1978: Female educated youth, don’t want an illiterate husband

Liu Jialiang's published statement was like a thunderbolt, shattering the already gloomy sky over Hong Kong.

Newspapers with undried ink were waved by newsboys and scattered into every corner of tea restaurants, film sets, and office buildings.

The words in the statement defending orthodoxy and resisting infiltration were like needles quenched in fire, piercing the eyes of everyone in the circle.

Unlike previous private alliances or ambiguous tendencies, this was a naked, uncompromising public declaration of allegiance.

He completely tied his personal fate, and even the fate of the entire project, to the Golden Horse Film Bureau's warship against Lao Zuo.

At the Clearwater Bay film set, several veteran stuntmen passed around newspapers, looking at each other in bewilderment.

After a long while, an old master craftsman clicked his tongue and muttered, "Jialiang went too far this time... he really went too far."

There was no admiration in his tone, only a chilling sense of dread, like the fox mourning the death of its kin.

In the past, although everyone disliked companies like Great Wall and Phoenix, verbal battles were commonplace in market competition.

But this is the first time someone like Liu Jialiang has so openly tied his artistic pursuits to his political stance in black and white, almost like a pledge of allegiance.

This is tantamount to voluntarily giving up that delicate, ambiguous space for maneuver, turning oneself into a clear target.

Some filmmakers who already had close ties with the Golden Horse Awards were now inwardly cursing:
Liu Jialiang has raised the bar for loyalty so high that those who still want to sit on the fence or just want to make money safely will have to face the consequences in the future.

Wouldn't that force them to make even more extreme choices?

The atmosphere in the entire Hong Kong film industry suddenly became tense and somber because of this statement.

Before the echoes of this pledge of allegiance had even faded, another powerful force had already reacted swiftly.

The Xinhua News Agency's Hong Kong branch, located in Wan Chai, quickly published heavyweight commentary articles in its controlled leftist newspapers, such as Wen Wei Po and Ta Kung Pao.

The article was strongly worded, directly accusing Liu Jialiang of making a statement that was an attempt to advocate for certain forces and undermine the harmonious coexistence of Hong Kong's film culture.

This is a narrow-minded local protectionism that turns back the clock of history, and we solemnly warn that any attempt to politicize art and undermine Hong Kong's prosperity and stability will never succeed.

The article goes a step further, pointing the finger at those behind the scenes and criticizing certain external forces for interfering in Hong Kong's cultural affairs, deeming their intentions despicable.

The radio stations controlled by Lao Zuo also broadcast related news around the clock, passionately supporting Cheng Xuemin and "Shaolin Temple".

They are hailed as a breath of fresh air from the mainland, injecting vitality into the stagnant Hong Kong film industry with their genuine artistic standards and open attitude.

In an instant, the public opinion field in Hong Kong was completely torn apart, presenting a clear confrontation between two opposing camps, with a strong sense of tension filling the air.

In their room at the Great Wall Hotel, Cheng Xuemin and Fu Qi stared at the two newspapers spread out on the table. Fu Qi, sweat beading on his forehead, muttered to himself:

"Teacher Cheng, isn't this...isn't this going a bit too far?"

Cheng Xuemin simply picked up a red pen, drew a heavy mark on a storyboard for "Redemption," and said calmly without looking up:
"As expected, they forced Liu Jialiang to reveal his hand, and now they have to bear the backlash afterward. It's good that the waters are murky, so it's easier to fish in troubled waters."

His calmness stood in stark contrast to the media storm outside his window.

Just as the war of words was raging, Raymond Chow of Golden Harvest and Raymond Lui of Golden Princess received invitations almost simultaneously from the Golden Horse Film Bureau, from the head housekeeper, Jiang Fengqi.

The location was still the secluded villa study halfway up the mountain, but the atmosphere was quite different from when Liu Jialiang came.

Jiang Fengqi remained seated behind his large desk, his gaze behind his gold-rimmed glasses sharp as a knife, but the formulaic smile at the corner of his mouth carried an undeniable pressure.

Without much small talk, she pushed several newspapers bearing Liu Jialiang's statement onto the coffee table and got straight to the point:
"Zou Sheng, Lei Sheng, and Master Liu, you have witnessed their determination and courage. This is the kind of responsibility that filmmakers who are truly dedicated to the cultural cause of the Party and the country should have!"

She paused deliberately, her gaze sweeping across Raymond Chow and Raymond Leung's faces, appreciating their subtle unease.

