Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 557 Sword Forging
Liu Yifei attended a day-long meeting at the Wenjie Building regarding the first edition of the Taiping Book's scriptwriting version.

Because of the complex involvement of the project's participants, distribution channels, and content, this meeting was more like a high-level, cross-disciplinary closed-door creative seminar, aiming to integrate the initial draft of the script, historical research, and cultural export strategies.

With more than a month to go before the planned start of filming on New Year's Day, it has been basically confirmed that the series will adopt the season format of American dramas. However, the filming will not follow the seasonal drama format of Travel Channel. Filming will begin after a complete season script is completed.

This was to maintain consistency in the core essence and character of the female protagonist, Gu Nan, across different dynasties. Furthermore, *The Book of Peace* didn't have the same need to be written and filmed simultaneously as American dramas did.

The avoidance of historical nihilism, based on the premise of passing censorship, is also the role positioning of the female lead in this drama as a presenter and a mild participant.

The only possibility is that the female protagonist can participate in and change the "historical process" in the middle; the "historical process" itself remains untouched.

In other words, she is more like a witness to history and a contemplator of pain than an omnipotent intervener.

Even from the most "whimsical" perspective of online novels, could a woman in ancient China with only the ability to live forever and who would fall into a coma after faking her death change history?
Even from the perspective of a heroic view of history, it is absolutely impossible.

Television dramas, or works of such high production quality that rival "television movies," require even more logic.

Amidst the current discussions, this setup is actually more conducive to this tentative first step of cultural export. Just think about how Li Ziqi became popular in the West in later generations.
Li Ziqi's success lies in the fact that she is not a preacher, but an immersive experiencer and a presenter of aesthetics. Through her daily labor, she vividly demonstrates the "Shangri-La" ideal of Chinese agrarian civilization:

Self-sufficiency, pastoral poetry, harmony between humanity and nature, and the warmth of handicrafts—she doesn't spread dry knowledge, but rather a perceptible and desirable lifestyle and aesthetic taste.

The direction of the Taiping Book is also like this.

Gu Nan is Li Ziqi in the long river of history. Her status as an immortal makes her transcend a single era and become the most ideal immersive experiencer and witness of Chinese civilization.

What she demonstrates is the depth of time and the evolution of civilization that cannot be shown in Li Ziqi's videos.

Just like the initial instructions and core themes given by Boss Lu, which were projected during the screenwriting workshop:
In a sense, Gu Nan, played by Xiao Liu, is a presenter who must showcase both the "evolving living culture" and the "unchanging spiritual core."

What is "evolving living culture"?
The audience will witness, through her eyes, a dynamic "fashion show of Chinese civilization" and "art of living" spanning two thousand years. From the Qin armor and Han robes, Tang garments and Song jackets she wears, to the Warring States battlefield, the Han palace walls, the Tang city markets, and the Song tiled balustrades where she stands.

Clothing, etiquette, architecture, military, and food are no longer static displays in museums, but rather a part of her real life. This kind of display is warm, has stories, and is full of life.

What is meant by "unchanging spiritual core"?
It is through Gu Nan's participation in history that he witnessed the patriotism, spirit of sacrifice, and integrity of countless heroes, which constitute the spiritual backbone of the Chinese nation that has remained consistent for thousands of years.

Her own "guardianship" and "contemplation" are themselves a manifestation of this spiritual core.

Therefore, the cultural significance of this filming route lies in its successful upgrade of cultural output from "display of elements" to "narrative immersion." It is no longer satisfied with showing the world symbols such as paper-cutting and Peking Opera masks, but rather allows global audiences to actively and empathetically "live" in the historical scroll of Chinese civilization through an epic drama with world-class production standards and narrative charm.

They will be captivated by the story of the female swordsman Xiao Liu, and deeply attracted by the era she lived through, the clothes she wore, and the values ​​she upheld.

Of course, the core ideals of this drama and the main issues of the country's external value output are also universally applicable and politically correct:
Peace in the world.

At 8 p.m., actress Liu Yifei, who had been participating in the discussions for three consecutive days, returned home. After disinfecting her hands, taking a shower, and interacting with her baby for a while, she went back to her study to continue working on her script.

