money player

"Do you know about the history of the Public Information Committee?"

"I'm not entirely sure."

"On Christmas Day in 1916, most Americans thought that World War I had nothing to do with the United States. In the early stages of the war, the United States sold supplies to both sides and made money from both sides. It would have been best if this situation could continue until the end of the war."

However, due to the British naval blockade, the United States was actually only able to conduct large-scale trade with the Allied powers of Britain, France, and Russia.

In order to get a share of the spoils from the war, banks and financiers provided huge loans and credits to the Allied Powers, and these debts may not be recoverable if the Allies are defeated.

Industry and finance—America's prosperity was thus intertwined with the Allied victory, as then-President Wilson stated: "We must tie our own interests to those of the free nations of Europe."

Since the outbreak of the war, the Allied Powers, especially Britain, had carried out effective propaganda in the United States, reporting extensively on the atrocities committed by the German army in Belgium and other places, portraying Germany as an aggressive, barbaric, and brutal militarist nation.

In January 1917, Germany announced the resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare, meaning that its U-boats could sink any merchant ship, including neutral vessels, that entered British waters without warning.

In February 1917, Britain intercepted and deciphered a telegram sent by German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to the German ambassador to Mexico.

The telegram proposed that if the United States declared war on Germany, Germany would support a Mexican attack on the United States and help Mexico recapture the lost states of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

Sin Yiu-man shrugged. "Actually, I've always doubted the authenticity of Zimmermann's telegram. If it were real, the Germans would have used a safer way to transmit the message."

Kelly rolled her eyes at Xian Yaowen. "Stop complaining and get to the point."

“OK.” Sin Yiu-man made a gesture. “In 1917, the war situation had become clear, and it was time for the United States to enter the fray and compete for interests. As a result, the Committee on Public Information was established. It used all available media to create enthusiasm for the war effort and win public support in order to counter domestic and foreign attempts to prevent the United States from entering the war.”

The Public Information Committee established a film division to produce propaganda films and cultivate a positive image of the United States during the war, both domestically and internationally. It also promoted the screening of Hollywood films in allied and neutral countries, using them as a window to showcase the American way of life and values.

Throughout the process, Hollywood and the government collaborated on cultural export in line with national strategic goals.

For governments, the value of Hollywood and its films lies in cultural export, which is essentially about product placement in movies.

When screenwriters create a script, they always think about what they want to express through the story and hope to resonate with the audience; this is also a form of product placement in movies.

Sin Yiu-man turned to Kelly and said, “You understand an actor’s thoughts better than I do. When you play a character, why do you act the way you do it? Besides expressing the character’s personality more accurately, do you also have any ideas about developing a Kelly-style acting style?”

"of course."

"So, you're also embedding ads. What is film? A giant advertising platform. Everyone involved is embedding their own ads in the name of art, some directly, some subtly."

"The Eight Blessings Inn" is perfect for a Coca-Cola product placement. You say the company didn't provide a budget, but actually I already did. The few storyboard pages tucked inside the main script constituted the budget.

"You want me to do Coca-Cola ads?"

"No, I have an advertising company. You just need to tell the advertising company how to insert the advertisement, and the advertising company will talk to Coca-Cola, or maybe Pepsi."

"Adam, product placement in a biographical film, you'll ruin it."

"One question: Do nuns use sanitary napkins?"

"nonsense."

"The story takes place during a time when tampax sanitary pads had already entered the UK, and Chinese women at that time commonly used menstrual belts. Don't ask me what menstrual belts are; you're the producer, do your own research."

Sometimes product placement can enrich a character's personality; it all depends on how you handle it. Our world is already filled with advertisements; they've become integrated into our lives and memories.

Sin Yiu-man pointed to the wall of the elevator car he was visiting, “There should be a few framed advertisements here. I plan to take over all the office building elevators in the United States and hang exquisite advertisements in this position, three frames, with you in the very center.”

Kelly glanced at the elevator wall and asked, "How effective are the advertisements in the elevator?"

"It depends on the product. For example, advertisements for strip clubs and prostitutes are best printed on business card-sized cards and handed out to passing men on the street. That would be very effective."

"What a low-level topic."

"Current electrocardiograms can only capture the cardiac activity of a patient for tens of seconds while the patient is resting. Doctors are often helpless when it comes to paroxysmal arrhythmias, and there is an urgent need for breakthroughs in dynamic monitoring. Do you understand?"

“I don’t understand.” Kelly glanced at Xian Yaowen. “Are you planning to use a seemingly sophisticated topic to belittle me for only being able to talk about low-level topics?”

"Good boy."

"Fuck you!"

