Huayu Chunqiu, starting from being adopted by a fairy mother

Chapter 414 Former Employer

Bai Bing is very concerned about the Hong Kong Film Awards reforms and wants to know which changes will be most beneficial to her artists.

The existing structure has become entrenched; only through reform can new forces rise to power and new opportunities arise.

Of the six major film awards in China—the Hong Kong Film Awards, the Golden Horse Awards, the Golden Goblet Awards, the Hundred Flowers Awards, the Huabiao Awards, and the Golden Rooster Awards—she felt that the Hong Kong Film Awards, after its reform, were the closest.

She personally nurtured the Best Actor and Best Actress winners, which is also Bai Bing's path to becoming a legend.

The other five awards are beyond her reach, not even the Spring and Autumn Period could change them.

No matter how high Spring and Autumn's status is in mainland China, it cannot influence the three major awards. Golden Harvest, however, is different; it has the power to influence the Hong Kong Film Awards.

Moreover, in Bai Bing's view, what the boss and Chen Jiashang were plotting was not reform at all, but a revolution against the Hong Kong Film Awards.

It's normal to encounter many obstacles; it's impossible for any new measure to gain the approval of everyone.

If successful, Golden Harvest will definitely gain more say in the business.

But judging from Chen Jiashang's words, the other party is not against reform, but rather people who oppose reform.

It's either because of Ms. Min or because of the boss; there are only these two possibilities.

"My old employer isn't very magnanimous." Liu Jing was also taken aback; he hadn't expected this answer.

His mind wasn't on Chen Jiashang, so he called Bai Bing over to distract himself.

Yang Mi wanted to apologize to Qianqian in person. What's the situation now? What did they say to each other?
He felt incredibly uneasy, so he called to ask, which only made him feel even more uneasy.

“Their family has always been petty.” Chen Jiashang said expressionlessly. He knew all too well about what happened to President Min back then and Liu Jing’s career path, so he couldn’t comment.

"Shortly after Hong Kong's return to China, the youngest member of the Heung family withdrew from the film industry, handing over the entire Wing Shing franchise to the tenth member. I left Wing Shing around that time, and Sister Min left even earlier. There's nothing to hide about Sister Min and the youngest member. They parted amicably after their past relationship, and now everyone has moved on with their lives. We don't have much of a conflict with the youngest member; he's a decent person. However, Sister Min and the tenth member had a significant conflict because of some issues. Five or six years ago, Wing Shing wanted to expand into the mainland market, and Sister Min, angered by this, sabotaged it. The tenth member's wife, seeking revenge, instigated Zhang Yushan to target Hua Yang, and Sister Min directly confronted her..." They were expelled from the mainland. I encountered some things where they kicked me more than twice. When Sister Li acquired Golden Harvest, they didn't play a good role either. I was able to establish myself in Hong Kong back then without their help. Out of consideration for past relationships, I never thought of revenge. When "The Yin-Yang Sacred Flame Order" was being prepared, Fatty Wang even asked them if they would invest. Perhaps because "The Demon Cult Master" had lost so much money, they ignored him. Later, "The Sacred Flame Order" became a box office hit, and they probably felt resentful, so they became even more hostile towards Chunqiu. Liu Jing recounted the story in detail, while Chen Jiashang was reluctant to speak, as he had nothing to hide.

Now Zhang Min is able to face that past squarely, and those events are like fleeting clouds, completely forgotten.

Zhang Min has come to terms with it, and Liu Jing has even less to worry about. This is the path he came from, an unforgettable experience.

Bai Bing had heard some of these stories, experienced some of them personally, and was completely unaware of others.

At this point, she realized that she had collected a lot of information for her boss over the years, and while other companies had responded, this one had remained silent.

"Haha, many people in Hong Kong say that you saved Wing Shing's life back then. Without you as their mascot, they wouldn't have made it to the handover," Chen Jiashang laughed.

