Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 549 How dare you betray your own class!?
Lu Kuan can no longer remember many of the words in the book, but he still vividly remembers the basic settings, themes and core ideas, as well as some famous scenes and core memes that circulated on the Internet back then.

Based on this, the script can be handed over to professional screenwriters, supplemented by guidance from historians and folklorists, and then adapted for the market while maintaining the core essence, taking into account the characteristics of domestic and international markets.

After all, the original online novels cannot be perfect in terms of historical research, so it is only right to make up for errors and restore details.

He glanced at the Vancouver time—a little after six in the morning—boiled a kettle of water, sat down by the French windows, the phone call had ended, and he turned on the video call as his wife had requested.

"Hey! Handsome, wanna have an online romance?" Liu Yifei greeted the washing machine sweetly in the video, seemingly wanting to flirt with him.

"Oh? Thank you, you have a wife."

"I don't mind if you have a wife! Is your wife as sexy as me?" The actress was very professional, and stood up to show off her S-curve in a slightly flirtatious way.

Her pert little buttocks were visible beneath her silk pajamas, and a small bruise remained where the washing machine had left it before it left. She then flirted wildly with the washing machine.

"Sexy or not, let's put that aside for now." Boss Lu took a sip of hot tea. "I'm just asking you, are you tough enough to take a beating?"

“My wife has a bad temper, and her fists are as big as sandbags. If she finds out about you, she can find your house through the internet.”

Xiao Liu chuckled: "It sounds like your wife is some kind of shrewish tigress."

"That's right. When she's gentle, she's like a kitten, and she loves playing with a cat toy. When she's fierce, she's like a tigress, and she loves playing with a stern rod."

"I don't understand what you're saying!" Liu Yifei sneered. "Then dump her and be with me. I feel sorry for my brother the most~~~"

Xiao Liu got addicted to role-playing, stood up, pouted and kissed the camera to show his affection.

"I rely on!"

"Liu Yifei, stop pretending! I know it's you!" Washing Machine exclaimed in shock as she looked at the "giant maw of the abyss" on the screen. "Only my wife has those baby-like, pink and plump teeth!"

"Hahaha! Get lost!" Little Liu laughed and spat. "You're mocking me, aren't you? Next time you want to get on base, you'd better lick your teeth first! Otherwise, you'll only be able to rub against me from the outside and won't be allowed in, which will drive you crazy!"

The washing machine smiled and said, "Is this the mysterious ritual before intercourse of your Toothblossom God Cult? Its cruelty is no less than the Ten Great Tortures of the Qing Dynasty."

Liu Yifei gathered the manuscript papers in front of her. "Whether it's the Qing Dynasty or not, you've been thinking for so long, have you thought of anything to replace 'Empresses in the Palace' in order to dig up Zheng Xiaolong's script?"

"There is indeed a little story that needs further development." Boss Lu looked up at the screen, somewhat surprised, and said, "How did you manage to dig up all my movie files?"

Liu Yifei, without blushing or skipping a beat, replied: "I'm learning! Don't you say that even top actors need to understand the director's camera angles, lighting, and composition in order to better understand the intentions and improve their performances?"

"Oh, the story I was about to tell you was like this—" Boss Lu didn't take it seriously and continued talking about the topic he had just mentioned:

"I vaguely remember seeing a fragment of a novel online."

All he can remember now are fragments.

"A man travels back to the Warring States period, undergoes a gender swap and becomes a woman, and experiences many wonderful encounters and changes."

"The most striking feature of this is that she achieved immortality, living from the Warring States period onwards, witnessing and participating in the historical changes of the next two thousand years."

"The story begins with a master-disciple relationship based on a bowl of bean rice, during which the protagonist meets Bai Qi of Qin. He then takes Bai Qi's wish to 'see the world at peace' as his own promise, which leads to the subsequent witnessing of various dynasties."

"Wait a minute!" Liu Yifei interrupted his brief introduction. "A man turning into a woman, isn't that a bit too absurd?"

"It sounds weird, this doesn't sound like Mulan at all."

Boss Lu laughed and said, "Yes, it sounds strange at first, but if you think about the theme of this story, the setting is brilliant."

He patiently explained, "Although the protagonist is quite capable, he is more of an observer and witness of history, filled with a sense of loneliness and powerlessness."

"The background of 'My Love from the Star' is that a person from the Zhengde era has lived for more than 500 years. His loneliness in the modern era is changed because of his feelings for the female lead."

"All love is a curse. How can the story's female protagonist, who has lived for two thousand years, highlight this eternal loneliness?"

Boss Lu carefully chose his words: "A male soul in a female body, unmarriageable, unmarriageable, unlovable."

