After several days of makeup trials and script discussions, “Bai Mei Sheng” finally started filming. During this period, Gu Qingtong has been contemplating the script. In fact, the role of He Haomei is not difficult to play. For Gu Qingtong, who has always played various supporting roles with significant spans, this character, firm yet with a hint of weakness, is somewhat similar to her own personality.
This is why, even though she had never seen the script before and improvised scenes with Yan Chi for the first time, she already impressed Director Yuan considerably. However…..she must overcome the shameful hurdle in her heart. Only by letting go naturally can those key scenes with Yan Chi build tension, time and time again.
This was something that Gu Qingtong could not resolve alone no matter how much time she spent studying. Yuan Jingyu has always been accustomed to working with newcomers and can understand Gu Qingtong’s difficulties. That’s why she arranged for some key scenes to be shot a few times in advance to help Gu Qingtong adapt.
So, after the opening ceremony in the afternoon, the first scene was the initial encounter where He Haomei goes to the Princess Mansion to actively seduce Xuan Qingyun. Gu Qingtong had already engraved that part of the plot in her mind:
On the day of the grand wedding, the husband of He Haomei, the Fifth Prince, was urgently summoned back to the northwest military camp to resist the barbarians. Little did anyone know that this was a conspiracy, and not long after, news of his death spread back to the capital. At the same time, it emerged that this was a plot by the Crown Prince’s faction, with the commander of the army, a supporter of the Crown Prince, deceiving him into an enemy ambush.
At this sensitive time when the late emperor was bedridden, the hidden struggles between the Princess and the Crown Prince factions, which had been going on for years, finally escalated into open conflict.
In the court, everyone felt threatened, and they began taking sides.
Perhaps thinking that no matter how outstanding and fierce Xuan Qingyun is, she was still a woman and ultimately cannot inherit the throne.
Xuan Qingyun seemed to be in a disadvantaged position in this struggle, so the He family sided with the Crown Prince faction. With evidence and witnesses pointing to the cause of the Fifth Prince’s death, the Crown Prince was eventually deposed, sentenced to lifelong imprisonment on charges of harming siblings and colluding with the enemy.
Upon seizing power, Xuan Qingyun’s first act was to settle scores with the former Crown Prince’s supporters. Interestingly, she charged them with major crimes such as corruption and collusion with the enemy. Moreover, the evidence she presented was remarkably solid, leaving no room for doubt. Her methods were quite clean and efficient.
The He family was thus purged, with many members either dead or on the run. Only He Haomei, as the widow of the valiant Fifth Prince who died in battle, managed to escape unharmed. However, she fell to the point of losing her family and being subjected to arbitrary mistreatment.
Before her father’s death, he informed He Haomei that the true culprit behind the death of the Fifth Prince was not the Crown Prince but the eldest princess, Xuan Qingyun, who had come forward to seek justice for him. He urged her to avenge the family at all costs.
Driven by hatred and her father’s dying wish, He Haomei learned that Xuan Qingyun had remained single because of her preference for women. In response, He Haomei went alone to the Princess Mansion. Even if it meant risking her own life, she planned to feign allegiance, seduce Xuan Qingyun, and seize the opportunity to assassinate her, seeking revenge and settling the score.
At this moment, Gu Qingtong, with her makeup done, looked at herself in the mirror. Dressed in a plain white silk dress, she appeared young, yet her hair was already tied up in a married woman’s hairstyle. Her makeup was light, deliberately giving her eyes and nose a slightly reddened and swollen look, as if she had been crying for a long time. Beneath this styling, her stunning beauty became even more alluring.
Like white pear blossoms crushed into the dust from the branches, the sense of distress and vulnerability was fully displayed, evoking a great deal of sympathy and pity.
This was a styling set tried before, and Gu Qingtong was quite familiar with it. As it was the first scene, it naturally attracted considerable attention, even with Yuan Jingyu intentionally clearing the scene. Despite her efforts, there were still quite a few people on set.
The moment Gu Qingtong appeared with this styling, she drew countless eyes. Even though Yuan Jingyu had seen the effects of various makeups beforehand, she was still impressed. Leaving aside everything else, her appearance almost perfectly interpreted the character’s alluring yet refined demeanor.
