Before Jiang Yue could react to the investor's praise, Xu Pingqiu continued, his tone carrying a hint of mystery.
“Also, although he is an investor in our drama, he actually started out as a producer himself.”
“He currently has a script on hand with a role you could try out for.”
With that, Xu Pingqiu blew at the tea leaves floating on the surface of his thermos.
If it were any other newcomer struggling in Hengcheng, their reaction upon hearing about such a golden opportunity offered by a top-tier producer would probably be about the same.
They would either be ecstatic on the spot, wishing they could say thank you ten times over, or they would be filled with trepidation, swearing their absolute dedication.
But Jiang Yue just sat steadily in his chair, without even a hint of wild excitement on his face.
He first glanced at Xu Pingqiu, then asked in return:
“Why does Mr. Shen think I'm suitable?”
Xu Pingqiu's hand holding the thermos froze mid-air.
This kid's thought process really was different from others.
When others saw a pie falling from the sky, their first reaction was to open their mouths to catch it.
But he, on the other hand, first asked why he was qualified to eat this meal.
“Shen Donglou is a businessman.”
Xu Pingqiu set down his thermos, his tone turning very calm.
“When he invests in a show, he never cares about social pleasantries or favors. He didn't offer you this script to show respect to me, nor was it on a whim.”
“It's purely because he feels you have the ability to create greater value.”
With that, Xu Pingqiu pulled a sealed manila envelope from the drawer under the desk and pushed it directly in front of Jiang Yue.
“《The Hidden Sentry》.”
“It's a Republic-era drama. They've only provided the script for the first ten episodes so far.”
“The character's name is Zhou Jinnan.”
Xu Pingqiu stared straight at him.
“Take it back and look through it when you have time.”
“If you feel you can handle this role, once your scenes in this drama wrap up, I'll personally take you to see Shen Donglou.”
Jiang Yue reached out and placed his hand on the slightly rough manila envelope.
He didn't make a show of refusing, nor did he utter any polite platitudes.
The food had already been served on the table; whether he could digest it depended entirely on his own ability.
But since Xu Pingqiu was willing to step forward and bridge this connection for him, he had to remember this kindness.
Jiang Yue looked at Xu Pingqiu and said seriously:
“Thank you, Director Xu.”
Xu Pingqiu waved his hand dismissively.
“That guy, Shen Donglou, pays generously, but his eyes are sharper than an eagle's.”
“If he thinks you can't carry the role, he'll take the script back just as ruthlessly.”
Jiang Yue nodded slightly, holding the script in his hand.
“Understood.”
A month passed by quickly.
Hengcheng entered June, and the weather grew hotter by the day.
The filming of 《The Grand Game》 had also officially progressed to its later stages.
The situation in the imperial court was already completely different from the beginning.
Lin Zheng had originally hidden his identity, using the alias Xiao Yi, and lay low as a bodyguard by the Third Prince's side.
Back then, the Third Prince had concealed his identity to visit a brothel, only to have the misfortune of offending the capital's influential elites.
Fearing that the strict Emperor would find out, he didn't dare to blow the matter out of proportion.
It just so happened that Xiao Yi stepped in to resolve the situation for him.
Thus, Xiao Yi naturally remained by his side and became his personal bodyguard.
Now that the plot had reached its later stages, Xiao Yi's true identity was no longer a secret.
He simply confessed the truth to the Third Prince.
The Third Prince wasn't bad by nature; although he had the typical minor flaws of a prince, he wasn't rotten to the core.
This plotline could now be considered fully out in the open.
On the other side, the prime minister suffered one setback after another.
First, his arrogant and overbearing second son was arrested.
Next, his most profitable money house was raided.
Later, several of his trusted right-hand men fell from grace one by one.
By this point, the prime minister finally realized what was happening.
Behind all of this, it was Xiao Yi and his allies who were making their moves.
But now that the situation had reached this point, it instead formed a strange sort of balance.
