Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 427 Hurry! Call Zhang Wuji (Bonus chapter for the Silver Boss and the Pig-shaped Monchhichi)
As the eighth anniversary celebration of Wenjie was in full swing, Huayi's core shareholders, artists and directors, were also enjoying a lively dinner.

Unlike Wenjie, Huayi has always fostered internal competition among its artists.

However, the early battles between the two armies were too intense, and the level of conflict at that time has now been completely curbed.

However, in the past two years, the company's artist system has become increasingly large, but also increasingly distinct.

After Li Binbin stepped down from his leading role, the rivalry between Zhou Xun and Bingbing, which the two Wangs had been hoping for, never materialized.

One is a movie star obsessed with romance, a passionate and talented actor;
One is a stunningly beautiful leading lady, a fashion queen who is single-mindedly focused on her career and networking.

Dajun and Xiaolei naturally followed suit, secretly encouraging and instigating the competition between the two Huayi actresses, and also vigorously supporting the rise of the young actress Yang Mi.

Their thinking was simple and straightforward: these core shareholders absolutely could not unite as one, otherwise, given the recent surge in share issuance and financing, there was a small chance that control of the company would fall into other hands.

It's only a small probability, but we must be prepared.

Unfortunately, at today's banquet, the company's artists were clearly united in silence.

The one speaking out is still a leading actress; she seems to always be so persistent and pioneering in fighting for her rights.

Fan Bingbing downed her drink in one gulp, her face flushed with the rosy hue of a peach blossom after a flood: "Boys, you can drink as much or as little as you like today, but it's best to make things clear."

"It's not that we're not taking advantage of the situation, it's just that in the past two or three years, everyone has put in real money and worked hard to follow the company, but so far we haven't seen a single penny of return."

“We understand that this share issuance is intended to strengthen our position in theatrical releases and compete with Wenjie, but why should we be the casualties?”

Zhou Xun, unusually, played the supporting role for her: "Bingbing's words are reasonable and well-founded, and they reflect the current situation."

"It's only natural for everyone to follow the company forward, but compared to Boss Ma and President Deng, is our hard-earned money even worth anything?"

“It is unreasonable to conduct this share issuance as the last step before the IPO, which so blatantly dilutes everyone’s shares.”

Wang Dajun remained calm, holding his wine glass and listening with a smile to the two senior women from Huayi: "Calm down, calm down. Today is just a dinner with everyone. We can talk about any opinions later."

He turned to a round-faced actress from Huayi Brothers beside him: "Liying, you're a newcomer, be more proactive and show respect to the senior actresses like Bingbing and Zhou Xun."

Xiao Zhao, who was not supposed to be present today, looked somewhat gloomy, but contrary to his usual self, he was not reserved and drank heartily, which drew attention.

This slightly eased the awkward atmosphere.

Wang Xiaolei looked displeased, but with his older brother keeping him in check, he didn't dare to cause any trouble and just kept drinking his wine in silence.

He winked at his deskmate, Xiao Gangpao, preparing to undermine the passively united artists and directors from within the enemy ranks.

Just as the employers and employees were locked in a tense power struggle, an unexpected voice suddenly spoke out.

It wasn't Secretary Li knocking on the door; it was a "traitor" within the united artist group.

Amidst everyone's surprised gazes, Yang Mi raised her glass and said with a charming smile, "Presidents Wang, let me say a few words from my heart."

"When I first started out, I played Guo Xiang as a supporting role to my best friend Qianqian. Although we were good friends, everyone has to fight for themselves and strive for something."

"Watching her rise to fame day by day, I was happy for her, but I also secretly put pressure on myself to make a name for myself as an actress!"

"So I left Rongxingda. I am very grateful to Sister Shaohong and Sister Xiaowan for saving me at that time, but I still came to Huayi."

As Yang Mi spoke, she became somewhat emotional, but her tiny bit of acting seemed rather laughable to Zhou Xun at the next table, yet it was also incredibly effective.

"It was Huayi Brothers, the two bosses, and director Xiao Gang who gave me the opportunity, which led to my participation in this co-production, The Forbidden Kingdom, this year."

"Although the film industry suppressed us in terms of screenings, we still managed to get 1.2 million yuan in box office revenue in the first week." Yang Mi puffed out her small, bulging chest, her self-satisfaction and pride were hard to discern.

It was done so subtly that it left no trace.

After a few words of introduction, Yang Mi stood up, holding her glass, her emotions slightly agitated: "I will continue to participate in this share issuance, and I urge everyone here: we've come this far, shouldn't we stand with the company through thick and thin?"

"Great!" Wang Xiaolei clapped his hands and stood up, pouring himself a glass of baijiu: "Mimi, thank you for your strong support. I'd like to toast you on behalf of the company."

"To you, Mr. Wang."

"cheers!"

Da Mimi ignored the group of directors and actors who looked puzzled. After all, she wasn't the one who was going to be the sucker and spend money on these worthless stocks; her best friend would foot the bill.

But you're the one who gained face in front of the company's bigwigs, was the first to pledge allegiance, and responded enthusiastically.

Huayi's resources are still her most important means of boosting her career, so how could she not try to get closer to the two leaders and the big director Xiao Gangpao?
Have you not heard that when Wang Jinhua left, it was Fan Bingbing who was the first to clearly choose to stay, which is why she has her current status?
As for what her "best friend" Liu Yifei wanted the stock for, she said she never suspected that the purpose was fake, especially after she and Lu Kuan established a relationship.

What's the point of doubting it?

She herself also relies on the title of Liu Yifei's best friend to gain popularity, participate in events, and gain fans. Da Mimi is even considering whether to market a CP concept between herself and Xiao Liu to completely bind them together.

Furthermore, no matter what Liu Yifei wanted to do, Lu Kuan would always be there to back her up.

Before you have the ability to turn against or resist, why not cooperate with Liu Yifei for mutual benefit, instead of separating for mutual harm?
When it comes to judging situations and assessing circumstances, Yang Mi is a top-notch shrewd person in the entertainment industry.

Without a doubt, if one day she feels she has the power to challenge Xiao Liu, for example, by relying on the coal tycoon Xu Jin and his family behind her, she will not hesitate to switch sides.

However, compared to other elite soldiers, her vision was a step below.

The leading actresses possess the decisiveness and resilience of men, while Yang Mi is merely a petty, calculating woman—the difference is like night and day.

Bingbing didn't care how this up-and-coming actress tried to win her over. With an unpleasant expression, she stood up and quickly suppressed this reactionary act of "defection."

Besides, is it even your place, Yang Mi, to be the first to speak out now?

"Honey, come have a drink with me."

Both of them were at the main table. Fan Bingbing remained seated, unmoved. The spotlights in the banquet hall cast a dark red halo on her thick black hair, making her meticulously drawn willow-leaf eyebrows appear even more sharp.

"Sister Bingbing, let me rest for a while. I just drank two ounces of liquor and I'm still a little tipsy!" Yang Mi pretended to be naive.

She knew perfectly well that the leading actress wanted to deflate her arrogance to her face, but dared not directly confront her.

As I said before, it will come in handy.

"What's the big deal about a small cup? You're the most stylish girl in Beiping, aren't you?"

Bingbing's red lips parted to reveal eight porcelain-white teeth, her standard business smile tinged with a predatory gleam.

Wang Xiaolei naturally couldn't let Yang Mi lose face. Otherwise, after just expressing his strong support, if Fan Bingbing slapped him in the face, wouldn't that be the same as hitting the two brothers?

Moreover, the Wang brothers seem to be gradually losing control of their leading lady, whose development and resources seem to have exceeded the company's capacity to provide.

Zhou Xun is too laid-back and too love-obsessed; it's time to support Yang Mi, who has high emotional intelligence, great potential, and is exceptionally sensible.

"Bingbing, let me toast you first, let Mimi rest for a while." Wang Xiaolei gave Fan Bingbing plenty of face, displaying the gentlemanly manners of drinking with a lady, and picked up the small pot himself.

If it were Bingbing from the early 2000s, he wouldn't have received this kind of treatment.

"Okay." Fan Bingbing's eyes flashed with a playful glint as he generously raised his glass in agreement, his attempt to put Yang Mi down was not a one-off event.

"When people are in high spirits, what's the harm in drinking?"

"Let me toast my junior colleague who's about to break into Hollywood." Another person at the table joined the fray, making the already tense atmosphere even more captivating. The actors and crew members at the next table, who were drinking and eating, almost all stopped eating.

Bingbing was surprised that Zhou Xun stepped forward. The latter stood up gracefully, and Yang Mi was overwhelmed by her gentle yet sharp aura. Her bottom had barely touched the stool when she lifted it up again.

