How can you ascend to heaven when you are a star?

Chapter 433 Shooting yourself in the foot

Why did everyone fall silent and no one laugh?

In the music industry, plagiarism is a very serious matter, especially for songwriters. Once it is confirmed, virtually no singer will risk collaborating with them.

Therefore, Wu Jianghan's words were tantamount to sentencing Zhang Wen to death for his creative career.

Everyone looked at Wu Jianghan, then at Zhang Wen, and began to wonder if Wu Jianghan's words were reliable.

Some people think it might be true, otherwise why would Wu Jianghan speak so confidently and with such certainty? Others think it's fake, since the song has been released for so long, if it really plagiarized another song, it would have been discovered by netizens with their incredible abilities long ago.

Never underestimate netizens; they are full of hidden talents.

Zhang Wen looked at Wu Jianghan, who had a smug look on his face, and suddenly burst out laughing, his shoulders even shaking.

"Are you getting desperate? You even dare to say something like plagiarism? Find that song, and let everyone here judge for themselves, how about that?"

Zhang Wen chose to confront Wu Jianghan directly here.

In his view, the other party's words were undoubtedly cutting off his source of income. Once the news of plagiarism spread, how could he collaborate with other singers in the future? How could he sell his songs?

Wouldn't those remaining dozen or so songs just be a waste of money?
Plagiarism of online songs?

Nonsence!

Even if it's plagiarism, it's plagiarism of our ancestors.

No, how can you call it plagiarism when it's a song that our ancestors rewarded him with?

That's called a family tradition!

Others have family-inherited skills, but his is a family-inherited song.

Is there something wrong with it? No, there's nothing wrong with it.

When Wu Jianghan saw Zhang Wen's confident demeanor, his heart skipped a beat. Had he actually failed to intimidate him?
However, having heard the song "The Best of Us," it would be easy for him to find fault with it.

"I forgot the name of that song, but I'm sure the melody is similar."

"Forgot? Heh, you can't write good songs yourself, so you rely on slandering others to find a sense of existence? Is that all you two are capable of?" Zhang Wen's face was full of disdain, and his tone was full of sarcasm.

"Stop spouting nonsense!" Wu Jianghan shouted. "Putting everything else aside, isn't the song 'The Best of Us' just held together by that universal '4536251' chord progression? Change the arrangement and the lyrics, and what's the difference between it and those run-of-the-mill pop songs?"

Cheng Ke's eyes lit up, as if he had bought a resurrection item, and he immediately perked up, chiming in, "That's right, treating something that's been used to death like a treasure, and you still have the nerve to criticize my song? Humph!"

The two of them sang in unison, their eyes filled with smugness, as if they had caught Zhang Wen red-handed.

Those around them already knew the answer, and their eyes were filled with disdain as they looked at Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan.

I thought there was some substantial evidence to accuse Zhang Wen of plagiarism, but it turns out it was just based on the use of universal chords.

Those in the know understand that '4536251' is a common pattern in Chinese pop music. From love songs to dance music, many hit songs have used this chord progression.

However, a song has many other elements besides chords, such as harmonic structure, creative logic, and so on.

If using the '4536251' universal chord progression is considered plagiarism, then at least half of the people present have plagiarized.

Therefore, Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan's accusation that Zhang Wen plagiarized is tantamount to accusing them of plagiarism as well.

Who wouldn't be angry after hearing that?
Isn't this just a veiled attack?

Zhang Wen was not angered by Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan's words. He calmly finished the rest of his champagne and then said, "It seems that you two are quite knowledgeable about chords. Then let me talk about chords."

I thought to myself: The music knowledge I learned from Wang Qi can finally be put to use.

He didn't look at Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan again, but turned to the musicians present and said, "4536251 is indeed a universal chord, just like scallions, ginger, and garlic used in cooking. Every household may have them, but not everyone can make a Manchu Han Imperial Feast. With the same chords, some people can write 'Blue and White Porcelain,' some can write 'Love Like a Tide,' and some can write 'The Best of Us'..."

At this point, he deliberately glanced at Cheng Ke, revealing a mocking smile, and continued, "And then there are those who can only write kindergarten-level lyrics like 'eyelashes blinking,' that's the difference!"

"You!" Cheng Ke was hit where it hurt again, and his face turned bright red, like a monkey's bottom.

