SWNOVELXO 16
Yun Yanhui was not one to be aloof or stubborn. She understood well the ways of serving as an official, recognizing that relying on her own abilities was far less effective than paying respects to princes and nobles. Achieving top honors in the imperial examinations merely provided her with a background as a scholar-official. Entering the Hanlin Academy as a minor compiler was still a long way from Ji Yaoguang’s goal of rectifying the world and supporting the state. The person with the most influential words was undoubtedly not Prince Xiang Zhao Tiandan, but rather Princess Pingyang, who was deeply favored by the emperor and could even intervene with the Imperial Tutor. Gaining Princess Pingyang’s favor would be extremely advantageous for Ji Yaoguang. However, she did not anticipate being appointed as Princess Pingyang’s consort so soon, a position she could not refuse.
Director Li Ou had Actress Ji Yaoguang rehearse the wedding night scene.
A red embroidered quilt with mandarin ducks was spread on the bed, with a pair of phoenix candles placed on either side. As the flames flickered, the entire room alternated between brightness and dimness. Princess Pingyang sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers tightly gripping her dress. Her expression was concealed beneath the red veil. The entire room was permeated with a joyous atmosphere. Suddenly, the sound of slightly chaotic footsteps entered her ears, accompanied by the maidservants’ moderate calls, abruptly breaking the eerie silence that had previously filled the room.
“Everyone, leave,” Yun Yanhui’s voice sounded cold.
Princess Pingyang had never been one to be controlled by others. Almost at the moment Yun Yanhui entered the room, she swiftly lifted her veil and tossed it onto the bed. A cold gleam flashed in her eyes, as if she had been forced to marry Yun Yanhui. She deliberately exuded an imposing aura, fully displaying the royal demeanor. She was Princess Pingyang, not any other woman. Even her own husband would ultimately have to bow to her. However, when she met Yun Yanhui’s eyes, clouded with intoxication, her demeanor suddenly changed. She calmly walked towards the table where wine vessels were placed and poured herself a cup.
Red tender hands, yellow rattan wine.
Yun Yanhui squinted at Princess Pingyang’s face, as calm as a lake’s surface. She rubbed her forehead, feeling somewhat drunk. Stumbling towards Princess Pingyang, she suddenly stopped a few feet away. With hands folded, she bowed to Princess Pingyang: “This subject pays respects to the Princess.” Her eyes, as dark as ink, flashed with complex emotions as she lowered her head. Princess Pingyang had shown her kindness, yet she had chosen a path of deception. If the truth were to be revealed in the future, how would others view the Princess? Her gaze inadvertently fell on the nearby bed, causing her heart to tighten again. How would they get through this long night?
Fortunately, Princess Pingyang had no such intentions. She did not even drink the ceremonial wine. Her face showed neither the joy nor the shyness of a new bride. She seemed composed in any situation. She drank a cup of wine by herself, the wine stains on her lips glowing enticingly in the lamplight. “You are the consort, nothing more,” she said. After a pause, she added, “I will have someone prepare another set of bedding.”
Hearing her words, Yun Yanhui’s hands, hidden in her sleeves, suddenly clenched. She slowly let out a breath.
Princess Pingyang did not miss her expression and frowned slightly.
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“Cut!” Director Li Ou’s voice rang out. He beckoned to Ji Yaoguang. He had to admit that this scene was far better than the typical Ji Yaoguang-style acting he had imagined. Could it be because of Chang Yu’s presence that she quickly got into character? A thought flashed through Li Ou’s mind. As he saw Ji Yaoguang hurrying over, he shook his head vigorously. It was best not to gossip about other people’s romantic affairs.
“Your performance exceeded my expectations this time,” Li Ou said, his face covered with a faint smile. Seeing the slight pride on Ji Yaoguang’s face, he suddenly changed his tone, “However, have you read and thoroughly understood the script? You need to carefully consider Princess Pingyang’s state of mind. She doesn’t dislike Yun Yanhui; in fact, she even admires her to some extent. She has always been hospitable to scholars in the capital, especially after Yun Yanhui passed the imperial examinations. Your gaze was too cold and fierce, as if you were completely forced by your parents to marry a stranger.”
“Wasn’t it an imperial edict that made her marry?” Ji Yaoguang asked. Isn’t that a form of coercion?
“Don’t use modern thinking to consider this,” Li Ou frowned. “In ancient people’s minds, following the wishes of parents and matchmakers was a natural thing. Moreover, given Princess Pingyang’s status and position, she could have easily protested to her father or even refused this marriage. After all, Yun Yanhui had no powerful family connections.”
Ji Yaoguang asked again, “So it should be a joyful emotion?”