"Now I see the ancient body, but I can't get used to the food, the sight, or the life."

"The brilliance of this setting lies in its ability to abandon the clichéd romance dramas that are now commonplace, and to allow one to carefully experience and examine the entire historical process from the perspective of an extraterrestrial visitor."

Liu Yifei listened silently and nodded. Indeed, for a character with such a setup, eternal loneliness seemed to be her destiny.

She is a witness to history, and also a contemplator of pain.

Behind the long, grand, prosperous, and desolate span of two thousand years, the mystique of "immortality" is demystified, and this film and television work is able to profoundly reveal the cruel truth behind eternal life: endless loss, irresistible historical trends, and humanity worn down by time.

If adapted properly, this could be a masterpiece that combines the exciting plot of ancient Chinese dynasties rising and falling and heroes emerging, with a profound sense of tragic beauty and philosophical reflection.

Xiao Liu was already captivated by the female lead and, from an actor's perspective, thought:

"Mercin said in his manuscript on format teaching that character conflict is usually driven by external plot, but a truly three-dimensional character must have an internal self-torn, and this ontological conflict is often more dramatic than external contradictions."

"The female protagonist in this story experiences the grief of witnessing the continuous departure of her relatives and friends, and feels the sense of fate of trying to change history but being powerless to do so. These are all driving forces in the plot."

"But the setting of this immortal being with a male soul and a female body has conflicts between soul and body, memory and era, cognition and identity from the very beginning, which must be very difficult to perform."

The actress, speaking in a cheerful tone, said, "This character is great. There are no drawn-out, tedious romantic scenes. She is Bai Qi's female apprentice and also learns swordsmanship from Guiguzi and the others. She is also a half-female warrior in martial arts."

"Should I do it?"

"Are you very interested?" Lu Kuan laughed. "Female stars of your caliber usually don't go back to television once they have stable film roles."

"It doesn't matter. What's important is the role. I didn't understand when I first entered the industry, but in the last two years I've realized that playing a good role can be really addictive."

Liu Yifei said with great interest: "Moreover, if we make a TV series like this according to the standards of the industry, we will probably have to invite senior actors to play these important historical figures, which will give us more opportunities to learn from and exchange ideas with our predecessors."

There has always been an unspoken "hierarchy of contempt" within the industry, which considers film to be a higher art form, demanding higher levels of precision in actors' performances and production quality. Many actors also regard entering the big screen as a step forward in their careers and a sign of success.

Even if others don't say it, Zhang Yimou himself has warned several of his leading ladies: never make TV dramas.

Of course, one is a meticulously crafted work of art, and the other is a storytelling "storytelling book," so it's understandable that film directors would think this way.

However, for Liu, who knows she isn't particularly gifted, every memorable role is an opportunity for her to advance her career. After all, she has one major advantage over other actresses—

She doesn't need to worry too much about factors like career prospects, salary, and status, which fall under the category of celebrities.

Liu Yifei asked expectantly, "If we decide to do it, when will the script be available?"

"It won't be that fast. Although there are readily available historical materials and core themes, it's easy to write a script. But from the perspective of the entire project operation, there are many more factors to consider."

Mr. Lu explained in detail: "Who is our target market and main audience? Is it just mainland audiences? Or do we also need to cater to audiences in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and overseas?"

"Market positioning determines the script's cultural compatibility and narrative strategy, which in turn determines the investment method and amount, including the future expansion of overseas channels."

He paused, then hesitated, and said, "Actually, my current idea is to turn this film and television work, which is called a TV series but whose production cost, costume and prop details, and research rigor far exceed those of ordinary TV series, into a resource platform."

"Resource platform? What does that mean?"

Mr. Lu has an extremely broad mind. His keen market sense and insight into future trends enable him to coordinate his own resources and those of Wenjie with a systematic approach.

"Zhang Heping and I have discussed the market-oriented reform of Beijing People's Art Theatre no less than four or five times, including the current problem of young talent loss in national-level theaters such as Beijing People's Art Theatre and National Theatre of China. Everyone wants to go to the glamorous entertainment industry to make a living."

"Isn't this historical epic, which significantly requires the participation of veteran actors of different ages, a good opportunity to help him advance reforms? We can also gain a large number of 'high-quality and affordable' veteran actors to serve the plot."

"Old Feng, Wu Gang, Ding Zhicheng, Wang Gang, Yang Lixin, Liang Guanhua, and even Vice President Pu Cunxin, I think they could all be sent to the countryside with a single order!"

Xiao Liu laughed and said, "After all that nonsense, your core message is 'good quality at a low price,' right?"

When she joined the company as a Category III actress two years ago, her basic salary was less than 4000 yuan.

