During my years at China Entertainment

Chapter 806 If you're wrong, admit it; if you get hit, stand up straight.

"Chairman Jiang, I'm really sorry, but I really can't help with this matter. You'd better find someone else."

In the villa's living room, Zhang Yimou received a call from Jiang Zhiqiang. After hesitating for a while, he politely declined.

He was very grateful to Jiang Zhiqiang for organizing the release of "Hero," which increased his global profile.

Later films like "House of Flying Daggers" and "Curse of the Golden Flower" also owed much to Jiang Zhiqiang's help, enabling them to sell their copyrights despite box office failures.

While he was grateful and it was a matter of personal favor, it didn't mean he was obligated to help Jiang Zhiqiang with the mess he himself had made.

Putting aside everything else, he himself is a contracted director of Shanhe Media. Put yourself in his shoes, if he were the one doing the box office fraud, could he tolerate it?

Now that Xue Xiaolu has encountered this situation, the entire crew and even his colleagues in the company are holding their breath. If he gets involved in this, how will they get along in the future?

Moreover, the group headquarters and the two cinema chains jointly issued an announcement and directly removed "Monster Hunt" from the shelves, making Wei Jin's attitude quite clear.

Zhang Yimou doesn't think he has the influence to mediate between the two.

"Okay, then I won't disturb Director Zhang's rest any longer. Let's get together in Beijing another day. It's been quite a few years since we last met, and our friendship shouldn't fade, haha."

Jiang Zhiqiang on the other end of the phone was still smiling, as if he was not affected by the rejection at all.

But after hanging up the phone, his face suddenly darkened, because this was already the seventh call he had made.

Not a single person, including Andy Lau, Stephen Chow, and Tian Zhuangzhuang, was willing to mediate, which was completely different from what he had expected!
"Is it really that difficult to just call Wei Jin and ask him to have dinner?"

Just as Jiang Zhiqiang was complaining, there was a knock on the door, and a company executive walked in. He immediately asked, "Any news from Jiahe?"

The executive gave an awkward twitch of his lips. "Chairman Jiang, we didn't even get inside Jiahe's premises. When we called Shi Nansheng, his secretary answered, saying she was busy with a new project."

"What about Na Ying and Huang?"

"Yinghuang did manage to meet with Chairman Yang, but he said that 'The Witch 2' is about to start filming and he can't afford to worry about this kind of thing. He told us to pray for the best."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhiqiang understood that he could no longer rely on the people in the Hong Kong entertainment circle and would have to look to his counterparts in mainland China.

With this in mind, he still dialed Ye Ning's number, since the latter was also one of the producers and had always had a good relationship with Wei Jin.

However, the call didn't go through for a long time. Just as Jiang Zhiqiang was about to hang up, the call was suddenly answered and accompanied by Ye Ning's barrage of words.

"Chairman Jiang, what kind of mess have you made?! Whether it's boosting box office, booking out entire theaters, or controlling online comments, why did you have to mess with his movie?! Huh?!"

Furthermore, do you know that because you interfered in Wanda Cinemas' internal management without authorization, I've already been reprimanded by the big boss, and now I'm cleaning up your mess!

"President Ye, my dear President Ye, please calm down. I was only thinking of what's best for our film, but the staff below handled things so poorly. I'm truly sorry."

Jiang Zhiqiang ignored Ye Ning's hostile attitude, because it was indeed a bit unethical, which was why he didn't want to make the call in the first place.

"However, Mr. Ye, what's done is done, we still have to look forward."

"Look ahead, you make it sound so easy! Let me be frank, I can't help you with this. You don't understand Wei Jin; he's a man of his word. Since the announcement has already been made, it means there's no room for negotiation. Just accept it!"

"Hello? Hello? Mr. Ye?"

Hearing the busy tone on the phone, Jiang Zhiqiang was completely dumbfounded. Wanda Pictures had invested 70 million yuan, and they were just that indifferent?!

After a little thought, Jiang Zhiqiang realized that, judging from the current box office performance, "Monster Hunt" would definitely break even or even make a profit in the end.

Wanda's family is large and powerful, and as long as it doesn't suffer huge losses, it can't hurt Ye Ning in the slightest. Naturally, he's too lazy to get involved any longer and waste his friendship with Wei Jin.

But while Wanda might not care, Jiang Zhiqiang couldn't afford to, because this film wasn't just about making money from box office results.

You have to understand that the operation of boosting box office revenue alone costs a lot of money, so they have to recoup it from other sources.

Furthermore, this matter must be resolved before the General Administration of Sport intervenes, otherwise...
Thinking of this, Jiang Zhiqiang raised his head and instructed, "Prepare plane tickets. We'll go to Beijing tomorrow, all together."

"Okay, Director Jiang."

The night passed, and Jiang Zhiqiang, accompanied by two senior executives, hurriedly boarded a flight to Beijing.

Meanwhile, in the Dongshan Villa in Beijing, Boss Wei slowly awoke under the morning light.

