Lu Huaizhang, through a combination of coercion and enticement, hired the thief at a high price to impersonate the real Li Yiming as an archivist in the Ninth Bureau. He declared that she wouldn't have to stay long; once the special investigation team left, the thief would regain her freedom and flee with a large sum of silver dollars.
The thief was naturally unwilling, but Lu Huaizhang had too much money in his pocket and a considerable number of bullets in his magazine. In the end, he couldn't resist the temptation and fear, and agreed.
From then on, the thief was Li Yiming.
Of course, Lu Huaizhang wasn't entirely without cunning. At this crucial juncture, the thief's seemingly unfortunate appearance was bound to arouse suspicion. Therefore, Lu Huaizhang dispatched his men to conduct undercover investigations of the thief's usual haunts. Only after confirming that the thief had been stealing in the area for over a decade did he feel reassured.
Although the thief's origins were suspicious, personal career advancement was more important than the interests of the Party and the state. This was Lu Huaizhang's life motto.
This petty thief thus brazenly entered the Kuomintang's largest intelligence hub.
The newly appointed Li Yiming was illiterate and had many thieving habits. He would often cause trouble and steal things, turning the Ninth Bureau upside down. Discontent was boiling over within the Ninth Bureau, and many complained to Lu Huaizhang.
Although Lu Huaizhang was also very dissatisfied with this chaotic situation, he could only swallow his anger and help Li Yiming clean up his mess before the special task force finished its investigation.
This "thief" is, of course, the true female protagonist of this story, the legendary agent Li Yiming.
Zheng Bohan's plot design is cunning. He used a narrative trick at the beginning to make the audience think that Li Yiming, who was executed, was the protagonist of the work, which whetted their appetite.
Even Shang Yechu was fooled when she first read the script. With this preconceived notion, she subconsciously treated Li Yiming, the first character to appear, as the protagonist. Only after reading further did she realize that he was merely a plot device.
Unlike the traditional spy drama formula of "the protagonist infiltrating the enemy's ranks," the novelty of "Tianban" lies in the fact that Li Yiming did not infiltrate the Ninth Bureau on his own, but was invited by Lu Huaizhang, the director of the Ninth Bureau.
Under these circumstances, Lu Huaizhang, the most powerful and influential director of the Ninth Bureau, was naturally forced to stand on the same side as Li Yiming. No matter how much Lu Huaizhang suspected Li Yiming or how unwilling he was, he had no choice but to do his best to cooperate with her, help Li Yiming integrate into the group, and conceal his suspicions!
What could be more satisfying than your enemy personally cleaning up your mess and taking care of it for you?
The comedic effect brought about by this sense of impact was extraordinary. At least, Shang Yechu often couldn't help but laugh out loud when she saw the script. A few years later, there was a popular internet meme called "washing underwear with a cold face," and Shang Yechu would often inexplicably hallucinate this phrase when she saw Lu Huaizhang's actions.
Although spy dramas are serious historical dramas, they don't completely eliminate the need for comedic elements. On the contrary, spy dramas often need the addition of comedy to balance the seriousness and bitterness of the plot, preventing viewers from becoming fatigued.
The ninth round was a chaotic mess thanks to Li Yiming. Lu Huaizhang tried his best to cooperate with Li Yiming while constantly testing him. Of course, all these tests were ultimately defused by Li Yiming's humorous and comical ways. Not only did he avoid any suspicion, but he also infuriated Lu Huaizhang, who cursed, "You haven't changed your ways!"
This part of the plot is thrilling and full of twists and turns. The sense of conflict and excitement is off the charts. Just reading the words is enough to get your blood pumping.
Both the real Li Yiming and the thief who bumped into Lu Huaizhang were played by Shang Yechu. Only in this way could the audience be fooled.
This is the first time Shang Yechu has played two roles in a single work. The real Li Yiming's unwavering commitment to his principles and beliefs, the thief's cunning and slyness, and Tianguang No. 1's wisdom, courage, and profoundness... a facade upon a facade.
Shang Yechu was under immense pressure. The subject matter itself couldn't be wasted, and the huge investment from Ru Guan didn't allow Shang Yechu to falter. The role itself was unprecedentedly challenging. Furthermore, whether it was Xue Haodong playing Lu Huaizhang, or Qi Ming and even Shi Shan, they were all undeniably talented actors. If Shang Yechu wasn't careful, she could be completely outmatched.
Besides, Shang Yechu also harbored a deep-seated anger that she couldn't reveal to anyone.
She wants to make some fools pay the price.
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