"Sister Xun..."

Zhou Xun's voice was still a little rough: "We were colleagues at Rongxingda, and now we're together again at Huayi. With 'The Forbidden Kingdom' doing so well at the box office, I want to congratulate you with this drink."

Yang Mi was inwardly groaning. She was only concerned with handing knives to the two kings and surrendering to Fan Bingbing. This was because after confirming her relationship with Liu Yifei and Lu Kuan, the astute Yang Mi had already chosen the other side of the scale.

But what's with Zhou Xun suddenly appearing out of nowhere?
She and Fan Bingbing are rivals! Why is she now helping Fan Bingbing save face for herself?

Regardless of the actual relationship between Fan Bingbing and Zhou Xun, on this occasion, Zhou Xun, having been instructed by someone, had to fully support Bingbing.

Because Lu Kuan needed these artist shareholders to reach an agreement, he wanted to put pressure on Huayi through a performance-based agreement.

This is the double insurance mentioned earlier.

Yang Mi dared not refuse, nor could she refuse. She chose to refute Fan Bingbing at this moment because she knew that she had the support of the two kings.

But offending Zhou Xun at the same time would be a losing proposition.

"Sister Xun, you are my senior and mentor, so I should toast you with this glass of wine." Da Mimi's expression returned to normal in an instant, and she took the initiative to call a taxi to toast him with a full glass of wine.

His movements were swift and decisive, and his expression was one of complete willingness, though a hint of cunning that he couldn't quite hide was unmistakable.

Zhou Xun knew that Yang Mi was a sharp-witted person. Since she had already humbled herself so much, there was no reason for her to make things difficult for her. She smiled and toasted with Yang Mi as if nothing had happened.

Wang Dajun watched all this with a cold eye. Zhang Jizhong was busy with the post-production of "The Deer and the Cauldron" and did not attend the banquet today. The only person with any influence present was the famous director Feng Xiaogang.

The latter, having received a tactful look, coughed lightly twice, raising his fist.

"Everyone, let me tell you about the current situation."

Not only the main table, but also the actors at the neighboring tables all perked up to watch him.

There are only a handful of people in China who can make commercial films and consistently achieve stable box office returns and audiences. Moreover, Xiao Gangpao has worked his way up in the Beijing film circle and is now considered a prominent figure, even though he was once just a grassroots peasant in the eyes of the elites.

In addition, his patriotic film "Assembly" unexpectedly beat the star-studded "The Warlords" before the Lunar New Year, only ranking below "The Sky of History". In the food chain of the film industry, Pants' voice carries considerable weight.

"There are only a few film and entertainment companies in our country. If we talk behind closed doors today, I won't lie because I'm a shareholder of Huayi Brothers and a close friend of the two Mr. Wangs."

“Currently, Director Lu and Wenjie are undoubtedly at the top of the industry. Everyone envies them. Every film they make wins awards, makes money, and receives countless accolades.”

The seemingly complimentary but actually derogatory tone shifted, and Feng Xiaogang lightly tapped the table, baring his teeth: "But have any of you thought about this question?"

"Will anyone take you out to play?"

"The directors of Wenjie are all introduced and cultivated by Lu Kuan himself, and the actors under his wing basically occupy various tracks, with fixed types of roles in different tracks."

What's the reason behind this?

Feng Xiaogang looked around and said, "He takes a lot of cut from these kinds of artists! He earns a lot of money. Isn't he the biggest capitalist in the film industry?"

"Bingbing, Zhou Xun, you've both worked with Lu Kuan, but did he let you join the company? No!"

"But what about Huayi?"

"That's right. We're currently number two in the industry, and we've been number two for a long time. But if this IPO is successful, who knows who will come out on top?"

Little Cannon was eloquent, but Bingbing was disgusted by his constant spitting and couldn't touch some of the dishes.

"As long as this share issuance is successful and the listing goes smoothly, we will have a huge amount of funds to acquire copyrights and cinemas. This is the foundation of a film company. Isn't this how Wenjie bullies its peers?"

"Let's not even talk about 'The Banquet' from two years ago, since it was released at the same time as their 'A Home Without a Trace'. But what about 'The Forbidden Kingdom' this year? Such a promising film, and they just won't give it good screenings. Is that reasonable? And they even smear it by saying that the box office prospects are unclear and based on market judgment. I spit on that!"

With his rough-and-tumble nature and reckless personality, Xiao Gangpao couldn't help but get emotional when talking about how he was being suppressed by a certain evil force.

This time, none of the dishes on this table can be eaten.

He began to state the main point: "Bingbing, I think the bet you just mentioned really went too far. Do you think President Ma and President Deng will feel comfortable with what you've done?"

"Is your money money money, but other people's money isn't?"

"So! Everyone must relax, keep your eyes open, and firmly follow the company forward. The world is closed, but we are open. What other boss can continue to distribute shares to employees like this?"

"Is Wenjie okay? Isn't that just Lu Kuan's one-man dictatorship? Except for our Huayi—"

"Who else?"

At the height of his excitement, Little Cannon suddenly stood up, his face contorted with rage: "I'm putting this out there—"

But before he could finish speaking, Secretary Li interrupted him by bursting open the door to the private room.

That's definitely what they said.

"Secretary Li, wait a moment." Wang Dajun didn't have time to scold him, knowing that Wenjie must have some earth-shattering news at the eighth anniversary celebration.

It wasn't quite a bombshell, but the last piece of news about a "suspected IPO" really blew Huayi's mind.

Wang Dajun and Wang Xiaolei stood up at the same time. The former remained calm, filled his small pot to the brim, and drank it all in one gulp with an elegant demeanor: "Everyone, the main purpose of today's gathering is a meal, a team building activity, and a way to exchange ideas and build relationships."

"Everyone, please eat and drink well first. We can put work aside for now and discuss it in the long term."

Xu Zheng laughed and said, "Boss, you go ahead and get busy. We'll have some fun ourselves." With that, he got up, picked up his glass, and went to the next table to chat.

Directors Feng Xiaogang and He Ping have also humbled themselves, knowing that the situation could change drastically, and that the priority at present is to stabilize public sentiment.

Perhaps only Fan Bingbing and Zhou Xun understood at that moment that it was Boss Lu, far away at the Workers' Stadium, who brazenly delivered the blow, directly shattering Huayi's dream of sublimation.

The door to the next private room was slammed open, and Secretary Li staggered in, his suit and tie askew, and fine beads of sweat on his forehead.

The computer screen on the desk was still lit, playing a live stream of the Wenjie 8th Anniversary Celebration.

Jay Chou and Anita Mui are performing a medley of "Woman Flower" and "Blue and White Porcelain" on stage, with the former's gentle melody and the latter's classical artistic conception perfectly matching.

Wang Xiaolei couldn't wait a moment longer: "Hurry up and replay it. How could Wenjie suddenly want to go online..."

As Secretary Li's hands trembled, he clicked on the video and watched the entire scene of the roaring crowd of 30,000 spectators at the Workers' Stadium. He watched Zhuang Xu take the stage, watched Wenjie and Zhijie merge, and watched Lu Kuan reveal his sharp edge at that moment, announcing the start of the listing preparations.

Wang Xiaolei's pupils contracted sharply, and his fingers unconsciously gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles turning bluish-white from excessive force.

His Adam's apple bobbed, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he could only squeeze out a short, almost suffocating sneer.

"Zhou Jun is right, Blogcn and Weibo are his businesses!"

"We've already been so humble and subservient to the authorities, who helped us with Lu Chuan's matter? We've been at peace for the past two years, so why did they have to interfere at our most crucial moment?!"

"Brother, I really hate it! Why didn't Zhou Jun kill that bastard back then?"

Wang Xiaolei's voice sounded like it was being squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying a hint of dazedness and a vicious, clenched-teeth tone.

This inner demon was far too powerful, causing him to erupt in impotent rage.

He argued vehemently that he and Huayi were the victims, but seemed to have forgotten how they, as children of high-ranking officials, joined forces with Liu Zeyu, Zhou Jun, and others to suppress the growing Wenjie in every possible way, and to launch an overwhelming online attack on Liu Yifei in an extremely despicable manner.

Perhaps in his view, with his family background in the compound, the financial tycoon behind him, and his noble Manchu bloodline, an apology or a lighthearted overlay could erase the stumbling blocks of the past.

Why do you hate me for so long?

There are some people in this world who can never accept being taken advantage of.

Secretary Li stood to the side, not daring to speak, and after receiving a stern look, she reluctantly pushed open the door and left.

