Chinese Entertainment Intelligence King

Chapter 391 Yi'an's IPO, a Wealth Myth, a Good Boss in China
In early April, Zhang Yimou's "Under the Hawthorn Tree" began filming in Yichang, Hubei Province, and the male and female leads also appeared at the opening ceremony.

The male lead is named Dou Yao, a complete newcomer who is currently studying at the Beijing Film Academy. He was recommended to Zhang Yimou, and this film is his first work.

The female lead is Zhao Liying, who has been in the industry for several years but is not very famous. She has played minor supporting roles and extras. This time, she was selected through a series of auditions and won the female lead role with the strong support of Fan Xiaopang.

The announcement of the male and female leads immediately caused a huge uproar, and Zhao Liying, the new "Zhang Yimou Girl," became the target of public criticism.

Why choose someone with a less-than-ideal figure and delicate features to play Jingqiu?

Unlike other actresses who have starred in films directed by Zhang Yimou, "Under the Hawthorn Tree" is based on a novel that has a significant impact, so people have their own understanding of Jingqiu.

Most importantly, Jingqiu in the original novel has a full figure, so even if you don't choose the best, there's no need to choose the worst.

However, Zhang Yimou has his own ideas on this.

The original work is a book, giving readers the imagination through words. The movie is a visual art. He wanted a naive, pure, gentle yet resilient Jingqiu, who could also contrast with the tall male lead.

Therefore, when casting the initial roles, Zhang Yimou preferred to find actresses who were slim and slender. Zhao Liying's ability to stand out from the crowd was also related to her figure.

Yang Mi, who also applied, was eliminated because of her lack of fame and figure.

Of course, even though her figure was a good match and she had a pretty and sweet appearance that fit the aesthetics and temperament of that era, it was still quite a journey for her to land the role.

One of the key issues is that he's a bit too old, because Zhang Yimou wanted someone younger, preferably in the late stages of adolescence, with a touch of childishness.

Fortunately, Zhao Liying is only in her early twenties and has a baby face with chubby cheeks, making her look incredibly youthful. She can convincingly play a minor without any awkwardness.

Zhang Yimou was still not quite satisfied because he wanted that unrefined, instinctive naiveté and immaturity.

Zhao Liying has been in the industry for several years and has a strong personality, so she can play innocent characters without any problem. But to say that she is inherently innocent is just to deceive people.

Therefore, Zhao Liying was abandoned by Zhang Yimou at one point during the later stages of the series.

But the key is that she's not perfect, and Zhang Yimou never found someone he was particularly satisfied with. In the end, he chose a high school senior, who was only passable.

At this point, the importance of having someone behind you becomes apparent.

When the opportunity is almost there, someone can give you a push and you may be able to rise to the top smoothly. Conversely, if no one supports you, even a small step can feel like an insurmountable chasm.

Fan Xiaopang first took Zhao Liying to find Jia Qian, the person in charge of artist management at Yi'an.

Jia had met Zhao Liying a few times before and remembered the young girl, which laid the foundation for their collaboration.

Fan Xiaopang stated that if Zhao Liying lands the role, he will not sign with her studio, but with Yi An, in order to gain the support of the artist management department.

Jia Qian is very interested in the company signing a "Zhang Yimou Girl". Although if Zhang Yimou agrees, the high school student could also sign Yi An, but there is also Fan Xiaopang in between.

As mentioned before, artist management has a relatively low status in Yi'an, and Jia Qian has always wanted to curry favor with a powerful figure, working together with Fan Xiaopang.

Therefore, Jia Qian was willing to express her support for Zhao Liying to the company through Yi An Artist Management Department.

Yan Li has always believed in promoting his own people. In the casting of film and television projects produced and invested by Yi An, the artist management department has a significant voice. It may not play a decisive role, but it cannot be easily ignored.

In addition to the artist management department, Fan Xiaopang also asked a senior executive from the film department for help. Afterwards, she treated Zhang Yimou and his wife to a meal, and Zhao Liying also joined them.