Gu Qingtong’s gaze, however, was fixed on Yan Chi, who had arrived at the set earlier than herself. Yan Chi was dressed in a flamboyant crimson satin palace costume, adorned with cloud patterns embroidered in dark gold threads on the cuffs and lapels. The overwhelming luxury and flamboyance exuded from her.
This change transformed her usual cool and noble temperament into an even more dominant and commanding presence.
At this moment, Yan Chi leaned against the nearby luxurious imperial couch, her gaze seemingly indifferent but carrying a hint of laziness as she looked in her direction. Gu Qingtong could easily sense that Yan Chi had already immersed herself in the role. It was as if, from the moment she got into costume, she had been portraying that mad and eccentric eldest princess.
In the next moment, Yan Chi’s lips curled slightly towards her.
On the surface, the two of them seemed to have no connection, just ordinary colleagues in various makeup and opening ceremony activities on the set. However, unknown to anyone else, since joining the cast, Gu Qingtong had not been spending the nights in her own room. Instead, she shamelessly indulged herself in the embrace of Yan Chi every night.
For the sake of convenience, Gu Qingtong’s suitcase was even placed on Yan Chi’s side. Every day, as they left for activities one after the other, they managed to avoid being seen by others, being careful not to be caught.
Seeing the smile that belonged exclusively to her, Gu Qingtong secretly winked at Yan Chi. Similar to the impromptu audition scene last time, this time they were shooting scenes within the palace, specifically the interior of the Princess Mansion where their characters interacted. However, this setting was even more splendid and formal, adorned with various decorations, except for the soft couch entwined with veils.
Inside the palace, every detail was meticulously arranged. Beyond the layers of pearl curtains and screens, red candles flickered, and the fragrance of aloeswood1A fragrant, dark and resinous wood used in incense, perfume, and small hand carvings. permeated the entire hall. Gu Qingtong briefly surveyed the surroundings, especially the bed and the distant luxurious imperial couch……
She had come across these elements multiple times in the script, and she anticipated encountering them repeatedly in many scenes to come.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Director Yuan said: “If you’re ready, let’s start right away. Don’t worry; this afternoon, we’ve scheduled one or two scenes, giving you ample time to get into character. However, it’s my habit that if a scene doesn’t come out well, I might reshoot it hundreds of times, so be prepared for patience.”
It was clear that she was addressing Gu Qingtong. After all, in today’s script, some scenes could be quite embarrassing to film once, and having to repeatedly say them over and over again had tortured several rookie actors in the past.
Although Gu Qingtong had mentally prepared herself for countless scenarios, facing a set with so many people made her heart race instantly. She sneakily glanced at the onlookers in the distance, mostly unfamiliar faces, realizing that as a relatively unknown actress, all she could do was manage her own mindset.
Suddenly, the voice that was just exchanging pleasantries trembled a bit: “I…..I will do my best!”
Yan Chi glanced at Gu Qingtong’s expression, knowing without asking what she was worried about. She then said to Director Yuan: “Director Yuan, clear the set one more time; there’s no need for so many people watching.”
Although she was addressing the director, her words also reached the ears of the onlookers. Sensing that it wasn’t appropriate for those who had no work there to stay, they began to leave one after another. Soon, only the director, crew, and actors remained, and even the palace set appeared more spacious.
As the clapperboard snapped for the first time, the first scene finally began. Gu Qingtong forced herself into the character of He Haomei. The first half of the scene was relatively easy; as long as she maintained the right emotional state, she could smoothly deliver her lines.
At this moment, the beautiful woman from the original work, with the appearance of a delicate flower but a resolute heart, had long been occupied by the flames of revenge. The apparent look of distress and pity was, of course, just a facade.
With this in mind, Gu Qingtong’s eyes subtly lowered, concealing the cold light within them and revealing a flaw that could easily be noticed. It was the downward-drooping eyelashes and the slight furrow of her eyebrows that added a fragility to her overall demeanor, accentuating the involuntary hints of coquetry and charm without needing to use her eyes.
With a slight change in her expression and demeanor, Gu Qingtong’s entire presence became completely different from just a moment ago.
All of this was observed by Director Yuan, making her quite satisfied. Indeed, she had thoroughly understood the character. Other aspects could be corrected through repeated shooting, but the vitality associated with every subtle expression required personal insight and integration.
