Chapter 1072: This Movie is Good
Bai Yuan offered Zhu Yujian a strange smile. "Your Highness, going to the capital to serve the emperor is not something just anyone can do. Since the prefect of Nanyang advised against it, and you didn't listen, then I won't press the matter further. I can only offer you a single piece of advice..."
Zhu Yujian replied, "I am all ears."
Bai Yuan continued, "When a weapon is in the emperor's hands, the sharper, the better. But when it's in the hands of someone who could threaten the imperial authority, the duller, the better."
Zhu Yujian looked utterly bewildered.
Bai Yuan elaborated, "Given our respective statuses, it would be unwise for us to go to the capital to aid the emperor. Your Highness must exercise greater caution and prudence."
With that, Bai Yuan said no more. He clasped his hands in a respectful salute, gathered his militia, and headed north.
Zhu Yujian watched Bai Yuan's retreating figure, his brow furrowed in deep thought, remaining silent for a long time.
The Imperial Guard commander, seeing this, thought the situation might have taken a turn. Overjoyed, he quickly approached and asked, "Your Highness, should we perhaps return to Nanyang?"
Zhu Yujian lifted his head, a resolute glint in his eyes. "We continue to the capital. We will aid the emperor."
Zhu Yujian murmured, "Do good deeds, and do not ask about the future. No matter what, someone must confront the Jiannu. Someone must protect the capital. Although this prince possesses no great power, I must still offer what little I have."
The others exchanged silent glances.
The commander sighed deeply. "Very well, let us continue."
Zhu Yujian continued to lead his troops northeast.
Along the way, they encountered several more small bands of bandits. The Prince of Tang's guard engaged in fierce battles, sometimes winning, sometimes losing, a back-and-forth struggle.——
Puzhou, Flower World Star Agency.
Lao Nanfeng and Cai Lin walked in side-by-side.
Cai Lin wore her hair in a married woman's bun.
Just a few days prior, she had married Lao Nanfeng, officially becoming husband and wife. It was precisely because of this that Lao Nanfeng wasn't allowed to join Wang Er, Bai Mao, and Ma Shouying on their recent journey to the capital to aid the emperor.
Sending a newlywed to the battlefield so soon carried a high risk of him never returning. Li Daoxuan certainly didn't want to inadvertently doom one of his own people.
The happy couple cheerfully ducked into the backstage dressing room, where Chen Yuanyuan was in the midst of removing her makeup.
She had just finished performing a song and dance on the grand theater stage and had stepped off moments ago.
Though only thirteen years old, she had already become the undeniable star of the Flower World Star Agency. Every time she graced the stage, she was met with thunderous applause and ecstatic cheers from the audience, who threw silver coins onto the stage as if they were worthless.
Despite her young age, Chen Yuanyuan had already amassed several hundred taels of silver in her private savings.
Lao Nanfeng walked over to her, sat down, and with a smile, pulled out a stack of papers. "Yuanyuan," he said, handing them to her, "this is a new movie we're preparing, and we want you to play the lead role."
Chen Yuanyuan smiled. "What kind of film is it?"
She opened the script and saw the title: *Student Years*. It was set in Gao Family Village's Thirty-Two Middle School, telling the story of a group of young students who diligently studied, strove tirelessly, and then, after graduation, embarked on various careers.
Naturally, the female lead of the film was Gao Yiye. The plan was for Gao Yiye herself to portray the 'adult Gao Yiye,' while Chen Yuanyuan would play the 'young Gao Yiye.'
The supporting roles would feature all of Gao Family Village's top figures, such as Young Master Bai, the Third Young Lady, Gao Sanwa, Chen Yuanbo, Gao Shan, Wang Tang, Liu Maopao...
Of course, they themselves would only portray their 'adult selves,' while their younger, school-aged counterparts would be played by young actors with similar features and physiques.
Even San Shier, Principal Wang, Song Yingxing, and others, and even the Heavenly Lord himself, would make cameo appearances, having a few minutes of screen time.
Chen Yuanyuan took one look at the script and felt a mountainous pressure building.
"Patron," Chen Yuanyuan's voice began to tremble. "So many prominent figures are going to appear? My heavens, even the Heavenly Lord and the Saintess will be making cameo appearances? Is this a film directed by the Heavenly Lord himself?"
Lao Nanfeng shook his head. "No, it's a film planned and produced by our agency itself."
Chen Yuanyuan, who had just been excited, felt her enthusiasm instantly cool at his words. Her tone turned strange. "So many prominent figures, to accompany us in making a terrible film?"
Lao Nanfeng's face flushed at her words!
His star agency, indeed, specialized in making terrible films.
Aside from a few war epics personally directed by the Heavenly Lord for their revolutionary educational significance, any film funded and shot by Lao Nanfeng himself was shoddily made garbage.
No wonder Chen Yuanyuan had been excited at first, only to immediately switch to being the 'critic.'
Lao Nanfeng cleared his throat. "Well, this time, I assure you, it's absolutely not a terrible film. This script was written by the most renowned popular author."
Chen Yuanyuan asked, "Who is it?"
Lao Nanfeng announced, "Gao Sanwa."
Chen Yuanyuan gasped in astonishment.
Chen Yuanyuan's lips trembled slightly. Her chest swelled with an urge to speak; if the person sitting before her hadn't been her patron, she would have been unable to control herself.
She could only whisper, "The Heavenly Lord... would he really be willing to make a cameo in a film like this?"
"Of course!" the golden-threaded Heavenly Lord embroidered on Lao Nanfeng's chest suddenly spoke. "Such an entertaining endeavor, I'd be delighted to participate."
"Ah, greetings to the Heavenly Lord!"
All three present immediately bowed in reverence.
Li Daoxuan chuckled. "I've just finished reading the script. While it certainly has that unique mischievous touch of Gao Sanwa, the overall story is quite heartwarming, especially the ending where the children leave school and embark on their various careers. It's truly excellent. I believe this is a film with great educational significance, very much worth promoting."
Lao Nanfeng was ecstatic. "Many thanks for your praise, Heavenly Lord!"
Li Daoxuan continued, "Go ahead and pursue it wholeheartedly. Using a film like this to support the education sector is beneficial, and it's also a good thing to let more people understand the true meaning of education."
Gao Family Village had always provided free education.
However, even with free education, many families were unwilling to send their children to school.
Because in those times, a child of ten or so was already a vital part of the family's labor force. Children had to help their parents plow fields, transplant rice seedlings, harvest crops, raise chickens and pigs, herd cattle...
Send them to school?
If they couldn't pass the imperial examinations, studying was pointless.
What a waste!
Li Daoxuan had considered many solutions, but simply waiving tuition and meal fees ultimately wasn't enough.
However, this script presented a good approach: first, depict the children's stories in school, and then, through the achievements of the various characters in the finale, convey to the audience: 'If your child studies, even without participating in the imperial examinations or seeking official titles, they can still become social elites, shining brightly in all walks of life, just like Young Master Bai, the Third Young Lady, Gao Sanwa, and Chen Yuanbo.'"
With Li Daoxuan's full endorsement, there was no longer any room for hesitation. They would proceed.
Chen Yuanyuan shed her 'critic' role, her motivation instantly soaring.
Lao Nanfeng immediately began contacting those excellent individuals across various professions, asking them to lend a hand and appear in a few scenes of the film.
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