Assistant Fang had arrived five minutes early at the spot he and Zhu Yu had agreed upon. Once he had picked up his boss and their temporary actor, he asked, "President Zhu, how was the filming today?"
After Zhu Yu shut the car door, she demonstrated how to fasten a seatbelt for Ying Zheng. A smile touched the corners of her eyes as she said, "It was excellent! Our Brother Zheng gave a fantastic performance!"
"Woohoo!" Assistant Fang was equally excited. "Should we go grab a meal to celebrate?"
Zhu Yu was instantly wary. "Who's paying?"
Assistant Fang: "..."
One was a company president on the verge of bankruptcy, the other a wage slave; life was tight for both of them. The only reasons Assistant Fang remained here were that, despite the company's terrible state, the salary still came through, and his boss was both good-looking and kind-hearted.
The atmosphere inside the car turned silent. Ying Zheng was busy studying the small handheld fan in his hand, pressing the button every now and then to make the blades spin and release a cool breeze. He was quite curious about it; in fact, when he saw those large fans on set, he had been dying to know the principle behind them. The First Emperor was very satisfied with this little gadget.
Once they returned to Xianju, Ying Zheng couldn't wait to ask Zhu Yu, "Little Immortal, could you tell me what drives this small fan to spin? If I could bring this back and have the Mohists make them, the common people could use them in the summer."
The people of Great Qin: "Moved! Our Your Majesty is truly the best!"
Remnants of the Six States: "That brat Ying Zheng sure knows how to put on a show!"
Zhu Yu replied, "It works on electricity. But Brother Zheng, in all honesty, your current production conditions make it very difficult to build this. You wouldn't just need to learn about electricity; you'd need to learn mechanics, and furthermore, you'd need the ability to manufacture plastic."
Plastic? Ying Zheng rubbed the small electric fan. This was actually made of plastic?
Meanwhile, the ancients watching through the Skyscreen sat up straight. The nobles were already impatient, calling for their craftsmen to create identical fans. Liu Bang summoned Zhang Liang to ask if he had any way to communicate with the heavens. Seeing the fan, he hurriedly called for the Grand Master of the Mohists, pointed at it, and demanded, "Can you make that little fan the First Emperor is holding?"
The phrasing was a question, but the tone was an order—the subtext being that he had better make it for him! The Grand Master bowed his head low and said cautiously, "Your Majesty, I have observed it closely; it is indeed of the Immortal Realm's craft. The fan seems to be driven by a mysterious power. I am incompetent; perhaps you will receive the method of construction only when you are invited to the Immortal Realm by the Little Immortal."
Hearing this, Liu Bang waved his hand in irritation. "Dismissed."
After the Mohist Grand Master retreated, he realized that while they couldn't make the fan, they could certainly replicate the furniture shown on the Skyscreen. Thus, the next day, the Grand Master presented a luxury version of a carved chair. When Liu Bang saw it, he was highly pleased and gave out generous rewards.
Zhang Liang did provide Liu Bang with a method: "I have heard that in ancient times, shamans used song and dance to communicate with the heavens. However, this method has likely been lost; it has been rarely seen since the Zhou Dynasty."
"Rarely seen" did not mean non-existent. Liu Bang couldn't wait to ascend to the heavens; waiting for an invitation from the Little Immortal would take too long. In such times, he had to take the initiative.
At that moment, his descendant Liu Che shared the same idea. He didn't have as many tricks up his sleeve, but with the time ripe for attacking the Xiongnu, he had long been coveting the iron beasts in the Immortal Realm. He quickly ordered the Taoists kept in his palace to perform rituals to send messages to the Immortal Realm, promising ten thousand gold pieces to whoever could reach the Little Immortal first. For the past few days, Liu Che had even been carrying gold on his person, terrified that he might be summoned to the Immortal Realm at any moment without the capital to buy those iron beasts.
Acting was out of the question—he was an emperor, after all; how could he go off acting? However, Liu Che did admire the First Emperor’s courage in that regard.
