26: The first scene, overwhelming strength

It was nine o'clock in the morning, and the sun was just right.

Inside Studio A of the chronicles of the great ming dynasty film crew, all work was proceeding in an orderly fashion.

Because Lin Da's main eunuch costume had an accident, Director Zheng Guofeng temporarily adjusted the shooting schedule, deciding to first film a transitional scene where Wei Zhongxian, in casual clothes, chatted with a few young eunuchs in the Imperial Garden.

This scene was relatively simple, with not many lines, mainly testing the actors' state and their integration into the environment.

Lin Da changed into a dark gray casual outfit provided by the crew, similar in style to the alternative costume he had prepared.

Although it was not as exquisite as the main costume, it fit him well.

He stood in front of the Imperial Garden set, silently adjusting his breathing and state.

Not far away, by the monitor, Sun Hao and Zhang Yang were pretending to casually glance over, their eyes carrying a hint of unconcealed disdain and anticipation.

They wished nothing more than for Lin Da, this 'connected' person, to make a fool of himself in the very first scene, so that Director Zheng could clearly see who the truly capable actor was.

“Attention, all departments!” The assistant director's voice rang out, “the chronicles of the great ming dynasty Group A, Scene 15, Take 1, First time! Ready—Action!”

As the clapperboard dropped, filming officially began.

This was a scene set in early spring, with flowers just beginning to bloom in the Imperial Garden, and a gentle, pleasant breeze.

Wei Zhongxian, played by Lin Da, was sitting leisurely in a pavilion with several young eunuchs, seemingly admiring the flowers, but in reality, subtly admonishing and guiding these new palace recruits.

His face carried a faint, almost imperceptible smile, yet his eyes were like a deep pool, calm and unruffled, making it impossible to discern his true thoughts.

“Life in the palace is not easy…” Wei Zhongxian, played by Lin Da, picked up the teacup in front of him, gently blew on the floating tea leaves, his voice not loud, but carrying a sense of profound experience, “To live long, you must learn to see, learn to listen, and even more so… learn to keep silent.”

His gaze seemingly casually swept over the trembling young eunuchs in front of him, yet his eyes held a subtle hint of authority and warning.

The young actors playing the eunuchs, though also professionally trained, involuntarily felt a sense of pressure in front of Lin Da's seemingly calm yet powerful performance, and fine beads of sweat appeared on their foreheads.

“Yes, Eunuch Wei's lesson is well-received.” A young eunuch quickly bowed in response, his voice trembling slightly.

Lin Da smiled faintly, said no more, and simply cast his gaze towards the distant patch of budding peonies, a complex and difficult-to-discern emotion flashing in his eyes.

There was longing for beautiful things, helplessness regarding his own fate, and even more, vigilance against the omnipresent dangers within the deep palace.

In just a few minutes of this transitional scene, Lin Da had no superfluous lines, nor any unnecessary movements.

He merely used subtle changes in his gaze, variations in the rhythm and emphasis of his tone, and some perfectly placed pauses and silences, to vividly portray the old eunuch Wei Zhongxian's shrewdness, authority, and that hidden trace of loneliness and sorrow deep within his heart.

“Cut! Good! Next!”

Director Zheng Guofeng's voice came from behind the monitor, carrying unconcealed satisfaction.

He had originally been somewhat worried that the temporary costume change and adjustment to the shooting schedule would affect Lin Da's state.

But now, it seemed this young man was even more stable and resilient than he had imagined.

No matter how many external disturbances there were, he could always quickly calm down and completely immerse himself in the role.

This kind of focus and composure was truly rare for a young actor.

Sun Hao and Zhang Yang watched from the side, dumbfounded.

They had originally thought that after last night's “costume incident,” Lin Da would surely be distracted and in poor form today.

Unexpectedly, he was not affected in the slightest; instead, he performed so excellently and effortlessly.

Those simple shots, those bland lines, when performed by him, were full of tension and charm, as if every glance, every pause, contained endless drama.

This… was this really the level a newcomer could achieve?

A strong sense of frustration and… a hint of indescribable fear simultaneously surged in their hearts.

They realized for the first time that this Lin Da might not be as easy to deal with as they had imagined.

The morning's filming proceeded exceptionally smoothly.

Lin Da, relying on his solid acting skills and deep understanding of the character, almost every take was done in one go, with only a handful of NGs.

His professionalism and efficiency not only earned him the praise of the director and cinematographer but also made the other crew members look at him with new respect.

During lunch break, Lin Da sat alone in a corner, eating his bento box while reviewing the morning's filming in his mind, thinking about what areas could still be improved.

Just then, the system's prompt sound suddenly rang in his mind:

“Ding! Detected a slight increase in the host's reputation value within the crew. The golden supporting role system store has unlocked a new item: [Acting Insight Fragment (Primary)] x1. Do you wish to exchange it for 100 reputation points?”

Acting Insight Fragment?

Lin Da's heart stirred.

This was a good thing, capable of directly enhancing his understanding and insight into acting.

“Exchange!” He chose to confirm without hesitation.

As a faint warm current flowed into his mind, Lin Da felt his understanding of acting become a few shades clearer.

Some bottlenecks he had encountered while trying to grasp the character now suddenly became clear.

Just as he was immersed in this wonderful feeling, a sneaky figure quietly approached his dining table.

It was precisely the intern who had “accidentally” knocked over the ink bottle.

He held his bento box, hesitated for a long time, then plucked up the courage to sit down in the seat opposite Lin Da, a fawning and uneasy smile on his face.

“Lin… Teacher Lin Da, you… you acted really well this morning!” The intern stammered.

Lin Da looked up at him, his gaze calm and unruffled.

“System, use [Interpersonal Insight Card (Primary)] on target ‘Intern Xiao Wang’.”