That kid really knows how to avoid the important issues. Zhang Min has done more than just trip them up; she has been relentlessly targeting them for the past few years, forcing them to stay in Hong Kong and unable to enter the mainland market.

Women are generally petty, but Zhang Min is especially petty.

When Zhang Min returned to the mainland, her acting career was unsuccessful, and her business ventures also failed. Her enemies tried everything to sabotage her. They wanted her to fail miserably and return home obediently. But she was stubborn and refused to look back.

Later, when they had the ability, it was only natural for them to retaliate.

This cycle of revenge will never end. In the long run, it'll be impossible to tell who's right and who's wrong. Anyway, whatever you're going to do, I'm not going to let you do it well.

Chen Jiashang secretly realized that he must never offend Zhang Min again. Being petty was one thing, but the real problem was that Zhang Min also wielded power.

"There's no question of extending their careers or not; they are also symbols of an era. Back then, Wing Shing truly carried the banner of Hong Kong's film industry, and many veterans active in the film industry today have intricate connections with them." Liu Jing sighed, "When I first started out, I never imagined that it would be the most glorious era for Hong Kong and Taiwan films and television."

"Besides the friendship from back then, they have nothing else to show off," Bai Bing said dismissively.

"Ignore it, don't bother with it." Liu Jing said calmly. The behemoth of yesteryear was now nothing more than this. I'll ignore your petty tricks, but if they accumulate, I'll settle the score and wipe you out.

This isn't Hong Kong; other methods aren't very effective here. Without those methods, they're pretty much the same.

"Director Chen, what did the organizing committee say? Does this mean the matter has been stalled because of their opposition?" Bai Bing secretly kept this in mind. I wasn't involved in your past, so it's inconvenient for you to take action. If they target you again, I'll help you get revenge.

I'm the only one who can bully my boss, and... well, there's also the boss's wife. And then there's General Min. Okay, and there's Commander Gao too. Wow, there are so many people.

Favorability +1
Liu Jing was surprised. What did I say that touched a nerve with Bai Bing? Why did her favorability rating increase inexplicably?

Bai Bing's current favorability rating is 98 points, and she hasn't made any moves in a long time.

Of all these women, if you had to pick one he'd been with the most, it would undoubtedly be his assistant.

There was no other way; everyone else was separated for long periods, so the two of them had the most opportunities to be together.

No matter what I do or say, the assistant's favorability rating remains unchanged.

"The minority must submit to the majority. The Shao family's opposition is not strong, and the Xiang family's opposition is ineffective." Chen Jiashang felt a chill in his heart. This little girl's eyes were charming, but just a moment ago they were so sharp. He, a seasoned veteran with extensive experience, was actually somewhat unable to resist.

"Chairman Chen is so impressive." Bai Bing smiled brightly and quickly praised Chen Jiashang.

After praising her, Chen Jiashang hadn't even had time to be happy when Bai Bing asked, "Chairman Chen, with so many nominations for 'Painted Skin,' can Xixi win Best Actress?"

On February 11, the nominations for the 28th Hong Kong Film Awards were announced, with "Painted Skin" receiving 13 nominations.

The film was nominated for Best Film, Chan Ka-sheung for Best Director, Chan Ka-sheung, Lau Ho-leung, Kwong Man-wai and Lau King for Best Screenplay, Lau Yi-fei for Best Actress, Sun Li for Best Supporting Actress, Wong Yue-tai for Best Cinematography, and "Painting Heart" for Best Original Song. Other nominations included Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Action Design, Best Sound Effects, Best Visual Effects, and Best Original Music. It was arguably the most dazzling film of the night.

Besides *Painted Skin*, *Under the Wall* received a Best Asian Film nomination, and Zeng Li received a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role in *Red Cliff*. The awards ceremony will be held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre on April 19.

Since the nominations were announced, Bai Bing has often muttered to herself, "Reforms today, reforms tomorrow, this isn't the same as before, nothing has changed."

