Chapter 193: Fighting with Monks!
In the outskirts.
The setting sun was nearing the Western horizon.
The film crew traveled long distance by car before they finally stopped at the foot of a mountain. About thirty people disembarked from a coach bus and three trucks that were filled with props.
There was no official written name for this mountain. The locals only called it Little Qingshan as there was a Qingshan monastery on the top of the mountain. Beijing’s landscape was definitely incomparable to locations that had beautiful natural landscapes in the South. However, Little Qingshan was an exception. The scenery was pleasant and the monastery was very popular. Many people would come here annually to burn incense and worship. Of course, there were even more filming crews like them who came to film.
This was no ordinary place.
Little Qingshan was very famous. Qingshan Monastery was also very famous.
If one wanted to ask which was the highest mountain here? Everyone would definitely point in one direction. Well, the Xiangshan mountain was a few kilometers away.
If one asked which was the most popular monastery around here? The locals would definitely point in one direction. Well, the Xiangshan Zhao Monastery was a few kilometers away.
If you asked what had the Little Qingshan had to do with Xiangshan?
Or ask what Qingshan Monastery had to do with the Zhao Monastery?
Well, actually these places have no relation at all. Let’s change topics!
The main lead did not come. He had no scenes to film today so he had gone back to rest. Director Jiang walked in front and spoke to a few important supporting actors about the scene. The Assistant Director was in charge of the prop placement. Stage management was the busiest in the filming crew. Not only did they need to busily prepare items, they had to pick up people, collect food boxes and take on the role of drivers. For such a change of filming locations that was not that far away, they still had to transport the items. Heaps of equipment were unloaded by a few stage management crew and employees. Then they transported it up the mountain. Ignoring the swords, sabers, and poles, even the few cameras were not easily transported.
The stairs went up high. It looked like a hundred meters and it extended upwards in a winding fashion.
“Little Zhang, hurry, give your old bro a hand!” After about a dozen steps, Yao Jiancai was already panting. His large belly was trembling and it looked like he was having a hard time.
Zhang Ye supported him, “Your physical fitness is lacking.”
Yao Jiancai bragged, “Back in the day, your old bro was a representative for the school’s physical education classes. I’m not in a good state today. It has been a day of filming, if not, just climbing a few hundred meters would be like child’s play.” After a few pants, he said, “Don’t you say me. Just from the few martial arts move you did, you aren’t any better than me!”
Zhang Ye smiled without saying a word. Neither did he explain.
Halfway up the mountain, Director Jiang waved his hand and shouted. “Stop. Let’s set up the cameras here. Props too!”
Everyone began to busy themselves. There was a scene along the mountainside. Clearly, they were prepared to film here. This scene was precisely where Zhang Ye’s role of “Young hero Chen” would appear.
The Assistant Director asked worriedly, “Teacher Zhang, will you manage?”
How could Zhang Ye say no as he firmly said, “I’ve no problems. We can beginning filming anytime.” He had not taken off his costume. He got a sword from the props and was prepared to act.
The martial arts director was standing by the side, “What do you mean you have no problems. Just that move of yours isn’t up to standard. Hai, you should practice before the cameras begin rolling. When the cameras begin rolling, wasting a scene is wasting money. If the Director is unhappy, he will definitely swap you out.” He was cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Although he kept saying how Zhang Ye was lacking, he was still sparing no effort to help Zhang Ye do it well.
Zhang Ye began practicing.
“Teacher Zhang, all the best.”
“Right, practice more is all you need. It’s not difficult.”
A few people from Beijing, who knew Zhang Ye, cheered him on.
In their hearts, Zhang Ye was a very mighty figure. In the literary field, he was an invincible person with no rivals in Beijing. Unfortunately, he was banned by the television stations, so he was unable to showcase his prowess. In the end, he had to film a movie, and it was a martial arts one. In their opinion, this was clearly something Zhang Ye was lacking in. Although they could see that Zhang Ye was slowly progressing, his actions were still not beautiful. A few knew that this was hard on Teacher Zhang. He was a literary scholar who did literature. It was a bit too much for him to brandish swords and swing staffs.
However, there were people in the filming crew who looked down on Zhang Ye.
“Don’t bite off more than you chew.”
“We will definitely be wasting some film later. Sigh.”
“Isn’t this causing a problem? We are all waiting to knock off after work. If he delays it, who knows what time the filming will end today.”
“Forget it. Refrain from saying so much. It’s not easy.”
A short while later, a few machinery were ready after a few adjustments.
Director Jiang sat beside Machine #1, “Alright, let’s begin!”
The villain character that was acting with Zhang Ye came over. He was carrying a sword and stood at his designated position.
Zhang Ye took a deep breath and walked over too. He stood at the spot the martial arts director indicated to him. Everything was ready.
With a command from Director Jiang, the cameras began rolling!
“Young hero Chen?” The villain looked to be on guard.
Zhang Ye smiled and said his lines, “My surname is Chen, but I don’t deserve the title young hero.”
After a few words were exchanged, the two began fighting. Zhang Ye’s role was that of a helper of the main lead. The fighting scene was directly recorded. There should have been some scenes of young hero Chen before this, but it was likely to be filmed in the future. Films were seldom recorded according to the plot’s order.