With his left arm around the curvaceous body of the voluptuous woman and his right arm around the soft, round buttocks of the fairy, Boss Wei, who had been having a wild night, couldn't help but sigh.

"When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a person, it first tests their resolve, strains their muscles and bones, and subjects them to hunger and thirst. The ancients were truly right."

He never expected that Anle and Jiang Zhiqiang's unconventional actions would bring him such a pleasant surprise.

Perhaps worried that she was in a bad mood, Fu Guihua specially invited Tianxian to her birthday party last night, and the two of them played role-playing games with her.

The four concubines constantly switched identities and effortlessly created various combinations, which truly captivated Boss Wei, keeping him lingering and in high spirits.

The tattered clothes on the bedroom wooden floor are proof of the three men's frenzy last night.

Unfortunately, Tianxian's resistance to Liu Shishi was still too strong. Even though Jing Tian seemed to be enjoying the show and was willing to cooperate, Boss Wei ultimately failed to get what he wanted.

But think positively, this result is already very good. At least there's a good chance that all four houses will be together in the future. One shouldn't be too greedy.

He gently opened the hibiscus flower, adjusted the room temperature, and covered the two beauties with blankets before tiptoeing out of the room.

After washing up, Wei Jin ate a simple breakfast and then sat in front of the French windows in his study.

While enjoying the morning sunlight, Wei Jin also paid attention to the development of events.

Edko Films responded quite promptly, issuing a grand-sounding announcement yesterday evening.

They claimed to be unaware of and unaware of the accusations against Shanhe Media, completely disavowing the senior management of Edko Films.

In addition, they stated that they take these allegations very seriously and will thoroughly investigate the matter within the specified timeframe to provide an explanation to the audience and their peers.

At the end of the announcement, it also made a special expression of respect for Shanhe Media, a leading private enterprise, and Wei Jin, a renowned international director.

To be honest, the announcement seemed sincere all along, but it was nothing more than official platitudes and delaying tactics, which was not unexpected by Wei Jin.

The numerous "tips and messages" sent to my phone, as well as the missed calls, were all expected.

After all, with the clash between Edko Films and Shanhe Media, anyone in the film and television industry who isn't stupid knows which side to take.

Even if it's out of consideration for personal relationships, people would avoid it like the plague and wouldn't get involved easily!
Wei Jin was somewhat surprised by the information about his mentor, Tian Zhuangzhuang. He hadn't expected that the old man was a minor shareholder in one of the producers of "Monster Hunt".

However, the old man specifically emphasized that his initial investment was entirely based on personal connections and that he did not participate in the company's operations, so Wei Jin need not worry.

This situation is quite common in the industry, not to mention that the mentor's network of connections is worth these shares.

"Buzz buzz~~"

Just then, his phone vibrated. Looking at the caller ID, Wei Jin raised an eyebrow. "President Ye, I thought you would call me right away."

The caller was Wanda Yenin, but he sounded tired and apologetic.

"Mr. Wei, I wouldn't have the face to call you if I didn't root out the corrupt elements in the cinema chain. I'm really sorry this time." "Mr. Ye, you're too kind."

Wei Jin took it in stride, saying, "Even Shanhe Cinemas has people who outwardly comply but inwardly defy them. It's inevitable that this situation will occur on your end, so don't worry about it."

"Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Wei. I will definitely give you an explanation for this matter. No one involved will escape."

At this point, Ye Ning paused on the other end of the phone, as if hesitating for a moment, before adding, "It's just that Wanda can't stand by General Wei this time, please forgive her."

"Mr. Ye, you're too kind. As the producer, Wanda's efforts are already the greatest support they can give me. I am very grateful."

"Mr. Wei, you're too kind. We've always been the most steadfast allies."

"."

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Wei Jin finally hung up the phone, his face showing a touch of emotion.

Ye Ning is truly a capable person; his words and actions are so pleasant and refreshing, you can't find a single fault with him.

However, compared to Ye Ning's clear-headedness, La Peikang really seems a bit clueless.

When Wei Jin received the call from La Peikang near noon, his disappointment was hard to hide.

As expected, this head of China Film Group is most likely here as a lobbyist, after all, he is one of the co-distributors.

As expected, after a few somewhat awkward pleasantries, La Peikang got straight to the point.

"Wei Jin, I've already learned about your affair with An Le. Jiang Zhiqiang is in my office right now. I think you two should sit down and have a proper talk."

"Mr. La, I don't have anything to talk to him about. If you don't have anything else to say, I'll hang up now."

"Hey, Wei Jin, wait a minute."

La Peikang quickly stopped Wei Jin and organized his thoughts, "You should understand that China Film Group has the function of leading, coordinating, and stabilizing the industry's development. The impact of your actions is too great."

"La Dong, are you implying that I'm being unreasonable?!"