Although progress is slow, it has never stopped. In particular, participating in performances at the Beijing People's Art Theatre, experiencing life, and attending seminars with top industry experts like today all provide her with a lot of inspiration.

After checking the time, Xiao Liu opened the video call app to call her husband.

After the first Sunday of November, daylight saving time in North America ends, and Beijing and New York are exactly 12 hours apart. Eight o'clock in the evening in Beijing is the wake-up time on the other side of the road.

The reason the two abandoned Skype and switched to the newly deployed, privately-owned enterprise-grade video conferencing software was entirely for privacy reasons.

The latter's servers are deployed directly in the private data centers of Zhijie and Netflix, as well as in highly trusted hosting facilities, with an extremely high level of confidentiality.

Although the washing machine can't convince his wife yet, to exaggerate a bit, it would be perfectly safe for Xiao Liu to perform a striptease for the washing machine in the video right now. Only he, his wife, and his elderly mother Liu Xiaoli, who might accidentally stumble upon it, would know.

For the past two months, the young couple has made it a regular practice to have a morning phone call with the washing machine.

If there's nothing to talk about, chat more; if there is something to talk about, just treat it as a meeting and hang up after a few minutes. But today, Liu Yifei called twice in a row and no one answered. It wasn't until the third time that she saw him lying in bed, still half asleep, through the not-so-clear screen.

"Huh? The workaholic slept in today?" Xiao Liu urged, "Hurry up and switch to the computer to type, I can't even see your face clearly."

Boss Lu listlessly tucked his phone under the pillow, his weak voice coming out: "I abandoned the film crew as soon as I came to New York. Last night, I went swimming with Afei when I got back to the hotel. I haven't exercised in a long time and I'm exhausted."

"Really?" Liu Yifei was skeptical, but after a while she suddenly scolded, "Something's wrong with you, washing machine! When have you ever exercised so diligently?"

"Why did we suddenly start talking about sexy lingerie yesterday? And when I messaged Jingtian later, she didn't seem very enthusiastic!"

The actress, who had already spent the entire day in a screenwriting meeting and continued writing on her own at home that evening, was frantically imagining the plot in her mind, and her tone became even more furious:
"You, you, you! You wouldn't really give Tian Tian to..."

Lu Kuan had just dozed off and was about to take a nap when his wife deliberately startled him, interrupting him again. With his eyes still closed, he helplessly patted the blanket twice.

"Come out, stop hiding, you've been found out."

"Haha! You're acting like it's the real deal." Liu Yifei's daily pleasure now is teasing her husband. "But Tian Tian seems to be in a bad mood. Don't always yell at her, pay more attention to her."

No matter how beautiful my wife is, the washing machine doesn't even have the energy to open its eyes to look at her right now.

Last night, I resisted the temptation of beauty like a loyal underground party member, and only returned to my room to sleep exhausted after swimming in the hotel's heated pool for more than an hour.

Otherwise, given the intensity of his work, he would rarely sleep in late, since abundant energy is one of the most important talents of successful people.

Tired of Liu Yifei's nagging, Xi Sha simply wiped her face, sat up, and looked at her with sleepy eyes:

"Jing Tian is doing a good job in united front work. Everyone in the crew likes her. What does it matter if I scold her? Guo Fan and his group are protecting her."

Xiao Liu smiled and said, "She's just a naive and innocent girl, without any guile. She'll definitely be generous on set, just like my mom back then."

When Liu Yifei debuted, she was too young and inevitably faced exclusion due to her inexperience, lack of experience, and enviable starting resources. Her mother, Liu Xiaoli, created a comfortable working environment for her daughter through subtle and pervasive "mass work," which demonstrates her emotional intelligence.

However, Da Tian Tian's rather bold confession last night actually made Lu Kuan look at her with new respect: "She has laid a pretty good foundation, and now she seems to have some experience with life."

"Next is performance practice training, and we will gradually arrange suitable roles for her. This was originally a condition of our collaboration with Starlight Entertainment. The rest she can only figure out on her own."

This was also a bargaining chip agreed upon when we first met with Lu Zheng in 05, in exchange for the convenience of Wenjie Jiahe Cinema Line's cinema network expansion in Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and other regions.

However, as Liu Yifei and Jing Tian became closer, these matters were gradually no longer mentioned, and instead, a formal cooperation was reached by Wenjie investing in Jing Tian's studio.

