CHAPTER 114
"We know each other—there's some history between us."
Xiaoyuan kept replaying Wei Zhuang's expression when she answered. Her tone carried an indescribable weight, as if veiled by a thin mist of ice. "But I'm sorry, I don't want to talk much about her."
'So they did know each other.'
Xiaoyuan had only asked on a whim, but the answer caught her off guard.
Wei Zhuang had something she couldn't bring herself to share.
With a quiet sigh, Xiaoyuan held the thought to herself.
But this time, she didn't remain silent towards herself—instead, she honestly admitted she didn't want to talk about it. Xiaoyuan pondered, Wei Zhuang had never concealed anything from her before, whether it was about Wei Jiabao's identity or the matter with Zhu Ehua. That she could reveal this much to her was already an exception...
Xiaoyuan's heart ached for her even more. She stood there for a while before snapping out of it. She still had filming later and couldn't afford to be distracted.
Tilting her head to look at the sky—blue with drifting clouds, the sunlight was bright. Today was likely going to be another scorcher. She returned to the studio's lounge, changed into her costume, and let the makeup artist do her makeup.
Suddenly, someone walked in.
Xiaoyuan let out a surprised "Huh?" before exclaiming, "Ah? Alex!"
Only after the words left her mouth did she realize she'd spoken too quickly.
Assistant Gao smiled slightly, waving her hand dismissively, then nodded politely to the makeup artist and assistants nearby. "Ah, teachers, thank you for your hard work. I'm just a fan here to visit the set."
The makeup artist, noting her poised demeanor, refined makeup, and the fact that she didn't quite resemble a celebrity or a typical fan—more like a corporate executive—couldn't help but give her a second glance.
Xiaoyuan quickly chimed in, "She's my friend."
"You... why are you here?" With others present, Xiaoyuan tried to suppress her astonishment, forcing her expression back to normal, though her eyes blinked rapidly.
"I came to visit the set." Assistant Gao replied, her eyes crinkling with a smile as she approached Xiaoyuan.
Xiaoyuan's makeup was nearly done, so the makeup artist tactfully excused herself and left.
"President Wei is indeed very busy. There's something in Beicheng she can't leave, so she sent me instead," Assistant Gao whispered to her. "Specifically to cheer you on."
Xiaoyuan could tell she was probably exaggerating, but the words still warmed her heart. She pursed her lips into a smile.
Then another thought struck her. "But won't others recognize you?"
"Oh, I already ran into Director Chen," Assistant Gao said with a smile. Chen Yunxiu had been polite yet surprised to see her. Of course, Assistant Gao couldn't reveal her true purpose for coming to the set, but her identity alone represented Tonghua—and by extension, Wei Zhuang.
"I told him I came for personal reasons. Very few people recognize me, and most just assume I'm a senior executive at Tonghua..."
"But you—"
"Xiaoyuan, are you ready?" He Chenying pushed the door open and peeked in to ask.
Xiaoyuan and Assistant Gao froze, turning to look at her. He Chenying was equally taken aback upon seeing Assistant Gao.
"Assistant Gao, what brings you here?"
Assistant Gao stood up, and Xiaoyuan suddenly felt tense.
He Chenying looked at Xiaoyuan with a hint of bewilderment, then back at Assistant Gao.
"Well... to be honest, it's a bit embarrassing," Assistant Gao chuckled, pointing at Xiaoyuan. "I'm her gardener."
Xiaoyuan blinked, equally surprised.
"President Wei gave me two days off, so I came to Xicheng for a trip. Since Hengdian is nearby, I thought I'd drop by to see my little idol." Assistant Gao's smile was sincere, tinged with a hint of bashfulness—making it very convincing.
He Chenying didn't seem to doubt it. If anything, she found it amusing, covering her mouth with a light chuckle. "Then I won't disturb you two!" Her gaze lingered on Xiaoyuan. "Xiaoyuan, do your best later."
"Ah, okay, thank you, Sister Chenying." Xiaoyuan responded obediently. After He Chenying left, she let out a sigh of relief and turned to Assistant Gao. "Thank goodness you reacted fast! And even came up with that gardener excuse!"
A faint smile curled at the corners of Assistant Gao's lips.
'Ah, but I really am a gardener!'
'But no, I can't reveal my identity! Hehehe!'
As Assistant Gao understood the situation, she silently praised her luck—what perfect timing, as today featured two of Xiaoyuan's most intense scenes.
