Actor: Thank you.

Chinese people usually like the numbers "three, six, and nine".

Tao Te Ching says: Tao begets one, one begets two, two begets three, and three begets all things.

The number nine, in Buddhism, symbolizes supremacy.

The Nine Heavens... not the Nine Heavens of Ice and Fire in the club, although that one is also quite supreme.

The Nine Heavens means the Nine Skies.

Therefore, important days and celebrations in China generally coincide with the three numbers or days: 3, 6, and 9.

But what is strange is that in the imperial capital, a place with a long history, all numbers related to restaurants are even numbers.

Eight buildings, eight halls, eight springs, and eight residences.

All of them were cut into the number "eight".

Moreover, most of the “Eight Buildings” are located in the downtown area of ​​Dazhalan outside Qianmen.

Including the small theater of Deyuan Society, it is also there.

That would require going back more than a hundred years.

Ultimately, it's all the fault of the Qing Dynasty.

Most of the Eight Buildings appeared in the late Qing Dynasty, when the old wives were in power.

These big restaurants are all run by hardworking and capable Shandong bosses and chefs.

But in fact, the investors behind the scenes are all descendants of the Eight Banners!

Although there is not a strict one-to-one correspondence between the Eight Banners and the Eight Towers, this is how they originated.

Many of the dishes served here originated from the palace and are improved versions of the Manchu-Han banquet.

The reason why they are all concentrated in Dazhalan is that after the Qing Dynasty came to power, Han people were not allowed to live in the inner city.

The wealthy businessmen who were driven away gathered outside the front gate, making this place a lively place.

The same goes for snacks like fried tripe.

It was first spread from the palace.

There is a line in the Qing Dynasty's "Capital Bamboo Branch Poems" that goes "fried tripe, fried liver and fragrant sausage."

Like the dishes at Bada Lou, all of them are imperial cuisine.

After it was introduced to the public, it was improved and many seasonings commonly used by the Han nationality were added to become what it is today.

And like Bada Lou, Bao Du also has an even number and is divided into four major categories.

Zhang Yuan told the confused Jiang Zhiqiang the origin of the food in front of him.

Boss Jiang had two unexpected things.

I never expected that this humble snack has such a profound origin.

Second, I didn't expect that the young man in front of me was quite knowledgeable and could talk about a snack at length.

But why is he telling me this?
"Mr. Jiang, in fact, Hong Kong is very similar to the Dashilan area where the Eight Buildings are located."

“Dashalar became prosperous because wealthy merchants were forced to leave the inner city.”

"Hong Kong's rise is closely related to the exodus of a large number of wealthy businessmen from the mainland."

Just as Heshen fell and Jiaqing was full.

In the early days, China was extremely poor and a large amount of wealth, especially gold, antiques and jewelry, was transferred elsewhere, which indirectly created the economic foundation of Hong Kong and Formosa.

The rise of Hong Kong's film industry is also closely related to economic development.

Take for example the stunning beauties from Hong Kong who were once all the rage in Asia.

Brigitte Lin's father was from Laiyang, Shandong, and retreated to Taiwan with the army.

Wang Zuxian's father was from Shucheng, Anhui. He was a captain in the Military Control Commission in his early years and came to Taiwan with the army.

Yau Shu-ching is from Kaiping, Guangdong Province.

Michelle Reis’ father is Portuguese and her mother is from Shanghai.

Rosamund Kwan's father is from Shenyang, Liaoning.

Zhang Min is from Shanghai, but moved to Hong Kong after elementary school.

Maggie Cheung’s ancestral home is also in Shanghai.

Carina Lau is from Suzhou and can also sing Pingtan.

The peerless "Sister Pomegranate" Yuan Qiongdan's ancestral home is Yingkou, Liaoning Province, the birthplace of the four great storytelling masters.

In fact, few of the golden generation of Hong Kong actresses are native Hong Kong people. They all immigrated there from all over the country for various reasons.

A pure Hong Konger, even someone like Ada Choi, who is tall and thin with dark skin, is considered the best local beauty.

Later, after mixing, they became the authentic Hong Kong people, which is the current generation.

Not to mention anything else, the Miss Hong Kong pageant is always Wang Xiaoer's New Year, and each year is getting worse than the last, and the quality is obviously declining rapidly.

The three that Jiang Zhiqiang and his team brought last time cannot be compared with the veteran Hong Kong beauties like Ada Choi, Anita Yuen, Monica Chan, and Michelle Reis.

Zhang Yuan wanted to tell Boss Jiang that the reason why Hong Kong’s entertainment industry could dominate was because of the right time, right place and right people.

And now all three are slipping away from you!

Jiang Zhiqiang heard the hidden meaning in his words and frowned.

If the other party had said this last month, he would have refuted it with dissatisfaction or even disdain.

But now...

After the eyepatch incident, just as he said, all the factors that were favorable to the Hong Kong film industry were greatly reduced.

Jiang Zhiqiang let out a long sigh.

