Chapter 117: The New Drama
It was difficult to explain over the phone, so Lu Xu simply flew over to meet Liu Chunfeng and Qin Yu in person.
It had been a while since they last met, and Liu Chunfeng’s fitness trainer physique had expanded horizontally, making him look far less professional. This caught Lu Xu’s attention.
Liu Chunfeng immediately understood the look in his eyes and defended himself, saying, “I swear I didn’t overeat! When I get cravings, I slap myself.”
Not only did this make Lu Xu’s expression even more peculiar, but Qin Yu also gave him an indescribable look.
After exchanging pleasantries, Lu Xu soon held a complete script freshly written by Qin Yu. It was a story about a young general, titled Lives Beyond Death the Chivalry.
The script had just been completed, and Liu Chunfeng was eager to collaborate with Qin Yu once again.
In both their minds, Lu Xu was naturally the first choice for the lead role. However, things were not the same as before. Lu Xu had already starred in two films and was leaning toward a career in the movie industry. Inviting him back to shoot a drama might not necessarily interest him.
Moreover, while historical themes had a brief moment of glory with Son of Heaven, they still remained a niche genre overall.
Both Liu Chunfeng and Qin Yu were well aware that Lu Xu had received no fewer than fifty or sixty scripts, if not a hundred, since Son of Heaven had brought him into the spotlight. Although their previous collaboration had been pleasant, that didn’t guarantee he would accept this project.
In the café, Lu Xu silently read the script, flipping through it from beginning to end, then going back for a closer look.
“I’ll take it,” he said.
“Huh?” His answer came so quickly that Liu Chunfeng and Qin Yu didn’t have time to process it. Liu Chunfeng forced a smile, which made his face look even more menacing. “Don’t you want to think it over some more?”
“I’ve already thought it over,” Lu Xu replied. “The role suits me perfectly.”
Like Son of Heaven, Lives Beyond Death the Chivalry was also a drama centered on a historical figure and set against the backdrop of historical events. Its protagonist, Nie Yunzhang, was entrusted with leading troops into battle at a young age, achieving victory after victory and earning the title of a legendary young general known throughout the land.
However, as with many things in life, it was impossible to have it all. Despite Nie Yunzhang’s unparalleled talent and brilliance, he succumbed to illness early in life, leaving behind only a legend of the young general.
Apart from his remarkable military achievements, Nie Yunzhang was also an extraordinarily handsome man, praised in historical records for his “beautiful appearance.”
Having worked with Liu Chunfeng and Qin Yu before, Lu Xu was familiar with their styles as director and screenwriter. Compared to Son of Heaven, Lives Beyond Death the Chivalry was shorter in scope. After all, Son of Heaven chronicled the life of a ruler, encompassing everything from his court officials to the imperial palace’s intrigues, from the grandeur of the royal court to the far reaches of the martial world. It was rich with content worth exploring.
Even so, Lives Beyond Death the Chivalry also delved deeply into the brutal power struggles of imperial authority and the horrors of war.
According to Qin Yu, writing the script for Lives Beyond Death the Chivalry had been even more challenging than Son of Heaven. The latter had ample historical records to reference, with abundant written and visual materials available.
In contrast, Nie Yunzhang was more famous for his persona than his specific experiences. Details of how he earned his title as a God of War in his most renowned battles were sparse and difficult to find.
To write the war scenes properly, Qin Yu consulted various historical texts and even sought advice from experts in the field of historical military strategy. He meticulously researched battle tactics, referencing several ancient military treatises for inspiration.
Qin Yu sighed and said, “Unfortunately, writing all this doesn’t have nearly the impact of adding a lingering, passionate love story.”
“It’s not that I have anything against love stories,” he added. “I just mean, if you wanted a deeply emotional romance, why ask me? Do I seem capable of writing that?”
Qin Yu, as the screenwriter of Son of Heaven, naturally drew attention from the industry with any project he was working on.
Several actors’ agencies had reached out to inquire about Lives Beyond Death the Chivalry and its genre. While it was normal for them to ask, what annoyed Qin Yu was their constant focus on the protagonist’s romantic subplot, emphasizing the need for standout moments, lead actor rankings, and potential CP. These incessant questions left Qin Yu exasperated.
It was true that piling on such elements could make it easier for actors to gain popularity and leave a stronger impression on the audience.
