Actor: Thank you.

I had dinner with the cast and crew of "Empresses in the Palace" that evening.

During the meeting, Zhang Yuan and Zheng Xiaolong discussed the post-production work.

This includes matters related to online copyright and the international distribution of works.

As for the broadcast of "Empresses in the Palace" in mainland China.

This is something he shouldn't care about at all.

Because Zheng Xiaolong's reputation in the television industry is equivalent to Zhang Yimou's reputation in the film industry.

A person's name is like a tree's shadow; any work bearing his name will sell.

Besides being scheduled to air on four satellite channels, the drama "Empresses in the Palace" almost came to blows with those four channels.

However, ever since Hua Yi caused trouble in "My Chief and My Regiment" and made things very unpleasant for the State Administration of Radio and Television, everyone has toned it down.

Finally, Dragon TV, Anhui TV, Jiangxi TV, and Tianjin TV were all broadcast on satellite TV.

The price difference between Dongfang and Anhui was 10%, but they were able to broadcast a day earlier.

Everything's arranged.

Because this show didn't have a direct partnership with a television station, despite its big-name cast, it wasn't broadcast on a major network immediately.

It still has to go through the process of being broadcast on a local TV station before being broadcast on satellite TV.

Therefore, before the satellite TV broadcast, a mere twenty-odd local TV stations bought the broadcasting rights.

This is only the mainland region!

Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, island nations, South Korea, Siam, and even local TV stations in Chinese-populated areas of Canada have purchased the copyright.

Zhang Yuan had never fought such a lucrative battle in his entire life!
Now I drink one bowl of soy milk and then pour out the other.

Despite the initial investment of 80 to 90 million, the first batch of broadcasting rights sold for nearly 200 million!

Who says TV dramas don't make as much money as movies!
It's all because the shows you guys make are terrible, nobody buys them.

This was a bit unusual for him, as he usually had to run around to various TV stations to try and get Tangren broadcast on satellite.

Indeed, in any industry, the gap in treatment and income between the bottom, middle and top levels is huge!
Tangren Media may produce five films, but they might not be as profitable as Zheng Xiaolong's one.

Unlike movies, which are affiliated with film companies on both sides of the strait and share box office revenue, TV series are produced by his own company.

He also took back the shares from Huayi, so now they are all his, and the money he earns belongs to him alone.

Zhang Yuan was overjoyed to receive his pension insurance.

Zheng Xiaolong is also different from ordinary directors; he is not polite at all.

"You've made quite a bit of money this time."

"Thanks to you." Zhang Yuan immediately raised a glass in a toast: "I'll need your continued support in the future."

"We will cooperate for the long term."

"I'll have the finance department transfer your payment and bonus to you as soon as possible."

"Hey, let's not talk about this while we're drinking." Director Zheng had a "don't talk about money, it's vulgar" expression on his face.

Actually, I felt very happy.

Young people are just different, so straightforward!

They are direct in their speech and actions, and their goals are clear.

"I mean long-term cooperation sincerely."

"We don't just want to invest in and film a single project; we also hope to collaborate with you more deeply."

Zhang Yuan moved his chair closer to Zheng Xiaolong.

“I have my own TV drama production company, and I have the qualifications, as you know.”

"The qualifications are becoming stricter now, and it's getting harder and harder to get them."

"Therefore, I don't plan to just make simple TV series investments."

Zhang Yuan has always been making long-term plans.

He wants to establish himself firmly in the entertainment industry, but his business is divided into three main parts.

Movies, TV series, artist management.

These are the three existing categories, and two more categories will be added later: variety shows and performances.

There are five major projects in total.

Film companies on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should focus on making films; they shouldn't complicate things too much.

Meanwhile, their own television drama company and talent agency will undergo restructuring.

Television drama companies no longer simply produce television dramas, but have become comprehensive companies.

Leveraging its long-standing relationship with television stations through its drama production business, it has also incorporated variety show production into its operations.

This way, the management company can accommodate more artists, ensuring they all have a livelihood.

Furthermore, the ecological structure of the film and television industry has undergone significant changes since the advent of the Internet and live streaming era, with a shift in its center of gravity.

Originally, variety shows were just a promotional tool. Actors went on variety shows to promote their TV dramas and movies, and singers went on them to boost their chart rankings and sell records.

However, with the advent of the live streaming era, even without filming, as long as one keeps appearing on variety shows, one can maintain popularity, which in turn supports the films or performances one makes.

Even an ordinary internet celebrity can appear on variety shows, become familiar to the public, start acting, and have a group of fans.

The proportions of this relationship between A and B have been reversed.

We must reform before the times arrive in order to lead the way.

He shared his thoughts with Zheng Xiaolong, but the older brother, whether from drinking too much or lacking common sense, didn't quite understand.

Let me put it simply.

"In the cross-strait film industry, Ning Hao and director Zhang Yimou will receive shares after signing with the company."

"If the company goes public, then these shares will be worth a lot of money."

"I think we can also refer to this cooperation model."

