Chapter 27: Starting with a Shoot: Zhao Kuangyin

Having some spare time now, Zhang Yang didn't mind giving Nazha a lesson.

"In this industry, you either need to be famous enough, have enough seniority, or have the right background and money."

"If you lack these, you either grind away to build seniority while waiting for your big break, or you succumb to the unspoken rules to trade for opportunities and connections."

"Although I am a contracted artist with Tangren, I am not highly valued. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had to report to the production crew alone without even an agent. And those floor managers and script supervisors? They are experts at judging people by their status."

"Think about it carefully. When we were on the set where pros are everywhere, it was Hu Ge who led us to visit the director and producers. Dong Xuan, Qiu Ze, and the others weren't exactly warm to us; they were just showing respect to Hu Ge."

"Qi Wei and Tang Yan are easy to get along with because I have a history with them; we can be considered friends."

"But on this set, I'm just an eighteen-tier actor who isn't famous and isn't valued by Tangren."

"The only reason no one is tripping us up or giving us attitude is because we are artists from a major agency."

"It's fine to visit the director and lead actors, but you have to pick the right moment. You can't just walk up to them whenever you want."

Since he had taken on the role of mentor, Zhang Yang was determined to do his job thoroughly. The film crew was a workplace, one far more complex than a typical office, filled with various power struggles and schemes.

"On set, talk less and do more. Listen more, observe more, and think more," Zhang Yang advised.

"Oh," Nazha replied, a thoughtful look on her face.

Just then, there was some movement outside the dressing room. A mature woman with an attractiveness score of about 80 pushed the door open, looking visibly impatient and stifling a yawn. It was clear she had been called away from her nap to work, and she was certainly not in the best of moods.

"Hello, Sister. I'm sorry to trouble you," Zhang Yang stood up immediately to greet her. On set, makeup artists are among the people you absolutely cannot afford to offend. If they are unhappy with you, they might intentionally give you a look that highlights all your flaws. By the time the show airs and the audience mocks you, you won't even have a place to cry.

"It's fine, it's all part of the job." People rarely lash out at someone who approaches them with a smile, especially when that person is as handsome as Zhang Yang. The makeup artist's morning grumpiness dissipated significantly.

"What should I call you?" Zhang Yang pulled out a small red envelope he had prepared in advance and handed it over.

The makeup artist's irritability vanished instantly. Feeling lucky to have landed a good job, she took the envelope. "No need to be so formal. Just call me Sister Sun."

"Alright, Sister Sun. Looking at you, you can't be more than a few years older than me. To be a makeup artist on the set of *The Glamorous Imperial Concubine* at your age, you must be incredibly talented," Zhang Yang said, looking genuinely impressed.

Nazha: ?
This woman clearly looked like she was pushing thirty.

"You guessed wrong," Sister Sun couldn't help but smile, the corners of her mouth twitching. "I'm already thirty-three."

"Really?" Zhang Yang stared intently at her face, shaking his head in amazement. "I can't tell at all! Sister, do you have some secret beauty regimen?"

"I don't really do much maintenance; maybe I'm just good at applying makeup," Sister Sun laughed.

"Well, you are more than just good," Zhang Yang beamed. "I'm really lucky."

Sister Sun, pleased by the compliment, looked Zhang Yang up and down. "Do you have your own interpretation of the character you're playing? What kind of style are you looking for?"

Beside them, Nazha's eyes lit up. *I've learned something,* she thought. According to what Zhang Yang told her on the way here, most crews cut corners on details, and only the main leads or well-connected actors get personalized character designs. Supporting roles and extras are lucky if their look is passable; sometimes they are even intentionally made to look ugly to serve as a foil for the leads.

By asking Zhang Yang what he wanted, Sister Sun was offering to design a custom look for him. It was clear that a small red envelope and a few kind words had paid off handsomely.

"Sister Sun, I do have a few ideas," Zhang Yang didn't stand on ceremony. "I'm playing Zhao Kuangyin—the founder of the Song Dynasty. A hero of his time, a man of great military achievements who pacified the realm and governed the country."