Fortunately, Wang Dajun remained rational, but even his usually composed demeanor cracked.

"Don't say things to vent your anger, and don't lose your temper unnecessarily."

“If cursing him here could turn our situation around, I’d be the first to swear.”

These words were not only to comfort his younger brother, but also to console himself. How could he not be angry?
Anyone who meticulously plans and schemes, just as they are about to see the road to heaven, is suddenly struck down and brought back to reality. How could they not feel frustrated?

In this life, Hua Yi is not as good as Wen Jie, but he is far more outstanding and comprehensive than Hua Yi in the previous life.
Because the entire domestic film industry, under the butterfly effect, has already surpassed the development progress of the previous life.

The Wang brothers have every reason to be proud of their careers.

Wang Dajun adjusted his glasses, his gaze behind the lenses unfathomable, like the sea before a storm—seemingly calm, but with turbulent undercurrents.

He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, his knuckles unconsciously tapping the table with a dull and oppressive rhythm.

The meticulously planned share issuance was intended to further solidify Huayi's capital structure, allowing them to reap another wave of profits before the IPO, and to narrow the gap with Wenjie, or even...

Now, because of a single, casual remark or a few words from Lu Kuan, it's almost all about to become a thing of the past.

He knew better than anyone that Lu Kuan and Wen Jie, after tonight's celebration, would undoubtedly become the most supported and favored entity by the capital market and the authorities.

Investment banks will swarm in like sharks smelling blood, with international giants such as Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley vying to offer their services, while domestic giants like CICC and CITIC will fight tooth and nail for lead underwriting rights.

After all, a high-quality target like Wenjie, which combines cultural influence with internet DNA, is enough to enhance the annual performance report of any investment bank.

Accounting firms and law firms have been itching to get involved. Partners at the Big Four accounting firms are probably revising their service plans overnight, while top law firms like Deheng and King & Wood Mallesons are eager to compete.

After all, Wenjie's listing process not only means exorbitant service fees, but will also become a textbook example of a classic case.

What made Huayi most passive and frightened was the attitude of the China Securities Regulatory Commission.

Huayi has substantial financial resources behind it, but the political achievements and performance that Wenjie's listing will bring to everyone involved are even more significant. Such a powerful trend is something they can hardly stop.

"Brother, do you think Lukuan might go public on the US stock market?" Wang Xiaolei still held a sliver of hope.

"Judging from Lu Kuan's statement, it is unlikely that the policy hurdle will be overcome."

In 2008, according to the "Catalogue for the Guidance of Foreign Investment Industries", film and television production was a restricted area for foreign investment, and a VIE structure was required if the company were to list overseas.

Wenjie Holdings is involved in sensitive businesses such as film censorship and public opinion guidance. Its overseas listing will face stricter content supervision and review, which is inconsistent with its strategic positioning of "telling China's story well".

Moreover, this richest man in mainland China also has an independent North American branch in the United States, which is the real "gift" prepared for Nasdaq shareholders.

Wang Dajun was a former reconnaissance soldier. Faced with the perilous and complex situation, he knew that he couldn't afford to lose his composure. There were two tables of Huayi Core shareholders sitting next to him. How could he let his morale collapse first?
He took off his glasses, rubbed his temples wearily, and the red marks left by the frames on his nose were clearly visible.

"Abandon illusions and prepare for battle." Wang Dajun's expression was more solemn than ever before as he looked at his younger brother: "Never place your hopes on the enemy's mercy; falling behind means being beaten."

"If you want to be able to openly point your finger at him and curse him one day, we must find a way to overcome this difficulty."

Wang Xiaolei's face was ashen; clearly, he hadn't been inspired with any ambition, but rather felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

It was as if you were standing on the edge of a cliff, watching helplessly as your opponent sailed away on a giant ship, while you could only hold onto your rickety little boat, without even the chance to catch up.

"How do we fight?"

"How can we fight?" Wang Dajun slammed his fist on the table and, frustrated by his brother's lack of ambition, punched him hard in the chest.

"Would the sky fall if he went public? The financial crisis is getting worse. He's not stupid enough to rush into the capital market this year or next. There's no time to do it."

"There is still a lot we can do."

Wang Xiaolei's ashen face brightened slightly: "Brother, you say it."

“Ma Yun and Deng Wendi have invested so much sunk cost in Huayi, plus Taobao Mall’s collaboration with ‘If You Are the One’, they will definitely follow suit. This is the biggest benefit that Wenjie’s listing brings us.”

Ali, Wendy Deng, and Alispace all participated in the first two share issuances, so they couldn't let their plans and investments go down the drain.

"The key is to make them believe that if they increase their bets now, there is still hope of winning, and if they give up, they will perish together."

Wang Xiaolei nodded: "Ali and Wendy Deng are not just dealing with funding issues; their development strategies are tied to ours."

"Wenjie Mall is Ma Yun's Ali, and Deng Wendi's Alispace is Weibo's pursuer. There is not much room for compromise between these two."

His complexion cleared somewhat: "Brother, the bet proposed by Fan Bingbing and the others..."

"I agree." Wang Dajun said helplessly, "I was originally thinking about how to continue persuading Ali and Wendy Deng, but now that this mess has been made, there's nothing more to say."

"If the bet fails and the equity ratio is restored, it's not necessarily a bad thing for us. After all, the role that shares play for these scattered celebrities is different from that of Ma Yun and Deng Wendi."

He hesitated for a few seconds, then frowned and said slowly, "I'll go see Ni Xing tomorrow. This matter must be reported."

When Huayi first started in advertising, it received a large order from a certain industry for nationwide lighting standardization.
At the beginning of this year, Huayi also obtained a loan of 100 million yuan from a certain bank's "Film and Television Treasure" cultural finance product by mortgaging the copyrights of its works.

In later works such as "The Message" and "Everywhere is Smoke," Huayi even pioneered the use of film and television broadcasting rights as intangible assets as collateral to obtain substantial development funds, which set a precedent at the time.

Even after Huayi went public, a certain bank was deeply involved in the pre-IPO strategic investment, becoming an important institutional shareholder.

Being able to legally and reasonably provide development resources to enterprises in a mutually beneficial way is their skill.

This also demonstrates the profound skill of this martial arts master.

Now that our vital interests are at stake, we can no longer afford to play it safe; we must rely on a stronger force to jointly resist foreign enemies.

“Xiao Lei, what you just mentioned about Zhou Jun has given me some inspiration.” Wang Dajun pondered, “His previous guess was correct; Blog.com is probably just Lu Kuan’s own business.”

Wang Xiaolei asked in bewilderment, "But why is he announcing it now? Does it mean he was afraid of breaking taboos before, but isn't afraid now?"

"Perhaps it's for the sake of the IPO valuation or to steal our business, or perhaps he thinks that this Olympics will definitely make him famous in history and allow him to accumulate a lot of positive intellectual capital."

That statement isn't entirely wrong.

The Olympics did indeed bring this young director, Jane, into the spotlight and into the ranks of the elite.

But they could never have imagined that Lu Kuan's true invincibility stemmed from a car accident he orchestrated himself in Shuimo Town, risking his life for the cause.

After calming down, Wang Dajun's thoughts became clearer: "We can't worry about anything else now. We need to create momentum and find people to help us suppress the momentum of Wenjie and Lukuan."

Wang Xiaolei said dejectedly, "With the Olympics just around the corner, is it appropriate for us to widen the road now...?"

"What are you thinking?" Wang Dajun asked incredulously. "You think you have an extra head compared to Zhou Jun? And now you dare to even think about targeting him personally?"

"Take Wenjie as an example. If we're just talking business, no one can find fault with it. We absolutely cannot allow Lu Kuan himself to be involved, otherwise we'll both be in deep trouble!"

"I know, I know," Wang Xiaolei said in a deep voice. "I'll make the arrangements."

Wang Dajun got up and walked to the window, slowly took off his glasses, pulled out a velvet cloth from his suit pocket, and slowly wiped the lenses.

The overhead light in the private room cast a cold reflection on his glasses, hiding his narrow eyes in the interplay of light and shadow, like a venomous snake lurking in a rock crevice.

A cornered rabbit will bite in order to survive.

May 1st, 2008, was destined to be a sleepless night.

Dumpling, who is not good with words, racked her brains to write a self-recommendation letter, filled out the application form, and sent the CD containing her carefully burned works to the address of Beijing Film Academy.

Then she drifted off to sleep with sweet dreams.

Bingbing, Zhou Xun, and the others saw that things were developing exactly as someone had predicted, so they had no doubts and carried out the orders step by step.

