Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 401 Classical Chinese Style
Inside the Tengda conference room, Jian Ning, with a gentle smile, served tea to each person with both hands and said softly:
"Hello everyone, I am Jian Ning, Chairman Song's secretary. The chairman has some urgent business to attend to and will be there shortly. Please wait a moment."

Everyone present responded politely: "Mr. Song, your business is urgent, it's alright if we wait a bit." "Ms. Jian, you're too kind."

After Jian Ning left the meeting room, the atmosphere gradually became more lively.

A woman with impeccable makeup and stylish clothes broke the silence first: "Congratulations, Mr. Chen, on securing the wedding planning order for celebrities Li Xiaolu and Jia Nailiang!"

Chen Min, chief planner of Huiai Company, smiled broadly and humbly replied, "It's just luck."

Mr. Yang, your "Mediterranean Romantic" wedding design for Deng Chao and Sun Li last year, which utilized a large amount of white floral arrangements and crystal elements, was a classic and provided a lot of inspiration for us in the industry.

Yang Se, hailed in the industry as a "dream weaver" of celebrity weddings, glanced at everyone in the meeting room and couldn't help but feel a sense of pressure.

She knew everyone present. Gao Yijing and Pan Yuzhen, who were beside her, were both top wedding planners in China whose reputations were no less than her own.

Sitting opposite them were representatives from three leading domestic high-end wedding planning companies: Red Lily, Huiai Flower Pavilion, and others.

With such formidable competitors, the difficulty of securing this wedding order from Asia's richest man is self-evident.

With a determined gaze, floral design master Gao Yijing has been deeply involved in the high-end wedding market for many years. She rose to fame early in her career for planning a sensational wedding for the daughter of Foxconn Group.

If they could secure the billionaire's wedding project, it would undoubtedly be a significant addition to their business empire.

Pan Yuzhen, known as the chief expert on celebrity weddings, smiled and said, "Everyone here is a leader in the industry, and the significance of the wedding of Asia's richest man is self-evident."

Today, let's each rely on our own abilities and see whose proposal can better impress Mr. Song.

Representatives from the three planning companies, Hongbaihe, Huiai, and Huahaige, also showed confidence and were eager to try.

About twenty minutes later, footsteps approached from the outdoor corridor.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw the richest man, Song Ci, hurriedly enter the conference room, followed by his secretary, Jian Ning, whom he had just met.

Just as everyone was about to stand up, Song Ci raised her hand to indicate, "Please sit down, everyone. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

The richest man sat down in the head seat, his gaze sweeping over the top figures in the wedding planning industry: "I'm sure everyone is already familiar with the wedding theme. Let's get started, who wants to begin?"

“Chairman Song, let’s have our Hui’ai Company give the presentation first,” Chen Min, Hui’ai’s representative, quickly spoke up.

He understood that presenting the proposal first would give him an advantage and make a strong first impression on the client.

Seeing Song Ci nod in agreement, Chen Min quickly moved to his laptop and opened the PowerPoint file he had prepared beforehand.

In an instant, exquisite wedding visuals slowly unfolded on the electronic display screen in the conference room.

"Chairman Song, our company, Hui'ai, has always been committed to creating exclusive, high-quality weddings, and we are especially skilled in high-end customized services..."

After briefly introducing the company's advantages, Chen Min got to the point, "Based on the classical Chinese theme you proposed, our design proposal is..."

Song Ci tilted her head slightly, staring intently at the screen.

He had previously discussed with Liu Shishi and decided to hold a unique Chinese-style wedding, so he invited well-known wedding planners and companies in China to design the plan.

Today's selection is just a preliminary screening of the general framework. The wedding details will need to be refined by the couple and the planning team.

"...The groom's attire consisted of a Ming Dynasty python robe and jade belt, adorned with jade ornaments and a waist knife. The bride wore a wide-sleeved, high-waisted ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), a filigree gold phoenix crown, and exquisite embroidered shoes..."

Mr. Song, this concludes our wedding design proposal from Hui'ai.

Song Ci's expression remained calm, making it difficult to discern his opinion on the plan. He simply said, "Continue, next one."

The crowd exchanged glances. Since Hui'ai had already taken the lead, the order of the subsequent performances was no longer so important, and they took turns performing according to their seating order.

"Chairman Song, I am Gao Yijing. The theme of the Chinese wedding I designed is the Tang and Song Dynasty style."

Noticing the hint of interest in the richest man's expression, Gao Yijing's lips curled up slightly.

She had previously researched the story of Tang and Song poetry pairings online, carefully choosing the theme of Tang and Song charm to appeal to their tastes, and it seems to have been quite effective.

Following Gao Yijing, two companies, Hongbaihe and Huahaige, successively presented their wedding planning proposals.

The proposals from various companies were not unrefined; it's just that the content of Song Dynasty poetry felt largely the same, lacking a certain wow factor and exquisite detail.