Even a veteran actor like Feng Yuanzheng, who has won the Golden Lion Award, can only be assigned according to his work and cannot overstep his authority.

Last year, he earned less than 10 yuan for his cameo role as an effeminate character in "If You Are the One," while this year he earned 5 yuan per episode for a TV series called "People Are Iron, Rice Is Steel."

Such treatment is practically worthless compared to the current top male idols and popular young male celebrities.

Lu Kuan continued to explain, "The Beijing People's Art Theatre is the easiest to influence. With you here, and with Zhang Heping giving the order, even a vice president like Pu Cunxin will set a good example. Plus, there's the National Theatre of China, the Air Force Political Department, and the General Political Department—"

"Professor Xuejian still has influence at the National Theatre of China. He is currently recovering from a serious illness, so I think he should take on more responsibilities."

The previous film, "Under the Hawthorn Tree," was filmed earlier than the one in the previous life. Zhao Benshan replaced Li Xuejian, who was recovering from surgery, and now they have invited him to return to the screen.

"You're acting a bit arrogant today, aren't you? One minute you're talking about going to the countryside, the next you're talking about taking on more responsibilities, you're quite the big shot!" Liu Yifei rolled her eyes at her husband. "But we haven't been in touch since we visited Teacher Li at the beginning of the year, so it would be great if we could work together again."

In 2004, while filming "A Home Away From Home" in the United States, Li Xuejian served as her teacher for several months, from which she benefited greatly. (Chapter 204)
Leaving aside the Beijing People's Art Theatre, the National Theatre of China has Li Xuejian, Ni Dahong, Tang Guoqiang, Zhang Fengyi, and Duan Yihong.
Guo Da, Sun Tao, Lin Yongjian, and others from the Air Force Political Department and the General Political Department are all excellent actors, and they were able to find roles that suited them in this historical epic spanning two thousand years.

"The resource platform you mentioned, you were just talking about actors, right? Does it also include directors...?" Xiao Liu suddenly asked in surprise.

"I know! Should we involve directors from China, Japan, and South Korea from the Pan-Asian Film Academy?"

"By bringing in various companies to invest, it's easier to promote the TV series in Japan and South Korea. In other places, we rely on Netflix's influence, right?"

Boss Lu nodded: "That's right. Our modern pop culture is lagging behind Japan and South Korea. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to dominate like Super Junior and Girls' Generation."

"But the historical themes are different. Japanese audiences are obsessed with the Three Kingdoms culture. John Woo's 'Red Cliff' almost surpassed the domestic box office and number of viewers in Japan. The same is true in South Korea."

"With Netflix's promotion, regardless of how audiences around the world evaluate it, we have at least managed to promote works that embody our history and humanistic core, allowing others to see them first. This is the most crucial step."

"With such a funding background, and by selecting directors from China, Japan and South Korea who are all in the Confucian cultural sphere to direct different segments, and by appropriately inviting well-known actors from Japan and South Korea such as Ken Takakura to participate, and by composing music by a master like Ryuichi Sakamoto, we can completely create a historical epic with a Chinese perspective as the absolute dominant force."

It seemed that the thought process had been clarified in just a few words, and Lu Kuan returned to the initial topic:
"Whether Zheng Xiaolong has switched sides is not worth mentioning. If such a cultural project is successfully implemented, it is estimated that many people who want to be promoted to the division level will try to find connections to take up temporary positions."

"The investors are international, the actors are from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and mainland China, and the core is Chinese culture. This is the best answer to the 'Cultural Industry Revitalization Law' promulgated by the state in September!"

"As for those Manchu people he mentioned who were stirring up trouble, do they still have the guts to cause any more trouble?"

How wicked...

This is Liu Yifei's biggest takeaway after hearing about the "resource platform" that Zheng Xiaolong built in a short period of time, which she initially only thought about using the existing resources to poach him.

This shift in perspective transforms the situation from one where he might have to face the Manchu counterattack alone to one where the other side faces a vast ocean of people, and even an international brigade.

The offensive and defensive dynamics are different.

This is the power of capital. In the current world, if it wants to do evil, there will be countless followers and followers.
However, if one wants to do good, one can gather considerable positive forces, but one must prioritize the gains from war and strategic objectives.

For him, after spending so many years successfully "pacifying the internal affairs", his biggest strategic goal is to try to go overseas to "repel external aggression".

Using the "Beiping Film Festival" co-organized by the Pan-Asian Film Academy to replace the Golden Horse Awards is ostensibly for internal stability, but in reality it is also for external resistance, because the Golden Horse Awards are controlled by cultural forces that are held hostage by their American "fathers".

