Now, the moment the name Young Ying Zheng was mentioned, the entire audience seemed to be pulled back twelve years in time. That role had been the greatest gift seven-year-old Little Shuying ever gave to the entertainment industry: a girl disguised as a boy.
(Note: Ying Zheng was the historical figure who became Qin Shi Huang, the founder of the Qin dynasty and the first emperor of China.)
Back then, in the first three episodes of the series, Little Shuying had shown the audience what true nobility looked like and what unmatched elegance meant, what it meant for someone to possess beauty so extraordinary that it transcended gender itself.
On the set of the program, Tao's face unconsciously revealed a nostalgic expression as he still vaguely remembered that year. At the time, Little Shuying had very few scenes. To be honest, the drama itself wasn't particularly outstanding.
Yet because of just a handful of lines and several overwhelmingly authoritative appearances from Little Shuying, the entire show exploded in popularity. Viewers still remember some of those classic lines today.
"This story, which began with the sword, shall also end with the sword."
For the first time, people realized that a character could leave such a profound impression. Even though she was a girl, when she appeared on screen, she seemed like the First Emperor himself, stepping out from the depths of history spanning thousands of years.
Especially after Xiao Shuying's background was made public, at the time, countless scholars, educators, and professionals from various institutions were stunned. Because before filming, she had never received systematic training in acting, performing arts, sports, or cultural education.
She had never attended concerts.
She had never watched stage plays.
She had not even seen many official films.
This fact shocked the entire industry, as people couldn't understand it. How could a child raised in such an environment deliver a performance so astonishing that it bordered on perfection?
At that moment, the fourth special guest, Yuan Quan, former director of a hospital, hesitated before speaking. "What I'm about to say may be inappropriate..."
He paused. "But could it possibly have something to do with Yu Ye?"
Even he wasn't entirely sure. However, he had personally witnessed Ye enduring unimaginable pain. That scene had felt less like reality and more like something straight out of a movie. The man's presence had simply been too overwhelming.
After he finished speaking, both commentators exchanged awkward smiles. Meanwhile, Cheng, Yue, and Guochang's expressions became increasingly complicated. Because the Ye they knew looked nothing like the image people were imagining now. He was indeed handsome, but after Little Shuying turned seven, illness caused him to gain a significant amount of weight.
On top of that, he constantly worked jobs such as appliance repair, delivery services, and manual labor. Usually, his clothes were dirty and stained. Forget having an actor's aura; no one could even see the slightest trace of such a thing.
Yu Shuying remained silent, yet her silence itself was a form of agreement. Because throughout her entire life, she had never once witnessed the so-called domineering side of her father.
Memories surged through her mind like a rising tide, and every memory she had since the age of seven was the same.
Drunkenness.
Mental illness.
Endless self-destruction.
The man from her memories had never been frightening; he had only made her feel resistance, disappointment, and rejection.
At that moment, a new replay began on the giant screen. A new contestant's story unfolded before everyone.
The first contestant had showcased educational upbringing.
The second contestant had displayed artistic performance, only to be completely overshadowed by Little Shuying's legendary performance of Under the Sea.
Now came the third contestant, and this round focused on confidence and stage presence. Contestant Number Three, Jiang Yue. A beautiful middle-aged woman dressed in a high-end custom-made gown.
Soon, the program team began playing footage from her family's past.
The Jiang family had been extremely wealthy.
Jiang Yue served as the director of an acting department at a prestigious acting institution, earning an annual salary well into seven figures.
Her husband was a successful businessman involved in import and export trade.
As a result, their family lived in a luxurious suburban villa. One side of the villa featured a traditional mahogany-style living room, and the other side was decorated in extravagant European fashion. Everything reflected wealth and status.
Their son was named Jiang Xingkai, and he inherited many of his mother's attractive features. Although handsome, his skin was unusually pale and his frame rather thin, giving him a somewhat delicate appearance.
At seven years old, he was enrolled in elite performance classes. From then on, he received professional training.