Of course, personal relationships are another matter entirely.

"I'm starting martial arts training tomorrow," Xiao Liu said excitedly. "It's been such a long time. I haven't done any action scenes since the year I finished filming 'The Return of the Condor Heroes' and 'Alien Kingdom'."

"I hereby declare! This female warrior is back in action!"

Aside from the core concept of the script, Lu Kuan hadn't really paid much attention to the production after handing it over to Zheng Xiaolong and Wenjie's team. Now, he asked with some curiosity:

"I haven't received the report yet. Is the choreographer Yuan Heping or Cheng Xiaodong?"

There are only a handful of top-tier action choreography teams in China, such as Ching Siu-tung, Yuen Woo-ping, Sammo Hung, and Yuen Biao.

Cheng Xiaodong's representative works are "New Dragon Gate Inn" and "Hero". His style is freehand and imaginative, and he makes good use of wire work and fast editing to create surreal martial arts aesthetics. He is also recommended by Zhang Yimou.

Yuen Woo-ping needs no further introduction, but he just took on a 3D action film, "True Legend," this year, and the timing still needs to be coordinated.

Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao's instruction on the swordsmanship of the female lead in "The Book of Peace" was relatively amateurish, focusing instead on fist and foot techniques.

Currently, the production team is likely communicating with one of the first two options.

However, Lu Kuan heard a different, rather unexpected name from his wife.

"Yu Chenghui?"

“Yes! I asked Zhang Jizhong to find Yu Min; he introduced us.” Liu Yifei said with a smug look, as if to say, “Isn’t that clever?”
"He just filmed Zhang Sanfeng in 'The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber' last year, and the director was Yu Min."

There's no need to elaborate on the relationship between Yu Min and Zhang Jizhong. She also had interactions with Liu Yifei in "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" and "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," so they weren't strangers.

Regardless of anything else, Xiao Liu is truly a very dedicated actress, and she was the first to learn about the character and inner meaning of the female lead, Gu Nan, from her husband.

This is not a "female fighter" in the traditional sense. Her charm comes from the contradictory unity of a sense of brokenness and a tenacious vitality, as well as the special psychological state of bearing the past and enduring in silence.

This is similar to the sword philosophy of Yu Chenghui, known as the "Yellow River Hero" or "the last sword saint" in later generations, which highly integrates martial arts, swordsmanship, and the character's state of mind.

Furthermore, in terms of swordsmanship, Yu Chenghui's mastery, insights, and performance level in this area surpass those of other martial arts teams.

"Are you trying to fly to the heavens?" Washing Machine exclaimed in alarm. "Practicing Bajiquan or boxing is fine, but from now on, no knives, guns, or clubs are allowed in the house. They're corrupting the children!"

"Hmph," Xiao Liu teased, "Are you afraid I'll become a female sword saint? And if you turn back into a scumbag one day, I'll 'whoosh' and stab you in the back..."

Boss Lu smiled and said, "Then I'll chip your knife."

"Haha! Shameless!"

The two chatted for more than ten minutes. The man, wearing only his underwear, calmly put on his shoes, got out of bed, drank water, and relieved himself in front of his wife.

He yawned listlessly: "I have to go. I'm meeting with the people Harvey found this morning, and I'll try to meet with Anna Huang and Shih-Chun Chen, who are coming from California."

Liu Yifei knew that their daily sweet moments were coming to an end again, and she said in a sweet, coquettish voice, "Honey, when are you coming back?"

"Come back soon~ I have so many fun clothes to wear for you, I really want to see you tear them all to shreds~"

washing machine:?

Don't mess with me, honey! I almost exploded yesterday, and now again?!
"Stop, stop! No more flirting from afar these days, it's making me so itchy." The washing machine looked resentfully at its smug wife, especially resenting its own overactive imagination, which had somehow managed to change several pieces of lingerie from yesterday into one click...

He poured himself a glass of water and gulped it down. "Looking at the current situation, we should be able to wrap up filming by the end of January at the latest, which will still be in time to go home for the Chinese New Year. This year is the first year we have a baby, so it's very memorable."

Xiao Liu giggled, "This year's Spring Festival is still February 14th on the Gregorian calendar! Isn't that even more meaningful?"

