MLMD -Chapter 408 Visiting the Set

There is a saying in later generations: What is the most precious thing in the twentieth century? Talent.

In fact, no matter the era, talent has always been society’s most valuable asset, and the Great Ming was no exception. Yue Yang had come to this time and space for so many years, yet he had never seen the kind of scene where the protagonist merely shook his mighty body, radiated kingly aura, and heroes from all directions immediately knelt down to pledge their loyalty.

Most of the generals and trusted aides under Yue Yang were cultivated step by step from ordinary officers. People like Hu Laosan, Shun Bao, and Wu Chengfeng either started out as heads of household guards or as bookboys. Among them, Wu Chengfeng was the best off—at least he came from a hereditary military household. Overall, none of them could be said to possess especially outstanding innate talent. The reason they had been able to keep winning battles along the way came down to one thing only: excellent equipment, good training, generous rewards, and strict military discipline. Only these could ensure that an army’s combat effectiveness would endure.

“So what hobbies does that Guo Jingxian have? Does he like money, or does he want an official position?” Yue Yang’s question went straight to the point.

Seeing Yue Yang speak so bluntly, Wei Yingjiang smiled bitterly and said, “Reporting to the Marquis, Guo Jingxian doesn’t care much about money. All he wants is to avenge his former master, Liu Xiang. As long as he can get his revenge, you can ask him to do anything.”

Yue Yang was slightly surprised. “Oh… there’s such a thing?”

“Of course! Otherwise, with his superb skills, he could make a living anywhere. He wouldn’t have ended up in a situation where no one dares to hire him.”

“Hmm, if that’s the case, then fine.” Yue Yang thought for a moment and made his decision. Turning to Wu Qing beside him, he said, “Sanshi, trouble you to make a trip to Laizhou Prefecture immediately and see if you can invite this Guo Jingxian over. I have some business to attend to elsewhere. We’ll meet again at Weihaiwei in half a month.”

Wu Qing nodded. “Yes… I’ll set off at once.”

After settling a few matters, Yue Yang ordered people to buy an estate on the outskirts of Dengzhou Prefecture as his temporary residence there. He instructed Chen Dazhi and the guards to keep it well protected. After giving further instructions, he took advantage of the moonlight at night and arrived in the modern era.

At the home of Professor Shen Yonggang from the Shipbuilding Department of Mingzhu University of Technology, Yue Yang froze for a long time when he saw the dazzling array of ship models that took up most of the living room. More than ten minutes later, he finally came back to his senses and said to Shen Yonggang, “Professor Shen, these are the results of your work over the past month?”

“Of course!” Shen Yonggang said proudly. “This is the result of more than a month of hard work by me and over thirty students. All of them were made to a 1:350 scale. Whether it’s the masts, the sails, or the watertight compartments, they’re exactly the same as the real ships—there’s absolutely no difference.”

Yue Yang walked over to a warship model about the size of a water dispenser, gently stroking its finely crafted hull and sails, a look of delight appearing on his face.

“This is an eighteenth-century British fifth-rate warship, also known as a frigate,” Shen Yonggang explained eagerly when he saw Yue Yang’s interest. “They were 130 to 150 feet long, with a crew of 250. They were mainly used to raid merchant ships at sea. Their main features were speed and maneuverability, making them ideal for attacking the enemy’s flanks during combat.”

Yue Yang asked curiously, “Professor Shen, are all of these British warship models? Are there none from other countries?”

“Yes,” Shen Yonggang nodded. “By the eighteenth century, Britain had already defeated Spain, the Netherlands, and France to become the undisputed world’s leading naval power and colonial hegemon. Although this had much to do with their political and economic environment, there’s no denying that these high-performance warships played a very important role. They were also the first country to classify warships. Excellent ships, outstanding sailors, and an innate spirit of adventure together forged the empire on which the sun never set, dominating the world’s seas for nearly two centuries.”

“Yes…” Yue Yang fell silent for a moment before saying slowly, “They were already roaming the oceans, while we were still dreaming of being the Celestial Empire—until they later used their warships to batter open our gates.”

Yue Yang grew quiet, and the atmosphere became heavy. Shen Yonggang felt that once Mr. Yue fell silent, he exuded a calm yet oppressive presence that affected even himself, making him feel stifled. Uncomfortable, he hurried to break the mood. Walking to the center of the living room, he pulled back a canvas and raised his voice:

“Mr. Yue, when it comes to the most powerful warship of the eighteenth century, it has to be this—the outstanding Victory-class ship of the line. The ship is 92 meters long, with a full-load displacement of 3,556 tons, armed with 104 cannons and carrying a crew of 850. It was truly the king of the seas, and later served as the flagship of the famed British admiral Nelson.”

As he spoke, Shen Yonggang could not hide the affection in his eyes as he looked at the model.

Watching Shen Yonggang caress the warship model as if it were his own beloved child, Yue Yang asked noncommittally, “What else?”