"I plan to reorganize my television drama company into Vision Entertainment and take the opportunity to package various businesses and go public."

"At the same time, we invite top-notch directors like yourself to join us and become celebrity shareholders."

"You can think of it simply as something similar to what Hua Yi and Feng Xiaogang did, only with a few minor differences in the business."

Investing in a film and buying its copyrights isn't enough to make money; it's more satisfying than that.

Going public is still more exciting.

Especially his recent trips with Zhang Yimou have thoroughly proven the numerous benefits of having a renowned director overseeing things.

So the same old trick: get some celebrity shareholders, make the company's performance look good, go public, and everyone shares the profits.

Providing a platform where money can be shared is essential to attracting more talent.

Zheng Xiaolong finally understood.

You're not only clear about your goals, but you're also quite ambitious!
"If you believe in my abilities, please give me a chance." Zhang Yuan grasped the other person's hands tightly and said sincerely, "Let's join hands to achieve something even greater."

Standing nearby, Zheng Xiaolong's wife, Teacher Wang Xiaoping, saw the two holding hands, their affection palpable.

Then I'll go...

Zheng Xiaolong didn't know if it was because he had drunk too much or if Zhang Yuan just had the ability to stir people's hearts, but after listening to him, he felt a little hot all over.

This is a classic case of "pie-in-the-sky syndrome".

Just like when you were in school, your mom told you that if you got into the top ten in your class in the final exam, she would get you a new computer.

After listening, don't you feel more motivated to study?

But the premise is that Mom must always keep her promises and not be like many parents who only make empty promises and then become "masters of playing dumb" when it comes to execution.

Trust, once broken, even just once, is very difficult to repair.

So when you get old, don't blame your children for not visiting you; think about what you did back then.

There is a consensus that being an emperor in China is very simple: just have children.

In traditional Chinese culture, parents often act like emperors in front of their children.

What sets Zhang Yuan apart is that he never breaks his promises and always keeps his word.

Therefore, the "pie in the sky" he "drew" was more credible and exciting.

However, his promises to Zheng Xiaolong weren't just for planning purposes; they had other uses as well.

"I will make the future plans, but I also need someone to carry them out."

"So I'd like to ask you for a favor?"

He then spoke to Zheng Xiaolong in detail.

"I understand..." Director Zheng understood immediately after hearing this.

Zhang Yuan wanted to poach people.

The target they poached was Dun Qi, the producer of "Empresses in the Palace" and a collaborator of Zheng Xiaolong over the past few years.

This guy is quite capable; he's accumulated a lot of experience working in the TV drama industry over the years.

In his previous life, after Alibaba Pictures ambitiously entered the film and television industry, they recruited him as one of its vice presidents.

The executives of Alibaba Pictures come from roughly three different backgrounds.

They were recruited from "Little Brother" Hua Yi, selected from "Little Brother" Youku, and recruited from society like Dun Qi.

I can't make a move on the other two sides, and I can't take advantage of my proximity to this side?

Alibaba Pictures hasn't even been established yet, so there's no way they can be hired. Let them come and work for me first!
Zheng Xiaolong thought it was a good fit. He had worked with Dunqi a lot, and if Dunqi became part of Zhang Yuan's management team, it would make future collaborations and exchanges much easier.

He then agreed to help persuade them.

Zhang Yuan then offered another incentive, saying that if the other party was willing to come, he could not only give them a small amount of stock options, but also the opportunity to be promoted to a management position in the cross-strait film industry.

Mr. Zhang's "savory pancakes" are smeared with so much sauce that it's all up to whether people will eat them or not.

Anyway, he doesn't lack money for the time being after Youku goes public, so he has a lot of room to maneuver.

After finishing his meal and drinks, he returned to the hotel, washed up briefly, and then took out his phone to dial a number.

"Oh, you actually have time to call me?"

A sarcastic, sullen, and nasal Beijing accent came from the other end of the phone.

"I'm in Hengdian." "Really!" Yang Mi's tone immediately rose.

Although "Palace" and "Empresses in the Palace" shared the same film set, they did not film every scene together.

She was filming on location in the suburbs today, not inside the film studio, so she didn't know he was there.

"When did you arrive?"

"afternoon."

"Oh, you arrived in the afternoon, and you're only calling me now, almost midnight."

"I think you should call your junior sister instead," Yang Mi said with a pout.

"It's my senior sister."

"what?"

"It's nothing... I need to talk to you about something."

"What is it?" she asked, still maintaining her haughty demeanor.

"I brought you a gift, come and get it."

"what gift?"

"Please play with the bird."

Yang Mi: ...

She squeezed her thighs together and rubbed them back and forth a couple of times.

Shameless!
Either don't contact me at all, or if you do, it's just for this one thing!
What kind of person do you take me for?

Yang Mi got angry in a fit of rage.

If it weren't for the fact that you're handsome, tall, good at charming people, have a good personality, are capable, rich, and even carried me out of the film set...

It's just... it's just...

Yang Mi became increasingly upset as she thought about it.

