Financial freedom starts with smiling at life

Chapter 403 Beijing Circle
The Xu family in Hengdian will definitely have more dealings with them. On a smaller scale, this will facilitate the development of the entertainment industry in Jiangbei City.

On a larger scale, Jiangbei City wants to cultivate good relations with these representatives of Zhejiang merchants.

I had a good chat with Mr. Xu today, and he accepted the gifts I brought. We'll discuss the possibility of cooperation in other business areas in the future.

We've made a good friend in the Xu family.

After the meal, Xu Wenrong offered to take Jiang Beicheng home, but Jiang Beicheng told him to rest.

Xu Yong'an saw Jiang Beicheng off on behalf of his father, muttering casually, "I heard Director Tao mention Feng Kuzi's matter a couple of times today, I'll talk about it later..."

Jiang Beicheng smiled and shook hands with Xu Yong'an, interrupting him, "Chairman Xu, this is a small matter, we in the entertainment industry can handle it ourselves."

"Stop here, go back and keep the old man company."

"Call me if you need anything," Xu Yong'an said as he saw him off.

Jiang Beicheng smiled, nodded, and got into the car.

On the way back, I called the two directors and asked them to have dinner together.

One is Zheng Xiaolong, and the other is Jiang Wen.

Zheng Xiaolong has been in Hengdian for more than half a month, while Jiang Wen just arrived in Hengdian these past few days to prepare for building the sets for his new film.

Both of them are big shots in Beijing's elite circles.

Jiang Wen, Wang Shuo, Ye Jing... these are all people who came from the compound.

Their parents and the grandparents of the second and third generations of the Beijing elites that Jiangbei City knew were all acquaintances.

They are either colleagues or in a superior-subordinate relationship.

In those days, all the compounds were located in one area.

The innermost compound is the Air Force compound, and Ma Weidu is a representative of the Beijing elite who emerged from the Air Force compound.

In Ma Weidu's words, Feng Xiaogang could only sit at the bottom of Wang Shuo's circle. If ranked according to the order of the compound, Wang Shuo would also be at the bottom in his circle.

Feng Xiaogang's achievements and status today are inseparable from the support and help of these children of high-ranking officials. Of course, he also knows how to flatter them.

From an ordinary person's perspective, Feng Xiaogang has no background or qualifications, so it would be almost impossible for him to climb the ladder without some scheming and tactics.

Jiang Beicheng saw a story of a grassroots success story in him, which was quite moving.

He was originally a respectable person, but after achieving some success, he started doing selfish things.

He secretly reprinted Wang Shuo's novels and made a fortune without mentioning Wang Shuo at all, thus gaining both fame and fortune.

He used Ye Jing's notes to extort money from investors, but the investors withdrew their investment and never mentioned it again, leaving Ye Jing to suffer the losses.

...He has offended all the people in Beijing's elite circles who had helped him.

He is the most adept at manipulating others, accumulating fame and fortune for himself.

Actually, this is something Jiangbei City can accept. To use an internet saying, "Every man for himself."

What bothered Jiangbei City the most was that after Feng Kuzi made his fortune, he formed a clique and locked up the door.

The young masters and heiresses in Beijing's elite circles today are all cultivated by these small groups, and they decide who gets promoted.

These artists, once promoted, still have to abide by their set of rules.

Then expand the profits.

And its exclusion of outsiders.

The stories of ordinary people achieving success against all odds in Beijing are no longer visible; the path for ordinary people to climb the social ladder has been cut off.

Feng Kuzi himself is a grassroots success story, but now that he's made it big, he's cut off the path for ordinary people. This kind of value system is completely incompatible with Jiangbei City.

Although Feng Kuzi later improved his relationship with Wang Shuo and the others, they still did not have any contact, the reason being that their values ​​were different.

To paraphrase Wang Shuo's blunt words: You already have so much money, and you're still making money recklessly.

……

After learning about Jiang Beicheng's identity within the network of connections among Beijing's elite, Jiang Wen took the initiative to visit Yizhi Culture Media and have tea with Liu Tao.

Although he didn't attend the last charity gala, he recorded a video to show his support and privately donated one million to the Jiang Father Foundation.

Director Zheng Xiaolong is a director that Jiang Beicheng greatly admires, not only because of his high artistic achievements in the professional field, but also because he has produced phenomenal works such as "Empresses in the Palace" and "The Legend of Mi Yue".

He also made significant contributions to the cultivation of television arts talent in China.

Zhao Baogang, Feng Xiaogang... these are all people he mentored.

Back then, he was the deputy director of the Beijing Television Drama Center, and it's no exaggeration to say that he was a senior figure in the entertainment industry at that time.

The key to Feng Xiaogang's path to becoming a director was that Zheng Xiaolong transferred him from the construction company to the TV drama center as an art designer.

Then he was introduced to Wang Shuo and Ye Jing.

Then came Feng Xiaogang's history of currying favor and rising to power.

Zheng Xiaolong was his mentor and benefactor.

When Jiang Beicheng returned to the hotel and had tea with Liu Tao.

Liu Tao revealed to Jiang Beicheng that Feng Kuzi was up to no good.

They're planning to use their Beijing-based interest group to put pressure on Yizhi Culture Media.

It could also be said that this was a direct pressure on Jiangbei City.

We need to gain the face and benefits we deserve from Jiangbei City.

This isn't the first time they've done something like this.

Jiang Beicheng smiled after hearing this, "If Feng Kuzi wants to save face, I'll give him that face."

He should still be in Hengdian, right? Please convey my message and invite him to dinner here tomorrow night.

Liu Tao nodded.

