All I can say is, that’s just what happens when you’ve got too much charisma.
No matter where you go, you end up becoming the center of attention, inevitably drawing everyone’s eyes.
Luckily, those reporters still had a shred of restraint.
They knew they were attending the launch ceremony and press conference for The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, not a solo showcase for Jiang Nian.
So, after snapping over a hundred photos of him, they finally eased up and turned their lenses toward the others.
But…
Whether it was an illusion or just because of the huge commotion Jiang Nian had caused earlier, when the reporters aimed their cameras at the rest of the cast, Huo Jianhua and the others couldn’t shake an odd feeling.
It was like…
They were picking up Jiang Nian’s leftovers!
“This is absolutely the weirdest event I’ve ever been to—hands down!” Huo Jianhua couldn’t help but mutter under his breath to Han Dong beside him.
Han Dong nodded in agreement, showing he understood exactly how Huo Jianhua felt.
Because he felt the same way—it was just too damn strange!
Yet, they had no choice but to put on a poker face and keep answering the reporters’ questions.
It was extremely uncomfortable.
Fortunately, this didn’t last too long.
After Huo Jianhua and the others briefly answered a few questions from the press, Jin Yong—the original author of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer—took the stage.
When he spotted Jiang Nian, he paused briefly, then recognized him as the actor playing Lin Pingzhi. His expression shifted into something peculiar.
But with the reporters present, he didn’t say a word. He simply joined Jiang Nian and the others, scissors in hand, to cut the red ribbon before them and personally remove the red cloth covering the camera.
With that, the launch ceremony for The Smiling, Proud Wanderer came to an end!
Everyone began to file off the stage.
As he passed by Jiang Nian, Jin Yong hesitated for a moment, then looked up to study the nearly two-meter-tall young man before him. He let out a sigh, shook his head, and walked away briskly.
Seeing this, Jiang Nian furrowed his brow.
What’s this old man’s deal? he wondered. He looks at me, then sighs?
Seems like he’s pretty dissatisfied with me, huh?
“Did this grand official offend him somehow?” Jiang Nian muttered to himself.
But since this was a personal matter and Jin Yong also served as the show’s specially invited screenwriter, Jiang Nian couldn’t exactly go around asking about it.
So he just tucked the thought away, stepped off the stage, and prepared to find Director Huang Junwen to ask about the next steps.
If he didn’t have any scenes today, he’d change out of his costume.
But as he passed by Director Hu Yijuan’s door, his ears perked up at the faint sound of an argument drifting in:
“Director, this is absolute nonsense! I know Jiang Nian is very popular right now, but you can’t just cast him as Lin Pingzhi!”
“Look at his height, his build—where does that even remotely resemble Lin Pingzhi?!”
Inside the director’s office, Jin Yong fumed in Cantonese.
Every word he said dripped with his strong disapproval of Jiang Nian.
And honestly, it made sense. After all, The Smiling, Proud Wanderer was his work, and Lin Pingzhi was one of the most brilliantly crafted characters in the entire novel.
Otherwise, why would the story open by focusing so heavily on him, even fooling readers back then into thinking he was the protagonist?
But now, this crucial character had been drastically altered—from a handsome, delicate youth into a burly, muscular man standing nearly two meters tall. Sure, his face was still pretty, but his physique was way too imposing.
Who could possibly accept that?
Director Hu Yijuan gave an awkward chuckle and slid a carton of cigarettes over. “Mr. Jin, please calm down. These are special supply cigarettes I managed to get through some connections. Would you like to try one?”
“Try what? My character’s been butchered! How can I possibly be in the mood right now?!” Jin Yong was too furious to listen to reason.
Hu Yijuan could only keep smiling awkwardly. “Mr. Jin, we completely understand your feelings. But inviting Jiang Nian to join the cast wasn’t my idea—it came from the investors and Director Huang Junwen. They discussed it and decided he was the one they wanted. What could I possibly do about that?”
She laid out her predicament, feeling a pang of bitterness inside.
Despite her official title as director, her actual position on The Smiling, Proud Wanderer was more like that of an assistant director.
And the reason for that was simple: the production had two directors!
Not only that, but the other director was none other than Huang Junwen, who had co-directed The Breaking Point, Cold Blood Warm Heart, The Legendary Siblings, and Chinese Paladin 3!
This put Hu Yijuan in a very awkward spot.
She had a title but very little real authority.
For major decisions like casting, she was invited to attend, sure, but it was mostly the investors and Huang Junwen doing the heavy lifting.