This cultural project, initiated by his wife Liu Yifei on her own initiative, is a clear attempt to open the country's doors, first conquering Japan and South Korea, and then targeting the American West.

At a time when the "Jang Ja-yeon incident" has slightly slowed down the rampant spread of Korean wave, but the former cannot be eradicated due to geopolitical reasons, an attempt is being made to "change sides".

You do your thing, I'll do mine.

……

As it turns out, when a cultural powerhouse like Wenjie is mobilized, the speed at which projects progress is astonishing.

The project team split into several groups:
On October 18th, after receiving the document from the boss regarding the core theme and key information of the work, such as the main characters, the Wenjie screenwriting team went into full swing, invited several consultants in history and ancient military science, and began writing the first draft.
At the same time, Dong Shuangqiang, on behalf of himself, met with the other two investors of the Pan-Asia Film Academy and China Film Group to discuss issues such as subject matter positioning, production specifications, and resource coordination.

Old Han naturally agreed wholeheartedly. China Film Group would participate in such a project even if it meant losing money. As for whether it fell within the latter's business scope, the short-haired man, who had now been promoted to deputy director of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, didn't need to worry about it.

CJ Entertainment and Nihon Toho Co., Ltd. were quite interested in the tentative cast of the TV series, but hesitated after learning that it would not be directed by Lu Kuan himself. They promised to give a reply as soon as possible.

Wenjie Film & Television General Manager Zhong Lifang accompanied Liu Yifei to the Beijing People's Art Theatre to communicate with theatre leaders such as Zhang Heping, Pu Cunxin, and Feng Yuanzheng. The process went quite smoothly.

Following discussions within the National Theatre of China led by Tian Zhuangzhuang and Li Xuejian, Dean Zhou Zhiqiang, still somewhat uneasy, personally called Mr. Lu, who was in North America. After the call, Mr. Lu readily agreed, stating that he would communicate with the relevant actors about the roles after the first draft of the script was completed.

Veteran actors, barring special circumstances, should actively participate whenever conditions permit. Zhou Zhiqiang also thought it would be good to train some young actors from the theater as well.

A production of this scale and cultural significance is something that someone of the caliber of the director of the National Theatre of China, a figure in the arts and culture world, could not possibly fail to recognize.

Everything was proceeding smoothly. Insiders, who were quick to sense when things were going to get warmer, began to spread rumors that Wenjie was about to produce a big-budget TV series. Some of Wenjie's social connections were inundated with calls, especially Yang Siwei.

Such rumors naturally reached the ears of companies such as Wanda, LeEco Culture, and Pegasus Media.

November 1, 2009, Hengdian Ming and Qing Palace Scenic Area, the crew of the TV series "Palace Lock Heart Jade".

Apart from Tong Liya, who played Nian Suyan in the previous life, the original cast is basically all back, with LeTV Culture's top female star, Da Mimi, being the most prominent.

Today is a "Media and Fan Open Day" organized by the production team, imitating the approach taken by the production team. Normally, they strictly control leaks and spoilers by creating a sense of scarcity, so they set aside one day each month for a special showcase.

For example, today, the material left for reporters and fans to "appreciate acting skills" is a climax scene featuring Yang Mi:

After learning of the Eighth Prince's dire predicament, Luo Qingchuan risked everything to confront him in the palace corridor and confess her feelings. Her emotions shifted from restrained worry to a resolute shout, and her dialogue was dense and highly infectious.

Of course, this is the ideal situation.

Director Li Huizhu is giving Yang Mi acting instructions:

"Honey, I need you to walk quickly from the end of the corridor in a moment. The camera will zoom in and give you a worried long shot first."

"Then freeze the shot when the Eighth Prince turns around, give him a close-up, and show your face the transition from restrained anxiety to an emotional outburst. This performance will be very moving, and we plan to include it in the promotional footage. Good luck!"

Yang Mi confidently replied: "Great director!"

Even though Yang Mi is being overwhelmed by Xiao Liu in this life, her acting talent and comprehension are still there.

From her highly fitting role as Guo Xiang in "The Return of the Condor Heroes" to "Palace," which can be considered her "ascension work" after "Chinese Paladin 3," Yang Mi's performances have been remarkable.

It's unrealistic to say that anyone who makes it in this circle has no merits or advantages, aside from their behind-the-scenes skills.

So the fans and reporters who had been told to keep quiet, all the cast and crew members on set, especially director Li Huizhu, all watched intently as this mini-climax unfolded. In the Imperial Garden, snow fell on plum branches, Luo Qingchuan was falsely accused of theft, and the Eighth Prince was ordered to interrogate her.

Yang Mi took a half step back, clutching her sleeve tightly: "This servant didn't steal!"

