-key—he was shooting under someone else’s direction, yet had already poached their key assistant before filming even ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was really unethical; after all, Director Hu Mei had given Yan Li, a newcomer, considerable trust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was no choice—Yan Li was desperately short of personnel, so he’d make an exception this time and compensate Director Hu later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Han Xiaojun and the other behind-the-scenes staff would have to wait—at least until “Emperor Wu of Han” wrapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li had inquired: even Han Xiaojun and the rest weren’t truly Hu Mei’s people—just collaborators who worked with her more often.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was standard in the industry; most crew members rarely signed formal contracts or received fixed salaries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Usually, they formed small groups of a few or a dozen people, led by one person, constantly traveling from set to set for gigs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When a director or producer needed to assemble a crew, they’d just call a few familiar faces—if they had availability, they’d come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If a director felt a team worked well together, he’d hire them again—easier and less effort, and the team preferred sticking with one director to avoid constantly hunting for jobs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With repeated collaboration, some became the director’s core team, but without formal affiliation—they followed the director when he had work, but took outside jobs when he didn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So once “Emperor Wu of Han” wrapped, Yan Li hiring these people wouldn’t count as poaching—and even if it did, it wouldn’t greatly affect Hu Mei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Han Xiaojun’s support, and given Yan Li’s own role carried some status, plus his consistently low-key demeanor,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>his daily life on the “Emperor Wu of Han” set was quite comfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d film daily, practice horseback riding, observe shooting and crew operations, occasionally treat a few close crew members to gatherings, and idle away time bantering with Lin Jing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then watch the lead actor, Chen Baoguo, suffer through endless filming!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weather was scorching; Chen Baoguo wore a wig and thick costume every day, his underclothes soaked through with sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Emperor Wu’s scenes were heavy—he shot for hours daily, and with waiting, transitions, and makeup, the time stretched even longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The workload was grueling, rest insufficient, and he was no longer young; each day after removing makeup and finishing, Chen Baoguo looked like he’d lost half his life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of his misery, Yan Li even briefly thought playing a supporting role wasn’t so bad—at least it wasn’t this exhausting…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2562,"2026-06-19T16:16:52.605Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","f9042b93a8051433847e6777bb77a0d6adb0313643dde21740207ea8618c8207","the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-chapter-100","the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-chapter-98",405,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-cover.jpg"]