Actor: Thank you.

The next day, Zhang Yuan arrived at a large restaurant located in the capital city.

"Coming!"

Upon entering the large private room that had been reserved, I immediately saw Ning Hao, who was almost spinning like a top with his hands full.

Today is a joyous day for Da Nao (Big Head). His son was born a month ago, and his wife is finishing her postpartum confinement period. They're having a banquet today.

Actually, it wasn't just one game; there were several rounds of scoring, and it was Zhang Yuan's turn today.

"Congratulations!" Zhang Yuan stepped forward to offer his congratulations.

The couple went forward together to greet them.

Zhang Yuan glanced around and saw that none of Hua Yi's people were present. These two were quite considerate.

Big Head's face was flushed and shiny with oil, and he looked like he had drunk too much even before the meal started.

Xing Aina looked good and seemed to be recovering well; both of them were in good condition.

"Oh, just like you, your head isn't small." Zhang Yuan saw the child he brought over, who looked quite presentable... that was the only way to describe him.

After all, neither of them are particularly good-looking.

"Go away!" Ning Hao waved his hand as if he were telling a joke, "My son can't have hydrocephalus like me."

"This is so unlike you. How can you even sleep?" Zhang Yuan teased, waving his hand.

"Here, have a small gift."

"Speak," the assistant and bodyguard said, and came forward with the items.

The Ning Hao of today is not the unknown director he was a few years ago.

Not only can they afford to eat, but they can also buy cars and houses, and their social circles are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

There are countless artists who want to curry favor with him and get a role in his future dramas.

Given this opportunity to present a gift, we certainly won't miss it.

Upon entering, Zhang Yuan saw countless small gold locks, gloves, and chains on the table where the gifts were displayed.

These small gifts, costing hundreds or thousands of yuan, are almost piled up.

These gifts signify Ning Hao's current status as a renowned director.

Fortunately, I had expected this to happen... Zhang Yuan knew what was going on.

They are not the same people anymore; he is no longer the Ning Hao they first met.

"What is this?" The couple became interested when they saw what the assistant brought out.

Inside a large box with a red background and a transparent cover, there was a pure gold ornament.

Zhang Yuan, like everyone else, was materialistic and felt that gold was the most suitable material for such days.

However, the thing he gave me looked like a small potted plant.

"This was specially made and custom-made."

"This is for the stone, and also for you two, husband and wife."

Ning Hao became wealthy and famous because of "Crazy Stone", so he also gave his son the nickname Stone.

Zhang Yuan pointed to the "potted plant" he had given as a gift.

"This is a pot of orchids."

"We call this a sworn brotherhood."

They are true "sworn sisters".

On festive occasions, we wish for good luck.

It is also to express one's feelings for the other person.

"Great! Let's become sworn brothers!"

The couple are both a bit "artsy," and they really appreciate gifts with historical allusions.

"I hope we can become close friends," Zhang Yuan said, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

"That's right!" Big Head said, hooking his arm around his shoulder and laughing.

The two sat down and started chatting.

Seeing him grinning foolishly, Zhang Yuan knew that the other person didn't fully understand the meaning behind his gift.

The most famous example of the sworn brotherhood is Zhang Wen and Zhuge Liang in the novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms".

It is not "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" or "Records of the Three Kingdoms", but the "Records of Wu" in the "Taiping Yulan", an official history of the Northern Song Dynasty.

The Oath of the Peach Garden is a fictional creation; it does not appear in the Records of the Three Kingdoms or the Zizhi Tongjian.

However, the story of Zhang Wen and Zhuge Liang is in official history.

Zhang Wen was from Suzhou and served as a general in Eastern Wu. He was sent as an envoy to Shu Han.

Sun Quan was initially afraid that Shu Han would make things difficult for him, but Zhang Wen not only befriended the Shu court officials, but also praised Shu in his memorials, hoping to repair the relationship between the two countries.

Then... Sun Shiwan became unhappy.

After returning to Eastern Wu, he became famous because of his relationship with Zhuge Liang. Sun Quan, however, held a grudge and remembered that he had praised Shu in the past.

He then found an excuse to assign him a sinecure, and then, taking advantage of Ji Yan's downfall and suicide, he directly dismissed Zhang Wen, who had once recommended him.

Not long after, Zhang Wen, a close friend of Zhuge Liang, passed away.

So, if Zhang Yuan is Zhuge Liang and Ning Hao is Zhang Wen, then who is the petty but powerful Wu rat?
Zhang Yuan couldn't give a direct hint, so he tried to subtly suggest it by borrowing something, but the other person didn't notice...

"I'm really happy you're here." Big Head poured him a glass of white wine.

"Drinking before the meal has even started?"

"I'm happy."

When they chatted about everyday things, it was nothing more than trivial matters concerning their wives and children.