On the way home, Da Mi Mi frowned and complained to the driver, Xu Duo Jin.

"I really don't know what's wrong with Zhou Xun today, how did she get involved with Fan Bingbing?"

"I later went to toast her twice by myself, which made her extremely proud!"

Xu Jin smiled innocently: "Why don't you leave Huayi and we start our own film and television company? Then we won't have to put up with their opinions anymore."

"Or like Fan Bingbing, I could get you a position at Xi'an Film Studio or something, okay?"

"No! Not good at all!" Yang Mi turned her head sharply, the neon lights outside the car window casting mottled shadows on her delicate profile.

Her slender fingers gripped the seatbelt tightly, and the tiny diamonds in her earrings gleamed with a cold, sharp light in the dim glow of the dashboard.

"Does Fan Bingbing think that just because she gave me a few fashion endorsement opportunities before, she can boss me around now? Didn't she still give me a supporting role in 'The Forbidden Kingdom'?"

"And Zhou Xun, from Rongxingda to Huayi, they all wanted to outdo me, but they don't even know if they can outdo me now?"

Perhaps she drank a bit too much tonight, or perhaps the relatively ideal opening week box office of "The Forbidden Kingdom" gave her a lot of confidence. Now, Yang Mi is increasingly filled with the ambition that "a strong woman should not remain subservient to others for long."

However, her voice was particularly shrill when she was excited, and Xu Jin, who was driving, felt as if a sharp paper cutter was scraping his eardrums, causing him great pain.

I wonder if Yang Mi also... in bed.

Why not take advantage of her being drunk tonight and make things happen?
"Lots of gold!"

"Ok?"

"Fan Bingbing and Zhou Xun have been so mean to me, are you going to help me get revenge?" Yang Mi was a little tipsy and becoming increasingly incoherent.

She turned her entire body towards the kneeling seat of the coal mine's second-generation driver, her stiletto heels digging into the slightly thick insoles, and as her skirt billowed, a patch of white, smooth skin was revealed on the inside of her thighs.

"Of course, once I decide to open a film and television company in Beijing, I will fully support you. At that time, not only will they be no match for you, but even Liu Yifei herself won't be able to help you!"

Driven by lust, even the most honest man, Xu Jin, began to speak eloquently, not to mention that his dark and honest appearance was merely a disguise (Chapter 396).

"Liu Yifei, humph!" Da Mimi sneered, her voice sounding as if squeezed out from between her teeth, carrying a hint of resentment and unwillingness. Her carefully drawn cat-eye line lifted at the corner of her eye, and her almond-shaped eyes flashed with a cold light like a knife.

"She's just hooking up with Lu Kuan, isn't she? She treats me like dirt and even makes me hold Huayi's shares on her behalf..."

"Ugh! Stop the car! Stop the car!" Yang Mi frantically slapped her boyfriend's arm. Xu Jin had just managed to park the car steadily when Yang Mi pushed open the car door, her high heels staggering as she stepped onto the asphalt, her diamond-encrusted nails digging into the door frame.

She bent over abruptly, and the neckline of her silk dress billowed open with the violent movement, revealing a patch of snow-white skin.

Her heavy breasts heaved in the night, creating a breathtaking arc. Her Van Cleef & Arpels necklace dangled down, the four-leaf clover pendant swaying back and forth with the tremors of vomiting, almost brushing against the splashed filth.

"vomit--"

Many Jin took tissues and bottled water, patting her back gently, but there was no trace of concern on his face!

Did Liu Yifei have Yang Mi hold the shares on her behalf?

What do you mean?
The coal tycoon, whom Boss Lu described as unassuming, suddenly had a racing heartbeat, and he began to reconcile the cause and effect in his mind.

He sensed a conspiracy, but after much thought, he couldn't figure out how to proceed.

Liu Yifei's holding of shares in Huayi doesn't prove anything, but what if it was instructed by Lu Kuan behind her?

But what use would he have for those measly shares in Yang Mi's hands?

No matter how shrewd this coal tycoon is, who pretends to be weak but is actually strong, he could hardly imagine the traps hidden behind Huayi's complex shareholding structure.

However, the cloud of doubt in my mind lingered.
-
May 1, 2008, was destined to be a sleepless night for journalists.

Every event at Wenjie Holdings' eighth anniversary celebration seemed worthy of being written about in detail and making headlines in various media outlets.

The Economic Observer published a brief report titled "Wenjie Holdings Prepares to Launch IPO; Merger with Zhijie May Reshape Industry Landscape":
This strategic move not only strengthened the synergy between content production and internet distribution for Wenjie, but also directly impacted the capital layout of traditional film and television giants such as Huayi Brothers.

Market analysts believe that Wenjie's IPO will accelerate industry resource integration, and its "content + platform" vertical model may become a new valuation benchmark in the capital market. Meanwhile, the response strategies of competitors such as Huayi will become the focus of the industry in the next six months.

Caijing believes:
Compared to Huayi's reliance on the short-term cash-out logic of artist capitalization, Wenjie's virtual shares place more emphasis on organizational stability and talent retention.

Industry insiders point out that if the system is successfully implemented, it will force the industry to reform its compensation system, but the risk of incentive failure due to insufficient equity liquidity needs to be guarded against.

The 4500 million yuan prize pool covers different levels, ranging from real estate in Beiping to automobiles and overseas travel, creating a sense of participation for everyone.

By leveraging welfare benefits, Wenjie visualizes corporate strategy and individual interests, and its psychological anchoring effect far exceeds the actual cost.

The Beiping Entertainment Weekly focused on the stage and entertainment elements of the celebration.

Solo and group performances by artists such as Su Chang, Huang Bo, Hu Ge, Wang Baoqiang, and Tong Liya, along with superstars like Mei Yanfang and Jay Chou, offered the audience a visual and auditory feast no less spectacular than a concert.

In particular, actress Liu Yifei's several hit songs and "Seven Mile Fragrance" instantly transformed the Workers' Stadium into a karaoke room for thousands. The 30,000 audience members spontaneously turned on their mobile phone flashlights, forming a sea of ​​stars, and sang this classic song that represents the youth of a generation.

Liu Qiangdong, Jiang Beichun and other executives sang "True Hero" together. Zhuang Xu, who had just returned to his position, was not at all shy and dragged Boss Lu, who was hiding from the microphone, onto the stage.

The young entrepreneur, who had just been passionately speaking on stage, stumbled and stammered as he sang a duet of "You Are the Most Precious" with his girlfriend, Liu Yifei.

First they throw money around, then they shower us with displays of affection.

Lu: I will give you red roses.
Liu: You know I love to cry. Lu: Don't repay me with a lifetime of tears.

Liu: The future is only beautiful with you in it.

When the song reached the line "Happiness is a sharp blade, used for tenderness," the washing machine suddenly put its arm around Liu Yifei's shoulder. Liu Yifei leaned on his shoulder and smiled radiantly. The Workers' Stadium was instantly filled with screams.

The show reached its climax when the chorus sang "I'm willing to stay with you on this road of love, you are the most precious to me." During those few minutes, Travel Channel's ratings even surpassed those of CCTV's drama channel.

Jay Chou, Liu Yifei, Anita Mui, and Lu Kuan attracted a wide audience of music fans and moviegoers of all ages, eras, and regions, instantly bringing this commercial empire down to earth.

While some rejoiced, others grieved. While Wenjie stole the show that night, the next day in the chairman's office of Huayi, Da Wang, Xiao Wang, and Deng Wendi were discussing countermeasures with furrowed brows.

"Isn't Mr. Ma coming?"

Wang Dajun laughed and said, "Mr. Ma is in Beijing running the payment business. The driver just drove downstairs."

At the beginning of this year, Alipay (owned by Alipay) and PayEase (owned by Wenjie Mall) officially began their market grab and initial competition.

The goal is to seize the market through mobile payments via SMS and utility bill payments such as water, electricity, and gas.

First-tier cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou have become targets for public relations efforts.

It is worth mentioning that before the state officially issued payment licenses in 2011, third-party payment lacked a clear legal status, and this early business may have been suspected of illegally absorbing public deposits or operating illegally.

In her previous life, Ahri had forged this path without ever mentioning the consequences. In this life, Wenjie Mall was already lagging behind, so naturally, it couldn't back down on payments.

Speaking of Old Ma, Old Ma arrived. The unassuming alien pushed open the door and walked in, his expression clearly not very pleasant.

Standing next to Ma Yun, Deng Wendi looked like a female giant. She simply sat down on the sofa and said, "Ms. Ma, please calm down. Wenjie keeps talking about going public, but it's not something that will happen this year. We still have time."

