Chapter 19 019 Continuing the Audition

Chapter 19 019 Continuing the Audition

Lu Xu had long heard of Cheng Yun. Years ago, Cheng had been widely recognized in the industry as a top-notch supporting actor and had starred in numerous hit dramas. However, the dramas where he played the lead role were largely obscure. He was considered by the industry as someone who couldn't carry a series on his own, but his acting skills were unanimously acknowledged in the circle. He had won every supporting actor award in various major awards, including film categories.

While Lu Xu studied the script, Cheng Yun was also going over his lines.

Cheng Yun fully understood the significance of stepping onto the stage. The role of Qin Zhao had been auditioned by more than one actor, but Lu Xu was the only one who had gained additional audition opportunities with the approval of both the director and the screenwriter.

If all went as expected, the selection for Qin Zhao was almost decided.

"Are you ready?" As soon as the half-hour mark arrived, screenwriter Qin Yu reminded, "Need more time? We can extend it a bit if necessary."

Lu Xu shook his head. "No need, I'm ready."

"I'm ready too," Cheng Yun stood up and took his position opposite Lu Xu.

The audition officially began.

In this scene, the premise was that the Crown Prince had been deposed because he allowed his subordinates to harm the emperor, worsening the emperor's condition. Additionally, a dragon robe was found in the prince's palace.

However, the real source of the conflict was the emperor's growing dissatisfaction with Qin Zhao. Among Qin Zhao's brothers, there was a more favored candidate for succession.

A wolf, decisive and cunning, should sit on the throne. Although Qin Zhao had been Crown Prince for many years, he lacked the ruthlessness required.

Father and son confronted each other in the palace. Qin Zhao, with messy hair, had long lost the dignity of a crown prince.

"Look at yourself! When did I ever sire such a son!"

Seated behind the long table, Cheng Yun appeared cheerful, not one for sternness. He had mostly appeared in rural and period dramas after turning fifty, but as expected of a veteran actor, once he delivered his line, the usual simplicity from his rural drama roles vanished. In that moment, Cheng Yun radiated imperial majesty.

The deposed crown prince with messy hair looked up.

This look was unlike his usual timidity. His eyes were almost white, staring directly at the emperor without any fear, instead filled with mockery.

"When did Your Majesty ever treat me as a son?"

With just this look, Director Liu Chunfeng and screenwriter Qin Yu saw excitement in each other's eyes.

This shot was perfect! Lu Xu nailed it!

This scene was the most intense father-son conflict in the entire series. Cheng Yun, with his mature acting skills, effortlessly controlled the majestic presence of an emperor. Facing Cheng Yun's textbook-level performance, most young actors would struggle to keep up.

But with just one look, Lu Xu portrayed the image of an imprisoned crown prince.

At least in this scene, the frame was equally divided between Cheng Yun and Lu Xu. Cheng Yun's dominance did not overshadow Lu Xu. Instead, they showed an even match.

Next, the emperor said, "I ordered my ministers to honor you as Crown Prince, had the top tutor teach you literature, and the Duke of Zhou teach you martial arts. Yet you possess neither literary talent nor martial skills, born with a weak nature. I am disappointed."

Father and son locked eyes. The emperor, now old, no longer had the same majesty when looking at Qin Zhao, only deep sorrow.

But Qin Zhao remained unmoved, the mockery in his gaze intensifying. "Your subject was unfortunate enough to be born as the Crown Prince."

"If I had known the outcome of today, it would have been better not to be the Crown Prince."

The image of a failure became clear.

At this moment, Qin Zhao was neither hysterical nor remorseful over any mistake. His gaze was cold.

Before this moment, he had been anxious and uneasy, but now, he had surprisingly calmed down.

For forty years, he had been worrying about this moment.

When it finally arrived, he found that reality was not as terrifying as he had imagined.

At this point, the emperor continued, "Over these forty years, loyal ministers and generals advised me to replace you as crown prince. I knew you couldn’t hold the throne firmly, but I couldn’t bear to depose you. What I’ve always wanted is not a weak and incompetent heir."