Raymond Chow chuckled twice, picked up his teacup to cover up his embarrassment: "Yes, yes, Master Liu has always been... bold and decisive."

Lei Juekun snorted, twisted his fat neck, and didn't reply.

Jiang Fengqi gave them no chance to catch their breath and continued, "The situation is very clear now. Cheng Xuemin and his 'Shaolin Temple' are not just engaged in commercial competition, but also represent a certain...unhealthy trend."

Master Liu Jialiang's "Martial Arts School" is a crucial battle for us to confront head-on and demonstrate orthodoxy.

The Party-state's cultural stronghold cannot be lost! The future of Hong Kong cinema cannot be allowed to be squandered by those people!

Her tone was low, but every word carried immense weight, striking Zou and Lei deeply.
“Director Jiang,” Zou Wenhuai put down his teacup, a slick smile typical of businessmen plastered on his face, and said, “We understand what you mean. Supporting excellent local films is our duty at Golden Harvest.”

"However... this theatrical scheduling involves the entire company's operations, and there are so many satellite companies and collaborating directors waiting to be paid... If we have to allocate too many resources all at once, I'm afraid..."

Lei Juekun was even more direct, interjecting in a gruff voice: "That's right! Shaw Brothers basically doesn't make movies themselves anymore, so they just handed over those four theater chains to Cheng Xuemin without any pressure!"

But we also have to take care of our own new film, and so many new films from our satellite companies! Where are we going to find so many prime-time screenings for Lau Kar-leung? Unless we pull all the other films!

Jiang Fengqi's smile faded, and he tapped his fingers lightly on the table, saying, "Zou Sheng, Lei Sheng, is this the time to talk about business? This is the time to talk about principles and stances!"

"Master Lau Kar-leung has already set an example and shown sincerity. Do you two, as leaders in the Hong Kong film industry, still intend to stand aside, or even... waver?"

Her words were like icicles, piercing through their hopes and illusions.

"I know you have difficulties. But difficulties can be overcome! The Golden Horse Awards will not let your efforts go to waste. As long as 'The Martial Arts School' can suppress the arrogance of 'Shaolin Temple' this time, it will naturally be more favorable to you in terms of film import, overseas distribution, and even policy support in the future."

Using both soft and hard tactics is her usual method.

Raymond Chow had already cursed Liu Jialiang a thousand times in his heart, blaming him for stirring up trouble and dragging everyone down with him.

However, he maintained his composure and dealt with Jiang Fengqi: "Director Jiang, this is a very important matter. Please allow Lei Sheng and me to go back and discuss it properly with our colleagues at the company. After all, this concerns the entire theater's scheduling and revenue..."

He wanted to stall, to use the usual excuse of "let's do some research" to brush it off.

Lei Juekun silently drank his tea, weighing the pros and cons of his stubborn resistance against the potential benefits the Golden Horse Bureau might offer.

Jiang Fengqi was incredibly shrewd and had already seen through their intentions.

She lost her last bit of patience, leaned forward slightly, her eyes blazing with undisguised malice, and said, "Discussion? Fine."

"But I hope that by tomorrow at the latest, we can see a specific plan from Golden Harvest and Golden Princess regarding their support for the summer release of 'The Martial Arts School'."

"I don't expect you to give your all, but at the very least, you need to put in the same amount of support as Shaw Brothers provided for 'Shaolin Temple'! The two companies must work together, and the scale of the theaters and the number of screens must be equal! That's the bottom line!"

"Equal?!" Raymond Chow and Raymond Leung gasped almost simultaneously.

Raymond Chow could no longer maintain his smile, his face turning pale: "Director Jiang, this... how is this possible? Shaw Brothers has four main cinema chains, plus Great Wall's own two, nearly a hundred cinemas!"
Even if both of our companies emptied their coffers and gave up all their prime time slots, we still couldn't raise that amount! Unless... unless we stop airing our own films!

This is practically draining the lifeblood of Golden Harvest and Golden Princess during the entire summer movie season!

Lei Juekun was so agitated he almost stood up: "What about our own movies? So many brothers are waiting to start work and make a living! This isn't support, this is taking our lives!"

The air in the study seemed to freeze instantly.

Jiang Fengqi looked at them coldly, her tone devoid of any emotion: "Then it depends on whether you two think that short-term gains are more important, or the long-term correct direction of Hong Kong films."