“There are also these slightly smaller warships and auxiliary vessels,” Shen Yonggang continued enthusiastically. “Second- and third-rate ships of the line, as well as cruisers, single-masted fore-and-aft sailboats, and so on.” He spoke fluently and at length, prompting frequent nods from Yue Yang.

After a while, Yue Yang asked, “Professor Shen, have you prepared the detailed construction blueprints and materials for these warships?”

“All prepared!” Shen Yonggang pointed to more than ten cardboard boxes in the corner. “These are extremely detailed construction blueprints. Anyone who wants to build these warships can do so just by following the instructions and procedures. I had to pull quite a few strings to copy these from the archives of the Royal Museum in Britain—it took a lot of effort.”

“Alright, I get what you mean.” Yue Yang waved his hand helplessly. The man had gone on so long simply to air his grievances.

He took out his checkbook, swiftly wrote a check, and handed it to Shen Yonggang. “Professor Shen… here’s 1.5 million. The extra 500,000 is for your hard work. But you know I came alone, so I’ll have to trouble you to find people to deliver everything to the warehouse of Guangyuan Trading Company. Is that okay?”

“Of course, no problem at all! I’ll have everything—models and materials—delivered this afternoon. I guarantee nothing will be missing.” Seeing the amount on the check, Shen Yonggang was overjoyed. What a generous tycoon—an extra half a million just like that. Delivering goods would cost at most ten thousand; the rest was pure bonus. Who would have a grudge against money these days?

Leaving Professor Shen’s home in high spirits, Yue Yang drove to Mingzhu Film and Television City in Chedun, Songjiang District, Mingzhu. The park mainly featured Republican-era and European-style buildings, and most domestic films and TV dramas set in the Republican period were shot there.

Strolling along streets filled with Republican and European architecture, with actors in period costumes passing by from time to time, Yue Yang felt as if he were standing on the banks of the Huangpu River in the 1930s, a sense of temporal dislocation welling up in his heart.

Yue Yang had come to visit the set. After arriving in the modern era the night before, he had not gone straight to the Yulong Bay villa, but instead slept in a house in the suburbs. He knew that during this period, Xiao Lu and Xiao Dan had taken on a TV drama together and were eating and living on set every day, with no time to return to the villa.

Carrying a food container, Yue Yang slowly walked onto a street marked “Baiyun Road.” After more than ten minutes, he saw a group of people bustling about near a large gate. Soon, he spotted Xiao Lu and Xiao Dan—one dressed in a student outfit, the other in a cheongsam—standing beside a bearded man, listening to him speak and occasionally nodding or asking questions.

Today, Xiao Lu wore a deep red cheongsam. Her glossy black hair was styled in a traditional bun, her delicate lips painted red. She carried a small leather handbag on her arm and wore elegant high heels—perfectly embodying the grace of a 1930s Mingzhu beauty. Xiao Dan, by contrast, wore a simple student outfit: a black long skirt and flat shoes. Paired with her fair skin and innocent smile, she looked like a youthful, lively, and adorable schoolgirl. Standing together, the two shone brilliantly, captivating countless onlookers.

After a while, the bearded man who looked like the director raised his hand and shouted, “Alright, The Mingzhu Family, Scene 358, get ready! Lighting, sound, crew, all in position. Male and female leads, take your places—”

“Ding-ling-ling…”

With the ringing of the school bell, a group of students rushed out of the campus. Xiao Dan, dressed as a student, ran out with a group of female classmates, followed by several male students. Soon they were caught up by the boys. At the school gate, Xiao Lu, dressed in a cheongsam, stood smiling as she watched them.

“Big sister—”

With a cry full of surprise, a tall male student from the group ran up to Xiao Lu, stopped in front of her, grabbed her hand excitedly, and was about to speak.

“CUT!”

The bearded director’s voice suddenly rang out. Raising his megaphone, he shouted, “Stop! Zhang Qing, what are you doing? The person standing in front of you is your biological elder sister, and she’s here to see you at school. This is a campus, not a nightclub. And this beauty in front of you is not a nightclub girl. I’m begging you—stop looking at her with such smoldering eyes, alright?”

“Boom—”

“Hahaha—”

As soon as the director finished, everyone burst out laughing—extras, actresses, even Xiao Dan nearly laughed herself breathless. Xiao Lu’s dignified, delicate face also flushed slightly. Only the male actor involved seemed unfazed, waving his hand casually. “Sorry, Director. I got carried away and caused trouble for everyone. Let’s do it again, okay?”

Seeing this, Yue Yang slowly frowned, but he said nothing, standing quietly in a corner to watch. Soon, everyone reset and started again…

The man jogged over to Xiao Lu, reaching out to grab her hand as he called out, “Big sister, why are you here?”

Seeing his reckless movement, Xiao Lu’s brows knitted subtly, though she had to maintain a friendly expression. She was about to speak—

“CUT!”

