Perhaps to outsiders, novelists and filmmakers have nothing to do with each other, and novelists don’t carry much authority in the film and television industry.
But in reality, someone who can reach the top of their own circle will earn status and respect no matter which circle they enter.
Especially a master of classical martial arts novels like this.
Back in the last century, during the golden age when Hong Kong’s martial arts films and TV dramas were booming.
Gu Long once used a single sentence to make Jackie Chan miss out on playing the lead in his novel.
Though at the time, Jackie Chan had just debuted and wasn’t the international kung fu superstar he is today.
But you have to understand, the person who arranged the meeting between Jackie Chan and Gu Long was the famous Hong Kong director Luo Wei—the man who made Bruce Lee a star!
Even so, Gu Long didn’t give him any face at all.
And Luo Wei didn’t dare say a word.
He just went back and honestly recast the lead, while arranging another film for Jackie Chan.
Even Gu Long, who died young, was like this.
Not to mention Jin Yong, who was one of the “Four Great Masters of Chinese Martial Arts Fiction” alongside Gu Long, and who lived much longer than Gu Long.
This led to the current situation in the entertainment industry—of all the big-name stars you can think of, if not one hundred percent, then at least sixty percent owe him a debt of gratitude.
With connections like that, second only to the investors themselves.
Saying Jin Yong has his hands in everything is not an exaggeration at all.
Everyone who meets him has to be respectful and deferential.
But now, this kind of figure had been moved by Jiang Nian’s acting, completely won over, without a trace of defiance!
All people could say was: badass. Absolutely badass!
“As expected of Teacher Jiang! So impressive!” Yuan Shanshan sighed.
Han Dong was tongue-tied: “This isn’t just impressive—it’s incredibly impressive. Usually, people say it’s an honor for an actor to play a certain role, but with Teacher Jiang, it’s the role’s honor to be played by him. Damn, Teacher Huo, this evaluation is the same as yours, isn’t it!”
If he remembered correctly, in the online polls after Chinese Paladin 3 finished airing.
According to netizens’ votes, eighty percent of people thought Huo Jianhua’s portrayal of Xu Changqing was even better than the original in the novel.
Especially his sword dance in the snow.
That visual, that atmosphere—even the novel and anime couldn’t beat it.
Netizens called it “Shu Mountain’s sword rises, Nanzhao’s snow falls.”
This led to the current situation—when he heard Jin Yong’s praise for Jiang Nian, the first thing he thought of was this.
Hearing this, Huo Jianhua’s expression immediately changed, and he waved his hands repeatedly: “No no no, my Xu Changqing at most just happened to fit the role well, with maybe one or two godly moments here and there. I can’t compare to Teacher Jiang.”
How would he dare compare?
No matter how famous he was, without someone backing him, it was all just empty fame.
But Jiang Nian had received personal recognition from Jin Yong himself.
Give Xu Changqing ten times the courage and he still wouldn’t dare ride those coattails.
And just as they were whispering among themselves.
Jiang Nian recovered and looked at Jin Yong, who was still bowing with a sincere expression, his eyes shifting.
He truly hadn’t expected Jin Yong to pull something like this.
But since the man had already done it, with so many people watching, Jiang Nian couldn’t refuse to give him any face at all.
So he reached out, helped Jin Yong up, and said: “Mr. Jin, we’re all in the same crew, and we see each other all the time. You’re being too polite.”
“No, this is the price of my arrogance. I deserved to do this!”
Jin Yong said sincerely.
Seeing him like this, Jiang Nian’s mouth twitched, thinking: You’re not done yet? Give you an inch and you take a mile.
But considering the other party’s age, Jiang Nian couldn’t be bothered to argue with him.
He just exchanged a few simple pleasantries with Jin Yong, said some nice things like “turning hostility into friendship,” then found an excuse to end the topic.
After all, listening to an old man ramble on and on—what’s the fun in that?
If Jiang Nian had that kind of free time, he’d rather tease Deng Sha and the others.
Listening to those girls’ silvery laughter—wasn’t that more enjoyable than this?
But before that.
“Director Huang, am I done with my scenes for today?”
Jiang Nian looked at Huang Zhiwen nearby and asked.
That scene just now had been quite satisfying to film—he’d really gotten into the zone.
It’d be a shame not to film more.
Hearing this, Huang Junwen smiled: “There’s still one more, the last scene, and then you’re done for today.”
“Which scene?”
“The self-castration scene!”
As these three words left Huang Junwen’s mouth.
In an instant, a cold wind blew through.
Every man present felt a chill rise from below, sending shivers down their spines.
Self-castration.
This was something that made every normal man recoil in fear and avoid at all costs.
Because it meant that from that moment on, he would no longer be whole.
It was an extremely inhuman practice.
Modern times are fine—everything’s open now. After castration, you could take a trip to Thailand, maybe run into a kind taxi driver willing to help you test the goods, then come back and start a talk show, and use your identity to help your foreign masters promote LGBT.
But in ancient times.
After castration, you were truly ruined.
Neither man nor woman.
Couldn’t carry anything on your shoulders or lift anything with your hands. Your body would forever emit a disgusting stench. Everywhere you went, you’d be rejected.
You couldn’t survive outside the palace.
Although Huo Jianhua and the others all knew this was just acting, not real.
They still couldn’t help but tighten their legs and shrink back a little.
They were very afraid.
In contrast, Jiang Nian’s face was covered in smiles at this moment.
This wasn’t because he was a psychopath—it was just that, for him, the self-castration scene was just too easy to act!
From the time Jiang Nian obtained the system to now.
He had already mastered the memories of four eunuchs!
It might not seem like much.
But don’t forget, among these four eunuchs, aside from Lin Pingzhi, the other three had all lived in the palace year-round.
Before they rose to power, they inevitably had to do odd jobs all over the palace.
So unavoidably, they would sometimes be called to help with castrations.
This meant that through constant exposure, Jiang Nian had practically become an expert on the castration process!
Without exaggeration, if Jiang Nian quit acting right now, with just this castration skill alone, he’d at least be a vice-director-level figure at those gender reassignment hospitals!
“Now this is really right up my alley!”
Jiang Nian thought to himself.
Little did he know, at this moment, everyone looking at his radiant smile had involuntarily taken a step back.
Weird!
This was just too damn weird!
Could someone please explain to them why Jiang Nian would smile so happily upon learning about the self-castration scene?!
Jiang Nian didn’t pay this any mind.
He just eagerly said to Huang Junwen: “So shall we start filming now?”
