Huayu: This top star doesn't play by the rules.

By June, Hengdian had become a veritable "furnace" in the summer, with the midday sun scorching the palace walls and the glazed tiles reflecting a blinding white light.

The air was thick with the smell of dust, sweat, and prop paint, and even the wind felt scorching hot against your face. The first official shoot for "Princess Agents" was scheduled for this time.

In the dressing room, the makeup artist was carefully attaching hair extensions to Chen Chao. The boy in the mirror was wearing a silver-gray brocade robe and had a hairstyle with a touch of exoticism.

Despite having the same eyebrows and eyes, he had lost his usual gentle demeanor and gained a touch of the unique nobility and arrogance of Yan Xun, the prince of Xiliang.

"Teacher Chen, your skin is so good! You don't even need to use any foundation." The makeup artist couldn't help but exclaim as she applied loose powder to Chen Chao's face.

Faced with the makeup artist's praise, Chen Chao just smiled and didn't say anything. After all, they were applying makeup to his face, and if he spoke, there might be some problems, and they would have to start all over again.

After completing his makeup and hair, Chen Chao entered the waiting area. As soon as he entered, he saw Lin Gengxin and Wang Yanlin walking over arm in arm. The two of them had already changed into the makeup and hair styles of Yuwen Yue and Yuwen Huai.

"Hmm, I feel that in terms of handsomeness, Ah Chao, you're second only to me." Lin Gengxin said with a smile, yawning without any regard for his image.

"Indeed, it's about 50% accurate," Wang Yanlin echoed.

Amused by the two, Chen Chao was about to retort as usual when the script supervisor's voice rang out: "Attention all departments! Filming is about to begin! Actors, please take your positions!"

Upon hearing the notification, everyone immediately took their positions. Wu Jingyuan, sitting behind the monitor, put on his headset with a serious expression. "Everyone, stay focused! We must get off to a good start in the first scene! All departments, check your equipment!"

"The lights are fine!"

"The sound pickup is fine!"

"The props are fine!"

"Alright!" Wu Jingyuan took a deep breath and waved his hand sharply. "Scene one, shot one, first take, action!"

As the clapperboard clattered, Chen Chao instantly got into character.

Leaning against a vermilion pillar, Chen Chao toyed with a white jade wine cup in his hand, the wine swirling gently within. He tilted his head slightly, looking at the crowd clinking glasses and exchanging toasts, his gaze languid, as if he had no interest in anything before him.

Only when his gaze swept over the little maid in the corner, dressed in coarse cloth and with her back ramrod straight, did a fleeting, almost imperceptible, amusement cross his eyes.

"Yuwen Yue, why aren't you drinking?"

Yuwen Huai, played by Wang Yanlin, walked over with a wine glass in his hand, a sinister smile on his face and his eyes full of ill intent.

He winked at Zhu Shun behind him, who understood and handed the wine pot containing the poisoned wine to Zhi Xiang. Zhi Xiang, holding the wine cup, walked step by step toward Yuwen Yue, her hands trembling slightly with nervousness.

Sitting in the main seat, Yuwen Yue, played by Lin Gengxin, glanced coldly at the wine glass without reaching out to take it.

"What? Is Young Master Yuwen afraid I'll poison the wine?" Yuwen Huai laughed loudly, his tone full of provocation. "Since the master refuses to do us the honor, then according to the rules of our Yuwen manor, we have no choice but to kill this beautiful woman who poured the wine!"

As soon as she finished speaking, two guards stepped forward and grabbed Zhi Xiang's arms. Zhi Xiang's face turned deathly pale, and she knelt on the ground with a thud, pleading desperately, "Young master, spare my life! Young master, spare my life!"

Standing behind her sister, Chu Qiao, played by Zhao Liying, clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms, and her eyes burned with raging anger.

Just then, a clear voice suddenly rang out.

"Oh, Yuwen Huai, today is my birthday, seeing blood is very unlucky."

Straightening up, Chen Chao downed the wine in his glass in one gulp, casually tossing the empty glass to his attendant behind him. He then walked leisurely into the center of the room, fanning himself with a folding fan, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"She's just a little maid; there's no need to resort to knives and guns."

"Yan Xun, this is a family matter of the Yuwen family, so you don't need to bother with it, do you?" Wang Yanlin raised an eyebrow, his tone unfriendly.

"You can't say that," Chen Chao said, tapping his palm lightly with his folding fan. His gaze fell on Zhao Liying, who was kneeling on the ground. "It would be such a waste to kill such a pretty little girl. How about this, we play a game and let fate decide her life or death."

As he spoke, he untied the Yanbei waist tag from his waist and twirled it beautifully between his fingers.

"This waist tag has a dragon pattern on one side and seal script on the other. I'll throw it on the ground. If she guesses correctly which side is facing up, I'll take her away, and that'll be the end of it. If she guesses wrong..." He paused, looked at Yuwen Huai, "then I absolutely won't meddle."

After hesitating for a moment, Wang Yanlin finally nodded: "Okay, I'll give you that face."

With a smile, Chen Chao tossed the waist token high into the air.

Sunlight fell on the waist tag, reflecting a blinding glare. Just as the tag fell, Chen Chao's gaze swept quickly over Zhao Liying, and his fingertips twitched slightly, giving a silent hint.

"Dragon pattern facing upwards!" Understanding Chen Chao's implication, she shouted loudly.

The waist tag fell to the ground with a "thud," and sure enough, the dragon pattern was facing upwards.

Bending down to pick up the waist token, Chen Chao re-tied it around his waist and looked at Wang Yanlin with a smile: "Look, even God can't bear to kill her."

With a livid face, Wang Yanlin could say nothing more, so he could only snort coldly and leave.

"Card!"

Wu Jingyuan's voice suddenly rang out, breaking the silence on set. Everyone nervously looked at the monitor, waiting for the director's judgment.

Wu Jingyuan stared at the screen, reviewing it three times, then slammed his hand on the table and stood up excitedly: "Passed! Perfect! One take!"

Wang Yanlin, who had just left the set, was the first to rush over, patting Chen Chao on the shoulder with a wide grin: "Wow, bro! You're amazing! You nailed it in one take on your first try! That look you gave me was incredible! I almost thought you really were Yan Xun!"

Lin Gengxin, who was also standing in the field, walked over, nodded, and said with admiration, "It's really good, much better than I expected. The way you tossed the waist token just now was so natural."

Li Qin stood not far away, holding a script in her hand, her eyes filled with amazement as she looked at Chen Chao. Just now, Chen Chao stood in the sunlight, wearing a moon-white brocade robe, with a bright smile, truly like Prince Yan Xun who had stepped out of the book.

The crew members on set also started discussing it.

"My goodness, Chen Chao is amazing! He nailed a group scene in one take on his first try! What kind of divine talent is that!"

"The way he looked at Chu Qiao just now, with that playful yet tender gaze, gave me goosebumps!"

"From now on, let's call him Chen Yitiao! He's awesome!"