Chinese Entertainment Intelligence King

Chapter 382: The Tacit Understanding with Boss Jia; The New Three Kingdoms Premieres, and the Mighty Lu Bu Makes His Appearance.

Li Xiaolu only realized the misunderstanding when she arrived at the destination with Huo Siyan.

Yan Li called Huo over for a different reason than the two women thought; he wanted her to attend a social event.

The reason Yan Li invited Huo Siyan over was that he was entertaining Jia Yueting, the owner of LeEco, today.

To put it bluntly, Yan Li came to support Huo Siyan.

Huo Siyan was a little confused. Wasn't she supposed to be an undercover agent? Why was she revealing her true identity again?

She leaned close to Yan Li and whispered a question. Yan Li was speechless: "Don't you think about it? Can you really sever ties with me?"

Regardless of their private relationship, unless Huo Siyan and Qin Lan had a falling out, it's impossible for Mr. Jia to believe that she was wholeheartedly dedicated to LeEco.

There's no need to hide this. Yan Li just told Boss Jia openly, "I know your plan. Huo is my person. I can let her bring the Teddy Sisters to help you, but shouldn't you give me something in return?"

We're all smart people!
LeEco lacks connections and resources, so it wants to find celebrities to boost its momentum, hype up its upcoming IPO, and lay the groundwork for future plans.

But this is not an easy task. LeEco is not strong enough at present and has limited ability to attract celebrities.

Don't assume that anyone can pull off a celebrity strategy. Celebrities aren't stupid; in fact, they're quite wary of many things.

Because there are so many scammers in the entertainment industry, many people are afraid of being fooled.

Most celebrities come from artistic backgrounds, have limited cultural knowledge, and have relatively closed social circles, so they don't know much about finance and investment.

Such people happen to have a decent income, and because of the nature of their profession, they feel insecure and always want to find more ways out for themselves. In addition, they have a great reputation but limited social resources, making them the fattest of the fattest sheep.

Every year, there are rumors in the industry about some unfortunate person being scammed, and some even losing everything.

However, due to their public image, reputation, taxes, and many other reasons, some celebrities are afraid to make a big fuss when they are scammed, and can only grit their teeth and swallow their anger, which further fuels the unhealthy trend.

With so many people falling for the scam, many celebrities have also become more cautious.

This is also why many outside companies find it difficult to get close to celebrities. Without an acquaintance to guide them or someone in the industry to act as a guarantor, they simply won't associate with them.

Simply throwing money at you might not work; people might suspect it's a trap. After all, there are many scams like this, or they might only exchange money and not actually do any work for you.

Therefore, if you want celebrities to work for you, to promote your business, and to contribute their time and effort, then you need to do so.

Personal relationships are inevitable; it takes time to cultivate a bond in order to gain the trust of celebrities.

Industry resources are also a valuable asset; they directly reflect your actual capabilities. Celebrities don't face much risk, and once they've tasted the benefits, they might be willing to collaborate.

You need at least one of these two things, and to grow big, you need to have both. You can imagine the resources, time, and energy required to do this.

If Mr. Jia abandons the Teddy Sisters group he has been cultivating for several years and starts making friends with celebrities from all walks of life again, it will be a huge effort.

Conversely, using the Teddy Sisters group as a foundation and then attracting and recruiting celebrities from all walks of life would be several times more efficient than LeEco doing it on its own.

Yan Li accurately predicted the importance of the Teddy Sisters to LeEco, and used this as a key point to have a conversation with Mr. Jia.

He has no shortage of Teddy Sisters under his command, and it's not about severing ties, but rather letting LeEco benefit from it.

Since they were idle anyway, LeEco took advantage of the situation, the Teddy Sisters gained some resources, and they all benefited from it. Everyone was happy.

Mr. Jia knew what was going on and was not displeased; in fact, he was happy that Mr. Yan was interested in LeEco.

Yan Li had a slightly biased view of LeEco because of future intelligence, but in reality and in Jia Yueting's mind, LeEco was still in its rise and had no special advantages other than its background.