There was close combat!
Saber beams and sword shadows!
This scene originally would have Zhang Ye take his enemy’s life within ten moves.
At the second move, Zhang Ye followed the established movement and blocked with his sword. Then he kicked out according to the choreography created by the martial arts director. However, this kick of his was too accurate. There was no other way about it as Zhang Ye knew kung fu. The skills he obtained from the books were too entrenched, so it was not that easy to deviate from it. His kick had aimed for the villain’s vital spot. This was a reflexive movement of Zhang Ye, and he knew things would be bad if he really made the kick. Hence, he quickly diverted it, and reduced his strength. But with the villain slashing the sword over, he “slashed” onto Zhang Ye’s shoulder!
“Cut!” Director Jiang said angrily.
The Assistant Director also said, “Why didn’t you follow the choreography?”
The villain smacked his lips, “Teacher Zhang, your kick should have been lower, then will you be at an advantage with a lowered stance. How can you be slashed by me?”
Zhang Ye was thinking that if he had not lessened his strength, you would have been sent flying by this bro’s kick. How would you even slash me? That was nonsense! However, he did not say a word. As this was not a real fight and just filming a movie, it was indeed true that Zhang Ye was in the wrong.
Following that, the cameras began rolling again.
Once…
Twice…
Thrice…
Zhang Ye followed the choreography this time. However, he kept feeling that the actions were too weird, nor could there be any strength in them. His limbs were all soft. He was unsatisfied with it. Naturally, Director Jiang would not agree to these takes!
“What are you doing!” Director Jiang’s temper was quite bad. In an annoyed manner, he said, “Do you even know how to fight? You can’t even do this tiny bit of actions? Is this very difficult?”
F**k!
And you are actually yelling at me?
Two knife-wielding burglars who were fighting me with their lives had been taken down by me! I can’t fight?
Zhang Ye stared at him. Those who knew him knew that this fellow’s temper was much worse than Director Jiang’s. He refused to submit to anyone!
The Assistant Director smoothed things over, “Teacher Zhang is an intellectual. He will definitely be slightly lacking in fighting scenes.”
Having recalled that this person was recommended by Zhang Yuanqi, Director Jiang sighed, “Let’s do another take.”
However, many of the crew had their objections. Zhang Ye was too useless in their eyes. There were still several scenes later on. They still needed to go up the mountain. How long would this filming take?
At this moment, five people came down the mountain!
“Who are you?”
“Who allowed you to gather here?”
“The monastery is a serene place! Please leave immediately!”
It was a few bald monks. They were dressed in robes and held poles in their hand. They did not look welcoming.
They had already set up the lighting and it was easy to tell at a glance. The Assistant Director was stunned, “Little masters, we had informed your abbot a month ago that we would be filming this month. Our sponsorship fees and related contracts have been drawn up. You just need to ask your abbot.”
Everyone no longer had time to show disdain at Zhang Ye’s uselessness. Instead, they looked at the few monks.
A monk looked cold as he clenched his pole tightly, “Half a month ago, our abbot was changed! Now, unauthorized people are prohibited from entry!”
Zhang Ye felt speechless hearing this.
The abbot had changed? When did monasteries engage in competition for higher positions?
The Assistant Director said with a frown, “But we have already decided on it. This scene is very important. We can’t not have this scene. We will just film for a day and will be gone tomorrow.”
The young monk said fiercely, “Not even an hour! Leave immediately!”
A few young monks surrounded them and blocked the path uphill.
Yao Jiancai said, “Where is your abbot? Please call him here. We will discuss it with him.”
“The abbot is meditating! It’s inconvenient for him to receive others!” The young monk seemed impenetrable. His expression was also arrogant. He looked down on them, “I’m giving you ten seconds! Leave immediately!”
Ten seconds?
It wasn’t even enough to move their equipment!
Director Jiang was also annoyed, “Bring us to your abbot!”
The young monk stared at him, “Didn’t you hear what I said? The abbot is meditating! There is still six seconds remaining! Are you leaving? We can help you leave!”
Monks were so fierce?
What sort of monks were these!?
The filming crew was extremely annoyed!
“How can you be so fierce!? So what if we don’t leave!?”
“What would you do? Will you use your poles to beat us?”
“Having gone to so many monasteries, I have never seen such unreasonable monks! Come! Try and hit me! I want to see how you are helping us leave!”
Ten seconds were up!
The young monk did not say an additional word and slammed down with his pole. With a crashing sound, a bulb was shattered. Even the lighting frame crashed down and rolled down the mountain. It nearly even swept Zhang Ye off his feet, who had not provoked anyone!
Zhang Ye’s gaze turned cold.
The other filming crew members were also outraged, “What are you doing!”
Another older monk in his twenties also brandished his pole and was about to smash the camera!
At this moment, the martial arts director stood forward. With a sword from the props, he charged. Ding! He had clashed with the pole, but before he could make his next move, the young monk had flicked his pole and hit the martial arts director’s stomach, sending him flying!
“Ah!” The martial arts director rolled down the stairs!
An actor and two stage management crew happened to be just below. They hurriedly caught him, stabilizing him. If he carried on rolling down, even if he did not die, he would be left half-dead. There were still tens of meters of stairs!