Actor: Thank you.

The only lesson humanity has learned from history is that humanity has learned nothing from history.

This is a famous quote left by the German idealist philosopher Hegel.

In a single sentence, it encapsulates the rise and fall of the human world.

Learn from this lesson?

nonexistent!

Just like a prostitute who gets caught but will still go to prostitutes.

Even after being caught, the thief couldn't resist the urge to steal more.

Would a woman stop pursuing love because of a setback in a romantic relationship?

Would a man not start a new game just because he's never won in a five-game series at an internet cafe?

What makes us human is these insurmountable weaknesses.

The same applies to the bosses in Hong Kong today.

Several years ago, Zhang Yuan used certain methods to gain significant benefits in the competition between the mainland and Hong Kong film and television industries.

One of them is this film and television company.

Just like the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand that sparked World War I.

Even without Archduke Ferdinand, there would have been Sir William and Prince Philip.

The situation is merely the surface, a concrete manifestation of the underlying contradictions.

Therefore, Zhang Yuan merely became the one who gave the order to fire, and by getting involved himself, he became the balancing point between the conflicts between the film industries of the two regions.

However, the situation has changed, and the conflict between the two places has gradually subsided.

The rise of the film and television industry in the north and the fall of the film and television industry in the south is inevitable.

For these Hong Kongers, Zhang Yuan's role became much smaller.

In addition, he had previously reached a consensus on multiple occasions, and in addition to interests, he also used a very tough attitude and methods.

Now was the time for these people to free up their hands and plan to cause trouble for him.

With the situation stabilized and major conflicts resolved, internal strife, a specialty of the Chinese people, resurfaced.

Zhang Yuan remained calm despite the crowd's relentless pressure, only noting down the names of those who disagreed with him.

Jiang Zhiqiang, who was standing to the side, knew him well. He could tell from his eyes that he was counting. He wanted to open his mouth to persuade him, but then he closed his mouth again.

It would be good enough if you didn't include me.

“Alright, let’s put Stephen Chow’s movie on hold for now.” Zhang Yuan deliberately took a half step back.

Huang Baiming, Tan Hong, and others looked delighted.

It was so difficult to get him to give in.

Seeing their expressions, Zhang Yuan knew two things.

First, this group formed cliques.

Secondly, he previously thought it was a conflict of interests and a matter of perspective, but now he may also need to add a conflict of discourse power.

I am young, less than half the age of most of the people present, and I am not from the same hometown as them.

There are already significant differences in age and region.

So he quickly realized that the key issue now was the nature of the film industry on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

This is a Hong Kong-based company, or a mainland company that has united the power of the Hong Kong entertainment industry!
The other party believes it is the former, while I believe it is the latter.

China Film Group and Huaxia Film Distribution Co., Ltd. have shares in the company, so is it Han Dejun who keeps these people in check?
Yes, but not for long.

Mountains may crumble, people may run away; you have to rely on yourself for everything.

So he brought up the matter he had mentioned before.

"I think the company's office building should be closer to the capital city, the core decision-making area for China's film and television industry."

"This makes it easier to understand policies, communicate with superiors, and facilitates the review process."

As expected, Zhang Yuan was met with a barrage of opposition after he finished speaking.

"Oh dear, we're getting old, it's not convenient for us to travel around."

"Exactly, and as for the review, you can just find someone to handle it."

"With so many people here, it would be difficult to coordinate a trip to the capital."

They turned the company into a system where the minority obeys the majority.

The truth is that any management structure in the world is composed of a small number of people, and the decision-makers are always just one or two people, while the rest are a mob.

Zhang Yuan's mind grew increasingly calm, and his gaze became increasingly cold.

This company... has too many people!
"Besides, you're going to film 'Ip Man' now."

"It's a Hong Kong director and a Hong Kong team."

"The same goes for the previous 'Painted Skin'."

"Therefore, it is more convenient to communicate in Hong Kong."

"However, I often go back overseas."

"For example, communication for overseas projects like the 'Fast & Furious' franchise is obviously more convenient in Beijing."

"All foreign-related institutions are located in the capital."