Don't think that having connections guarantees success. There are many companies with connections, some even with powerful backing, but not every company with connections can succeed.

Yan Li saw some benefits in LeEco's rise, and Jia Yueting also hoped to leverage Yi An and Weibo's influence to enable LeEco to develop rapidly.

So the two sides had a fairly pleasant conversation and reached an agreement on some aspects.

Huo Siyan serves as a bridge and hub, representing Yan Li to some extent, but he himself has no direct connection with LeEco.

Mr. Jia was both disappointed and satisfied with the situation.

Yan Li's somewhat distant attitude made him feel that Yan Li was rather conservative and cautious about many aspects of LeEco, which was not a healthy cooperation model.

At the same time, Jia Yueting was also somewhat wary of Yan Li's reputation. If Yan Li got too close to LeEco, it would reduce Jia Yueting's own influence and power within LeEco.

This ambiguous approach—one of cooperation and connection, but without direct involvement—gives him a sense of security.

"Mr. Yan, thank you for your kind words."

"Mr. Jia, it's a pleasure doing business with you."

The two clinked glasses, leaving Gan Wei and Huo Siyan confused. What were these two up to, acting so mysteriously?

After the gathering ended, Gan Wei couldn't help but ask Boss Jia what Yan Li really meant.
"He wanted to gain benefits, but didn't want to get too involved with LeEco, so he stayed behind the scenes and had Huo Siyan act as his puppet."

Gan Wei was confused: "Why send the third brother? Wouldn't it be better for Qin Lan to handle it?"

Boss Jia shook his head: "Maybe he feels that Qin Lan has too deep a connection with him, or maybe Huo Siyan is more willing to be in the limelight. Who knows? Maybe he'll arrange for two of them to be in the dark and one in the light."

They make the lion's share of the profits in secret, while taking a small share in the open, sometimes even losing money. This kind of tactic is quite common.

Gan Wei was still puzzled as to why Yan Li wanted to distance himself from LeEco, since they weren't exactly competitors.

Mr. Jia didn't reply, which puzzled him. After thinking about it, he figured it might be because of his background. He had always heard that Yan Li was rather reluctant to discuss this matter.

That's good, it's a good thing for him. If Yan Li and the background behind him get closer, what chance will he have?

Meanwhile, Huo Siyan also asked some questions, and Yan Li didn't hide anything from her, only telling her what he could.

Huo Siyan only half understood, so she simply asked, "What's in it for me?"

"LeEco won't treat you unfairly. You'll have all the resources and prestige that a top female star deserves, and I'll also reserve some for you. You'll gain both fame and fortune."

Huo Siyan was quite happy and immediately accepted the title of "puppet" with a delighted expression.

But she clearly only knew there were benefits, without any real understanding of the amount of money LeEco's top female host and Yan Li had reserved for her.

At its peak, LeEco was an undisputed behemoth, and the resources and actual status that LeEco's top female star could access were unmatched by countless other actresses.

Although Yan Li was planning to make a fortune, LeEco had powerful backers, various investors, and Jia Yueting himself, so it was impossible for him to have a good time.

Yan Li knew exactly what he was doing. He could just gnaw on some bones, drink some soup, and make a little extra money. If he could even get a bargain later, all the better.

Even so, given LeEco's size, this is no small sum. Yan Li's 5-10% share of Huo Siyan's earnings is enough to make her a truly wealthy woman in the entertainment industry.

Of course, Huo Siyan was not without risks, but Yan Li tried his best to avoid and reduce them for her.

Even if she ended up suffering some losses, the benefits she gained would far outweigh the price she paid.

Given Huo Siyan's personality, if she had to choose between a stable, comfortable life with modest wealth and a life of power and financial freedom, she would choose the latter without hesitation.

If Yan Li were to provide a safety net for him and minimize the danger as much as possible, she would choose the latter without hesitation, and even Li Xiaolu, who was standing next to her, would be tempted.