"Really? That's great." Lu Kuan's weariness vanished, replaced by a bright smile. "I can finally spend time with my sweetheart from my past life, Youyou."

A pout stirred with jealousy in Liu Xiaolv, who pouted and demanded, "Then what about your lover in this life?"

The washing machine said smugly, "Of course I spend my days with Youyou, and you..."

"Of course, you'll be banished to the cold palace! You'll be punished every night until you're panting and your limbs are as limp as mud."

Liu Yifei licked her lower lip like a greedy girl, her eyes fixed on her husband's muscular upper body in the video:
"Well... it's alright. If I can't have your heart, at least I can have your body!"

……

At 9:11 AM local time in New York on November 13th, escorted by security personnel, Mr. Lu and his entourage departed from the Waldorf Hotel. In the car, Mr. Lu pondered his upcoming meeting with the Pentagon entertainment office official, whom Harvey had introduced through Leslie.

The aircraft carrier doesn't appear in many scenes in "Ball Lightning." Apart from the early scenes where it meets Dr. Chen and Lin Yun's fiancée Jiang Xingchen, it is mainly used in the climax when Lin Yun activates macro fusion to form the ultimate deterrent.

The film version makes some minor modifications to the original work, and in China, it will certainly reiterate the just war ethics.

The enemy's aircraft carrier fleet and a super tornado triggered by the tornado early warning system attacked our fleet. Despite being at a huge disadvantage, the patriotic weapons scientist Lin Yun repelled the enemy at great cost.

The just nature of this defensive counterattack and war to protect the homeland is not in question. Like most science fiction films that teeter on the edge of passing censorship, the film does not have a clear concept of the nation, and it is something that those who know, know.

Based on blurring reality, showcasing collectivism and national sentiment, and considering the sci-fi heavy industry concept proposed by Lu Kuan as a legislative advisor under the Film Promotion Law, as well as the approval from the State Administration of Radio and Television, the film should have no major problems passing censorship in China.

The key point is that it wouldn't be difficult to pass censorship in the US if the film were shot on a US aircraft carrier. However, if the film were shot on a US aircraft carrier, the image of the Americans in the movie would be implied as "aggressors," which is a scenario that the US would not want to see, especially since it is the work of an international director, whose influence is not to be ignored.

Inside a private club in Manhattan, Harvey was having coffee with a man with high eyebrows and deep-set eyes, who appeared to be around forty years old.

An Lushan, the Jewish strategist, sank into the sofa, subtly encouraging his Chinese allies, given that he and Disney had invested in the film.

“David, the last time we met was at your uncle’s funeral.” Harvey took a sip of soda, his voice low. “May he rest in peace. He always said that in business, the real contracts are written in trust, not on paper.”

The man called David, David Greenberg, was a Jewish military entertainment office officer. Hearing this, he laughed and said, "Harvey, you have a good memory. No wonder your business has grown bigger and bigger in recent years."

"Haha!" Harvey couldn't help but laugh triumphantly, but his next sentence lacked the self-deprecation typical of Easterners; instead, it was blatant boasting:

“Miramax was originally just an independent studio under Disney, but now my brothers and I have taken back the shares and become a top-tier film company after the Big Six in Hollywood.”

“David, I will never tell anyone else that the turning point in my career began with meeting you on the Cannes Road in 2003, and it is also the Eastern tycoon I am introducing you to today.”

"You can't even imagine how amazing he is. He has a pair of magical hands that can turn the rotten into the miraculous, and a genius who can turn lead into gold!"

After Harvey finished boasting, he immediately tried to entice him: "I think it's absolutely the right decision for you to befriend someone like him. He's definitely one of the best friends of us Jews."

An Lushan naturally wouldn't go into detail about the many mysterious events he had recounted, but instead used this vague and cryptic tale as a prelude. David Greenberg, sitting opposite him, simply smiled and nodded.
“Thank you for the introduction, Leslie. I know a little about him now.” David glanced at his watch and smiled. “But this Asian tycoon doesn’t seem to take today’s event very seriously; it’s already been a minute and a half past the agreed time…”

This military bureaucrat seemed to possess the typical Jewish traits of meticulousness and punctuality.