"This project brought the company substantial profits; we earned tens of millions just from its issuance."

“Each of you also profited from the high-interest loans,” Zhang Yuan stated the facts calmly.

“But without our funding, this project wouldn’t have been possible,” Huang Baiming said, turning the tables.

Whether it's him negotiating the project that leads to it, or whether money is the key to securing a project, is a matter of power dynamics.

Ok.

Zhang Yuan was certain in his heart that he had to find an opportunity to ask this person to leave.

I was so naive.

He thought that by uniting everyone and ensuring that everyone had plenty of meat and fish to eat, they would all listen to him.

That's not the case at all. After eating their fill, they would throw down their chopsticks and yell at the cook.

At that moment, he made up his mind to turn the company into his own personal fiefdom!
“Okay, you can understand it that way,” Zhang Yuan admitted with a smile.

The opposition was even happier.

But Jiang Zhiqiang couldn't laugh at all.

Zhang Yuan remained silent, trying to think of a solution.

He's angry, but there's still room for maneuver.

Smile, whatever you say, that's all...

Boss Jiang was afraid of getting splattered with blood when he killed someone, so he opened his mouth at this moment and talked about a news story from a competitor.

"I received news today that Huayi is going to sign a strategic cooperation agreement with Tudou.com."

Zhang Yuan rubbed his fingers together.

No wonder Fan Bingbing told me that Huayi is going to make a big move.

So that's it.

Tudou.com is striving for an IPO, and its strategic partnership with a major listed film and television company will be a significant positive development and a shot in the arm.

"You were the one who sold your shares in Tudou.com to Huayi, weren't you?" someone asked.

"Yes," Zhang Yuan replied succinctly.

They didn't mention that they had already invested in Youku.

"Now look what's happened, this opportunity should have been ours."

"Yes, that was a strategic mistake."

“Huayi’s stock price will definitely rise because of this.”

"That's not all," Tan Hong of Xingmei said sinisterly.

"Can you guess who will be attending this public announcement of the collaboration?"

"The boss of Tudou.com and the boss of Huayi?" Huang Baiming chimed in.

"Hehe, another director that Mr. Zhang really likes will also be attending."

He looked at Zhang Yuan with a mocking gaze.

"Stephen Chow will be there too!"

Zhang Yuan glanced at Jiang Zhiqiang, who nodded in confirmation.

Good guy!
Trying to play this game with me!
They even merged!
Stephen Chow must have been invited by Hua Yi, just to provoke me and make a public statement to me.

We're definitely going to take his project!

Stephen Chow's visit was not only to maintain good relations with both families, but also to play a trick on them.

He also wanted to provoke me, to make me and Huayi fight even more fiercely, so that he could benefit from it.

This is very bad for him!
Whether it's external or internal.

Especially internally, this further proves the ideas of those who opposed my collaboration with Stephen Chow.

"Hua Yi made a good move..." Zhang Yuan thought to himself with approval.

"Okay, they've already made it official."

"What else can we do?"

"It should have been calculated a long time ago."

"If you don't listen to the advice of the elderly, you will suffer the consequences."

"Yes, that's right," Zhang Yuan replied obediently.

"That's all for today, I have to rush to Shanghai later." Zhang Yuan stood up and straightened his suit.

He then left early without greeting everyone as usual.

"Young man, it's good to suffer a little loss."

After he left, those few people were still muttering to themselves.

Jiang Zhiqiang thought to himself that it was still uncertain who would suffer a loss.

But I also felt that his behavior was very unusual, as if he was a little impatient.

In reality, Zhang Yuan did not leave, but instead found a place to hide.

About half an hour later, Brother Long called him.

"We've picked up Mr. Tan."

He instructed his bodyguards to wait in the hotel parking lot, where they stopped Tan Hong, the owner of Xingmei, from leaving.

"What do you want?" Boss Tan asked irritably as he got into his car and sat down.

I thought this kid was going to go head-to-head with him.

But the reality was completely different from what he had imagined.

"Hello Mr. Tan, we were all chatting just now, so I didn't have time to say more."

"So please speak with me privately, it will take you some of your time."