Because Li Xiaolu was there, Yan Li didn't explain it clearly, planning to find another time to talk to Huo Siyan in detail later.

If the latter is truly unwilling, Yan Li can simply replace him.

With Yi'an going public and Wang Ou leaving to seek new development at LeEco, it's all perfectly reasonable.

Jiang Xin lacked loyalty, charisma, and organizational skills, but he was still capable of handling things.

If all else fails, Yan Li could take some risks and find an ambitious partner to collaborate with, or simply have Qin Lan keep a low profile and earn less money.

Yan Li was thinking about LeEco, while Li Xiaolu was making all sorts of small gestures towards Huo Siyan, who hesitated.

Upon arriving at Palm Springs International Apartments, Huo Siyan, unwilling to take the blame, decided to sacrifice her friend rather than herself and reported Li Xiaolu.

However, to Huo Li's surprise, Yan Li remained calm and even directly mentioned Jia Nailiang's name.

"Jia Nailiang? He's an old acquaintance."

Huang Shengyi's ex-boyfriend from back then, and now they've run into each other again. It seems like they're destined to meet again.

"Brother-in-law, did you know?"

Huo Siyan asked, and Yan Li nodded. Not to mention that he had a system reminder, even the Teddy Sisters, those big mouths, would find it hard to keep anything from him.

Li Xiaolu then realized that Yan Li knew everything. If she really wanted to play both sides, she would definitely suffer the consequences.

Huo Siyan subconsciously massaged Yan Li's shoulders, and took the opportunity to express her loyalty: "Brother-in-law, I have always been chaste and honest. I don't pay any attention to anyone who tries to chat me up."

"I know."

It was precisely because Huo Siyan performed well that Yan Li was willing to give her opportunities and would think of her when there were benefits to be had.

Leaving aside Qin, Dong, and Fan, in terms of loyalty, Wang Ou is number one, she is number two, and then Yang Rong.

Wang Ou genuinely relied on and admired him, brainwashing himself every day, even to the point of having some kind of mental illness. Yang Rong liked him and was also somewhat influenced by Wang Ou, while Huo Siyan's feelings were mixed with a lot of pragmatism and admiration for the strong.

But no matter what their mentality or purpose is, as long as they are loyal to him, Yan Li will give them what they want.

The other women who followed him each had their own selfish motives, but as long as they were honest and dutiful, they would be given the proper gifts and respect. If they were honest with each other one day, they could part ways amicably.

Li Xiaolu remained silent, and Yan Li didn't say anything either.

He wouldn't advise her to leave him, nor would he advise her to stay; the decision was up to Li Xiaolu.

After a moment, Li Xiaolu made a decision and whispered, "There are still more than two weeks until the New Year. Can you spend more time with me?"

Huo Siyan's lips moved, but she didn't speak. Yan Li nodded and even offered his opinion.

“I have a friend who works in real estate. He developed a property in Haidian and gave me an apartment as a gift. It’s worth a few million yuan. I’ll give it to you as a New Year’s present.”

The New Year's gift sounds nice, but everyone knows what this house actually represents.

Li Xiaolu bit her lip, and her petite body burst forth with tremendous strength, knocking Yan Li down onto the sofa.

Yan Li was also learning for the first time that deer could eat people...

On January 20th, the most anticipated film of the new year, "New Three Kingdoms," was finally released.

This new classic novel, with its largest investment and most hype, topped the ratings charts immediately upon its release and sparked widespread discussion.

The central topic, of course, is Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhang Jiao of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, who appeared first in the first two episodes.

The former needs no further explanation; he is an indispensable figure in the Three Kingdoms period, and the new version has naturally sparked discussions from all sides.

So far, Liu Bei and Zhang Fei are quite good; the former has good temperament and acting skills, and the latter's image is fitting. However, Hu Jun's portrayal of Guan Yu is the most controversial.

It's not that his acting was bad, but rather that Lu Shuming's version set a high bar, and many viewers felt that Hu's version of Guan Yu just didn't feel right.

