During my years at China Entertainment

Chapter 807 Killing the Chicken to Warn the Monkey vs. Sacrificing the Pawn to Protect the King
Old Chen's efficiency was even higher than expected.

They said it would take two days, but they only took one day to collect evidence of all the illegal operations of 29 cinemas in 17 cities under Anle Group.

"Mr. Wei, they're being far too brazen. They've even gone so far as to book out entire theaters for screenings that last only ten minutes a day. And the practice of stealing box office revenue still exists, though it's only slightly lessened."

In the office, listening to Lao Chen's various complaints, Wei Jin was not surprised at all.

Because of the exposure of several announcements from Shanhe Media, other cinema chains have begun to conduct self-examinations, either voluntarily or involuntarily.

The box office of "Monster Hunt" also plummeted, dropping from 160 million yuan on the 20th to around 80 million yuan.

To maintain stable box office performance and avoid giving away their secrets, Edko Films' cinema chains inevitably became the main force behind inflating and stealing box office revenue.

"Honestly, Mr. Wei, I don't really understand the extent of this box office manipulation. What is Anle thinking? It just feels..."

"What do you feel? The input and output are not equal?"

After asking a question, Wei Jin saw Old Chen nod before explaining, "Old Chen, you don't have much contact with the Hong Kong entertainment circle, so you don't know their methods."

Although Anle is not publicly listed, its shareholders and related parties include many listed companies. Wouldn't it be faster to reap profits from the capital market?

At this point, Wei Jin paused, then added meaningfully, "Besides, do you really think that the money from inflating box office numbers is enough to ensure your own comfort?"

Chen Zhiming suddenly realized, "You mean?"

"Yes. Anle has been established for 65 years and has been developing in Hong Kong, Taiwan and North America. How could it be that they haven't done any shady things?"

The Wei and Jin dynasties did not offer much explanation, only hinting at it.

It's really hard to delve into the overseas copyright transactions that Edko Films handled back then; anyway, such things are not uncommon in Hollywood.

"Alright, let's not talk about that anymore. Now that the evidence chain between Edko Films and Edko Cinemas is complete, let's proceed according to plan."

"Okay, Mr. Wei."

In the afternoon, Chen Zhiming personally took the relevant evidence to the General Administration.

Meanwhile, a letter from Shanhe Media, titled "A Letter to Industry Colleagues and a Real-Name Complaint," quickly became the headline of major portal websites and a trending topic on Weibo!

"Our investigation has revealed that cinemas under Edko Films have engaged in a series of illegal activities, including large-scale box office fraud and frequent private screenings."

This move not only severely damaged the fair competition environment in the film market and seriously disrupted the stability of the film industry, but also caused incalculable losses to industry peers!
Therefore, upholding our original intention of maintaining the market environment and safeguarding our own and our peers' rights, our company has mobilized all its resources to submit relevant evidence and formally report this matter to the State Administration for Market Regulation:

Edko Films' film "Monster Hunt" was found to have engaged in illegal and malicious competition practices, including box office fraud and box office manipulation.

Furthermore, 29 cinemas under Anle Group in 17 cities are suspected of operating illegally. We urge the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television to take this matter seriously as a warning to others!

The short, two-hundred-word whistleblower letter was like a bombshell, sending shockwaves through the entire film and television industry.

No one expected that after exposing industry malpractices and removing "Monster Hunt" from streaming platforms, Shanhe Media would launch a new round of conflict.

"This is insane! The Wei and Jin dynasties are going for a fight to the death. Is it really necessary?"

"This is the confidence of Asia's richest man. Anyone who dares to play dirty tricks against him should be prepared for war!"

"Hehe, how will Anle respond this time? Let's fight, let's start fighting!"

"Brother Wei is making an example of someone to scare others, huh? Good, good!"

"Our people didn't tamper with Shanhe Cinemas or Jiahe Cinemas, did they? No? That's good, that's good."

Compared to the astonished, puzzled, admiring, alarmed, or spectator-like attitudes of his peers in the industry, La Peikang was more incredulous at this moment.

"Chairman Han, he... he's trying to take down China Film Group as well, and even the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television is being dragged into this! Is it really necessary?!"

"Ugh"

In the China Film Group office, listening to La Peikang's questioning, Han Sanping was utterly disappointed. Wasn't this logic simple?

"Chairman La, put yourself in his shoes. If a private enterprise interfered in China Film's affairs, wouldn't you be angry?"

"Of course I'd be angry, but it doesn't have to be this disregard for the bigger picture, does it?"

"The big picture? What is the big picture? Stabilizing the industry is China Film's big picture, and it's also the big picture within the whole organization, but what does that have to do with Wei and Jin?"
You can't always consider things from your own perspective. Wei Jin is a person, a top director who has won all three major European awards, the head of Shanhe Media, and the richest man in Asia. He's not your little brother!

For him, defeating the enemy, protecting his own interests, and considering the feelings of his subordinates—that was the bigger picture. Without such a counterattack, it would be insufficient to deter the petty villains!