"By the way, today is not just my son's wedding banquet."

"It can also be considered a celebration for another 'son' of mine," Ning Hao said casually.

"Shh!" Zhang Yuan quickly stopped him: "Can this be said publicly? You're playing some pretty tricks."

"what?"

The other "son" that Big Head mentioned refers to "No Man's Land," which had just finished filming, post-production, and was submitted for review.

"I thought you were seeing someone else?" Zhang Yuan breathed a sigh of relief.

"I don't need to be as careful as you." Big Head's casual joke made him seem more like a buddy.

"How did the submission go?" Zhang Yuan asked seemingly casually.

"It's alright... The process is a bit long. Normally, we would have received a response by now."

"But this time there has been no reply."

"However, with China Film Group involved in the distribution, there shouldn't be any problem." After a slight hesitation, Big Head smiled with relief.

"No film that China Film Group is involved in has ever failed to pass censorship, so I'm not worried at all."

Correct!
Zhang Yuan thought to himself, just as he said, none of the films that China Film Group was involved in could not be broadcast because they failed to pass censorship.

You and your film "No Man's Land" brought Lao Han and China Film Group their first...

We've become sworn brothers!

He ate and drank quite a bit, which temporarily put aside his worries about Ning Hao.

After the commotion, he refused the other party's invitation to visit the new house that had been decorated for the child.

Why would I look at that thing?

I'm not really interested in having children right now, but I do have the courage, and a lot of courage, to enjoy the process of having children!

Like Brother Qian, he is only interested in "kids" who are eighteen or nineteen years old and have long legs in black stockings.

And he also had other things to do, other "children" to deal with.

After sobering up a bit, Zhang Yuan headed straight for the Deyuan Society's small theater in Dashilan.

It was the same table, the same chair, and the same three people.

The difference this time was that they didn't even brew tea.

It's not that I'm neglecting him, but I really don't have the mood for these things.

The Guo couple were completely different from the Ning couple, who were overjoyed about the continuation of life, whom we had just met.

They were both sobbing, choking back tears, and in great pain.

Because there was a problem with their "life continuation".

Guo Qilin is perfectly healthy; there's nothing wrong with him.

The problem lies in the transmission of artistic life!
Just yesterday, He Yunwei, the "senior brother," along with his partner, Li Jing, the founder of the Beijing Crosstalk Association, and more than 20 fellow apprentices and artists in the troupe, jointly submitted a statement of resignation to Master Guo.

It's not a resignation letter, it's a resignation statement!

Don't be fooled by the slightly different writing style; the actual meaning can be vastly different.

One option is to go through the proper procedures: I want to resign, the company stamps and approves it, and we part ways amicably.

The other one is to let you know that I'm quitting, goodbye!
What is happening now is the latter.

And it happened when the crosstalk club was closing down and everyone was sitting on the sidelines with no food to eat, that he ran away.

So the couple were heartbroken and had no appetite to make tea for themselves. Their nominal eldest apprentice, who was usually the most adept at socializing, was always coming over for meals.

He had a master on one side and a master's wife on the other. His clothes, pants, and even his underwear and socks were all bought by his master's wife.

One day they were saying they'd get through this together, and the next day they'd issue a resignation statement...

Not only did he leave, but he also took a group of people with him.

Including those who had previously sent Zhang Yuan to "split off" and follow Cao Yunjing to the new troupe, half of the cast and crew had now left.

Teacher Guo has a terrible temper.

I feel like the TV station has been putting me through so much trouble, but I haven't given up!
I'm still holding on. I'm not easily scared!
Through all the ups and downs over the years, and despite the many people who have tried to get me, I've never been affected.

Just wait until I reopen, huh!
In particular, Zhang Yuan's confrontation with the TV station, in which he gained the upper hand, made him think, "I could do that too."

Previously, Zhang Yuan asked for an "apology statement," but Teacher Guo completely ignored it.

The matter is simple now: Zhang Yuan's connection with the TV station's "insider" cannot be made public.

You insulted the reporter and the people at the station, and even insulted their boss.

I never insulted anyone.

If you don't apologize for this, it's not just the TV station that will be upset, it's the higher-ups who will be upset.

Just like Han Geng's case, even if it's settled privately, there still needs to be a formal resolution.

Just like a lawsuit, it can't go on indefinitely without a resolution.

I don't like apologizing either, so why don't you guys cause trouble!

They all made me clean up their messes, and yet they still act all high and mighty.

I'm so frustrated being in this position; I'm surrounded by a bunch of troublemakers.

But we can't use the same approach as with Han Geng, combining coaxing and intimidation.

Teacher Guo is someone I truly consider a sworn brother, not a subordinate.

So he got He Yunwei, whom he had leverage over, to do something for him.