He felt that this guy didn't seem to want to have a good talk.

They talked about rules and analyzed that the success of the Hong Kong film industry was largely due to external forces.

This is suppressing me.

He found it ridiculous when he thought about it.

As an old hand, he is being suppressed and lectured by a young man of the younger generation.

How could it be possible before?

But people under the eaves have to bow their heads.

He knew that this approach was not going to work and he had to find another way out for Lust, Caution.

"Okay, I understand." He picked up his dirty suit jacket and was about to stand up.

"No, no, no, you don't understand." Zhang Yuan stopped him.

"I'm not finished yet."

"Boss Jiang, there are four big families in the capital."

"They are Baodu Feng, Baodu Zhang, Baodu Man, and Baodu Wang."

“You can tell from the name that this is the store owner putting his family name after his signature food.”

"Do you remember the sign hanging at the door when we entered this store?"

Jiang Zhiqiang was in mixed feelings when he came and didn't pay much attention.

But the name of the store is written on the chopsticks and spoons.

"Jin Shenglong..." He took a look and said softly.

Then he let out a light exclamation.

Aren’t these the four major groups he just mentioned?

Haven’t you taken me to the most authentic store yet?

But in fact, just like there are always five of the Four Heavenly Kings.

There are five of the four major fried tripe restaurants in the capital, and the fifth one is Jin Shenglong.

Or in other words, Jin Shenglong is the most famous one.

This also led to the famous case in the capital's snack industry, the "Dispute between the Two Fengs".

In fact, Jinshenglong is the real Baodu Feng, or the Baodu Feng mentioned in the old imperial capital.

This shop was first established during the Guangxu period, and its founder was Feng Tianjie.

The second generation, that is, this man's son, inherited the family business and developed it further, becoming famous in the imperial capital.

The son's name was Feng Jinsheng, and this is the origin of Jin Shenglong.

Shi Yizhi, Ma Lianliang, Qiu Shengrong, Tan Fuying and other celebrities in the entertainment industry are all loyal fans of this store.

Because the business was so good and so famous, when the enterprise was restructured and the snack shops in Dong'anmen Market were transformed into state-owned enterprises, eight shops were merged to form the Jinshenglong Baodu Shop, which focused on Baodu.

The founder of another Baodu Feng is Feng Jinhe, and his shop is located in Menkuang Hutong.

Celebrities such as Jin Shaoshan, Xun Huisheng, Shang Xiaoyun, Qiu Shengrong, and Tan Fuying are regular customers of this restaurant.

Qiu Shengrong and Tan Fuying, two old brothers, really love to eat fried tripe, and they can be found in every restaurant.

This Baodu Feng restaurant was also incorporated into the Tongxiguan restaurant in Tongkuang Hutong when it cooperated in 57.

This means that the two Baodu Feng restaurants have been merged into a joint venture.

But Jin Shenglong still carried on with its main business, while Baodu Feng was absorbed and became a single side dish in the restaurant. As a result, Feng Jinhe's family was also cut off from inheritance.

It was not until the reform and opening up that Feng Guangju, the third generation of the Feng family, gathered several brothers and restored the old brand of Baodu Feng.

And this person is very good at hype and publicity.

Taking advantage of the reform and opening-up policy, the restaurant encouraged private ownership and invited celebrities and leaders from all walks of life to come and taste its food, thus establishing itself as a benchmark for private snack bars.

Later, he even contacted various media in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and was interviewed by CCTV, and a documentary was made.

Along the way, he was also invited to the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse to participate in the 50th anniversary party of the National Day, and made fried tripe for the state leaders on the spot.

It can be said that after this person's operation, Baodu Feng has become a well-known snack brand in the country.

It also attracted the attention of Jin Shenglong.

"Our family is the one with the explosive belly!"

Because their family has never been broken in its inheritance, they have been doing this for four generations.

So I went to ask.

Only then did I realize that it was another Feng family.

Moreover, the other party had already registered the trademark "Baodu Feng" early on.

Not only was Jin Sheng Long not allowed to use Bao Du Feng's signboard, but even the store's description and utensils were not allowed to have the word "Feng" in them.

What the other party meant was that we are the only family with the surname Feng in this business!
Jin Shenglong must be dissatisfied.

How come I lost my last name after running a snack bar?
From then on, the two families began a protracted battle of words and weapons.

I've fought lawsuits and cursed in the streets.

Supporters and old diners also attacked and compared each other.

In the end, Jin Shenglong lost the case and angrily changed the introduction of his store to "Baodu Ni Jin Shenglong".

The right half of the character "Feng" is hidden.

Just to vent my anger!
To this day, the two stores are still fighting.

After Zhang Yuan finished speaking, Jiang Zhiqiang became even more confused.

Is it worth it just for a serving of fried tripe?
"Mr. Jiang, don't you think that Baodu Feng and Jin Shenglong are very similar to the mainland and Hong Kong film industry?"