Perhaps because there were no outsiders present, Han Sanping unusually spoke a few more words, and his words were rather harsh, and La Peikang unusually did not refute him.

Because he realized that Han Sanping was right, he had always wanted to take the lead in his cooperation with Wei Jin, and unconsciously adopted a superior attitude without considering the other party's position.

Seeing that La Peikang had fallen silent, Han Sanping sighed again, "You too, why did you get involved in such rotten things? Everyone else is avoiding it like the plague, but you went and did it willingly?"

"Chairman Han, I didn't want this either. Jiang Zhiqiang has already come knocking on our door. He's a meritorious official and a Hong Kong native. We need to consider stability."

"Were the Wei and Jin dynasties not meritorious officials? Did they do such shady things? Should they be wronged just because they did things properly?"

"."

Han Sanping glanced at the silent La Peikang and shook his head. "There's a saying from the Wei and Jin dynasties that goes something like this: if you're wrong, you have to admit it."

Just then, the office door was suddenly pushed open, and the secretary walked in quickly. "Director La, Director Tong wants to see you at the bureau."

"okay, I get it."

Seeing that Pei Kang was frowning, Han Sanping patted him on the shoulder. "China Film Group didn't get involved in these things. At most, it's a case of inadequate supervision. Don't feel too burdened. The ones who should be worried are An Le and Jiang Zhiqiang."

La Peikang gave a wry smile. "Chairman Han, you really know how to comfort people. Thank you."

"Then what should we do? Let's go, I'll go with you."

"That's great. With the old leader here, I feel more confident."

La Peikang's gloom dissipated slightly upon hearing this, while Han Sanping shook his head and nodded at him.

"You, you!"

As Han Sanping said, Anle is indeed having a lot of headaches.

Having just returned to Hong Kong, Jiang Zhiqiang, despite his exhaustion, immediately convened a meeting with key company personnel and senior executives.

The atmosphere in the conference room was tense, as if a storm was about to break.

It is obvious to everyone present that Shanhe Media has filed a formal complaint with detailed evidence, and the State Administration of Radio and Television will definitely investigate and take action, and it will happen very soon.

Time is running out for Edko Films!

"Reconciliation is no longer an option, and an investigation is inevitable. The only thing we can do is try to eliminate and mitigate the impact. Let's all work together to find a solution."

Jiang Zhiqiang set the tone, and immediately a senior executive asked, "Chairman Jiang, what kind of punishment might we face?"

"The lightest punishment would be a fine and administrative penalty; a more serious one would be a business suspension and a complete removal of 'Monster Hunt' from theaters; the worst would be losing the theater and distribution licenses, which is probably what Wei Jin is demanding."

"That won't do. We must preserve our distribution and theater licenses, at all costs!"

"Yes, this is the foundation of Edko Films' success in the film industry, and it absolutely cannot be lost; also, a temporary shutdown for rectification must be avoided as much as possible, even for just one or two months, the losses would be devastating." "A complete removal from theaters is also not an option; we haven't even reached 10 billion in box office revenue yet, we're far from our target."

"Don't panic too much. Edko Films has made significant contributions to the development of the Chinese-language film industry. Even if he hasn't achieved great success, he has certainly put in a lot of hard work. We can't just dismiss him outright."

"That being said, we don't know exactly how much evidence Wei Jin has. How should we deal with the investigation?"

"How about we talk again? If one hundred million isn't enough, then two hundred million, or even three hundred million will do."

"That's impossible. Wei Jin is worth hundreds of billions and doesn't lack money. He's clearly using us as a scapegoat to intimidate others!"

"Then what should we do? We can't just sit here and wait to die, can we?"

"."

The group chattered on for a long time, and Jiang Zhiqiang, who hadn't had a good rest, felt a throbbing headache.

At this moment, one shareholder stood up and said, "I do have an idea, but the sacrifices might be a bit too great."

"If you have an idea, just say it now, what time is it?"

"Exactly. As long as we can get through this difficult time, why worry about not being able to recover the losses later?"

"Mr. Wu, please speak."

Faced with everyone's eager inquiries and Jiang Zhiqiang's encouraging look, Mr. Wu finally spoke up.

"We left a loophole in our previous clarification announcement, and I think it's time to close it now. Also..."

As Mr. Wu explained, many people in the room lit up, including Jiang Zhiqiang, who was sitting in the main seat, and he perked up.

"Chairman Jiang, what do you think?"

After speaking at length, General Manager Wu looked at Jiang Zhiqiang. Although he was also a shareholder, the specific decisions still had to be made by the chairman.

Under everyone's gaze, Jiang Zhiqiang pondered for a moment and then came to an answer.

"The first point can be passed directly, but it cannot involve specific compensation issues; the second point, I think needs to be discussed further, there is no precedent for this in the industry, so we should be more cautious."

"Okay, then let's make a statement first."

"Seconded."

"Seconded."

"."

