Basically, everyone in the entertainment industry is a little bit superstitious.
And the higher their status, the more they tend to believe in gods, ghosts, and spirits.
As a top director in China, Tsui Hark is certainly no exception.
He is extremely superstitious about the idea of “starting off with a bang.”
Therefore, he places immense importance on the very first scene of the production.
Tsui Hark hopes that this scene can be completed in one continuous shot, a single take.
He also hopes that this scene is very exciting,
preferably a key piece of the plot.
So, after thinking it over for a moment, he paused.
“Jiang Sheng, could you come over here for a moment?”
Tsui Hark waved and called out to Jiang Nian.
Hearing this, Jiang Nian, who had been chatting with Zhang Xinyu (playing Consort Wan), stood up and walked over to Tsui Hark.
“Director, what’s up?”
“Jiang Sheng, how’s your preparation with the script?”
“I’ve memorized it all.”
Jiang Nian replied. Although he had only read the script once after receiving it, thanks to Yu Huatian’s memories, he knew the plot content like the back of his hand. “Are we filming my scene?”
“That’s right!”
Tsui Hark nodded, then took out a cigarette, took a deep drag, and looked at Jiang Nian. “And it’s the most classic scene for your character. Are you up for it?”
Hearing this, Jiang Nian let out a soft “Huh.”
The most classic scene?
Almost instantly, an image flashed through his mind.
A look of surprise crossed Jiang Nian’s face.
Noticing this, Tsui Hark asked curiously, “What’s wrong? Lacking confidence?”
“No, that’s not it.” Jiang Nian snapped out of it and shook his head. “I’m just a bit surprised. I didn’t expect we’d shoot this scene so soon. I thought it would be a while longer.”
“Oh, I see, haha. Well, the sooner we shoot it, the sooner it’s done and out of the way, right? We can stop worrying about it later.”
Tsui Hark laughed heartily.
Jiang Nian could only nod in agreement. “You’re right. So, shall I start filming now?”
He was still wearing his costume from the morning’s opening ceremony.
Transitioning seamlessly into acting wouldn’t be a problem.
Unexpectedly, Tsui Hark looked him over and shook his head. “No rush. Go change your clothes and get your makeup done first.”
“Hmm?”
Jiang Nian found this a bit strange but didn’t think much of it.
After all, that morning, due to time constraints, his makeup hadn’t been particularly detailed.
He assumed Tsui Hark had noticed this and that’s why he was sending him to get ready. So he nodded and headed towards the makeup room.
He completely missed the mischievous smile that appeared on Director Tsui Hark’s face as he watched Jiang Nian walk away.
He picked up his phone and gave some instructions to the makeup artist.
Then he called over Jet Li and Zhou Xun, explained which scene they’d be filming next, and then picked up his teacup, taking a sip with a pleased grin.
Twenty minutes later.
Jiang Nian returned, wearing a plain grey robe, his hair reaching his shoulders.
The first thing he did was look at Tsui Hark, twitching the corner of his mouth. “Wait a minute, Director, are you telling me that the ‘most classic scene’ you were talking about is actually my death scene?”
Jiang Nian had thought it was going to be that famous quote of the ‘Factory Flower’!
Tsui Hark knew perfectly well what he was thinking but played dumb. “Yeah? Don’t you think this scene is pretty classic?”
Jiang Nian was left speechless.
After all, his character dies. In a certain sense, that is indeed a classic plot point in the movie.
“Alright, fine.”
Jiang Nian replied, then sat down off to the side and waited.
After Jet Li and Zhou Xun had also finished their makeup,
they all went over to the pre-prepared set.
After directing Jiang Nian and the others to their marks,
Tsui Hark picked up the microphone and gave them a recap of the lead-up to the scene.
Yu Huatian, pointing his horsewhip, has chased the imperial concubines all the way to the desert.
He stumbles upon a secret chamber filled with gold. Greed gets the better of him, so he begins a secret struggle for power against the chivalrous protagonist Zhao Huai’an’s side and Buludu’s foreign delegation.
But just as the conflict is heating up, a strange tornado approaches, putting everyone in grave danger.
Driven by his desire for the gold, Yu Huatian finally reveals his true deadly intentions and engages in a final decisive battle with Zhao Huai’an and the others.
Standing in front of a stone lion, Jet Li, playing ‘Zhao Huai’an’, dressed in black and holding a long sword, looks resolutely at Jiang Nian’s ‘Yu Huatian’ and Fan Xiaoxuan’s ‘Su Huirong’, and says:
“Did you think I kept you here because I actually wanted to share the gold?”
Hearing this, Jiang Nian frowns and instructs Fan Xiaoxuan, “You go up first.”
Fan Xiaoxuan gets the hint and immediately leaves the area.
With no one around to hold him back,
Jiang Nian lets out a cold laugh, showing no fear of the approaching strange tornado. His fierce eyes fix on Jet Li. “I know you’ve already made up your mind not to leave here. But so what?”
He simply doesn’t care.
Or rather, he has never taken ‘Zhao Huai’an’ seriously to begin with.
No matter how strong he might be, he’s just a wandering martial artist.
Even though he managed to kill the useless ‘Wan Yulou’ by chance,
in front of ‘Yu Huatian’, the greatest swordsman under heaven, he’s nothing at all!
He picks up a dagger and examines it.
A cold glint flashes in Jiang Nian’s eyes.
Then, with a swift turn of his foot, he kicks up a cloud of desert sand towards Jet Li.
At the same time, the short dagger is drawn from its sheath.
With lightning speed, he attacks, closing in on Jet Li in an instant.
Seeing this, Jet Li’s pupils contract.
He hurriedly shields himself from the sand and raises his sword to block.
Only then, just as the dagger is about to reach his throat, does he barely manage to parry the blow.
Clang!
The metal clashes.
The tremendous force numbs Jet Li’s hand where it grips the sword, making him nearly lose his hold.
“Such tremendous force, such terrifying speed.”
“A trained fighter?”
Jet Li looks at Jiang Nian, inwardly surprised, a look of astonishment on his face.
Meanwhile, Jiang Nian, seeing that Jet Li actually blocked his strike, shows a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
When he launched the attack earlier, he had used about forty percent of his strength.
Seeing that Jet Li hadn’t reacted immediately,
Jiang Nian had already prepared for this take to be cut, ready to pull his strength back.
He didn’t expect Jet Li to actually react in time.
“No wonder he’s an all-around champion in martial arts routines. He’s got some skills.”
Jiang Nian thought to himself, affirming Jet Li’s ability.
Then he refocused, re-entering character. He vibrated the dagger in his hand and released his inner energy.
Sword-Breaking Technique!
Crack!
A crisp sound echoed.
Protected by his inner energy, Jiang Nian’s dagger remained unharmed, but the longsword in Jet Li’s hand shattered completely under the blow.
However, contrary to the script which said a piece of the broken sword would slice Jiang Nian’s face, the sword simply exploded into fragments that clattered noisily to the ground.
“…”
“…”
For a moment, the air itself seemed to freeze.
Jiang Nian and Jet Li looked at the shattered pieces of the sword scattered on the ground, then at each other, completely dumbfounded and silent.
Director Tsui Hark was also stunned.
It took him a few moments to snap out of it.
His calm expression visibly reddened, then twisted with rage.
He grabbed the microphone and bellowed in fury:
“Cut! Cut!”
“Props department, what the hell is wrong with you?!”
“How did the prop you prepared break?!”
“What the hell are you even doing?!”
