Actor: Thank you.

Zhang Yuan started the conversation, feigning grievance and indignation, before finally steering the conversation toward the true purpose of the visit.

The Grandmaster!
It should be said that "The Grandmaster" and "Ip Man" are the most well-known film and television works about Ip Man and the Wing Chun school.

What they have in common, of course, is that they both feature Mr. Ip Man as the protagonist, supplemented by a series of real or fake martial arts figures.

But that's the only commonality.

"Ip Man" is a kung fu action film, while "The Grandmaster" is an art film disguised as a kung fu movie.

If you compare the visuals of "The Grandmaster" and "Blossoms," especially the close-up shots of single faces in warm indoor lighting, they are almost identical.

Many people scoff at the plot of "Blossoms Shanghai," since not everyone can empathize with the psychology and emotions of the nouveau riche and speculators in Shanghai during the 8s and 90s.

The decadent lifestyle and the sense of powerlessness people feel in the face of desire and money will make many viewers uncomfortable.

However, in any case, "Blossoms" is a rare TV series with cinematic visuals.

The artistic expression is at least three or four stories high.

That's Wong Kar-wai's skill.

He's not very good at shooting other things, but he excels at capturing the feeling of prosperity in the last century.

Because Shanghai and Hong Kong have many similarities.

Does "In the Mood for Love" also have this feeling?

Besides the visual presentation, the differences between "Ip Man" and "The Grandmaster" also lie in their core stories.

The theme of "Ip Man" is being made public.

Whether it's fighting the Japanese or fighting foreigners, it's all about external affairs, a grand narrative, a macro narrative.

"The Grandmaster," on the other hand, tells the story of the internal affairs, human relationships, and struggles of Chinese martial arts schools. It is a small, micro-level narrative.

The two perspectives differ: one is from the standpoint of the nation and its people, while the other is from the standpoint of the individual.

Therefore, "Ip Man" is grand and sweeping, while "The Grandmaster" is delicate and meticulous.

The audiences they attract are also two completely different groups of people.

Therefore, it can be concluded that these two dramas are not actually incompatible.

"The Grandmaster" will not affect the box office performance of subsequent "Ip Man" films.

It might cause controversy, which could even boost the box office of "Ip Man".

However, Zhang Yuan still brought up the matter with Mr. Ip Chun, the eldest son of Ip Man!

Mr. Ip Chun recalled it carefully.

Although the old man was old, his memory was good.

It seems like ten years ago, Wong Kar-wai brought some people to see him and they talked about his father.

The inspiration for "The Grandmaster" came from a boxing video recorded by Mr. Ip Man three days before his death.

This inspired Wong Kar-wai to film the inheritance of Chinese kung fu and the stories of various schools.

Not only did they consult with Ip Chun, but they also privately interviewed successors of various schools such as Xingyi, Tai Chi, Tongbei, Bagua, and Bajiquan to learn about the stories behind them.

I started thinking about it 00 years ago, began preparations in 02, and then dragged it out until now.

This is Wong Kar-wai's major flaw: his work efficiency is too low!

He often doesn't have a script when he makes films.

What he had in common with Wong Jing in his early days was that he would improvise plots every day, bringing a small note he had written himself to the set, and shooting on the spot.

But Wong Jing was forced into this situation, making eight films a year, and the screenwriters couldn't keep up with the demand.

He has no idea what he really wants and spends all his time on set experimenting with actors.

When Wong Kar-wai makes a film, he basically starts by having an outline and then using the "exhaustive method".

This time, I actually hired a screenwriter to help me write the outline.

Yes, they hire screenwriters, but they only create outlines; they still bring a small piece of paper to the set every day.

Throughout the entire filming process, Zhao Benshan always believed that the character he played was Gong Er's biological father.

Uncle Benshan's brain and on-the-spot reaction speed are so poor that he can't figure out what Wong Kar-wai is filming.

