30: Rumors, hidden arrows, acting skills are broken

Over the next few days, Lin Da fully immersed himself in the filming of the chronicles of the great ming dynasty.

Although the role of Wei Zhongxian, whom he played, was not the male lead, it spanned almost all the important court scenes of the Emperor Yongle from his middle age to his later years, and involved a large number of opposing scenes with Teacher Chen Daoming.

Every time he acted opposite this veteran actor of emperor-level status, for Lin Da, it was a thrilling clash of acting skills and a valuable learning opportunity. He could clearly feel that, driven by Teacher Chen Daoming's powerful yet subtle aura, his own understanding and portrayal of the character Wei Zhongxian were improving at a visible speed.

At times, he was in the Imperial Study, grinding ink and spreading paper for the Emperor Yongle, discerning the emperor's thoughts in silence, and resolving court crises with a few words; at other times, he was in the deep palace, meticulously instructing the young imperial grandson, his eyes filled with love and anticipation, as if pouring all his emotions into him.

His performance was natural and multi-layered. He displayed both the humble caution of an old eunuch and the deep scheming of a power player; he had both unwavering loyalty to the monarch and a poignant sense of desolation for the impermanence of the world.

Director Zheng Guofeng became increasingly satisfied with Lin Da's performance, and the look in his eyes, which started as appreciation, gradually turned into a hint of reliance. He even proactively sought out Lin Da to discuss the script during filming breaks, listening to his understanding and suggestions for the character Wei Zhongxian.

The other crew members also transitioned from initial curiosity and scrutiny of this "newcomer" to genuine admiration. They privately said that although Teacher Lin Da was young, when he acted, his drive and dedication were even greater than some veteran actors.

However, beneath the calm surface of the lake, undercurrents still surged.

Although Sun Hao had seemingly reined himself in a lot after the previous "costume incident" and "snitching incident," the look in his eyes when he saw Lin Da was still full of resentment and malice. He was like a venomous snake lurking in a dark corner, constantly waiting for an opportunity to retaliate.

As for Zhang Yang, the new talent strongly promoted by Xinghui Entertainment, he was even more composed. He no longer provoked Lin Da openly as before, but adopted a more covert approach.

Soon, some gossip about Lin Da began to circulate within the crew.

Some said that the reason Lin Da was able to secure the role of Wei Zhongxian was because he had a "sugar daddy" supporting him from behind, having taken an improper path.

Others said that Lin Da was arrogant on set, disrespectful to his seniors, and frequently altered the script without permission, causing headaches for the director and other actors.

There were even more outrageous rumors, claiming that Lin Da had offended many people in previous crews due to his misconduct.

Although these rumors sounded like baseless speculation and full of loopholes, in the relatively closed environment of a film crew, they could easily ferment and spread, causing significant damage to a new actor's reputation.

Lin Da naturally heard these rumors.

He knew that Zhang Yang and his team behind him were certainly fueling this.

"System, use [Interpersonal Insight Card (Junior)] on target character 'Zhang Yang'," Lin Da thought to himself.

Target Character: Zhang Yang

Personality Traits: Arrogant and conceited, narrow-minded, highly competitive, accustomed to relying on background and resources, lacks clear self-awareness of his own strength.

Current Emotions: Jealousy (8/10), Resentment (7/10), Anxiety (5/10).

Attitude towards Host: Strong hostility (primary), believes the host stole opportunities and attention that rightfully belonged to him.

Key Interpersonal Relationships: Xinghui Entertainment executives are his relatives, who have invested a large amount of resources in him. Has relatively close relationships with some crew members and a few young actors.

Recent Abnormal Behavior: Covertly instructed his assistant and acquaintances to spread rumors unfavorable to the host within the crew, attempting to tarnish the host's reputation and influence the director's and producers' evaluation of the host.

It was him, indeed.

Lin Da's eyes slightly chilled. Although such underhanded tactics were despicable, he had to guard against them.

He chose not to directly clarify or retaliate, because he knew that doing so would only play into the opponent's hands and escalate the matter.

He still arrived on set on time every day, as usual, treating every scene and every shot with seriousness. His humility, politeness, professionalism, and dedication were the most powerful rebuttals to those rumors.

However, the power of rumors often lies in their ability to subtly influence people's minds.

Lin Da gradually felt that some crew members who had previously been quite enthusiastic towards him began to look at him with a hint of evasiveness and distance. Even some actors with whom he had little interaction would point and whisper about him behind his back.

If this situation were allowed to develop, it would inevitably affect his standing in the crew and might even shake the trust of the director and producers in him.

Just then, a crucial scene arrived early.

This was a group scene where Wei Zhongxian fiercely debated several Donglin Party officials in the imperial court. Wei Zhongxian had to single-handedly contend with a group of scholars, demonstrating his strategic wisdom and eloquence, while subtly revealing his disdain and wariness towards these "pure stream" literati.

This scene had a large number of lines, many emotional transitions, and demanded extremely high comprehensive qualities from the actor.

Director Zheng Guofeng moving this scene forward was clearly also intended to observe Lin Da's true level under pressure through this scene, and at the same time, give a clear signal to those with ulterior motives.

The night before the shoot, Lin Da's room was brightly lit.

He did not bother with the swirling rumors, but instead poured all his energy into preparing for this scene.

He repeatedly studied the script, pondering the complex and subtle emotions in Wei Zhongxian's heart when facing those impassioned Donglin Party members who considered themselves righteous.

Was it disdain? Was it anger? Was it mockery? Or... a barely perceptible hint of envy?

He unhesitatingly consumed the newly exchanged [Acting Enhancement Fluid (Intermediate)]. A gentle yet powerful energy instantly flowed through his limbs, making him feel that his mental state and control over his performance had reached a new height.

The next day, when Lin Da, dressed in a dark purple python robe and a black official's hat, walked into the studio with eyes as calm as water, everyone's gaze focused on him.

An invisible pressure permeated the air.

Those who spread rumors were waiting to see him make a fool of himself.

And those who had doubts about him also wanted to verify his true strength through this scene.

Lin Da took a deep breath and slowly walked to the center of the set.

He knew this was his battlefield.

He would use a thrilling performance to shatter all rumors and conquer all doubts!

He would let everyone see how a true golden supporting actor used his acting to control his own destiny!