Actor: Thank you.

"So, you're planning to sell all of Huayi's shares?"

After hearing Zhang Yuan's words, Hua Ge didn't probe like an outsider, but asked directly.

"Yes, there is." Zhang Yuan nodded in reply, but his face showed concern: "This matter should be kept confidential."

"Definitely." Brother Hua nodded as well.

Zhang Yuan knew this person wouldn't speak carelessly.

Besides, no one would be greedy for his little bit of money.

"Does it sell well?" Hua Ge paused for a moment, then asked.

Zhang Yuan thought for a while.

Whether it sells well or not depends on the timing.

"If it's a peak season for shipments, it won't sell well."

There's a rather troublesome problem here at Huayi.

That's the attitude of the Wang brothers towards their company.

They want to make money, but they don't want to lose control.

Therefore, they themselves will sell, but they don't really want other shareholders to sell without restriction.

They wanted to make money, but they were also afraid of being stripped of power.

Unlike some companies that go public just to make a quick buck and run away.

At the time, Zhang Yuan's acquisition of these shares came with conditions.

He has no voting rights and no power to participate in any company decisions.
The deal also required the consent of the Wang brothers.

So he secretly asked Boss Chen to help him with the mortgage.

However, he is different from other "celebrity shareholders" such as Feng Xiaogang and Huang Xiaoming.

He did not hold the shares in his personal name, but rather through the company that held the television drama production license.

Therefore, he does not have the two-year "sale restriction period" that individual shareholders have.

However, if you want to sell so many shares, you have to report to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

Otherwise, if everyone messes things up, the stock market will be in chaos... Of course, it's already chaotic enough as it is now.

Furthermore, the Wang brothers certainly wouldn't want his shares to appear on the market.

Because they also need to ship goods and make money.

Scarcity increases value, and if only the two brothers are releasing the goods, it will be easier for them to negotiate prices with the sellers.

If someone else gets involved, it gives buyers the opportunity to "compare prices from different vendors."

In particular, if Zhang Yuan sells at an extremely low price, it will lower their asking price.

This only addresses the issues and constraints on the selling side.

There's also the investor side.

There are many large investment institutions.

Sequoia Capital, SoftBank, Bain Capital, JPMorgan Chase...

These companies can easily invest tens of millions of US dollars in another company.

However, they mostly choose companies that are not publicly listed, hoping to be the first to benefit.

It's like finding a girlfriend; would you go to a nightclub or college to find one?

After all, the first batch of soup is the most concentrated and has the highest profit margin.

However, Huayi is already listed on the stock exchange, so the return on investment will at most be a few times, not dozens of times.

These companies, with hearts even colder than faces, rarely spend money to buy shares in listed companies.

Rarely, but sometimes.

This is where the other problem lies.

If they want to buy, they will only buy shares in listed internet companies.

Foreign institutions are very optimistic about China's internet industry and are investing heavily in it.

The examples of Sohu, NetEase, Sina, and Tencent have already demonstrated the added value potential of Chinese internet companies.

But Huayi is just a film and entertainment company; they might not even be interested in you.

Therefore, Zhang Yuan faces difficulties on both ends.

Contrary to what outsiders claim, he does not possess a fortune of 700 million.

Hua Yi is not under his control; the Wang brothers even want to use these shares to restrict his words and actions.

It's not that easy.

Zhang Yuan explained the situation to Hua Ge, who squinted and thought for a moment, also realizing it was difficult to handle.

"How about I ask around in Southeast Asia for you, see if there are any interested bosses?" Hua Ge said, glancing at his wife.

"Thank you." Zhang Yuan clasped his hands in thanks. "But I'd still like to try it myself."

"If it really doesn't work out, then I'll have to ask you two for help."

He didn't feign concern and ask for help while simultaneously looking for something better.

"Then take good care of yourself." Andy Lau figured that since he already knew where the problem lay, it wasn't bad.

What I fear most is a headless fly.

After chatting for a while, he got up to say goodbye.

When leaving, I made a point of taking a Honda sedan, which is very common in Hong Kong, and then transferring to a minivan at a public parking lot.

This is how troublesome it is to avoid paparazzi.

He returned to the capital the next day.

He had only been lying around for half a day when Zeng Jia came to his door, urging him to make up for the business activities he had missed.

Many endorsements come with bundled business deals, but he's been too busy to attend them and has already missed more than ten.

"Wow, you got a new car."

Zhang Yuan saw a brand new Lexus parked outside the door.

It seems that, apart from the locals from Guangdong, female customers especially like this brand.

It's the same in the US; middle-aged women, especially career women, love driving this brand of car.

“Yes,” Zeng Jia replied cheerfully.

She can receive 3% of Zhang Yuan's profits.

Zhang Yuan is actually earning a decent amount from acting these days, as he often does cameo roles for free.

But because of the huge success of "Painted Skin", "The Message" was also quite good.

In addition, his business connections from his trip to the island nation have made him quite valuable in the business world.

Not only have prices gone up, but everything from head to toe has.

