Once the crew began filming, it was surprisingly smooth. Gong Yue's presence provided a youthful appeal to "The Rightful Emperor", but the majority of the cast were old actors. These people paid more attention to the quality of the actors themselves, rather than anything else.
Han Junqing's acting was unquestionable, and he worked hard for the show. Even the most picky actors could not pinpoint any flaws when they acted with him. After a few scenes, the actors who had acted alongside him all praised him, which was amazing. Han Junqing was not arrogant, he was modest and did not show any impatience of a young person. This attitude made people appreciate him even more and felt that this young man was steady and had great potential.
Despite his mother's past, the things about her were largely disregarded in the circle. Any gossip that may have circulated about her doing absurd things was considered nothing more than hearsay. The modern world has accepted that even adult video actresses can make money in a legitimate way, showing that the public is not as strict about sexual matters as they once were. It was just someone who took the opportunity to create a situation and guide the public opinion in an unfavorable direction to Han Junqing. Language is an art form. What was once a trivial matter was artificially processed and modified until it became disgusting.
Obviously, the person behind this event was well-aware of how to make fans resentful. At that time, Han Junqing's position was not yet firm, and the agency was not supportive, thus making him easy to target.
Peeling away the superficialities, wasn't this about Han Junqing's mother being a young lady before? Based on this, rumors about his unknown father, his chaotic private life, and his ascendance through unspoken rules, etc, were all based on mere speculation with no concrete evidence. At first there were words like “allegedly” and “possibly”, but as the rumors spread, these speculations became the so-called truth, and no one cared about the facts of the matter.
It was obvious to anyone that Han Junqing was being maliciously targeted, as this was a norm in this circle. When you are popular, people dislike you. Those who aren't popular are afraid that you will block their way, and those more popular than you are worried that you will steal their resources. So, they try to trip you up.
However, the means against Han Junqing were not particularly clever. The main reason for his downfall was that his agency was not strong enough; there was no public relations action at all, it was almost as if they had given up on him. If his team had the capability, it would not have had much of an impact at all. In this circle, if one wanted to go far, it mainly depended on personal abilities. Han Junqing was physically attractive, hardworking, steady and perceptive, such a person should not fail. Even if his luck has run out for now, it will only be a temporary setback, eventually he will surely rise to the top.
It was precisely because these people understood this that they had no pressure to associate with Han Junqing.
However, not everyone understood this. There were always a few petty people spouting malicious words without naming anyone. So, Han Junqing had to pretend he hadn’t heard it. In short, the atmosphere on the set was generally harmonious until the female lead joined the crew.
The actress playing the female lead was Gu Ruoying. She started out as a child star and, though she was not very old, she was already among the top actors. Because the female lead had few scenes and she was filming for another production at the same time, it was a month after the official filming started that she finally arrived.
Gu Ruoying was extremely beautiful, and stood out even in the crowded entertainment industry. Not only was she beautiful, she was also highly skilled in a variety of hobbies, such as playing piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. She also had a good temper and managed to stay clear of any scandals for all these years in the industry, and had many friends all over the entertainment circle.
According to rumors, Gu Ruoying had an impressive family background, which could explain her success in the entertainment industry.
[Are you envious? She has someone to support her and it's easy to make it in the entertainment industry. You see those media reporters, they mention her and it's all praise - not a single criticism. Unlike you, you don't have any background or connections, and anyone can step on you.]
After Gu Ruoying came over, Wen Qing asked Han Junqing this question.
Han Junqing kept his eyes closed and let the makeup artist touch him up. Then he said to Wen Qing with thoughts in his heart, "Envy is natural, but envy does not lead to jealousy. She has her own destiny, and I have my own opportunities. Everyone has their own karma, and there is nothing to compare."
[You're pretty open-minded.] Wen Qing said this, but in her heart, she thought that the other person had a lot of good opportunities presented to her, while Han Junqing had to work hard for him.
[Then do you feel it's unfair?] Wen Qing asked after a moment of thought.
[One's family background can decide many things. Some people enjoy the best of everything from birth because of their privileged background. They don't have to fight for anything, as all of their needs are provided for them. Famous directors, scripts, resources, etc. On the other hand, some people have to struggle for even a single audition, suffering, feeling lost, and fighting tooth and nail for a chance to make it big. No matter how hard you work, it won't compare to one word from somebody else with a privileged background. Do you feel that the world is unfair to you at this moment?]
Han Junqing thought for a moment before answering, "The world isn't absolutely fair to begin with. Family background only decides where you start, not where you finish. How do you know the ancestors of those born into privilege didn't suffer, feel lost, and struggle? How do you know that my efforts right now won't be the foundation of my descendants' privileged words? I believe fairness can be obtained through effort."
"However..." Han Junqing changed the subject and asked Wen Qing curiously, “Why are you so fixated on this issue today? What do you want to say?”
Wen Qing rolled her eyes. “What I want to say is that you and Gu Ruoying are just acting in a show. Don’t take it too seriously, otherwise I wish you two become brother and sister in the end!”