The director’s loud voice rang out again. “Zhang Qing, what on earth are you doing? I told you, that’s your elder sister, not your wife! Why are you grabbing her hand?”

This time, everyone shook their heads helplessly. This wasn’t a mistake—it was clearly taking advantage! Even Xiao Lu, the one involved, showed a hint of displeasure. This guy really had no sense of propriety.

The director strode over angrily and shouted at the man, “Zhang Qing, what exactly do you want? Can you be serious? Everyone’s waiting to finish filming this morning and wrap up!”

“Alright, alright… Director Zhang, this one’s on me. I got too immersed in the role and didn’t snap out of it in time. How about this—after we wrap tonight, I’ll treat everyone to dinner at Lihua Garden. Everyone has to come. Consider it my apology. What do you say?”

It had to be said, Zhang Qing knew how to handle people. With one sentence, he dispelled everyone’s dissatisfaction. Hearing there would be good food, everyone cheered, their spirits immediately lifted.

Seeing the high morale, the director could only shake his head helplessly and announced a thirty-minute break before resuming filming.

As soon as break was called, everyone scattered. Only Xiao Lu walked over to Xiao Dan, and the two exchanged helpless glances. They both knew Zhang Qing’s intentions were anything but innocent.

After the break was announced, Zhang Qing mustered his courage and approached Xiao Lu and Xiao Dan with a grin. “Miss Gan, what happened just now was my fault. After we wrap tonight, you and Xiao Dan must come to Lihua Garden for dinner.”

Xiao Lu smiled faintly. “Zhang Qing, dinner won’t be necessary. I heard there’s not much to shoot tonight. After wrap, Xiao Dan and I won’t be staying with the crew—we’re planning to head back to the city.”

“Hey… don’t do that. Everyone finally gets together for a meal and you… you can’t just leave like that, can you?” Zhang Qing panicked and hurried closer.

Zhang Qing was a fairly well-known second-tier domestic star in recent years. He was good-looking, an idol-type, with a group of fans. After gaining fame and money, he also picked up some bad habits. His main flaw was his fondness for women, and he was a regular at Mingzhu’s nightclubs. Last year, he had briefly worked with Xiao Lu on a TV drama and became infatuated with her tall, beautiful appearance, trying every means to pursue her. Having been in the entertainment industry herself, Xiao Lu naturally knew how chaotic it was and felt no fondness for him. Besides, she was already with Yue Yang at the time. Even if she wasn’t officially his girlfriend yet, driving BMWs, living in luxury villas, and carrying designer bags meant she had no interest in a man with such a poor reputation.

She thought he would back off, but unexpectedly, he used connections to join this production as well. These days, he had been harassing her daily, leaving her extremely annoyed.

“No. Xiao Dan and I really have something to do tonight and need to return to Mingzhu City, so we won’t be joining the dinner. Hopefully there’ll be another chance,” Xiao Lu said firmly, which made Yue Yang feel quite pleased.

Ordinarily, after being rejected so decisively by a woman, a gentleman would know when to back off. But Zhang Qing was like sticky gum. Since his rise to fame had been smooth sailing, he rarely encountered setbacks, gradually developing an arrogant personality. In his view, few women in this world could resist his charm. Xiao Lu’s attitude, to him, was merely playing hard to get.

His expression changed slightly before he smiled again. “Miss Gan, that’s not very good, is it? Skipping the dinner could be seen as distancing yourself from the group. It might hurt everyone’s feelings.”

“Oh… not attending your dinner is distancing oneself from the group? Since when can you represent the group? Xiao Lu… could it be that your crew has also smuggled in some kind of ‘representative’?” A laughing voice sounded from the side.

“Hmm…” Zhang Qing’s face changed instantly. The heavy sarcasm in that voice was unmistakable.

He turned his head, ready to curse, but what he saw shocked him. In his mind, the always dignified and composed Xiao Lu was being held by a man around her shoulders—and not only did she not resist, she even gently rested her head on his shoulder. That wasn’t all. The other lively beauty, Xiao Dan, did something that stunned everyone: she leapt forward, wrapped her arms around his neck, and hung onto him entirely.

“This… what on earth is going on?” Not only was Zhang Qing dumbfounded, but everyone on set was stunned. What was happening today? The two most beautiful women on the crew were both in one man’s arms. Had it become fashionable for beauties to throw themselves at men?

After a long while, Zhang Qing’s voice, sharp with anger, finally rang out. “You… who are you? How did you sneak onto the set?”

Ignoring the nuisance, Yue Yang pried Xiao Dan’s hands away and said helplessly, “You… how many times have I told you? Why are you still acting like a child? Aren’t you afraid people will laugh at you?”

Xiao Dan scrunched up her cute little nose. “Hmph… it’s been almost two months. Who told you not to come see me and Sister Xiao Lu?”

“Alright, stop fooling around!” Looking at Xiao Dan’s beautiful smile, Yue Yang felt deeply moved, because the joy welling up from his heart was unmistakably real…