The prime minister wished he could skin Xiao Yi alive, but he didn't dare expose Xiao Yi's identity openly.
Because once the matter was brought into the open, the Emperor would definitely intervene personally.
To the Emperor, who was right and who was wrong didn't matter.
What mattered was that he could use this opportunity to suppress both sides.
Suppress the prime minister, warn the princes, and take the opportunity to pull the imperial power a bit tighter into his own hands.
Therefore, until the absolute final step, no one wanted to flip the table.
Today's scene was a major highlight of the later stages.
Xiao Yi had already noticed that someone had been secretly helping him all along.
After several rounds of verification, he finally locked his gaze on Chu Yan.
Thus, it led to the first time the two of them truly laid their cards on the table.
Unit A indoor set.
A secluded tea room.
There was none of the usual extravagance of hunting with falcons and hounds, nor were there any expensive ornaments filling the room.
Inside the tea room, there was only a wooden table, two teacups, and a few wisps of steam slowly rising.
“All departments, in position!”
The clapperboard snapped.
“Action!”
Xiao Yi pushed open the wooden door of the tea room, his gaze landing directly on the person sitting at the table.
Today, Chu Yan wasn't wearing his usual eye-catching, brightly colored brocade robes. He had changed into a simple and elegant dark green robe, lacking his usual frivolous, ready-to-throw-a-tantrum appearance.
He sat at the table, brewing tea in an unhurried manner.
The rising steam blurred his features.
That face, which usually carried a look of drunkenness and absurdity, was now quiet to the point of being somewhat unfamiliar.
Xiao Yi strode over and sat down opposite him, not beating around the bush.
“The ledgers of Shuntian Firm—you leaked them to Lin Zhaonan on purpose.”
“And the background details of the prime minister's second son—you also found someone to leak them to me.”
Xiao Yi stared at him, his voice lowered.
“From beginning to end, you've been using our hands to chop down the prime minister's tree.”
“Heir Chu, you hide yourself truly deep.”
Xiao Yi originally thought that, given Chu Yan's personality, he would at least continue to play dumb.
But Chu Yan did not.
He lifted the teapot and poured the hot tea into the empty cup opposite him. His hand was incredibly steady, and not a single drop of tea splashed out.
“Have a taste.”
Chu Yan spoke, his voice calm, without a single trace of the sharp edge he usually feigned.
Just like that, he admitted it.
“Only when the water is muddy is it easy to catch fish.”
Chu Yan set down the teapot and looked up at Xiao Yi.
“Guard Xiao, no matter how deep I hide, at least in this matter, we are not enemies.”
Xiao Yi didn't touch the cup of tea.
“Aren't you afraid I'll turn around and sell you out to the prime minister?”
“You won't.”
Chu Yan let out a soft laugh. There was none of his usual madness in his smile, only absolute certainty.
“You, Xiao Yi, want to bring down the prime minister and clear the name of those involved in that year's unjust case. You can only move forward.”
“And as for me...”
He paused there.
Chu Yan lowered his eyes, watching the tea leaves floating in his cup, his voice laced with coldness.
“I only want him dead.”
The tea room fell into a brief silence.
Chu Yan continued:
“Back then, the one who proposed that I enter the capital as a hostage was him.”
“The one who has been sucking the Southern Realm's blood all these years to line his own pockets is also him.”
“Since everyone wants to pull down this wall, does it make a difference who exerts the effort and who hands over the knife?”
He raised his head, looking straight into Xiao Yi's eyes.
“The prime minister is about to fall.”
“Your goal and mine are both about to be achieved.”
Chu Yan's fingertip lightly tapped the table.
“This capital is about to descend into chaos.”
“Having one more friend is always better than having one more enemy.”
Their gazes met.
One in the light, one in the dark. Without any clash of weapons, they perfectly executed the subtle probing and calculated trade-offs between two intelligent men.
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