……

"President Jiang, I was really unable to attend your charity gala last time because I couldn't make it in person," Jiang Wen said apologetically to Jiang Beicheng.

"I appreciate the director's kind intentions," Jiang Beicheng said with a smile as he shook hands with Jiang Wen.

Then he looked at Zheng Xiaolong and hugged him, saying, "Teacher, you have to take care of yourself. Don't overwork yourself."

Zheng Xiaolong smiled and said, "I haven't spent much time on the front lines these past few years."

I occasionally visit the film set.

Thank you for your concern, Mr. Jiang.

When these veterans in the entertainment industry interacted with Jiang Beicheng, they could feel the respect he exuded.

Jiang Beicheng invited, "Sit down. Let's eat first, and when Director Feng arrives, we'll add two more dishes for him."

Jiang Wen frowned slightly, then smiled.

What did Feng Xiaogang do to offend President Jiang? He can't even get a hot meal.

It's no wonder Jiang Beicheng sent Feng Kuzi to eat leftovers. Among the three of them—himself, Zheng Xiaolong, and Jiang Wen—whose qualifications and strength are not stronger than his? Good grief, he's putting on airs again, making the three of them wait for him alone.

The three of them had just had two drinks.

Feng Kuzi arrived with a big smile, but he didn't expect to see Zheng Xiaolong and Jiang Wen inside.

He instantly understood Jiang Beicheng's intention.

This wasn't a sincere invitation to dinner.

Jiang Wen joked, "We were just talking about you. We've already had two rounds of drinks. President Jiang said he'd add two more dishes for you when you arrive."

He had no personal grudge against Feng Kuzi, and he didn't think his achievements were inferior to Feng Kuzi's.

Within their circle of directors, the highest praise for Feng Xiaogang is "a director well-known to the public," and he is considered a "great director."

It goes without saying whose reputation is brighter.

Jiang Wen is very bold, even flamboyant, in his artistic style, but he is a very upright person in private.

He had the air of a privileged kid from a high-ranking military compound, completely different from Wang Shuo's roguishness.

That's why Ma Weidu said Wang Shuo could only be at the bottom!
Feng Kuzi smiled awkwardly and nodded, addressing them one by one as "President Jiang, Director Zheng, Director Jiang".

Jiang Beicheng raised his hand and said, "Director Feng, please sit down."

He then instructed the waiter to hand the menu to Feng Kuzi and add a few more dishes for him.

Feng Kuzi felt deeply insulted.

With his current status and seniority, he's expected to sit at the table and eat leftovers!
He felt that Jiang Beicheng was deliberately humiliating him in front of the two bigwigs in the Beijing entertainment circle.

However, they dared not say much in front of Jiang Wen and Zheng Xiaolong, two big names in Beijing's entertainment circle.

He knew from the beginning that those privileged kids looked down on someone like him from humble beginnings.

After all these years, I've become incredibly successful, but I still can't hold my head up in front of these privileged kids.

He didn't really care about Jiangbei City.

With so much capital in the entertainment industry, it's no exaggeration to say that investors would be scrambling to come and give him money for his projects.

He doesn't rely on Jiangbei City for a living either.

It is precisely because they have this confidence that they dare to form cliques within the Beijing elite circle.

Using small groups to make demands or even threaten investors.

"No, no, Mr. Jiang, you guys eat. I just ate and came over to sit with you." Feng Kuzi waved his hand and said.

He definitely won't eat leftovers.

Jiang Beicheng chuckled and said, "Director Feng, are you dissatisfied with the two friends I found for you to drink with today?"

Jiang Wen and Zheng Xiaolong smiled and looked at Feng Kuzi, who appeared slightly nervous.

He dared not wear that hat.

He gave an awkward laugh, poured himself a drink, and then toasted the three of them: "Something came up on the set and kept you all waiting. I'll punish myself with a drink."

After finishing his drink, he took the menu from the waiter and ordered a few more dishes, saying, "Since you three are in such high spirits tonight, I'll gladly keep you company."

Jiang Wen joked, "You haven't changed at all; you're still flexible and adaptable."

Whether this statement is a compliment or not depends on how Feng Kuzi interprets it.

If Jiang Wen were to say this from Jiangbei City's perspective today, it certainly wouldn't be a compliment.

It refers to his rise to power.

Zheng Xiaolong maintained a smile as he ate and drank; he was too old to participate in such power struggles.

President Jiang respected him as an artist, and he gave President Jiang face by coming whenever invited.

As for how Feng Kuzi interprets today's meal, that's his business.

Besides, the two haven't had much contact for many years.

Director Feng has now formed his own circle and is a key figure in it.

"Director Feng, I visited Mr. Xu's house yesterday, and Xu Yong'an mentioned you. I told him that we can handle things in the entertainment industry ourselves." Jiang Beicheng said to Feng Kuzi with a smile, "If I can't even get along with Director Feng, what am I doing in the entertainment industry?"

"Don't you think so, Director Feng?"

Feng Kuzi's smile froze.

Every word Jiang Beicheng said was not taken literally.

The real meaning is that if you can't even handle a director like him, what are you doing in the entertainment industry?

It means to take him seriously.

Jiang Wen also understood Jiang Beicheng's meaning and found this rising star in the entertainment industry increasingly interesting. He wanted to see how Feng Kuzi would respond.

If Feng Yuxiang knew about Jiang Zemin's connections in the Beijing compound, I wonder if he would still have the confidence to challenge Jiang Zemin.

"If President Jiang has any issues with me, please let me know."

"If you feel I did anything that made you uncomfortable, please just say so." Feng Kuzi straightened up for a moment, trying to save face, but he wasn't really that tough; his tone was still a bit tense.

(End of this chapter)