During the meal, aside from the initial introduction, Fan Xiaopang didn't mention Zhao Liying at all, but instead chatted quite happily with Madam Zhang.

But Zhao Liying's presence at this dinner party already proves her attitude.

Fan Bingbing is currently riding high, and even that can't keep Zhang Yimou in check, but the key is that Fan Bingbing has Yan Li behind him.

Zhang Yimou can disregard Fan Bingbing and withstand the pressure from several high-ranking officials at Yi'an, but he cannot ignore Yan Li.

Yes, Yan Li said he would not easily interfere with the casting process, and he did not show up at all.

But if Zhang Yimou isn't senile yet, he'd understand that Fan Bingbing wouldn't have gone on such a high-profile event without Yan Li's tacit approval.

Zhang Yimou is not a stubborn person. Although Zhao Liying was not his most satisfactory choice, he could accept her.

After a fierce competition, Zhao Liying finally succeeded in winning the position.

Although she has successfully risen to power, she is generally viewed with skepticism by the public, and some have even criticized her.

Don't forget that Zhang Yimou had just finished filming "A Simple Noodle Story," and at that time, his prestige was at its lowest point. Even Zhao Liying's lack of recognition was partly due to his influence.

Although there are many negative voices now, it is still a very good exposure for Zhao Liying.

Celebrities aren't afraid of being criticized, they're afraid of not becoming famous!
Since her debut in 2006, Zhao Liying has finally gained some fame, even trending on multiple social media platforms, and her Weibo followers have also increased significantly.

It's important to know that this is only the beginning of filming. If the movie does well when it's released, Zhao Liying is likely to become famous overnight. If she performs well, she can turn doubts and criticisms into positive support and her popularity will soar.

There are many actors who face various doubts before filming even begins. Some are brought down to rock bottom, while others soar to new heights.

Fan Xiaopang had a special talk with Zhao Liying, encouraging her to adjust her mindset, focus on filming, and seize this rare opportunity.

With the successful casting of Zhao Liying as a "Zhang Yimou Girl," her popularity soared, and Fan Bingbing also paid more attention to her.

If the latter performs well in "Under the Hawthorn Tree", Fan Xiaopang will continue to increase investment.

Zhao Liying was very grateful for Fan Xiaopang's help.

Don't say that Fan Xiaopang has any ulterior motives. Fan isn't her mother, so it would be strange if she didn't have any.

Zhao Liying gained Fan Xiaopang's support with almost no cost, and will continue to follow Fan in the future. Without a doubt, she will do whatever Sister Bingbing asks her to do, and do whoever she is asked to do.

It's worth mentioning that Huayi Brothers only learned that Zhao Liying had become a "Zhang Yimou Girl" when the news of the start of filming for "Under the Hawthorn Tree" was released.

But by then it was too late. In order to extricate herself from the situation, Zhao Liying terminated her contract with Huayi Brothers long before signing the contract for "Under the Hawthorn Tree" and immediately signed with Yi An.

The termination fee was paid by Yi An on behalf of Zhao Liying, and will be deducted from Zhao Liying's income thereafter.

After Zhao Liying was confirmed to star in "Under the Hawthorn Tree", Yi An directly waived the debt, which can be regarded as a way to win her over and a gift for meeting her.

The "Zhang Yimou Girls" still have weight, and with Fan Bingbing's support, Zhao Liying has become a key talent for development even though she hasn't been with Yi An for long.

The information was passed on to various high-level officials at Yi'an, and even Boss Yan paid some attention to it.

Yu Zheng also noticed Zhao Liying, but he didn't pay much attention to her for the time being. Compared to a newcomer, his current focus was on filming his new drama, "Palace".

The project "Palace" was strongly promoted by Yu Zheng, who also brought in popular actress Yang Mi as the female lead, but they couldn't find a suitable male lead.

