Fooling Huayu for Thirty Years

Chapter 332 "Hero" Receives Negative Reviews? A Person Named Xi Helps Me Reverse Public Opinion! (Two Chapters Combined)

"Thirty million? How is that possible?"

"Given the previous box office fraud, is it just another case of exaggeration?"

"No! This time it's different! Reporters interviewed theater chains and confirmed this box office figure!"

"Really that high? My God! Has Chinese cinema finally caught up?"

"A blockbuster! An absolute blockbuster!"

Thirty million in the first week—this news is truly astonishing.

In fact, to be precise, it already reached 30 million before the first week was even over.

But after all, this is very good news.

The Chinese film market, which has been sluggish for many years, has never received such exciting news.

Moreover, a word that was once unfamiliar has now become deeply ingrained in people's minds.

Blockbuster!

"Hero" is a domestic blockbuster!

This is of great significance because for so many years, our domestic films have basically followed the path of low investment and high output.

In recent years, the highest-grossing domestic films have actually had relatively small budgets.

Although there are high-budget blockbusters, such as "The Emperor and the Assassin," their box office performance was truly a disaster.

In fact, in the minds of ordinary people, blockbuster movies are synonymous with burning money and wasting money.

When a blockbuster movie is released, many people are not interested in how exciting it is, but rather in the prospect of it flopping at the box office and then enjoying the spectacle.

I have to say, watching the spectacle was quite enjoyable.

But this time it's different!
"Hero" achieved such outstanding box office results in such a short period of time.

It not only shattered many people's doubts about this film, but also shattered everyone's doubts about whether Chinese films can produce blockbusters!

This is so meaningful.

The significance of these 30 million yuan in box office revenue has transcended the box office itself!
So, what's next?
How high will the box office be for "Hero"?
Just when many people were curious and looking forward to it, some people were secretly up to something.

……

Hong Kong.

Thirteenth Young Master did not return, but he entrusted his elder brother to do something, something very special.

Long Wu was puzzled after hearing this, until his younger brother explained it in detail, and then he understood.

So that's another way to strike at your opponent!

But he didn't actually want to do it.

Because this opponent is, after all, dealing with Ma Xun.

Although Thirteen said that this time it was aimed at "Hero", Ma Xun was just one of the investors.

That's one way to put it, but deep down, Long Wu was still a bit of a coward.

Ma Xun is not the same person he used to be. His background was originally very mysterious, but now that part of it has been revealed, it turns out he is actually a friend of Wang Yu.

This is incredibly powerful!
When Long Wu learned about this, he was very relieved that he hadn't gone too far with Ma Xun and the others.

He was naturally very careful in his actions afterward, and when he acquired Golden Harvest, he gave Ma Xun a lot of face.

But now... isn't this a risky move?
However, Long Wu himself was also well aware that there was no business without taking risks.

As for this matter... Long Wu hesitated for a while, then gritted his teeth.

I'll listen to my younger brother's choice.

As the so-called, seek wealth and risk!
Moreover, this operation was very secretive, so Ma Xun shouldn't be able to find out!
What exactly are those two brothers up to?

Actually, the method is not complicated.

That's Lung Wu. After inviting several newspaper owners for tea, a few reporters went to Ming Pao to discuss interviews.

They hoped to interview Mr. Jin Yong.

The interview question was: Is "Hero" considered a martial arts film?
In other words, they wanted to hear Mr. Jin Yong's evaluation of "Hero".

……

Beijing.

Ma Xun's courtyard.

"Brother Ma, how high will the box office of 'Hero' go this time?"

"You can take a guess."

"How could I possibly guess that? But it'll definitely break 100 million, right?"

Xiao Ran is back this time, and of course she's going to have a passionate and intense relationship with Ma Xun.

As the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder, especially since they hadn't been together for quite some time.

In the stillness of the night, Xiaoran felt as if ants were crawling all over her heart... the itch kept her awake.

