Directing on the Ark, Success if Not Banned

"Setting aside whether His Majesty Frederick II is fit to be Emperor in peacetime, in this time of crisis, he has proven his incompetence as a leader to us!"

"Therefore, in the interest of national welfare, we, the opposition party, are willing to form a grand coalition government with the currently ruling Conservative Party!"

"But we cannot continue to be led by Frederick II! As he has greatly disappointed the House of Commons and the people!"

"Everything is for the sake of national interest! Please inform him, Prime Minister and noble lords! Abdicate! We need a new leader!"

At that very moment, after the leader of the opposition party spoke these words, the entire parliament erupted into chaos once more. If any civil servant from Victoria were present, they would surely have sighed in exasperation.

The Upper House is like a botanical garden, and the Lower House is like a zoo. This universally acknowledged fact is indeed not wrong in the slightest.

"They're arguing so fiercely. We only asked them to memorize their lines in advance and then vent in parliament. I didn't expect them to be so dedicated?"

Meanwhile, Talulah and Chen Qi were watching this scene unfold on the monitor. Seeing the opposition and Conservative parties arguing fiercely as they filmed, Talulah couldn't help but sigh.

However, Chen Qi knew exactly why the scene was so effective. He explained with a smile:

"It's because they're all carrying some personal grudges... For the opposition party, I specifically found the Knight Commanders from the Kazimierz Supervision Committee to play their roles, and for the Conservative Party, I specifically found people from the Commercial Federation and the National Assembly."

"The Commercial Federation and the National Assembly are colluding, and they already have constant conflicts with the Supervision Committee. This time, it's just a chance for them to vent their emotions."

"However, this scene was acted very well. We can move on. I hope our future shoots will go smoothly."

Chen Qi approved the current take. However, the voice he transmitted through the intercom to the parliament seemed to be drowned out by the sound of their argument... Clearly, the situation in the parliament was spiraling out of control, heading towards a genuinely serious direction.

"Mr. Patriot! It's time for your appearance! Quickly bring the Shield Guards to separate them!"

Chen Qi felt a bit of a headache. The conflicts on the Kazimierz side seemed sharper than he had anticipated. In fact, regarding the matter of troop deployment that the Kazimierz higher-ups had been concealing, based on what Chen Qi knew, the Commercial Federation and the Supervision Committee did not have unified opinions.

The Supervision Committee's idea was to expand the results of the war and cripple Victoria in one fell swoop, keeping Victoria in a semi-lifeless state.

However, the Commercial Federation argued that this would not be conducive to their expansion into the Victorian market. They did not want a Victoria that was so ruined it needed rebuilding; they wanted a sufficiently prosperous Victorian market. To achieve this, it would be enough to defeat them to the point of ceding territory and paying reparations, and to capture a mobile city as a trade hub. This would allow them to gradually encroach upon Victoria's market.

But Chen Qi couldn't be bothered with what the Kazimierz higher-ups were thinking; he was currently only concerned about the filming.

"I'll definitely never use them again. I'd rather have Xi and her group paint everything than use actors who only get into character once and then cause trouble. Although they acted well, it's more troublesome afterward!"

"—Are you talking about me?"

Just as Chen Qi was complaining to Talulah, Xi's voice suddenly came from the side. She had silently appeared beside Chen Qi and said calmly:

"You asked me to help you paint some sets for that movie called 'Braveheart,' right? I've finished painting them now."

"The countryside, battlefields, and trenches you wanted... they're all in this painting. When you need to film, you can just enter this painting to shoot, which will save some time."

"You've been a great help, Xi." Chen Qi immediately took the scroll from Xi's hand. He opened it and looked at it solemnly. The scroll Xi had painted ingeniously combined everything. Whether it was a golden wheat field, a trench battlefield like hell, or even soldiers from Gaul, Leithania, and Victoria, they were all lifelike.

"With this, it'll be much more convenient for us to scout locations when filming 'Braveheart'."

Talulah nodded from the side. Like Chen Qi, she didn't understand art appreciation, but she could tell that this painting would greatly assist their filming.

However, Talulah still asked Xi with some doubt:

"It's just... Miss Xi, why are you willing to paint for 'Braveheart' but not willing to paint some battlefield scenes for our filming of 'Darkest Hour'?"

"It's nothing, I'm just not interested." Xi calmly answered Talulah's question, saying:

"Actually, strictly speaking, if it weren't for 'Braveheart' being something you insisted I help with, I wouldn't be interested either... I've never liked movies that lack depth and have predictable endings."