His teasing words were still swirling in the air when the heavy oak doors of the private club were silently pushed open.

The Eastern director, dressed in a well-fitting dark suit, strode in with a measured, apologetic smile. He was exactly two minutes late. "Sorry, New York traffic always proves its unpredictability at crucial moments," Mr. Lu said calmly, without a trace of panic. He first nodded to Harvey, then his gaze fell on the unfamiliar Jewish official.

Harvey laughed loudly, his obese body trembling on the sofa. "David, I can tell you definitively that our Chinese friend is lying."

"His good time was interrupted by his lover last night. I imagine he must have spent a long time comforting her when he got back, maybe even all night?"

Mr. Lu sighed helplessly, thinking about his "white streak" in the pool last night: "Women are always a hassle. Next time, please tell Leslie that it's the internet age now, can't we have a place where people can be delivered directly to me through online ordering?"
"Haha! This is a great idea!" Harvey clapped his hands and laughed. Boss Lu's eyes swept over David Greenberg, whose expression seemed to understand the hidden meaning in his words.

Yes, he was introduced by Leslie, and he's a civil servant in the US who frequently deals with Hollywood, so he's probably already quite familiar with the process.

“Yesterday’s sweetheart seems even more regretful than you, completely captivated by your charm,” Harvey teased as he concluded. The three of them sat down and began discussing the day’s business.

“Mr. David Greenberg? Harvey’s jokes are always imaginative, like this movie that we worked on with Disney.”

David smiled upon hearing this, took a document from his briefcase, and pushed it in front of Lu Kuan. "Director, the Entertainment Office's preliminary assessment of the application to use an aircraft carrier in 'Ball Lightning' is not optimistic."

"You have received the reply. This is an internal opinion that is not usually made public. You can take a look at it first."

With the relatively relaxed work style of American civil servants and the introduction of a Jewish intermediary, David Greenberg showed the private business owner the minutes of the Party Committee office meeting.

Lu Kuan flipped through the documents and glanced at them. There was nothing special about them; they were all the difficulties that had been anticipated.

Instead, he placed his hands on the table, leaned forward slightly, and adopted a posture of attentive listening: "I understand the sensitivity involved, but I wonder if there's any room for adjustment?"

“Sensitive? No, Mr. Director, it’s not just sensitive.” David tapped his finger on the folder. “It’s about image, about narrative. The Pentagon isn’t a movie prop rental company. Our support is contingent on the project helping to shape and maintain a positive image of the U.S. military.”

He paused briefly, observed Lu's reaction, and continued, "An aircraft carrier, in the film, plays... well, the role of an aggressor and the one who is ultimately attacked. This puts us in a difficult position."

Mr. Lu insisted, "The core of 'Ball Lightning' is a science fiction allegory, not a reflection of real-world politics. The conflict in the film stems from the technological ethical dilemmas and human choices under extreme circumstances, and is not directed at any specific country. What we are pursuing is to present a reflection on the fate of human civilization that transcends nationality."

“The fable is moving, Mr. Lu.” David’s tone remained calm, but with an undeniable firmness. “But the aircraft carrier is a symbol of reality. It floats in the Pacific Ocean, representing undisputed national power. Its portrayal on screen must be carefully considered. Think of Independence Day. Why was it rejected? Because the scenario of defeat it depicted was a possibility we could not accept, even if the enemy was aliens.”

"So even if what you submitted in the materials implied that the Eastern power achieved a balance of power against the US military represented by the aircraft carrier on the basis of near defeat, this is still unacceptable to us."

The attitude of U.S. military officials is very clear: "I understand that you need aircraft carriers with U.S. military characteristics as actual filming tools for the sake of authenticity and immersion, and it is not the only Hollywood crew that has done this."

“But I’m sorry, we are invincible, let alone being defeated by you…” David paused, “Obviously, I’m being a bit blunt, but you should understand what I mean, Mr. Director.”

A heavy silence fell over the room. The unintentional arrogance of the Jewish American officer was repulsive, but given the circumstances, Lu Kuan had no choice but to back down for the time being.
“I would like to offer another proposal like this, and I would appreciate it if Mr. David would consider it.”