Don't forget who has been supporting the free creative environment of Hong Kong cinema. Some paths, once chosen wrong, can never be reversed.

This is a blatant threat.

She stood up, gesturing to see them off: "Send the proposal to my office tomorrow. How you proceed is up to you. What I hope to see is... wisdom that considers the bigger picture." On the return trip, Raymond Chow and Raymond Lei sat in silence, their faces ashen.

The flashing neon lights outside the window now appeared to them as mocking faces.

"Damn it! That bastard Liu Jialiang!" Lei Juekun finally couldn't hold back any longer, slamming his fist on the chair and cursing, "He wanted to prove his loyalty by dragging us down with him! Now look what's happened, that woman from the Jinma Bureau wants us to be sacrificed to feed the eagles!"

Zou Wenhuai closed his eyes wearily, rubbing his temples: "What's the use of cursing? Jiang Fengqi is just using this as an excuse to force us to take sides completely."

"If we don't give it to them, we're going against the Golden Horse Awards. Do we still want our films to be released in the Golden Horse market? Do we still want to be released in the Southeast Asian market? Do we still want to get funding from there?"

A profound sense of powerlessness gripped him; even film industry tycoons like them found it difficult to move forward in the face of immense political pressure.

Finally, after painful deliberation and emergency internal consultations, a barely cobbled-together film scheduling support plan, which was almost a concession of territory, was sent to Jiang Fengqi's desk.

Golden Harvest and Golden Princess had to grit their teeth and give up nearly half of their summer blockbuster season, including prime time slots, to support Lau Kar-leung's "The School of Martial Arts".

When the news broke, there was widespread discontent within both companies, with many films originally scheduled for summer release being forced to postpone, leading to numerous complaints.

When the details of this almost humiliating film scheduling plan were placed on Cheng Xuemin's temporary desk on the set of "Redemption" through special channels, he and Zhang Yimou were adjusting the lighting for the next shot.

Fu Qi came running up, panting, his face a mixture of anger and worry: "Teacher Cheng! Look! Golden Harvest and Golden Princess have gone mad! They've really allocated all the best theaters to Lau Kar-leung! Now our advantage in scheduling..."

Cheng Xuemin glanced at the paper filled with the list of cinemas and screening times, casually pressed it under a stack of scripts, and said in a flat tone, "I know, it's about what we estimated."

He looked up and instructed the lighting technician who was waiting nearby, "Old Zhang, add a side backlight at this angle. I want Morgan's eyes to have the reflection of prison bars."

It was as if what I had just heard was just an insignificant piece of news.

Emperor Fu Qi was not in a hurry, but the eunuch said urgently, "But... even with the support of Shaw Brothers and our theater chains, 'Shaolin Temple' will probably only be able to match Liu Chia-liang in terms of overall momentum!"
Moreover, they've made it clear they're willing to fight this war regardless of cost or profit!

Cheng Xuemin adjusted the angle of the monitor, a faint smile curving his lips: "A draw? Mr. Fu, you think too highly of them."

“Screening schedules built on administrative orders and political bets are like sandcastles on the beach; they look impressive, but when the tide comes in, you’ll find out how solid they really are.”

He paused, gazing intently at the gloomy sky outside the film set, and said, "Liu Jialiang gained the theater chain, but lost the hearts of the people, especially the hearts of Raymond Chow and Lui Kok-kwan."

Do you think these two bigwigs are feeling grateful to the Golden Horse Film Bureau and Liu Chia-liang right now, or are they seething with anger with nowhere to vent it?

Fu Qi was taken aback, then seemed to understand.

Cheng Xuemin continued, "Moreover, moviegoers are ultimately ordinary viewers. They pay for tickets to see if the movie is good or not, not to see who's behind it."

We know the quality of "Shaolin Temple" well. Now, all the focus has been drawn to this martial arts competition, and the hype has reached its peak, which is actually a good thing.

Everyone will compare these two films with a magnifying glass; true gold fears no fire.

Cheng Xuemin's calmness and confidence acted like a rock, stabilizing Fu Qi's anxious emotions.

On the set of "Redemption," the lights came back on, the actors took their places, and Cheng Xuemin shouted the familiar "Action." Everything seemed normal.

It's as if the turbulent waves of the outside world have nothing to do with this director who is focused on creating a world of light and shadow.

Liu Jialiang gripped the still-wet ink sheet of the movie schedule, his fingers trembling slightly from the pressure, his knuckles turning white.

