Chapter 231: 231 Continued Filming

Chapter 231 Continuing the Shoot

For Zheng Xiao, it was a moment of realization.

He had indeed read the script many times before filming, but the moment he made eye contact with Lu Xu and truly immersed himself in the scene, he naturally embodied the character's presence. It was as if he genuinely faced the pressure emanating from Lu Xu.

During the scene, Lu Xu was not his friend but a formidable Son of Heaven—the source of his pressure.

Only when stepping out of the scene did Zheng Xiao regain the sense that Lu Xu was still that same annoying guy in real life.

After finishing the take, Zheng Xiao’s forehead was dotted with sweat. The weather wasn’t particularly cold, but their costumes were thick and heavy. Moments ago, Lu Xu had reprimanded him in character as the emperor, yet now the two were joking around with grins.

The director: "Fine, whatever."

Because of the chemistry between Lu Xu and Zheng Xiao, *Reign Supreme*—a film meant to be solemn—was shot in a rather cheerful atmosphere.

Lu Xu, as the lead, had an unmistakably commanding presence over the entire crew.

Among the characters in *Reign Supreme*, there were shrewd civil officials and scheming palace eunuchs—all played by veteran actors. Yet, even when facing these formidable ministers, Lu Xu’s portrayal of the emperor still managed to dominate them.

After all, the emperor and his subjects were fundamentally different.

Following his scene with Zheng Xiao, Lu Xu’s next take involved Qi Yi’s dialogue with the chief eunuch, Ding Fu.

Ding Fu carried an air of authority in the palace. Before the emperor’s ascension, he had served in the empress dowager’s palace before being promoted to Qi Yi’s side. Over the years, his influence had grown so deep that even high-ranking officials showed him deference.

But before Qi Yi, Ding Fu presented an entirely different demeanor.

Casually discussing the strange occurrences in the palace, Qi Yi inquired lightly, "We have heard tell, Ding Fu, that you were once close to a maid from the Noble Consort’s quarters. With recent disturbances in the palace, you would do well to visit the Noble Consort more often."

Qi Yi’s tone was light, almost indifferent—far less imposing than when he had interrogated Hu Qing. His gaze was even gentle, as if treating Ding Fu like family.

Yet, upon hearing these words, Ding Fu—who usually carried himself with unshakable pride—broke into a cold sweat. His voice faltered, and his kneeling posture grew even more submissive, devoid of any trace of his usual dominance.

Only when his forehead nearly touched the ground and his body couldn’t bow any lower did Qi Yi finally give a slight cough. "We were merely making small talk. Why the panic?"

"This humble servant dares not."

When Qi Yi ordered Ding Fu to raise his head, the camera zoomed in, capturing the eunuch’s expression in full—his face was ghastly pale, his forehead dotted with fine beads of sweat, as if Qi Yi’s casual words were no different from a descending executioner’s axe.

Qi Yi noticed this, of course. A moment later, he waved dismissively. "You understand what We expect of you, yes?"

"Your servant understands."

In those brief minutes of confrontation, Ding Fu’s complexion had turned ashen, while Qi Yi remained nonchalant. Yet Ding Fu would have preferred a harsh scolding from the emperor.

For a palace eunuch, no matter how boldly he acted, his power ultimately relied on the emperor’s indulgence. This was why officials called themselves "ministers," while he could only call himself "servant." The moment he lost the emperor’s trust, his fate would be no better than those buried in the palace’s ancient wells. Even if lesser eunuchs fawned over him as their godfather, the moment he fell from grace, they would turn on him like starving wolves.

This was why Ding Fu could not afford to lose favor—his loyalty must remain unquestioned.

Even if he had selfish motives, they could never come at the cost of the emperor’s interests.

This was Wang Yu’s second scene as Ding Fu in *Reign Supreme*. In his previous take, the chief eunuch had been domineering and dismissive, even refusing imperial concubines’ requests at his whim.

Of course, his whims had only one standard—the emperor’s mood.

Whomever Qi Yi favored, Ding Fu treated with warmth like spring. Whomever Qi Yi disliked, he crushed without hesitation, uncaring even if others cursed him as a "cursed eunuch."

Here's the edited translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

In these two scenes, Wang Yu masterfully portrayed both Ding Fu's defiance and submission, showcasing the character's dual nature in its entirety.

Zheng Xiao didn’t leave after finishing his previous scene and stood there watching the interaction between Lu Xu and Wang Yu.

Wang Yu’s veteran-level performance left him utterly stunned. More crucially, the atmosphere created by Lu Xu and Wang Yu was indescribable—they brutally exposed the harsh reality of absolute monarchy right before the audience’s eyes.

The palace was a snake pit of shifting alliances, but above all else, imperial power always came first.

Qi Yi was no one’s puppet—he was an emperor with real authority, and the empire itself seemed to breathe with his moods.

Zheng Xiao felt he had already performed exceptionally well, but Lu Xu and Wang Yu’s acting made him realize he could push himself even further.

These two were operating on another level entirely.

And in the *Reign Supreme* crew, Wang Yu wasn't the only powerhouse in the cast. Zheng Xiao believed Lu Xu was one of them.

...

Chang Aiwei was genuinely taken aback by the filming efficiency of *Reign Supreme*.

He had originally estimated that with Lu Xu as the lead and several other seasoned actors joining, *Reign Supreme*’s production tempo would naturally be slightly faster.

But the reality was—*Reign Supreme*’s progress wasn’t just slightly faster; it was lightning-fast.

