Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 320 Passionate Sparring

Entering 2011, the entertainment industry was filled with joyous events, with many celebrities getting married and staging romantic love stories one after another.

First, actors Sha Yi and Hu Ke officially announced their upcoming wedding. Following closely behind, singer Zhang Jie and host Xie Na also announced that they will hold their wedding at the Shangri-La Hotel in Chengdu in February.

Just a few days later, Barbie Hsu and Wang Xiaofei also joined this "happy occasion," announcing that they had registered their marriage and that they would hold their wedding in Lucheng at the end of March.

Around the same time, actress Lin Xilei also announced her marriage, choosing to hold her wedding in the Maldives in March to end her single life, but she did not reveal the identity of her partner, maintaining a sense of mystery.

Despite the high level of buzz surrounding these celebrity wedding announcements, they failed to ignite the same enthusiasm among netizens and become the focus of public attention as the "Cai-Yu controversy."

February 1st, the next day is Lunar New Year's Eve, the streets and alleys are full of festive atmosphere, and schools have already started their winter vacation.

Liu Yuqing stayed at home with her best friend Li Lingyan, who had come to visit her early in the morning, watching the recently popular TV series "Palace" on their computer.

With their senior year of high school demanding, the two girls hadn't had time to watch the show until winter break, when they finally had a chance to see what made this hit drama so popular and what made it so appealing to so many.

"This clothing color is so tacky," Liu Yuqing complained as she popped a potato chip into her mouth, her delicate face full of disdain.

Li Lingyan nodded in agreement, then opened another bag of snacks: "The plot is somewhat original, but it's said to be a rip-off of 'Scarlet Heart,' so there's nothing worth reminiscing about. I don't know how it became so popular."

"That's right. My brother said that this lousy show, by the day it ended, had over 200 million views on TT Video and over 2 million searches per day, setting a new online viewership record."

Thinking back on the astonishing number of views for "Palace," Liu Yuqing still finds it hard to believe.

"It's boring, I'm not watching anymore. My sister's 'Scarlet Heart' will be broadcast in three days, and the audience will definitely be surprised."

"Yuqing, check if Xiaobei's video has been updated. Didn't she say she was going to explain the Cai-Yu controversy that's been the most discussed topic among netizens lately?"

"OK." Liu Yuqing clicked on the homepage of a Weibo user named "Entertainment Xiaobei" and exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, it's updated!"

Entertainment Xiaobei is a well-known entertainment commentator on Weibo, who has attracted a large following with his unique perspective and timely breaking news.

Many people speculate that she is an insider in the entertainment industry, which is why she can often reveal inside information. As a result, Liu Yuqing and Li Lingyan often follow her Weibo to keep up with the latest news in the entertainment circle.

Clicking on a recently updated video, a clear female voice rang out: "Hello everyone! In this video, Xiao Bei will give you a rundown of the hottest topic in the entertainment industry recently: the Cai-Yu rivalry."

The two of them immediately focused intently on the screen, eager to see what the ins and outs of the breaking news they had missed because of their final exams were all about.

On January 26th, the day the hit drama "Palace" aired its finale, Tangren Media President Cai Yinong posted a lengthy essay on Weibo, relentlessly criticizing Yu Zheng and Yang Mi.

I won't read the details here; interested readers can check Cai Yinong's Weibo, specifically the pinned post. Here, I'll break it down for you, focusing on the core points of the essay.

As the main course was about to be served, the two girls quickly perked up, forgetting even their snacks and staring intently at the screen, afraid of missing a single word.

In his article, Cai Yi-nong vehemently criticized Yu Zheng's "Palace" for plagiarizing "Scarlet Heart" in terms of plot, saying that the whole drama was crudely made and a pirated product rushed out at the last minute.

Originally scheduled to air in March, Yu Zheng urgently changed the schedule after learning the air date of "Scarlet Heart" and rushed to air it in January. His purpose was to prevent the audience from losing interest in the bad movie "Palace" after watching "Scarlet Heart" first.

In the article, Cai Yinong also solemnly declared that Tangren Media has filed a lawsuit against Yu Zheng in the Donghai Court in order to protect its legitimate rights and interests.

Here, Xiao Bei would like to clarify that, after verification from multiple sources, Cai Yinong's statement is true; "Palace" did indeed undergo emergency adjustments.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yuqing spat and cursed, "Yu Zheng is really wicked! He's clearly targeting 'Scarlet Heart'."

The review continues, and "another target of Cai Yinong's article is Yang Mi, the female lead of 'Palace' and a star who has recently become popular all over the country."

The article angrily denounced Yang Mi for being ungrateful, saying that if it weren't for Tangren's "Chinese Paladin 3" making her famous, she wouldn't have become one of the "Four Little Actresses".

Knowing that Tangren was preparing to film "Scarlet Heart", she still went to participate in the pirated drama "Palace", showing no mercy or righteousness.