Ma Yun waved her hand helplessly: "It's not about that. It's not about their IPO. It's about Alipay!"

"Alipay?" Wang Dajun asked, puzzled.

He did know that Lao Ma had been running around in Beijing for a while, but it seemed that the results were not good.

"Lu Kuan really knows how to do things. I've been driven to the brink of desperation, and I've been really stressed out these past two days."

Today, Ma Yun clearly didn't have much patience. Like in a later video clip, she put her arm around Liu Chuanzhi's shoulder and spat out "TMD" repeatedly, making no attempt to hide her fear of Wenjie and Boss Lu.

Wendy Deng asked, "Is there anything we can do to help?"

“Well, here’s the thing.” Ma Yun took a sip of water: “Right now, both of our companies are vying for payment for daily services in first- and second-tier cities, like household and workplace utility bills.”

"This payment service requires coordination between two departments: the central bank and the local government."

Old Ma nodded to the Wang brothers: "The two Mr. Wangs from the bank have made contact, and the situation is good, but the problem is a little worse."

"But when it comes to local governments, we Ahri are at a huge disadvantage!"

"Of the three first-tier cities, Wenjie has already secured the two most important ones. We're still dealing with Guangzhou. This result is really frustrating."

Wang Dajun, Xiao Lei, and Deng Wendi looked at each other in bewilderment. Even if Ali was not as effective as Wenjie in terms of overall synergy, it was still the undisputed leader in the e-commerce sector. Ma Yun had been involved in various circles for a long time, so surely her network of connections couldn't be that bad?
With shareholders like SoftBank and Yahoo! China, how did Wenjie Mall manage to defeat them so decisively?
"Beiping goes without saying; it's Lu Kuan's stronghold. It's just a matter of a word from Leader Liu of the Organizing Committee."

"We have a firm grip on the business in Zhejiang Province, but I really didn't expect it to be so difficult in Shanghai. They handed it over to Wenjie's payment platform without even discussing it."

Wendy Deng frowned: "Why?"

"Disneyland!" Ma Yun slapped her thigh in frustration. "I asked around among countless people before I found out that this guy was helping Disney with early investment and negotiations. How could we not give him a break on this deal?"

"Alas! We had no hope for Jiangsu Province, the most developed Yangtze River Delta region in China, including Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, because of the effect brought by the movie 'Nanjing.' Now, he has taken over the two most important cities in the country. What can we do?"

Ma Yun's emotions today were anything but concealed; she had suffered defeats since starting her business, but this feeling of helplessness—that she hadn't even made a move yet and all her strategies were already blocked—was simply too despairing.

As Warren Buffett famously said, "When you start to lose money, you've only gone a long way."

The same goes for Old Ma now.

Firstly, two out of three regions in the Yangtze River Delta have been relocated, leaving him with no choice but to remain in Zhejiang Province.
As an important city in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Tangshan is undoubtedly the most developed city in Hebei Province, and Tianjin has always followed the lead of Beijing, so it's only a matter of time before it does too.

Chengdu and Sichuan Province will undoubtedly be within the reach of Wenjie Mall's payment platform in the future.

Looking across the country, apart from the less economically developed Northwest and Northeast regions, core cities in North China, East China, and Southwest China have successively fallen into the hands of the border.

Now, the only places Lao Ma can compete with are Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Foshan in Central China and South China.

However, the reality is that Hong Kong still has an ally, the Eagle King, whose intricate network of connections allows it to penetrate deep into Guangdong Province.

The situation was extremely unfavorable for Alipay and Ma Huateng. Ma Huateng, who considered himself a shrew, even felt that he had just entered the world of business with great pride when he was suddenly betrayed by a behind-the-scenes manipulator.

First, he was hit in the groin with a despicable kick that crushed his balls, then his tendons in his hands and feet were severed, leaving him unable to move.

What can be done?

It was indeed unavoidable, because this was the network of connections and local relationships that the time traveler had built up over the past eight years through strategic maneuvering, mutual benefit, and win-win cooperation.

Getting back to the main topic, today's main issue is still the impact of Wenjie's listing on the strategies of Huayi, Ali, and Wendy Deng.

Old Ma's attitude today was very decisive: "If we're going to fight Wenjie, we'll fight to the end. This year is an important juncture for Taobao Mall's listing and the company's transformation. I've figured it out. If we continue as before, we'll be overtaken by Wenjie Mall sooner or later."

"President Deng, we hope you can incorporate more of Fox's strength into our cooperation system. We also need to learn from Lu Kuan and build a comprehensive entity encompassing film, entertainment, media, and e-commerce. We have to admire that!"

Wendy Deng has no problem with it. Although she also has doubts about the current situation, the path facing her and Old Ma is actually the same.

Now that Ma Yun has withdrawn from Huayi, what good can he possibly gain?
Alipay's core strategy for the future is facing encirclement and suppression from the industry. If it does not "learn from the barbarians to control the barbarians," it will be only a matter of time before it is overtaken by the e-commerce platform led by Liu Qiangdong.

The same applies to Wendy Deng's Alispace.

Compared to Wenjie, any cultural media company or internet enterprise in the Chinese entertainment industry has a natural disadvantage—

Unable to coordinate operations with an unparalleled force like aircraft carrier battle groups, as Wenjie Holdings has, they are forced to unite and form alliances to meet the formidable challenges.

With the share issuance agreement approved, Lao Ma and Deng Wendi had some reservations about the bet proposed by Bingbing and others.

However, given the choice between two evils, the lesser one was chosen, and since the performance requirements stipulated in the performance-based agreement were not too outrageous, it was approved in principle.

The rest depends on how the Wang brothers and Lao Ma, among others, manage their domestic relationships and how they plan a media storm targeting Wenjie.

In the grand game of business competition, the confrontation between the two sides is never a one-dimensional contest, but a three-dimensional game involving multiple battlefields such as capital, public opinion, talent, and policy.

In this multidimensional war, there are no purely commercial decisions; every action is a matter of political economy.
There are no isolated competitive advantages; all advantages require ecological synergy.

At this point, it becomes clear how wise Mr. Lu was in building the entire industry chain with such ruthless efficiency when he started his business in 2002.

Even now, we still face a daily cash flow shortage.

When a company is forced to the brink of life and death, its will to survive is just like the potential that humans unleash when faced with adversity.

Huayi is demonstrating this organizational vitality that has been stimulated by the crisis.

When the strategic encirclement by the industry threatened to shatter its dream of being the first to go public, this long-established film and television giant began to break away from its past path dependence and carried out a near-self-disruptive restructuring and innovation in areas such as capital structure and strategic alliances.

More importantly, they launch a media offensive against competitors to find a strategic breakthrough.

After the celebration, Liu Yifei continued her studies at the Beijing People's Art Theatre and rehearsed "Sunrise," while Boss Lu continued to work hard on the Olympic cause, leaving early and returning late every day.

In May, during the tourist season, Beijing is adorned with blooming flowers, attracting many foreign tourists who come specifically to visit, drawn by the Olympic Games.

International organizations, the Olympic Committee, and foreign dignitaries frequently visit and exchange ideas, making it seem like a grand gathering of nations.

Everything was so peaceful and prosperous.

On May 4th, three days after the conclusion of Wenjie's eighth anniversary celebration, Zhu Dake fired the first shot.

This old literary scoundrel, who failed to kick someone when they were down after "The Sky of History" and was relentlessly attacked by angry netizens, closed the comment section of his Weibo account and announced an indefinite withdrawal from the internet.

Unexpectedly, I received new business in less than two months.

It can only be said that the development of the domestic film industry and the expansion of the market have benefited people from all walks of life, from the white to the black.

In his article "Hypocritical 'Industry Prosperity'", Zhu Dake stated:
As a major Sino-US co-production kung fu film, *The Forbidden Kingdom* carried the mission of exporting traditional Chinese martial arts culture, and its box office performance should have set an industry benchmark. However, through its cinema resources, the influence of its own media platforms, and the implicit suppression of related advertising channels, Wenjie systematically squeezed the film's market space.

After taking in 1.2 million yuan at the box office in its first week, the film lacked staying power, and losses are almost a foregone conclusion.

My reviews of movies have always been objective. From an artistic point of view, "The Forbidden Kingdom" is not a particularly outstanding work, but it certainly doesn't deserve this kind of man-made attack.

The fact that "The Forbidden Kingdom" encountered "technical reduction" during its crucial prime-time slot is by no means a result of normal market competition, but rather a targeted suppression implemented by Infinity using its vertical integration advantages.

In Wenjie, we see a microcosm of a company that commits evil deeds by creating a monopolistic business loop in the Chinese film industry.