From lip balm to socks, everything has a brand ambassador.

Zhang Yuan feels that as long as he lies down, he is Taylor from the movie "Big Shot's Funeral".

I wish I could wear different sunglasses on each eye.

Zeng Jia happens to be a rather "money-grubbing" agent, especially skilled at "developing" artists.

Taking advantage of Zhang Yuan shaving his head on the set of "Bodyguards and Assassins," I quickly got him an advertisement for a men's wig...

He earned over 300 million yuan playing games.

They also accepted advertisements for medicines like cold medicine.

This led to another incident where she came with some documents, saying that a private hospital wanted to hire him for advertising and was offering a very generous fee.

1500 million over 3 years.

Zhang Yuan thought to himself, "What a great thing!"

Not only do they receive money, but they also have connections with private hospitals, making it easier to see a doctor.

Upon opening the information, I saw it was a men's health hospital specializing in infertility and impotence...

Zeng Jia: Don't ask me if I have any shame, just tell me if I make money or not.

Zhang Yuan tore the document into pieces and put it in a striped plastic bag given to him at the market before returning it to her.

The truth is correct.

One should not be shameless for the sake of money.

But being shameless can make you more money...

Zhang Yuan felt that he might not have reached that level yet.

Advertisements featuring red cotton socks and gray thermal underwear are one thing, but this one is quite another.

Infertility is really unbearable.

Even though he maintained his "bottom line," he still made a lot of money.

As for the salary, he only received tens of thousands of yuan for "The Founding of a Republic" and more than one million yuan for "Bodyguards and Assassins".

"The Message" only costs a little over two hundred.

The most I could get was $100 million from G.I. Joe.

The total did not exceed 2000 million.

But his endorsements and commercial deals are almost 8000 million!

Zeng Jia got her new car through this.

Having finally managed to accumulate some money, Zhang Yuan could enjoy the pleasure of counting his cash after finishing his work.

But the debt collectors arrived very quickly.

After Zheng Xiaolong called him, he came to his house to visit him again.

He and his wife, Wang Xiaoping, were quite polite, saying that the script for "Empresses in the Palace" was almost ready, with the initial project approval and research completed.

Now we need to start casting, set design, and prepare props.

The novel "Empresses in the Palace" adopts a fictional design and a fictional background.

The advantage is obvious: it avoids historical controversies.

But Liulianzi did this mainly to make plagiarism easier...

By creating a fictional world, we can avoid many similarities with the original work, and we can interpret it in any way we like.

But after discussing it, Zheng Xiaolong and Wang Xiaoping decided it wouldn't work.

It must be "implemented".

Because once the project is completed, it becomes easier to create props, costumes, and other items for film and television productions, as there will be references available.

If you're creating a fictional world, you have to design everything from scratch, which is not only troublesome but also easily criticized.

Another reason for needing to "ground" the story is the core concept the couple designed for the TV series. The original work is a historical romance novel for female readers, with the main plot revolving around palace intrigue and love.

In fact, many works and novels from that era heavily referenced the content of the Hong Kong TV series "War and Beauty".

The same goes for "Empresses in the Palace".

But Zheng Xiaolong thought it wouldn't work.

A simple romance film, lacking depth.

Therefore, his core idea is to criticize feudalism and oppose feudalism, and criticize imperial power and oppose imperial power.

Why has "Empresses in the Palace" been passed down for so many years, and why does it never go out of style no matter when you watch it?

Because the underlying logic of the story is not outdated.

Zheng Xiaolong himself came from a privileged background and was very famous.

When feudal dynasties are mentioned, especially the Qing Dynasty, his first reaction is darkness, corruption, and suppression of humanity.

Once this guiding principle is established, the content will not stray from the intended direction.

Actually, Liulianzi initially wanted to set the story during the reign of Emperor Xianzong of Tang.

Zheng Xiaolong respected the original author quite a bit and listened to her opinion.

However, the script failed to pass censorship because it "drastically altered history".

That's why the Qing Dynasty period was chosen.

The reason for specifically choosing the Yongzheng era as the background is precisely because Yongzheng was a man who "did not act pretentiously".

Compared to his predecessors and successors, Emperor Yongzheng did not travel to the south of the Yangtze River, nor did he hold a grand banquet for the elderly. He was not extravagant and did not enjoy great achievements.

Relatively speaking, they keep a low profile.

He died young, so there are few historical records about his harem.

With less content, it's easier to modify it, and no one will say you're making random changes.

It's easier to create on a blank sheet of paper.

Aside from the very famous TV series "Yongzheng Dynasty," there are relatively few film and television adaptations of the Yongzheng era.

Unlike the two before and after, who have been filmed to death.

Furthermore, Emperor Yongzheng's public image was rather "dark," especially since the Flying Guillotine, a type of military unit, was associated with him.

Therefore, he is quite suitable to portray the ruthlessness of emperors and the cannibalism of feudal society.

From the very beginning of the design process, Zheng Xiaolong and his wife demonstrated the outstanding qualities of a top-notch director and screenwriter.

Rigorous and accurate.