Recently, he even shamelessly accepted Liu Shishi's invitation to star in the movie "Goodbye Mr. Loser," completely betraying the sisterly bond between the two.

In response to Cai Yinong's accusations, Yu Zheng made a statement that same evening, claiming that time-travel dramas originated from "A Step into the Past" and "Love Through Time," and were not a novel subject.

The plot of "Palace: The Lock Heart Jade," which he wrote himself, is entirely original and there is no plagiarism involved. Yu Zheng also offered an explanation regarding the earlier release date.

It is said that Hunan TV saw the potential in "Palace" and adjusted it to be the opening drama of 2011. Facts have proved that the drama is excellent, and Hunan TV's decision was very correct.

Regarding Tangren's copyright lawsuit, Yu Zheng took a firm stance, stating that he has a clear conscience and is willing to take the matter to court.

After hearing Yu Zheng's response, Li Lingyan asked doubtfully, "Yuqing, do you think Yu Zheng plagiarized 'Scarlet Heart'?"

Liu Yuqing pondered for a moment, comparing the original plot of "Scarlet Heart" with "Palace": "It plagiarized a little bit, the matter of the release date being moved up is clear evidence."

The whole "grand opening drama" thing is nonsense. If the TV station really cared about it from the start, why would they have put "Palace" on air in March? It was clearly a last-minute decision, just to prevent "Scarlet Heart" from airing first.

Yang Mi responded to Cai Yinong the next day, first thanking him for giving her the opportunity to star in "Chinese Paladin 3", but saying that her role in "Palace" was just a normal acting job and that she had no regrets about it.

Regarding Cai Yinong's accusation of plagiarism, Yang Mi claimed that one person's opinion is not credible and that the truth will come out once the court's verdict is reached.

In general, Yang Mi's words implied support for Yu Zheng and disagreement with Cai Yi Nong's accusations.

Yu Zheng and Yang Mi vehemently denied the allegations. Although Cai Yinong was unwilling to let the matter rest, he was powerless to do anything about it for the time being, and the plagiarism issue still needed to wait for the court's ruling.

However, Cai Yinong responded sharply to Yang Mi's fans and fans of "Palace," stating that in the entertainment industry, one must ultimately let their work speak for itself.

When the drama "Scarlet Heart," starring Liu Shishi, airs, everyone will realize that pirated versions can never compare to the original.

I have to praise President Cai's wit. That last move was brilliant, leaving the audience itching to see what makes "Scarlet Heart," which gives her such confidence, so outstanding.

Tangren Media, as a leading producer of period dramas, is known for its high-quality productions. Xiao Bei himself is very much looking forward to "Scarlet Heart," and with Nie Yuan and Yu Bo in the cast, the lineup is indeed superior to "Palace."

Li Lingyan couldn't help but worry about her idol: "Yuqing, with the high ratings of 'Palace', can 'Scarlet Heart' surpass it?"

"What if the ratings aren't as good? Wouldn't that be really embarrassing for Shi Shi Jie? And Cai Yinong, isn't he putting her in a very difficult position?" Liu Yuqing pouted, completely unconcerned: "It doesn't matter. Even if the ratings aren't as good, Shi Shi Jie can just make it official. She can play my brother's trump card. As the wife of the richest man, who in the entertainment industry would dare to say a word?"

Li Lingyan shook her head: "I still hope that my sister's 'Scarlet Heart' will surpass 'Palace' in a fair and square way, leaving those people speechless."

Liu Yuqing patted her best friend on the shoulder, full of confidence: "Don't worry, I have confidence in Shishi's performance and Tangren's production level."

The comments in the video continued: "The matter should have ended here. We'll have to wait until 'Scarlet Heart' airs to compare its merits and demerits."

Unexpectedly, whether it was out of genuine sisterly affection or a desire to ride the wave of popularity, several members of the Teddy Sisters group, including Qin Lan and Huo Siyan, stepped forward to support Yang Mi.

Does Cai Yinong, who owes Yang Mi a little favor, really think he can blackmail her for life?

Cai Yinong was ridiculed by the public, and Tangren's top male and female stars naturally couldn't sit still. On the other hand, Yang Mi, Liu Shishi, and Hu Ge might still be mindful of their past relationships.

But he showed no mercy to Qin Lan and Huo Siyan. He rebuked them without any leniency, accusing them of deliberately stirring up trouble to gain attention.

He has absolutely no sense of responsibility as a public figure and no moral bottom line whatsoever.

The two fan groups, Little Lion and Pepper, were incredibly aggressive, bombarding the Weibo accounts of several celebrities who spoke out in support of Yang Mi with various attacks, leaving more than a dozen fan groups in disarray.

Seeing that their allies were struggling, Yang Mi's fans rushed to her aid, which finally turned the tide.

Anyway, right now the little lion and the bee are locked in a chaotic battle on Weibo and Tieba, with all sorts of flame wars dominating the screen.