Xiao Ran naturally wouldn't blame Ma Xun for neglecting her, because she'd been incredibly busy this year.

She didn't have high hopes for the drama "Like Fog, Like Rain, Like Wind" when it aired, especially since she wasn't the female lead.

Unexpectedly, she became famous after the show aired!
It's really a surprise! The female lead in this drama is Zhou Xun, and Xiao Ran is at most the second female lead. She has more scenes with Sun Honglei.

The two are just too good-looking... how can they be paired up?
But, just like that, it actually worked!

The audience response was very positive, and the online reviews were also very good.

The characters Xiao Ran and Sun Honglei left many people feeling uneasy.

This sudden fame was quite unexpected, but Xiao Ran didn't forget to express her gratitude to Ma Xun.

Back then, wasn't it Brother Ma who took me in and even devised a very good future development plan?

Take on more roles, don't rush, accumulate experience slowly... Now I've succeeded, all thanks to Brother Ma!
So, when Xiaoran came back to work with Ma Xun this time, she was truly fully committed.

They even made a point of highlighting their strengths.

Steamed buns stuffed with meat, the more you eat, the more delicious it becomes.

Of course, it's not good to let Brother Ma get too carried away; he has important things to do right now.

The movie "Hero" is amazing!

As expected of Brother Ma, his movies are always spot on!

Ma Xun was naturally very satisfied with Xiao Ran. She was very obedient in front of him and had no ulterior motives.

Moreover, she has an absolutely perfect figure, slim where she should be slim and curvy where she should be curvy, with extremely fair skin.

It contrasts sharply with the purplish-black color.

Ma Xun really loved it, but unfortunately, his career was his priority at the moment.

When I talked to Xiaoran about this film, she only dared to say 'over 100 million'?
"You're still too timid."

Xiao Ran's eyes widened upon hearing this. "Could it really be over 200 million?"

She finished speaking, but her expression clearly showed that she didn't believe it herself.

Ma Xun laughed heartily and pulled the beauty into his arms. "How could two hundred million possibly satisfy me? At least three hundred million!"

Yes, that's Ma Xun's ambition!

He already knew that "Hero" was worth 250 million.

And this time, after all his efforts, if it doesn't exceed 3 million, it can even be considered a failure!
Of course, Ma Xun couldn't say more. If he mentioned 400 million, Xiao Ran might be shocked.

"Three hundred million?" Even with such a conservative estimate, Xiaoran was stunned.

Ma Xun chuckled and playfully flicked Xiao Ran's nose. "Three hundred million isn't much. This movie cost over twenty million US dollars to produce, so three hundred million is just breaking even."

Actually, Ma Xun was just trying to reassure Xiao Ran.

The truth is... Ma Xun is already making a profit.

The money used to invest in this movie wasn't even his!

During the production process, tens of millions of dollars were invested in Ma Xun's own company.

That means he has already earned at least tens of millions.

So, nobody else is making money yet, but he has already made money!
As for the future, needless to say, Columbia Pictures only wanted the North American rights.

Xiao Ran was quite surprised, her heart pounding as she said, "Brother Ma, you, you're amazing! And this movie... is there any copyright business involved?"

Her topic was good, and Ma Xun nodded.

So, I told them about how Columbia Pictures didn't want our domestic copyright.

In addition, there are some interesting things that have just happened yet.

"In the future, the copyrights of domestic video products can still be sold."

It's a CD.

But this amount of money probably isn't much.
Xiao Ran gave Ma Xun a curious look.

Ma Xun didn't say much, and continued to conservatively say, "Around ten million."

Ten million?!
Can video products really sell for this price now?

Xiaoran was utterly shocked.

But Ma Xun is really being very conservative.

In the original timeline, "Hero" not only created a box office legend and ushered in the era of blockbusters, but also achieved considerable success in terms of film and television copyright.

It seems to have sold for over 1700 million.

This set a record for the copyright of domestically produced films at the time.

It was truly a sensation.

