Li Ping was very efficient, completing the investigation of the three actresses Xu Zifan had named in just one day. Shi Xueman, a child star and rising starlet, was trying hard to transform her image, wanting to prove her explosive acting skills. Her acting was indeed good, but since opening her own studio, she sometimes couldn't compete with actresses from large companies, and most of the scripts she received were mediocre. She was serious about acting, didn't act like a diva, and had no negative news. She had a close male friend in the industry who was also an excellent actor, and many people thought they were a perfect match.
Yang Jiaru, a second-tier actress often compared to Xia Shuangshuang, has undergone eyelid surgery and jaw reduction. She has openly admitted to having plastic surgery to improve her appearance. Because of this, some people have reservations about her and find it hard to accept, which has slowed her career development compared to Xia Shuangshuang. She doesn't act like a diva; she's just very beautiful, and her on-screen relationships often lead to rumors. In reality, she has never even had her first love and is solely focused on her career.
Yao Kexin is a third-tier actress, very unremarkable, but with the highest potential. She is currently vying for the role of a maid to the female lead in a palace drama. She is humble, ambitious, hardworking, and has excellent acting skills. A recent college graduate, she has never been in a relationship and has no negative news; she's like a blank slate entering the entertainment industry, having risen to the third-tier level entirely through her acting abilities.
After listening to Li Ping's report, Xu Zifan felt that something was off. After thinking for a moment, he raised an eyebrow and looked at Li Ping, asking, "Why did you investigate their relationship status?"
Li Ping was speechless for a moment, then decided to tell the truth, "Young Master, I thought you wanted to choose a new girlfriend."
Xu Zifan said speechlessly, "Is this how you choose a girlfriend? It's not like you're choosing a concubine. But..." He thought about Shi Xueman and her male confidant's situation and said with a smile, "It's quite useful, you're very thorough in handling things. Okay, go and rest, I'll contact you if I need anything."
Xu Zifan had only known Li Ping for a short time and couldn't fully trust him, so he didn't plan to entrust everything to Li Ping. He anonymously hired two private investigators online: one to investigate Xia Shuangshuang's every move in the entertainment industry, and the other to investigate Xia Shuangshuang's private life and the people she had intimate relationships with.
Money doesn't last forever. Xu Zifan thought for a moment that if he rushed back to the Xu Group to take over the company, he would be called an ingrate. The original owner of the body certainly didn't want his reputation ruined if he wanted to take back the company, and he didn't want to see Xu Hao receive everyone's sympathy. So for the time being, he didn't plan to join the Xu Group. To change the public's perception and let the directors and employees of the Xu Group know that he had the ability, he had to do something.
Considering the original owner's playful nature, Xu Zifan decided to invest 30 million to build a live streaming platform. He had done this twice before; he could quickly build the framework by himself, and it would be a complete final version that didn't require frequent testing and modifications. He finished it in three days, saving most of the time in this aspect. As for the remaining procedures, such as registering the company, it was very smooth for him, and he directly handed it over to Li Ping to handle.
Li Ping was thrilled. Being an assistant to a young master was completely different from being an assistant to a CEO; this was practically a promotion for him. Regardless of whether the young master's company succeeded or not, it was a great thing for him, and he worked with great enthusiasm.
Xu Zifan had already learned from the private investigator about the drama Xia Shuangshuang was going to film, and also knew that Xu Hao had already decided on the lead role for Xia Shuangshuang. This palace drama, "The Legend of Xia Yi," is Xia Shuangshuang's first representative work in her rise to fame in the entertainment industry. "The Legend of Xia Yi" tells the story of a naive and exceptionally intelligent young girl's life of ups and downs in the palace. From her initial kindness and happiness upon entering the palace, to her anger after being wrongly imprisoned in the cold palace, to the despair and tragedy of miscarriage, she eventually becomes ruthless and cold-hearted, regaining favor and taking revenge on everyone, including the emperor she once loved.