By age ten, he had already obtained qualifications to perform as a child actor. At that time, there were still three months before filming for The Qin Empire officially began, and the role he auditioned for was Young Ying Zheng.
In the footage, Director Chen Xuejian sat across from him. After observing him briefly, he nodded. "Begin."
The audition process was simple. Recite the lines, display emotional depth, and show performance tension. At this moment, Jiang Xingkai was filled with confidence. Having grown up surrounded by praise and admiration, he believed success was inevitable.
Raising his head proudly, he delivered his lines. "I am Ying Zheng! I shall become the greatest king in this world!"
His expression was exaggerated, his tone was domineering, and his confidence overflowed from every movement. Yet because of that confidence, every performance felt artificial, and the smile on his face never disappeared. The result was that his entire performance felt strangely detached.
Xuejian frowned as this was nothing like the person he envisioned.
"Again." Xuejian's voice remained calm.
"I am a..." Jiang Xingkai continued.
"Again."
"Again."
"Again."
The director repeated the instruction again and again. Ten times in total.
By the tenth attempt, impatience had already appeared on Jiang Xingkai's face. He finished his lines while frowning.
Immediately afterward, Xuejian looked at him expressionlessly. "You are unqualified."
Then he waved his hand. With his status and reputation, he didn't need to give face to anyone. Had it not been for an old friend's recommendation, Xingkai wouldn't even have received this opportunity.
"Thank you, Director." Xingkai bowed politely. At least on the surface, his upbringing appeared impeccable.
Only after leaving the room and ensuring nobody was around did he take out his phone and call a friend. The moment the call connected, his expression twisted. "Damn it! What kind of garbage director is that? I acted that well, and he still rejected me? I want to see who he can possibly find! Fuck, I've never suffered such humiliation in my entire life!"
His voice was low and suppressed, yet the resentment within it was impossible to hide. For the first time in his life, he had experienced genuine failure.
The footage ended there.
Back in the studio, Yue's expression became extremely awkward. She had already known her son was eliminated, and she had seen related clips before, but she never expected the program team to reveal this scene as well. It was simply too embarrassing. Respectful in public but cursing viciously in private. The contrast was impossible to ignore.
For a moment, even Yue couldn't help asking herself, had her son really been educated this way? A bitter smile appeared on her face.
Then she remembered that her son was now studying overseas. Whenever he called her, it was almost always to ask for money.
Looking back now, perhaps everything had begun after that failed audition. After missing that opportunity, Xingkai seemed to gradually lose himself. Year after year, he declined. Until eventually, he became someone she could barely recognize.
At that moment, the judging panel also fell silent; even Tao shook his head.
Yu Shuying glanced at the footage several times. After all, this person had once competed against her for the same role. The problem wasn't talent; it was character.
"He never experienced setbacks, and everyone around him treated him too well. So when he finally encountered even the slightest failure, he immediately lost respect for the world. He appears gentle on the surface, but underneath..."
Yu Shuying didn't finish the sentence, and she didn't need to. Everyone already understood.
The audience immediately erupted into discussion.
"He clearly wasn't educated properly. Pretending to be polite in front of people while cursing them behind their backs."
"Exactly. Little Shuying competed for the same role back then, so why was the difference so huge?"
"A good family background doesn't guarantee success. Education and character matter more."
"And Little Shuying's performance proved that."
Meanwhile, viewers were watching the live broadcast; the comments flooded.
"I still think Little Shuying is the greatest child actor of the past twenty years."
"Seriously, everyone else was just acting. Why was Little Shuying on an entirely different level?"
"There were so many wealthy kids and children from artistic families competing for the role back then."
"But the moment Little Shuying appeared, everyone else became background characters."
"It's unbelievable. She came from such humble beginnings, yet she carried the aura of an emperor."
"She remains the most convincing female actor to ever portray a young emperor."
"I'm even more excited about the replay now."
"At seven years old, her father was already suffering from mental illness. She lacked resources, support, and opportunities, yet she still amazed the entire nation."
"I really want to know how she persevered through all of that."
"Seriously... You can only admire her."