How did a street urchin from the film crew end up in a Northern Song Dynasty drama called "The

After Jin Shuai left the Shou'an Hall of the Sheng Mansion, Old Madam Sheng emerged from behind the carved wooden door. She looked at Sheng Hong's furrowed brows, the doubt in Chang Bai's eyes, and Madam Wang's hesitant expression, then gently pressed her sandalwood cane without speaking.

"Mother, what are you doing? Why did you do this to Shulan..." Sheng Hong took a half step forward, clutching his sleeve, his voice filled with barely suppressed anxiety.

Grandma Sheng raised her hand and gently waved it, signaling him to calm down, and then slowly said, "Back in Youyang, Xi-ge'er resolved Shulan's matter properly. Since then, the eldest sister-in-law of the main branch has been thinking about making her relationship with Xi-ge'er more stable. So, she came to me to discuss giving Pinlan to Xi-ge'er as a concubine. Firstly, to maintain the relationship between the two families; secondly, thinking that with Hualan in the Duke's mansion, Pinlan wouldn't be bullied after entering the mansion."

"Grandmother, why did you ultimately decide to let Shulan enter the household?" Changbai asked with a curious expression.

Old Madam Sheng sighed slightly and explained with a rather solemn expression, "I have carefully observed Pinlan. She is too impulsive and rash, and she doesn't know how to act recklessly. She is too sharp and outspoken. The Duke's mansion is a big target, and if she acts recklessly, it may cause trouble. Shulan is gentle and prudent, which is a better choice. Therefore, after weighing the pros and cons, I have finally decided to let Shulan enter the mansion."

Upon hearing this, Sheng Hong nodded slightly in understanding, and then informed Old Madam Sheng about Commander Jin's decision to send Changbai to Dengzhou. Old Madam Sheng did not show much surprise upon hearing this. She stroked her prayer beads and calmly instructed Changbai, "Brother Bai, when you go to Dengzhou, you must do your best to help Brother Xi with his duties."

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang was immediately displeased and couldn't help but complain, "How can you send Brother Bai to such a far place? He's about to get married and will be going to take up his post soon. Why can't you find him a job near the capital city of Tokyo?"

"A woman's view!" Sheng Hong slammed his hand on the armrest, making the teacup clink. "The positions in the capital have long been divided up by nobles. Changbai is going to Dengzhou to command ten thousand troops. He can speak directly to the emperor and serve as the emperor's personal guard. What noble family can easily obtain such an honor? Don't be ungrateful!"

"Enough." The old lady raised her hand to stop the argument. "Xi-ge'er's arrangements are reasonable. Madam, please rest assured. This is a good opportunity for Bai-ge'er to gain experience."

Hearing this, Madam Wang, though still pouting, didn't argue further, feeling slightly better. Everyone understood her worry for her son, so Old Madam Sheng didn't say anything more. Madam Wang was truly displeased by Sheng Hong's reprimand. Fortunately, Old Madam Sheng explained in time, giving her a way out. She took the opportunity to make an excuse, saying she had to attend to some household affairs, and hurriedly left.

After Madam Wang left, Old Madam Sheng said with a solemn expression, "That little rascal is no ordinary person; he has great ambitions. From now on, you just need to help him out. Do whatever he tells you to do."

“Mother, Xi’er is exceptionally talented in both literature and martial arts, so it’s understandable that he has ambitions. However, we really don’t know what he intends to do.” Sheng Hong said slowly, his face showing a thoughtful expression.

Old Madam Sheng's gaze was profound, as if she could see beyond everything before her, and she said, "That rascal is meticulous and extremely cautious in his actions. You must not try to guess what he's thinking; just follow his lead closely. Back then, after the Sheng family split up, both the eldest branch and our family encountered hardships. It was through mutual support that we achieved our current situation. We must not forget this kindness. Sending Shulan to marry into the Jin family was to firmly tie the eldest branch's family to that rascal's big boat; only then will we feel secure."

If Jin Shuai had happened to be there and heard Old Madam Sheng say those words, he would have undoubtedly given the apt assessment: "To be old and not die is to be a thief!" Such cunning!

Sheng Hong and Changbai both nodded slightly, indicating their agreement with Old Madam Sheng's point of view. Sheng Hong then proceeded to discuss the various trivial matters that had recently occurred in the aristocratic circles of Dongjing City. When the marriage alliance between the Duke of Qi's mansion and the Prince of Yong was mentioned, Old Madam Sheng remained calm, as the matter was already settled and didn't cause her much of a stir. However, when the topic shifted to the struggle for the throne, Old Madam Sheng's previously composed expression instantly changed. Her expression turned serious, and she immediately warned, "Such topics can only be discussed privately at home. You two must remember not to actively inquire about such matters, and if you happen to overhear them, you must absolutely not spread them. This struggle for the throne is like a dragon's den or a tiger's lair; a slight misstep could lead to being plotted against and bringing utter destruction to the family."

"Your child will remember Mother's teachings," Sheng Hong quickly replied.

"I will certainly remember this in my heart," Changbai replied solemnly.

Changbai pondered for a moment, then continued, “Grandmother, Father, the war in Liao has now ceased. My brother-in-law’s return is likely closely related to this matter. When we talked this morning, he only mentioned it casually, telling Father and me not to meddle and to just do our own jobs. Now, thinking about it carefully, I suspect he was intentionally trying to warn me, to remind our Sheng family not to get involved in such a complicated situation unnecessarily.”

"Hehe, this little rascal." Old Mrs. Sheng smiled slightly, a sly glint in her eyes. "He's testing you."

Changbai looked at Old Madam Sheng with a puzzled expression. Seeing this, Old Madam Sheng patiently explained, "He's testing whether you have the necessary vigilance. If you can grasp the deeper meaning from his seemingly casual words and perceive the sensitivity and danger of this matter, it means you have the potential to be of great use. But if you don't even have this much vigilance and are easily schemed against, then you really don't have much value for serious training, and I'm afraid you can only be assigned some unimportant errands."

If Jin Shuai could hear Old Madam Sheng's analysis at this moment, he would probably only sigh helplessly, "What a talent!" In reality, Jin Shuai didn't take the succession struggle to heart at all. Even if the Sheng family were involved, he would have his own ways to handle it properly. He had only mentioned it casually as a reminder, but he didn't expect Old Madam Sheng to imagine it as a test of Changbai's vigilance.