Her voice trembled slightly, and her eyes suddenly reddened, but she didn't shed a tear.

"With such conclusive evidence, how dare you try to deny it?" Feng Shaofeng grabbed her wrist, his hand turning white, a sudden pang of pity flashing in his eyes.

Da Mimi reacted quickly, abruptly shaking off his arm and scolding, "If I really wanted to escape, I should have stood by and watched you die when you were in danger at the hunting grounds! Why should I let you slander me for no reason now?"

Li Huizhu nodded secretly. Yang Mi had accurately grasped the conflict between Qingchuan's straightforward personality and the court etiquette after she traveled from the modern era to ancient times.

As the camera zoomed in, her eyes were slightly red, but she stubbornly looked up, delivering a series of rapid and clear questions directly to the Eighth Prince's situation, her tone combining the directness of a modern woman with the concern of the character herself.

Of course, there are shortcomings, and these are things that she, as the director, has repeatedly emphasized in private, but this leading lady of LeEco Culture has ignored them.

I like to suck my cheeks.

In Li Huizhu's view, this is simply because the actors have too much of an idol image to maintain, and there is no other reason.

This is a subconscious self-protective action. Actors may try to cover up or modify certain facial features, such as the shape of their mouth, teeth, or the outline of their nose, because they are not satisfied with them.

Sometimes I get really annoyed by this self-important "LeEco Queen," and I really want to ask her a question:
Even Liu Yifei in the movie didn't mention covering up her teeth or other physical imperfections. What kind of person are you to resort to such petty tricks?
After a segment depicting female characters with braids and romantic love ended, Li Huizhu helplessly called out, and the fans on the sidelines immediately erupted in cheers.

Whether it was a planted audience member or not, they seemed to see their own parents and shouted loudly, "Mi Mi is amazing! Her acting is phenomenal! The strongest among the post-85s actresses! Without a doubt!"

This shout was like a starting gun, instantly igniting the excitement of the other real fans in the audience, who erupted in cheers and applause.

The media in the press area were very cooperative, with their flashes turning the room into a sea of ​​light as they captured this "highlight of acting."

Everyone tacitly agreed to maintain this grand celebration of acting skills, because everyone needed this "hot topic" and "discussion".

LeEco Culture's travel expenses are the highest in the industry, bar none.

"President Jia is here! President Gao is here too!"

Jia Yueting, who has yet to earn the nickname "Returning Home Next Week," gladly accepted the "assistant interview" with Vice President Gao Fei.

Caixin reporter: "Mr. Jia, what is the current progress of LeEco Culture's IPO?"

Jia Yueting's honest smile inspires trust: "Thanks to everyone's care and support, LeEco Culture has successfully completed its Series B financing. We are actively pushing forward with the listing process on the ChiNext board and expect to submit our prospectus in the first quarter of next year."

"During this financing process, because of the precedent set by Wuyue Culture, we have also received inquiries from many people in the entertainment and arts circles, including top directors, actors and producers. Please stay tuned."

He was relatively modest in his words: "With the excellent example of Wuyue Culture and the correct guidance provided by the National Cultural Industry Revitalization Law, I believe that LeEco Culture will definitely bring substantial returns to investors!"

In the previous life, LeTV ruined a whole bunch of people, including Zhang Yimou who invested 1200 million, Guo Jingming who invested 500 million, Sun Honglei who invested 240 million, Huang Xiaoming, Deng Chao and his wife, and so on.

Subsequently, the "ecological transformation" strategy advocated by "Returning to China Next Week" was spread too far, including LeTV, film, sports, automobiles, and mobile phones, which were hastily launched, leading to an extreme shortage of funds in the company's cash flow.

At the end of 2016, LeEco's cash flow problems completely erupted, many businesses came to a standstill, and the valuation of its subsidiaries plummeted. By the time it was delisted in 2020, the stock price was only 18 cents.

The story will obviously repeat itself in this lifetime, and with the strong involvement of coal bosses and the demonstration effect of Wenjie, there will be no shortage of people falling into this trap.

Of course, Jia Yueting also had something to say: "I'm in the car business, I'm in the mobile phone business, and I learned that from Wenjie! Isn't he almost the richest man in Asia? Why can't I?"
Hurry and place your bets! First come, first served!
Hunan Daily: "President Gao, please tell us your expectations for 'Palace'. We can all see that LeTV Culture has put in a lot of effort from project initiation and marketing to channel distribution."

Gao Fei, impeccably dressed in a suit, said with an official expression: "Yes, this is our second masterpiece that will lead the market, following the hugely successful 'Dwelling Narrowness'."