In the evening, Edko Films published an open letter to colleagues in the film and television industry, audiences and movie fans on its official website, and also updated it on Weibo.

"After Shanhe Media issued an announcement questioning the existence of illegal activities such as large-scale box office fraud, large-scale ghost screenings, high-frequency box office manipulation, and large-scale screening lock-up of 'Monster Hunt,' our company immediately organized a special team under the leadership of Chairman Jiang to conduct an internal investigation."

After three days of in-depth investigation and evidence collection, our company, with deep regret, anger, and remorse, hereby reports the results as follows:

It is true that some senior executives of the group's distribution and cinema companies made improper deals with many cinemas during the distribution and screening of "Monster Hunt".

This move not only harmed the interests of industry peers, but also disappointed and betrayed the audience's love and expectations for "Monster Hunt," tarnishing this excellent blockbuster.
In light of this, our company has proactively reported the matter to the relevant authorities and voluntarily accepts all penalties and disciplinary actions. The executives and employees suspected of violating regulations have also been reported to their respective supervisory units for appropriate punishment, and we promise never to hire them again.
Our company also extends its sincerest apologies to many industry peers, including Shanhe Media.

Although it was already evening, it was a lively time on the internet, and Anle's open letter immediately caused a stir online.

"Damn, I just reported it this afternoon, and they've already admitted their mistake in just four hours? Anle's efficiency is really high, tsk tsk tsk."

"This is a classic case of not learning until it's too late. They weren't saying this before, claiming that the higher-ups were completely unaware and didn't understand. They've been proven wrong!"

"This is ridiculous! I don't believe a publishing executive could do this on his own without the big boss's approval. Are you kidding me?!"

"Exactly! The company benefits, but you take the blame. You'd rather break the law and commit crimes to generate revenue for the company. Are you brain-dead or mentally challenged?"

"What a brilliant move to sacrifice a pawn to save the king, a drastic measure to cut off one's own arm! He's learned the essence of the Young and Dangerous gangsters!"

So, will this movie be taken down or not?

"I don't care about 'Monster Hunt,' I won't watch it anyway. I just want to know, did Edko Films just offer such a dry apology? What about the losses of the other production companies?"

"Yes, an apology is one thing, compensation is another. And what about the General Administration's investigation? It can't just be dead before it even begins, can it?"

"That can't be right. If the perpetrator surrenders, wouldn't the police still verify their identity? But there are definitely preferential treatments for surrendering, so I guess it'll be all bark and no bite again."

It must be admitted that while euthanasia is a poor choice, it is indeed effective.

Wei Jingang and Yan Danchen had just finished dinner when Wei Jingang received a call from Director Tong.

"Wei Jin, An Le voluntarily accepted the punishment. Although he concealed some facts, his attitude was good. In addition, considering his past merits, you should be prepared for this situation and understand the difficulties the department faces."

"Director Tong, I understand. But let me ask, roughly how far can it go?"

"It's impossible to revoke the theater chain license and distribution license; that's the maximum penalty. It's inappropriate to apply that to Anle, who's a first-time offender."

It's unlikely that "Monster Hunt" will be pulled from theaters; after all, it's not easy for a domestic film to gross over 10 billion yuan. Most likely, there will be an industry-wide notice, orders to rectify the situation, fines, and at most a short-term suspension of operations.

"Okay, that's enough. Thank you, Director Tong."

Wei Jin accepted the result with pleasure, and he was already very satisfied with what he had accomplished.

After all, Edko Films has been established for decades, and its network of relationships is intricate and complex; it's no small player.

Moreover, his participation in a series of blockbusters such as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Hero" can be said to have ushered in the era of commercial blockbusters in Chinese-language films, and he has indeed made contributions to the industry.

Furthermore, it's a Hong Kong film and television company, so even though the Hong Kong film industry is declining, the authorities still have to consider the impact to some extent.

Even with all his confidence in his influence, Wei Jin never expected to bring down Anle through "box office manipulation" or "box office theft," practices that had long been exposed.

His real trump card will only be activated after the bureau announces its decision.

Thinking about the final outcome of this battle, a smile involuntarily appeared on Wei Jin's face.

But to Yan Danchen's surprise, this appearance had a different meaning.

Two months pregnant, Yan Danchen, dressed in a light gauze nightgown, pressed herself against him and gently tapped his chest. "Junior, what mischievous idea are you up to now?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Jin reached out and pulled the beauty into his arms, pressing his index finger against her red lips. "Senior, of course I was thinking about your cherry lips and sexy black stockings."

Because of his pregnancy, Wei Jin spent more time with Yan Danchen, and the older sister was very kind to him.

These words made Yan Danchen blush, and she spat lightly, "You're so annoying, don't do it like that night."

"Okay, I'll do whatever you say, senior."

Wei Jin readily agreed, then, taking control of the situation, he jokingly said, "But senior sister, if you have talent, you should put it to use. Tonight, your little brother will teach you a new trick that's both easy and effortless."

"Ok?"

(End of this chapter)