Of course, besides the two from the Liu family, there was also someone from the Zhu family who was quite frantic. In just a few days, Zhu Houcong had finished the statue of the Immortal he had ordered. He knelt before it daily, begging to be taught immortal arts. The Senior Grand Secretary, Yan Song, stood by and whispered, "Your Majesty, why not have the common people pray alongside you? When the Little Immortal sees the weight of your people's hearts, she will surely be moved."
Zhu Houcong thought this made sense and waved his hand, giving Yan Song full authority over the matter. Of course, the prayers wouldn't be for nothing; they had to be accompanied by a portrait or statue of the Little Immortal—otherwise, what if they prayed to the wrong deity?
Over the next two days, Ying Zheng lived a routine life: resting at the company or working as an actor on set. Because his acting was on point and there were few retakes, the progress of his scenes was much faster than expected. Zhu Yu didn't know much about acting: "Brother Zheng, if there's anything you don't understand, just ask the director. He’s very experienced and has won several major awards."
Ying Zheng nodded solemnly. Being a fast learner, he often asked the director questions. However, the questions were a bit strange.
"Director, could you explain how this 'official merit assessment system' works?"
"Director, could you detail the precise flow of the imperial examination system, and the corresponding developmental stages of each period?"
"Director, regarding this method of improving farming tools—I am a bit confused here. Could you explain how it operates?"
...
Director: "..." *My god, is he a real ancient person?*
These things weren't even in the script. But looking at Ying Zheng's thirst for knowledge, the director gritted his teeth and nodded coolly. "Finish this scene, and I'll tell you."
As the next scene started, the director quickly signaled the assistant director to keep an eye on things while he made frantic calls to various experts. After the scene was done, the director, now confident, handed the printed materials to Ying Zheng with the air of an expert. "Here is what you wanted."
Ying Zheng had already learned many simplified characters. After reading the materials, he was satisfied, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. "No wonder the Little Immortal said you were knowledgeable, Director—knowing astronomy and geography. You have indeed solved my problem. It is a pity that I am dull-witted; Director... surely you will not abandon me in the future."
The director had been praised before, but Ying Zheng’s approach made him feel unexpectedly flattered. Was he really that good? He patted his chest and vowed, "It's nothing! I’m the director. Ying Zheng, if you have anything you don't understand in the future, just ask!"
Ying Zheng nodded with a smile. These were just a few complimentary words; though he could have researched these things slowly, it was a matter of time—and his Great Qin could not wait.
Ying Zheng didn't ask these questions in private, so everyone around them was left speechless. Zhu Yu was also left speechless. As expected, Brother Zheng’s mouth was incredibly sweet. If she hadn't already explained to him that the word "love" had a different meaning in modern times, would he have added "Director, love me" at the end of that sentence?
Still... Brother Zheng was truly adorable!
The director was so pleased that he decided to treat the entire crew to a dinner that night. Zhu Yu sat beside Ying Zheng. Fearing that the emperor might feel uncomfortable in this chaotic environment—the whole crew was there—she introduced the actors to him one by one, including the characters they played. Ying Zheng gave her face and nodded from time to time.
Being protected like this was a rare feeling, but he didn't reject it; beyond the humor of it, he felt a strange touch of warmth. Zhu Yu kept putting food on Ying Zheng's plate, and when no one was looking, she took a plastic bag out of her pocket, dumped the braised prawns in front of her into it, tied it shut, and stuffed it into her bag.
The First Emperor: "..."
There weren't many people at their table—everyone else was out socializing. He set down his chopsticks, feeling slightly ruffled by the wind of it all.
"Ahem, Brother Zheng, I won't lie to you—the company isn't doing well. Whenever there's a chance to mooch, we have to take it. See that big lobster over there? Hurry up, eat it!"
The director was footing the bill for this meal. Even though Zhu Yu was the investor, she was likely the poorest investor in the world, mooching off the crew's meals every day. Before long, her bag was full.