At this moment, the emperor showed his warmth.

Cheng Yun effortlessly switched between stern authority and gentle calm.

But in response, Qin Zhao’s face showed no warmth. "A weak and incompetent crown prince?"

The next moment, he laughed, perhaps finding the phrase particularly amusing, his smile growing even more unrestrained.

Previously kneeling on the ground, Qin Zhao stood up upon hearing these words. "Father, do you think I didn’t know how the third brother died?"

"You are mistaken. What you need is a weak and incompetent crown prince. He is not the crown prince; he is your puppet."

"He can be weak, but he cannot be wise, cannot understand how to control others, cannot command immediate obedience." Qin Zhao stepped closer to his father. "Otherwise, in the dark and windy night, you wouldn’t know whose man he is in this palace."

"How could you sleep peacefully?"

"The more you age, the more fearful you become. One day, you will be replaced by a son skilled in both civil and military affairs, just as you replaced your royal grandfather."

In this moment, Lu Xu fully revealed the malice in Qin Zhao’s eyes.

Qin Zhao was indeed defiant, but he refused to take the blame that the emperor tried to pin on him.

"Shut up! You rebellious son!"

The emperor’s emotions shifted at this moment.

Qin Zhao had indeed hit the mark.

"What you need is a weak and useless crown prince, a puppet. As long as he’s around, your other sons won’t spill blood over the throne!"

"But the empire needs a wise and capable crown prince, not me. When the time comes, you’ll need to eliminate me for his sake!"

After saying this, Qin Zhao laughed again. "What’s the use of saying all this? The 'crown' character in 'crown prince' is like a man being put on instruments of torture. For thousands of years, when has there ever been a forty-year crown prince? And how many crown princes have ascended the throne peacefully?"

By now, he had calmed down.

The face that had always been weak showed no sign of unease. The moment Qin Zhao was no longer the crown prince, he was finally one step closer to living like a human.

Under the light, the contours of the crown prince seemed even more resolute.

...

This rehearsal scene continued until the very end, and scriptwriter Qin Yu didn’t even notice when his pen dropped.

This historical drama recounts the tumultuous life of an emperor, but this scene belongs to Crown Prince Qin Zhao.

With only half an hour of preparation, Lu Xu perfectly embodied the image of the crown prince described in the script.

The crown prince was weak and sometimes foolish, but he wasn’t ignorant.

He silently looked at Liu Chunfeng, first holding up one finger, then adding another, and shook them.

Liu Chunfeng responded with two fingers.

One finger meant that Lu Xu would only portray the Crown Prince in his teenage years, while two fingers indicated that he would play the Crown Prince throughout the entire series.

Qin Yu expressed his agreement with this outcome.

At this moment, Liu Chunfeng looked up at Lu Xu: "If you have anything to take care of, it's best to finish it within this month. When would be a convenient time to sign the contract? Let's set a date."

Lu Xu: "..."

The pace was unbelievably fast.

But he honestly revealed that he was currently unemployed and could sign at any time.

Since the production schedule was tight, Lu Xu signed the contract with the crew that afternoon. He received a portion of the payment upfront, with the remainder to be paid during filming, and the final installment upon wrapping up the project.

In addition to signing the contract, Lu Xu received a complete script specifically for him. According to the director and the scriptwriter, shooting would start soon, the personnel were mostly in place, and the sets were almost completed.

Before joining the crew, he needed to thoroughly study the script and fully understand the character.

This was Lu Xu's second payment, which had increased four or five times compared to *The Noble Son*. However, the filming period for this series was longer, and the role had more scenes.

Lu Xu briefly scanned the script; the Crown Prince's scenes were primarily about being outwitted, which wasn't too complicated.

...

After Lu Xu signed the contract, Director Liu Chunfeng let out a long sigh of relief: "Finally, we've settled on someone."

"It's not easy to find a suitable actor," Qin Yu also sighed. "At least we can start shooting now."

They had tried many actors for the role of the Crown Prince, but none met the director's expectations. Some made the Crown Prince too handsome and positive, while others overdid it, making the character appear sleazy.