Find out everyone in the group who has "rebellious intentions" at this moment.

And he took the lead in uniting them and getting them involved.

While everyone is out of income, let's concretize and put our rebellious spirit into action.

He Yunwei's actions this time constituted "rebellion by imperial decree".

The short man was stunned when he heard Zhang Yuan's request.

what?
I have hearing problems; I misheard.

Aren't you a shareholder of the crosstalk club?

You want me to rebel and run away?

This was hard for him to understand, but it was perfectly clear to Zhang Yuan.

First of all, this person has been harboring rebellion for a long time.

So I didn't force them to rebel; I just went with the flow.

Secondly, his goal was to turn Teacher Guo into a "roast duck."

What is a hanging oven roasted duck?

Just like the turkey eaten on Thanksgiving in North America.

Although the word Thanksgiving is ironic, it implies that all the benefactors have been killed.

As Jiang Wen said, good people always end up with guns pointed at them.

However, the preparation methods for roast turkey and roast duck are very similar.

Because both of these things need to be roasted whole. If you roast them raw normally, the outer skin will turn to charcoal while the meat inside is still raw.

Therefore, they all used a cooking method of "boiling inside and baking outside".

Simply put, it involves stuffing broth into the duck or turkey and heating it from the inside out.

This is the method Zhang Yuan is now using against Teacher Guo.

The inner and outer layers are of high strength!

Whether it's Yuehua Entertainment or Deyuan Society, as a shareholder, I have to protect my own interests.

We will spare no effort to take any necessary measures!

My heart and conduct are as clear as a clear mirror, and everything I do is righteous.

Externally, we can proceed slowly; internally, we must act swiftly and decisively, without any room for negotiation.

He Yunwei's demands have been met, so he has no choice but to comply.

If he were to take the lead in rebellion, Zhang Yuan would either take a step further and tell his master about his plan to rebel.

He Da Ge was like walking in a dark alley at night, encountering two Indians.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, they're going to be anally assaulted.

Zhang Yuan gave him a choice: "Whether you get reported by me and kicked out of the team, or listen to me and I'll arrange some small roles in film crews for you to make money in the future."

Such a "smart" person would naturally choose the option that will make money in the future.

I've wanted to leave for a long time anyway, and it's only a matter of time before I fall out with my master.

By doing this, Zhang Yuan can also strengthen his control.

Just like assigning roles to Li Qin.

After the team shut down, Cao Yunjing arranged for himself to operate his own independent business, with Xiao Yue, whom he had brought with him, taking the lead in the future.

And the so-called beloved student has left... and it was Teacher Guo who caused all this trouble.

The difference is obvious to anyone with eyes to see.

Furthermore, I believe this matter was done in accordance with the prevailing trend, without offending the natural order, but with a slight impact on human relationships.

Now the couple are tearfully accusing their "beloved student" of betrayal.

One of them can sing Bangzi opera, and the other has a background in professional drum singing. Even when they cry, it's like a theatrical performance, full of charm.

Zhang Yuan let them talk, resting his chin on his hand and watching.

The culprit is right in front of us, yet we are unaware of it.

But ultimately, the real culprits were this couple.

"I understand."

"It's just a few 'traitors,' nothing serious."

Zhang Yuan listened for an hour or so before finally stopping Teacher Guo's grumbling.

"To remove poison from flesh, to scrape the bone to remove poison."

"Now that the treacherous officials have come out on their own, it may not be a bad thing."

"It's better to come out when the business is closed than to come out when things are good and cause trouble again," Zhang Yuan advised.

"This also shows that those who remain are loyal ministers, which is a good thing."

“Brother, you’re really good at taking things easy,” Wang Hui replied in her Tianjin accent.

"The key to a long life is to have a positive outlook on life."

"Senior brother, am I right?" Zhang Yuan looked at Teacher Guo with innocent eyes.

“Yes!” he gritted his teeth. “We can still live without them.”

"That's right, it's good to have that mindset."

Zhang Yuan nodded in relief.

"But we also need to survive first."

"The remaining loyal ministers who didn't leave must also live on."

"I don't care. Even if the crosstalk club closes down, I won't starve. I can still make money by making movies and doing business."

"But you two will have to think about it."

"If this continues, our entire team will be wiped out."

Teacher Guo stared at him with his small eyes; he was quick-witted enough to understand what Zhang Yuan meant.

"Also, you must not leave any food for our young master Guo."

"Don't let your child drop out of school and then lose your job."

When her son was mentioned, Wang Hui glanced at Teacher Guo.

After a few seconds of stunned silence, the stubborn man let out a long sigh.

This breath was his pride, anger, and resentment.

Once the sigh was gone, reason returned.

Seeing this, Zhang Yuan smiled inwardly.

Everything is under control. (End of Chapter)