Chapter 77: CH 77

Tea splattered out from the tea cup as Chen Yi placed down the lid. He leaned forward and locked eyes with Fu Xiu Nian as he said, 

“Jinxian Mountain has collapsed, taking the lives of quite a few workers. Father has decided to send Jin Si Tong to investigate the incident but he is a tricky one. Since this could possibly incriminate me, I do not feel as safe as I would if I were to hand this case to anyone but you. Xian-Sheng1, I ask for your help in running this errand for me.”

And then added, 

“I respect Xian-Sheng and your teachings, treating you as my senior teacher. If one day my dreams can be realized, there would be no lack of rewards for Xian-Sheng’s hard efforts.”

Fu Xiu Nian, ever still wearing that unchanging smile, continued to say the same words that he had been saying since the very beginning, 

“As an unwavering minister willing to aid a great and wise future Emperor for the citizens of this earth, this is naturally something Li Shuang should do.”

Yet he did not specify who he was willing to become a minister for nor who the great and wise Emperor he believed in his heart was.

Chen Yi naturally would believe that Fu Xiu Nian meant himself and closed his eyes for a brief second in satisfaction before slowly sitting back down.

The director said, 

“Cut! This scene is good. Not bad, Chen Yi. Continue and keep at it.”

Fu Xiu Nian immediately rushed over at the sound of the director yelling “Cut!” and pushed Chen Yi away. Then grabbing his hand that had been pressing on the teacup lid, he said,

“The water in this cup has been boiled. Does your hand not feel burned when you press on it?”

The moment he said that out loud, everyone nearby started chuckling. When the maid was filmed to be pouring the tea, they had used boiled water to make sure it was realistic. Chen Yi opened his hand to check and his palm was a little red, 

“It’s alright. Not that hot.”

Fu Xiu Nian passed a bottle of ice cold water to him, smiling so hard his eyes were curved up into half moons, 

“You know who isn’t afraid of hot boiling water?”

Dead pigs of course.

Chen Yi emotionlessly snorted out a sound and then didn’t say anything else.

In the eyes of outsiders, Fu Xiu Nian’s celebrity status was not as high as Chen Yi’s, as his popularity and public recognition was less than him. Yet the two of them had a good relationship, so good that they would be seen eating together, resting together, and even when Fu Xiu Nian was practicing his fighting scenes, Chen Yi would be right nearby, teaching him on the side.

Li Shuang in the drama was slated to be also excellent at martial arts and strategy. Under Meng Yu’s orders, he went to Jinxian to kill Jin Si Tong and as the governing official of that area, Yan Dao Ning was also swept into this event. Because the story wanted to show off Li Shuang’s fighting skills, there were a few shots that needed to be taken of Fu Xiu Nian fighting with his face in full view. Most of the other fighting scenes could use a stunt double, but for these couple of headshots, it would be unprofessional if he didn’t step into the frame of the camera at all.

He had NG twice already, so the director decided to shoot other scenes with the other actors first and let him practice on the side. Seeing this, Chen Yi came straight over to teach him, one part at a time.

“Hoh, watch me. The sword points up, your palms forward, and then twisting inward……”

A slight hand movement from Chen Yi, with a twist of his hand, his sword was dancing. Smooth, flowing and beautiful. Fu Xiu Nian followed him and the result was his sword flying off to the moon.

Chen Yi slowly sighed, 

“Pig brained huh.”

Fu Xiu Nian glowered at him discreetly, 

“What do swords have in common with brains?”

Chen Yi: “Oh. Then that’s pig’s feet.”

Fu Xiu Nian: “……”

In reality, normal people practicing for the first time would obviously not be too successful. It took a few more tries and a serious attitude from Fu Xiu Nian, but he did indeed get more comfortable and could actually present something up to par. And so finally his scene was passed in the afternoon. 

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During this time, Chen Yi had been memorizing his lines while seated in a corner. Seeing this situation, Cen Qing immediately gave a look to the actress beside him, and she took the hint, grabbing her script and walking over to Chen Yi with a smile.