If this time... it can exceed 300 million, Ma Xun is confident that he can sell it for more than 30 million!
And don't forget you can also appear on television.

This time, our sixth princess will have to bleed a lot, won't she?

Okay, all of these things are in the future, but right now there's a hurdle to overcome.

Ma Xun said, "I'll be very busy lately because Star Wars Episode II is coming out this week."

That's right, it's on the weekend!

This is our first challenge in "Heroes"!
Xiao Ran was even more surprised when she heard the name of this Star Wars movie.

"Brother Ma, this movie seems really good."

"Of course they're very powerful, but we're not afraid of them!"

"This, this... I'm a very slow learner, I can't figure out how to beat my opponent."

Ma Xun laughed and said, "It's fine to be modest, but you don't have to say that you're all brawn and no brains."

Upon hearing this, Xiaoran blushed deeply, "Brother Ma~ you're so naughty~"

Two large hammers hung on her slender, white body.

That's really awesome.

Ma Xun had no choice but to steer the conversation back to the movie, saying, "Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Phantom Menace is just a Hollywood movie; it's not difficult to deal with."

This time, I've prepared a media package for it. After the release of Star Wars: Episode II – Revenge of the Fallen, our film "Hero" will definitely see even greater box office success, and its reputation will be phenomenal.

Amidst a flood of positive reviews, many moviegoers probably won't even see a glimpse of what Star Wars Episode II: Episode II will bring.

Of course, this movie has fans and will have a certain number of screenings.

But if our "Hero" demonstrates enough strength and power, it will easily overwhelm Hollywood blockbusters.

By the time……"

Xiao Ran was thrilled to hear this, "As expected of Brother Ma, he planned it all out in advance."

"Of course."

Ma Xun made some sacrifices for this movie. For example, when Wang Changtian reported to him, he told Wang Changtian to simply handle the media aspect well.

This time is different from before.

This time we're making a blockbuster!
Then we must take a superior position and deliver a thunderous blow to our opponent!
In the past, it was all about making a comeback; now it's about crushing them.

The two gameplay modes are entirely based on skill level.

Ma Xun would certainly not make that mistake of always using the same move.

And now...

"Brother Ma~ that..."

"what happened?"

What did you think of my film?

"Like Fog, Like Rain, Like Wind? That's great."

"Then...how about we take a few photos of them?"

"Oh, you mean..."

"wait for me."

Xiao Ran went to another room, and Ma Xun naturally understood what she was planning to do.

That's funny, really funny.

Not long after, Xiaoran reappeared.

She felt as if she had traveled back to the Republic of China era and become a female student.

She wore a Republic-era female student uniform on top and a pleated long skirt on the bottom.

It's really beautiful.

Ma Xun was also ready, his camera shutter clicking away incessantly.

Just as I was taking pictures...

Xiaoran unbuttoned her clothes.

This is really killing me!

However, upon closer reflection, Yuanyuan should follow the promotional path of "Hero".

Bingbing is very ambitious now.

Jingwen will also help her best friend Yuanyuan.

And "The Return of the Condor Heroes" is being filmed right now...

From this perspective, spending some time with Xiaoran couldn't be better.

In short, there's something to do.

Ma Xun and Xiao Ran are staging a scene reminiscent of the Republic of China era.

The entire plan is proceeding smoothly.

After the release of Star Wars Episode II, this Hollywood blockbuster suddenly discovered that there was already a big monster in the Chinese mainland film market!

"Hero" has already grossed over 5 million at the box office!

And after the second week ended.

That is, Star Wars Episode II completed its opening week, and Heroes was released two weeks later.

The box office comparison is surprisingly as follows:
Star Wars: Episode II – Revenge of the Fallen 12 million at the box office!
Hero grossed 7000 million at the box office!
The contrast is stark!

The first weekend is often the weekend with the highest box office.

If we calculate it that way, then the movie "Star Wars: Episode II" can be declared... ready to be taken away!