He confidently elaborated: "Palace not only continues the excellent production tradition of Qing Dynasty palace dramas, but also fully demonstrates the essence of Chinese court culture. Every costume in the drama has been verified by experts from the Palace Museum. From the kingfisher feather inlay on the hairpins to the kesi weaving on the robes, they are all perfect reproductions of intangible cultural heritage."

"We pay special attention to restoring the rigor of Qing Dynasty court etiquette." He pointed to the stills in the brochure as an example, "For instance, in this scene of kneeling to pay respects, the angle of the actor's palms to the ground and the rhythm of kneeling are strictly in accordance with the records in the Qing court archives."

Just then, actors Yang Mi and Feng Shaofeng approached, causing fans to scream, and the reporter quickly switched gears.

"Hello Yang Mi, what were your considerations in returning to television roles after several films?"

Yang Mi smiled sweetly: "I will never forget my identity as an actress. An actor only has the role in mind, which has nothing to do with TV series and movies."

The fans applauded again, saying, "Well said! This is truly worthy of being the top of the Four Little Actresses!"
And that fat fairy who hides at home after having a baby! She should just retire from the entertainment industry as soon as possible. She's only out here because of her billionaire husband's influence!

Reporter from Bigstar magazine: "Mimi, ever since you became the spokesperson for the Penguin Farm game, there's been a lot of talk in the industry about the fierce competition between you and the 'Fairy Sister' who endorses the 'World Farm' game, and there have even been rumors of discord between you two. I wonder if you..."

“Nonsense.” Da Mimi shook her head with a smile: “Xixi is my best friend. Her dedication, seriousness and professionalism are admirable.”

“Endorsing different products is perfectly normal. Does that mean that people in the industry who endorse the same products are enemies? I don’t think so at all.”

"Sisi is just recovering after giving birth, so please don't be too anxious. I believe she will be back in the public eye soon."

It's best if you don't come back! Just be a happy wife to your richest man!
The pre-arranged reporter seized the opportunity to ask, "Mimi, that performance was absolutely brilliant! I think it's just as excellent as the scene in 'The Sky of History' that was called the 'textbook example' of Beijing Film Academy two years ago. How would you rate yourself?"

Yang Mi naturally chimed in, "We are all actors who came from the Beijing Film Academy, so of course we have very high standards for ourselves in terms of professional skills."

"Although I may not be outstanding right now, I am definitely working hard to improve."

"Actually, since five years ago when Xixi and I were on the set of 'The Return of the Condor Heroes,' we have often exchanged ideas, learned from each other, and made progress together. I believe that our pursuit and dedication to acting can still make our teachers back then feel gratified!"

Yang Mi's answer was watertight, and the reporters couldn't find any highlights for the time being, so they continued to focus their attention on LeEco Culture's listing.

When discussing market prospects, Jia Yueting couldn't help but make a bold statement: "This year will be a bumper year for Qing Dynasty dramas. Hunan TV's 'New My Fair Princess 4' focuses on youthful nostalgia, Beiping Cultural and Art Center's 'Empresses in the Palace' emphasizes the depth of palace intrigue, while our 'Palace Lock Heart Jade' innovatively interprets the theme of time travel."

"These three major dramas are expected to ignite a Qing Dynasty drama craze that will last for half a year. LeTV Culture has already launched full copyright operation. The online premiere of 'New 4' has been agreed upon, and negotiations for 'Empresses in the Palace' are progressing smoothly..."

"Mr. Jia..." The reporter from the TV Drama Journal in Beiping remained silent. He was just a ruthless soldier who paid travel expenses, and he was indifferent to the pre-arranged hype on the scene.

It wasn't until Jia Yueting mentioned "Empresses in the Palace" that he couldn't help but say seriously, "President Jia, according to the news I just received, the production of 'Empresses in the Palace' at the Beiping Television Art Center has been confirmed to be temporarily suspended."

"Huh?" Old Jia was a little confused, but he quickly realized: "We haven't grasped this situation yet. If it's true, the art center must have its own plans, which is not something we can comment on."

Vice President Gao Fei thought to himself, "He is the key person in charge of the negotiations. There was no news about him just a few days ago. How could such bad news suddenly come?"

Of course, this is hardly bad news for LeEco Culture; on the contrary, it means one less competitor.

"Thank you for the reminder from the reporter. We will go back and verify this issue. If it is true, I think LeTV Culture, which adheres to the strategy of producing high-quality dramas, will try to purchase scripts from the center to innovate and create a matrix of excellent cultural products, with Qing Dynasty dramas as a representative of Chinese culture."

Today, all the core members of LeEco Culture present, including Gao Fei, Jia Yueting, and Yang Mi, were only slightly surprised, as they did not yet fully grasp the impending dramatic changes in the situation.