Due to her approval, she directed the light and shadows, accentuating the struggle in Gu Qingtong’s expression through the contrast of brightness and darkness. The atmosphere and emotions were captured in an instant, perfectly recorded as the first close-up shot.
After finishing this shot, Director Yuan didn’t disturb the emotional atmosphere and let the two continue their performance. Yan Chi, on the other side, effortlessly adjusted her demeanor to match her character.
Still leaning against the luxurious imperial couch, Xuan Qingyun had shed the dignified and fierce demeanor of the eldest princess. She appeared languid and indifferent, seemingly careless about everything, not paying any attention at all.
She delicately parted her red lips, allowing a servant to place a peeled grape into her mouth, capturing the translucent and crystal-clear flesh within. Throughout, she never once glanced toward He Haomei, who stood before the couch.
The Crown prince’s faction had received intelligence from Xuan Qingyun’s trusted confidant, stating that she had an old ailment, and on the fifteenth day of each month, she would be bedridden at the Princess Mansion. At this moment, Xuan Qingyun had little strength left, let alone the ability to use her past internal energy and skills.
He Haomei intentionally timed her visit based on this information. After months of observation, she had indeed noticed that Xuan Qingyun never left the mansion on the fifteenth day. When she requested to see her in front of the Princess Mansion, He Haomei was worried that she might not be allowed in. Unexpectedly, she was soon escorted to Xuan Qingyun’s presence.
Perhaps the identity of the widow of the Fifth Prince played a role, as Xuan Qingyun had always outwardly expressed deep sorrow for her brother’s death. How could she then turn away the widow of her late brother?
Thinking of this, Gu Qingtong secretly glanced at Xuan Qingyun, who seemed completely indifferent to her presence. A surge of hatred welled up in her eyes. Fearing that she might expose herself, Gu Qingtong gritted her teeth and suppressed all her emotions.
Finally, she let go of all dignity and knelt before the woman who didn’t care about her. The voice that came out sounded as if it carried countless suppressed grievances, with a soft and appealing Wu dialect:
“…..I beg Your Highness for mercy.”
This voice seemed to finally catch Yan Chi’s attention. She swallowed the grape without even chewing, keeping the other woman kneeling. After a moment, she chuckled lightly, “The princess2He Haomei is referred to as a princess because she married a prince is jesting. What could I possibly have mercy on you for?”
“Since the death of Prince Lan, the He family has fallen, and the common folk…..” Gu Qingtong’s voice paused, and her breath trembled. It was as if she felt ashamed to utter those words, and finally, she continued, “Mei’er has suffered countless hardships and humiliations. If this continues, even the last shred of her body and soul will be lost.”
“Mèi’er has reached a dead end, so she can only come to plead with the Eldest Princess,” Gu Qingtong said, lifting her unpowdered face. She bit her lip tightly, revealing a mix of restraint and unwillingness.
Although Yan Chi was smiling, the smile did not reach her eyes; it was cold and indifferent. Finally, she dismissed the serving maid, leaned against the chinrest, and sat up on the couch. The golden hairpin on her head swayed slightly.
After a moment, it seemed that only the two of them were left in the hall, engaged in their acting.
“So, does the princess mean for me to help you find another marriage?”
How could Xuan Qingyun not understand the other’s meaning? It was just a polite way of rejecting the request. This made He Haomei even begin to doubt whether the claim of her liking women was true.
“Mèi’er can do anything for Your Highness, and…..she only wishes to stay by Your Highness’s side.”
This line in the script was, of course, a lie fabricated by He Haomei to gain the trust of the Eldest Princess. However, for the sake of a complete performance, her cheeks naturally took on a blush of shyness and embarrassment.
When Gu Qingtong spoke this line, she didn’t need to feign any blush; it came naturally. Merely looking at Yan Chi in front of so many people was enough to make her face flush and her heart pound for a long time.
However, aware that her own emotions were different from the character’s, Gu Qingtong started projecting her out-of-character feelings into He Haomei after delivering this line. When Yan Chi heard those words, there was not much fluctuation in her expression. She just stared into Gu Qingtong’s eyes and asked: “Why would you want me?”