Wei Jin's voice was already cold, and La Peikang on the other end of the phone quickly explained, "Of course not. In this matter, the fault definitely lies with Anle. You are the victim, and I can understand your feelings."

But both of you are major companies in the industry and have contributed to the development of Chinese-language films. There's no need to make things so tense."

"La Dong, do you also think that euthanasia was wrong?"

Hearing that Wei Jin seemed to be softening his stance, La Peikang nodded hurriedly and said, "Of course, it's not just me who thinks so. Everyone in Anle has also deeply realized their mistake. They came here with full sincerity this time."

"Oh?"

Wei Jin chuckled, "Then I'd like to hear how sincere they are."

"Wei Jin, Chairman Jiang's idea is that as long as you re-release 'Monster Hunt,' Anle is willing to offer 100 million yuan to compensate Shanhe Media for its losses and apologize to you in person. What do you think?"

"La Dong, are you kidding me?!"
He didn't just steal my box office revenue; he also dared to interfere with the management of my cinema chain, causing internal chaos. The stock price loss just yesterday was more than 100 million!

He still wants "Monster Hunt" released? What does that mean to me, Wei? Changing his mind so easily, making me contradict myself? Has he lost his mind?!

Wei Jin's words were quite blunt, leaving Pei Kang speechless, his face turning pale and then red.

As the chairman of China Film Group, La Peikang never imagined that one day he would be so sharply slapped in the face by the CEO of a private company in the film and television industry.

Because Wei Jin's words were not only a criticism of Edko Films and Jiang Zhiqiang, but could also be interpreted as a veiled attack.

After all, Jiang Zhiqiang has lost his mind. So what is he, the middleman and peacemaker?

But at this moment, La Peikang's anger was far less than his regret. He had realized that he shouldn't have gotten involved in this connection.

However, Jiang Zhiqiang really gave too much; that was the entire investment share for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2." He still had to try to negotiate.

Thinking of this, La Peikang took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Wei Jin, anger cannot solve problems. Even if you vent your anger, it will not outweigh the benefits."

You can state your terms. I think as long as they are reasonable, Chairman Jiang won't refuse. This way, we can avoid a lose-lose situation. What do you think?

"Conditions? Okay, then I'll tell you. First, Anle must immediately hold a press conference, admit to stealing box office revenue, and apologize to all the affected production companies and moviegoers."

Second, every penny of compensation must be paid; third, they must voluntarily go to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television to accept the penalty; fourth, "Monster Hunt" must be completely pulled from theaters.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible"

Before La Peikang could speak, Jiang Zhiqiang, who was listening to the phone playing music on speakerphone, started yelling.

La Peikang also chimed in, "Wei Jin, your conditions are too harsh. It's really asking too much of people. You should be more lenient with others!"

"La Dong, didn't you just admit that Anle was wrong? If you're wrong, you have to admit it. If you're going to be beaten, you have to stand up straight. Even a child knows that, right?"

As for the saying "forgive and forget"? Mr. La, when Anle was making underhanded moves behind my back, he didn't consider how I and my industry peers felt.

Besides, almost 24 hours have passed, and all they've done is issue a meaningless announcement. What right do they have to complain?!

"But."

"There are no buts. I've already drawn the line. If Anle doesn't publicly apologize, admit his mistakes, and fulfill his compensation obligations, then he can just wait."

To be honest, Mr. La, I'm really worried about having too much energy and nowhere to release it. I hope Anle can handle it!

After speaking, Wei Jin hung up the phone without waiting for Pei Kang's reaction, and then dialed Chen Zhiming's number.

"Old Chen, how's the situation?"

"Mr. Wei, Anle's cinema chains have not stopped at all. I estimate that we can get all the evidence in two days at most."

"Okay, I'll wait for your good news."

On the other side, looking at the phone that had been hung up, La Peikang and Jiang Zhiqiang looked at each other, speechless for a moment.

After a long pause, Jiang Zhiqiang spoke first: "Chairman La, I can understand your youthful vigor, but he's being far too domineering. He clearly doesn't respect you at all."

Before he could finish speaking, La Peikang cast a cold glance at him, "Tell me honestly, how much box office revenue did you embezzle, and how many of his cinemas did you take advantage of?"

“La Dong, these are not the main points right now.”

Jiang Zhiqiang downplayed the issue and changed the subject, saying, "The key is to eliminate the impact. Once the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television gets involved, it won't look good for China Film Group or you either."

La Peikang sighed upon hearing this. As one of the co-producers, China Film Group would inevitably be implicated if Anle's box office fraud was confirmed.

As the head of the organization, his performance will definitely be affected; at the very least, he will be implicated in "ineffective supervision."

Even worse, if someone is labeled as "colluding with the corrupt," they might not even have a chance in the next election!

Upon thinking of this, La Peikang felt an immense headache coming on, and after a long while, he hesitated before saying:
"Tomorrow, I think. Wei Jin is still angry right now. I'll contact Chairman Han again tomorrow and hope he can intervene."

(End of this chapter)