"what."

"Please begin telling your story."

"There's so much to say."

"Just do it."

"Adam is a time traveler who can travel back in time to the past or to the future. Once, he traveled to Philadelphia in 1935 and met a little girl named Grace..."

The story had only just begun. The elevator doors opened with a ding, and Sin Yiu-man stepped out, saying, "If the party gets boring, we'll continue later."

“OK.” Kelly took Sin Yiu-man’s arm.

Sin Yiu-man patted his chest. "I've prepared an envelope for you. There's $1000 in it, and your name is on it."

“I can write a check.”

"Next time, you'll represent Big Dog this time, and the cost will be covered by company expenses."

"Ok."

The two arrived at the entrance of the polo lounge and went straight in. The person standing at the door, who appeared to be a security guard, did not ask them any questions.

The lounge was quiet, with no one walking around. Everyone was sitting in booths chatting quietly, and Sin Yiu-man guessed that the party would be one-on-one.

Since that was the case, it wasn't convenient to find someone to share a seat with, so he led Kelly to a small, empty booth.

As I sat down, I glanced at the telephone hanging next to the booth.

……

During the Japanese occupation of Korea, Japan cultivated high-quality goods on a large scale on the Korean Peninsula, selling some to foreign countries and supplying the rest directly to the army as military supplies.

After 1945, the original farmers and technicians scattered among the people.

The war on the Korean Peninsula has been going on for over a year. As normal tax collection and economic activities have been destroyed by the war, both sides have secretly recruited former professionals and discreetly carried out special trade.

"Inheriting the glorious tradition of resisting Japan, the glorious troops have been tempered into steel. Marshal Kim Il-sung's red warriors defended the socialist motherland..."

In Sanshui, Gaema Plateau, on the banks of the Yalu River in North Korea, a group of horses stroll along the lush green and golden paddy fields, heading towards the distant valley.

"In the blue sky and the Milky Way, there is a little white boat. On the boat is an osmanthus tree. A white rabbit is playing. The oars are not visible, and there is no sail on the boat. It drifts and drifts, drifting towards the west."

"Comrade Lu can actually sing 'Half Moon Song'? The South Korean reactionaries allow him to sing it?" Kim Kang-mi, wearing a PPSh shirt, turned to look at Guan Lao Lu Bingqiang behind him.

Guan Lao laughed it off and said, "I only sing in private."

As soon as Jin Kangmei spoke, he realized this topic was inappropriate. He raised his riding crop and pointed it towards the sun, saying, "The direction of the sun is where we need to go. It will take at most an hour..."

Jin Kangmei stopped abruptly. He listened intently for a moment, then raised his fist and listened again before waving to the right, "There's an airplane. Go into the woods."

Guan Lao also heard the sound of the plane engine. It didn't sound like an American plane, but he didn't question it. He just spurred his horse and ran into the woods.

“5000 cases of penicillin, within three days,” a man said to Cheryl beside him on the Victoria Harbour waterfront.

"30 units or 60 units? 12 small cases or 24 large cases?"

"60 units, in large boxes."

Where to deliver the goods?

"Macao."

"I can only give you half in three days."

"How many days will it take?"

"Five days."

"can."

“How do I pay?”

"Half in US dollars on the spot, half in Japanese yen in Tokyo."

"I need old Japanese yen notes, not consecutive serial numbers."

"New banknotes."

"Add 20%."

"Miss Brown isn't serious about doing this business?"

Cheryl smiled faintly, "Sir, your General Federation of Korean Associations is not secretive. It would be easy to get into trouble if we accepted your money in Tokyo."

The man's expression suddenly changed, and after a long silence, he said, "The yen will be transferred in Hong Kong."

"make a deal."

As soon as she finished speaking, Cheryl turned and left.

Near Kowloon Wharf, there is a North Korean restaurant called "Dai Ling Shu Shou" that claims to be Korean cuisine, which is owned by Liu Rongju.

In the box.

Liu Rongju used the tongs to flip the pork belly on the copper plate, picking up a few pieces that were already cooked and putting them into Zheng Yueying's dish, who was sitting opposite him.

“Starting from the end of this month, I will be able to receive a large batch of goods every month. Ms. Zheng, are you interested?”

Zheng Yueying rubbed her numb thigh, took a drag of her cigarette, and said, "Boss Liu, won't you do it yourself?"

“I’m not interested in this business.” Liu Rongju picked up two pieces of pork belly from his plate, put down the tongs, and used his chopsticks to dip the pork belly in the sauce before putting it in his mouth and chewing it lightly. “I’m doing a good job with the smuggling business, but the customers insist that I help them carry goods, and I can’t refuse.”