"First, we eliminated all details that could potentially lead to associations. In the later stages, we created a fictional identity for this aircraft carrier. It no longer belongs to any real country. We can call it the 'Pacific Defender' or the 'Deep Blue,' and design a unique hull number and flag system for it, completely severing its physical identity from the US military."

"During filming and post-production, the production team promised not to clearly show any unique features that could reveal its identity. Through clever camera angles, lighting, weather effects, and necessary digital effects, we will blur or neutralize key identifying features such as the island silhouette and deck layout."

"Secondly, we can abandon the original plan. We don't need to use the most advanced active aircraft carrier as a filming location like other Hollywood crews, so even a decommissioned one is acceptable, and it's not a sensitive issue for you. But the price promised before remains unchanged, how about that?"

Harvey glanced at David's hesitant expression and said indirectly, "Buddy, this should be considered a very sincere offer. America is still unbeatable, even in the movies."

"What you've provided is nothing more than a movie symbol that no one can recognize after post-production; no one will make that connection."

He paused, then persuaded in a more Jewish way: "What the road means is that the price we promised will remain unchanged, and as for the rental price you applied for, David, that has nothing to do with us."

Seeing that David Greenberg was already weighing the pros and cons, Lu Kuan raised an eyebrow and smiled, taking a sip of tea to calm his nerves.

Foreigners, especially Jews, tend to have more direct political and business exchanges, which lack the subtle, unspoken "refined bribery" feel of traditional bribery. This is also a cultural difference.

It was clear that the U.S. military civil servant had really taken it to heart, and after a long pause, he said thoughtfully, "It is a coincidence that an aircraft carrier was indeed decommissioned at the beginning of this year and is now moored at the Bremerton Naval Base in Washington State, in a state of mothballing and storage."

“Perhaps…perhaps we can give it a try.” David said seriously, “However, this aircraft carrier can no longer meet your previous filming requirements. It is a conventionally powered ship called the Kitty Hawk.”

The Chinese director paused in his tea-drinking motion. He wasn't a particularly seasoned military enthusiast, but this aircraft carrier was quite special; it was a name familiar to almost everyone in China who paid even a little attention to the Asia-Pacific situation.

Because it has been stationed at Yokosuka Naval Base on Japanese soil for a long time, it has been the military symbol of the US in the Asia-Pacific region for decades, and the core and flagship of the Seventh Fleet.

The USS Kitty Hawk entered service in 1961 and served in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the Afghanistan War, and the Iraq War until its official decommissioning this May. It was the last conventionally powered aircraft carrier of the United States Navy.

After its retirement, the U.S. Navy entered the "all-nuclear era," which is now a source of pride for many intellectuals and forum members.

David said it might not meet the filming requirements previously put forward by the "Ball Lightning" crew because using nuclear power and conventional power as filming locations are two completely different sets:

Nuclear-powered aircraft carriers do not have the huge smokestacks and exhaust systems required for conventional power, which means that their island is smaller and more compact, and their flight deck is more complete and clean, without any unnecessary protrusions.

The sleek, massive platform design itself evokes a sense of sophistication and futurism that transcends time, making it perfectly suited for representing the ultimate human creation in science fiction.

In Ball Lightning, it can be portrayed as a mobile fortress capable of supporting massive energy weapons, such as the macro fusion or extreme experiments in the film, and its very existence reinforces the film's core themes of "energy" and "technological wonder."

Conversely, conventional power is less "sci-fi".

It no longer carries any active weapons, carrier-based aircraft, or sensitive electronic equipment, losing its "soul" and most of its "muscle" as a warship, and is more like a huge, empty steel platform and historical relic.

Renting the decommissioned Kitty Hawk would require spending a lot of time and effort on post-production, making it not very cost-effective.

But halfway through his tea, Mr. Lu thought that the electromagnetic radiation from the original nuclear-powered aircraft carrier would prevent the drones from operating properly, but what about a pure steel platform?
The genes of Mount Emei have been activated, and even though he is only doing it part-time, he will only act if he can ensure his own safety.

For example, previously, advanced drone-related technologies were imported from North American brokers through a complex web of connections, and then transferred to relevant departments under the guise of military-civilian cooperation. (Chapter 435)
Where do DJI get its special treatment and friendly relations, such as the technical cooperation from the military, the special security arrangements for Afei's temporary post, and the Bombardier private jet that is currently being inspected for backdoors?