Qin Zhao was a complex and dynamic character, not a one-dimensional role.

"How does it feel to work with a newcomer?" The two looked at Cheng Yun.

Cheng Yun touched his nose: "I can't believe he's not a professional actor."

Liu Chunfeng insisted on giving Lu Xu an audition opportunity. When Qin Yu and Cheng Yun saw Lu Xu's resume, they didn't believe he could handle the role of Qin Zhao, but since Liu Chunfeng was willing to give Lu Xu a chance, they were willing to give the director some face.

And the result? He truly was the perfect fit for the role.

Both Liu Chunfeng and Qin Yu were impressed with Lu Xu's performance, but Cheng Yun, as his co-star, felt it even more strongly—Lu Xu's performance was quite impactful, so much so that during the scenes where he portrayed the emperor, his emotions clashed with Lu Xu's.

This sense of opposition was something he rarely experienced with young actors.

"There's no set standard for acting anyway," Liu Chunfeng said.

No matter what, Liu Chunfeng was very satisfied with today's outcome. The uncertainty about the actor had made him uneasy.

...

After returning, Lu Xu continued to study the script.

While it seemed like there was plenty of time, when he calculated carefully, he realized there wasn't much left before joining the crew.

After reading through the entire script, Lu Xu first wrote a character note, then annotated some details worth paying attention to on the script.

Memorizing lines is a fundamental acting skill, so it goes without saying.

The notes I’m taking now will likely change once filming begins, but this step is necessary. It’s the first step in getting familiar with the script.

As soon as Lu Xu finished reading the script, the *The Noble Son* crew informed him that the finale of *The Noble Son* had been released.

In fact, *The Noble Son* was just a short web series. After it became a hit, Chenxi TV tried to drag out the plot, managing to squeeze two extra episodes from the footage they had previously shot with Lu Xu and the rest of the cast.

Earning millions per day, they dragged it out as long as they could.

It has already been calculated in the industry just how much Chenxi TV earned from this—ever since it moved to the prime-time slot, the popularity of *The Noble Son* hadn’t dipped below 10,000 views or comments. During the finale episode, amidst a flurry of comments like "fake incest, I hate it," the popularity reached a staggering 13,000+, setting the best record in Chenxi TV’s history.

The two main leads, Yang Shu and Xia Xuewen, have both taken on new dramas. Yang Shu joined a big-budget production as the second male lead, while Xia Xuewen landed the lead role in a sweet teen romance.

Lu Xu, on the other hand, had no new moves yet, but he was the actor who gained the most fans from *The Noble Son*. In the eyes of the drama’s fans, Lu Xu was sure to land a pretty good role.

Yu Wei is so handsome!

The character Yu Wei was already meant to evoke pity, but Lu Xu, somehow, evoked even more pity than Yu Wei.

After the finale of *The Noble Son*, for several days, new posts discussing the future of the actors from *The Noble Son* kept popping up on drama forums.

Over the summer, *The Noble Son* was unquestionably the biggest dark horse, outshining *Watchmen* and bringing young actors like Yang Shu, Xia Xuewen, and Ji Zhan into the spotlight.

However, the most discussed actor was still Lu Xu.

"What new role will Lu Xu take on? I hope he gets a brooding pretty-boy role—because he’s already got that vibe."

"He’s a pretty boy, no doubt, but is he really that brooding?"

"During his time with Verse, he faced too many injustices. Ahhh, I really feel sorry for him. Although the dirt on Verse has been dug up, Gu Sinian still gets to play the lead roles, and Xie Qingyang and Meng Qin still have great resources, while Lu Xu has had a rougher time."

"+1, +1, +1."

The forum overflowed with sympathy for Lu Xu. However, someone quietly pointed out—

"Did anyone know that Lu Xu didn’t make it for the second male lead in Gu Sinian’s new drama?"

"Laughable, some people are still fantasizing about Lu Xu’s future. Do you think he hasn’t posted on Weibo because he got kicked out?"

"With no formal training, an idol background, and sheer luck from a mediocre drama—what kind of future does an actor like that really have?"