He initially had his eye on Yan Kuan, but the latter didn't want to shave his head, so he approached Qiao Zhenyu, who then took on the role in Tangren's "Scarlet Heart".

The latter was also one of the key points that caused the conflict between Yu Zheng and the Tang people.

Originally, Yu Zheng wanted to film "Scarlet Heart", but the copyright was snatched away by Tangren Media.

Yu Zheng then discussed with Tangren Media whether they could buy the copyright. Tangren Media, however, was very interested in the book and refused to give it up, so the two sides parted on bad terms.

Zheng even poached several key members of Tangren. With Yi'an as his backer and many projects and resources at his disposal, he did have an advantage over Tangren, whose production was limited.

This move greatly displeased Mr. Cai of Tangren, and the lawsuit was taken to Yan Li.

Poaching talent is wrong, and Tangren is a company that Yi'an has been cooperating with for many years. Yan Li made a lot of noise but did little, questioning Yu Zheng and giving him an explanation before letting the matter drop in a muddle.

But Yu Zheng was not satisfied. He didn't dare to cause trouble for Yan Li, so he instigated Yi An's TV drama department to produce an original Qing Dynasty time-travel drama, which was his own work, "Palace Lock Heart Jade," to compete with "Scarlet Heart."

On the other hand, the Tang people were somewhat dissatisfied because Yan Li handled things so gently.

Originally, Yi An was supposed to be cast in "Scarlet Heart," but in the end, she wasn't given a role. If the male lead, Qiao Zhenyu, hadn't already been cast, the role might have had to be recast.

Now, even some people in the Yi'an TV series department feel that the Tang people are not particular.

The development of Tangren over the years has been inseparable from Yi'an's help. Of course, Yi'an also made some money, but overall, the cooperation between everyone has been good and mutually beneficial.

Now that Tangren has grown too powerful, it's 'grabbing' projects and hogging them all. If we don't give it a good talking-to, who will still care about Yi'an in the future?

As a result, the hardliners in the television department and Yu Zheng hit it off immediately, and the "Palace" project was approved. Yu Zheng even made a few seemingly casual remarks to Tangren Media.

However, the matter of the male lead kept Yu Zheng in limbo until finally someone was chosen.

Cui Peng, a student of the 2000 class of Beijing Film Academy, was Dong Xuan's classmate. He previously played the monk Wuhua in "The Legend of Chu Liuxiang" and had a decent reputation. The key is that he is handsome. He can pull off the bald look that most actors can't handle, and it even adds to his appeal.

In addition, Yu Zheng had another selfish motive: he wanted to compare Cui Peng, the monk Wuhua, with Qiao Zhenyu's Chu Liuxiang from "Scarlet Heart".

Not only will Cui Peng and Qiao Zhenyu, the arch-rivals from "The Legend of Chu Liuxiang," reunite, but Yang Mi and Liu Shishi, the best friends, will also have a friendly competition.

Palace (宫锁心玉) VS Scarlet Heart (步步惊心)

Yang Mi's siding with Yu Zheng, while explainable as an actress who has to follow the company's arrangements, also created a rift with Tangren Media, and even her close friends Liu Shishi and Hu Ge were affected to some extent.

But Yang Mi did not waver. Compared to her best friend and her ambiguous relationship with Hu Ge, Yang Mi now needed to seize every opportunity to climb up the social ladder.

With Yi'an going public, there are many opportunities. Now, with his children's support, Chairman Qin's influence has increased.

With the support of two people, the crucial window for surpassing Wang Ou, catching up with Fan Xiaopang, rising to the top tier, and becoming a reserve candidate for Yi An's number one sister is right in front of her. A mere best friend and a man are worth the price.

...

Yan Li knew about the contest between Yu Zheng and the Tang people, but he didn't take it too seriously.

There are all sorts of internal struggles within Yi'an Company, not to mention that Tangren is a layer away from it.