These few thin pages feel incredibly heavy at this moment.

The list of cinema names and screening times above is so dense that it practically empties out most of the prime screening slots for Golden Harvest and Golden Princess during the summer season.

His Adam's apple bobbed up and down, as if he wanted to say something, but only made a hoarse, choked sound.

Suddenly, he took a step back and bowed deeply at almost a ninety-degree angle to Jiang Fengqi, who was sitting behind the huge mahogany desk, his forehead almost touching his knees.

“Director Jiang…Director Jiang! I…I, Liu Jialiang…what merit do I have to deserve such a great deal of effort from you…the Party and the nation! I…”

His voice was hoarse and nasal, and he was so excited that he was incoherent. He was bent over and couldn't straighten up for a moment.

Jiang Fengqi wore a perfectly measured smile, raised his hand in a gesture of support, and said, "Master Liu, what are you doing? Please get up!"
You have stepped forward to serve as a pioneer for the cultural cause of the Party and the State, so naturally we must clear obstacles and provide a stage for you. This is simply our duty.

Her gaze swept over Raymond Chow and Lei Juekun, who sat expressionless on the sofa to the side, and she spoke in a gentle yet authoritative tone:

"The arena is now set up for you, and the ammunition is ready. Now, it's up to you, Master Liu, to use 'Martial Arts School' as a cannonball to sink that flagship coming from the north in one fell swoop."

"Definitely! Definitely!" Liu Jialiang finally straightened up, his chest heaving violently, pounding his chest with a loud thud. His face flushed with excitement as he declared:
"I, Liu Jialiang, assure you! I assure the Party and the nation! I will never betray your trust and cultivation!"

"Wu School will definitely crush Shaolin Temple! We'll use our box office success and real kung fu to shut up those who doubt us!"

His declaration of loyalty, coupled with his excessively exaggerated bow, made Raymond Chow feel nauseous.

Raymond Chow picked up the tea that had long since gone cold from the coffee table, using the action of wiping away the foam with the lid to conceal the barely suppressed sneer on his lips.

He glanced at Lei Juekun beside him out of the corner of his eye.

The large, fat man had droopy eyelids and short, stubby fingers tapping unconsciously on the sofa armrest.

He seemed to be studying the texture of the leather, but his tightly pursed lips and slightly twitching cheeks betrayed the turmoil in his heart.

"Ahem." Jiang Fengqi coughed lightly, drawing everyone's attention back. "We've all seen Master Liu's determination. Very good."

She changed the subject, looking at Zou Lei and his companion, her face still bearing that familiar, formulaic smile, but with a hint of deeper meaning in her eyes, and said:

"I really didn't expect that Golden Harvest and Golden Princess would be able to put the overall situation first, overcome their own difficulties, and squeeze out such a strong amount of screenings to support us."

It seems that you two have a profound understanding and firm stance on maintaining the correct direction of Hong Kong's film market.

She paused, picked up a document from the table, and her tone became slightly more serious:

"I have given a detailed report on your performance to the Kinmen headquarters. The higher-ups are very satisfied with the awareness and responsibility you two demonstrated in this... well, special operation. They have specifically instructed that you be commended."

Upon hearing the word "commendation," Raymond Chow and Raymond Leung's ears twitched almost imperceptibly, but their bodies remained in their original positions, showing no sign of eagerness.

Having spent decades in the underworld, they knew all too well the value of such verbal praise.

Jiang Fengqi seemed to see through their thoughts and continued unhurriedly, "Headquarters has decided that in the coming year, films produced by Golden Harvest and Golden Princess that conform to the direction of promoting orthodox Chinese culture will be given priority in the review process when entering the Golden Horse Market and some Southeast Asian markets."

At the same time, we will coordinate with relevant channels to provide some... additional promotion for the overseas distribution of your historical blockbusters planned for production next year.

Zou Wenhuai steadied his hand holding the teacup, and forced a grateful smile onto his face: "Thank you for your guidance, Director Jiang, and thank you for the headquarters' understanding. We will definitely continue our efforts and make more good films that promote positive values ​​and conform to mainstream values."

He spoke eloquently, but inwardly he sneered:

Prioritizing censorship? Overseas promotion? It's all just empty promises! How can they compare to the real financial loss of screen time? They make these empty promises so easily!

Lei Juekun echoed in a muffled voice, "Thank you."

I can't be bothered to say another word.

……

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