“Yi-Ge, do you have time right now? Can I practice my lines with you?”

Lin Xi was an actress with a pair of big wide eyes that could be seen as glimmering and she was well known for her reputation as a “flower vase”2. She was acting in the role of Yan Dao Ning’s wife, which according to the rumors, was because of Cen Qing’s recommendation.

Seeing him like this, Chen Yi went over and asked, 

“What are you afraid of? It’s not like you are killing me for real. If you really can’t, then just pretend that I gave you a green hat3 to wear. Perhaps your feelings would come out then.”

This last part was said very softly where only the two of them could hear it. Fu Xiu Nian glared at him and said, 

“Why don’t you say I will give you a green hat to wear huh?”

Chen Yi said, 

“It’s you killing me right now, not me killing you.”

They hadn’t rested for too long before the director yelled out “action!” again, and the actors quickly slipped into their characters.

Wearing his silver armour, Chen Yi stood right next to piles and piles of corpses, drenched in blood. His murderous aura was strong and his sword was as cold as ice, blood still dripping down its silver blade. Wang Yan acting as the crown prince was heavily injured, and most of his troops had sacrificed themselves for him already, leaving him to be the only one still struggling in pain and suffering.

“Crown prince, don’t blame your little brother. Make sure to reincarnate into a better life next time, and make sure it’s not back into the imperial family again.”

And the moment he finished, his eyes took on a tint of viciousness. Yet just as he lifted his blade to kill the crown prince, a sword swung faster right into his heart from behind–

In that second blood sprayed out, the action of Chen Yi lifting his sword was stopped in midair. His face frozen with shock. He stumbled for a few steps, and then he couldn’t hold on anymore and fell to the ground.

Chen Yi’s face was drenched with blood, and even his eyes were covered in a haze of red. He tried desperately widening his eyes, wanting to clearly see who killed him. And what he was greeted with was that warm tender face, mouth hooked slightly up, a face with an all too familiar smile. 

Seeing this, Chen Yi’s pupils dilated and blood rose up to his mouth. He coughed it up as he thunderously yelled, 

“Li, Shuang…… It was…… it was you!”

The smile on Fu Xiu Nian’s face went even wider, 

“Your highness, please don’t blame me. I suddenly thought that you aren’t really suited to be the Emperor.”

Chen Yi didn’t know where the last of his strength had come from, but he struggled and fought to stand up, swaying. Seeing all his soldiers follow Li Shuang’s order like it was law, he suddenly understood. Letting out a cry that was like laughing and crying at the same time, his voice turned vicious as he yelled, 

“LI SHUANG! LI SHUANG! YOU WERE THE DOG OF THE CROWN PRINCE!”

Fu Xiu Nian lowered his eyes to wipe his blade on his sleeve, 

“I just follow the orders of my leader that’s all. The crown prince’s heart is generous, facing towards the people, looking out for the citizens of this earth. And so he is who Li Shuang has chosen as the rightful emperor.”

The moment Chen Yi yelled his words, he was like a balloon deflated of air. Hearing these words from Fu Xiu Nian now, his face became even more grey and set in defeat. His body swayed and then collapsed onto the ground with a thud.

Director: “Cut! Passed.”

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Notes:

*1 Xian-Sheng: This is like a respectable reference call to someone, it can also mean Mister or Teacher. It usually is in reference to someone older, someone wiser, more knowledgeable, someone you would feel very respectful towards. I think one of the most famous people we call Xian-Sheng even today is Sun Yat-sen, as Sun Xian-Sheng – he’s as known to me as it is to his actual name, or perhaps even more. But there’s also other meanings to this, which in other references be like Mister or teacher as I said or as a reference to a wife calling her husband.

*2 flower vase: It means to be pretty eye candy but have no skills whatsoever and can’t act.

*3 Green hat: As referenced back in volume 1, a green hat is like another phrase for cheating/having an affair.

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