The entertainment industry is a place of fame and fortune, with too much backstabbing and infighting behind the scenes. Yan Li is not a nanny who acts as a peacemaker for his subordinates every day.

Let them fight if they want; it's just two projects, and who wins or loses won't affect Yi'an's overall situation.

As far as Yan Li is concerned, both Yu Zheng and the Tang people are a bit arrogant. It's a good thing for them to give each other a little nudge. If things go wrong, Yan Li can always step in to stabilize the situation.

Moreover, Yan Li had no time to deal with the conflict between Yu Zheng and Tang Ren at this time, as Yi An's listing had reached its final stage.

Shenzhen, a high-end hotel
Yan Li, dressed in a formal suit, arrived at the venue for Yi An's listing ceremony with several senior executives.

Following this, Fan Xiaopang led a delegation including prominent shareholders Ning Hao, Deng Chao, Wang Ou, Huang Bo, Yu Zheng, and Lin Jiachuan, who also appeared at the event. At the start of the ceremony, leaders from the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, the People's Bank of China, and the China Securities Regulatory Commission delivered speeches. Chairman Yan Li, representatives of Yi'an's management, prominent shareholder representative Fan Xiaopang, and representatives from relevant investment institutions also took to the stage to give speeches and make appearances.

Then came the most crucial and climactic part: the bell-ringing ceremony.

Yan Li stood in the middle, with Yi An's president on his left and celebrity shareholder Fan Xiaopang on his right. Together with several other senior executives and representatives, they struck the bronze bell on the stage, signifying Yi An's official listing.

The moment the bronze bell rang, the large screen in the venue displayed relevant data, and the opening price jumped out.

With a 52% increase, Yi'an's market capitalization is now 238 billion RMB!

The scene erupted in cheers, and Fan Xiaopang, who had just looked nervous, was now jumping and hopping around with Yan Li.

Yan Li managed to keep a straight face, but he still smiled and hugged the senior executives of Yi An.

It was expected that Yi'an's gains would be less than Huayi's.
Before its IPO, Yi'an was already valued at over 10 billion yuan, and its issue price was not low. Given the limited market size, the probability of its stock price doubling was too small.

A 52% increase is not low; it represents a solid performance in the upper-middle range among companies listed on the ChiNext board, which also reflects the market's recognition of Yi'an.

Yan Li even breathed a sigh of relief, as he was seeking Yi An's long-term development and steady progress was the best path.

If the opening price doubles or even triples, becoming a hot stock in the market, it might make money, but it will also attract all sorts of troublemakers, which might not be a good thing for Yi'an.

Currently, Yi'an's opening price is neither outrageous nor low, firmly holding the top spot in the industry. Everyone can make a profit, and it also saves a lot of trouble.

This is the best arrangement yet!
Of course, the opening price is just the beginning; Yi'an's stock market gains are not over yet.

While Yan Li was arranging a dinner party for everyone, Yi An was already making arrangements for publicity and promotion to boost Yi An's stock price.

Soon, various reports about Yi'an's listing began to appear online, and Weibo almost turned into a financial platform with all sorts of reports and disclosures.

Netizens were also very enthusiastic, after all, Yi An is well-known, and there are also well-known shareholders such as Yan Li and Fan Xiaopang. Everyone was curious about how much money they could make.

With much attention on the stock, Yi'an's stock price rose steadily. Some people sold at midday, causing a brief dip, but it rebounded again near the close.

Ultimately, Yi'an's market capitalization on its first day reached 251 billion yuan, a surge of several billion yuan compared to its initial offering price.

After the market closed, media outlets and netizens began to do calculations based on this data.

Let's start with Yan Li. After various stock changes and IPOs, he only directly controls 35% of the shares.

Note that this is the shareholding directly controlled by Yan Li, and about 20% of the shares are held indirectly through various companies.

This approach has many advantages, such as risk avoidance, asset confidentiality, and convenient allocation.