Li Ou shook his head, “Not exactly. Princess Pingyang admires Yun Yanhui, but not to that extent. As you read on, you’ll find that having another consort doesn’t hold any special meaning for her. Look at how princesses in the royal family treat their consorts—summoning them at will, dismissing them easily, even beating and scolding them. But Princess Pingyang is different. She has more of an indifferent detachment, though this emotion will change as Yun Yanhui’s various talents become apparent.” Seeing Ji Yaoguang blink, unsure if she had understood, Li Ou patted her shoulder and said with some earnestness, “Go back and study the script more. Whether you can turn things around depends on you. Once we edit some good scenes together for a music video, it should attract another wave of fans who admire your looks.”
Ji Yaoguang: “……”
Li Ou added, “By the way, if there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask Chang Yu. Her understanding of the script is more thorough than yours.” There’s no deep hatred between the couple, why not take this opportunity to get along well? Li Ou’s tone carried a hint of teasing. He even winked at Ji Yaoguang, his strange and funny expression giving Ji Yaoguang goosebumps, causing her to quickly rub her arms and move away from Li Ou’s side.
The subsequent filming did not go very smoothly. Some scenes required several takes, and it wasn’t just Ji Yaoguang’s fault as an actor. However, everything was still within Li Ou’s acceptable range. He approached the camera and watched for a while. After smoking a few cigarettes, he announced, “It’s getting late. Everyone, let’s wrap up. Come back tomorrow in your best condition to continue.” Chang Yu rarely filmed night scenes, always leaving right on time, but it was different for other actors. When Li Ou’s decision reached their ears, it immediately sparked a round of cheers. The tension that had been as taut as a bowstring suddenly had a chance to relax, which was indeed one of life’s delights.
After removing her makeup, Ji Yaoguang saw Chang Yu walking side by side with Qiao Xi, seemingly preparing to return to the hotel. Without waiting for Chang Yu to speak, she quite consciously stepped forward, conveniently displacing Qiao Xi from Chang Yu’s side. She tried hard to control her expression, unable to hide the joy emanating from the corners of her lips and eyebrows.
Chang Yu glanced at Ji Yaoguang and asked coolly, “Are you happy?”
Ji Yaoguang lowered her eyes, feigning shyness with a smile, and responded softly, “Yes.” After a moment, seeing that Chang Yu didn’t respond, she stole a glance at that perfect profile and spoke again, “Can I come to you tonight to go over the script?”
Chang Yu didn’t answer. She just stopped and looked at Ji Yaoguang, her gaze seeming to penetrate deep into her heart. When Ji Yaoguang nervously met her eyes, she finally chuckled and said, “Alright.”
All the uneasiness and worry dissipated with this simple word. A brilliant smile blossomed on Ji Yaoguang’s face. She looked down at Chang Yu’s hand and suddenly realized she had long ignored a question: if she was as determined as before, why hadn’t the ring on her hand been removed? The biggest mistake made back then was by her, Ji Yaoguang. At this moment, the little pride floating in her heart transformed into a tender affection. Her fingertips gathered in the center of her palm, silently cheering herself on. One day, she would be able to hold that hand again.
Even if the two of them were silent, there was clearly no room for her to interject. Qiao Xi, pushed to the side, silently slowed her pace, maintaining a distance from the two of them to preserve her dignity as a noble single person. As she walked, she scrolled through the messages popping up on Weibo. When the production team had decided on Ji Yaoguang as the actress for Princess Pingyang, they were prepared to release the news. Information leaking from the production team was already a common occurrence, so rather than waiting for rumors to ferment online, it was better to take the initiative. However, considering the Li Yaoyao fans who hadn’t yet calmed down and worrying about Ji Yaoguang’s anti-fans coming out to change the direction of public opinion, the production team released the news of Lu Yusheng and Cheng Henian’s collaboration on the theme song of “The Treacherous Courtier” along with Ji Yaoguang’s costume photos.
“Has Director Li already spoken with Cheng Henian?” With Chang Yu taking the lead, Qiao Xi naturally wasn’t too worried about Lu Yusheng. As for Cheng Henian, she had seen her a few times on set. She was a beauty, but with edges and angles, quite unruly and casual. She didn’t seem like someone easy to persuade. She and Ji Yaoguang had no previous relationship, and Ji Yaoguang’s few words might not be enough to convince her. As doubts piled up one after another in her mind, Qiao Xi couldn’t help but quicken her pace to catch up with Chang Yu and ask in a low voice.
“It was Yusheng who went to talk to her,” Chang Yu replied calmly. That day, Lu Yusheng’s whisper in her ear was about collaborating with Cheng Henian no matter what. It seemed that getting contact information wouldn’t be difficult for her, but how she persuaded Cheng Henian was beyond Chang Yu’s concern. Seeing Qiao Xi’s expression of wanting to speak but hesitating, she raised an eyebrow and added, “Releasing this news now is better. It can divert some people’s attention.” After all, Lu Yusheng was a walking topic of conversation, and as for Cheng Henian, even though she had been out of the spotlight for a few years, the all-powerful media could quickly dig up old stories about her. Perhaps it was because of this personality that she gained the favor of many people.