“Mèi’er, with her fading charm, wouldn’t be believed if she said she liked Your Highness. This servant simply wants to find someone who can protect Mèi’er. Now, who doesn’t know that Your Highness holds unparalleled power? You are the closest to the throne, and no one else can compare.”
Yan Chi seemed to have heard something extremely amusing, and she covered her lips with a smile. She raised her eyes and unabashedly scanned Gu Qingtong from head to toe before saying: “So, by what means does the princess think I would need you? Perhaps the princess believes that I have a penchant for encroaching on other women, especially the late imperial little brother’s widow?”
Xuan Qingyun was the elder sister of the Fifth Prince from a different mother, and it was unreasonable to think she would encroach on He Haomei, the widow of her deceased younger brother. This was something He Haomei had known for a long time.
However, she also understood the twisted nature of Xuan Qingyun. The more forbidden and unattainable something was, especially someone she shouldn’t have, the more excited it made her. With this in mind, the plot finally entered the seductive phase.
Without Yan Chi’s permission, Gu Qingtong still had to remain kneeling on the ground. However, in the next moment, she sat on her own legs, lifting those naturally seductive eyes to meet the gaze of the woman high above. It was as if all pretenses and barriers had finally dispersed. Her soft and delicate hands slowly rested on her own clothes.
She slowly removed the white mourning robe, revealing a light pink undergarment underneath. The skin on her arms was subtly visible. It was intentionally worn inside to create this moment of unveiling.
Her coiled womanly bun was secured with a single peach wood hairpin. Gu Qingtong pulled out that hairpin, and after a moment, the dark hair cascaded down like a waterfall, resting on her shoulders and neck. Despite the disarray, there was a sense of deliberate fragmentation, as if it was subjected to willful ravishing.
In perfect harmony with her seductive eyebrows and eyes, He Haomei brought items related to her deceased husband here to remind Xuan Qingyun of the taboo feeling. Only at this moment, during the provocative act, did she slowly remove those traces one by one.
Gu Qingtong knelt amidst a sea of luxurious fabrics, not needing to do anything else. With just her appearance and gaze, it seemed as if He Haomei from the script had come to life. The first scene was frozen on this shot.
In this simple dialogue, the most crucial elements were the exchange of gazes and emotions. Due to emotional nuances, Gu Qingtong was stopped and guided by the director several times, but she almost always managed to adjust her state for better performance in the retakes.
If the first act involved removing the outer robe, the second act’s intensity was about to increase. Hearing the cues from the stage crew, Gu Qingtong’s tension heightened.
Could she really say those voluntarily seductive words…..in front of so many people?
Yan Chi admired the enchanting color in Gu Qingtong’s eyes.
If Gu Qingtong herself was just a newly transformed little white fox, showing such a hazy and alluring gaze only when extremely greedy, now, in playing the role, all her seductive and enchanting charm was inadvertently magnified. Any glance from her carried an unabashed sense of entreaty.
It was so captivating that Yan Chi felt the urge to cover those eyes, not letting others look at them. Her little wife was indeed quite alluring.
The next scene quickly commenced.
Yan Chi’s eyes, which were deep just moments ago, now displayed a hint of redness. There was a deliberate suppression, typical of Xuan Qingyun’s emerging madness.
At this moment, even though Yan Chi knew all the details and conspiracies of the woman in front of her, both Yan Chi herself and the character she portrayed, Xuan Qingyun, were irresistibly drawn in, temporarily abandoning all reservations.
Finally, Yan Chi curved her index finger, gesturing towards Gu Qingtong. Having knelt for too long, her legs were already somewhat weak, and in the moment of standing up, a misstep sent her tumbling towards the direction of the princess’s3Referring to Yan Chi’s character Xuan Qingyun couch.
This wasn’t part of the scripted plot, almost shocking her. The next moment, she fell towards the fiery hem of Yan Chi’s dress.
“Is the princess’s usual method of seducing Prince Lan also this clumsy? What a pity for such a good-looking appearance,” Yan Chi said with a slightly malicious tone as she leaned in, approaching her. Holding onto Gu Qingtong’s chin, she lifted her face, which was now flushed with both surprise and embarrassment.
Her gaze scrutinized this “appearance” as if examining a plaything. This impromptu performance not only brought Gu Qingtong, who was initially alarmed by the fall, back into the scene but was also not halted by Director Yuan’s side.
