Old Nanfeng stared at the script and felt a headache coming on.
"Tianzun, this Blood Battle at Liaoluo Bay story takes place almost entirely along the coast and at sea. We do not have an environment like that for filming."
"That is simple," Li Daoxuan replied. "When you are shooting indoor and dialogue scenes, just hang a large green cloth behind them."
"…What?"
Old Nanfeng did not understand. Hanging a green cloth as a backdrop? What kind of staging was that?
But since Tianzun had issued the order, there was nothing to discuss. Everyone would just do as instructed.
The next problem was the filming location.
Using the Yellow River to shoot a naval battle was completely inappropriate. First, the river was too narrow. A massive battle involving dozens or even hundreds of warships simply could not be staged there. Second, the current was far too swift. In the blink of an eye, a ship could be swept more than ten meters downstream. Filming like that would easily lead to accidents.
After much deliberation, Old Nanfeng chose a location northeast of Puzhou City, a body of water called Wuxing Lake. It was the largest freshwater lake in Shanxi, with a surface width of up to five li. The water was calm, unlike a river, making it much easier to film.
Old Nanfeng reported this to the mass produced Tianzun avatar.
"When filming long range battle scenes on the lake, we will not be able to hang green cloth in the background."
The mass produced Tianzun replied, "That is fine. Use green cloth where you can. Where you cannot, just film directly. I will have people handle the background afterward."
Old Nanfeng understood immediately.
The background would be handled by immortal arts. No need to worry.
Just get it done.
This film had been personally requested by Tianzun, with the goal of raising nationwide awareness of the Western threat. Naturally, no expense would be spared.
Bai Yuan transferred a large number of sailors from Xiaolangdi to take on the roles of Western pirates, the Ming navy, and Liu Xiang's pirate forces.
All of that was manageable.
But then a real problem appeared.
The Western pirate side required a fleet admiral, Putmans, and several close bodyguards who needed to deliver lines opposite him. These roles absolutely required blond haired, blue eyed Westerners.
In later eras, one could find Westerners anywhere to act in films. Many of them would not even mind playing villains. There were even people from the islands of the east who traveled to China specifically to play Japanese officers in anti invasion dramas.
But in the late Ming dynasty, finding a Westerner was truly difficult. Very, very difficult.
So how could they obtain Western actors?
Old Nanfeng had a sudden idea and went to find Wang Zheng.
Wang Zheng had once funded the construction of a Catholic church in Xi'an. With Wang Zheng stepping in and using the church's connections, a group of Westerners was quickly located.
These Westerners were adventurers who had failed miserably in Europe and had followed pirate ships eastward in search of the so called Land of Gold. They were all dressed in rags, their faces sallow with hunger.
By now, they had already learned the truth. The Land of Gold did exist, but if you wanted gold there, you still had to work for it. Gold was not lying around for anyone to pick up.
Old Nanfeng spent a small amount of money and sent this group onto a train bound for Puzhou.
…
Shi Lang followed Jiang Cheng and Tie Niaofei to Anqing Wharf, stopping beside a temporary naval barracks.
Anqing Prefecture had originally possessed a river patrol fleet, but its equipment had decayed, its ranks were undermanned, and the entire force had long since become a hollow shell. Worse still, the useless river patrol was entangled in a dense web of official relationships. Behind every idle officer drawing empty pay likely stood a spiderweb of backing connections.
Shi Kefa was not an official with overwhelming political backing or iron handed authority. He could not touch that tangled network, nor did he have the energy to try.
So he simply ignored the original river patrol and let it rot.
Starting anew was better.
When Qi Jiguang formed the Qi Family Army to resist the Japanese pirates, he had also started from scratch.
The sailors from Gao Family Village had set up a temporary camp near Anqing Wharf while organizing laborers to build a brand new naval barracks.
When Shi Lang arrived, the new barracks were not yet complete, so he entered the temporary camp instead.
The camp was not large. The Wanli Sunshine carried only one hundred and twenty sailors, so the encampment was modest.
Yet despite its size, it looked orderly and immaculate.
Shi Lang was still a boy. Stepping into the camp, he felt a surge of excitement as he looked around. Suddenly, he saw two sailors carrying a large basket. Inside was an entire basket of smoked cured pork.
He could not help blurting out, "Is that your military rations?"
The sailor laughed. "Yes. We are changing things up this time. Everyone is being issued cured pork."
Shi Lang sucked in a sharp breath.
Even though he was young and not particularly worldly, he knew that feeding ordinary soldiers food like this was not something an average general could afford. The patron behind this army must be unimaginably wealthy.
When he reached the central command tent, Shi Lang thought he was about to meet Shi Kefa himself. He felt a little excited and even rehearsed what he would say.
But when he entered the tent, he saw Jiang Cheng and Tie Niaofei seated at the place of honor. Shi Kefa was nowhere to be seen.
After sitting upright, Jiang Cheng spoke with a serious expression.
"Shi Lang, you came here with a letter of introduction. Are you planning to enlist? I will be blunt with you. Our unit has many rules. Far more rules than ordinary armies. At least ten times as many."
Shi Lang blinked. "Huh? This unit is under the two of you? Is it not under Lord Shi Kefa?"
Tie Niaofei smiled. "We are only a militia for now. Jiang Instructor is in charge. I am merely a guest. As for Shi Kefa, he is even more of a guest than I am. He does not fully count as one of us."
Shi Lang stared.
His face was blank with confusion. With his broad forehead and large features, his stunned expression looked even more comical than usual.
After a long moment, he said awkwardly, "I… want to rise to high office. I want to make a name for myself. I want to join a proper army."
Jiang Cheng and Tie Niaofei exchanged a glance and smiled.
"In name, we may not be very proper," Jiang Cheng said. "But in terms of discipline and combat strength, we are extremely proper. Whether you wish to join us is entirely up to you. You can make your decision after comparing us thoroughly."
Those words made Shi Lang hesitate again.
After touring the Wanli Sunshine, he had already felt how terrifying its combat power was. The sailors' firearms were formidable, and among the Ming navy, not a single ship could compare to it.
He had also seen the discipline aboard the ship. The soldiers were strict, polite, and restrained. There was not the slightest trace of arrogance or brutality.
This truly was a force more proper than the regular army.
But still…
From what they said, this was only a militia. If he wanted to be ennobled and restore the former glory of the Shi family, how could joining a militia be acceptable?
Just as he wavered, the tent flap was suddenly lifted.
Shi Kefa rushed in, breathless.
"Instructor Jiang, Master Tie, the rebel army of the Eight Great Kings from the Western Camp is advancing. Please come help at once."