The reason Zhang Jiao has sparked some discussion is that the new Three Kingdoms series unusually portrays him as a positive character.

In many previous versions of the Three Kingdoms, the Yellow Turbans were either villains, mainly to highlight Cao Cao and Liu Bei, or background figures to explain the chaotic background of the world.

The Yellow Turbans in the new Three Kingdoms series don't actually have many scenes, but in those few scenes, they portray Zhang Jiao, the Heavenly General and Great Teacher of Virtue, as a compassionate leader who wants to lead a righteous army to overthrow the tyranny of the Eastern Han Dynasty and save the world.

Even more noteworthy is that the actor playing Zhang Jiao is Tang Guoqiang, who also played Zhuge Liang in the CCTV version of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms".

The cameo appearances of the original Three Kingdoms cast in the new Three Kingdoms series have always been a selling point, and the production team has kept some secrets, waiting for everyone to discover the Easter eggs.

Originally, everyone thought that Tang Guoqiang should play Zhuge Liang's father-in-law or teacher in "New Three Kingdoms". Some netizens with wild imaginations even thought of letting him play Sima Yi's father.

But unexpectedly, Tang's cameo role turned out to be Zhang Jiao.

It must be said that the contradiction between the gravedigger of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the savior of the Shu Han Dynasty is quite intriguing.

Tang also endowed Zhang Jiao with extraordinary charm, and the line "The Blue Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise" was praised by netizens as conveying the domineering spirit of "liberating all of China".

Unfortunately, fate was unkind; Zhuge Liang died of illness at Wuzhang Plains, and the great teacher also fell at the foot of Julu City.

The death of Zhang Jiao in the third episode enabled Cao Cao and Liu Bei to earn their first fortune, and also planted the seeds of their ambitions in the chaotic world and their desire to save the world.

The opening of "New Three Kingdoms" is quite subversive for many viewers.

Zhang Jiao is no longer a villain or a background character; the Yellow Turban Rebellion finally reveals the righteousness found in history books.

Unlike the "weak" portrayal in the original novel and the old Three Kingdoms, Liu Bei was benevolent and righteous, yet possessed a heroic spirit. He vowed to restore the Han Dynasty and was no longer overshadowed by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. Instead, he became their true elder brother.

Cao Cao, unlike the stereotypical villain, is also a young general who is unconventional, generous and passionate. He reflects on the mistakes of the aristocratic families and the court because of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, and intends to clean up the court and restore the glory of the Han Dynasty.

This subversive approach has raised many questions among netizens: Is this still Liu Bei and Cao Cao?
However, at the same time, there are also many supporters who believe that historical figures are not simply black and white, but should have their own complexity and multifaceted nature.

In particular, many people who are interested in the official history of the Three Kingdoms believe that the portrayal of Cao Cao and Liu Bei in the new Three Kingdoms is in line with history.

Emperor Zhaolie should be a benevolent and heroic ruler, and Emperor Wu of Wei also thought about saving the Han Dynasty in his youth.

Yi Zhongtian, who became famous for his lectures on the Three Kingdoms, posted more than a dozen Weibo posts to defend the new Three Kingdoms.

In particular, he was very supportive and satisfied with the plot of "New Three Kingdoms" in the portrayal of Cao Cao. He praised He Wei's version of Cao Cao as magnanimous yet cunning, believing that his performance was better than Bao Guoan's, who was limited by the character design in the script of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms".

Among scholars who study the Three Kingdoms period, Yi Zhongtian may not rank highly in terms of academic merit, but in terms of influence, he is undoubtedly the most influential.

His affirmation was very beneficial to "New Three Kingdoms", and Yu Hewei even interacted with him on Weibo to express his gratitude.

However, Yan Li couldn't quite hold back. One of the annual intelligence reports this year was a review of future Three Kingdoms-themed film and television productions.

Yi Zhongtian's name is among them. In the famous scene in "The Starry Sky of the Three Kingdoms" where Cao Cao talks to him and asks about the state of the Han Dynasty, and learns that it has been replaced by Wei, he cannot hide his disappointment. This scene shattered the image of this "expert on the Three Kingdoms" in Yan Li's heart.