Lu Xu rarely missed his mark. Perhaps due to his extensive filming experience, he instinctively understood the director's intent without needing repeated explanations. Beyond that, Lu Xu even knew what kind of shots Chang Aiwei needed—which should be blink-and-you'll-miss-it versus those needing weight. With just a slight hint, Lu Xu could execute them with 100% accuracy.

It was almost... like some kind of acting cyborg TM.

Lu Xu had a handsome face, but because his acting was so outstanding, his looks never upstaged his talent—instead, they carried layers you could spend scenes unpacking.

The Qi Yi Chang Aiwei wanted to portray was a mercurial emperor whose thoughts ran deeper than the palace moat. The moment Lu Xu’s face appeared on camera, it was a face that gave nothing away, yet promised everything.

Chang Aiwei: “...”

He couldn’t help but ask Xu Wen if Lu Xu had studied with some secret acting master to be this good.

Xu Wen: “You’ve asked me this before.”

Xu Wen had already explained it to him—ever since he became Lu Xu’s agent after *The Son of Heaven* wrapped production, Lu Xu’s acting had always been this astonishing.

"You're about the hundredth person to ask me that," Xu Wen admitted. "Plenty of people were surprised before you."

Over the years, he had received too many similar questions, including from young actors trying to crack his method. They meant no harm—they just wanted to know what books Lu Xu read or if he had attended any acting workshops.

Xu Wen answered truthfully each time, but people chose not to believe him, thinking Lu Xu was hiding some secret.

His manager could only roll his eyes.

Among Xu Wen's frustrations, this made his top two headaches. The reason it wasn’t first? Because the number one question was even more facepalm-worthy.

The top question was—which surgeon sculpted Lu Xu's perfect bone structure?

Xu Wen: “...”

This one was truly harder to answer.

When he said Lu Xu was 100% factory original, fans would rather believe in magic.

Chang Aiwei was both astonished and delighted by the rapid filming progress of *Reign Supreme*.

Lu Xu's scenes with any actor in the crew generated electric chemistry.

The Empress Dowager's "prophetic dream" hinted at a conspiracy brewing within the palace, and as the plot unfolded, the scheme gradually came to light.

Consequently, Lu Xu had more and more scenes with other actors.

Lu Xu was widely recognized as an actor who excelled at conveying emotions, yet in *Reign Supreme*, his portrayal of Qi Yi showed little emotional expression. Qi Yi's vocabulary had no place for weakness or sentimentality—only unyielding dominance.

The same was true in the previous film *Dough Figurine*. Ma Yanwen was a character with a sinister heart, but fundamentally, normal human emotions had been stripped away—he was a shell brimming with malice.

In one morning scene, Qi Yi's Imperial Favorite was accused of involvement in the conspiracy. The evidence was irrefutable—though she hadn’t actively plotted rebellion, she had concealed the truth, hoping to use the incident to overthrow another consort.

Qi Yi had always treated her well, which was why she had become the undisputed Imperial Favorite both inside and outside the palace. After the conspiracy was exposed, she tearfully begged for mercy, expecting Qi Yi to spare her, given the occasional tenderness the Son of Heaven had shown her.

But he didn’t.

Qi Yi gave her a cold, indifferent look—calm, unruffled, yet it froze her blood, silencing her pleas.

She knew then that Qi Yi had already sentenced her to death in his heart.

That lifeless stare—she had seen it once or twice before, but she had always believed it was reserved for others, the merciless gaze of a ruler. Now, it was directed at her.

In Qi Yi’s eyes, she was just like anyone else.

Or rather, Qi Yi’s patience had its limits. Once exceeded, even as the Imperial Favorite, she was no different from the other playthings he had once favored.

Even Lu Xu thought Qi Yi was cruel.

But this film was titled *Reign Supreme*, not *Palace Secrets*. It had almost no romantic subplots—it was about imperial power. The cruelty of that power extended not only to the court but also to the inner palace. Whether empress or Imperial Consort, none were the emperor’s wives—they were subjects, never equals.

They were just the emperor’s possessions.

As Zheng Xiao put it, Lu Xu was in a "possessed" state while portraying this character.

The more the conspiracy unraveled, the more people Qi Yi executed. No matter how brutal, he never hesitated.

In the latter half of the script, the link between Vice Minister Hu Qing and the conspiracy slowly came to light. Though he had risen from the ranks outside the palace, earning his position through the imperial examinations and climbing step by step to become Vice Minister of Justice, his family was tied to the source of the "prophetic dream."

Even the emperor assigning him to the case was part of Hu Qing’s scheme.

In this scene, according to the script, Hu Qing was supposed to condemn the tyrannical imperial power and the cruel emperor Qi Yi—just as villains in other period dramas got their chance to speak. But in *Reign Supreme*, Hu Qing didn’t even get that chance before Qi Yi had him dragged out and beheaded.

Despite all his meticulous plotting to reach his current status, his schemes ended in humiliation.

Zheng Xiao: "..."

He had read the script long ago and knew the character’s fate was bleak, but dying like this? The villain got no respect.

"At least let me finish my lines," Zheng Xiao protested.

Lu Xu smothered a laugh beside him.

"What are you laughing at?" Zheng Xiao glared silently at Lu Xu. "Haven’t you noticed nobody on set talks to you anymore?"

Lu Xu: "...How is your character’s execution my fault?"

"Wasn’t it your call?"

"Then should I give you a couple of pew pews to revive you?" Lu Xu retorted.

Zheng Xiao: "...Kneel and scram."

Lu Xu: "..." (awkward pause)

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