Putting aside other things, if Yan Li directly controls the shares, he'll be under constant scrutiny if he wants to dilute them and make some money. But if he holds shares indirectly, it's much easier to do so.

In fact, Yan Li now directly controls a significant 35% stake.

However, he is tied to Yi Anqiang, and he still needs to be in the spotlight for now, so it's fine if he gets more shares; we'll deal with that later.

Of these 55% of the shares, some are publicly disclosed and some are partially disclosed. Yan Li also holds a small portion of the shares, which are hidden quite deeply. To discover the relationship between him and Yan Li, we would need to conduct a thorough investigation.

With all shares added together, Yan Li holds more than 60% of Yi Anming's shares.

Of course, when the price reaches its peak, he might sell some to consolidate his funds.

There's no need to worry about control. Not to mention that Yan Li still holds more than 50% of the shares, he had already made arrangements before the listing, giving him more than 80% of the voting rights.

With this, Yan Li secured his position, not wanting to give the impression that Yi An was a one-man show; otherwise, Yan Li could have obtained more than 90% of the voting rights.

Ordinary netizens and media are unaware of Yi An's specific situation, so they simply use Yan Liming's 35% stake to calculate, which is approximately 88 billion yuan based on today's market value.

Some well-informed media outlets and influential figures have uncovered that Yan Li owns approximately 50% of the shares, which are worth about 125 billion yuan.

Yan Li's net worth has skyrocketed!

Moreover, considering his shares in companies like Weibo and Tudou.com, as well as other assets, Yan Li's current net worth is definitely well over 200 billion.

It shouldn't be a problem to exceed 300 billion, but the exact amount is uncertain without specific statistics.

Even so, given Yan Li's current net worth, he could easily be among the top ten on the Forbes China Rich List, and the top five or even the top three is not out of the question.

Back then, Yan Li made a bold statement that he would become China's richest man before he turned forty, and judging from his current progress...

Yan Li is still a bit too conservative!

Yan Li, born in 1980, will only turn thirty this November. Before reaching the age of thirty, he has made tens of billions of yuan from scratch, creating a Chinese-style wealth myth.

Yan Li, who was already surrounded by a halo, was further elevated to a god-like status after Yi An went public.

What's even more impressive is that Yan Li not only makes money himself, but also helps his subordinates make money.

Like Huayi Brothers, although the management team also made a lot of money, they didn't gain fame, and everyone's attention was still focused on the celebrities.

The most dazzling one is undoubtedly Fan Xiaopang.

She holds the largest stake among celebrity shareholders. Although the shares have been diluted after the IPO, they are less than 2%, and the remaining shares are still worth more than 4 million RMB, far surpassing those of Feng Xiaogang and Huang Xiaoming of Huayi Brothers.

Prior to this, there were various controversies between Fan Xiaopang and Yan Li, and Fan Xiaopang was ridiculed by various parties.

But the release of these 4 million yuan worth of stock was a slap in the face to all the mocking voices.

You laugh at people for not understanding love, but they laugh at you for not having 4 million!

Moreover, this 4 million is only for stocks; it's unclear how much Yan Li gave him privately, and it's also unclear how much Fan Xiaopang earned after becoming a big star.

According to sources, Fan Xiaopang's actual net worth should be between 6 and 8 million yuan, making her a true super-rich woman in the entertainment industry.

What Huo Siyan earned at Huayi Brothers was nothing compared to Fan Bingbing's earnings; she wasn't even worthy of carrying his shoes.

Not to mention Fan Xiaopang, she can't even compare to Wang Ou.

Despite being relatively unknown under Fan Xiaopang's shadow, Wang Ou's stock holdings are now worth over 100 million yuan, making her a true multi-millionaire.

From a small-time model sharing an apartment to now being worth over 100 million yuan, Wang Ou is filled with mixed emotions and has unwavering faith in his choice.

