Actor: Thank you.

When faced with a call from the chairman of the Chinese Quyi Artists Association, even though they were thousands of kilometers apart, Zhang Yuan remained upright and showed him the utmost respect.

The old lady is a seasoned veteran; she can tell just by listening to how you're talking to her.

"Hey, Chairman Liu, it's been a long time."

How have you been lately?

"Do you have any instructions that require me to return to the capital for a meeting?"

Teacher Liu has a deep, resonant voice with plenty of energy.

"I'm fine."

"You don't need to come back for the meeting, it's nothing serious."

"I called you just to ask about the situation."

“Lately, a lot of people have been mentioning you to me.”

The old lady's breathing was deep and resonant, indicating a good constitution.

Moreover, after being in a leadership position for a long time, one tends to speak with an air of superiority.

They're used to this job, so they put on airs.

“Is that so? I visited Mr. Yuan the other day, and he kept mentioning you.”

"Among the four of you, you are the most upright and magnanimous."

"Hehehe, please thank Uncle Yuan for me." The old lady knew, of course, that he was using the old man's words to flatter her, but she still appreciated it.

And the air of arrogance in his speech reduced the impact by three points.

The old lady quickly realized what was going on, and inwardly sneered, feeling a little regretful.

You little rascal, you're trying to tease me now.

But this clever man didn't end up in my hands; Mr. Yuan is truly blessed.

Liu Lanfang thought about how Mr. Yuan now lived in a courtyard owned by this young man, and that he had even hired a nanny and cleaner to take care of him, and she felt a little envious.

It's not that my apprentices are bad.

He also comes to visit himself properly on the three major festivals and two birthdays.

But aside from the teacher-student relationship, they were somewhat concerned about their own status.

Being the chairman of the Chinese Quyi Artists Association is no easy job; it involves dealing with too many vested interests.

The apprentices also need to make their own arrangements.

Unlike Zhang Yuan, who doesn't rely on the old man's money and depends entirely on himself.

Liu Lanfang came to her senses and her tone relaxed slightly.

"You should go and learn more from Mr. Yuan when you have time."

"The old man knows so many things, but he doesn't want to tell others."

"You think you can get me to talk?"

"You're making me sound like a locksmith."

“What I mean is, you should focus on learning your craft and do less television appearances,” Liu Lanfang said, getting to the heart of the matter.

Upon hearing that he would be on the show, Zhang Yuan immediately covered his mouth to stifle a laugh.

OK!

Just as I expected, someone went to the Chinese Quyi Artists Association to file a complaint.

No, it's not necessarily because someone complained; it could just be someone from the Chinese Quyi Association spreading rumors.

I was only a few years old when I became a director of the National Quyi Association. Many people's eyes turned bloodshot when they saw me, and they wished they could bite me to death.

They'll find a chance to cause me trouble.

So having a status is good.

As expected, just as I thought, even if someone caused me trouble, the news would eventually reach me first.

This is the advantage of having an official position.

Even setting aside the fact that it can resolve matters, the mere fact that one can know about things in advance is worth its weight in gold.

Otherwise, why would foreign gangs and mafia collude or even become members of parliament?

In China...right?

Moreover, it was the chairman of the Chinese Quyi Artists Association who personally came to inform them.

Mr. Yuan's influence still works.

He knew what the other person was talking about without them having to say it.

It was simply that the publicity he had specially designed after appearing on variety shows those few days had started to take off.

The first and foremost requirement is to establish a dedicated professional persona.

[Successors to the spirit of Chenlong].

This is a press release that Yang Siwei wrote and published for him.

It's already spread online.

Just as he planned, Zeng Chenlong's popularity soared.

The content details the injuries he suffered on set over the years.

His requirement for Yang Siwei was that exaggeration was acceptable, but fabrication was not.

Moreover, he doesn't need to fabricate anything.

Things that don't exist need to be created, but he already has them!

And there are quite a few.

Injuries are unavoidable in any action-packed filming scenes.

From the sword wound in "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" to the staff wound in "A Chinese Ghost Story".

"A Deadly Secret" was almost buried by an avalanche.

During the filming of "The Return of the Condor Heroes", he was so busy filming every day that his whole body ached.

There's no need to go into detail; just pick a bit from each film and you'll have plenty to talk about.

Yang Siwei counted in the article that he had more than a dozen injuries, large and small.

This is simply an attempt to evoke empathy, or rather, sympathy, from the audience.

A dedicated persona is very useful; audiences will respect you more.

But the prerequisite is to produce results. If you only work hard but don't achieve results, the audience won't look favorably upon you.

They might even mock it as "working for nothing".

Moreover, Yang Siwei's chosen title was very clever, giving the impression that he was about to do something big.

[Successors to the spirit of Chenlong].

Is he the successor of the spirit of Chenlong, or the successor of the spirit of Chenlong?