“Moreover…” Zhang Wen looked at Wu Jianghan, “You said that ‘The Best of Us’ relied on chords, then why don’t you try writing a song using those chords? Don’t even mention being number one for seven weeks, I’ll consider you the winner even if you can get into the top ten.”

Wu Jianghan froze instantly. How could he have such an ability?
If I could write a hit song, I wouldn't need to go on variety shows to cover other people's songs.

"And another thing," Zhang Wen's gaze fell on Cheng Ke again, and he said with a mocking tone, "I looked at the song you just sang, and it also used the '1645' chord progression, didn't it? It's even more outdated than '4536251'. How come it's considered a classic when you sing it, but plagiarism when I sing it? Did your chord progressions have a sugar daddy?"

"Ha ha!"

A burst of laughter erupted around them, and some even cheered loudly.

We are all musicians and we all understand music theory. '1645' is indeed a more basic chord than '4536251'. Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan using this to attack others is simply the pot calling the kettle black.

Seeing the reactions of those around him, Cheng Ke's lips trembled, and he couldn't speak for a long time, wishing he could find a hole to hide in immediately.

He never expected that his attempt to mock the other party and show some people would backfire, leaving him completely exposed and humiliated.

Ignoring Cheng Ke's post-stroke symptoms, Zhang Wen suddenly raised his voice and addressed the crowd loudly:

"Actually, what chords you use isn't important. What's important is whether it can move people. The reason my songs have repeatedly topped the charts and helped Future Girls go from elimination to a Golden Melody Award nomination is not because of chords, but because of emotion. That's the power of music, something that some people who only know how to tinker with chords and focus on hype can't understand!"

His words were not only a rebuttal, but also a form of publicity, aiming to let more people know him as a person, to know his songs, and to gain their recognition so that there would be more collaborations in the future.

Sure enough, after he finished speaking, many people nodded frequently, especially some songwriters, who even applauded, expressing their strong agreement.

"Well said! Only music with emotion can evoke resonance!"

"Have Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan lost their minds? How could they say such things? They're so unprofessional." "It seems the 'hit song maker' title is well-deserved. This time, I'm on Zhang Wen's side."

"..."

When the whispers reached Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan, they were completely dumbfounded. They stood there like two clowns, being pointed at and whispered about by those around them.

Even some of their close friends in the industry looked at them with strange eyes, turning into familiar strangers in an instant.

"Old Chen, Old Wu, have you two had too much to drink? If you can't drink, then don't drink." At this moment, a man walked up to Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan, took the wine glasses from their hands, and said to the people around them with a smile, "They've had too much to drink, their heads are spinning, please don't mind them."

Zhang Wen frowned slightly. The person who smoothed things over was none other than Shen Xin'an, the host of the awards ceremony whom he had met outside the club earlier.

The other party spoke tactfully, with a standard host's smile on his face, giving Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan a way out while trying to downplay the plagiarism accusation.

Could it be that Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan deliberately caused trouble, and this host was behind it?
Are there still such brainless people who are willing to be used as pawns?
Cheng Ke wasn't hopelessly stupid, so when he heard Shen Xin'an's words, his eyes darted around, and he immediately narrowed his eyes, pretending to be drunk, and said in agreement, "Yes, yes, I'm drunk, my mouth doesn't listen to my brain."

Wu Jianghan nodded repeatedly as if he had grasped a lifeline, forcing a smile, "It's a misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding, Zhang Wen, don't take it seriously, we were just joking."

"A joke?" Zhang Wen sneered, his sharp gaze fixed on Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan. He said coldly, "Does being drunk give you the right to dismiss other people's work? Does being drunk give you the right to accuse others of plagiarism? You are musicians too, you should know the consequences of plagiarism. If being drunk gives you the right to make jokes like this, who will dare to attend parties in the future?"

Wu Jianghan's smile froze. He hadn't expected the other party to hold onto the matter so firmly and expose his tricks in front of so many people. This was no longer just a confrontation between the two of them; it had dragged all their colleagues into it.

Cheng Ke's face was also very ugly. If he had known this person was so difficult to deal with, he should have done more research beforehand.

"Teacher Zhang is joking. They really did drink too much. Please don't take it to heart, Teacher Zhang. I apologize on their behalf," Shen Xin'an said, trying to smooth things over again.

Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan have already been labeled as 'framing people,' and no amount of explanation will help. At this point, only he can step forward and act as a peacemaker.