Embrace beauty and grace, and enjoy a blissful life!
Meanwhile, Ning Hao, Deng Chao, Huang Bo, Lin Jiachuan, Yang Mi and others also made their fortunes, ranging from over 100 million to tens of millions, and they were all all smiles.

Some of Yi'an's core middle-level managers also posted pictures of their shares on Weibo.

They received a small share, but it was still worth a lot of money, ranging from several million to several hundred thousand.

This has aroused envy among many netizens!

People like Fan Xiaopang have special and distant identities, and they receive a lot of money. People are amazed but that's it; they don't have a direct understanding of how much money they have.

However, the middle-level core members of Yi'an are not so far removed from everyone else; hundreds of thousands or millions are within the comprehension of ordinary people, so the impact is greater.

There was also a mid-level manager from Yi'an who, whether genuinely feeling something or just trying to curry favor, posted his thoughts on Weibo.

He was one of the earlier employees to join Yi'an Publishing House. When "Happy Seven Fairies" was released, he was a member of the distribution department.

Starting from the bottom, I first worked in distribution, then in field promotion, and later focused on film distribution, eventually rising to the middle management level.

He has a low level of education, no outstanding skills, and isn't very good at handling interpersonal relationships.

What he can boast about is his down-to-earth work ethic and diligence. Many colleagues jokingly say that he's just waiting for seniority, but he kept waiting and eventually earned the initial shares from Yi'an.

The shares are few, currently worth only around 80 yuan, but combined with his savings from work, it's enough for him to settle down in Beijing.

He also joked that when he first joined the company, there were few people, and Yan Li would sometimes personally lead them and give them pep talks, saying that he would make sure that each of them could afford to buy a house in Beijing.

Not everyone achieved this goal, but for Yan Li, it was a fulfillment of his initial promise.

Yi An distributed its original shares widely, and many people found them rather "useless," as if there was no need to give them original shares. However, Yan Li still gave them to them.

Just as Yan Li said in an internal meeting at Yi'an, we've all been through hardship together, so let's also enjoy some sweetness together.

He didn't want to say that Yan Li was the best boss, since everyone felt uncomfortable under pressure, but he did want to say that joining Yi An was one of the best decisions he ever made.

This Weibo post sparked a lot of discussion.

Yan Li has many flaws, but he also has many merits. He is protective of his own, sentimental, and relatively generous to his subordinates. Compared to other terrible bosses, he is practically a model boss.

Later, this Weibo post also reached Yan Li, who even left a comment there with only eight characters: "[Flattery doesn't even get you a raise]".

This joke both indirectly acknowledges the employee's flattery and leaves room for maneuver through its satirical tone.

Yan Li didn't want to cultivate a "good boss" persona for herself, or rather, she could be a good boss, but not too good.

A kind heart cannot command an army. If someone is put in a difficult position and something goes wrong later, such as cutting benefits or laying off staff, the more they are praised now, the harsher they will be later.

Therefore, it's acceptable to cultivate a "good boss" persona, as it can help unite and attract talent. However, one shouldn't set it too high, lest it backfire.

However, some things are not something Yan Li can simply put on the brakes for.

He created his own wealth myth, leading a large group of employees to get rich, and truly satisfied the G-spot of countless working people. No matter how humble and low-key Yan Li was, he was also elevated to the throne of "China's Best Boss".

Fortunately, Yi An and Weibo also benefited greatly from this, becoming more united internally, and the HR department received a large number of resumes.

Even some of the companies that Yan Li has invested in have a better impression of him and are more welcoming to him.

In short, everyone wants to get rich by following Boss Yan!

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

P.S.: I've researched the listing process and various data, but it's too complicated. Yi'an's situation is also unique, and I can't find a reference point. I'm even unsure about the issue price; too low or too high wouldn't be appropriate.

So, to give a rough estimate, I'll just use the total market capitalization. This saves on data calculations and is easier for those who don't understand it to understand.
　(4000/283000)

　　
　
(End of this chapter)