Huayu: This director is so eager to improve.

Chapter 83 Rehearsal

On set,

Interior view of "Miaoyinfang".

The lighting was soft, the decor elegant, and the air seemed to be filled with the scent of sandalwood and the dust of musical strings.

The camera focuses on Nazha as she carefully arranges the tea set.

She wore an elegant pale yellow dress, her hair was simply styled, and her makeup was fresh and delicate. Her appearance was quite different from her usual glamorous image, and she exuded a more gentle and serene charm reminiscent of a woman from Jiangnan.

Her movements were gentle yet methodical, as she arranged the objects while whispering softly to the maid beside her.

Her gaze was focused, as if these trivial matters were her entire world:

"This Ding ware cup is what the sect leader uses for tea." She picked up a plain white, lustrous porcelain cup, her fingertips brushing against the rim.

"This thin-walled, gold-decorated bottle is for drinking; it should not be stored with other people's bottles."

The maid beside her gave a soft "oh".

Naza then placed another, more delicate cup separately.

"The water for brewing tea is placed in this Yixing teapot. I've already measured out the amount of tea leaves for each brew, and it's right here."

An elderly man beside them seemed puzzled. "Gong Yu, the sect leader has business to attend to, not to listen to you play the zither. Why did you prepare all this?"

With a hint of teasing in her tone, she added, "Besides, he might not even notice, right?"

Gong Yu paused slightly, her eyelids lowered, and her long eyelashes cast a small shadow under her eyes.

"Even if the sect leader doesn't notice... as long as he's more comfortable, I'll be happy."

"Cut! Great! That take was perfect! The emotion was spot on!" the director's voice rang out, filled with satisfaction.

The atmosphere on set relaxed.

The calmness on Naza's face quickly faded. She nimbly rose from the cushion where she was kneeling.

She patted her skirt, and the tender, sentimental Gong Yu from before was gone, transforming back into the slightly naive, bright-eyed young girl.

Like a light butterfly, she hopped to Qi Yue, who had already changed into Mei Changsu's costume and was rehearsing his lines for the next scene.

"Senior Brother Qi! What do you think of my performance just now?"

Her voice was clear and melodious, with a hint of coquettishness, but her eyes held an undisguised mix of trepidation and anticipation.

Upon hearing this, Qi Yue looked up from his script and glanced at her. Then, he gave a faint smile and nodded.

"Good, you've made great progress."

"real?!"

Naza's eyes lit up instantly, and she was so happy she almost jumped up on the spot, like a little girl who had received the most precious candy.

But this pure joy lasted only a moment; as if remembering something, her smile faded slightly.

"Senior Brother Qi... I heard from the production assistant yesterday that the air conditioner in your room seems to be broken? Will it be cold at night?"

She didn't wait for Qi Yue's reply, speaking a little faster, as if afraid of being rejected.

"I'm particularly sensitive to the cold... I had someone buy an electric blanket last night, and they bought an extra one. It should arrive at the hotel soon! I'll bring you one then!"

After saying that, she seemed to have accomplished some important task, turned around and ran away quickly, leaving only a faint fragrance in her wake.

Guo Fan, who was reviewing the storyboard nearby, witnessed the entire scene.

He remained unfazed, pretending not to see anything, cleared his throat, and raised his voice to address the entire audience:

"Clear the set! Actors, get ready! Departments, prepare—let's hurry, next take!"

The scene immediately sprang into action, covering up the brief incident that had just occurred.

Because of the tacit understanding between Qi Yue and Guo Fan, and because Qi Yue himself was already very familiar with the character of Mei Changsu, the first few relatively simple dialogue scenes were almost all completed in one take.

Guo Fan was already used to this. Qi Yue was strict with himself and well-prepared, so this result was not unexpected.

After arranging the camera positions and adjusting the lighting, Guo Fan walked over to Qi Yue, who was taking a short rest, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Qi Yue, Jing Tian... I think she's adjusted well these past few days and is familiar with the crew. Shouldn't we arrange some scenes between you two? At least rehearse them first to get a feel for each other? I think she's getting a little restless."

Qi Yue picked up the thick script beside him, its edges slightly curled and covered in dense notes, and quickly flipped to the pages that had been specially marked.

After a moment's hesitation, he tapped one of the pages with his fingertip:

"Alright, let's start with this one. 'Farewell at the Long Pavilion,' the part where Princess Nihuang discovers Mei Changsu's true identity. It's emotionally intense and full of conflict, suitable for getting to know each other first, and it's also easy to spot problems."

Guo Fan leaned over to take a look, then nodded: "Okay, let's start with this one."

The filming location was moved to a meticulously constructed exterior of an antique-style pavilion.

Although it is early spring, the production team created the appropriate seasonal feel for the drama through set design and post-production adjustments.

In the distance, there is a desolate mountain scene, and nearby, fallen leaves cover the ground, creating a somber and bleak atmosphere.

Although Guo Fan said it was just a "rehearsal," Jing Tian clearly took it extremely seriously.

She arrived in full regalia, dressed in a beautifully crafted white outfit befitting Princess Nihuang, with a matching silver-embroidered cloak over it. Her hair was styled in a neat high bun, adorned with simple silver ornaments.

The makeup artist clearly put in a lot of effort, highlighting the striking and delicate features of her face.

As she walked from the dressing room to the shooting area, the staff along the way couldn't help but turn their heads and whisper their admiration.

It must be said that Jing Tian's ancient costume look is indeed extremely beautiful, possessing both the noble demeanor of a princess and the dashing spirit of a military general.

Jing Tian accepted these gazes naturally, her chin slightly raised, her steps composed, enjoying the feeling of being the center of attention.

"Director Guo, I'm here!" she said in a clear voice as she walked near the monitor.

Wearing listening headphones, Guo Fan looked up from behind the monitor and nodded.

"Okay, Jing Tian, ​​you and Qi Yue should rehearse this scene a few times to get a feel for it. Qi Yue will guide you into the role; just follow his rhythm. Understand?"

"clear."

Jing Tian nodded, her gaze turning to Qi Yue, who was already standing by the pavilion, dressed in a plain white fur robe, with his back to her, seemingly looking at the distant mountain scenery.

This was the first time she had seen Qi Yue so closely since joining the crew.

In his period costume, Qi Yue is tall and slightly thin, with clear profile lines and pale skin due to makeup. However, the calmness and aloofness between his brows and eyes make him a perfect replica of Mei Changsu.

She composed herself, walked over to Qi Yue, and extended her hand. "Teacher Qi, it's a pleasure to meet you. This is our first time acting together, please give me your guidance."

Qi Yue turned around at the sound, his gaze falling on her, his eyes calm.

"Then don't be too happy yet."

"what?"

Qi Yue skipped the pleasantries and went straight to work.

"Ms. Jing, let's go through the scene once to get a feel for it."

This caused Jing Tian, ​​who had prepared some opening remarks, to pause slightly. She then adjusted her expression and nodded seriously.

"it is good."

Guo Fan signaled the script supervisor to strike the clapperboard, and the scene quieted down.

The first rehearsal begins.

Princess Nihuang strode forward, her gaze fixed on Mei Changsu in the pavilion.

Do you know Lin Shu?

Mei Changsu lowered his gaze slightly, avoiding her direct eye contact, and said, "I know her."

"Was he really killed in battle?"

"……yes."

"Where did you die in battle?"

Meiling.

"Where will the remains be buried?"

"Heaven and earth are my tomb." This sentence is very light, yet it seems to weigh a ton.

Nihuang's emotions surged here, her voice rising.

"No one has claimed his remains; not a single bone has been found?!"

"stop!"