"I'm not kidding."

Zhang Wen looked at the host. Since the other party wanted to take the lead, then he shouldn't blame him for being impolite.

Face? The other person's face is less important to him than a shoe insole.

"Teacher Shen, you are the host of the Golden Melody Awards. You should know the rules of the music industry. You can criticize a work, but you can't smear it. You can give guidance to newcomers, but you can't make things difficult for them. If we just let this go, everyone will be wary of those who are drunk and acting silly. Who will be willing to put their heart into making music?"

Those around him nodded in agreement. They had thought Shen Xin'an was good at handling people and knew how to be considerate, but now they realized that this was not a way of smoothing things over, but a clear attempt to cover for him.

Shen Xin'an's face had turned a deep purplish-red, his teeth clenched tightly. The usually quick-witted man was now at a loss for what to do, his gaze furtively sweeping over the onlookers, his heart filled with doubt.

Why isn't anyone stepping forward to mediate? That shouldn't be the case.

"Everyone's here for the party, can you really bear to see the atmosphere ruined?"

As the host, Shen Xin'an was naturally unaware that when Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan accused the universal chord of plagiarism, they had already put the vast majority of people on the opposite side.

Cheng Ke clenched his fists tightly, his arms trembling slightly from the force. He had already taken in the reactions of those around him. At this moment, unless a senior of the highest caliber stepped in to smooth things over, anyone who stood up would be cannon fodder. Shen Xin'an was the best example of this.

But who cares about such trivial matters as the kings and queens of the entertainment industry?
After thinking it through, Cheng Ke gritted his teeth, suddenly bowed deeply, and said, "Zhang Wen, we were wrong. We shouldn't have spoken so recklessly and talked nonsense after having a few drinks..."

This action stunned everyone. No one expected Cheng Ke to bow and apologize, especially since he had just been arrogant and dismissive of Zhang Wen.

However, the apology sounded insincere, and it shifted the blame to the alcohol again.

What did the alcohol do to deserve this?

Seeing this, Zhang Wen's expression remained unchanged. He simply said, "There's no need for an apology. I just hope you remember that music is not a weapon to attack others. If you don't have the ability, then sing well and stop being sour about other people's achievements all day long."

Actually, he didn't intend to do anything to the two of them. He just wanted them to apologize. Being too aggressive would only make him seem petty.

Now he has received an apology and established himself as a professional musician in front of everyone. He has gained both face and substance, which is just right.

Seeing that Zhang Wen had finally relented, Shen Xin'an secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then gave a professional smile, "Since Teacher Zhang says so, then let's put this matter behind us..."

"Whether we turn the page or not is none of your concern."

Jiang Li suddenly walked over and stood next to Zhang Wen, holding a wine glass in her hand, exuding an aura of power.

“I heard what Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan said just now. As a senior, I would like to give you some advice. Instead of just talking here, you should go back and practice your singing. It’s been so long since you two released a new album. If you don’t think of a way soon, you might really be washed up by newcomers.”

These words were even harsher than Zhang Wen's, directly hitting Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan where it hurt.

One is living off his past glory, while the other maintains his popularity by covering songs on music variety shows. The key point is that they are both young, in the prime of their songwriting years, unlike those veteran artists in their forties or fifties who are enjoying life.

So embarrassed that the two wished they could teleport away on the spot.

Standing at the edge of the crowd, King Sun also spoke up leisurely, "Xiao Jiang is right. In the music industry, it's the work that matters, not who has the loudest voice. Zhang Wen's songs are popular for a reason. If you're not convinced, you can write better songs to surpass him. Playing these petty tricks is meaningless."

With both the diva and the king of singers having made their statements, Cheng Ke and Wu Jianghan knew they had already lost all face. Staying there would only make them a laughing stock, so they could only squeeze out of the crowd and slink away.

Shen Xin'an's expression wasn't good, but he quickly adjusted his mindset and smiled at the people around him, saying, "Everyone, please continue. Don't let what happened earlier affect your mood..."

The crowd glanced at Shen Xin'an indifferently and ignored him.

The way he's talking makes it sound like he's the host of the party; he really doesn't know his place.

Everyone turned their attention to Zhang Wen. If they had only heard rumors before, they now had a deeper understanding of him.

A musical prodigy, a hit song maker—he truly lives up to his reputation.

……

(End of this chapter)