Ying Zheng stared at Zhu Yu for a long time, then picked up the lobster and handed it to her. "Add this in, then."
Zhu Yu smiled and gave him a thumbs-up. She took out another plastic bag, wrapped the lobster, and was stuffing it into her bag when someone approached.
"President Zhu, long time no see."
The woman wore a red dress that accentuated her alluring curves, her skirt fluttering as she walked with an indescribable charm. She looked at Zhu Yu with a smile, then her gaze shifted past her to Ying Zheng, her eyes lingering.
"Is this the new actor your company signed?" Her gaze toward Ying Zheng carried a trace of something unclear.
Without waiting for Zhu Yu to reply, she clicked her red heels around to the other side, pulled out the chair next to Ying Zheng, and leaned over. Her voice was breathy and itching, as if she were whispering into his ear: "May I sit here?"
Ying Zheng didn't even glance at her, looking at Zhu Yu with a flash of impatience. "Who is she?" This woman was truly daring; how could she look at him with such eyes?
"I'll take your silence as consent." As she spoke, she leaned closer to Ying Zheng, her faint fragrance wafting toward his nose.
Zhu Yu was no child; she understood what this situation implied and was momentarily stunned. Was Brother Zheng being flirted with?
Jiang Ruohua saw that Ying Zheng ignored her and didn't take offense, sitting down on her own accord, feeling that this man was even more challenging.
"Ruohua, it has been a long time. When did you return?" Zhu Yu remembered that she had gone abroad for further studies.
"I'm playing Ying Yinman." Jiang Ruohua smiled, tossing her hair with every gesture full of charm. "President Zhu, I heard you're the sole investor in this film. How could you not know the actors for every role?"
She was playing Yinman? Ying Zheng’s expression cracked. With this woman's behavior, how could she resemble his daughter? Moreover, she had been quite sharp with the Little Immortal; Ying Zheng sensed this keenly, and it left a sour taste in his mouth, his eyes turning cold. Despite having only spent a few days with the Little Immortal, he knew she was kind.
In the Great Qin plane, Yinman heard her own name and stood up in a fright, running to the door and stretching her neck to look at the woman on the Skyscreen who was currently flirting with her father. Her expression became strange—a mix of anger and amusement—especially given the fury building on her father’s face.
Zhu Yu smiled good-naturedly, her eyes complex as she looked at her old acquaintance. These things were handled by the director; she didn't understand acting, so she had just glanced at the actor list. "Why did you change your name?" She remembered the actor's name was Jiang Bei.
Jiang Ruohua replied, "I felt my old name didn't sound very good." She then turned her gaze back to Ying Zheng, looking him over from head to toe with a blatant, satisfied gaze. "So this is the newcomer replacing Yuan Boshi?"
Hearing the name "Yuan Boshi" again, Zhu Yu felt a pang, but she remained calm on the surface. "Yes. And you have scenes together next week."
"He looks good." Jiang Ruohua licked her lips. "I just wonder, compared to Yuan Boshi, who is really the better one?"
*Who is Yuan Boshi?* This was the second time Ying Zheng had heard this name. It seemed to be the actor originally slated for his role. Though the Little Immortal hid it well, he could still see the distress on her face.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Jiang Bei. Do you want to exchange contact information?" Jiang Bei continued to bother Ying Zheng. "You don't look very young—how about I call you Brother? We can read scripts together in the future. The director said your acting is quite good." Her eyes were filled with a hint of nostalgia as she looked at him.
Ying Zheng said coldly, "No need." He then gave Zhu Yu a look. If they didn't leave, he might not be able to contain himself. He wouldn't hit a woman, but he would certainly humiliate her!
Zhu Yu couldn't hold on anymore. She immediately grabbed her bag and pulled Ying Zheng away. "Sorry, Ruohua, it's getting late. Brother Zheng has to get home to feed his son. We're leaving."
She knew Jiang Ruohua; to be precise, her history was inseparable from Yuan Boshi. Seeing an old face brought back memories, but she hadn't expected the woman to change so much, scaring her into whisking Ying Zheng away.