"The story takes place early in his life, so I'm hoping for a look that is heroic and imposing, yet refined." Given his own features, Zhang Yang felt he could pull off a look similar to the young general Zhao Zilong.

"Understood. Let's find the right vibe first. We'll set the look, and if there's anything you don't like, we'll adjust it." Sister Sun had Zhang Yang sit down and pulled out her tools. She started by putting on his wig cap, then found a suitable wig to match his handsome, refined features, giving him the air of a noble young master.

Zhang Yang kept his eyes closed, chatting with Sister Sun from time to time. He was careful with his tone and pacing, remaining charming and humorous. In their back-and-forth, Sister Sun revealed a wealth of gossip circulating on set: Ruby Lin and Wallace Huo were behaving ambiguously; Kevin Yan and Wallace Huo didn't seem to get along and were constantly competing; the assistant director was sent by Hunan TV; and one of the floor managers was the director's brother-in-law.

To most, this was just juicy gossip, but for Zhang Yang, who would be filming on this set for some time, this was crucial intelligence that could help him avoid offending the wrong people.

*Learned something else,* Nazha thought, admiring Zhang Yang even more. She had thought his kindness toward Sister Sun was just to get a better look, but he had managed to extract so much valuable information. For instance, the fact that Kevin Yan and Wallace Huo were at odds was very important. Since Zhang Yang was a graduate of the Shanghai Theatre Academy, he could use that connection to bond with Kevin Yan, his senior. He also had a bit of a rapport with Wallace Huo, which he could use to get closer to him and, by extension, Ruby Lin. However, knowing the tension between Yan and Huo meant he had to be very careful about how he managed those relationships.

*Talk less, do more. Listen more, observe more, think more,* Nazha repeated to herself.

Zhang Yang, unaware of Nazha's inner monologue, continued to gently probe for information from Sister Sun.

About half an hour later, Sister Sun nodded in satisfaction. "Done."

Zhang Yang opened his eyes and saw a different version of himself in the mirror. His fair skin had been tinted to a light bronze, making him look healthier and more masculine. His eyebrows had been carefully defined to give him a spirited look, and his neck had been contoured to make his jawline more sharp and angular.

In short, his features were now more rugged, masking his usual delicate prettiness and adding an air of heroism. He had transformed from a "pretty boy" into a young warrior; from a scholarly gentleman into a youthful general.

"What do you think?" Zhang Yang suddenly looked at Nazha.

Nazha hid her phone and instinctively looked away. "Super handsome."

Zhang Yang smiled at Sister Sun. "Even my rookie assistant thinks it's great. Sister Sun, your skills are truly beyond reproach."

Sister Sun looked smug. "If I claim to be the second best on this set, no one dares to claim the first. Even the personal makeup artists for those leads aren't half as good as I am."

"You're lucky, A-Yang. This show is almost wrapped up. A lot of actors are finishing their scenes and leaving, so I'm one of the few makeup artists left on the crew."

Zhang Yang also felt he was lucky; Sister Sun's skills were top-tier. There was no need for further testing; they locked in the look. Another half hour later, his makeup was finalized, and he changed into the costume provided by the crew.

Once ready, Zhang Yang immediately found the script supervisor and the production coordinator. When they saw his look, their surprise was evident, and their attitude became much warmer. The coordinator took him straight to the director. The afternoon shoot had already begun, and since they were currently on a break, the main cast members were all present.

When they heard that Zhang Yang was the actor playing Zhao Kuangyin, everyone's gaze fell on him.

"In terms of image, he's better than the last one," director Liang Xinquan thought with satisfaction. At least the connection Tangren had sent over wasn't entirely useless. But he felt a headache coming on—because Zhang Yang's image was *too* good, it might lead to a certain result...

Just then, he heard Ruby Lin's voice beside him: "Director, let this actor film his scenes with me first. Let's test his acting skills."

Liang Xinquan: "..."

*Is that really just a test of his acting skills?*