Chapter 7: Male and Female Lead Casting

Not long after Feng Dapao and Zhang Weiping posted their messages, many directors and celebrities followed suit, launching a barrage of criticism against Cheng Sheng.

These people had zero faith in Cheng Sheng, going so far as to bluntly call his film an epic disaster.

They even treated Cheng Sheng like a clown, stating flatly that this would be the only film he would ever get to make.

This news soon reached Cheng Sheng’s ears.

Busy with pre-production preparations, Cheng Sheng dismissed it with disdain.

To him, these people were merely driven by jealousy and spite.

However, he was also a man who held a grudge; he took careful note of everyone who had attacked him, intending to settle the score with them one by one in the future.

Cheng Sheng spent the entire morning looking through a stack of resumes and photos on his desk. Among them were many people familiar to him from his other memory.

For example: Bai Baihe, Shen Jiani, Yang Shuo, Tong Yao, Sun Jian, Wang Kai, Zhang Li, Tong Yaya, Wang Zhi, and so on.

In that other memory, these people were all future A-list, B-list, and C-list stars who enjoyed great fame in the entertainment industry.

The Central Academy of Drama truly lived up to its reputation; it was full of talent.

Unfortunately, his film was a male-centric story, so there were fewer female roles.

The most important ones were the female lead, Empress Zhangsun; the second female lead, Pingyang Zhao; the third female lead, Empress Xiao; as well as the concubines in Yang Guang’s harem and the palace maids—though the latter only had a few shots.

As for the actress to play Empress Zhangsun, Cheng Sheng had looked through all the resumes and found no one suitable.

The entertainment industry was not lacking in beauties, but there was a certain kind of beauty that no amount of makeup or acting skill could replicate: temperament.

Having seen his other memory, Cheng Sheng knew that several actresses had played Empress Zhangsun.

But the one who truly stood out was Tong Ailing. Her portrayal of "Empress Zhangsun" in the 1994 TV series *Tang Taizong Li Shimin* was truly unforgettable and perfectly captured the character's temperament.

In the series, without even speaking, Tong Ailing gave off an aura of gentleness, grandeur, kindness, and elegance. Yet, who would believe that Tong Ailing, who could so effortlessly command the temperament of an empress, was only 21 years old at the time?

It was just a pity that she was older now and not quite suitable to play Empress Zhangsun in her youth.

If she were still 21, Cheng Sheng would have chosen her as the female lead in a heartbeat.

Besides Tong Ailing, there was another person whose Empress Zhangsun was also stunning, and she was the candidate Cheng Sheng wanted to choose.

That was Shu Chang. Shu Chang was a talented actress, a hardworking professional, and a person of excellent character with no scandals. She was beautiful and had great audience appeal—she was, in every sense, the best choice for Empress Zhangsun.

Most importantly, her age was just right.

Thinking of this, Cheng Sheng decided to approach Shu Chang to play Empress Zhangsun.

With the female lead settled, Cheng Sheng already had candidates in mind for the two male leads.

They were Zheng Guolin and Fu Dalong.

According to his other memory, Zheng Guolin had played Li Shimin in multiple film and television works, leaving a deep impression on audiences with his superb acting and excellent character portrayal.

He had performed brilliantly as Li Shimin in the 2003 *Sui Tang Yingxiong Zhuan*, the 2014 *Sui Tang Yingxiong* series, and the 2017 *Re Xue Chang'an*.

He could be called a specialist in playing Li Shimin.

Furthermore, Zheng Guolin was not only handsome and charming, but also humble, low-key, and friendly. He was passionate about acting and meticulously polished every role.

His performance was delicate and pure, with a strong sense of immersion that kept the audience from being pulled out of the story, providing an excellent viewing experience.

As for Fu Dalong, his portrayal of Yang Guang in *Sui Tang Yanyi* was the most recognized by audiences, and he was the only one praised for truly bringing the character to life.

The temperaments of these two men were a perfect match for the roles of Li Shimin and Yang Guang.

Having decided on the cast, Cheng Sheng took the list directly to Yang Chao and had him contact Shu Chang, Zheng Guolin, and Fu Dalong.

...

On the set of *Lian Cheng Jue*.

Shu Chang had just finished shooting a scene and was planning to take a break when her manager ran over, excited. "Changchang, good news!"

"Sister Fang, looking at how happy you are, did you find money?" Shu Chang joked.

"Better than finding money. You know that Cheng Sheng guy who’s been all over the internet lately?" the manager said.

"The 100-million-yuan director? Who doesn't know him? There are so many people cursing him online right now," Shu Chang said with a smile.

Although she had been busy filming, she kept an eye on entertainment news when she had the time.

How could she not know about Cheng Sheng raising 100 million in investment to film a historical epic?

"The good news I'm talking about is Cheng Sheng. He just sent you an audition notice for the female lead. Changchang, you’ve hit the jackpot," the manager said happily.

Shu Chang, however, didn't react with excitement. Instead, she frowned and said, "Sister Fang, I’d love to be the lead in a big production, but everyone online says Cheng Sheng is unreliable and that the movie will definitely be a disaster. If I become the lead in this film, won't I get torn to shreds by the critics?"

Regarding Shu Chang's concerns, the manager dismissed them. "That’s just sour grapes from people who can't get the part. Regardless of Cheng Sheng's actual ability, do you really want to pass up a female lead role in a 100-million-yuan production?"

Hearing this, Shu Chang’s eyes lit up. She thought: *That's right! This is the lead in a 100-million-yuan film. Others can't even dream of this, and now it's being handed to me on a silver platter. Why would I refuse?*

Even if the movie turned out to be a disaster, what did that have to do with her? She was just an actress.

If the movie was truly terrible, shouldn't the director be the one getting cursed?

"Sister Fang, help me reply. I agree to the audition," Shu Chang said.

"Changchang, the audition is the day after tomorrow. If you leave, what about this drama?" the manager worried.

Shu Chang was the female lead, Shui Sheng, in *Lian Cheng Bi*. If she wanted to leave, the director certainly wouldn't agree.

"Don't worry, I'm only asking for one day off. The director should agree," Shu Chang said nonchalantly.

"Alright, then I'll go reply."

After saying this, the manager turned and left.

Cheng Sheng soon received word that Shu Chang had agreed to the audition, and shortly after, Zheng Guolin and Fu Dalong also agreed to come.

Seeing that the three leads were secured, Cheng Sheng felt much more at ease.

Next were the supporting roles.

Cheng Sheng had already selected suitable candidates, and he left the task of contacting them to Teacher Yang Chao, as he had many other things to attend to.

The filming location was set in Hengdian, and Cheng Sheng had arranged for people to start setting it up early on.

Two days passed.

Shu Chang, Fu Dalong, and Zheng Guolin all passed their auditions quickly. Cheng Sheng produced the contracts on the spot for them to sign and then informed them of the filming dates.

Seeing the date for joining the production, Shu Chang breathed a sigh of relief. The schedule was relatively flexible, just enough time for her to finish filming *Lian Cheng Bi*.

By the time everything was ready, nearly a month had passed.

The actors were cast, the crew was ready to be deployed at any time, the script had passed review, and the exterior sets were finished. They could start filming at any moment.

(End of chapter)