The Entire Entertainment Industry Knows the Best Actor Has a Crush on Me - Chapter 26

Qiao Zhiyu thought that given Bei Qianqing’s personality, she would surely make a move, but the following period was surprisingly quiet. Perhaps she was truly intimidated by him? Every time they finished filming, she would vanish instantly.

In this eerie yet harmonious atmosphere, the plot officially entered its final stages.

Chu Mingxin’s request to manage the flood was ultimately rejected by the Emperor, who sent the Crown Prince instead. Chu Mingxin threw a massive tantrum over this. He intended to find another way, but accidentally stumbled upon a maid from his own palace secretly talking to the Noble Consort’s personal servant.

The maid was seized and interrogated. The result? “This servant merely heard that the Crown Prince had not yet been enlightened at nineteen, so I thought of finding someone to pull some strings…”

“You want to be the master?”

“I wouldn’t dare! This servant just… just…”

Chu Mingxin stood up and walked slowly toward the kneeling maid. “Not enlightened at nineteen… who would believe such ghost stories?”

“Chuhui… I haven’t treated you poorly, have I? Your food, clothes, and living standards weren’t they several levels higher than others? Have you seen a maid or servant in any other palace dressed better than you?”

Chuhui trembled with fear but dared not move. Chu Mingxin brushed his fingers through her hair, touching the floral hairpin she had recently received from him. A burst of rage exploded instantly. Warm liquid splashed into his eyes.

The girl on the ground didn’t even have time to scream; after a few twitches, she was gone. The hairpin fell to the ground, a small pool of blood spreading around it.

This was the first time Chu Mingxin had killed someone, and it was one of the few people he was close to. He couldn’t accept it he had treated her so well…

Is it because I have no power?

By the time Ji Yuli learned of this, it was already night. Chu Mingxin sat by the bed, covered in blood. Regarding the incident, he only said she had offended him and deserved punishment.

“Is Lord Nine Thousand Years going to blame me for this?”

Without noticing, his self-address had changed from “I” to “Ben Gong” (the formal royal ‘We’).

“No.” Ji Yuli touched his bloodshot eyes. “I just feel that the Princess has grown up a lot.”

From that moment on, Chu Mingxin became ruthless in his actions. He had a “life is cheap, just do it” attitude. Not only did he poison the Emperor to make him ill, but he also leaked the misdeeds of the Noble Consort and her Prime Minister brother. The Emperor was furious, becoming bedridden. State affairs temporarily fell to Ji Yuli.

Ruan Yuan seized the opportunity and was promoted, his status second only to the Prime Minister. Other princes and factions trying to profit were crushed by the trio. Furthermore, the Crown Prince accidentally contracted a plague during the flood management.

Everything was tilting in Chu Mingxin’s favor. The Emperor was dying, the Crown Prince was in a coma, the Noble Consort had lost favor, and the Prime Minister had lost his power. Other factions were no longer a threat. Looking around, Chu Mingxin was the only viable heir left.

However, the ministers used the excuse that he was a woman to try and choose a new Emperor from the remaining “useless” princes. At this critical juncture, Chu Mingxin was framed for poisoning the Emperor.

Qiao Zhiyu traced the script before him. The next scene was Pei Yuan’s wrap-up (last) scene. Time had flown by; three months had passed in a flash, and the production was nearing its end. By then, everyone would return to their busy lives, wouldn’t they? Things would go back to how they were in his memories.

The next time they met would likely be during promotions Qiao Zhiyu calculated it would be in about two months. He’s so busy… will he attend?

A hand touched his face. He turned to find Pei Yuan standing behind him.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing…” Qiao Zhiyu said. “Just thinking about how fast time goes. We’ll be parting after the wrap-up…”

“Can’t bear to leave everyone?”

After a moment of silence, Qiao Zhiyu nodded. Pei Yuan gently took his hand and pulled him up from the chair. “Don’t think too much. Let’s go, the director is calling for rehearsal.”

The hand on his wrist was a bit hot. Pei Yuan’s fair fingers were dirty, with makeup representing wounds. His once-neat clothes were torn, and his hair was in disarray.

Ji Yuli had taken the fall for Chu Mingxin, framing himself for the attempted murder of the Emperor. When discovered, the Emperor was vomiting blood while Ji Yuli held the empty medicine bowl. Caught red-handed, Ji Yuli was thrown into the Heavenly Jail, where he confessed to everything.

The next scene was Chu Mingxin visiting him in prison. After thirty minutes of rehearsal, this wrap-up scene officially began.

[Scenario: The moment the prison door opened, a gust of gloomy wind rushed out. It was damp and cold. It was now autumn; Chu Mingxin’s body couldn’t handle the cold, so he had put on a fur cloak early.

Chu Mingxin’s emotions remained calm throughout the walk. He wanted to go in alone, but the guards behind him refused. They were there to watch him. Even though Ji Yuli had insisted he was the poisoner, no one believed Chu Mingxin was innocent.

“…”

It took Chu Mingxin a long time to convince the guards to wait a short distance away. The jail was filthy; the dust mixed with the smell of blood made every breath nauseating. Walking through the deep, dark corridor, he finally stopped. He turned to look at the man inside whose back was turned to him.

Disheveled and in rags, yet he seemed out of place in such a setting. Chu Mingxin opened his mouth, and with some effort, he managed to squeeze out three words.

“Ji Yuli.”

Whether he heard or not, the other didn’t respond. So, Chu Mingxin simply opened the door. Hearing the sound, Ji Yuli finally turned his head. A faint smile still graced his face. “Why has the Princess come?”

Their statuses had completely reversed; Ji Yuli was now the one looking up. Chu Mingxin should have been happy because, in the original plan, this man was just a stepping stone. But now that it had come to this, he felt a bitter taste in his heart.

He reached out instinctively to touch the wound on Ji Yuli’s face, but the other tilted his head to avoid it.

“Princess, this servant is dirty.”

Chu Mingxin’s fingers curled, and then he collapsed forward. He didn’t hit the ground because the man before him caught him and held him in his arms. Ji Yuli’s voice was low and raspy, his face no longer calm. “What is the Princess doing?”

Leaning against his shoulder, Chu Mingxin murmured, “Ji Yuli, they told me to kill you… do you admit to the crime of poisoning the Emperor?”

“Then kill me.”

As soon as the words fell, Chu Mingxin suddenly grabbed the hand resting at his side and pressed it firmly against his own chest. “And now? Ji Yuli, do you still confess?”

It was warm inside the fur cloak, but what should have been there was now missing.

He wanted to see another expression on the man’s face, but unfortunately, there was nothing. “I confess.”

Ji Yuli leaned in closer, his voice very low for fear of the guards nearby. “Do it, Princess. I am very happy… to have seen you grow up a bit more with my own eyes.”

These words were scorching, causing a stinging pain in Chu Mingxin’s heart. He pushed the man away, stood up, and said coldly, “It’s not time for the execution yet. I’m going back…”

He left without looking back. Seeing him emerge, the guards rushed in to check. When they came back out, their faces were panicked and their steps hurried.

“Go report back! The Fourth Princess has killed Ji Yuli!”]