Let the audience and media interpret it as they see fit.

Moreover, the title is easy to remember and can be easily recalled.

And they easily overlook the word "spirit," thus becoming "Chenlong's successor."

Over the years, quite a few people have been called Chenlong's successor, including Shi Xiaolong and Nicholas Tse.

But in the end, no one was able to carry on the mantle.

Firstly, Chenlong is a genius, truly a once-in-a-century talent.

Secondly, he had no intention of passing on his mantle.

If he himself doesn't step down, how can he find a successor?

Just like Guo Degang, if he doesn't completely retire, can Guo Qilin be called his successor?

Of course, now that Mr. Guo is retired, his successor may not necessarily be Guo Qilin.

But this is said to outsiders; in the parlance of the performing arts, it's called "using one's skills to cultivate others."

Moreover, Zhang Yuan had a great advantage, which was that he had a good relationship with Chen Long.

As soon as the press release was published, news of his injury while filming spread rapidly online.

Other things were fine, but many viewers were scared when they heard about the avalanche in "A Deadly Secret".

In addition, his public image was already quite positive, so this news immediately elevated his status to another level.

And some media outlets actually brought this up in their interviews.

"Brother Chenlong, there are rumors online that Zhang Yuan is your successor. Are you aware of this?"

"He works very hard when filming. There aren't many young people who can endure hardship like him."

"And he's doing very well now, he's already developed his own style."

He did not directly answer the question about successors.

His son hasn't gone in yet, so of course he wants his own son to be his successor.

Just like Xiang Huaqiang, who knew that going to the left was wrong, but still had to frantically praise him.

But Chenlong didn't object to this statement and even said a few nice words in his defense.

This is what it means to have good interpersonal relationships; it's beneficial.

In the eyes of the audience, Uncle Jackie's words became corroborating evidence.

Look, even the person in question acknowledges Zhang Yuan's hard work and good performance.

That means acknowledging him as the successor.

Audiences are very prone to making connections; it's human nature to believe everything you hear.

The popularity of the film "Ip Man" increased along with his reputation.

But this is the right way, the open approach.

Zhang Yuan knew that positive publicity was good, but its effect was generally limited.

Just like when you keep promoting the idea that the country is stable, has comprehensive social welfare, and the people are peaceful, there are bound to be people who don't believe in such things.

Gao Xiaosong even said that India is peaceful.

The US and other Western countries even boast that India is the strongest developing country.

Why don't you just spread some pictures of Ganges corpses online? The food there is clean and hygienic.

Reports that the streets of the United States are filled with "fentanyl zombies" while Capitol Hill is full of "stock market gurus" are more useful.

Negative news is far more appealing than positive news.

Moreover, Zhang Yuan remembered the earliest kung fu he practiced: Natural Style boxing and leg techniques.

What are the fundamental principles of footwork in Natural Gate?
Yin and Yang interact, and emptiness and fullness combine.

In fact, all kung fu is like this; both fists and feet are divided into yin and yang.

Yang fists aren't scary, but Yin hands are deadly!
If you see a fist coming, you can dodge it.

But while you're dodging, your follow-up attack will target your vital points!

The "dedicated" persona is a public tactic, but it's actually a deceptive one.

The real trick is actually another persona he created: a discerning eye for film selection, or what you might call a lucky charm for film selection.

Yang Chaoyue's "lucky koi" persona became a widely circulated legend in later generations.

Many test takers either prayed for her well-being or used her photo as a meme, and some even actually used it as their phone wallpaper.

He said on "Happy Camp" that he turned down the role in "Red Cliff" in order to make "Painted Skin".

He also said that he turned down the role in "Mei Lanfang" in order to make "Ip Man".

Viewers and netizens are the most prone to making connections.

"Painted Skin" was clearly more successful than "Red Cliff".

It is also more popular among young people.

This shows that he made the right choice and had good judgment.

Since he has a good eye for choosing films, we can deduce the next line.

Is "Mei Lanfang" a good movie?
It's just so-so.

What about the box office?
It's just average, around one hundred million.

If we consider "Mei Lanfang" as an art film, its box office success is actually quite impressive.

Chen Shiren may have obvious flaws as a top-tier director, but his overall abilities are still beyond the reach of those fledgling directors.

The problem is that audiences won't see this as an art film.

Because you're using actors from commercial films.

Li Ming, Zhang Ziyi, Sun Honglei, Wang Xueqi.

Which one specializes in art films? Even worse, Poet Chen has a fatal flaw.

That's "Farewell My Concubine"!
He directed this film, which also brought together the talents of many other top experts.

He was promoted by a group of people, which means he borrowed the power of others.

What is the price of using power that does not belong to you?
It means being used as a benchmark for your entire life, and always being compared to others.