Unlike other romance dramas that focus on romantic tropes, this series effectively portrays the emperor's coldness and the ruthless power struggles among the concubines. The various palace intrigue tactics employed, along with numerous plot twists and the nuanced character development, make all the characters three-dimensional and believable, attracting female viewers of all ages and even drawing in some male viewers due to the compelling storyline. Airing simultaneously on seven television stations, the series propelled its lead actors to nationwide fame, with the female lead undoubtedly achieving the most popularity. Her character, both likable and admirable, garnered her far more fans than any of the other characters.
Many people even said that Xia Shuangshuang was Xia Yi, since they both had the surname Xia. What a coincidence! Xia Shuangshuang must be as smart and strong as Xia Yi! People transferred their sympathy and admiration for Xia Yi to Xia Shuangshuang, and she naturally gained a lot of fans. With this popularity and Xu Hao's help, she filmed three good movies in a row, entered the film industry, and raised her value.
How could Xu Zifan miss such a favorable opportunity for Xia Shuangshuang? Xu Hao had already secured the role for Xia Shuangshuang, but he was also prepared. He invested 50 million yuan in the production team, immediately becoming the primary investor in "Xia Yi's Story." While Li Ping was busy registering the company, Xu Zifan also sought out Zhang's son, Liang Fei, to handle some matters in the entertainment industry. Liang Fei was very clever and extremely filial to Zhang. With Zhang's instructions to work hard for Xu Zifan, Xu Zifan felt quite comfortable using him.
The news of Xu Zifan investing in "Xia Yi's Story" shocked netizens. The official Weibo account had already announced Xia Shuangshuang as the lead actress, and now Xu Zifan had increased his investment? The original budget for "Xia Yi's Story" was only 30 million, but Xu Zifan suddenly invested 50 million. How much will this improve the quality of the drama? Is Xu Zifan promoting Xia Shuangshuang? Have they gotten back together?
Before the news of #Xu Zifan and Xia Shuangshuang# getting back together trended on Weibo, Xu Zifan posted a message: "[This is my first time investing in a film and television drama. I hope for a pleasant collaboration, and I also hope that the actors I admire will deliver outstanding performances. "Xia Yi Biography"Directed by Wang Kunfa, Shi Xueman, Meng Yuncheng, and Yao Kexin]"
He asked Liang Fei to contact Shi Xueman and her Lan.
Yan Zhiji and Meng Yuncheng cast them in "Xia Yi's Story," one as the second female lead, the Empress, and the other as the Emperor. They also contacted Yao Kexin, promoting her from a maidservant to the third female lead, a concubine. This resulted in three main roles being cast at once. Initially, the director disagreed, but immediately agreed after seeing the cast names. Xia Shuangshuang, a second-tier actress with only passable acting skills, was already resentful about being chosen as the lead. Now, with the second, third, and male leads all performing so well, he was actually grateful to Xu Zifan.
Xu Zifan's fans, sensing a clarification in his Weibo post, immediately breathed a sigh of relief. They had so harshly criticized Xia Shuangshuang; if Xu Zifan were to go back to her, they would be the ones who lost face the most. Bystanders were stunned. It was one thing that Xu Zifan hadn't reconciled with Xia Shuangshuang, but what were those three celebrities doing? Shi Xueman and Yao Kexin were both very beautiful, but Meng Yuncheng… what was this about a male celebrity? And what was Xu Zifan doing?
Not only were netizens baffled, but Xia Shuangshuang and Xu Hao were also confused about Xu Zifan's intentions. Looking at the photos of Shi Xueman and Yao Kexin on the tablet, Xia Shuangshuang suspected that Xu Zifan had his eye on one of them. But why invest in the TV series she was in and cast them both? She didn't know much about Yao Kexin, but thinking about Shi Xueman's acting skills, she felt uneasy. Could she outshine Shi Xueman? Was Xu Zifan getting revenge for that glass of ice water? As an investor, would he deliberately make things difficult for her or reduce her screen time?
Xia Shuangshuang approached Xu Hao, hoping he would also invest and suppress Xu Zifan. How could Xu Hao do something so brainless? An investment of 80 million yuan for a TV series is already very high. Besides, his relationship with Xia Shuangshuang isn't public yet. Comparing himself to his nephew in terms of wealth is beneath him and will only make him a laughingstock. Xu Hao gave Xia Shuangshuang a few perfunctory replies and then ordered someone to investigate what Xu Zifan had been up to lately, and why he had suddenly invested in a film and television series.