"If I'm not mistaken, 'Darkest Hour' will end with a new Emperor rousing everyone's fighting spirit and persisting in the struggle; and 'Braveheart' will end with someone dying on the battlefield, followed by a funeral after a bout of crying, right?"

Xi hadn't read the scripts for either movie. For her, subjects she wasn't interested in were simply beneath her notice. In fact, without Nian forcing her, she wouldn't have had the slightest interest in some movies.

...Alright, 'The Thick of It' was indeed an unexpectedly interesting TV series. Xi had to admit that she had been a bit prejudiced because of the term "political satire."

But for the two movies Chen Qi was currently filming, Xi had very little interest. Movies with predictable endings, without twists or surprises, were definitely not her cup of tea.

"What are you talking about? You haven't even seen them, how can you casually judge Chen Qi's movies?" Xi's arrogant attitude made Talulah, who was defending Chen Qi, a little annoyed. But before Talulah could react, Chen Qi stopped her and spoke to Xi himself:

"—If that's the case, then please, Miss Xi, watch the premiere of our movies when they come out. I have a lot of confidence in both films, and perhaps they can change your opinion."

"Whatever." Xi remained uninterested. She closed her eyes slightly and said:

"I'm tired. I'm going back to my painting to rest. Don't disturb me unless it's important."

With that, Xi casually waved her hand and, like a green meteor, darted into the scroll Chen Qi held—the scrolls Xi painted were all interconnected, so entering one meant entering the world of all the paintings she had created.

"Haha, my sister isn't easy to get along with, is she?"

At this moment, Nian, wearing sunglasses and holding a script, arrived beside Chen Qi with a smile. Nian, who was currently "learning" in Chen Qi's crew, wasn't given any particularly important tasks by Chen Qi. Most of the time, she just wandered around the set, observing the cameras and the filming progress.

Simply put, she was freeloading on the crew. But Nian insisted on maintaining her attire, calling it standard "director" gear.

"Believe me, my sister isn't going back to her painting because she's tired. She's going back to watch 'The Thick of It'."

"Oh? After all this time, Xi still hasn't finished watching it?" Chen Qi was a bit surprised. However, Nian shook her head, revealing her sister's true nature hidden beneath her outwardly aloof demeanor.

"How could that be? She's watched it several times already. I don't even know how many times she's rewatched it."

"You should understand, right? She's the type who normally doesn't think much of any show, but when she finally finds a good one, she has to binge-watch it until she's sick of it—my sister has very high standards. If she doesn't like something at first glance, it's hard to change her mind later on—because she has no interest in understanding it!"

"So, Director Chen Qi, I have high hopes for you this time. We must make my sister see these two movies we're filming in a new light!"

Nian unceremoniously slung an arm around Chen Qi's shoulder, shamelessly intending to add her name among the production staff of these two films, in which she hadn't helped at all.

However, what Nian didn't say was that her high hopes for Chen Qi weren't just about giving her sister more movies or TV shows to binge-watch... it was also about hoping Chen Qi's works could help her sister, who was always so reserved and kept everything bottled up, to express some of her emotions.

After not seeing each other for many years, her sister's emotional defenses were far too thick. Nian was very worried... if this continued, her sister's years of "self-cultivation" would truly turn her into someone devoid of joy or sorrow.

This was the state Xi had always pursued... Only then could she avoid being consumed by fear, the fear of losing herself at any moment...

So, Director Chen Qi, please... please don't disappoint me.

Chapter 82: First Snow, Cliffheart: Why is my brother playing a decrepit old man?

Regarding the filming of "Braveheart," Chen Qi had originally intended for Patriot to play the protagonist "Emil." After all, Patriot's identity fit the role perfectly: aged, a veteran, steady, and responsible.

However, ultimately, at Margaret's suggestion, Chen Qi decided to have Młynar, who had volunteered, play the role of the old soldier "Emil."

Thinking about it, Chen Qi realized that his initial idea of casting Patriot had indeed been somewhat unreasonable. Firstly, for "Braveheart," Chen Qi had specifically localized the production. Similar to "Darkest Hour," the background was the Four Emperors' War. Considering "Emil's" identity in Gaul, Patriot was clearly not a suitable choice.

After all... even as a Sarkaz, Patriot was far too imposing. Casting him as an old soldier in Gaul, both his Sarkaz identity and physique were unsuitable.

Młynar, on the other hand, was a perfect fit. Firstly, he was a wanderer. Traveling extensively had imbued him with the world-weariness of an old soldier, as well as a numbness and aversion to war. The difficulty of makeup would also be minimal, essentially just concealing his ears and making him look older.