Even when he thinks about how the production team of "New Three Kingdoms" wanted to hire him as an advisor but missed the opportunity for various reasons, Yan Li feels fortunate.

However, now that this guy is jumping around so high, don't think that Cao Cao in "New Three Kingdoms" is also a loyal minister who helped restore the Han Dynasty, right?
In the early part of the story, this was true, but after the warlords' campaign against Dong Zhuo failed, Cao Cao seized power in a province and began to grow ambitious, eventually becoming the ruthless "Cao the Traitor".

This timeline and logic are consistent with history and human nature, but I'm afraid Professor Yi won't be able to accept it, and he might turn from a fan to a hater and start criticizing "New Three Kingdoms".

But it doesn't matter. From the moment he started making "New Three Kingdoms", Yan Li knew that this drama would inevitably be controversial.

The key is overall reputation and performance!

Controversy does not equate to a bad movie. Many so-called classics have gradually gained recognition over time.

For example, Yi An produced dramas such as "Happy Seven Fairies", "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" and "Investiture of the Gods" in her early years, which were also full of controversy and discussion when they were broadcast.

Now, many years later, one has become an indispensable mythological drama in the history of the entertainment industry, another has become Gu Long's number one drama, and yet another is also regarded as a classic.

A work like "New Three Kingdoms" cannot gain a relatively unified evaluation without two or three years of work.

Currently, there is still a significant proportion of voices supporting it, and its performance has been steadily improving, with its influence continuously growing, which is enough.

Yi'an, Weibo, Tudou.com, and relevant TV stations have all mobilized to create a massive buzz for "New Three Kingdoms," striving to make it the hottest TV series of the year, or at least the hottest in the first half of the year, in line with Yi'an's IPO plan.

When it comes to boosting stock prices, TV dramas, due to their opaque revenue sources, may not be as directly and centrally relevant as movie box office figures.

However, a hit TV series can bring widespread influence and attention, and maintain a relatively long-term and stable favorable environment.

For Yi'an, which is now in the final stage of its IPO, the influence and attention provided by "New Three Kingdoms" can play a significant positive role.

Driven by various factors, the success and popularity of "New Three Kingdoms" continued to rise. With four satellite TV stations broadcasting it simultaneously, the average viewership rating all exceeded 1, and its market share far surpassed that of its contemporaries.

A dumpling restaurant on the East Third Ring Road
After attending the social event, Yan Li, feeling a bit hungry, put on a mask and discreetly entered the room with his driver, intending to eat in a private room as usual.

Suddenly, I noticed that the TV in the lobby was showing the latest episode of "New Three Kingdoms," and quite a few people were looking up at it, even chatting and discussing it.

Yan Li stopped walking, pulled the driver to a corner seat, turned up his collar to cover his face, and planned to listen to the audience's opinions.

The episode currently airing is about Dong Zhuo entering the capital, and Lü Bu, played by Yan Li, is about to make his appearance.

After a while, Dong Zhuo and Yuan Shao clashed over the deposition and installation of the emperor. Just like the previous portrayals of Cao Cao and Liu Bei, neither Yuan Shao nor Dong Zhuo were as incompetent and foolish as the public stereotyped them to be.

Dong Zhuo is outwardly ruthless and inwardly treacherous, while Yuan Shao is full of heroic spirit; even as supporting characters, they are full of highlights.

Afterwards, Yuan Shao fled the capital, Ding Yuan attacked Dong Zhuo, and Lü Bu protected his adoptive father, marking his first appearance in the story.

"Yan Li has appeared, and his appearance is not bad."

Some customers recognized them and muttered something, while others were even more familiar with the characters: "Isn't that Chu Yunfei and Sun Desheng from 'Bright Sword'?"

Compared to the old Three Kingdoms character Lü Bu, Zhang Guangbei, who is now very popular because of "Bright Sword", is still most associated with Commander Chu.

