Chapter 38 Analyzing the Script

Many people on the set of *A Weaver on the Horizon* found it strange that Liu Shishi was constantly hanging around Shen Yan. After all, Shen Yan was a newcomer, while Liu Shishi was undeniably a rising star. Yuan Hong was also curious, though he didn't read too much into it; their professional standing simply didn't match. Shen Yan, for his part, didn't mind. Chatting with a beautiful woman was certainly better than being all alone.

Liu Shishi was finally about to film her scene. Her costume was quite... unique, but undeniably pretty. Shen Yan couldn't help but reach out and pluck the flower from her hair. "What's this flower for?"

"Does it look good?"

"Not bad."

"I think so, too!"

Shen Yan complimented her, "The large hairpiece doesn't look tacky at all."

Liu Shishi paused, then asked, "Tacky?"

"Well, large hairpins with flowers are usually associated with matchmakers, and they're supposed to look a bit gaudy. But you don't have a single tacky quality; instead, this flower makes you look delicate and charming. We should give the stylist a bonus!"

Shen Yan had initially wanted to point out that the show was set at the end of the Song Dynasty and the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, and that the costumes—including the princess's—weren't historically accurate. But Tangren Media rarely cared about historical periods; they just wanted things to look good. Forget it, that wasn't for him to worry about. Who was he to say anything? This was a Tangren production, and the art, costume, and styling team—He Jiansheng, Chen Gufang, and Song Xiaotao—had been collaborating with them for nearly a decade.

Hearing his sincere praise, Liu Shishi beamed. "You've got good taste!"

Shen Yan asked curiously, "Don't you need to rehearse with someone?"

"It's fine. I'll go run through the blocking in a moment. By the way, where are the next chapters for *Lotus Casebook*?"

"I've saved them in my email, but I personally suggest you read it as it's serialized. It's more interesting that way."

"Interesting?"

"Right," Shen Yan said. "Think about it: following a story as it unfolds allows you to pay closer attention. Many readers form an emotional connection to the novel precisely because they track the updates. If you binge it all at once, you might just skim through it without truly absorbing the details."

Liu Shishi frowned. "...Are you just trying to avoid showing me the rest?"

*Wow, this girl is sharp!*

"...Fine, give me your email address, and I'll send it to you later."

"My email address... my email?"

"Yes. You don't have one?"

"I probably do... but I don't really remember it."

"Then I guess there's nothing I can do," Shen Yan said with a shrug. "I can't exactly have you coming over to my room to read it!"

"I wouldn't go there anyway!"

"...Are you sure?" Shen Yan tried to coax her. "I have a cat that can do a backflip!"

Liu Shishi's eyes lit up. "You have a cat? Really?"

"...I... forget it. I'll just bring my laptop to the set tomorrow, and you can read it there!"

Shen Yan felt a bit discouraged; she clearly didn't get his humor. Liu Shishi seemed to realize something as well, blushing slightly. "Alright, I'm going to go rehearse now..."

...

"Zhao Zhe is a complete beast!"

"...But he is a man of his word. He said he could save Qiao'er's master on the condition that she becomes his concubine, and she agreed."

Shen Yan and Janine Chang were discussing the script. The plot had reached the point where Qiao'er's master, Rong Xiuman, had taken the fall for all the crimes to save her apprentice and was sentenced to be executed in three days. Qiao'er, desperate and panicking, recalled the Minister of Justice Zhao Zhe's words: "I can save your master, but you must become my concubine!"

Janine Chang wasn't happy with Shen Yan's interpretation. "Isn't that just taking advantage of someone in their moment of weakness?"

Shen Yan curled his lip. "Big sister, Qiao'er is just a palace maid, and Zhao Zhe is the Minister of Justice. Becoming his concubine isn't exactly shameful."

"...That's not the point, she doesn't love him at all!"

"That's why we shouldn't worry about the historical context or logic. Let's just play it with a modern mindset."

Janine Chang was speechless. "...Fine!"

In truth, she was the one who had insisted on discussing the plot through the lens of the historical era. But the screenwriters at Tangren didn't know the first thing about history. They had even messed up the ranks of the imperial harem. In the Song Dynasty, there were the four concubines and nine consorts. During the reigns of Emperors Zhenzong and Renzong, the nine consorts were expanded to eighteen, and Renzong added the title of Chenfei to the consort ranks. The five top concubines were the Guifei, Shufei, Defei, Xianfei, and Chenfei.

*A Weaver on the Horizon* featured two Guifeis: Lady Han and Lady E. That was utter nonsense! The rank of Guifei was singular and carried high influence in the harem. The other four—Shufei, Defei, Xianfei, and Chenfei—were also first-rank concubines, with only one of each. An emperor couldn't possibly have two Guifeis! If they couldn't even get that right, why even bother talking about historical background?

...

Oh, the two of them were now rehearsing the scene where Fang Ning confesses his love and is rejected by Huang Qiao'er. Qiao'er had left the palace to learn tie-dyeing at the Dafang Dyeing Workshop. Fang Ning, the second young master of the workshop, had always liked her and couldn't hold back his feelings any longer. Qiao'er told him she already had someone else in her heart.

Fang Ning felt bitter, but he smiled and said, "You're right, matters of the heart cannot be forced..."

After finishing the line, he noticed Janine Chang staring at him. Shen Yan frowned. "...Why are you looking at me?"

"...Your eye acting is incredible. How did you practice that?"

"This..." Shen Yan wanted to say it was raw talent, but changed his mind. "...You should ask the veteran actors in traditional opera. There's an old saying: 'The essence of a performance lies in the face, and the essence of the face lies in the eyes.' They have specific ways to train their gaze."

"Really?"

"Why would I lie to you?" Shen Yan added, "You could also try Tony Leung's method—practicing in front of a mirror."

"In front of a mirror?"

"I read in a magazine that he often stares into a mirror to refine his expressions and determine which look best conveys the emotions he wants to project."

Janine Chang looked puzzled. "Tony Leung does that?"

Shen Yan scratched his head. "I don't know if it's true or not. Oh, right, Eddie Chiao once said he was nearsighted and couldn't focus properly. When he started acting, he realized his eyes looked unfocused on camera. He asked a veteran actor for advice, and they told him to practice by staring at the flickering flame of a candle."

"Staring at a candle flame?"

"...That one should be true."

As they were talking, Liu Shishi wandered over. "What are you two chatting about?"

"Rehearsing..."

"You're rehearsing without a script?"

Shen Yan shook his head. "I don't need one; I've memorized it all!"

Liu Shishi was curious. "How do you memorize lines so fast?"

Shen Yan replied, "Our script is less than 500,000 words. I read it once, map out the character and plot logic, and then focus on my character's motivation. Once that homework is done, the lines are basically stuck in my head."

"Logic? Then tell me the logic behind Fang Ning."

"Fang Ning is your typical, original-trope male lead's rival. He has to be deeply affectionate, he has to die, and, oh, he has to hold the toxic, feudal-minded views of men of that era."

"Why?"

"I looked up records on Huang Daopo. She saw countless women suffer humiliation after marriage, stripped of their dignity. She chose to be a 'self-combing woman'—refusing to marry—and dedicated herself to improving textile techniques, allowing women to support themselves independently of men. In a feudal society, that was no small feat, which is why she's revered by later generations. Fang Ning must embody those deep-seated flaws. That's why he'd say things like 'a woman should be loyal to one man for life,' and why he feels disgusted by the idea of an older sister remarrying after her husband dies. In his heart, he views women as mere appendages to men."

Hearing Shen Yan's analysis, Liu Shishi immediately asked, "And what about Princess Jiayi?"