It wasn't until the evening, before Boss Jia's visit to the set, that he looked at Gao Fei, who had been explaining for a long time, with suspicion in the crew's meeting room. Yang Mi, Xu Duojin, director Li Huizhu, and others were also quite surprised.

"You mean to say that Wenjie killed this project?"

Gao Fei shrugged: "It's just speculation. Who knows the truth anyway?"

"In short, what everyone sees now is that Zheng Xiaolong has stopped the project. But this is right now, when he was acquiring shares in Gehua after the mixed-ownership reform. If he wasn't facing immense pressure, he wouldn't have committed suicide, would he?"

"And another thing! Someone saw Liu Yifei at the arts center, apparently there to help terminate the contract of some singer friend of hers. They found out from their legal department..."

Yang Mi had been quite alert ever since Xiao Liu's name appeared, and blurted out, "Yao Beina?"

Gao Fei shook his head: "I don't know much about it, but there's been quite a stir in the industry lately. Wenjie is about to launch another big project. Judging from the momentum, it seems to be on par with Lu Kuan's own movies."

"This shouldn't be! Liu Yi... Qianqian has only been out of the workforce for less than a year since giving birth, and she's already back to work?" Da Mimi said, somewhat annoyed. "This won't do. Mothers have to be responsible for their babies."

Seemingly noticing some strange looks from those around her, Yang Mi changed her tone, half-jokingly: "I need to find a chance to advise her. Her family is already so rich, she shouldn't work so hard."

"If I had a baby, I would want to spend every day with them!"

Gao Fei laughed and said, "President Jia, and everyone else, it's just entertainment news. It doesn't really concern us. I don't think we need to overthink it."

Director Li Huizhu said, "I have a suggestion: if possible, go and get in touch with this script. The subject matter of 'Empresses in the Palace' is very unique, and it has a relatively active online readership."

These two people's words were far from enough to put the other three people present at ease.

First, there's Jia Yueting, who was involved in the "404 incident" last year before the Lunar New Year due to collusion with Damai.cn;
Secondly, she was unsettled ever since she heard the name that she resented and envied. She sincerely wished that Liu Yifei could be a good wife to the richest man, or even the richest man in the world. Why couldn't she leave the glory of Xiaohua to herself?
Is it necessary to go back to work when the baby is only a few months old?

Their eating manners are so unsightly!
I really don't know how Lu Kuan could like such a materialistic woman who doesn't even care about her own child.

The third one is Xu Duojin, whom Boss Lu described as someone who pretends to be weak while actually being strong.

He looked at Gao Fei in a deep voice: "Could you call Wu Ershan from Wanda and ask him? Didn't you say he mentioned to you last time that Wenjie doesn't seem to make many Qing Dynasty dramas?"

"I don't think this is as simple as it seems."

Jia Yueting was jolted awake, countless terrifying associations forming a huge "404" in her mind. She hurriedly instructed Gao Fei: "Call! Wu Ershan came from the Questioning Realm, so ask him politely!"

Seeing their demeanor, Gao Fei dared not be negligent. He calmly dialed the cell phone number of the abandoned disciple of the World of Questions, which was the same number he had left when he attended a meeting at the Beiping Television Art Center. They had occasionally kept in touch since then.

beep...

"Director Wu, I am Gao Fei from LeEco."

There was a rustling sound on the other end of the phone, followed by Wu Ershan's deep voice: "President Gao, please give your instructions."

"Haha, it's hardly an instruction." Gao Fei had no interest in small talk and went straight to the point: "Director Wu, we sat together at the last meeting, and during our chat you mentioned the industry's likes and dislikes for Qing Dynasty dramas, plus the news this morning from Zheng Xiaolong that 'Empresses in the Palace' has been shelved..."

"Director Wu, Old Wu! I'll call you that now. Is there any news you can let your brothers know?"

Wu Ershan was overjoyed to hear the vice president of such a large company praising him, but when he thought that this was because of that terrifying powerful figure, he lost all his joy.

He calmly replied, "Logically, I shouldn't talk about others behind their backs, but there are some things..."

"Fine, I'll just state the facts as I know them, without making any value judgments. You can examine the rest yourselves, okay?"

Gao Fei glanced at the looks on everyone's faces in the room, a bad feeling rising in his heart: "Okay, please speak."

With Feng Xiaogang and Wang Sicong present, Wu Ershan dared to reveal some of what he considered to be Boss Lu's "nationalist stance" to Zheng Xiaolong, but since they were not close acquaintances, he could not reveal too much to Gao Fei.

Voldemort might not even pay attention to a minor character like him, but...