"If you have anything to do, tell me."

"I know you haven't been doing well lately." Upon hearing this, the older man's expression turned cold.

“I regret your situation, and at the same time, I would like to propose a deal.”

"You must be short of money right now."

“Xingmei doesn’t sell,” the person blurted out. “Besides, you can’t afford it.”

Zhang Yuan nodded sincerely.

Stellar Media not only has a production company, but also some cinema chains and other fixed assets.

It would take at least ten or twenty billion Hong Kong dollars to complete.

I can't handle it right now, at least not for myself.

Even if he had the money, he wouldn't buy it.

"Of course, StarMedia is a well-known company in the industry, and I have no illusions."

"What I want to say is that Stellar Media holds a 7% stake in Cross-Strait Films."

"Are you considering selling this part?"

Hmm… Tan Hong looked at him with a puzzled expression.

He hadn't thought of that.

"You want to buy?"

"Yes." Zhang Yuan didn't hide anything.

We should strike while the iron is hot and get rid of him.

"You must be short of money lately."

"Why don't we cash out and I'll take over?"

"The company's current valuation is at most one or two hundred million, and it's all just an empty shell."

"It was through our combined efforts that we filled it with stuff and built up a framework."

"If you calculate it that way, each 1% of the shares is only worth a little over a million."

“I can give you double the price,” Zhang Yuan said calmly.

Tan Hong fell silent.

He's really short of money lately!
Because my brother's Tian XX room has completely collapsed, Xingmei can no longer hold on.

He plans to cash out and then temporarily continue working in the film and television industry as an independent investor.

He said he wouldn't sell Xingmei, but Zhang Yuan knew he wanted to—that was an information gap.

"Please consider it."

"Let's keep in touch, okay?" Zhang Yuan reached out his hand.

After hesitating for a moment, the other person shook hands with him.

There are two advantages to doing this.

One reason is that he can drive one away; given his current situation, he'll eventually have to leave.

If it were sold to someone else, the situation would be even more uncontrollable for me.

Having these shares gives me more room to maneuver.

Secondly, it can also weaken the power of Huang Baiming and his group of opponents, defeating them from within and eliminating one of their key figures first.

At the same time, it can also set an example for others.

If you want to cash out and leave, I'll take over.

Tan Hong had lost her previous confident demeanor.

Because Zhang Yuan transformed from a young man who disagreed with him into a buyer.

There's no such thing as a stern face towards buyers.

As for whether he will tell Huang Baiming and the others about this?

Zhang Yuan wasn't worried; as long as he wasn't stupid, he wouldn't say it.

“Hua Yi has launched an attack on me.”

"Stephen Chow was caught in the middle, wavering between two options."

"Potatoes are competing with Youku." Zhang Yuan rubbed his eyes hard.

The situation is not only complicated, but also tangled together.

"These Hong Kong guys don't agree to work with Stephen Chow."

"Besides the fact that Zhou Xingchi's conditions were very harsh and his requirements were too high."

"They don't want to be enemies with Huayi either."

"After all, it's a listed company, and Huayi is very wealthy. These people also have private collaborations with them."

“They wouldn’t feel any guilt if they sold me out.”

Zhang Yuan increasingly felt that, in addition to the problem of external enemies, internal purges were becoming increasingly urgent.

The vehicle starts.

Instead of flying directly to Shanghai, he first crossed the sea to Foshan.

Because Mr. Ip Man was from Foshan, according to custom, the press conference for the start of filming should be held in Foshan first, as a sign of respect.

Then we'll go to Songjiang Film and Television City in Shanghai to officially start filming.

They burned incense and offered fruit to worship Heaven.

He went through these procedures again, which had been repeated dozens of times.

There were more artists and celebrities participating in this press conference.

Besides him, Sammo Hung, who usually works behind the scenes, will also personally participate in the filming this time.

He also serves as the action director.

The style of the big brother is very suitable for Ip Man. It's only satisfying to fight foreign devils with fists that hit hard!
Simon Yam and Louis Fan, who were also in the previous film, are also in the same film.

Besides the veterans, there are also "newcomers".