As for Patriot, Chen Qi naturally arranged a more suitable role for him: "Freddy," the only Black character in "Braveheart."

For the sake of localization, Chen Qi changed this character to be the film's only Sarkaz. A Sarkaz mercenary who, after his hard-won happiness was cruelly stripped away, resolutely embarked on a path to hunt down the culprit and throw himself into war.

This also indirectly explained why Freddy's character in "Braveheart" always appeared so formidable, undertaking the most dangerous tasks yet escaping death time and time again.

Of course, Chen Qi still needed to do some makeup for Patriot and figure out how to slightly reduce Patriot's physique. After all, a character as massive as a small mountain would be too conspicuous. They weren't filming a solo hero film, so while Patriot could appear stronger than others, his strength couldn't be so overwhelming as to affect the course of the battle.

For the role of "Karl," the son-in-law from Leithania, Margaret, the "Shining Knight," had eagerly stepped forward, stating she could fulfill the role.

Of course, more than anything, it was the "Shining Knight's" sense of justice and responsibility that motivated her to contribute to this anti-war film.

"Knights should fight to protect civilians, not to drag civilians into war."

"As a knight of the Nearl family, I have the responsibility and obligation to stand up and do something to oppose the wars of this world—even if it's not by fighting on the battlefield, I must uphold a knight's justice and duty!"

"Therefore, I won't let Uncle Młynar go into this destined-to-be-great film alone. Please let everyone in our Nearl family contribute to this anti-war film!"

Margaret said to Chen Qi with righteous indignation. This immediately inspired her younger sister, Maria, who clamored to join the filming of "Braveheart" as well. Młynar was almost driven to draw his sword and challenge his unruly niece to a full-power duel.

Others might not know, but Młynar was very aware! Kazimierz was currently allied with Ursus and Leithania in an unjust war. At this time, as someone constantly monitored by the Supervision Committee, participating in an anti-war film carried significant risk!

Młynar also sensed that Kazimierz, having once again fallen into war, was no longer a suitable place for the Nearl family to remain. However, for the entire Nearl family to leave Kazimierz was even more unrealistic; it would be outright treason, and the honor the Nearl family had painstakingly built over so many years would be reduced to nothing.

Młynar had not yet found the parents of his two nieces, his brother and sister-in-law... He couldn't make the decision for the Nearl family to leave Kazimierz, nor did he have the authority to do so.

The decision to participate in "Braveheart" was merely a fallback Młynar had decided to create for himself after weighing the pros and cons. This way, he would only be acting in the film in his own capacity, and the responsibility would rest solely on him, without implicating anyone else.

And in the future... regardless of the outcome of this war, his assistance this time could at least serve as a favor, allowing Chen Qi, a man protected by both "heaven" and "hell," to help their family escape danger at a critical moment.

It was also time for him to find an excuse to reasonably "exile" himself from Kazimierz and embark on the journey to find his brother and sister-in-law, a path he had hesitated to take before.

And... before he left, to do one last thing within his capabilities.

Młynar was not optimistic about "Braveheart" being able to stop this unjust war, but he valued Chen Qi's talent for stirring up this land, and that he was using this ability to oppose war. He felt that Chen Qi was like the innocent self he once was.

So, he wanted to help as much as he could, before he was unable to.

But that was a separate matter; he couldn't let Margaret and the others get involved. Because of this, Młynar and his two nieces were in a stalemate.

"Please give me some time, Director Chen Qi. I recall you saying that time flows slower within the painting than outside of it."

"I need to have a heart-to-heart talk with my two nieces, so I won't disturb you for now."

With that said, Młynar took his nieces, Margaret and Maria, into Xi's painted world. Chen Qi could guess what Młynar intended to do with his two nieces in the painted world... but as for who would convince whom, Chen Qi didn't know.

Chen Qi could afford to wait. Their current focus was mainly on "Darkest Hour," and the filming was proceeding relatively smoothly. They were slowly crafting the atmosphere of Victoria during a period of war, with both internal and external strife.

And while the crew was filming "Darkest Hour" in Kazimierz, they unexpectedly welcomed a few "uninvited guests."

"Wow! Is this the big city of Kazimierz?! It's really so big!"

"And this time, I didn't expect you to be able to leave Siracusa too! Won't the elders of Manjuin say anything?"

In the Grand Knight's City of Kazimierz, two young girls with racial characteristics very similar to Silver Ash were walking through the streets. One was lively and cute, the other quiet and elegant. The more serene, long-haired girl, who seemed to be the elder sister, a Feline girl, replied:

"It's alright. Ya'er has already spoken to me. The elder council has been very relaxed lately, so their supervision isn't as strict. Plus, this time, I'm here under the legitimate excuse of 'spreading faith'."

