Translator: Atlas Studios
Editor: Atlas Studios
Although she was a person from the past, the empress was intelligent too.
She eyed the hot topic of the day that was still on the rise. She had claimed the hot topic of the day!
Xia Weibao’s eyes twinkled. It seemed as though Hongtu Media was trying to take advantage of her popularity and then run away with the money made!
The Xia Weibao of today was ranked number one on the blacklist, with a soaring popularity.
Hongtu needed to fight against the current, and she was about to sail against the current!
This time, she was not only going to take back her throne, but she was also about to go higher and further!
Proudly, the empress opened her email’s inbox, ready to get down to work.
Yet, when she opened her email’s inbox, she was momentarily stunned.
There was no script, no lines. Nothing.
There was only one sentence in the email, which was to ask her to act in “Fallen City” as a maid.
As to such a role, the empress would definitely refuse it!
With no information at all, she had no choice but to search online for this drama.
“Fallen City” was a web-drama revolving around tricks and tactics, but she put aside the content of the drama.
When Xiao Weibao saw the director’s name, she almost failed to control the immense chaos that was about to erupt from within her.
She really wanted to call and question Sister Tong. Did she have something against her? Why did she set her up in this way?
Talking about this Xu Jiayang — was truly difficult…
Graduating with a major in directing, his first ever movie broke $100 million in revenue at the box office!
And he was the only director from China to have won the Oscar’s Best Director Award!
He had also helped countless artistes reach their peak popularity!
Yet, such a talented and young director supposedly had a weird fetish! To be featured in his movie, actresses first had to sleep with him.
She had thought that she had great cards. But now, it no longer seemed that way…
Xia Weibao was deep in thought with her head propped up on one hand. Here was someone else who had been shut out of the entertainment industry due to negative rumours!
If she was the entertainment industry’s number one b*tch, then Xu Jiayang had to be the number one bast*rd among the directors!
If she were to go and act in Xu Jiayang’s drama, even if it was just as a minor role, it would probably still set off a huge hullabaloo!
However, she still went to the set as promised on the next day.
After all, you have to fight for your opportunities.
The entertainment industry was not unlike the palace. You saw only the smiles of new faces, never the tears of old veterans.
If you wanted to stand firm, you needed to have enough popularity.
Now that she was completely shut out, she had to find a way to enter!
Even if it was a cleaning lady, she would accept it!
“Why are you still hanging around here? Hurry up and get changed!”
Xia Weibao had just arrived on set when she heard a sharp voice.
Looking towards the sound, she saw two women dressed in white ancient robes standing not too far away.
She recognised one of them as Lin Mier — a second-tier actress who was just a little famous.
However, even if she was just second-tier, she had the biggest role in the “Fallen City” drama.
Xia Weibao pretended that she had not heard anything and was about to change her clothing, when she saw another actress in white turn around.
That face was so mutilated that it was indescribable.
Disfigurement…
Because that face was so frightening, Xia Weibao stole another look. That was when she realised that the person walked with a limp.
Before entering the palace in her previous life, Xia Weibao was a top miracle working doctor and had saved many lives with her medical skills.
As a result, she could right away tell that this disfigured lady had an old injury on her leg — a very serious injury.
“It’s really unlucky. What’s wrong with Director Xu? Why did he find such an ugly woman to be my body double for martial arts? I was so scared that my skin has gotten worse.”
Lin Mier sat arrogantly in a chair in the corner, scornfully taking out her mirror to touch up her makeup.
The assistant at the side tried to curry favor by offering her a bottle of water. “That’s right. Our Sister Mi is so pretty. How could they find such a disgusting body double? They are clearly trying to insult you!”
Her manager agreed, “Let’s put aside the fact that she’s ugly. But to think that she wants to put up airs like the others. She’s always dawdling when changing clothes, and even has the cheek to say that her leg is injured! If her leg is injured, why be a body double? She should go beg for food under the bridge. She should stop coming out to disgust others!”
The words of the two lightened the mood of Lin Mier.
But as she looked at the unqualified supporting characters around her, she irately rolled her eyes.
Her personal assistant was full of complaints. “Sister Mi, you’re of such high status! Why would you put yourself down to such a level to film such a trashy drama? You must be feeling so generous!”