All of this stems from his stance, contributions, and reputation.

This is the hidden foundation and connections beneath the surface, quite different from those of the leaders like Liu on the surface. It is an extra, wise bargaining chip he uses to safeguard his future monopolistic business empire in preparation for the future.

However, Mr. Lu's military knowledge is only at the level of watching the show. Even if safety can be guaranteed, the "castrated" Kitty Hawk is not considered sensitive. But is it worthwhile to photograph this "steel platform"?
This is the question that he, a "military illiterate," needs to figure out now.

If it has value, it's worth trying to capture some footage under the guise of shooting a movie with drones, provided that safety is ensured. Even if it only serves a small purpose, it's worth a try.

Why use drones? Because this is one of the few technologies in China that is ahead of the world and "far" ahead of the United States. If there is any possibility of deceiving the world, the only trick is to use drones.

Lu Kuan pretended to hesitate for a few seconds before happily saying, "Although the conditions are a bit lacking, at least we have a filming location and a model for post-production special effects, which can make the film's quality better."

He stood up and extended his hand to the Jewish civil servant: "I have always enjoyed making friends with the Thai people. You are wise, calm, and good at teamwork. It is an honor to have met another one today."

The Chinese director looked grateful: "Harvey's words just now will always stand. Our original offer remains unchanged. We'll leave the rest to Mr. David."

"Haha!" David Greenberg also looked satisfied. Giving them a decommissioned, worthless empty shell as filming material, while he could still pocket millions of dollars in kickbacks, he felt like the Pentagon's most shrewd businessman.

But let's get this straight: "Lu, please submit your detailed revisions as soon as possible. And even if the script is feasible, the control of details during the actual filming process will be crucial. Every shot and every line of dialogue must strictly adhere to the new framework we have agreed upon. The military office will send on-site supervisors."

"Filming regulations must be strictly followed. Personal equipment is not allowed. Only filming and video storage equipment that has been reported in advance is allowed to be brought in. We will conduct on-site inspections before and after filming, and reserve the right to pursue legal action regarding the editing and dissemination of such scenes in post-production."

“Of course,” the Chinese director said earnestly, “we will fully cooperate.”

……

The negotiations went smoothly. Mr. Lu and Harvey parted ways at the private club, and Mr. Lu declined Harvey's invitation to visit Miramax. He then got into his car and drove back to the hotel.

Amidst the constant flow of traffic on the streets of Manhattan, Lu Kuan suddenly asked, "Weren't our rooms all countered with anti-eavesdropping and anti-surveillance measures?"

Afei was taken aback. "Yes, the team checked it before check-in."

"Okay." Boss Lu nodded. "Bring the satellite phone up later. Let the others go eat first, and you stay at the door and keep watch."

"okay, I get it."

Boss Lu drew the curtains in the room, held the satellite phone, and pondered for a few minutes, considering who he should call and how to say it.

This matter can actually be either a big deal or a small deal:
On a smaller scale, it could be footage unintentionally captured by the film crew during the shooting of a movie on a Ukrainian aircraft carrier, which was then unintentionally discovered and used by a certain department of the military. Neither the filming party nor the receiving party had any deep contact, and no evidence was left behind; it was all forgotten.
On a larger scale, this was a clandestine matter to be carried out under the close coordination, assessment, and communication between him and relevant departments. After all, it was just a coincidence, and everything Lu Kuan did had to be done in accordance with the situation while ensuring his own safety.

As a result, Yang Rui, the colonel-level officer who had been communicating with him, was no longer of a high enough rank and did not belong to the same system.

Therefore, the call could only be made to Leader Liu, whose current position is sufficient to make an assessment and provide objective advice.

If it's feasible, like with drones, that would be his achievement, and of course, we should protect and support him.

It was around 11 o'clock in China, but Lu Kuan didn't hesitate and dialed his private number directly.

"Hey?"

"Boss, it's me. Is it a convenient time to speak?"

Mr. Liu, who was working in his home study, quietly got up and closed the window. "Is this convenient? You're in the US, right?"

Boss Lu confirmed again: "Yes, there is a matter I would like to ask for your opinion on. It is of great importance and is related to the military."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone, then a reply came through.