Her biggest role, it seemed, was to step up and take the blame when something went wrong.
It was incredibly frustrating, to say the least!
Fortunately, Jin Yong understood her difficult position. He had only come to vent his frustration anyway.
Seeing Hu Yijuan’s sincere attitude, he relented. “Fine, I won’t make things hard for you. But this can’t happen again next time. It simply won’t do if the image doesn’t match!”
“Yes, yes, of course. I’ll definitely bring it up with the investors and Director Huang. Please rest assured,” Hu Yijuan hurriedly agreed.
All she wanted now was to get this big shot out the door as quickly as possible.
Jin Yong finally nodded, picked up the carton of special cigarettes she had given him, and headed for the exit.
But just outside, he hadn’t gone far before he came face to face with Jiang Nian.
Perhaps it was because he’d just been badmouthing him behind his back, but Jin Yong’s gaze flickered nervously. He couldn’t bring himself to meet Jiang Nian’s eyes and hurried past him.
Watching the old man retreat, Jiang Nian’s eyes glinted with a hint of knowing amusement.
“This old fellow sure has a lot of opinions about me, huh?”
“Jiang Ge, what are you doing here?”
Just as Jiang Nian was staring thoughtfully at Jin Yong’s departing back, Zhang Linyu walked over, looking curious.
Jiang Nian shook his head. “Nothing much. Was just about to go ask the director about the schedule. You looking for this grand official?”
“Ah, perfect—that’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about. The director just announced in the group chat, asking who wants to shoot the very first scene. But Teacher Huo and the others haven’t said a peep. I wanted to ask what you think—do we stay quiet too, or…”
Zhang Linyu asked.
This was the first scene after the show’s official start, carrying some symbolic meaning—but it was also tricky.
After all, everyone had only joined the crew yesterday; they might not be in top form yet.
Although Huang Junwen wasn’t as demanding as Tsui Hark about getting the first scene absolutely perfect, if you volunteered and then bombed… the pressure would be enormous.
That was exactly why Huo Jianhua and the others were keeping their mouths shut.
Jiang Nian understood that perfectly.
But…
“Tell the director that if nobody else wants it, this grand official will take it!” Jiang Nian declared.
What could he say? He had the cheat codes.
He had to step up and show off.
Besides, Jin Yong had just been talking behind his back, questioning his ability to play the role well.
Jiang Nian wasn’t the most magnanimous person, so if you dared to doubt him, he’d make sure to slap you right in the face—and hard.
Besides, the earlier he shot, the more he could shoot, and the more free time he’d have later to practice martial arts and build up his proficiency.
The faster he leveled up his skills, the sooner he could eliminate the negative side effects of the Evil-Warding Sword Technique.
It was a win-win situation all around. Why not go for it?
Zhang Linyu didn’t say much else—just nodded and pulled out his phone to relay the message in the group chat.
Learning that Jiang Nian had volunteered to shoot the first scene, Huang Junwen was absolutely delighted.
As someone in the directing circle, he’d naturally heard all sorts of wild stories about Jiang Nian’s on-set antics and had been dying of curiosity for ages.
So he immediately made the call: they’d shoot Lin Pingzhi’s first scene next!
He then got the prop team busy setting up the scene.
Meanwhile, the other actors—Huo Jianhua and the rest—were all surprised when they learned Jiang Nian was going to shoot.
It wasn’t that they didn’t believe in him.
It was more that…
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but hasn’t Teacher Jiang only ever played eunuchs since he debuted? Lin Pingzhi hasn’t undergone that procedure yet at this point in the story—can Teacher Jiang really pull it off?”
Someone raised the question.
And the moment they did, a chorus of agreement followed.
“Let me be clear—I’m not doubting Teacher Jiang’s skills. But the thing is, he’s gotten pretty deep into character. Even when he talks normally, he refers to himself as ‘this grand official.’ Now we’re suddenly asking him to play a role who hasn’t become a eunuch yet…”
“Honestly, I’m not too optimistic. Before practicing the Evil-Warding Sword Technique, Lin Pingzhi is supposed to be this bright, cheerful, sunny young man. That style is completely at odds with the kinds of characters Teacher Jiang has played before.”
“Yeah, that’s true.”
“Alright, alright—what are you all going on about? If Teacher Jiang was confident enough to take it on, he’s got to have his reasons. Stop spreading rumors here, or if Teacher Jiang finds out, how are you going to face him?”
“Come on, I was just saying, it’s not like I meant anything by it.”
“…”
They whispered among themselves, their words practically dripping with doubts about Jiang Nian.