The plot of "The Grandmaster" is considered quite good among Wang's films.

Because the screenwriter they found was Zou Jingzhi, the older brother of the author of "Kangxi's Private Visits" and "The Eloquent Ji Xiaolan".

There's also Xu Haofeng, a specialist in classic martial arts films.

Later, Xu Haofeng's film "The Master" shared many similarities with "The Grandmaster" in its core content and values.

Moreover, this film was actually Wong Kar-wai's "comeback film".

Although he has a big reputation and frequently wins awards at the three major film festivals, he went to Hollywood a few years ago to film "My Blueberry Nights".

Despite featuring stars like Norah Jones, Jude Law, and Natalie Portman, the film flopped at the box office and failed to win a single award.

Therefore, Wong Kar-wai is finding it difficult to make it in Hollywood.

This film is very important to him. If it flops again, given the current market, I doubt many people will invest a lot of money in him again.

In the future, he will only be able to return to the cycle of making low-budget art films.

What Zhang Yuan valued was the importance of this drama to him!

“Mr. Ye, as you know, I respect you, I respect your father, and I respect Wing Chun.”

"We can't have different versions of the story from each family."

"I respect you, and to put it bluntly, it's about copyright fees, right?"

Ye Zhun nodded.

"He's a big director, a famous director, he can hire famous actors and use them for free."

"That's a bad rule!"

"can not be like this."

Zhang Yuan was certain that Ye Zhun would listen.

Because it's in his favor!

You, Wong Kar-wai, didn't pay "protection money."

Why would Zhang Yuan deliberately stir up trouble and help the old man cause problems?

Because "the ace pilot requested to go into battle!"
He needs the other party's approval.

“This is not right.” Ye Zhun shook his head, thinking to himself.

Yeah, you're asking me to pay up here, and if I don't, you're going to take pictures? You're not taking me, this "master," seriously, are you?

It was a picture of my dad.

"Yes, it's the same thing, filming Ip Man."

"If he doesn't give it to them, then if others take pictures of it in the future, can they just use it at will?"

Yeh Chun squinted at him.

Didn't you say you were going to make "Ip Man 2"...?

Ye Zhun thought to himself, "So you wanted to save money by taking this opportunity?"
If Wong Kar-wai won't give it to me, then I won't give it to you in the future either.

"This is outrageous!" The old man slammed his hand on the armrest of his armchair.

"Oh, oh, oh, sir, don't be angry."

"It's not worth getting angry with this junior."

"Your most urgent task now is to find the other party, preferably send a written inquiry, and then have someone personally go to see Wong Kar-wai and talk to him in person."

"Well then, although I am not your disciple, we are very destined to meet."

"I'm also from the film and television industry, so I'm familiar with the ins and outs of this business."

"I'd rather go and make the communication myself."

Ip Chun is almost 90 years old; he's seen all sorts of people and things.

I knew this kid was being unusually attentive; he was either a crook or a thief.

"What exactly do you want to do?" the old man asked seriously.

"Hehehe, that's how it is..."

Zhang Yuan chuckled and gave a brief explanation.

In short, he wants to launch a "Great Rites Controversy" against Wong Kar-wai!
Everyone's filming Ip Man, but even though you started first, you're running way too slowly.

My film came out first, so it's only natural that I am the spokesperson for Ip Man.

You're just taking pictures like this, are you trying to make things difficult for me, Fat Tiger!

Who has the final say in interpreting the character of Ip Man on screen?
This kind of thing was common in the old Hong Kong film industry, and there were quite a few fights over the same IP.

Upon hearing this, Yeh Chun exclaimed, "That's right!"
That's the kind of thing that cunning kid would do.

They said they were helping me make money, but actually they wanted to take advantage of it themselves.

"That makes sense, that makes sense." The old man nodded in agreement.

Therefore, the interests of both sides are aligned.

"Then why don't you write a letter yourself, and I'll take it to the north and give it to Wang Dao?"

