Chapter 9: Yin Zhiping

Zhang Jizhong and Lu Kuan sat facing each other inside the recreational vehicle, with Big Beard’s Buddha Dragon Well tea, bought while filming in Xinchang, Zhejiang Province, steeping on the narrow square table.

Lu Kuan smiled to thank Big Beard for his polite pleasantries, sipping the tea with a relaxed state of mind.

"Not bad!" he said, taking a light sip of the tea.

"Fresh, mellow, and sweet, and the liquor is a bright apricot-green, though the water is a bit coarse."

Zhang Jizhong gave the young Daoist a thumbs-up: "Master Lu is a connoisseur. I had originally planned to go to Dayang Mountain in Suzhou to fetch a few buckets of spring water to brew tea today, but..."

"Sigh... I am truly exhausted in body and mind now."

Lu Kuan smiled noncommittally; he had already learned the sequence of events from his call with Jiang Qinqin.

It was a set of ropes from the props department that had aged and snagged on the sharp rocks of Tiger Hill, which was what caused the hero Guo Jing to turn into a fool.

Listening to Big Beard’s form of address change from Daoist Priest Lu to Master Lu, he thought to himself that it was time to settle the battle gains.

Hmm, this Master Lu will clear your memory properly and then plant a Trojan horse in your brain!

"Daoist Priest Lu, the 300,000 consulting fee is no problem, but what about these other aspects?"

Lu Kuan let out a long sigh, his expression troubled: "Three days ago it would have been effortless, but now that complications have arisen, resolving them is no easy task."

Zhang Jizhong’s expression turned somewhat ugly; surely this wouldn't mean another price hike?

He had a mind to ask the other party to leave the vehicle, yet he was unwilling to let more trouble arise at the final, crucial sprint of the production.

Every day the progress dragged on, it cost hundreds of thousands in personnel expenses, and it would also affect post-production time and the release schedule.

Of two evils, choose the lesser; he suppressed his temper and said: "350,000, please ensure Daoist Priest Lu takes care of every aspect!"

Lu Kuan laughed in spite of himself, looking astonished: "Director Zhang, you take it too seriously. It’s not about the money; I have a small request."

"I would like to play a character in the show; I wonder if that’s possible?"

"Hm? Please, go on?" Big Beard was somewhat surprised, not expecting someone from outside the secular world to have such a craving for acting.

"Yin Zhiping. I will play it as myself; you can have someone test my acting."

Zhang Jizhong was somewhat tongue-tied: "This..."

He set aside the filter of religious mystery to observe the young man in casual clothes before him; from his appearance to his temperament, it would not be an exaggeration to call him outstanding.

Thinking back to the request he made, it was also so fitting.

Yin Zhiping only appears in two or three episodes in the entire show; the role isn't heavy, but it is a character with lines, actions, and close-ups, making it perfect for a newcomer to test the waters.

This was clearly a calculated move, having planned every step of his side with foolproof precision.

Truly a person with deep schemes.

Zhang Jizhong picked up his teacup and said with a chuckle: "It seems Daoist Priest Lu also has an actor’s dream?"

Lu Kuan feigned profundity: "The so-called 'straight heart is the place of the Dao'; a Daoist descending the mountain must experience the red dust."

"This vast world—the entertainment industry, with its filth, venality, complexity, and 'pink skeletons'—is the most suitable place."

Human nature is inherently evil, and every top-tier circle inevitably hides filth, but the entertainment industry is particularly prominent under the glare of the spotlight.

Zhang Jizhong was somewhat hesitant; he could call him a charlatan full of tricks, but his judgments and predictions regarding the two events were so mysterious that one had no choice but to believe.

To say he had the bearing of an immortal, untainted by the secular, yet he was willing to meddle in the trivial affairs of the crew and actors—where was the style of an otherworldly expert in that?

Lu Kuan laughed heartily: "Director Zhang, don't overthink it. It’s the 21st century; the identity of a Daoist can't be brought to the table, and I can't help but make more preparations for the future."

This was indeed his true thought. As the saying goes, use the orthodox to engage and the unorthodox to win; he couldn't always rely on this mystical persona to make connections. Occasional strokes of genius had to be used at critical moments, otherwise, there were too many flaws!

Starting as an actor to bow into the game, utilizing the industry insiders' obsession with the supernatural to trade for resources, and maneuvering through this society of capital and human sentiment was the right path. The Daoist identity could only serve as a cover; it was not fit for high society.

Zhang Jizhong didn't care whether his words were true or false; regardless, such a small role with less than twenty minutes of screen time was his to give. The most important thing now was to restart the stalled production.

Lu Kuan had taken the money, so he offered some advice to Big Beard from a PR perspective: "Li Yapeng is injured and hospitalized, and Zhou Xun’s emotions are unstable. Reporters will surely get wind of this; the crew must be prepared to handle public opinion."

"You mean?"

"Hype up their romance born from the show to cover up the negative news of filming delays and the lead actor’s injury, and stir up the buzz."

Zhang Jizhong stared at him, dumbfounded. This wasn't exactly a brilliant strategy—it was a common hype tactic used by crews—but hearing it from the mouth of a young Daoist who had just entered the entertainment industry was still very strange.

Yet he had to admit it was the optimal solution for now.

"Also, Director Zhang can privately notify Li Yapeng’s current girlfriend, Qu Ying, as soon as possible."

Lu Kuan blew at the floating leaves in his teacup with composure, casting this dirty business onto Big Beard without any psychological pressure; he believed the other party would make the best choice.

Given the hype tactics he had used in previous Jin Yong adaptations, it would be a wonder if he didn't seize this opportunity to hype the love triangle to explosive popularity to build anticipation for *The Legend of the Condor Heroes*!

"Clang!" With a sound, the teacup in Zhang Jizhong’s hand slipped, tea spilling everywhere and soaking the small table.

Lu Kuan, your heart is even dirtier than mine!

It seemed that ever since he met this young Daoist, he had been constantly refreshing people’s perception of him.

Now, it was as if he were shrouded in clouds and mist, leaving Zhang Jizhong unable to see his true face.

But one thing was certain: this was a smart person, and being friends with a smart person was never a mistake.

As for the original actor, Cheng Haofeng, he naturally became the sacrificial lamb for this dirty deal.

Survival of the fittest; nothing to be surprised about.

——

The film studio.

"What? You? Yin Zhiping?"

Jiang Qinqin was somewhat incredulous; she didn't know if she had gone crazy or if the world had.

Even Daoists were descending the mountain to enter the entertainment industry.

"Ahem..." Lu Kuan coughed twice into his fist, feigning anger: "Does Sister Jiang think my image isn't up to par?"

She just felt it was all too sudden.

One second she was shocked by his unfathomable predictions, and the next, he seemed to have fallen back to earth, becoming an entertainment industry person just as keen on advancement as she was.

Jiang Qinqin playfully patted his arm, only to see Zhang Jizhong, Ju Jueliang, and other directors walk into the studio.

"This is for your audition?" Jiang Qinqin finally believed his words.

The crew had stopped work again today, and all these directors had shown up only because of what Lu Kuan had just described.

Everything was ready; Lu Kuan changed into his costume, needing almost no makeup, naturally carrying an otherworldly Daoist temperament.

Zhou Jie, dressed as Guo Jing, performed the scene of delivering a letter inside the yurt.

"You are called Guo Jing, aren't you?"

Lu Kuan’s expression was arrogant; he glanced at the youth who had emerged from the yurt and provoked him with a look of disdain.

(End of chapter)