Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 387 Once it started, it couldn't be stopped.

The Zhen-Zhao incident escalated rapidly, quickly evolving into a "battle of factions" affecting half of the entertainment industry within just one week.

Dozens of celebrities have publicly expressed their support, with most Hong Kong and Taiwanese artists backing Donnie Yen, while mainland stars have collectively voiced their support for Zhao Wenzhuo, clearly indicating a confrontational stance.

Because the production team remained tight-lipped, netizens were eager to know the truth, so the media turned their attention to Jing Tian, ​​the female lead of "Special Identity".

Under pressure from netizens' relentless attacks, Miss Jing publicly expressed her support for Zhao Wenzhuo on Weibo on February 13.

Although no specific details were revealed, Jing Tian's stance as a core member of the production team carries significant weight, sparking heated discussions among netizens.
"I knew it. Zhao Wenzhuo has an upright look on his face. He doesn't seem like the kind of person who acts like a big shot."

"Hong Kong celebrities always bully mainland celebrities. The assault incident a few years ago was another example. Do they still think it's the last century and live in the superiority of the past? It's time to face reality."

"What else does Hong Kong cinema have besides crime films these days? They're making a bunch of terrible movies and they don't even reflect on their own shortcomings!"

The involvement of Jing Tian, ​​a party involved in the production team, further encouraged mainland artists, and more and more celebrities joined in the support, even bringing up old grievances to accuse Hong Kong stars of suppressing mainland artists, causing the conflict to continue to escalate.

Just as public opinion was overwhelmingly against Donnie Yen, Lai Ming, one of Hong Kong's "Four Heavenly Kings," stepped forward to support him.

They also appealed to netizens to view the matter rationally, emphasizing that this was a private dispute between Zhen Zidan and Zhao Wenzhuo, and that innocent people should not be dragged into it.

It turns out that Shu Qi, who was the first to speak out for Donnie Yen, became the target of public criticism, and his Weibo account was attacked by countless netizens.

Even more dramatically, actress Liu Jialing liked a Weibo post that exposed Shu Qi's scandals, although she later clarified that it was a slip of the hand.

However, this still caused Shu Qi to have an emotional breakdown. She spent 6 hours deleting all her social media posts and was photographed crying alone in the street.

Lai Ming is, after all, a leading figure among Hong Kong artists. His status and influence are undeniable, and his words carry considerable weight. His intervention temporarily stabilized the declining public opinion in the Hong Kong entertainment circle.

However, at this point, right and wrong are no longer important. This incident has completely evolved into a head-on collision between the Hong Kong entertainment industry and the mainland entertainment industry, a confrontation between the two camps.

With Fan Bingbing's cry of "The people need the truth!", the waves surged again, and more heavyweight figures in the entertainment industry followed suit.

February 14, Valentine's Day, top-floor office of the headquarters building of Hong Kong Lai Sun Group.

With a panoramic view of Victoria Harbour through the floor-to-ceiling windows, Lin Jianyue picked up her teacup and smiled at the guest opposite her: "Mr. Jiang, what brings you here today?"

Jiang Zhiqiang, president of Le'an Pictures, smiled and said, "What, Mr. Lin, you don't welcome me?"

"Not at all, Mr. Jiang's presence is an honor to our humble abode." Lin Jianyue gestured for him to sit down, then turned to his secretary and instructed, "Bring out my treasured Pu'er tea."

After a few cups of tea, Jiang Zhiqiang noticed that Lin Jianyue consistently avoided discussing serious matters and didn't inquire about his purpose. He cursed her under his breath, calling her an "old fox."

I had to get straight to the point: "Mr. Lin, I'm sure Chen Kexin has already told you, right? The 'American Dreams in China' project has fallen through!"

Lin Jianyue nodded helplessly. It's not easy for Hong Kong investors to invest in good projects in the mainland these days. He had high hopes for this cooperation with Huaying, but he didn't expect to be outmaneuvered at the last minute.

Jiang Zhiqiang took a sip of tea, his expression meaningful: "Mr. Lin, are we just going to let this go like this?"

Lin Jianyue squinted and said sincerely, "I fully support whatever ideas Jiang Sheng has."

Jiang Zhiqiang was speechless for a moment. He had originally wanted to incite Lin Jianyue to take the lead, but he did not expect the other party to be so shrewd.

Lin Jianyue sneered inwardly, thinking he was an idiot for trying to sow discord.

Last year, several wealthy wives in Hong Kong had a conflict with the wife of the richest man in the north. Even top-tier wealthy families like the Xu and Li families bowed their heads and gave in. With such a lesson in mind, how could he be foolish enough to offend the Song family?

"Mr. Lin, the mainland film and television industry is becoming increasingly powerful. If we don't unite, we might not even have a place to stand in the industry in the future." Jiang Zhiqiang said with a look of resentment and indignation.

"It's an inevitable trend, something neither you nor I can reverse. The golden age of Hong Kong films is finally over," Lin Jianyue said softly, looking out the window.