She also complained to her boss, "Wouldn't Chen Jiashang take the benefits and then not do the job?"
“Difficult, difficult, difficult…” Chen Jiashang sighed, and before Bai Bing could ask any more questions, he continued to explain, “The reason why ‘Painted Skin’ received so many nominations is because of its achievements, which made it a must-see. Hong Kong filmmakers believe that ‘Painted Skin’ is just a mainland film disguised as a Hong Kong film. Although I am the chairman of the Hong Kong Film Awards, my influence over the selection results is limited. In the end, ‘Painted Skin’ will likely only win some minor awards.”

It would have been better not to explain; the explanation only made Bai Bing more confused. Her usually intelligent face was now filled with bewilderment. She stared at the boss with her mouth agape, saying, "Please explain it to me; I don't understand what he's saying."

"Director Chen's move north, his bold use of mainland actors, and his reliance on domestic funding for filmmaking offended some Hong Kong filmmakers. Furthermore, his reform efforts infringed on the interests of the traditionalists. Those supporters might not say anything openly, but when it came to actually voting, they cast their votes for Director Chen reluctantly. Whether it's the traditionalists trying to save face or the reformists showing sympathy, this year's award winner should be a purely Hong Kong film." Liu Jing didn't disappoint his assistant, explaining clearly and bluntly.

"So, does that mean Sisi has no chance of winning Best Actress?" Bai Bing also knows how to focus on the key points.

"You can't say that. Until the very last moment, no one can say for sure who will win the award. Actually, being nominated is a form of recognition. All five nominated actors have their merits, and their performances are quite similar. Winning an award is also a game, a game of relationships, a game of emotions, it's quite complicated," Chen Jiashang explained.

"If we sacrifice other awards and focus solely on this one, is Chairman Chen confident?" Bai Bing didn't care about the power plays; she just wanted to see the result. Since the boss was reluctant to bring this up, she would do it herself.

Chen Jiashang smiled wryly. This "Chairman Chen" was indeed not a pleasant sound. So this was what they were waiting for.

“I’ll give it a try.” Chen Jiashang sighed. Seeing that Bai Bing was about to speak, he quickly pushed the documents over. “This year’s Hong Kong Film Awards will continue the tradition of the past. Here are some reforms for next year’s awards. Films are open to all Chinese-language films, including Hong Kong and Taiwan films, mainland films, and co-productions. The Best Film award will be split into two categories: Best Chinese-language Film and Best Hong Kong Film. The acting awards will not be subject to the dual-track system, but the Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best New Performer awards will retain at least two slots for Hong Kong permanent residents.”

"Great." Bai Bing's eyes lit up. Opportunities for mainland artists are increasing, which is a good thing.

She studied law and immediately spotted the loophole: "What if all five nominees are mainland Chinese actors?"

"Twenty-five people? Surely there can't be even two Hong Kong residents? Whether it's a co-production or a mainland-funded film, Hong Kong actors are frequently seen. They are the main force of Chinese entertainment films." Chen Jiashang said dismissively.

"Is that so?" Bai Bing smiled slightly and did not argue.

More than a decade ago, Hong Kong films dominated the market, and the cast was full of people from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Now, it seems like only half of them are from Hong Kong. We'll have to wait and see in a few more years; it's really hard to say.

Arguing about these things is pointless. No matter how different Chen Jiashang is or how much he leans towards the mainland, he is still a Hong Kong director at heart.

"What else has changed?" Liu Jing didn't want to argue. Whatever you say, why waste your breath? What difference would it make if he convinced Chen Jiashang? He wouldn't eat half a bowl of rice more.

If Huo Wenxi had said these things, Liu Jing would definitely have tried to persuade her; he couldn't stand her showing off.

"Establish a Hong Kong film revival fund, impose a 5% tax on mainland co-productions, and require half of the Hong Kong Film Awards broadcast revenue to be donated to support Hong Kong films and filmmakers..."

Liu Jing quickly flipped through the documents. He already knew a lot of the information, but it was the first time Bai Bing had seen it. She kept asking Chen Jiashang questions.