However, during the creative process, Qin Yu’s only goal was to write a good script—one with well-defined characters, a clear storyline, and respect for historical accuracy. If a character had a romance arc, he would naturally include it. But if a character didn’t, he wouldn’t force a contrived love story into the narrative. Doing so would leave him deeply dissatisfied with himself.
This approach was also why Son of Heaven swept the Stellar Awards, yet Qin Yu, as the screenwriter, didn’t experience a meteoric rise within the industry.
Some screenwriters produced subpar work—so bad that audiences avoided their names like a warning label. Yet, inexplicably, those writers’ names kept appearing in new productions. They somehow managed to secure opportunities to adapt major IPs repeatedly.
The reasons were twofold. First, the entertainment industry operated on relationships. Second, those writers were willing to tweak scripts endlessly—adding pages upon pages for actors, padding out scenes, and cramming highlight moments into lead roles to meet demands.
Take the example of Book of Nine Revolutions, starring Wei Fangfei. Its infamous flop was common knowledge. The lead actress, Wei Fangfei, and the male lead, Chu Tianshu, kept competing to add more scenes for themselves. Yet, this did nothing to hinder the meteoric rise of the drama’s screenwriters. In recent years, those two writers had been involved in numerous high-profile projects.
Book of Nine Revolutions flopped, as did several of their other productions. Yet, in the eyes of actors, they remained the most “reliable” screenwriters.
Qin Yu, however, was not that type of screenwriter. After all his experiences, he still chose to collaborate with Liu Chunfeng.
…
“I didn’t expect Lu Xu to agree so quickly,” Qin Yu remarked to Liu Chunfeng on the flight back.
“Neither did I,” Liu Chunfeng admitted.
He had mentally prepared himself for rejection and even started considering casting a newcomer.
Liu Chunfeng was a stubborn man who rarely compromised. Back when he was searching for the perfect actor to portray Qin Zhao, he had practically scoured the entire entertainment industry.
After Qin Yu finished writing the script for Lives Beyond Death the Chivalry, the image of Lu Xu immediately came to Liu Chunfeng’s mind. It was hard for him to imagine anyone else in the role.
If another actor were cast, even if they were only slightly inferior to Lu Xu in appearance or acting skills, Liu Chunfeng would feel uneasy.
He didn’t consider this to be pickiness—he simply pursued perfection more relentlessly than others.
Lu Xu’s agreement brought Liu Chunfeng immense joy.
When Lu Xu joined the cast of Son of Heaven, Liu Chunfeng had a feeling he would become famous. But the speed of Lu Xu’s rise was beyond his expectations—it was astonishingly fast. When he played Qin Zhao, Lu Xu didn’t even have a management company. While My Baby Prince had garnered some attention, it belonged to a genre dismissed by mainstream critics.
Many people said that Son of Heaven had accelerated Lu Xu’s path to stardom.
Liu Chunfeng was pleased to have been the one who helped propel Lu Xu’s career. But in his heart, he believed that with or without Son of Heaven, Lu Xu was destined to succeed. It was merely a matter of time.
There was no reason for Lu Xu not to succeed.
With Lu Xu confirmed for Lives Beyond Death the Chivalry, Liu Chunfeng’s confidence in the project’s prospects grew significantly. In the television industry, the so-called “Lu Xu Curse” had become infamous—so much so that even Liu Chunfeng, who usually paid no attention to gossip, had taken notice.
Still, no one would have guessed that Lu Xu’s next move would be to take on another television drama.
…
Once Lu Xu was confirmed as the lead, the preparation process for Lives Beyond Death the Chivalry accelerated. In the entertainment industry, there were no secrets, and Liu Chunfeng, eager to attract more actors, made sure to release Lu Xu’s name to the public.
Shortly after Lu Xu joined the cast, news of him starring in a historical drama spread.
[Liu Chunfeng + Qin Yu + Lu Xu, yay!]
[Dreaming of Son of Heaven again, I love the cute puppy in ancient costumes!]
[Lu Xu is playing Nie Yunzhang?! My favorite actor playing my favorite historical figure—so touched!]
[I knew it! Nie Yunzhang is such a great character, but the adaptations have all been awful. The last one had a flashy, weak Nie Yunzhang. I nearly puked watching it and even wondered if the writer had a personal grudge against him.]
