A week later, at the temporary audition venue for "The Chaos of War", at noon.
The audition venue, which was originally carefully decorated and full of old-fashioned charm, is now filled with an inescapable atmosphere of gloom.
Director Li Mo sat in a folding chair, holding a script outline in his hand, his brows furrowed in worry.
He sighed heavily.
In just one week, everything changed.
Assistant director Wang Hai and executive producer Li Jinfu, two core members of his team for "The Chaos of War", were suddenly embroiled in a shocking scandal.
The amount of tax evasion was enormous, and the evidence of bribery of officials was conclusive.
Most appallingly, an old case from many years ago involving the forced sexual assault of a minor girl, resulting in serious injury, has been brought up again.
I heard that the Gu family has openly stated that they have sent a message to their superiors, demanding that the matter be dealt with severely.
The powerful families exerted pressure, and if the crimes were combined and the sentence was severe, execution by firing squad was a possibility.
While Li Mo inwardly condemned the two scumbags, he was also so worried about his masterpiece that a few strands of his hair turned white.
The team that had been painstakingly assembled collapsed in an instant.
The key investors who had originally agreed to the deal, seeing this situation, were afraid of getting involved and ran away faster than rabbits, causing the funding chain to be cut off by more than half.
What worries him even more is the actors.
The male and female leads he chose were both veteran actors with whom he had collaborated many times and were highly regarded.
Qin Lang, who plays the male lead Zhou Zhengyang, is a middle-aged actor with a strong and steady demeanor. At this moment, he is flipping through the script not far away, his brows furrowed, looking helpless and reluctant.
Zhou Zhengyang held an important position in the new faction. He was a staunch reformer with a resolute and decisive character and a deep concern for his country.
Chen Jing, who plays the female lead Shen Yunshu, is wearing an elegant cheongsam and sitting on a chair in the corner, holding a cup of coffee in her hand. A layer of worry is also shrouded between her delicate eyebrows.
Shen Yunshu comes from a scholarly family and is a supporter of modern ideas. She also works as a doctor in a church hospital. She is kind and resilient and is Zhou Zhengyang's partner.
The two of them came today for two reasons: one, to support the audition for the second female lead; and two, to check out the current state of the production team.
Su Qianqian is auditioning for the second female lead, Lin Wan, today. She is considered Zhou Zhengyang and Shen Yunshu's junior, and both of them take good care of her.
Shen Yunshu, in particular, treated her almost like a younger sister.
The three of them shared the same mentor.
Qin Lang broke the oppressive silence, "Director Li, can this drama still be made? It's not that I'm being disloyal, it's just that..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.
With two such notorious producers and assistant directors, this show is already tainted before it even starts filming.
These lead actors also have to consider their future and reputation.
Chen Jing also spoke up, her gentle voice tinged with helplessness: "Director Li, we don't want to shirk our responsibilities."
"But given the current situation, with such a large funding gap, the team scattered, and the pressure from public opinion... sigh."
Li Mo scratched his hair in frustration, making the script outline even more crumpled.
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