Half an hour later, the assistant was still eager to continue, saying that the reform was not yet thorough, but it was already much better than before.

She believed that one day, the Hong Kong Film Awards would become what her boss wanted, no, what she wanted.

She carefully put the materials away and placed them in her bag, intending to study them word by word when she got back—a natural trait instilled by her university major.

"Hey! These are from 'Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio', right?" Bai Bing accidentally took the materials from the shopkeeper's side and was about to return them when she saw the information on them.

"Yes! Old Chen wants to industrialize 'Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio' and bring each story to the screen. These are the classic pieces he selected. We want to choose one to test the waters, minimizing the risk of adaptation and keeping the cost under tens of millions, to verify the feasibility of this project," Liu Jing explained.

“What’s there to choose? Of course, we’ll choose ‘Nie Xiaoqian’.” Bai Bing’s eyes sparkled; her eyes shone as brightly as “Painted Skin”.

When "Painted Skin" was filmed two years ago, Golden Harvest was just one of the investors, and she was just a small agent who couldn't participate much.

If we were to remake "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio," she would be the standard-bearer, able to place actors and participate in the production.

"Taiji is preparing to remake 'A Chinese Ghost Story' and is currently writing the script." Chen Jiashang sighed, "Just like your boss, he's got his eye on 'Nie Xiaoqian'."

"Have they filed a record?" Bai Bing pressed.

"It seems... not yet." Chen Jiashang shook his head.

"Registration doesn't matter. 'Nie Xiaoqian' has a classic version to follow, so surpassing it will definitely be difficult, but it also has a broad audience base. Even if it's bad, it can still rake in tens of millions at the box office. Why are the Four Great Classical Novels being remade one after another? It's because there's a guarantee. With Director Chen's support, the reputation of 'Painted Skin,' and the foundation of 'A Chinese Ghost Story,' the story of Nie Xiaoqian is the best choice with these three advantages." Bai Bing was also quite surprised. Two great directors, can't they see this?
“Taji wants to film it too. Does that mean we should cooperate with them? But this is a project led by them, so we probably won’t have any say in it.” Chen Jiashang muttered to himself. Just a moment ago he was Chairman Chen, and now he’s Director Chen.

"They can film theirs, we can film ours, why should we cooperate?" Bai Bing retorted. If I have no say, then what's the point of playing this game with you? However, I can force you to cooperate with me, turning the tables and taking the initiative.

“But…but they just acquired the copyright.” Chen Jiashang scratched his head.

"What copyright? Did they pay Pu Songling the copyright fee? They made 'A Chinese Ghost Story,' we made 'Nie Xiaoqian,' so we don't need to pay them the copyright fee, just the original author. Does that mean they can make it, but we can't? There's no such rule. If you feel bad about it, April 4th is Qingming Festival, it's only a few days away, burn some extra paper money for him then." Bai Bing blinked her eyes.

Liu Jing and Chen Jiashang looked at each other in disbelief. Was this even possible?
"Young people have such fresh minds, while our thinking is so rigid." Liu Jing slapped his forehead, "How stupid of me, how come I didn't think of that?"

He just heard Chen Jiashang say that Taiji was going to remake "A Chinese Ghost Story", and he immediately gave up the idea. His little assistant is really clever.

Bai Bing rolled her eyes. "Little brother, you're a year younger than your older sister, but your thinking is definitely old-fashioned. If I hadn't seen your ID card, I would have thought you were born in 1968."

"You're not going to do what Taiji did and cast Liu Jing as Ning Caichen and Liu Yifei as Nie Xiaoqian, are you?" Chen Jiashang smiled wryly. Young people don't have martial ethics. Although there's no rule against it, it still feels very awkward.

"They have this idea?" Bai Bing asked in surprise. Inviting these two to join forces would cost tens of millions.

“Yes, about a month ago, Mr. Lan from Taiji contacted me, wanting to invite me to direct.” Chen Jiashang nodded.

"So, Director Chen knows their script?" Bai Bing quickly asked.

(End of this chapter)