"So, spreading faith... is it to buy some televisions and set up a local network?"

The two Feline girls were Silver Ash's sisters, named Ennya and Enshia, who were currently starring in the crew. Like Silver Ash, they had traveled all the way from Siracusa to Kazimierz, with their purpose being quite clear: to "visit the set."

Of course, Ennya herself wouldn't put it that way. Her relationship with her brother wasn't that good, and she couldn't possibly leave Siracusa with such an excuse. Therefore, she chose a different approach.

"Coincidentally, I heard he's also been purchasing televisions recently, selling them to residents in his territory and aiming for widespread adoption... The matter of the local network is also being prepared and should be completed soon."

"Taking this opportunity, on behalf of Manjuin, to gift some televisions, and in the name of Yelagund, to offer these as rewards to believers, it can be considered a blessing to the followers in Siracusa."

"Okay, okay, whatever you say, sister!"

However, Enshia didn't expose her sister's little scheme. She knew that the main reason they had traveled all the way from Siracusa to Kazimierz was to see their brother.

After all, they were quite surprised when they learned that their usually stoic brother, who seemed capable of abandoning anyone for his goals, was going to act in a play?

How could they not go and see? Thus, driven by curiosity, the two of them, under the escort of Silver Ash's capable subordinate, "Exusiai," made their way to Kazimierz, searching for the place where their brother was filming.

Because of this, Exusiai had already informed Silver Ash and Chen Qi through his own channels, so they encountered no obstacles on their journey. Soon, the three of them smoothly entered the busy film crew.

"Is this the film crew? It looks so busy."

"Young ladies, second young lady, it seems they are currently filming. It would be best if we didn't disturb them." Exusiai stopped the two girls from walking further towards the filming location. Soon, Frostnova approached the three and said to them:

"The three of you are Mr. Silver Ash's relatives, correct? Filming is underway here, so please follow us to the screening room to wait."

"Ah, alright, thank you for the trouble."

What a beautiful person. FrostNova's appearance couldn't help but draw gasps of admiration from Enshia and Enya. After following FrostNova to the screening room, they soon saw Chen Qi himself, watching the large screen with Talulah and Nian.

"This is our director, Chen Qi," FrostNova introduced, a hint of subtle pride in her tone. "The one with white hair and dragon horns is our assistant director, Talulah, and the other is Nian, our technical director... I think."

"The scene is about to start, so please don't disturb them. The next scene, if I recall correctly, features your brother. Feel free to watch if you're interested."

"Huh? The next scene is my brother's performance?"

FrostNova's words made Enya and Enshia's eyes light up. Upon hearing that they could watch their brother act, regardless of their usual relationship, the two sisters quickly sat down on the nearby sofa and began to patiently watch the filming results displayed on the large screen.

Currently playing was the scene where Vina, portraying a new private secretary named "Leighton," meets for the first time the future monarch of Victoria, played by Silver Ash. She arrived at the door and listened as the person beside her chattered on with instructions:

"If he extends his hand and says 'Here,' you need to guess what he wants immediately – a black pen, a red pen, paper, or 'clop' – his stapler."

"He speaks unclearly, so it's almost impossible to hear everything. Type fast, quick and neat, with double spacing."

"He absolutely hates single spacing! Absolutely hates it!"

"Alright, good luck."

After these instructions, the gentlemen slowly departed. Just a few lines of dialogue were enough to paint a picture in Enya and Enshia's minds: the person this female secretary was about to meet was clearly not a kind individual.

"...What role was he playing again?" Enya couldn't help but turn to her sister beside her and ask.

"I heard he's some kind of lord, or maybe an emperor? Anyway, he has a very high status! It's perfect for brother!"

Enshia quickly answered her sister's question, saying with a bit of excitement, "Hehe, I can already imagine it! With big brother's domineering CEO handsome face, plus the emperor's attire, he'll definitely have a whole crowd of girls swooning over him in Siracusa!"

"Maybe big brother can bring a sister-in-law back this time! What do you think, sis?"

"...I don't really care," Enya replied, avoiding the question. She didn't have much to say about Silver Ash, but since she was here now, she was also curious about what kind of role her brother was playing.

However, as Vina slowly pushed open the door in the movie, the dark room was gradually illuminated by the light of a match, slowly revealing Silver Ash himself lying on the bed.

And at that moment, with the firelight and the drawing of the curtains, sunlight slowly shone upon him. Silver Ash's appearance instantly shattered the two girls' fantasies.