Lu Kuan succinctly stated: "The situation has changed. There is now a possibility that the film crew may be able to board the USS Kitty Hawk to film scenes. Because of the lack of electromagnetic interference devices, there may be opportunities for covert filming."

"I need to confirm now—"

"First, our activity area should only be the deck and surrounding area. I don't know if the details we can capture under these circumstances are valuable, but I can assure you that our drone shooting technology is currently so advanced that the other side cannot even imagine it."

Mr. Lu smiled helplessly: "Actually, I came out this time to help with sales, but if necessary, I can't be too ostentatious. I even have to report and show the other party a lower-performance version for inspection."

"The second is how to use drones to achieve covert filming. I have seen DJI's R&D list before, which includes a 'dual sensor' system."

"That is, it can be equipped with two independent imaging sensors. One is a regular visible light camera, used to capture normal movie footage that meets the reporting requirements, and the data is stored in a removable public memory card."

"The other set consists of high-resolution sensors, such as telephoto lenses, thermal imagers, or multispectral cameras, used to capture key details, and the data is written to built-in, physically isolated, hidden storage units."

"This system was originally designed for commercial film shooting, allowing directors and drone pilots to capture footage of different precision and angles over the same flight path. I never expected it to also..." (Chapter 546)
Leader Liu pondered for a long time before bursting into laughter: "You little rascal, it's already 11 o'clock, and you're still deliberately causing me trouble!"

These words put Lu Kuan at ease, clearly indicating that there was something he could do.

He said half-jokingly, "Boss, there are some things I need to say upfront."

"The US will inspect the equipment before and after filming. Only equipment that has been inspected and reported in advance will be allowed to enter the site. So if they want to make a fuss, they can only do so on our leading drone technology."

"The plan must be approved by me to be foolproof, otherwise I won't take this risk. My son and daughter are not even a year old yet!"

"Furthermore, if successful, please coordinate with the leadership to provide DJI with some advanced military technology. It has been proven that drones can still make a greater contribution to the country!"

Leader Liu, feigning ignorance, teased him: "Didn't you already transfer all of DJI's shares to Zhuang Xu's HarmonyOS? Why are you still asking for this technical assistance?"

"He's someone who's also come from outside the industry, so we should still take care of him. I'm a sentimental person, as you know, boss."

A hearty laugh came from the other end of the phone: "I was just about to praise your loyalty and courage, and you've already started making demands."

“However, this condition is well-reasoned and makes sense!” Leader Liu said solemnly, “This is far from your job, and you have no obligation to do so. If there is even the slightest risk, you will not pass my test, so don’t worry.”

"In fact, I believe that the cultural work you are doing is of immeasurable value, which is also the consensus of all the leaders."

He paused for a moment, then reassured the cautious young man, "So whether it succeeds or not in the end, the person who finds out about this in the end will be higher up than me. Have faith in the organization."

"Yes, then I'll wait for news."

beep...

The November night wind in Beiping howled as it swept past the window, swirling up a few withered yellow ginkgo leaves that rustled against the glass of the study in the family compound.

Leader Liu closed the document in front of him and couldn't help but admire this young man who had so cleverly combined "idealism" and "realism" to the extreme, seemingly always making moves and strategizing.

He knew he would eventually return to his hometown, but his career had not yet reached its peak. Instead, he was constantly accumulating resources and laying the groundwork for his future.

Just like this forced participation in the mixed-ownership reform of Lianxiang.

Judging from his donation of buildings, the Olympics, drones, and even this phone call tonight, Lu Kuan has almost maximized the public support and positive capital that an artist and entrepreneur can gain.

If the future realm is a sword in his hand, then the "scabbard" he forged to protect this sword is already so luxurious and refined.

Leader Liu couldn't help but think with some surprise—

The scabbard has arrived, so how will the unfinished sword in his hand "shine across the universe and cleave the heavens and the earth" in the future?
How will it break free from the constraints of being a mere state-owned or private enterprise and transform into a cultural and technological oligarchic complex deeply integrated into the grand narrative of national strategy, playing its unique role and mission, and sharing the fate of the nation?
Success may not be mine, but I will certainly be a part of it.

He looked forward to that day, even though he might have already retired by then.

(End of this chapter)