The young prince had d!ed tragically young, right during the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet. Consort Zheng was nearly driven mad with grief, while Emperor Qingyuan and the Empress Dowager were furious, plunging the entire palace into a storm of bl0odshed.
The Crown Prince was identified as the prime suspect. Despite his vehement denials, all the palace servants attending him suffered the consequences, with his close attendant Liang Ji bearing the brunt.
Liang Ji was dragged to Renshou Palace for interrogation.
The Empress Dowager's most trusted eunuch, Eunuch Zheng, conducted the questioning personally, with the Empress Dowager seated above them.
The Empress Dowager asked nothing.
Eunuch Zheng directly carried out the t0rture.
The method used left no visible marks. The prisoner's limbs were tightly bound to a "t0rture bed," and the t0rturer placed a sheet of mulberry paper over the interrogated person's face, then sprayed a mouthful of water onto it.
The yellow mulberry paper, dampened by the mist, clung tightly to the face, blocking the mouth and nose, cutting off air, making it impossible to breathe.
Sheet after sheet was added until the prisoner suffocated to d3ath. When the interrogated person confessed or d!ed, the mulberry paper was peeled off, its surface imprinted with the contours of the face like a mask. This punishment, called 'Tie Jiaguan,' was named after the 'Tian Guan' (Promotion) mask because the resulting paper resembled the masks worn by actors playing the "Heavenly Official" in operas depicting promotions and honors.
Filming this scene was quite grueling.
Of course, Xu Muyi couldn't depict the full extent of the t0rture. He had asked Xiaoyuan beforehand if she needed a body double, but she insisted on doing it herself.
Director Xu, along with the actor playing the t0rturer and Xiaoyuan, discussed how to shoot a few close-ups instead, emphasizing that if Xiaoyuan couldn't handle it, she could signal by gesturing or kicking. Still uneasy, he specifically assigned several crew members to keep an eye on her condition.
In the drama, the Empress Dowager was conducting the interrogation, deliberately prolonging the "paper-pasting" process. Each layer was applied slowly, with questioning in between. If the prisoner wanted to answer, they could kick, otherwise, the t0rture continued. Even the toughest individuals couldn't endure it.
This was the scene Cai Juan dreaded the most. Just thinking about it made his scalp tingle, and he was already sweating nervously before filming even began.
"Huh? Wait a minute!" Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted an unexpected figure. "Gao...?"
Assistant Gao smiled at him and walked over.
"Y-you're here? Why?" Cai Juan stammered nervously.
"I'm here as a gardener to visit the set! No need to be nervous!" Assistant Gao said cheerfully.
"Ahem, n-not nervous... haha, haha." Cai Juan forced a dry laugh on the surface while screaming internally, 'Oh my god!'
"Haha, let's just watch the scene."
Director Xu was unusually tense and serious for this scene. After calling "Action," his eyes burned with intensity as he stared at the monitor.
After a moment's thought, he called out to Xiaoyuan, "Xiaoyuan, try to get into the feel of it first, but we'll keep rolling. Don't worry about wasted footage—we'll shoot everything and edit it later."
Xiaoyuan felt touched by his consideration and responded with a smile.
Director Xu then called out to Zhu Ehua, "Godmother!"
"I get it, I'll be more serious, Director Xu!" Zhu Ehua shot him a glance, though her tone remained exceptionally gentle.
Tiantian whispered to Cai Juan, "Director Xu is really considerate."
Cai Juan nodded and murmured, "Yuan'er needs to do her best!"
Even Assistant Gao couldn't help but be affected by the atmosphere and grew nervous.
Despite being mentally prepared, when the wet paper was pressed over her face, blocking her vision and sealing her nostrils, she struggled to breathe. Her chest instinctively convulsed, desperately seeking air.
The t0rturer, Eunuch Zheng—a seasoned actor playing the role of the Empress Dowager's attendant—smirked without warmth. "Allow me to grant you official promotion!"
The Empress Dowager didn't even spare him a glance. "You were seen near the Yuxi Palace, the young prince's residence—far from the Crown Prince's eastern palace. What were you doing there?"
Liang Ji thrashed violently.
Eunuch Zheng peeled the paper from his face.
Liang Ji's eyes were bl0odshot as he gasped for air. "I, I merely, happened to pass by."
The Empress Dowager gave a faint, mocking smile.