Looking back, the period from the late 70s to the late 90s was the golden age of Hong Kong's entertainment industry, with the emergence of the Four Heavenly Kings and the popularity of TVB dramas across Asia.

Hong Kong pop culture has had a profound impact on mainland China, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and even Chinese people all over the world, but its glory will eventually come to an end.

"Jiang Sheng, after the 97 Asian financial crisis, Taiwanese capital withdrew, piracy became rampant, and Hollywood made an impact."

Under triple pressure, Hong Kong's annual film production has plummeted from over 300 films to around 50, showing a clear decline.

I heard that this year is the last TVB training class, and it will be discontinued next year.

Jiang Zhiqiang's pupils suddenly contracted, and he was extremely shocked. TVB's acting training class is the star-making factory of Hong Kong's entertainment industry. Countless superstars have come out of here.

If the event is discontinued, the Hong Kong entertainment industry will inevitably face a talent shortage and further decline.

After the initial shock, Jiang Zhiqiang quickly composed himself: "Mr. Lin, although it is the general trend, we must never give up the interests that we should fight for."

The less you fight for a voice, the less you have. I'm not one to be complacent; moving north was an inevitable choice. I'll compromise when necessary, but I won't let myself be exploited.

Lin Jianyue gave the film industry mogul in front of him a meaningful look, thinking to himself, "After going through all this trouble, he still wants to go north and get a piece of the pie."

But that's understandable. With a super market of 1.4 billion people right there, who wouldn't be tempted?

However, he was not interested in Jiang Zhiqiang's so-called "struggle for the right to speak".

Lai Sun Group has partnered with Alibaba Group's Yunfeng Capital to establish Huanya Films, leveraging Alibaba Group's distribution channels to initially penetrate the mainland market.

Seeing that Lin Jianyue was not very interested, Jiang Zhiqiang continued to persuade him: "Mr. Lin, it is precisely because the mainland is strong that we should stick together for warmth."

The dispute between Donnie Yen and Zhao Wenzhuo has now escalated into a conflict between the entertainment industries of Hong Kong and mainland China. We shouldn't stand idly by; we need to lend a hand. Otherwise, how will Hong Kong artists establish themselves in the mainland in the future?

Lin Jianyue waved her hand dismissively: "Jiang Sheng is exaggerating!"

"Lin Sheng, what about 'American Dreams in China'? Can't you see the reality right in front of you?" Jiang Zhiqiang's tone was quite agitated. "Cancelling a project that was almost certain to succeed with just a few words, doesn't that prove anything?"

These words clearly touched Lin Jianyue. After a moment of contemplation, she finally relented and asked, "What does Jiang Sheng plan to do?"

Jiang Zhiqiang breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing that Lin Jianyue was willing to support him: "We absolutely cannot lose this battle of public opinion! I will gather the strength of all Hong Kong artists to support Donnie Yen. Also..."

After hearing Jiang Zhiqiang's plan, Lin Jianyue frowned: "Jiang Sheng, I'm afraid this is not appropriate. Besides, Weibo is Tengda's private territory, and we can't compete with it."

"Tenda isn't the only internet giant. Besides Weibo and Toutiao, we can expand across other platforms. Don't worry, I'll be careful and won't leave any evidence against me."

Lin Jianyue, still concerned, cautioned, "Jiang Sheng, remember to know when to stop. Some things are common knowledge; we don't need evidence. If we incite the entire mainland entertainment industry to unite against us, the consequences will be unimaginable." Jiang Zhiqiang nodded cautiously, "I understand. Besides, the mainland entertainment industry isn't monolithic, which gives us an opportunity!"

At dusk, Tengda Culture.

As it was nearing the end of the workday, Liu Rong was about to leave and lock her office door when Yang Tianzhen, the artist director, rushed over.

"Mr. Liu, I have an emergency to report."

Helpless, Liu Rong unlocked the door again: "Come in and let's talk."

As soon as the two sat down on the sofa, Yang Tianzhen couldn't wait to report: "President Liu, a lot of negative information about Yang Mi, Wang Luodan and other artists of our company has suddenly appeared on online platforms such as Tieba and Tianya."

Liu Rong's expression changed drastically: "Is this only targeting our company's artists?"

"Not only that, but there are several other popular actresses and actors, but our company's employees were targeted the most, which is clearly an organized and premeditated action."

Liu Rong pondered for a moment: "Could it be the work of the Hong Kong entertainment circle?"

Yang Tianzhen nodded: "I think the Hong Kong entertainment circle must be the instigator, but the company is a big tree that attracts a lot of attention, and there are many people who are envious. When they see an opportunity to attack the company's popular artists, they will inevitably add fuel to the fire."

I had people investigate, and the smear campaign was being posted from overseas IP addresses, making it very difficult to pinpoint the mastermind and determine which specific force was behind it.

A cold glint flashed in Liu Rong's eyes: "Is this a way to shift the blame eastward? Or perhaps to make an example of someone?"

"President Liu, the enemy is coming on strong, and the key problem is that we don't even know who the enemy is. What should we do?"