Even though she was being mocked and played with in this manner, she knew the purpose of seduction and assassination she had to achieve. Gu Qingtong once again lifted her eyes, restoring the delicate and perfectly timed charm.
“Your Highness, how could he compare to you?”
Even though she said it obediently, the pain from Yan Chi’s pinching made Gu Qingtong unable to control the slight frown on her face. Her eyes also showed a hint of provocative heat.
Yan Chi’s expression revealed a trace of interest: “Tell me, in what aspects is he inferior to me?”
Gu Qingtong’s gaze narrowed. Wasn’t there a penchant for invading others’ privacy, especially the widowed wife of her own imperial brother? Just mentioning this brought out her interest.
“Passion, who leaves his wife alone in the bridal chamber on the wedding night and goes away? Letting Mei’er become a widow at the beginning of her marriage. In the end, little did I know, it became a self-fulfilling prophecy, and I truly became a young widow.”
As she spoke, Gu Qingtong extended the tip of her tongue just a bit, crossing the boundary, lightly licking the slender joints of Yan Chi’s fingers that were pinching her chin.
“So, Your Highness, can you give Mei’er a real wedding night?”
She uttered these words ambiguously, looking at Yan Chi with a gaze that seemed timid yet, summoning all her courage to seduce and please the woman in front of her in the pursuit of pleasure.
Yan Chi just chuckled, ruthlessly pulling back the fingers that were licked, delicately wiping them on Gu Qingtong’s sheer fabric.
“Princess, you haven’t done anything yet, why are you already asking me to give it to you?”
There was not a trace of tenderness in her eyes; she simply waited for the other to cast aside all dignity, willingly offering everything to her.
All the seductive and teasing scenes were detailed in the script. Even though she knew how to cater to Yan Chi, every action she needed to perform in this scene required courage. Gu Qingtong memorized them all, but the first step, sitting on Yan Chi’s body, proved to be quite challenging.
She is like the character of He Haomei in the script, delicately dancing on the edge of a knife with each step. She must also pretend to be genuinely pleased. Without fully getting into character, she has already convincingly portrayed it. After all, no matter how well she acts out the seduction, He Haomei has never tried to entice anyone, especially considering it’s a woman.
She can only bite her lip tightly and, first of all, climb onto Yan Chi’s body. Gu Qingtong rose from the ground, her knees covered by a thin veil pressing against the luxurious imperial couch. Under the pink sheer fabric, the color of her knees became apparent as she skillfully maneuvered her body upward.
The other knee crossed over her legs, and she finally settled down. Yan Chi’s profound gaze fell upon Gu Qingtong, exposing her poor attempt to hide. Due to Gu Qingtong kneeling and pressing on her inner garment, the sheer fabric was quite tight and on the verge of tearing, with the neckline positioned quite low, as if it could be pulled down in the next second. The intimacy between the two was almost scandalous, and even Yuan Jingyu’s filming had to continuously zoom in on them.
The people around them added to Gu Qingtong’s distraction, and her mind was filled with the subsequent actions from the script. She had to guide Yan Chi’s hand onto her neckline…..
Initiating in front of Yan Chi was something she dared to do only after gradually discovering her true feelings, let alone performing such actions in front of other people.
Gu Qingtong became increasingly uneasy, and her gaze frequently drifted to the director of photography beside her. Even Yan Chi in front of her couldn’t help her.
Even though Yuan Jingyu hadn’t spoken yet, Gu Qingtong knew.
This part was entirely initiated by He Haomei, and Xuan Qingyun had little interest in her. She was just holding onto the mentality of watching the show, destroying He Haomei’s pride and self-esteem, observing how far she could go.
If she couldn’t overcome even this second step…..the subsequent actions would be even more challenging to perform, making it more out of character.
“Cut, let’s reshoot this segment.”
Yuan Jingyu had noticed her emotions early on, and she announced the reshoot after a somewhat prolonged period. The surroundings became noisy again as they took a break from filming. Gu Qingtong sitting on Yan Chi looked even more awkward.
She was about to get up when she heard Yan Chi say: “Director Yuan, let me take over the camera for this segment. I will guide her through those most intimate parts. I prefer it to be just the two of us on set, like that day. You all can watch from the monitor.”
