He stared at Song Shi'an for a few seconds, then stood up from behind the monitor.
"Turn around."
Song Shi'an obediently turned in a circle.
Director Zheng folded his arms and looked him up and down, then turned and called to someone nearby, "Where's the screenwriter?"
The screenwriter, Sun Min, looked up from a pile of reference materials. She was the short-haired female judge who had sat in the middle at his last audition.
When she saw Song Shi'an, she pushed up her silver-rimmed glasses, the corners of her mouth lifting.
"I told you ages ago," she said, closing her laptop and coming over to stand beside Director Zheng. "Just standing there, he's Meng Zhen."
Director Zheng said nothing. He stared at Song Shi'an for another long while before finally nodding.
"All right. Shoot the costume stills first, then go to the table read. We'll run through the first few scenes today and start filming properly tomorrow."
He paused, then added, "Give it your best. Your character doesn't have much screen time, but every scene is crucial. The person the audience remembers in the end often isn't the one with the most scenes, but the one who shines brightest."
Song Shi'an nodded earnestly.
The props team came over to tuck a horsetail whisk into his waist, then handed him a token, the symbol of Meng Zhen's status as chief steward of the imperial palace.
Song Shi'an weighed the token in his hand. It was solid and finely crafted, with the three characters for "Palace Attendants' Department" engraved on it in seal script.
The photographer set up the camera, and the lighting technician adjusted the reflector.
The costume still was a solo shot of Meng Zhen standing outside the imperial study. Following the photographer's instructions, Song Shi'an stood at an angle, one hand hanging at his side and the other holding the token against the back of his waist, his chin raised slightly as he looked into the camera.
The shutter clicked several times. The photographer glanced down at the screen, then made an OK sign at Director Zheng.
The table read followed right after the costume shoot.
It took place in a fairly small conference room, with people filling both sides of the long table.
The male and female leads, the main supporting cast, the director, the screenwriter, the executive director, and several core crew members Song Shi'an didn't recognize.
Song Shi'an found a seat near a corner, spread his script out in front of him, and unobtrusively unscrewed a bottle of mineral water.
Beside him sat a young actress who played the male lead Xu Yanzhi's younger sister. She didn't have many scenes, but her character was likable.
She turned to glance at Song Shi'an, her gaze lingering on his profile for a moment before she leaned closer and whispered, "You're the one playing Meng Zhen? I've seen your audition. You were personally picked by Ms. Sun Min, so everyone's really curious."
Song Shi'an nearly choked on his water and hurriedly wiped the corner of his mouth. "Thank you. That audition... has it made the rounds internally?"
"Everyone on the casting team saw it." The actress smiled. "After watching your performance, everyone was too embarrassed to get up and audition."
Song Shi'an silently screwed the cap back onto his water bottle, unsure what to say.
Xu Yanzhi, seated at the other end of the long table, raised his head and glanced their way.
He was even better-looking in person than on camera, with sharply defined features and a composed bearing-the sort who could quiet a room without opening his mouth.
His gaze rested on Song Shi'an for a second or two, then he gave a slight nod in greeting.
Song Shi'an nodded back.
Director Zheng tapped the table, and the table read officially began.
When they reached Meng Zhen's part, Song Shi'an stood up to read his lines.
The first scene involved putting an official in his place on the emperor's behalf in the imperial study. There weren't many lines, but each carried a hidden meaning, respectful on the surface and threatening underneath.
Song Shi'an kept his voice low as he read, his pace neither hurried nor slow. He clipped the end of every sentence cleanly, like a blade slicing across paper-drawing no blood, yet sending a chill down one's spine.
The conference room fell silent for a moment.
Sun Min jotted a few words in her notebook, the curve of her lips deepening.
Xu Yanzhi's fingers paused as he turned his script, then flipped to the next page as though nothing had happened.
After the table read, Song Shi'an returned to the dressing room to remove his makeup and change.
He had just taken off the three layers of robes when his phone vibrated on the table.
Chi Xun had sent him a WeChat message that sounded distinctly furtive: Shi'an, have you arrived at the film studio complex?
Yes. Just finished the costume shoot.
Chi Xun replied instantly: Send me a picture.
Song Shi'an thought for a moment, then raised his phone and casually snapped a selfie in the makeup mirror.
In the photo, he wore white inner robes, his hair still styled up beneath a crown and the light makeup from the costume shoot still on his face, with the dressing room's warm strip lights in the background. He sent it straight over without checking it.
The other end went silent for quite a while.
Then Chi Xun sent three words: You win.
Another message followed immediately: "I hereby announce that I'm switching favorites starting today. Shi'an, if you ever need an assistant, consider me first."
Song Shi'an chuckled and slipped his phone back into his pocket.
By the time he left the dressing room, the sky had darkened. The streetlights in the film studio complex had come on, softening the outlines of the period-style buildings considerably.
He stood by the roadside and took out his phone to send Liu Bin a WeChat message.
"Bro, I'm at the film studio complex for a role. The Emperor's Ambition crew."
Liu Bin's replies were always instantaneous. This one was a sixty-second voice message, his voice so loud it was audible without speakerphone: "The Emperor's Ambition?! That big production, bro! What part are you playing? The male lead??"
"A eunuch."
The other end went quiet for a moment, then a text message popped up containing just three words: You little bastard.
Another voice message followed right after, with Liu Bin laughing so hard he was gasping for breath. "Sure, sure, a eunuch works too! Once it airs, I'll be the first to boost your ratings! Which hotel are you staying at? I'll come grab a meal with you sometime!"
Smiling, Song Shi'an sent over the hotel address, then put his phone away and hitched his backpack higher on his shoulder.
Second cannon fodder. Time to get to work.
The day after the table read, filming officially began.
Song Shi'an was hauled out of his hotel bed at six in the morning.
Sister Li, the on-set coordinator, called fifteen minutes before his alarm was set to ring. When he groggily answered, she was already on set.
The background was filled with the sounds of stagehands moving props and the crackle of walkie-talkies.
"Shi'an, we're shooting the exterior transition scenes outside the imperial study first this morning. Your hair, makeup, and costume are fairly complicated, so you'd better come early."
Song Shi'an hung up and finished washing up and dressing in two minutes.
In the mirror, a tuft of his hair stuck up, and his eyes weren't fully open yet. He splashed cold water on his face, patted his cheeks, slung on his backpack, and headed out.
The stylist was already waiting in the dressing room.
"Sit down. We've got lots of scenes today, so we need to get moving."
As the three layers of costume went on one after another, Song Shi'an yawned.
The stylist was straightening his collar. Seeing him yawn, she laughed. "Too nervous to sleep last night?"
"I slept pretty well," Song Shi'an answered honestly. "Just not enough."
"All right, at least it's not nerves." The stylist fastened his leather belt, stepped back to inspect the overall effect, and nodded in satisfaction. "Off you go. Director Zheng's at the imperial study set."