But Jiang Nian had no idea.
Dressed in his costume, he ambled leisurely over to the set.
The set itself was very simple—even a bit shabby.
Just a single room, containing only a coffin and two crudely made miniature stone lions.
This was Lin Pingzhi’s first scene.
In the original novel, Lin Pingzhi first appears in a tavern, defending a “plain-looking girl who can’t fight”—who’s actually Yue Lingshan, daughter of the Huashan Sect leader, in disguise.
During the altercation, he accidentally kills Yu Renyan, son of the Qingcheng Sect leader Yu Canghai, which directly triggers the massacre of his family.
But in this TV adaptation, Lin Pingzhi first appears on his way back to the Lin family home. Curious about the family’s heirloom coffin, he wants to open it and uncover its secrets—and that’s how his character is introduced.
Jiang Nian didn’t quite understand why the Lin family’s secret chamber was on a boat, but that was a minor detail. If the script said so, then that’s how he’d play it.
“Teacher Jiang, are you ready?”
Once the cameraman had set up the shots inside the room, Director Huang Junwen called out.
Jiang Nian said nothing. He simply closed his eyes and focused.
Instantly, with Lin Pingzhi’s memories flooding his mind…
When he opened his eyes again, the scene before him had transformed entirely.
The shabby room had become lavish and ornate.
The solid floor now seemed to float on water, and he could clearly feel the river currents surging beneath him, rocking gently.
Before Lin Pingzhi’s memories could fully overwhelm him, Jiang Nian gave Director Huang a quick OK gesture.
The director got the message immediately. “Action!”
The cameraman inside swiftly aimed the lens at the doorway.
Jiang Nian took a deep breath, and in an instant, his entire aura shifted into something completely different.
Before, it had been dark and cynical with a hint of irreverence.
But now, it was radiant with warmth and sunshine.
Like a fresh-faced college student who hadn’t yet stepped into the real world—his eyes sparkled with a light untouched by knowledge or work, clear yet adorably naïve.
Creak—
A soft sound as the door pushed open.
Dressed in loose red trousers and black cloth shoes, Lin Pingzhi tiptoed inside. Checking that nobody was around, he quickly shut the door behind him.
Entering the ship’s secret chamber for the first time, he was visibly excited.
But since he’d never done anything like this before, his inexperience also made him incredibly nervous and furtive.
He cast a wary glance around the room, then hurried over to the coffin.
Unlike the original actor’s serious, stone-faced portrayal of Lin Pingzhi, Jiang Nian’s performance was remarkably vivid and lively.
He stared at the coffin before him—
Curious. Puzzled. Confused.
Through subtle micro-expressions, Jiang Nian laid bare every ounce of Lin Pingzhi’s conflicted emotions.
“What secret is hidden inside here?”
“Why won’t Father ever let me know?”
“Better to rely on myself than others.”
“Just a quick peek… should be fine, right?”
Lin Pingzhi muttered to himself, then blew the dust off the coffin lid and carefully began to push it open.
Scrape-scrape—
Stone ground against stone as he pried it open just a crack.
Sunlight streamed in through the window, landing perfectly on a precious jeweled vase placed inside the coffin as a burial object.
A blinding flash of light glinted past.
Lin Pingzhi squinted instinctively, his eyes dazzled.
But then—
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh—
Without any warning, several silver needles shot out from inside!
Caught completely off guard, Lin Pingzhi scrambled in panic, throwing all his strength into dodging the sudden attack.
But this was the Lin family’s forbidden ground—it couldn’t possibly be that simple.
No sooner had one wave passed than another struck.
The moment Lin Pingzhi evaded the needles, his foot accidentally triggered a trap hidden in the floor.
Clang!
The Taiji Bagua diagram in the center of the room flipped open like a trapdoor.
Lin Pingzhi, completely unprepared, plunged straight down. Though he managed to brace himself with a quick wits, barely keeping from falling further…
The mechanisms beneath the trapdoor began to activate.
Four rows of rotating, toothed steel rollers ground toward him like crushers, mercilessly bearing down on his position.
Terrified and panicked, Lin Pingzhi cried out—
“Mom!”
“Mom!!”
“MOM!!!”
Watching the mighty Jiang Nian—the man who always played intimidating eunuchs—now shrieking for his mother because of a few trap mechanisms, everyone on set burst into laughter at the hilarious sight.
But none of them had yet realized that they were already completely immersed in the scene, their emotions entirely pulled along by Jiang Nian’s performance.