"Served with pen and ink!"

Then write the letter and stamp it.

Thus, Zhang Yuan temporarily became the spokesperson for the Ye family, both on screen and in real life.

……

Back to the hotel.

At the door, Zhang Yuan first took something from his assistant before entering the room.

Zhang Yuqi was still fast asleep on the big bed.

"Wake up."

"Wake up!"

Zhang Yuan stepped forward to push it.

"Huh?" After a long while, he finally opened his eyes slightly.

Then, as soon as he tried to move, he twisted his waist and his face showed a pained expression.

I feel like my back is about to break, I can't feel my legs, and my lower body is burning with pain.

"Come on, continue."

Before she was fully awake, she felt Zhang Yuan throw something at her.

I rubbed my eyes, and after seeing clearly, I was horrified!

A whole pack of ten!
“Let’s try to use it all up today.” With that, Zhang Yuan began to unbuckle his belt.

"No, no, no..." Miss Zhang, who had been exceptionally arrogant yesterday, hurriedly grabbed his arm. She almost died last night; if she came again today, she'd surely die far from home!

Yuqi's hometown is Dezhou.

It's not Texas Hold'em, it's the place that makes braised chicken.

So she's also a Shandong woman.

As before, her appearance is similar to that of Fan Bingbing and Gong Li; they are all outgoing and charismatic.

This is what they mean by "the land shapes its people".

"I give up, boss, I'm really convinced."

"Still arrogant?" Zhang Yuan straightened his back and said.

"I won't be arrogant anymore. I'll do whatever you ask me to do," Yuqi said, clasping her hands together in a gesture of pleading.

I've won them over.

"First, kneel down and sing 'Conquer'."

"Just like that, I've been conquered by you..." He immediately gritted his teeth, got up, knelt on the bed, and sang in his hoarse voice.

In fact, Zhang Yuan could not support the next round of ten-packs either.

But this is the most basic cowardly game.

She was scared, felt she was going to die, and started to back down.

But she didn't know that she was also half-dead.

"Remember this lesson: subordinates are not allowed to kiss their superiors on the lips, understand?"

"I understand." He clutched his chest, panting heavily, even singing was difficult for him.

"That's good."

“But…” Miss Zhang paused to reflect on last night before suddenly changing her mind.

"Could you perhaps discipline me, your disobedient subordinate, occasionally in the future?"

Zhang Yuan: …

I'm convinced, but not completely convinced.

He wanted to refuse verbally, but then he glanced at the other person's figure and the black stockings covered in holes on the ground.

"Let's discuss it again!"

It's important to know that Zhang Yuqi is her stage name; her real name is Shuang...

Hurry up, get in the car, and head to the set of "The Grandmaster".

I didn't take a plane because the filming location was in Kaiping County, which is under the jurisdiction of JM City in Guangdong Province.

It's less than 300 kilometers from Hong Kong.

He was organizing his thoughts in the car.

But then, the phone rang at an inopportune moment.

"Hey?"

"Have you read the newspaper?" Cheng Hao's voice came from the other end of the phone.

"what happened?"

"I heard that you are in love?"

Zhang Yuan: …

Most afraid of the air suddenly quiet.

What I fear most is a woman's sudden concern.

"Has our affair been exposed?" After thinking it over, Zhang Yuan chose "conservative treatment."

"Get lost!" the older sister said with a laugh, clearly pleased with his answer.

"Hong Kong media are going crazy, saying that you and Zhang Yuqi had a secret rendezvous in Hong Kong."

"Yes, I just went to see Stephen Chow with her."

When Zhang Yuan heard that it was Zhang Yuqi, he was no longer afraid.

He recounted the whole story in detail.

"You can ask Yang Siwei; she's the one who helped make the contact, and she's the one who wanted the person."

"I thought it was too much trouble, but in the end, not only did I have to put in the effort, but I also had to get involved in a scandal."