How can your grandson be so perfect?

I especially think back to the time not long ago when the whole family gathered together for a meal during the Chinese New Year.

At the dinner table, her uncle, who teaches at Tsinghua University, had just sat down when he asked her about it.

"Hey Mi, how's that guy who got tutoring going lately?"

"He's doing fine," Yang Mi replied, watching TV.

But once the topic was started, it couldn't be stopped.

All the relatives around asked.

"What tutoring?"

"What boy?"

"who?"

A group of people surrounded her and asked her to bring her home to see them.

Yang Mi is driving me crazy.

Is it that I don't want to bring it?

They're not coming!

Zhang Yuan dreads holidays, especially Valentine's Day...

There aren't enough to go around.

Even if he were to create a vortex, he wouldn't be able to create a shadow clone.

So he always made excuses, saying that he had never celebrated festivals since he was a child and that he was used to it.

Just when we had managed to smooth things over, the old man, after having a bit too much to drink, brought it up again.

This time it wasn't a greeting, it was a direct insult.

They say the Chinese entertainment industry has ruined my sect's prodigy; what kind of movie should a promising science student be making?

“Making movies pays well,” Yang Mi retorted.

This is even worse!

"Make money!"

"What's the point of life if all you know is making money?"

"We must have lofty goals, contribute to the country and humanity, and create a career."

Middle-aged people are naturally talkative, and being a teacher, they are even more used to it, so they started to educate him.

This is not over yet.

After explaining everything to Yang Mi, the uncle began the third stage.

After drinking until her face turned red, she grabbed her father's arm and shook it vigorously.

"Xiao Mi's life is over; she's not mentally sound."

Yang Mi: ...

"Can't we keep being this stupid generation after generation?"

"Hurry up and find that particularly smart kid to come home so he can breed with Xiao Mi."

"There is still hope for the next generation."

In the eyes of Yang Mi's uncle, who is a Tsinghua University graduate, the only difference between Yang Mi and someone with intellectual disabilities is that he can take care of himself.

Breeding... Now, no matter how big her brain is, her breasts are also getting bigger.

What do you take me for?

However, speaking of which, he seems to be quite skilled at "breeding"...

Yang Mi was a little angry, especially when she recalled the events of the Lunar New Year.

My dad is starting to stir things up, saying he wants to meet the "Big Smart" that my older brother mentioned.

I'm annoyed!
So when I answered the phone, my tone was awkward.

But when she heard that Zhang Yuan had invited her to play with birds, she felt a little... lonely and restless.

"If it weren't for my family liking you, I wouldn't bother with you at all..." she thought to herself, finding a compromise as an excuse.

"Oh, where are you? I'm coming to find you."

After getting the hotel address and room number, she quickly took a shower.

After coming out of the bathroom, I opened my suitcase and picked out clothes.

I came to film a movie without bringing my sexiest lingerie sets.

She then chose a purple suit with lace trim.

Then I put on my long johns, but after thinking about it for a moment, I took them off again.

She was afraid Zhang Yuan would see her and laugh at her, so she couldn't easily take it off.

I put on my coat and went out.

A short while later, there was a knock on Zhang Yuan's door.

"Here I am." He poked his head out, looked around, and saw that no one was watching.

After giving Zhuo Wei a good "lesson" last time, most of the people monitoring the other party have been removed.

He felt much more at ease after learning that Fengxing Studio had suspended operations for rectification.

But they weren't completely at ease, so they left a group of people to continue observing.

If the staff remains obedient after a period of "follow-up examinations," they will be completely removed from the organization.

This is called "caution is the best policy".

"Yes, I'm here," Yang Mi said, feigning indifference.

Zhang Yuan observed that she was slightly out of breath and knew that she had been walking quite fast.

They were eager to see me.

Eyes and facial expressions can lie, but the body always tells the truth.

Besides, her acting skills weren't that great to begin with.

"It smells nice, did you take a shower?" Zhang Yuan leaned closer and took a sniff; it smelled of jasmine.

"Nonsense, who doesn't shower at night?" She rolled her eyes again, then swung her arm and sat down on the sofa.

"Hey, let's make this clear first, I'm only here because of this movie we're filming. You're one of the bosses, and I'm just an artist cooperating with you."

"Don't get any weird ideas."

"Okay." Zhang Yuan didn't say much, turned around and went to a small cubicle next to him, and took out an object covered with a black cloth.

"What is that?" Yang Mi became alert as he saw the object approaching and heard rustling sounds coming from inside.

"A gift for you."

After saying that, Zhang Yuan lifted the black cloth.

Beneath the cloth was an exquisite birdcage made of bamboo and wood.

A baby bird with reddish-brown fur and white around its eyes stood in the cage.

This is a thrush.

“Bird…” Yang Mi paused for a moment, then looked up at him.

"You mean this bird when you say 'playing with birds'?"

"What do you think?" Zhang Yuan looked at her with ill intent.

He reached out a finger and gently tapped her chin.

"If you want to play something else."

"Then beg me." (End of Chapter)