Since it's top-tier, the price won't be low.

"Director Zheng, let's not talk about anything else for now." Zhang Yuan smiled and toasted the other party.

"Your role as director has already been decided, so we need to discuss your and Mr. Wang's fees first."

This matter has not been discussed, and Zheng Xiaolong is not in a hurry.

Because of his films, there's no shortage of investors.

There are people eager to throw money at you.

However, this film is different from his previous works, and its cost is much higher.

He also drank a glass, showing no embarrassment, and spoke directly.

"My idea is to either package it up or split it up."

"It's either 5 yuan per episode or 20 yuan per episode, plus 20% of the copyright revenue from the work."

"Our script now has 80 episodes."

"It depends on how you think about it."

“I agree to the 20 yuan per episode plan, which will be paid in three installments, and the payment will be settled after the episodes are broadcast.”

These two didn't expect him to be so decisive.

Most investors actually choose to share profits because this significantly reduces upfront costs.

Zhang Yuan knew how much potential this film had, so he was naturally unwilling to "give up" his profits.

“Okay, but I need the editing rights.” Zheng Xiaolong didn’t want anyone to interfere with his work.

They're domineering, but they have the right to be.

"No problem, we can write it into the contract."

Zheng Xiaolong came specifically because of his reputation for being "straightforward".

In addition, Zhang Yuan was very sincere and had waited for him for several years.

Otherwise, such a young investor might be afraid of the risks and might not be willing to cooperate.

After thinking for a moment, Director Zheng offered another drink.

“Our production costs a lot, so you should be prepared.”

Upon hearing that Zhang Yuan was willing to pay the "full payment" fee, Zheng Xiaolong took precautions.

"I want high-quality props and sets."

"The actors are also quite good, so the pay won't be low."

"I understand, I'll listen to you."

"You handle the acting; I'll take care of the money."

"Please feel free to submit the budget report to me. I will get back to you as soon as possible after I confirm that there are no problems."

After saying that, Zhang Yuan added another sentence.

"Don't worry, you can't scare me."

He said with absolute confidence.

"I estimate now..." Director Zheng clenched his fist and rested his chin on his hand, remaining silent for a moment before speaking, "The set design and costumes will cost around 2000 million."

"Because I plan to build everything myself, without using anything ready-made."

"In this way, it can perfectly match the character and the work."

“I agree, we should focus on the works themselves,” Zhang Yuan said readily.

Zheng Xiaolong glanced at his wife, and both of them wore happy expressions.

This was the most difficult part, because they were afraid Zhang Yuan would be stingy.

But to my surprise, it passed so easily, with just a single sentence.

Then I thought, there must be a reason why they can achieve so much at such a young age.

"Actually, someone approached me and said they were willing to sponsor a sum of money."

“A huge sum of money!” Director Zheng repeated.

This amount of money is clearly substantial.

"But the prerequisite is that his friend has to play the lead role."

Director Zheng disagrees with this behavior.

But the other party had a powerful background, and he couldn't keep it from Zhang Yuan.

Otherwise, if we find out later, there will be conflicts.

"I guess what you mean by 'friend' is your girlfriend," Zhang Yuan said with a smile.

"Hehehe..." The couple both laughed.

They were all industry insiders, so they understood immediately and exchanged knowing smiles.

"No matter how powerful the other party is!"

"It's not just about how much money they offer!"

"If you don't think it's suitable, then we won't take it!"

After laughing, Zhang Yuan replied decisively.

Zheng Xiaolong noticed that his gaze suddenly turned serious and knew that the other party was not joking.

I instantly felt my back straighten up!
Full of confidence!

He didn't understand why he, at his age, would find solace in a young man not much older than his son.

But it does exist.

“I will handle the communication. Don’t worry about these trivial matters; just focus on your work.”

"As for setting up the scenes, I will handle the initial communication with Hengdian."

"Once the discussion is over, you can then supervise the construction."

“However, I have a suggestion regarding the scale of the set design.” Zhang Yuan tapped the table thoughtfully.

Zheng Xiaolong narrowed his eyes.

No sponsorship, but we need to cut the scale of the event?

Indeed, one cannot only think about the good things; everything comes at a price.

Well, that works too!

Director Zheng breathed a sigh of relief.

Casting the lead actors is more important than choosing the set design.

Films starring nepotism are doomed to fail.

If the scene is slightly subpar, it can be compensated for with shooting techniques.

"Okay, I'll go back and think about where we can scale down."

"Why reduce it?" Zhang Yuan asked, looking puzzled.

"Don't you have any objections to the scale of the set design?"

“Yes.” Zhang Yuan tilted his head.

"I think that since we've already started, we might as well do it bigger and better."

"At worst, I'll just spend more money."

Zheng Xiaolong: ...

I've seen stingy people.

I've never seen anyone proactively ask for more money.

The coal mine owner demanded more money, but only if he slept with an actress.

He has no desires or demands, and even helps resolve the matter, yet he still wants more money?

In all my years in this business, I've never seen such a request before... (End of Chapter)