Needless to say, the production and distribution sides are also involved. The so-called merger of Zhijie (which I believe is just a return to the past, as there was already collusion) has created a distorted system in the public evaluation system of films, where the party is both the judge and the player.

I don't understand the Anti-Monopoly Law, but this situation clearly stifles industry diversity and is extremely unfair.

Lu Kuan has repeatedly called for "a hundred flowers to bloom" in Chinese cinema, but Wenjie's actual actions have gone against this.

This monopolistic empire built on capital and technological advantages is stifling a healthy competitive ecosystem in Chinese cinema, and the failure of "The Forbidden Kingdom" is just the tip of the iceberg.

If such behavior is allowed to continue, the industry will become a one-man show in the future.

We urge regulatory authorities to intervene and investigate its exclusive commercial terms and abuse of market dominance, so as to restore a truly fair environment for Chinese films.

. . .

Compared to Zhu Dake's previous confrontational stance towards Boss Lu, this time his wording and attack focus have shifted to a more objective approach, clearly indicating that he was acting on instructions.

Objectively speaking, many of his views are not wrong.

For example, given the current size and industry influence of Wenjie, if Wenjie were to go all out to suppress a film, in addition to being unable to control the overall situation in theaters, it could make its competitors suffer greatly in terms of public opinion evaluation and the squeezing of advertising resources.

The key point is that he never did that!

Aside from making business decisions regarding the scheduling of films he doesn't have high hopes for, he always keeps his word in other industry actions, consistently upholding his slogan and vision of building a great Chinese film industry.

In the past, Zhu Dake's remarks were like a dog barking at the entrance of a village, and the other dogs in the village, not knowing why, also barked.

But this time is different. This time, the merger of Wenjie and Zhijie has genuinely affected the interests of everyone in the industry, making it impossible for everyone not to unite against it.

From neutral companies like Fiber Optics, Berna, and Pegasus, to long-time rivals like Chengtian and Huayi, and then to internet giants like Ali, Sohu, and NetEase.

Apart from Tencent, which has already withdrawn from the competition due to the decline of its microblogging product "TaoTao", and Wenjie, which has no major business conflict with Wenjie and is therefore uninvolved, Wenjie is essentially besieged by the six major factions at Bright Peak.

Of course, on the surface, it's still the same few people waving flags and shouting slogans, since there are too few people who actually dare to stand up and make a real fuss.

An unprecedentedly large online army arrived in an instant. They not only held their noses and promoted their message on Weibo, but also made Alispace, Maopu, Tianya, and Xinlang Blog their main battlegrounds.

“Wenjie claims to ‘support Chinese films,’ but in reality, it monopolizes screenings and distribution channels. Can you believe that ‘The Forbidden Kingdom,’ a co-production blockbuster, had its prime screenings cut by 30% in Wenjie’s theaters? Isn’t this using its market dominance to suppress competitors? Zhu Dake dares to speak the truth, and the industry should have reflected on this ‘pseudo-openness’ long ago.”

"I'm posting anonymously, but I'm a former employee of Wenjie. The company has a 'Competitive Response Manual,' which explicitly requires the marketing department to limit the reach of non-core films: price limits on Weibo trending topics, preferential weighting of film reviews on blogs, and requiring advertisers to choose between two options. Everything Zhu Dake said is true; what someone calls 'strategic vision' is just public relations rhetoric!"

"I'm just a casual observer and don't know anything about the ins and outs of the film industry, but the screening data released by the investors of 'The Forbidden Kingdom' is indeed strange. If a kung fu film starring Jet Li and Hendrik Willem Van Loon can't be well-received by the industry, it's really quite puzzling."

"The data doesn't lie. In 2007, non-self-produced films released by Wenjie Golden Harvest accounted for less than 30% of the box office revenue, while its cinema chains, advertising, and rating platforms controlled the entire market chain. This is suspected of violating Article 17 of the Anti-Monopoly Law, 'abuse of market dominance.' Regulatory authorities should intervene, otherwise, Chinese cinema will only have one 'Wenjie Studio' left!"

The employees at Wenjie didn't take it seriously. They continued to work hard on the new journey with unprecedented enthusiasm, because they had become desensitized to the many obstacles and attacks the company had encountered since its inception.

Haven't you noticed that your boss has been called the "washing machine" for almost ten years? Has he ever cared?
Zhu Dake's article disappeared without a trace after it was published on May 4th Youth Day. Apart from other companies and forces on the same platform, there was no response from the industry.

Unexpectedly, this trend has intensified, dominating the trending topics on Weibo even without any comment control measures, and attracting entertainment gossip and financial reporters to crowd the area in front of the Wenjie Building 24 hours a day.

They dared not go to the Olympic Building; they could only wait here for their prey to come to them.

On May 7th, Zhuang Xu, the current chairman of Zhijie and vice president of Wenjie, responded on Weibo:

Reasons become clear through debate. We sincerely welcome industry experts like Professor Zhu and other newspapers and media outlets to offer suggestions and advice on the development of Wenjie and Zhijie. In response to issues of general concern in the industry, we would like to offer the following points.

First, we would like to reiterate that the screening schedules of all films under Wenjie's cinema chain are based on market data and audience demand, and there is no "targeted suppression". We are now publishing a list of the dismal screening schedules of Wenjie director Ning Hao's "Cow" within our system three years ago as evidence.

Secondly, the rating systems on platforms such as Weibo, Blogcn, and Douban are all automatically generated using algorithms. Wenjie has never interfered with, nor has the right to, the genuine user reviews. Public opinion feedback for all films is open and transparent, and we welcome supervision from all sectors of society regarding any data anomalies. However, unfounded accusations of "manipulating ratings" are an insult to the platform's credibility and the right of millions of users to choose.

To illustrate this point, please refer to the online harassment that our company's chairman, Mr. Lu Kuan, has long faced on websites such as Weibo and Blogcn.

If Zhijie (智界) truly controls public opinion as some industry insiders claim, then Mr. Zhu Dake's articles would likely never see the light of day.

Third, the identification of monopolistic behavior requires meeting two core conditions: market dominance and abuse of power.

Wenjie Jiahe is currently less prominent than Wanda among private enterprises, and its other subsidiaries do not have a market share exceeding 50% in their respective industries or have abused their supporting position. Such statements are misleading and need not be mentioned again.

We thank Professor Zhu and other experts for their hard work and criticisms during the May Day holiday.

We urge all companies to focus on their own development and work together to promote industry progress and the prosperity of Chinese cinema.

As one act ends, another begins. Just three days later, on May 10th, as public opinion continued to ferment, the well-prepared "Nanfang" took over.

"Nanfang" comes with its own romantic content and is driven by funding. To some extent, Zhu Dake may have to care about and scrutinize the scope of the content and pay attention to the attitude of the authorities, after all, he is the chief director of the Olympics.

However, "Nanfang" does not use this approach. A review of their consistent words, deeds, and misdeeds reveals that this kind of scene and subject matter is what they are most skilled at and most fond of.

The wider and stronger your path, the more it proves that we journalists have the professional conscience to not fear authority. We are determined to tear off the hypocritical face of this rich man who lives a life of luxury and indulgence!
Capital Monopoly and Public Opinion Manipulation: The Dangerous Expansion of the Boundary Empire
The rise of Wenjie is by no means a simple commercial success, but a meticulously planned capital monopoly and the plunder of discourse power. From manipulating offline cinema scheduling to interfering with online public opinion platforms through algorithms, from vertically integrating the industry chain to systematically squeezing out competitors, Wenjie is no longer a simple film and television company, but a capital behemoth attempting to control social discourse power.

In the second quarter of 2008, the number of Chinese internet users surpassed the United States' 2.2 million for the first time, reaching a staggering 2.5 million, making China the world's largest internet user base.

This should have been an opportunity for the flourishing of diverse voices, but we have regrettably witnessed the "Tower of Babel of Public Opinion" built by Wenjie Holdings with capital as the link:
Focus Media covers 90% of the elevator screens in high-end office buildings nationwide. Wenjie has achieved "visual hegemony" through its controlling stake, and competing advertisements have to pay a high premium to obtain the same exposure.

As a national media outlet, Travel Channel should have undertaken the function of public cultural services, but instead it has become a megaphone for Wenjie's commercial layout.

And Wenjie's blog network with over 100 million registered users, and Weibo with nearly 100 million (the second place, Alispae, only has 60 million).

This kind of full-chain control of "channels + content + terminals" goes far beyond the scope of commercial competition and points directly to a systemic monopoly of social discourse power.