[Is it Rise to the Sky? What a joke! The female lead was set up as Nie Yunzhang’s most beloved woman, a love triangle, and in the end, she chooses the Crown Prince. They even said Nie Yunzhang was so jealous of the Crown Prince! I swear, in history, Nie Yunzhang and the Crown Prince had such a strong bond as ruler and subject—no emperor could ever be that supportive!]
[Exactly, the Crown Prince cared for Nie Yunzhang a thousand times more than Emperor Cheng cared for Qin Zhao, and the writers turned it into that trash. Clearly, the writer has never even read a book!]
[Wait, the Crown Prince is being played by Shao Yao?]
[LOL, I guess Shao Yao’s looks are more suited for a general, but his ancient costume look is still quite refined—fits well!]
[Voice of the Dead cast is coming together again. If they add Zheng Xiao, I’ll probably get to watch the daily antics of the cast!]
[Zheng Xiao won’t join—no suitable role for him. The three of them have already risen to a certain level, so it’s rare to see two of them in one drama.]
After the actors gradually joined the cast, Lives Beyond Death the Chivalry released the character posters of a few main cast members.
First came Nie Yunzhang in his military attire.
Although both were historical costumes, Nie Yunzhang differed from Qin Zhao, who appeared frail and pale, perpetually overshadowed by his father and ruler. He was also unlike Ji Xiuya, who was flamboyant and ostentatious. In the character poster, Lu Xu portrayed Nie Yunzhang as fearless and handsome.
His eyes were strikingly resolute, exuding the composure of a young general. Yet, he did not carry the gravitas of an elder but instead displayed the pride unique to youth.
The stylist only made slight adjustments to Lu Xu’s eyebrows and designed his hairstyle. With that, the image of Nie Yunzhang was complete.
Both Liu Chunfeng and Qin Yu eagerly awaited Lu Xu’s rendition of Nie Yunzhang. When Lu Xu’s new look was presented to them, Liu Chunfeng realized that, in that moment, Lu Xu and the Nie Yunzhang he had been envisioning had become one.
With sword-like brows and bright, spirited eyes, he embodied vitality and ambition.
Lu Xu’s personal traits were completely hidden behind the character, leaving only Nie Yunzhang in the spotlight.
When Lu Xu’s character poster was released on the official account of the production team, fans reacted with great enthusiasm.
[I knew it! Lu Xu has never let me down when it comes to fitting a character!]
[Can’t wait to see Lu Xu’s version of Nie Yunzhang! I hope this version becomes the white moonlight in my heart!]
[Looks like Lu Xu hasn’t abandoned TV dramas after all. While his movies are great, I think TV shows have richer content. I love every character he plays.]
[At least Lu Xu doesn’t consider himself too lofty for TV after moving into films. In his mind, he’s not a pretentious movie star.]
[LOL, I feel like upstairs is shading a lot of people!]
[I was just saying, no need to take it personally, hahaha!]
…
In previous dramas about Nie Yunzhang, the story often began with his childhood, detailing his entry into the palace during his youth and his fortuitous meeting with the Crown Prince. Their natural rapport would later set the stage for Nie Yunzhang’s rise as a military leader.
However, Lives Beyond Death the Chivalry started its narrative with a power struggle in the palace involving the Crown Prince.
Historically, this Crown Prince was not favored. Unlike Qin Zhao, the reigning emperor was foolish and completely enamored with another concubine, intent on dethroning the Crown Prince.
In this context, the court officials naturally rallied against the emperor’s plans, with most siding with the Crown Prince. However, the favored concubine held the emperor’s heart in a vice grip, assembling her own faction to contest the Crown Prince’s position.
While the Crown Prince’s supporters argued vehemently in court, the inner palace remained the concubine’s domain. Though intelligent and quick-witted, the Crown Prince found himself repeatedly outmaneuvered by her schemes.
Within the palace walls, few could shield him.
Assassination attempts and poisonings became relentless. Even the maidservant he trusted most secretly allied with the concubine without his knowledge.
The Crown Prince felt increasingly hopeless. Just when despair seemed inevitable, Nie Yunzhang appeared like a divine savior, rescuing him from peril.
This marked the beginning of the legendary ruler-minister bond recorded in the annals of history.