At the same time, a massive number of media articles appeared.

"Hero! China's own blockbuster!"

"Hero beats Hollywood blockbusters!"

"Heroes is unstoppable!"

It's a success! Absolutely a success!

But at this moment, an unexpected event occurred.

Xiao Ran had been with Ma Xun these past few days, and on this day, she was wearing tight black stockings... when suddenly, the phone rang.

"Hello? What's going on?"

Ma Xun naturally prioritized his career, and besides, this call was from Wang Changtian.

"Boss, a special person has shared their opinion on 'Hero'."

"A special person? Who?"

"This one……"

"Go ahead and say it, no problem."

"Mr. Jin Yong".

"What?" Ma Xun was indeed somewhat surprised to hear this name.

However, they did not panic.

He hung up the phone, then picked up Xiaoran and turned on the computer.

The news was found very quickly.

"Mr. Jin Yong gave a bad review to 'Hero'!"

Jin Yong: I don't like movies that portray Qin Shi Huang, such a cruel monarch, as a good person!

"Mr. Jin Yong didn't think highly of 'Hero'!"

There are countless similar titles, but as for the content...

Xiaoran looked at it with a worried expression.

However, Ma Xun's lips curled up in a smile.

what's the situation?
Ma Xun then said, "We need to go to Hong Kong."

Xiaoran asked shyly, "Um... should I... should I still go with them?"

"Don't you want to go to Hong Kong and buy some new stockings?"

"Oh my~ Brother Ma~"

The two laughed, and just like that, they went to Hong Kong.

……

Huayi Advertising Company.

"Good! Great!"

"Thirteenth Young Master, that was a brilliant move!"

"I never expected this, I really never expected this!"

At this moment, many bosses are flattering Thirteen Young Master.

He himself was beaming with joy.

There's no way around it, it worked!

Mr. Jin Yong's evaluation of "Hero" quickly caused a huge uproar.

Of course, this "big wave" was also the result of the Wang brothers' help.

Our media outlets here are reposting it everywhere.

Mr. Jin Yong's evaluation is actually quite clear.

Bad review!

If it's a negative review from an ordinary person, then of course it's not a big deal.

But Jin Yong is different.

He is the most famous writer today, and the writer who generates the most buzz.

In fact, from a purely literary perspective, martial arts novels can only be considered 'strange and ingenious techniques'.

We criticized it back then.

But things are different now.

Their novels have already been included in textbooks, and now there's a surge in popularity for martial arts novels.

Therefore, Jin Yong's evaluation became quite impressive.

And of course, we should help spread the word.

Let more people know.

This naturally caused very serious real damage to the currently very powerful "Heroes"!

Look at the comments from many netizens online.

Previously, "Hero" received a lot of positive reviews, but now it's being bombarded with negative ones.

It's important to understand that in this world, the majority of people are simply followers.

Although we always emphasize the importance of independent thinking, isn't it just like that saying: you shout for what you lack?

It is precisely because we lack independent thinking in reality that we are making such a call.

And since so many people are following the trend, when Jin Yong's negative review came out... wow!

Thirteen Young Master really dealt Ma Xun and his group a heavy blow!
However, this is considered a dirty trick, and a particularly dirty one at that.

There is another key point.

Zhang Xinming, the coal mine owner, was particularly curious. "Thirteenth Young Master, I really don't understand. How can you be so sure that old man Jin Yong would think this way about 'Hero'?"

That's a great question. Even if he hadn't asked, Thirteen Young Master would have wanted to answer it.

If someone does something remarkable, they can't hide it.

“It’s very simple.” Thirteen’s opening move was just showing off. He continued, “Anyone who knows a little about Mr. Jin Yong would be able to predict that he would definitely comment on this book, ‘Hero,’ in this way.”

That being said...

Qin Hong understood. "So, it's because Mr. Jin Yong didn't like Qin Shi Huang?"

Once he said that, all the bosses understood.

Zhou Zhengyi nodded. "So that's how it is!"