Murdoch once said, "Whoever controls the media controls the mind." Now, the world is replicating this logic with capital. When a business empire simultaneously holds the power to define the truth, where is the firewall for social supervision?

In addition to this ostentatious "eighth anniversary celebration," Wenjie's "virtual restricted shares" and generous benefits, seemingly employee welfare, are actually a way to use its capital advantage to siphon off industry talent and further consolidate its monopoly position.

Small and medium-sized companies are unable to compete on content quality, nor can they match the compensation structure required, and will ultimately either be acquired or marginalized. When only one "Wenjie Studio" remains in the industry, the diversity of Chinese films will be completely eradicated.

Based on this, this newspaper is filing a real-name report and making an appeal!
Relevant departments are urged to pay attention to this phenomenon and conduct a thorough investigation into the relevant sector, which could significantly influence social trends and create ideological turmoil, and to investigate its anti-monopoly compliance.

First, Focus Media, a subsidiary of Wenjie, has a market share of over 60% in its niche market and has effectively established a dominant market position. Please strictly verify whether there is any abuse of power.
Second, a thorough investigation should be conducted into the equity structure of "New Vision," a joint venture between Wenjie and China Film Group. Why was a private enterprise able to become involved in a satellite TV station? Was there any collusion or loss of state-owned assets involved? At the same time, the commercial attributes of Travel Channel should be stripped away, and it should return to its role as a public media outlet.

Third, should Zhijie's long-standing data hegemony in the domestic internet and its capital weapon of "traffic is truth" be carefully examined to see if it has distorted the public sphere into a private domain for the company?
This newspaper believes that only by breaking the monopolistic loop of "capital defining truth" can we safeguard a diverse and healthy information society.

Otherwise, the unrestrained expansion of capital will eventually backfire on society.

Wenjie is not the first company to attempt to monopolize the discourse, but if left to its own devices, it will certainly not be the last.

—Special Commentary for Nanfang

This scathing critique goes even further than Zhu Dake's, almost directly accusing Lu Kuan and Wen Jie of "attempting to control the discourse and become China's Murdoch."

They dare not admit it themselves, but they stop at nothing to guide the attention and opinions of the general public and the authorities toward a dead end:

The influence of Wenjie and Lu Mou on public opinion is almost on par with that of the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Aren't you going to do anything about it?

This was Zhou Jun's trump card two years ago, and it was especially fatal!
In 2008, among the several newspapers under the Nanfang Group, Weekend was the absolute leader in the weekly newspaper market, with a weekly circulation of around 90 to 130 million copies.

The Metropolitan Daily is the benchmark in this field, with a daily circulation of 115 million copies, and has been ranked first in the comprehensive competitiveness of metropolitan daily newspapers in the country for two consecutive years.
With the addition of its subsidiary, 21st Century Business Herald, which was the most influential financial newspaper in China at the time, the "Nanfang Group" quickly caused a huge uproar with a circulation of over 500 million and a readership of 1000 million.

Anyone with eyes can see that this time, Wenjie is truly going to become the Ming Cult.

However, even as the reporters surrounding the Wenjie Building nearly blocked the street, they still hadn't received a response from Wenjie.
-
On the morning of May 12th, at China Film Group's Xiaoxitian branch, Han Shanping slammed his fist on the table in anger in his office!
"Damn it, when will these flies ever stop? They're even sticking their hands in my face."

In the past two years, Old Han, whose power has grown increasingly stronger, ordered his old secretary in a condescending manner: "Go call Wang Dajun, Wang Changtian, and Yu Dong. Don't act like an old widow throwing a tantrum. Is Lu Kuan trying to kill them or something? Is it really necessary to cause such a commotion?"

"If you're so capable, why don't you use this PR money to make a movie and earn more money?"

"Don't they ever think about who led the way in making this market so big? Who allowed Butian Pictures to offer preferential treatment to mainland companies and reduce the cost of blockbusters?"

"They haven't learned the individual skills, but they're better at fighting amongst themselves than anyone else!"

Gao Chengsheng had a much better attitude than his former boss: "President Han, please don't get anxious. New Vision's initial investment in Travel Channel was legal and compliant. We not only didn't take advantage of the public, but we've also given back several times over to the local area."

"It's true that President Lu was farsighted; he was willing to spend more money to resolve Dong Shuangqiang's contract issue back then. Otherwise, we would really have been caught out today." (Chapter 170)
"Of course, who can outsmart him? He's always the one who finds fault with others." Han Shanping's expression softened slightly: "Some things are less than four ounces if you don't weigh them, but if you weigh them, they're worth a thousand pounds. If this were happening now, it would be quite a tricky situation."

He took a sip of hot tea, still feeling somewhat worried: "Hey? Where's Xiao Luren? Hasn't Wenjie replied to this matter at all?"

"This 'Nanfang' is practically saying he has the ability to become a major traitor. This is something we can't afford to take seriously. The higher-ups will have their opinions too."

Gao Chengsheng laughed and said, "I guess he has already talked to Leader Liu. After all, it's all just speculation from the media right now. Given his current status, it's unlikely that he would dare to take measures against the will of the people."

Han Shanping pursed his lips, pondered for a long time, and then slowly shook his head: "This time is different, this time is really different."

"Not only are domestic film and television companies stirring up public opinion and finding people to file complaints against him with relevant departments, but I've also heard that several internet companies are looking for ways to do the same."

He touched his short hair with a sigh: "It's only mediocre people who aren't envied, but this genius of his is really a headache."

After making the call in his office next door, Gao Chengsheng returned and truthfully reported to his boss: "President Han, I've already explained everything."

"How to say?"

"Huayi says they didn't hire them, Fiber Optics says Huayi did, Berna also says Huayi hired them, it's also possible that Ali and Wendy Deng hired them, they're just passing the buck."

"Hahaha!" Han Shanping laughed in anger: "Damn it, I don't think any of them will escape, especially that treacherous Fatty Yu."

"Alright, let's wait for that kid to come back and deal with them himself. Yesterday I asked him if he was going to Wolong to film some Olympic documentary."

Old Han glanced at his watch: "Li Kangsheng is coming to see me at noon. You come with me to greet him and go order food early."

"Ok."

Li Kangsheng was the director of Emei Film Studio. He was Lao Han's former subordinate before Lao Han left Sichuan in the 90s.

Previously, when filming "Tangshan," Boss Lu borrowed period props from Fan Jianchuan and, together with Zhang Heping, went to "arrest" Han Shanping, who played Lu Kuan. This was actually Li Kangsheng waiting in ambush to ensure the young director would stay. (Chapter 262)
Why did Lee Kang-sheng come to Beijing at this time? It's inextricably linked to the "eighth anniversary celebration" of the online gaming platform.

That's right, he was also one of the 30,000 spectators at the Workers' Stadium. Because his son works at Wenjie Film and Television, he asked the organization for leave to experience the Olympic atmosphere and visit his old leader.

My old boss is supposedly getting promoted again.

It was still a private restaurant near Xiaoxitian. Old Han was drinking tea and reading the newspaper in a private room until almost one o'clock when he finally met his old subordinate.

"Old Li, you're really putting on airs now, aren't you?" The man with the crew cut glanced sideways at Li Kangsheng, who was actually about the same age as him.

"Old leader, please let me explain!" Li Kangsheng knew that he was just joking and was being feignedly angry, so he smiled and poured tea for Han Shanping.

"It's all because of all this recent turmoil. I've been waiting for my son to get off work at noon so I could bring him to visit you, his uncle, but his company had an emergency meeting, so things must be even more complicated now."

"I saw that it was really impossible, so I came over by myself. Please forgive me!"

The man with the buzz cut nodded pretentiously: "Okay, but this won't happen again!"

Gao Chengsheng came in after ordering the food outside. Hearing this, he smiled and said, "It's impossible to apologize. You two old brothers can have a few more drinks later."

“Absolutely!” Li Kangsheng readily agreed.

Old Han smacked his lips but didn't say much. He immediately served dishes and started drinking and chatting with his family.

Both men are considered leading figures in the domestic film industry, but their banter, delivered with their local accents and filled with embarrassing anecdotes, made Lao Han, who has held a high position for the past two years, feel quite at ease.

In China's officialdom culture, "local sentiment" often profoundly influences how officials handle interpersonal relationships. Old Han's final warning, "This is the last time," clearly carries the subtext, "If you need anything in the future, just come to me."

We drank for about an hour, and it was already past 2 p.m.

At the dinner table, Li Kangsheng naturally steered the conversation toward his hometown: "Old leader, I still miss the days when you led us at Emei Film Studio!"