"Is the technical department unable to track IP addresses?"

Yang Tianzhen looked troubled: "It's difficult. They are all overseas online troll accounts, and it's not easy to investigate them in a short time unless we ask the group's information security department to do some technical tracing."

Liu Rong squinted, pondered for a moment, and instructed, "Handle entertainment industry matters the way entertainment industry matters should be handled. The company should issue an official statement first, and simultaneously contact mainstream official media to seize the initiative in public opinion."

We sent lawyer's letters to platforms like Baidu, demanding they remove the fabricated and infringing content. Then, we sued each and every one of them, as long as we could find their identity.

"Mr. Liu, this method only treats the symptoms, not the root cause. Should we have our PR team muddy the waters...?"

Liu Rong raised her hand to interrupt: "No need. We were in the right to begin with, but resorting to violence will only give others ammunition against us. The root of this problem lies in the Zhen-Zhao incident. Let's pin the blame on them first. Go and do as I say immediately."

"Understood!" Yang Tianzhen replied, and hurriedly got up to handle the aftermath.

At 8 p.m. that evening, Tengda Culture's official Weibo account issued a solemn statement: In view of the fact that our company's artists Yang Mi, Wang Luodan, Lü Yi and others have been subjected to unwarranted smears and rumors, our company will take legal measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of our artists.

Meanwhile, rumors spread like wildfire that Tengda Culture suspected Hong Kong artists were behind the incident. Therefore, until the truth came out, Tengda Culture and its business partners suspended all cooperation with Hong Kong artists.

The news caused an immediate uproar in the entertainment industry. Tengda Culture had essentially laid its differences bare, completely severing ties with the Hong Kong entertainment circle. The situation began to spiral out of control, creating widespread anxiety within the industry.

Late at night, at Donghai Tangren Film and Television Company.

Cai Yi-nong had been following the developments all day and had also learned about the rumors released by Tengda Culture. Just as he was marveling at Tengda's confidence and toughness, his assistant rushed into the office in a panic.

"President Cai, something terrible has happened!"

Cai Yinong's heart skipped a beat: "Quickly, what is it?"

The assistant, panting heavily, reported intermittently, "President Cai, there are rumors circulating online about Sister Shi, saying that she..."

"say what?"

The assistant's eyes flickered, hesitating to speak: "The haters are spreading rumors that Senior Sister can't...can't have children?"

"Are they insane? How could they be so ruthless!" Cai Yinong slammed his fist on the table, his face filled with disbelief.

She originally thought that the Hong Kong entertainment circle was already incredibly audacious in targeting artists from Tengda Culture, but she never expected that even the top female artist would be dragged into this and spread such vicious rumors and slander. Isn't she afraid of retaliation from the richest man?
After his outburst of anger, Cai Yi-nong forced himself to calm down, his mind racing: "No, this might not be something done by the Hong Kong entertainment circle! Could it be from Taiwan? Or are other people trying to take advantage of the situation?"

The situation developed completely beyond expectations. After much deliberation, Cai Yi-nong decided to try to communicate with Liu Shi-shi, but after several attempts, he could not get through and had to give up for the time being and think of a solution the next day.

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong.

Jiang Zhiqiang is on the phone with Boss Yang.

"Jiang Zhiqiang, are you crazy? We made a deal beforehand: it's fine to cause some trouble for the new generation of mainland stars, but you absolutely cannot drag Liu Shishi into this. Do you really think Song Ci wouldn't dare to touch you?"

Mr. Yang roared in exasperation, clearly having also heard the rumors circulating online about the richest man's wife.

Jiang Zhiqiang was sweating profusely with anxiety: "It really wasn't me! I just wanted to go north to make a living, how could I possibly use Liu Shishi against me?"

Seeing Jiang Zhiqiang's confident assertion, Boss Yang remained skeptical: "Is it really not you?"

Jiang Zhiqiang repeatedly explained, "It's absolutely true! I'm just a small film and television company owner. I'm not crazy enough to offend the richest man in Asia!"

"That would be best." Boss Yang visibly breathed a sigh of relief, then frowned again. "Jiang Sheng, it's not enough for Lin Sheng and me to believe in you; Song Ci has to believe in you too."

You started this whole thing, so if you can't prove your innocence, you'll probably be held responsible!

"What should I do!" Jiang Zhiqiang was filled with regret.

"Jiang Sheng, think carefully, do you have any enemies? Maybe someone wants to kill you, you should investigate quickly."

Upon hearing this, several faces flashed through Jiang Zhiqiang's mind, but for the moment, he couldn't be sure who wanted to harm him.

"Jiang Sheng, things have come to this point, you must stop immediately! Clean up all traces, leave absolutely no evidence."

"Understood! I'll take care of it right away."

Boss Yang nodded slightly, his tone icy: "Jiang Sheng, I just discussed this with Lin Sheng, Xiang Sheng, and others. If things really get out of control, I hope you will be willing to take responsibility!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhiqiang flew into a rage: "You... fine! Very well!"

(Second update a little later, still in progress)

(End of this chapter)