The Wang brothers also realized this, exclaiming, "Yes, why didn't we think of that before!"
In fact, based on Jin Yong's previous comments on the research of giant mushrooms in mainland China, we can infer that he must have disliked Qin Shi Huang.

Since he dislikes Qin Shi Huang, he certainly won't like the movie "Hero" after watching it.

You only need to know the general plot of this movie.

Thirteen Young Master took advantage of this point, inducing Jin Yong to make a negative review.

And these negative comments are their best weapon.

In terms of public opinion, "Hero" was thoroughly attacked!
Once the bosses understood this, they couldn't help but burst into laughter.

This was indeed a vicious move, because Ma Xun couldn't really blame them.

The one who's having a headache right now is Ma Xun. This wave of negative comments about Jin Yong has stirred up a huge public opinion storm.

How can you solve this?

And let's not forget, Ma Xun is also filming a Jin Yong drama!

Could it be that they've fallen out with Jin Yong?

It would be even better if they fell out.

The more these bosses thought about it, the happier they became.

Thirteen Young Master is ruthless, cunning, and incredibly clever.

But the latest news has arrived.

"Ma Xun went to Hong Kong."

"What can he do? Haha..."

These bosses can just keep watching the show.

But then, the eldest son of the Wang family mentioned something.

Breaking news: Stephen Chow's new film "Kung Fu Hustle" is about to start filming, and he is looking for a female lead.

This is a great opportunity!

The second son of the Wang family further explained: "Although we were unable to work with Stephen Chow, he said that for the female lead, he only cares whether she fits the movie's plot."

So everyone has a chance.

This is great!
"Secure this role, and then deliver another blow to Ma Xun!"

"That's right! We have to get this role!"

"Let them suffer a great loss too!"

These guys have a really good smile.

But how long can their smiles last?
……

Hong Kong.

"Brother Ma, it seems like the public opinion is getting stronger and stronger."

"It's ok."

"This...this seems to be something I can't think of."

"Just watch and see, you don't need to do anything anyway."

Xiao Ran was very worried, but she wasn't smart enough to help Ma Xun in this regard.

Fortunately, Ma Xun is very confident.

Then everything should be fine.

Ke Xiaoran really couldn't figure out how to break the deadlock.

It's too difficult.

Ma Xun also told her that it was not surprising that Jin Yong could make such a comment on "Hero".

That's who he is.

In fact, this is how Jin Yong evaluated "Hero" in the original timeline.

Ma Xun also remembers quite clearly that the root of the negative reviews of "Hero" was actually started by Jin Yong.

Although it may not sound pleasant, the situation at the time was that Jin Yong's negative review of "Hero" gave many public intellectuals on the mainland a particularly good opportunity.

It's worth noting that when the movie "Hero" was released in mainland China, it initially received almost unanimous praise from mainstream media.

Many cultural figures are simply endorsing it.

Some celebrities in the film industry have even said that this film has sparked a cultural phenomenon.

That's why this movie achieved such outstanding box office success in China.

Of course, many netizens commented that they didn't understand the story, and there were other negative comments as well.

However, judging from the opinions of ordinary viewers, even if they don't understand it, they will still praise the movie's visuals and action scenes.

Because it's really great.

In other words, it's absolutely worth the ticket price!

But after this negative review of Jin Yong, things changed.

So, what can Ma Xun do?

To be honest, it was quite unexpected, because Jin Yong in the original timeline saw this movie around 04.

Now it's much earlier than expected.

It certainly increased the difficulty for Ma Xun.

But it's okay, he was prepared!

After arriving in Hong Kong, I went to Ming Pao to meet Mr. Jin Yong.

Ma Xun was different from others, and Mr. Jin Yong soon met him.

When the two met, they got straight to the point.

"Little Ma, you came here for 'Hero,' right?"

"Mr. Jin Yong, that's exactly right!"

Ma Xun wasn't angry; he still had a big smile on his face, which puzzled Mr. Jin Yong.