Eunuch Zheng immediately pressed the paper back down and added a second sheet. "After the young prince attended the Crown Prince's birthday celebration, he returned to Yuxi Palace. The Empress Dowager gifted him a bowl of 'red bean, lotus seed, and lily porridge.' A palace servant spotted you nearby on their way back."
The young prince had d!ed because the porridge contained traces of jujube powder—something he had been fatally allergic to since childhood. Everyone in Yuxi Palace knew this, such a mistake was impossible.
"Confess. Did you secretly add jujube powder to the prince's porridge?"
Eunuch Zheng lifted a third damp sheet. "Confess now and spare yourself the agony! Don't be stubborn! This is the third sheet..."
Other onlookers gritted their teeth.
Cai Juan's face twisted in distress.
Tiantian covered her eyes, unable to watch.
Assistant Gao held up his phone recording, her expression grim.
A flicker of unmistakable heartache passed through He Chenying's eyes.
"Cut, cut, cut!" Xu Muyi shouted from behind the monitor.
The actor playing Eunuch Zheng quickly peeled the paper off Xiaoyuan's face. Crew members waiting on standby rushed over, scrambling to untie the ropes binding her hands and feet. Cai Juan and Tiantian also ran up, fanning her and helping her catch her breath.
Zhu Ehua snapped, "Stop crowding her—let her breathe!"
Everyone quickly stepped back.
Though the suffocation had lasted only six or seven seconds—just enough for the close-up shot—it had been agonizing. The terror of near-d3ath made every second feel like an eternity.
Xiaoyuan felt dizzy, her limbs trembling uncontrollably.
Zhu Ehua walked up to her, squatting down to look at Xiaoyuan. Her forehead was drenched, her face ghostly pale—truly a pitiful sight.
Zhu Ehua gently brushed the damp hair from her forehead. "Can you still go on? If not, we can adjust the scene."
He Chenying watched from the side, unconsciously taking a step forward.
"I'm fine. I can do it," Xiaoyuan slowly recovered, speaking softly, "We just need one more shot."
"Ah? Are you sure? Maybe we should call it off?" Xu Muyi hesitated.
Zhu Ehua looked at her deeply, a smile of appreciation at the corner of her lips. "Alright then—let's finish this quickly."
The interrogation resumed. Even though the actor playing the interrogator had gone easy on her—not pressing the wet paper completely tight, using three sheets while the script called for five—Xiaoyuan was still trembling. The restraints had left red marks on her wrists and ankles from her struggles.
"Liang Ji, I've watched you grow up in the palace. I can't bear to see you suffer like this. Let me be straight with you—no one can withstand the fifth sheet. Why don't you just confess now?"
Liang Ji kicked her legs again.
"Will you talk?"
She nodded.
The papers were removed, the restraints loosened. Pale-faced and shaking, Liang Ji staggered to her knees, her voice barely audible as she gasped, "This slave..."
Xiaoyuan was actually dizzy, operating purely on instinct. Yet strangely, she felt a faint thrill of excitement, as if everything was unfolding exactly as she'd planned. "This slave... originally thought it too shameful to speak of, unworthy of Her Majesty's ears..."
The tracking shot zoomed in, capturing every nuance of Xiaoyuan's expression in close-up—her ink-black pupils gleaming, damp lashes fluttering with fear.
"This slave has a... a partner, a palace attendant. That day, I sneaked out to meet her, merely passing by..." Beads of water dripped from her hairline into her eyes, making her vision blur as if her very life force was dissipating. She whispered almost inaudibly, "This slave... merely passed by Yuxi Palace... and, and did not enter."
With that, she collapsed onto the floor.
A collective gasp rose from the crew outside the scene.
Xu Muyi hissed through his teeth, jumping to his feet, hesitating whether to call cut.
He Chenying took several urgent steps forward, her face etched with concern.
Zhu Ehua lowered her gaze, the sharpness in her eyes softening as she picked up the scene. "Oh? What's her name?"
"Su... Suhe."
Xiaoyuan's unfocused eyes drifted aimlessly, her lips still moving faintly.
"OK, cut!"
"Hurry, hurry!"
"Xiaoyuan, Xiaoyuan..."
"Are you alright?"
In her dazed state, Xiaoyuan found herself enveloped in a soft embrace carrying a faint, pleasant fragrance. For a moment, she couldn't distinguish who was who and murmured a name, "Frances..."
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