Kent Cheng, nicknamed "Fat Cat," plays the detective, essentially occupying the same position as Lin Jia Dong in the previous installment.

Kent Cheng and Lam Ka-tung both played the role of Pork Wing.

Shi Xiaolong, who rose to fame at a young age, also came.

Back then, I learned all my Shaolin kung fu from him. Thinking back on it now, tsk tsk tsk... it feels like a lifetime ago.

He plays Xu Shichang, a fictional character and disciple of Ip Man.

Logically speaking, the two are old friends and should be especially affectionate after not seeing each other for many years.

But this time when we met again, I felt there was an extra layer of distance between us.

Zhang Yuan thought for a moment before realizing what was happening.

Previously, Shaolin asked him to act in a movie, but he repeatedly declined, which must have made them unhappy.

This person is the abbot's personal disciple, and his seniority is very high.

There was no conflict between the two of them, but there was a conflict between the forces behind them, which made things somewhat awkward.

"Don't worry about taking pictures, we're old friends, it's nothing," he reassured him.

Besides Shi Xiaolong, another "old friend" also looked very dejected upon seeing him.

He was chosen to play Ip Man's eldest disciple, whose character's name in the film is Huang Liang.

His real name is Huang Chunliang.

The actor who plays this role is Huang Xiaoming, the "number one brother" from Huayi!

It's said that Huang Baiming's conflict with him was due to Hua Yi's influence.

The crew members were all arranged by director Ye Weixing, and there was obvious private interaction between the two parties.

Zhang Yuan maintained an open attitude and did not "exclude dissidents".

After all, Xiaoming has fans, so it's a good thing to attract more viewers to the theaters.

"You can film without worry." Zhang Yuan thought to himself, why did I say "also"?
Xiao Ming smiled awkwardly, clearly not completely reassured by what he said.

The press conference was held shortly afterward.

"Zhang Yuan, do you think the sequel will surpass the first film's box office?"

"It hasn't been filmed yet, and it hasn't been released, so I don't know what will happen."

"I think as long as we do better than the first one, the audience will accept it."

Will Bruce Lee appear in this film?

"Please go to the cinema to verify this for yourselves," Zhang Yuan said, dodging the question.

Of course I can't say.

Because the production team had considered the issue of Bruce Lee.

Should we let him show up?
During the promotional period, Yip Wai-sing said that Bruce Lee would be involved, and he actually had someone audition for the role.

They even found two big names!

Jay Chou and Guo Fucheng!

Jay Chou, you know how he is. He heard that he could play Bruce Lee and said he would even pay me to do it.

She even made several harassing phone calls to try and establish a relationship with him.

Guo Fucheng has better acting skills and a better dance background, making her movements more fluid.

Plus, Xiong Dailin is also there, so we can get a friend's price.

To Ye Weixing's surprise, the authorization was never obtained!

To film Bruce Lee, one needs the consent of his family, including Shannon Lee, and must pay a large copyright fee.

The other party also demanded oversight of the script and its later stages to ensure that Bruce Lee's reputation would not be damaged.

They can't control foreigners, but they're very good at controlling their own people.

Later films like "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" portrayed Bruce Lee so badly that he only dared to protest.

They were not giving an inch to the Huaxia production team.

Ye Weixing had no choice but to revise the script, pushing the storyline forward. In the end, he only designed a "young Bruce Lee" to appear, and he would not mention his name in order to avoid copyright issues.

He only makes signature gestures like wiping his nose and raising his hand to indicate to the audience who he is.

This falls under the category of "skirting the line" behavior.

But just by wiping it, it can be widely publicized overseas.

Does anyone know Ip Man?

It's a different story when we talk about Bruce Lee.

"Did you know that director Wong Ka-wai is also making a film about Ip Man?"

"I know, I know it all too well..." Zhang Yuan kept his expression straight.

“I made a special trip to Director Wang’s film crew to observe how they filmed.”

"After all, Director Wang is a highly respected director, and I am worthy of learning from him."

Oh dear, I lied again!
I wonder what Wong Kar-wai will think when he hears the word "study"... (End of Chapter)