What if?
The followers of the Eternal Heaven now only dare to discuss the facts as they see them, without offering any guidance.
"The script for 'Empresses in the Palace' has actually been completed, but about half a month ago, it was said that Liu Yifei took singer Yao Beina to terminate her contract and had negotiations with Zheng Xiaolong."

"Following this, news circulated within the industry that Wenjie was planning to launch a major project, but details were unknown until today, when Zheng Xiaolong announced that he was abandoning it."

Wu Ershan chuckled and said, "President Gao, I can only say one more thing: Qing Dynasty dramas... are not so easy to film. You should make plans in advance."

In his mind, this was clearly Boss Lu's ruthless suppression of other forces by this extreme "Han supremacist," which was utterly shameless!
But there is nothing that can be done.

Now he can only act like an ant, stirring up trouble wherever he can, spreading rumors and gossip that he believes to be the truth.

He simply couldn't believe that after spending so much money and filming for over a month, "Palace" and LeTV would remain completely silent and offer no resistance whatsoever if they faced suppression from Zheng Xiaolong.
Zheng Xiaolong is getting a promotion, but you guys are going public!

Even a war of words is good; it would be best to pin the blame for incitement and discrimination on that Han chauvinist.

"President Jia?" At least a minute had passed since the call ended. Seeing everyone's somber expressions, Gao Fei had no choice but to ask for instructions, "The people outside are basically all here, and the dinner is almost time..."

Ding Dong!

"A notification from Weibo's newly launched mobile version!" Yang Mi reacted as if stung by a wasp, frantically pulling out her phone while stammering, "Qianqian posted on Weibo, let me take a look, maybe it's..."

Ok?
What the hell is this?

"Wenjie Mall's Double 11 Shopping Carnival is now live for a limited time! Everything is at a huge discount!"

It's a very simple Weibo ad, with pictures showing detailed information about this year's Double 11 shopping festival and a link to the link.

Da Mimi stroked her large breasts, looking somewhat embarrassed like a paranoid woman: "It's an advertisement that Qianqian did, it's not related to... Qing Dynasty dramas or anything like that."

Jia Yueting pondered the so-called "Double 11 Shopping Festival" for a few seconds, but didn't have the mood to care about anything else. She sighed inwardly, thinking that she couldn't be so paranoid, and she couldn't miss today's visit dinner.

"Let's go eat..."

Ding Dong!

Looking at Yang Mi with slight dissatisfaction as he returned to China next week, he was too embarrassed to admit that he had also been startled and was still harboring the fear of possibly being "suppressed by 404".

"Yang Mi, turn it to mute, your voice is too loud, haha."

Old Jia glanced at Yang Mi, who had taken out her phone again to look at it. He saw that she was squinting at the screen, her brows furrowed so much that she didn't even have time to reply to him. Her boyfriend, Xu Duojin, looked horrified.

"What's going on? What news is it?"

Yang Mi swallowed hard, looked up at him, and said hesitantly, "It's Zheng Xiaolong, whom I just followed... He... He gave an interview to the Beijing Evening News and posted it on his Weibo."

Jia Yueting felt a chill run down her spine from Yang Mi's gaze and quickly snatched the phone away.
Beiping Daily: Director Zheng, what is the main reason for your recent decision to suspend the filming of "Empresses in the Palace" and instead reach a new project cooperation with Wenjie?
"To my shame, during the months of script polishing, I re-examined the cultural core of Qing Dynasty dramas. After several discussions with experts from the Institute of History at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, we realized that these dramas suffer from serious value deviations—"

"Qing Dynasty dramas are a step backward in history and are not conducive to building cultural confidence. They repeatedly glorify the servile culture under the feudal imperial system, package the dregs of kneeling and kowtowing as traditional culture, and beautify the queue that shackles thought as national characteristics."

"Our Chinese nation is a united whole, and each ethnic group has its own unique cultural connotations and characteristics."

"But it is by no means the kind of feudal poison that is wrapped in the sugar coating of modern idol dramas, which is hierarchical and orderly. Therefore, I have personally thought hard and decided to stop this film and television project."

Mr. Jia was shocked!

Zheng Xiaolong of Beijing's elite circle! How dare you betray your own class?!
At eight o'clock in the evening, as night fell in Beiping, Fu Zuoyi sat alone in his office, with neon lights flashing and cars flowing by outside the window.

He took off his thick reading glasses, rubbed his sore eyes, and the blue light from the screen reflected on his tired face.

The Weibo post had just been sent, but unfortunately, his thoughts at that moment could not be heard by Jia Yueting, who was far away in Hengdian:
First of all, I am a Chinese director, and I want to see Chinese culture spread throughout the world.

Secondly, he...

He gave too much.

(End of this chapter)