Who came first, who came later, and who can represent this industry?
“How much money can this fried tripe shop make in a year?”

"For the higher-ups, how much money can a movie earn out of several billion a year?"

If smokers across the country smoke one more cigarette every day, they can create an economy the size of China's entertainment industry.

“Money is very important to practitioners.”

“But it doesn’t matter to the higher-ups.”

"Reputation and face are the most important."

"Just like the country doesn't care who is the authentic Baodu Feng, they just need a sign that can represent Chinese snacks."

"The country doesn't care whether the movie is produced in Hong Kong or in mainland China."

"As long as it makes the country look decent."

"In my opinion, it is meaningless for Baodu Feng and Jin Shenglong to tear each other apart and fight to the end out of anger."

“The four big fried tripe restaurants together don’t even have ten stores.”

"For such a small market, one day, their signs and stories will be slowly forgotten."

"On the contrary, chain brands that skirt the rules and borrow the names of these time-honored brands are making a lot of money."

Zhang Yuan raised his hand, picked up a piece of lamb's back and put it in the pot to rinse.

The meat was slightly pink in color and had just been cooked when it was picked up and placed on a plate.

"You see, the broth in which the meat is boiled has also become fattening."

At the same time, use chopsticks to split the piece of sheep's back into two pieces.

He put half in his own bowl and half in the other person's bowl.

"I think that Baodu Feng and Jin Shenglong should have put aside their fight a long time ago."

"This is called shelving disputes and jointly developing."

"If the market is expanded, everyone will have meat to eat, and those who drink the soup will also get fat."

Jiang Zhiqiang's eyes flickered, as if he understood what he meant.

Zhang Yuan came here to eat today and took his appointment seriously.

It was not like what Cheng Hao said, or what Jiang Zhiqiang expected, that he came here to throw a tantrum, act like a winner, and ravage the other party to avenge his hatred.

Pointless.

As it says in The Godfather, never hate your enemies, it will cloud your judgment.

Now that the eye mask scandal has come out, there are at least eight hundred people who want to tear a piece of flesh from the Hong Kong circle, if not a thousand.

The damage brought by Edison Chen was extremely fatal, tearing off the last fig leaf of the Hong Kong entertainment industry.

The Hong Kong community is experiencing serious chaos at this time, and everyone is fighting on their own to find a way out.

And Zhang Yuan’s judgment is.

At this point the situation has reversed, the other party is no longer an enemy, but the most suitable partner!

The Hong Kong entertainment industry is crippled, not dead.

Still has a lot of resources and funds.

Buffett’s famous saying is, when others are greedy, I am fearful; when others are fearful, I am greedy!
The Hong Kong market is now at its limit down.

Their original partners in the Diquan and Huquan either distanced themselves from them or turned around and took advantage of the situation.

So it was a good time for me to enter!

"Mr. Jiang."

“My idea was that we would form a company together.”

"Not only you and me, but any knowledgeable person in Hong Kong can participate."

"We have united, put aside our previous prejudices and conflicts, and together we will become bigger and stronger and create greater glory."

Jiang Zhiqiang’s eyes widened.

He never expected that the other party not only did not put forward any harsh conditions, but even expressed the intention to cooperate at this time!

If it were me who had suffered the same thing before, I would be in power now.

Not letting the other man's wife sleep with you to vent your anger is already considered merciful.

This young man...

And Boss Jiang thought about it.

If we become partners again, it will be even closer than our previous joint investment.

Then my most difficult problem now, which is the release of "Lust, Caution", can't he, as the middleman, mediate?

Isn't this why I came to see him!
So he found that not only did he have no choice, but this only option was also a much better option than he had expected.

At times like this, you should ask.

"So, what's the price?"

But the current situation in the Hong Kong circle does not allow them to think about such issues.

Jiang Zhiqiang picked up the chopsticks, dipped them, and put the half piece of mutton into his mouth.

Only now did he begin to enjoy the meal.

"Can you help me contact other companies that are interested?"

"Of course, you have to be qualified. Not just anyone can come." Zhang Yuan said, waving to the waiter to add more dishes.

The other party obviously had a good appetite at this time.

"Okay, I'll contact them!"

The entire Hong Kong circle needs a breakthrough at this moment.

If Zhang Yuan is willing to take the lead, he will definitely get a lot of support.

"Okay, let's communicate again."

"After you make the arrangements, I will treat you and we will have a formal meal together with all the interested parties."

"Okay, okay..." Jiang Zhiqiang wanted to fly back to Hong Kong right now and bring this good news home.

Fellow villagers, the higher-ups have come to issue a call for peace!

We are saved!
Seeing the other party's excited expression, Zhang Yuan knew that his choice was right.

This is called "treat guests, behead them, and accept them as dogs."

"They also say that I am a pioneer in anti-Hong Kong movement." Zhang Yuan thought unconvinced.

This is pure slander!

And still look down on me.

I want to be the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi! (End of this chapter)