"I see..." Cheng Hao thought to herself, "That makes sense."

Zhang Yuan specifically stayed at a hotel under the Eagle King Group, taking extra care to protect his privacy.

So I only managed to photograph the restaurant, not the hotel.

"Actually, it's fine too."

"Anyway, they'll soon become our artists. A little hype will increase their popularity. It's a good thing for us if our subordinates become famous," Zhang Yuan comforted him.

"You are open-minded."

And their attempts to cover it up only made it more obvious, obscuring the truth from the sky.

Having a fake one on the surface actually makes it easier to hide the real one.

After all, if I don't have any scandals, then it's only natural that people will start spreading rumors that I like men.

"I don't know if Stephen Chow did it accidentally, intentionally, or intentionally accidentally."

Zhang Yuan recalled that he was surrounded by people as soon as he went out after finishing his meal. What a coincidence!

I just put this down and calmed Cheng Hao down.

Another phone call came in.

This time, I won't be as gentle and reasonable as Cheng Hao.

Then he heard a furious, gruff voice blasting into his eardrums.

"Zhang Yuan, what the hell do you mean?!"

Startled, he quickly moved his phone away.

"Who?"

"I!"

"Ah, right, Young Master Wang." Zhang Yuan was completely confused by his shout.

The caller was Wang Xiaofei.

He also saw the news.

This foolish second-generation rich kid, upon seeing media reports of his "secret rendezvous in Hong Kong" with Zhang Yuqi, attacked and cursed without even asking questions.

"What is it?" Zhang Yuan pretended not to know.

"You're still pretending with me!"

"You've got your hands on my woman, haven't you!"

"No, An Yixuan and I are just friends."

Wang Xiaofei: ...

Zhang Yuan's single sentence completely disrupted his emotional flow.

Actually, it's a reminder to him that his current girlfriend is An Yixuan.

"I'm not talking about Yixuan."

"Who is that?" Zhang Yuan continued to play dumb.

"Zhang Yuqi is a crazy woman."

"Oh, you're talking about this."

"It's like this, Stephen Chow is organizing a new movie soon and invited the two of us to dinner and chat."

"I was photographed as soon as I left the restaurant."

"Wait a minute, didn't you break up with her?" Zhang Yuan asked back.

"I……"

Before he could answer, Zhang Yuan interrupted, "So you're two-timing me now, aren't you? You're pretty good at playing the field, huh? Hehehe."

"Stop talking nonsense!"

"So who exactly is your girlfriend?"

“An Yixuan…” he replied, deflated like a punctured balloon, having lost the right to hurl insults.

"Okay, let me make it clear first that I have no romantic entanglement with her."

It was just a purely physical relationship... Zhang Yuan left the rest of his sentence unsaid.

"Furthermore, I watched her previous performances and also saw her perform live at 'The Swordsman's Smile'. I thought she was good."

“I have a talent agency and I plan to sign her.”

“If I sign her, I will pay for her breach of contract.”

"Don't you have a lot less burden now?"

"I won't bother you for a breakup fee."

"So, by that logic, haven't I helped you get rid of a huge problem?"

“Uh…” Wang Xiaofei thought about it and realized that it made sense.

"Shouldn't you thank me?"

"Thanks."

Look, I slept with his girlfriend ten times yesterday, and he should thank me.

"You're welcome. Let's have dinner together sometime. I haven't seen An Yixuan in a long time, so let's get together."

"Okay, let's meet again." Wang Xiaofei then limped off.

Zhang Yuan put down his phone, closed his eyes, and his expression turned cold.

His intelligence isn't that great either.

He's easily swayed by rumors and has an impulsive personality; no wonder he loses money in everything he does after leaving his mother.

And he curses as soon as he opens his mouth; he needs to control his temper.

Luckily, I don't hold grudges.

First, queue up and get a number.

After all, I'm currently dealing with the last person who called and verbally abused me... (End of Chapter)