How much is produced each month?

"The amount I was given is 600 jin. If Ms. Zheng thinks it's not enough, I can ask for more. Customers would be more than happy to accept that."

"How many?"

“I have two customers, and 2000 kilograms on each side is no problem.”

Zheng Yueying took a few puffs of her cigarette. "What price is Boss Liu planning to sell it for?"

"Ms. Zheng handles the transactions directly. The customer can pay whatever amount they want, and Ms. Zheng will give me an additional 10%."

Zheng Yueying smiled and said, "Aren't you afraid that I'll leave you behind and go it alone, Boss Liu?"

Liu Rongju said calmly, "I believe Ms. Zheng wouldn't. Ms. Zheng has made many enemies. If it weren't for A-Wen's sake, something bad would probably have happened to her long ago."

Zheng Yueying paused for a moment, then said, "I want to see the samples."

Liu Rongju clapped his hands, and a rustling sound came from outside the private room. After a moment, the mute dog opened the door of the private room and made a gesture to Zheng Yueying.

Seeing this, Zheng Yueying said to Liu Rongju, "Let's try sending one ton first."

"Okay, notify Ms. Zheng when the goods arrive."

Tokyo.

Masato Trading Company, Chairman's Office.

After reading the telegram in her hand, Keiko Nagumo muttered a curse under her breath.

The telegram was from Kong Lingxian, saying that South Korean military personnel pressured her to allow the East Asia Chamber of Commerce to sell at least one ton of special goods every month, or else they would have to stop doing other business.

The telegram also mentioned that Guan Lao had been invited to visit a special goods factory in North Korea.

Guan Lao was a partner's man, so she couldn't control where he went. Nan Yun Huizi was only worried about the 1 ton of special goods every month. After a while, she picked up the phone and called Matsuda Yoshiko.

No one answered; Yoshiko Matsuda was neither in her office nor at home.

She was at the dojo, the place where the debt collectors usually practiced their skills.

She knelt on the ground, facing a man who was kneeling on the ground. She pleaded, "President, please give me a chance. I will definitely quit."

Yoshiko Matsuda didn't speak, but turned to look at the dentist kneeling to one side.

"Hay."

The dentist approached the man, grabbed his chin, forcibly pried open his mouth, inserted a dental mirror into his mouth to examine the condition of his teeth, then switched to tweezers and picked at a few teeth, wiggling them.

A moment later, the dentist said to Yoshiko Matsuda, "Chairman, the duration of taking the Strike Pills will be no less than one year."

"A year?" Yoshiko Matsuda took a wakizashi from the knife rack beside her, placed it on the floor, and slid it toward the dentist. "How often does the trading company require dental checkups?"

The dentist glanced at Wakizashi and was instantly terrified. "Chairman, I've never seen him before."

"you sure?"

"Hay."

Yoshiko Matsuda looked at Kazuo Ijiri.

Kazuo Ijiri bowed and admitted his mistake, "Chairman, it was my fault."

Upon hearing this, Yoshiko Matsuda pushed off the floor with her toes, flicked her right hand at the knife rack, stood up, drew her knife, and took small steps to the man. She swung the blade down, separating his head from his body, which rolled a few times on the floor, his wide eyes filled with terror.

She took out a white handkerchief and gently wiped the blade. "Ijiri-kun, collect the body and send it to his wife. Pay her a monthly settlement allowance."

"Hay."

Yoshiko Matsuda sat back down, sheathed her sword, and said in a cold voice, "Absorb the Assault Ingot, slash."

"Hai!" A chorus of people bowed.

Behind Matsuda Yoshiko, Shin-Usagi Satsuki answered the phone and leaned close to Matsuda Yoshiko's ear, "It's Chairman Nagumo on the phone. He wants to see the chairman. It's important."

"Come to my house tonight."

Xian Yuzhen leaned against the car door, holding a bottle in her left hand and a bubble wand in her right. She dipped the bubble wand into the bottle, brought it to her lips, and blew a breath. Bubbles danced in the wind and shone with iridescent colors in the sunlight.

After blowing a few times, she placed the bottle on the roof of the car, took out her harmonica from her pocket, wiped it with a handkerchief, and put it in her mouth to play "Auld Lang Syne".

Zheng Yueying stepped out from among the waiting guards and immediately spotted Xian Yuzhen.

She stepped forward. "Looking for me?"

Xian Yuzhen picked up her harmonica, shook it, and smiled at Zheng Yueying, saying, "I work for the British, let's find a place to chat."

"Shan Jin Lou?"

"Okay." (End of Chapter)