What can move people to tears is not the comparison between the United States and China.

Instead, we should compare the current beacon of democracy with the beacon of democracy during the Cold War and after World War II.

Compared to North America, which is truly more like a beacon.

The three great tragedies of life are: a beautiful woman growing old, a hero's end, and a writer running out of talent.

Back then, I could pee three feet into the wind; now, I pee a shoe in the wind.

That's the saddest thing.

Does anyone care that Sandra Ng is getting old and ugly?

But when Brigitte Lin and Joey Wong, who were contemporaries, get older, a lot of people sigh.

You have to have been amazing before, so that it's more regrettable when you're not good enough.

He used to be a pro at seven times a night, but now he finishes in thirty seconds. He can't even accept himself anymore.

His wife and girlfriend would find him even more repulsive.

But if it was originally thirty seconds, now it's a minute and a half, and your wife or girlfriend will praise you like crazy.

That's a huge improvement!
Therefore, praising someone too highly may not be a good thing.

For film fans and ordinary viewers, Chen Shishi and "Farewell My Concubine" is a story that once lasted seven times in one night and once stood tall against the wind.

Because "Farewell My Concubine" was so good, people always compare it to everything he made afterward.

This is why it's best for a general to die on the battlefield. Huo Qubing's high reputation is undoubtedly related to his early death.

Given the Marquis of Champion's temperament, if he were to grow old, coupled with the muddle-headed Emperor Wu of Han, who knows what kind of trouble he might cause.

If Chen Shishi (the director) were to be transported to the next life after filming "Farewell My Concubine," he would be a god in the world of Chinese film directors!
They absolutely crushed Zhang Yimou and Feng Xiaogang, leaving them unable to raise their heads.

Unfortunately, he not only survived, but also caused trouble for many years.

Both "Mei Lanfang" and "Farewell My Concubine" are based on traditional Chinese opera.

Originally, the poet Chen also wanted to use this film to redeem himself from the disgrace of "The Promise".

But can Leon Lai compare to the madman Leslie Cheung?

Can Zhang Ziyi be compared to Gong Li?

Only Wang Xueqi can be compared to Zhang Fengyi.

The actors are incomparable, and the plot is far worse.

The first half of the film "Mei Lanfang" was okay, but it got worse and worse as it went on.

And to be honest, only a handful of people actually enjoy watching "Farewell My Concubine".

Most so-called movie fans are just holding up a facade to position themselves on the moral high ground of film experts, making themselves seem knowledgeable.

Most of these people haven't even watched the movie; they just want to talk nonsense.

The more people are like this, the more they will use "Farewell My Concubine" to criticize "Mei Lanfang".

And there are far more people like this than actual viewers!
However, this was the group of people Zhang Yuan arrested!
They don't care how good the movies are; whether "Farewell My Concubine" or "Forever Enthralled" is good or not doesn't matter, since they haven't seen them anyway.

Anyway, whatever the trend is, we'll just follow along and join the fun.

Those who praise Wahaha and criticize Nongfu Spring are the kind of people who do so.

In short, "Leziren" (乐子人).

People who enjoy themselves stand wherever there's fun to be had; facts don't matter.

If that doesn't work, you can fabricate "facts".

Zhang Yuan is now giving them a "fact".

Zhang Yuan chose "Painted Skin" instead of "Red Cliff".

Fortunately, "Painted Skin" was good, while "Red Cliff" was a terrible movie.

Ip Man hasn't been released yet, but Mei Lanfang has!

It's not as good as "Farewell My Concubine", so "Mei Lanfang" is a bad movie!
This is how diode thinking works.

Since "Mei Lanfang" is a bad movie, then following the formula of "Painted Skin" and "Red Cliff", "Ip Man" is very likely to be a good movie!

After all, Zhang Yuan is a "lucky charm" when it comes to choosing films!
How do you know if it's good or bad if you haven't even seen it?
I haven't seen "Farewell My Concubine" either, but since everyone says it's good, then it must be good.

This is Zhang Yuan's underhanded tactic; this is his real move.

Because of his dedicated work ethic, he can increase his credibility.

This, in turn, enhances the credibility of the "lucky charm for choosing movies" persona.

The common and simple wish of ordinary people is that hard work will lead to good results.

As a result, the popularity of the movie "Ip Man" has been boosted once again.

"Zhang Yuan was covered in injuries while filming and performed despite being ill. Whether it's good or not, we still have to go and support him."

"I love watching his action scenes, so it should be pretty good."

After establishing a dedicated work ethic, this is what the audience said.

Since this move is called a "sneak attack," it must be used to sneak up on people.

The one who is considered sinister is, of course, the poet Chen.

Once the angle of film selection was introduced, people started having fun.

"With 'Mei Lanfang' being so bad, 'Ip Man' must be a good movie."