Aren't you in a hurry?

"in a hurry."

"But when I made that assessment, I was only referring to Qin Shi Huang as a person."

"I know."

Ma Xun's answer piqued Jin Yong's curiosity.

"So, how do you plan to convince me?"

Ma Xun smiled after hearing this, "Let me say this first: Sima Qian actually distorted historical facts. Mr. Jin Yong, can you believe that?"

what? !

Sima Qian? The Grand Historian? A distortion of history?

Ma Xun, you have such audacity!
But when Mr. Jin Yong heard this, he laughed and said, "You obviously have evidence for what you're saying. Could you show it to me?"

Ma Xun didn't delay and naturally produced the 'evidence'.

Books? Computers?

What kind of evidence is this?
Ma Xun showed Jin Yong a book and a webpage on a computer.

The webpage shows... an archaeological excavation.

"The discovery of this batch of bamboo slips allows us to return to that era two thousand years ago."

This is a low-level civil servant in the Qin state, and his name is: Xi…

happiness?
Grassroots civil servant?
As Jin Yong listened and watched, his expression kept changing!
In fact, our archaeology has a very special 'important point'.

For example, the Four-Sheep Bronze Zun, we all know it's a national treasure, but in terms of its level... it's just average!
Some people certainly won't believe it; how could that be?

But that's the truth, because the Four-Sheep Bronze Zun is indeed very good, very beautiful, and very amazing.

But one thing is missing.

Word!

If an antique has inscriptions, its 'value' will increase exponentially!

It might even become a national treasure!

This batch of bamboo slips is a true national treasure!

The pages are covered with writing; it's the diary of the tomb's occupant, Xi.

He remembered it in great detail; he loved his job and his country.

And here it is...

"Wouldn't being late be punishable by death?"

"That's right, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang were not actually killed for missing the deadline."

Mr. Jin Yong was stunned for a long time.

He probably never dreamed that the tyrannical Qin Dynasty in his mind was not actually so brutal in history!

The book that Ma Xun brought was an introduction to the entire bamboo slip excavation.

That is to say...

"The Grand Historian, actually?"

Jin Yong felt he had been deceived, and deceived terribly.

Ma Xun laughed and said, "After all, Sima Qian was a man of the Han Dynasty. He probably just wanted to smear Qin Shi Huang. For example, he also said that Qin Shi Huang was the son of Lü Buwei, but he also recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian that Ying Zheng was born at full term."

Being born at full term was a very important proof of lineage in ancient royal families.

To put it bluntly, it was only right for Sima Qian to criticize Qin Shi Huang.

Jin Yong's expressions are constantly changing these days.

"Then, then I, this, this now..."

He knows he has made a mistake, but how can he correct it?

Ma Xun put it simply: "Mr. Jin Yong, I believe you will make your own choice."

After saying that, he left.

Only Jin Yong himself remained, shaking his head and smiling bitterly as he faced the book.

Not long after, Jin Yong's evaluation came again.

"I never imagined that someone my age would acquire new knowledge, and I never imagined that the Qin Dynasty was not a tyrannical one. I shouldn't have made such a hasty judgment of an emperor as before..."

Is this evaluation a correction to previous errors?

Regardless, once it came out, it immediately caused a sensation online!
The reputation of "Hero" has taken a huge turn for the better!

Ma Xun, who had resolved the matter, was currently on a plane with Xiao Ran.

Xiaoran is still very curious, "Why does that person named Xi like to remember things so much?"

Ma Xun laughed heartily after hearing this, "It is precisely because of this, precisely because there are such interesting people, that our Chinese civilization has been able to continue to this day."

Upon hearing this, Xiaoran felt...utterly smitten with Brother Ma!
In fact, Xi's bamboo slips are really very important.

Later, a great writer on Qidian (a Chinese online literature platform) used this as inspiration to write a masterpiece called "Qin Li" (秦吏).

(End of this chapter)