"We were filming in a factory on the eastern outskirts of Chengdu. After filming during the day, we'd go to a hole-in-the-wall restaurant near Jiuyanqiao at night, order a bowl of spicy rabbit heads, and sip some strong liquor while revising the script. It was so satisfying!"

"Hahaha! Yes." After drinking half a jin of liquor, the elderly Han couldn't help but start to feel sentimental.

"My hometown is the best! Where else in the world is better than my hometown?"

"There's no place in the world more peaceful than Chengdu. I remember when I was little, I used to play with my dad at the Zigong Saltworks. He always loved to take me to Huaxi Dam to eat Zhong Dumplings. The chili oil there was so fragrant..."

Old Han squinted, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the edge of the table, as if he could hear the boatmen's chants from the Jinjiang River again.

"Now the old man sleeps on the pine forest slope of Longquan Mountain. When he goes back to sweep the tomb during Qingming Festival, he can still smell the fragrance of rapeseed flowers all over the mountain."

The man with the crew cut patted his fellow villager and former subordinate on the back affectionately: "Old Li, when are you going back this time? I'll go back with you."

Li Kangsheng asked in confusion, "Is something wrong? I can do something amazing for you."

Han Shanping shook his head, his eyes red from drinking: "I don't know what's wrong with me these past two days, I keep dreaming about my dad."

"The old man always gets angry with me in my dreams. Last night was even stranger. He was wearing that faded old military uniform and stood at the door of the old house, yelling at me—"

"Sanwazi! Sanwazi! It breaks my heart to see him like this."

Old Han's father was a veteran of the Red Army who grew up in Sichuan Province and served in the local area after the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Li Kangsheng comforted him, "Then go back. But I often go to sweep his grave while you're away, so don't worry..."

Before he could finish speaking, his phone, which was on the table, suddenly vibrated violently, startling Han Sanping and his companion!
"It's my son. He's probably finished with his work and should be here by now." Li Kangsheng answered the phone casually, but his expression changed drastically before he could even finish a few words!

"Old boss, something's happened!"

Han Shanping suddenly stood up, slamming his wine glass on the table with a bang, spilling half a glass of aged liquor. Ever since the topic of his hometown was brought up, he felt a pent-up feeling in his chest that he couldn't get rid of.

"What's up!"

Lee Kang-sheng smiled bitterly: "My son said he wouldn't be able to make it today. It's because of Wenjie. Something happened at Wenjie."

Gao Chengsheng, who had just gone to order more food, suddenly pushed open the door and came in with a gloomy expression: "President Han, something has happened at Wenjie."

He didn't speak with the same heavy breathing as Li Kangsheng; he spoke very quickly.
"The Bank of China has notified us that the RMB 10 billion loan that Wenjie previously obtained through fixed asset mortgage has been temporarily frozen due to irregularities in its use and an investigation into the flow of its overseas funds."

"In addition, due to receiving tens of thousands of complaints and concerns from leaders, the Anti-Monopoly Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce, in conjunction with the Market Supervision Bureau, is preparing to investigate Wenjie's subsidiaries such as Focus Media and Wenjie Video, which may have a dominant market position."

Gao Chengsheng looked at the message sent by an insider on his phone: "The exclusive agreement of Golden Harvest Cinemas and the algorithmic discrimination of Blogcn and Weibo also need to be reviewed."

Han Shanping's heart skipped a beat. From the moment he heard the bank's name, he knew who was behind it all, and then he thought of the companies involved, like Ali.

But this time it was more than just the six major sects besieging Bright Peak.
The media offensive led by Zhu Nanfang since the 7th will distort business competition into "the harm of monopoly";
When it comes to tightening the monetary policy, even if we can't completely cut off the supply, we must seize control of Wenjie's financial lifeline.

The blade of antitrust investigation is already being drawn.

With financial, public opinion, and policy measures all working in tandem, it seems that the Wang brothers of Huayi have truly been driven to a dead end, and are willing to risk everything to fight to the death with Wenjie.

The best outcome would be for Wenjie to be split up, posing no threat to anyone, severely damaging Wenjie, and allowing Huayi to continue its listing after a share issuance.

The worst outcome would be that Huayi is brought down to earth and trampled on by Wenjie and someone else.

You think you can kill me?

It's not just Huayi now, it's fiber optics! Berna! Ali! Sohu!, and maybe even Wanda.

All you industry leaders who might be clogging up the market with your investment in Jie Holdings, those who cry out against being slaves, stand up and rebel together!
You may be ruthless, but do you think you can just kill your way through each and every household?
You're not Zhao Min, how could you imprison all six major sects in Wan'an Temple and have the power of life and death over them?

You can't do anything about just one Wan Da.

Moreover, if Wenjie really launches a price war or other means to suppress its competitors, it will further confirm its wrongdoing in abusing its market dominance and leave itself with a handle to use against it.

Since Wenjie began its meteoric rise in 2004, very few companies in mainland China have dared to openly challenge it.

This time, it was still not an open challenge. Neither Ali, who was scrambling for funds by Wenjie, nor Huayi, the perennial runner-up, dared to raise their voices and stand up to point out Wenjie's mistakes.

Instead, it relies on mouthpieces like Zhu Nanfang and so-called impartial journalists and the conscience of society to monitor your questions.

What do you have to say?
The "crown" of corporate expansion is essentially a double-edged sword. While economies of scale enhance competitiveness, they can also make a company a target of criticism.

This attack is not due to corporate wrongdoing, but rather an inevitable backlash against the redistribution of interests under the market mechanism. Giants have always grown amidst criticism, which is quite normal.

Han Shanping's expression darkened slightly, but the faint worry in his heart lingered.

He was all too familiar with this kind of hunting tactics: first cut off the funding chain, then smear the brand, and finally dismantle the giant in the name of "maintaining market order".

The scenario of the collapse of the Delong Group four years ago seems to be repeating itself in Wenjie.

Even with all his confidence in Lu Kuan, Lao Han figured that Lu Kuan was currently in Wolong and probably didn't know the inside story of the incident. He gestured for the two of them to be quiet and took out his phone to call Lu Kuan.

He at least wanted to tell this "Zhang Wuji," who was already besieged by the six major sects, who his real opponent was.

The only way to break the deadlock is to understand the underlying manipulation logic and then break through the network of connections he has built up over the years.

"Am I drunk? Why do I feel so dizzy?"

Old Han struggled to pull his phone out of his pocket, glanced at the time on the screen, and muttered, "This drinking session has lasted until almost 2:30, cough cough..."

He cleared his throat, listened to the message "The number you dialed is temporarily unavailable," and dialed twice more in frustration, but still no one answered.

"These six major sects have all come to his doorstep. Does he intend to abandon Bright Peak?"

Gao Chengsheng joked, "Zhang Wuji is taking Zhao Min sightseeing in Wolong. He loves beauty more than power."

"Hey, this kid..."

Old Han and Li Kangsheng laughed at Gao Chengsheng's humorous words. Just as the man with the crew cut was about to pick up his wine glass, he suddenly felt a numbness in his wrist! The bottom of the glass trembled twice on the table with a "click".

He frowned, about to speak, when the entire mahogany round table seemed to be pulled by an invisible hand. Old Han's phone slid down the tilted tabletop, the screen still lit up with unanswered call logs.

It stopped again in an instant.

The three people present didn't even realize what was happening, and even thought that they had drunk too much. Who would think of something like the sky falling and the earth cracking?

"Buzz!"

The sudden tremor brought the three of them back to their senses, but it was like a muffled drumbeat, striking their hearts heavily.

Li Kangsheng jolted awake, his fingers instinctively pressing the answer button and holding the phone to his ear, saying gently, "Son..."

The man with the crew cut looked at him with a puzzled expression. The young man from his hometown on the phone seemed to be crying uncontrollably.

As for what was said, perhaps Lee Kang-sheng himself knew before he was interrupted even though he hadn't finished speaking a single sentence.

Han Shanping vowed that he would remember this afternoon's scene for the rest of his life.

Li Kangsheng, who was the same age as him, must have heard something, and his face instantly turned ashen.

That face, usually rosy and full of health, was now filled with fear and disbelief.

His hands trembled as if he had been electrocuted, and he was like an old locust tree struck by lightning. His knees slammed into the rattan chair, knocking it over, and he slumped back into his seat.

Outside the window, the May poplar catkins were still drifting in the air. Li Kangsheng's turbid tears had already fallen onto the greasy tablecloth. His fingers gripped the edge of the table so tightly that his pale knuckles almost pierced the lacquer.

"Old boss! The sky has fallen!"

(End of this chapter)