"The sisters have been up to something lately, how come I didn't know?" Liu Yuqing recalled, not seeing any special notifications in the fan group.

"It's mainly the fans from Tieba and Tianya who are fighting. Our group is full of technically prolific fans who are good at data manipulation and promotion. They're not very good at getting into arguments with other fans or digging up dirt on their rivals."

"Alright, how's the battle going?" Liu Yuqing was very concerned about the outcome of the battle. Although she didn't quite agree with this kind of verbal fighting, she still hoped that her sister-in-law's side would win.

"I would say they have a slight advantage, but Yang Mi is really popular right now, and there are quite a few new faces on the Mafeng side."

"Several members of the Teddy Sisters were criticized, and their boyfriends couldn't sit still. Qin Lan's boyfriend, director Lu Chuan, and Li Xiaolu's boyfriend, Jia Nailiang, also stepped in to support their girlfriends and Yang Mi."

They accused Tangren Media of being jealous of the huge success of "Palace" and deliberately stirring up trouble.

Hu Ge and Liu Shishi were not alone; Nie Yuan and Yu Bo also came out to support Cai Yinong.

For a time, the two camps resembled two armies facing off, each with a large number of supporters, and public opinion continued to rise.

However, the observant Xiao Bei noticed something very strange.

As the biggest investor in "Palace" and also Yang Mi's agency, entertainment industry giant Tengda Culture has yet to make any statement.

Even none of the artists under their management have commented on the matter.

Xiao Bei couldn't help but wonder if it was because both dramas were streamed on TT Video, a subsidiary of Tengda, and Tengda Culture had been warned by senior management to remain neutral to avoid impacting the platform's interests?

Upon hearing the blogger's deduction, Li Lingyan chuckled: "Cai Yinong has a really good sense of propriety. He didn't mention Tengda Culture at all, but put his senior sister in front of him. It's a typical case of a fox borrowing the tiger's power."

Liu Yuqing chimed in, "That's called using the eldest sister to gain power—brilliant!"
Behind "Palace" are Hunan TV and Tengda Culture. If it weren't for Sister Shi's connections, Cai Yinong wouldn't have been able to afford to offend either of them.

The narrator in the video became increasingly agitated: "In short, the Cai-Yu dispute has evolved into a war of mutual attacks within the entertainment industry."

For example, when a reporter interviewed director Ma Xin about which side he was on in the movie "Goodbye Mr. Loser," he dodged the question and seemed unwilling to get involved in the love triangle between the two female leads.

As a result, Director Ma turned around and launched a fierce attack on Weibo, giving Director Lu Chuan a thorough dressing down.

Director Lu Chuan is a leading figure among the new generation of directors, and she's not someone to be trifled with. She had a passionate exchange with Director Ma.

He even made a bold statement, saying he would compare his new film "The Last Supper" with "Goodbye Mr. Loser" to see which film would have a higher box office.

Director Ma wasn't backing down either, meeting the challenge head-on, even threatening to avoid Lu Chuan like the plague if the box office failed.

"Do they have a grudge against each other?"

Entertainment insider Li Lingyan nodded slightly: "Lu Chuan and Ma Xin are both hailed by the media as leading figures among the new generation of directors in China."

However, Lu Chuan, considering himself a renowned film director, felt he was not on the same level as a television director like Ma Xin, and repeatedly expressed his disdain for Ma Xin in front of reporters.

The two became enemies because of this, and it's estimated that Ma Xin, seeing Lu Chuan's enthusiastic performance this time, couldn't help but come out and confront him.

Liu Yuqing shrugged: "The entertainment industry is really complicated!"

"On one side, directors Lu Chuan and Ma Xin are going head-to-head. On the other side, actress Huang Yi also posted a blog post, publicly criticizing Huo Siyan."

Huo Siyan was not to be outdone and countered in a different way, calling Huang Yi a bitter woman, vain, and a habitual liar.

She told Huang Yi to stop pinning her fat, greasy-haired ex-husband on her. She also warned Huang Yi that if she dared to hire online trolls to smear her on Weibo and Baidu Tieba as a mistress, she wouldn't be so lenient.

Good heavens, the drama surrounding Cai Yu's feud isn't even over yet, and now actresses Huang Yi and Huo Siyan are tearing each other apart over love, staging a Huang-Huo showdown!

The situation took a sudden turn, leaving Liu Yuqing and Li Lingyan dumbfounded. They exclaimed, "So confusing! So confusing!"

That concludes this roundup. In the next episode, Xiao Bei will delve into the background and consequences of the Huang-Huo battle.

In a few days, "Scarlet Heart" will be broadcast, and Xiao Bei will start a column to provide a detailed analysis of the plot.

Let's see if this drama, as Cai Yinong said, can surpass "Palace" in every aspect! Remember to follow!

Liu Yuqing took a big bite of potato chip and said seriously, "I think watching female celebrities fight over love is more interesting than Yu Zheng and Cai Yinong."

(End of this chapter)