The Skyscreen followed Zhu Yu. Once she and Ying Zheng disappeared from sight, the smile on Jiang Bei's face faded, and a shadow fell over her delicate, charming features.
This scene made the common people burst into laughter. However, many in the world envied the First Emperor for having such a romantic encounter even in these circumstances; the woman's charm was rarely seen in the world. Those who mocked the First Emperor for becoming a performer were envious in their hearts, even if they were badmouthing them both in words.
Li Longji was drooling. He had been dismissive of the Skyscreen at first, but now he thought: *Go! I must go! I am a leader of great talent and vision who has taken the Tang Dynasty to new heights; of course I am worthy!*
He immediately ordered Gao Lishi to summon all the Taoists in the world to communicate with the Immortal Realm. He wanted to go to the Skyscreen to hang out with the Little Immortal, too—acting wouldn't be so bad. *I am willing to go to the Immortal Realm.*
On the Skyscreen, Zhu Yu hadn't even informed the director; she returned to the company before taking out her phone to reply to him. After sending the message, she noticed a gaze on her. She looked up and met Ying Zheng’s eyes, which were filled with curiosity.
"What is this?"
Ying Zheng had wanted to ask for a long time. Everyone here held this object; from his observations, it seemed capable of communicating with people thousands of miles away—it was a true divine artifact!
"This?" Zhu Yu shook her phone. "This is a mobile phone, a communication device. Brother Zheng, if you want one, I can..." She stopped herself, thinking of the "explosive" show the director had mentioned. *That won't work—if he sees it, someone might die!* "You need to work and earn money to buy this. Some cost thousands, some hundreds. You can buy one yourself when you have the money."
*Better to delay it.* She didn't know if he believed her, so she kept her expression calm and normal.
Ying Zheng asked again, "The woman just now—do you know her, Little Immortal?" If the woman hadn't looked at him with those eyes, Ying Zheng wouldn't have cared; this was the Little Immortal's private business. Unless she spoke first, he wouldn't interfere.
Zhu Yu’s expression turned unnatural. It was hard to tell at first glance, but with the magnification of the giant Skyscreen produced by the system, every move was obvious.
"Need to ask? They definitely know each other!"
"Tsk tsk, the past probably isn't a pretty one, judging by the tone that woman used."
"Hahaha, the First Emperor got flirted with!"
"And what about that 'Shi' person? It’s definitely related to her!"
"Is our Your Majesty going to have another consort in his harem?"
"The First Emperor is clearly still hung up on her, hahaha!"
The people were chatting away. The big dinner had been enough to draw attention, but the appearance of this woman flirting with the First Emperor caused an explosion of activity. The emotions received by System 0208 reached a small peak. At this rate, it might soon be able to summon a second historical figure. It rubbed its program-generated hands, wondering who would be next.
"I know her. It's been a few years," Zhu Yu nodded. "Brother Zheng, don't mind her behavior today; Ruohua wasn't like this before."
Ying Zheng’s expression was indifferent. This wasn't his territory; what could he do even if he were angry? Over the past few days, he had gained some understanding of the concepts of the people here.
"Little Immortal, you..." He chose a suitable word. "You are truly kind." Not only kind, but too easy-going.
Ying Zheng thought to himself. Although he had been acting for these three days, he had been constantly observing the surroundings of the set and Zhu Yu during his breaks. He had seen many people cast looks of pity or schadenfreude at this Little Immortal. This shocked Ying Zheng, and at the same time, his initial belief in her being an "Immortal" began to waver. In his view, none of these people had the refined aura of Little Immortal Zhu, yet why did they show such disrespect toward her?
He couldn't understand it, but a voice in his heart was screaming an answer: *Perhaps he was wrong; this is not the Immortal Realm.*
Ying Zheng gripped the mini electric fan Zhu Yu had given him, his eyes deep. If this wasn't the Immortal Realm, then was his elixir of immortality gone? *But how could a mere mortal have the power to bring him here?*