Xu Zifan simply had a plan, and he was certain it would succeed. He carefully analyzed Xia Shuangshuang's path to fame. In his view, although Xia Shuangshuang became famous through "Xia Yi's Story," it was entirely due to the script's brilliance; any actor with decent skills could have achieved the same success. On the contrary, Xia Shuangshuang actually hindered "Xia Yi's Story" because she was only a second-tier actress when she played the lead. Since she was the lead, none of the first-tier actresses participated; playing a supporting role would be beneath them. The other second-tier actresses weren't very competitive, and she also had Xu Hao's support, with several script revisions further highlighting the lead actress, preventing "Xia Yi's Story" from reaching its full potential.
Xu Zifan, being a director himself, has a keen eye for these issues, and his decision to cast these three actors was quite strategic. The Empress and Emperor were childhood sweethearts, making a lifelong vow in their childhood. The Empress always kept this in her heart, deeply loving the Emperor. She mobilized her family to help him ascend the throne, managed the harem for him, and rigorously demanded of herself to be an outstanding Empress—her love was profound. However, after gaining power, the Emperor grew increasingly lonely and suspicious, and increasingly resentful of the Empress's blood-stained hands. After the Empress caused the death of a palace maid's unborn child, their relationship cooled, and they drifted further apart.
As the emperor's concubines increased, so did the empress's methods, which became increasingly secretive. Eventually, the female lead exposed the empress's schemes, leading to a major argument between the emperor and empress, and the empress ultimately died by drinking poison.
The emperor is a scoundrel, and the empress is a wicked woman—that's true. But the brilliance of the script lies in its well-rounded characters. Everyone has a good side and a bad side; everyone has their own helplessness and suffering. An actor with mediocre acting skills can only portray the surface, playing a fixed character, but an actor with explosive acting skills can enrich the character, allowing the audience to see their inner pain.
Xu Zifan believes that Shi Xueman and Meng Yuncheng are both actors with phenomenal acting skills. What's even more interesting is that they are a popular on-screen couple in real life, naturally exuding a sense of love. If they act well, they can portray childhood sweethearts who love and hate each other, even to the point of resentment, ultimately being each other's most beloved. This way, no matter how Xia Shuangshuang acts, she will always give the impression of being a mistress.
Yao Kexin's portrayal of the Imperial Concubine is even more nuanced. In the script, the Imperial Concubine is a relative of the Empress Dowager, beautiful and arrogant. She falls in love with the Emperor at a young age and enters the palace as a concubine, later becoming an Imperial Concubine. She doesn't even respect the Empress. After the Emperor and Empress become estranged, out of respect for the Empress Dowager and due to the power of the Empress Dowager's relatives, the Emperor dotes on the Imperial Concubine. The Imperial Concubine's influence almost surpasses that of the Empress, and she is the most open in dealing with the other concubines. She is the character who targets the female lead the most.
Sometimes, however, villains can be more likable than protagonists. The character design is already established; it's up to the actor to make it more compelling. Xu Zifan saw Yao Kexin's talent and charisma. With the director's guidance, her acting is definitely better than Shi Xueman's, and far surpasses Xia Shuangshuang's. Yao Kexin's portrayal of the imperial concubine will be arrogant yet not repulsive, domineering yet pitiful, and deeply in love with the emperor yet never receiving a shred of his true affection.
The Empress had the Emperor's past love, and the female lead had the Emperor's later love. Regardless of their happiness, the seemingly most favored concubine didn't receive even a fraction of it. How could such a pure, genuine, straightforward, proud, and ultimately most unhappy character not evoke pity? Compared to her, what brilliance does the female lead have left?
Xu Zifan has a keen eye for talent; he believes the actors he chooses will definitely achieve the desired effect, and he will never allow Xia Shuangshuang to add scenes or change the script. This time, "Xia Yi's Story" will be even more brilliant, but Xia Shuangshuang's future is uncertain.