The same goes for Yan Li. Although he has acted in many dramas, including some hits, many people still mention Sun Desheng when talking about the roles he played.

The acting was good, leaving a deep impression. Also, "Bright Sword" was constantly being rebroadcast, and many people like to watch the rebroadcasts, so naturally, the faces became familiar.

The remaining two characters are Xue Rengui and King Zhou. These two characters have a high rerun rate, and more importantly, they have a lot of screen time and a strong presence.

Shows like "Happy Seven Fairies" and "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" are rebroadcast on TV every winter and summer vacation, but the spotlight is stolen by the Seven Fairies and Lu Xiaofeng's main characters.

When Yan Li was out, if he was recognized but no one recognized him or remembered his name, he would call him Sun, Xue, or Zhou the most, and Huo Qubing was also acceptable.

Of course, due to his personal fame, a certain General Tianbao has become popular ahead of time and has considerable influence on the Internet, but Yan Li basically ignores him.

Besides being recognized as a general, Yan Li also enjoys being recognized by people based on his roles, which gives him a special sense of accomplishment.

This is because "New Three Kingdoms" has achieved remarkable success, and he boasts that he also played Lü Bu quite well, which may be another representative work of his.

Lu Bu came to the rescue, and then Ding Dong started the battle. Lu Bu showed off his skills and impressed the audience.

Prior to this, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and other fierce generals had appeared in "New Three Kingdoms" and their martial prowess had been portrayed, making them all look quite formidable.

But Yan Li's version of Lü Bu has a devastating and overwhelming presence when he appears.

Two or three Xiliang generals went up and were killed in one or two rounds. Hua Xiong, who had previously shown great prowess and was arrogant, went up but couldn't withstand three moves and fled on horseback. If Lu Bu hadn't been slow, he would have been killed directly.

Dong Zhuo, who had previously looked down on Ding Yuan, was thrown into a panic and suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Lü Bu's troops. He was furious and jumped up and down cursing.

One viewer asked, "Is Lu Bu really that fierce?"

Another person said, "The number one in the Three Kingdoms, he must be amazing."

Two young guests were excitedly discussing, "Is this the Dynasty Warriors version of Lu Bu? He's so cool, cutting through everything in his path!"

The CCTV version of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is good in every way, except that the action scenes are not that outstanding.

In the portrayal of Lü Bu, he did not reflect the fiercest warrior of the Three Kingdoms. Instead, he was portrayed as having a fickle personality. Coupled with some plot points, he gave people the feeling of a clownish character who was all bark and no bite.

Other versions of Lü Bu are either heavily modified or used to highlight other characters from the Three Kingdoms period, and they don't really showcase his exceptional martial prowess.

In this new "Three Kingdoms," Yan Li personally plays Lü Bu, incorporating his usual performance to greatly enhance the character of Lü Wenhou. With a single halberd, he utterly annihilates the enemy army.

However, that wasn't the end of it; soon after, Red Hare appeared.

This horse is a fine breed brought from Europe. It is huge and strong. Compared to ordinary horses, it's like putting Yao Ming and Guo Jingming together. It can be called a beast.

With such a magnificent steed beneath him, coupled with the brand-new, splendid armor gifted by Dong Zhuo, and his invincible halberd, he was truly a man among men, and a horse among horses. In terms of sheer presence and appearance, he even seemed more like the protagonist than Cao Cao and Liu Bei.

"..."

Listening to the audience's praise and surprise, Yan Li happily finished the last dumpling and handed his wallet to the driver.

"Settle the bills for everyone present."

At this moment, the two young viewers who had previously mentioned Dynasty Warriors muttered, "I saw in the news that Yan Li bought Red Hare himself. Well, in the show, he rides Red Hare to sleep with Diao Chan, and in real life, he rides Big Horse and sleeps with Fan Xiaopang."

"Damn it, he got to enjoy all the good fortune."

Yan Li stopped the driver and pointed at the two people from before: "This table is not paying."

　(4000/262000)

　　
　
(End of this chapter)