"I trust Zhang Yuan's judgment; his assessment is very accurate."

"No doubt about it, because 'Mei Lanfang' is not good, so 'Ip Man' must be good."

No logic needed, no rationality required, just have fun.

Moreover, the more irrational they are, the happier they are.

"Mei Lanfang" didn't work, so "Ip Man" will... This illogical slogan has gradually taken root in people's hearts.

Zhang Yuan listens to Yang Siwei's reports every day and is aware of online trends.

The overweight women were sweating profusely when they saw this absurd effect.

too strong!
Truly unreasonable strength.

The boss is just messing with people. He's played them for a fool, and yet people are still defending him and laughing about it.

Yang Siwei wanted to say, "This is the greatest trading operation I've ever seen since I entered the industry..."

She had never seen publicity done like this before; the angle was too tricky.

The key is that it not only piqued the audience's interest and made the film widely known, but also transformed it from obscurity to widespread fame.

They even hooked up with their rival!

The fat women were terrified just thinking about it; the boss not only wanted to profit, but he also didn't let his enemies off the hook.

It all seemed like just a side thing.

After all, Zhang Yuan doesn't hold grudges, which is a blessing.

Within a few days, the news reached Director Chen's ears.

Even poet Chen was dumbfounded?

He completely failed to grasp the logic behind it.

Because there is no logic involved.

What do you mean by saying my movie is bad, so his movie is good?
And where am I rotten?
Our Director Chen can't stand any criticism.

I was scolded for no reason.

What's even more upsetting is that some netizens brought up the old issue again.

"Fortunately, Zhang Yuan didn't act in 'Mei Lanfang'."

"Acting in 'Ip Man' only resulted in a broken hand, but acting in 'Mei Lanfang' might have cost me my life."

This refers to the injury incident on the set of "Mei Lanfang".

Director Chen couldn't stand this either.

"Zhang Yuan!!!"

There were quite a few people involved, and after checking, it became clear that it was that "ignorant and arrogant" kid causing trouble again.

"The new movie is about to be released, so they're going to use me as a scapegoat!" Poet Chen understood everything.

He was so angry that his blood pressure dropped from 140 to 210.

If you get even a little more excited, you could be sharing a hospital room with Uncle Benshan.

"I have to get him!"

Poet Chen paced back and forth in the room in anger, as anxious as if he were about to pull a millstone.

But Zhang Yuan wasn't the only one with workers around him; he had workers around him too.

The assistant director in charge of coordinating the work saw the boss getting so angry and wondered what kind of trouble they had gotten themselves into.
"Kaige, listen to me."

"We can't make a big fuss about this now," my brother advised.

"Do you remember the incident about 'A Bloodbath Caused by a Steamed Bun'?"

"The bigger the commotion, the less the audience will support it."

Mentioning this poet Chen immediately diminished his imposing presence by three points.

The movie "The Promise" is just average, but it's not so bad that it deserves to be universally criticized online.

What truly broke Chen's defenses and caused most people to turn against him was his lawsuit against the video creator.

"And think about it."

"He used this strange trick to promote his new movie."

"But this kid has a dirty mind; he might just be waiting for us to scold him."

"The more you scold him, the smug he becomes."

"How so?" Director Chen asked, arms crossed.

“He’s doing publicity. If we criticize him, your fame will only fuel his fire.”

"He's even more famous now!"

Poet Chen raised an eyebrow, understanding what his buddy meant.

"That kid's a sly one!"

"This is still a series of interconnected schemes."

"So I suggest we handle this discreetly. Let's put on airs, treat him like a fart, and just ignore him."

"We'll wait until his film is released before making any moves."

Poet Chen has a bad temper, but he rarely listens to advice.

He rarely fails to understand others, and he's also afraid of being outmaneuvered.

"Also, he said our play isn't working."

"But our film is about the life of Master Mei Lanfang. Whether it works or not, it's still telling the story of the master."

"Is this something that a junior in the entertainment industry should be praised or criticized for?"

Does he have the qualifications?

"So we don't pay any attention to him openly, but we find someone, the Mei family, or other performing arts groups to talk to him."

"Oh..." Director Chen understood: "He's cunning, so we'll work hard behind the scenes too."

That's why Liu Lanfang called Zhang Yuan.

"Child, this is not a good idea."

“I don’t care about other professions, but we are all fellow performers in traditional Chinese performing arts, and they are from prestigious and prestigious schools.”

"It doesn't look good," Chairman Liu said in a low voice.

hiss……

But as soon as she finished speaking, she heard a sniffle from the other end of the phone, followed by a loud yell, which almost scared the old lady so much that she dropped her phone.

"Master Liu, I'm innocent!!!"

"What a clear voice..." Teacher Liu praised inwardly, while a doubt crept into her mind.

Done!

This kid's getting into it... (End of Chapter)