Lin Mier was a little scornful. “Even a rotten boat has three useful nails. There must be a reason why Xu Jiayang was able to bring so many artistes into the top-tier!”
She had already been a second-tier actress for a long time. She was only trying her luck by taking on Xu Jiayang’s drama.
Just then, there came a scream. “Someone’s hurt! Come have a look!”
Within moments, Director Xu Jiayang hurried over.
He was handsome and dashing at only 25 or 26 years of age. Yet, his gaze was filled with the vicissitudes of a 30 year old.
This is evidently a young man who had been played with by life.
“Mier, there has been a small accident. The stunt double Diao Weiya fell and was injured. Do you think you can personally do this scene yourself?”
Once Lin Mier heard that, her expression changed. “What?! You want me to personally do such a dangerous scene?”
Xu Jiayang’s expression sank instantaneously. Nowadays, none of the actors and actresses respected their jobs!
So what if it was a dangerous scene? If others can do it, why can’t you? He thought.
Her manager immediately stood up. “Director Xu, our Mier is so delicate. How can she do such a dangerous scene? If an accident were to happen, would you be able to afford it? I think you should better hurry and find another stunt double.”
Xu Jiayang suppressed his rage.
“We can’t find a stunt double on such short notice. If you don’t film it, we can only delay the shoot till the afternoon.”
“How can you do that?” The manager exclaimed arrogantly. “Do you think our Mier is like those garbage over there? She’s very busy. She still has another project to do in the afternoon. She can’t afford to waste so much time here.”
Xu Jiayang was so angry that he almost vomited blood. What did she mean by “waste”? Was taking on his drama a waste of time?
He wanted to explode, but thinking that Lin Mier was his only cash cow, he could only tolerate her and instructed the staff to find a stunt double.
After hearing the entire story, Xia Weibao’s eyes twinkled, and she followed after him.
“Director Xu.”
As he heard the sweet and gentle voice from behind him, Xu Jiayang turned around. In the moment that he saw Xia Weibao, his eyes flashed in amazement.
Xia Weibao was beautiful. Even if she was now plagued with notoriety, you could not deny that she was really beautiful.
“Is anything the matter?” Xu Jiayang asked nonchalantly.
“Is the Director looking for a stunt double? I would like to audition for the role.”
“You?” There was hesitance in Xu Jiayang’s gaze. Subconsciously, he wanted to reject her offer.
Now that Xia Weibao was haunted by scandals, anyone who was related to her would also be finding trouble!
If he were to be linked to Xia Weibao, not only the two of them, but even the whole crew of “Fallen City” would be pulled down together.
But just thinking about also having someone like Lin Mier caused Xu Jiayang to think twice.
“Look quickly! Xia Weibao went to talk to Director Xu!”
“The movie queen becoming a stunt double, tsk tsk…”
These whispers disgusted Xu Jiayang.
“You’re not suitab—…”
“Director Xu.”
Director Xu had not finished his sentence, when Lin Mier cut in.
Walking over with a wide smile on her face, she said, “Director Xu, since Senior Xia wants to be a stunt double, you should let her try it out.”
Although Xia Weibao was young, she had risen to fame early on in life.
While she was in the entertainment industry, there were indeed many who viewed her as a senior.
But now, the times had changed. If one were to call her a senior now especially after all that had happened, it was no longer as an honor, but rather, an insult.
Yet, Lin Mier acted as if she was ignorant of all this and was still smiling.
Xia Weibao raised her eyebrow, but remained silent.
She dared to show off this little trick?
When she was in charge of the Imperial Palace in the past, all the concubines fought with each other as though it was a show. That was interesting.
Lin Mier continued by laughing. “Director Xu, just let Senior Xia try it out on my account. Who knows, there might be an unexpected surprise!”
Now that Xu Jiayang had been in the entertainment industry for so many years, he was naturally able to see through Lin Mier’s ploy.
He eyed Xia Weibao, only to see her standing tall and proud.
While her face was expressionless, it gave off the vibe of a proud hero who could rule over the world.
Meeting Xu Jiayang’s gaze, Xia Weibao smiled and nodded.
Xu Jiayang was slightly surprised that she had seen through Lin Mier’s tricks too! Since she did not mind being used as a stepping stone…
“Go and get changed.”
Xia Weibao nodded and replied, “Thank you Director Xu.”