In front of the laptop, Yang Se, the fifth speaker, manipulated the mouse and slowly flipped through the PPT, speaking with great emotion: "Chairman Song, you and your wife were childhood sweethearts. With time as the matchmaker and youth as the betrothal gift, you finally became a couple."

From school uniforms to wedding dresses, from going home after school to going home—what a romantic love story! Therefore, I believe your wedding should incorporate your personal story and artistic elements.

"Not bad!" Song Ci nodded in agreement. He felt that this plan was unique and more to his liking than the previous four plans.

This was the first time Mr. [Name] had expressed his opinion, and Yang Se immediately perked up, giving an even more enthusiastic presentation.

"...Mr. Song, my team also has in-depth cooperation with major high-end hotels in China, such as Park Hyatt, Four Seasons, and Atlantis, which can meet any of your wedding venue needs."

Song Ci suddenly interrupted, "I've already arranged the wedding venue. It's set at Fangfei Garden, Building 17, Diaoyutai State Guesthouse."

Upon hearing this, Yang Se cautiously reminded him, "Chairman Song, Diaoyutai is no ordinary place..."

Song Ci said casually, "I have already communicated and coordinated with the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse Administration. You don't need to worry about this."

Everyone present was secretly shocked. Diaoyutai State Guesthouse is an important venue for state and foreign affairs activities and is rarely open to private individuals. It is not possible to hold a wedding there with money alone. The richest man's influence is indeed extraordinary.

Seeing that the richest man had already made the arrangements, Yang Se was shocked but did not ask any more questions and continued to introduce the plan.

Ten minutes later, Pan Yuzhen, the last presenter, stepped forward. She took a deep breath; Yang Se's presentation had been outstanding, which had put a lot of pressure on her.

While opening the PowerPoint presentation, he spoke eloquently: "Mr. Song, I believe that a classical Chinese wedding should surpass traditional weddings in terms of cultural depth, aesthetic height, and sense of ceremony."

To create a grand event that combines profound historical heritage with modern high-end fashion.

"My wedding design takes 'Elegant Gathering of Chinese Style and Promise of a Distinguished Family' as its core theme, cleverly integrating wedding customs such as harmonious music and a long and happy marriage from the Book of Songs and the Book of Rites, giving the wedding a deeper cultural connotation."

In addition, plans are underway to invite experts in traditional Chinese culture or etiquette to serve as cultural consultants to ensure that the wedding ceremony conforms to the "Three Letters and Six Rites" and incorporates modern aesthetic concepts.

Song Ci straightened up slightly and sincerely praised, "Transcending the superficial luxury and pursuing cultural connotations and artistic beauty, this concept is very unique." Pan Yuzhen's PPT illustrations were exquisite and eye-catching. Hearing the richest man's praise, she became even more composed.

"In terms of overall design, we abandoned the traditional cliché of bright red and gold and instead adopted a more sophisticated classical color scheme."

For example, the elegant blue-green, sky blue, and moon white of the Song Dynasty; and the calm and steady cinnabar, azurite, and ink of the Ming Dynasty, further embellished with real gold, mother-of-pearl, and jade.

In terms of aesthetic concepts, themes such as the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, a vast landscape, and the four arts of literati run throughout, forming a unique narrative style.

Pan Yuzhen's design for the wedding style pleased Song Ci, who then asked, "How were the wedding dress and accessories planned? Do you have any design sketches of the phoenix coronet and embroidered robe? Let me see them."

"Yes, yes!" Pan Yuzhen quickly flipped through the PPT and explained, "Chairman Song, in terms of costume design, we have conducted in-depth research on cultural relics from the Song and Ming dynasties."

The plan is to hire top masters of Suzhou embroidery and Beijing embroidery, both intangible cultural heritage, to design wedding attire.

The bride's phoenix coronet and embroidered robe must be made with real gold thread and kingfisher feather inlay, and paired with top-grade pearls and gemstones; the fabrics must be made of precious materials such as silk satin, Song brocade, and kesi. The groom's attire can be a scholar-official's robe with a jade belt.

For ceremonial props, such as the fan, wedding cup, and tray, we will replicate museum collections or commission top-quality lacquerware, porcelain, and gold and silver ware. The wedding bowls, chopsticks, and other tableware will also be custom-made from top-quality porcelain or jade.

Just then, a knock came at the door, interrupting Pan Yuzhen's introduction.

Song Ci turned to look at the door and saw Wang Jing, who had just returned to work after giving birth, standing there: "Sister Jing, what's up?"

Wang Jing entered the conference room with a smile, holding a document in her hand, and came to Song Ci's side: "There is a document to be submitted to the regulatory authorities, which needs your signature."

Song Ci took the document, quickly flipped through it, and after a quick glance to confirm that it was a routine document, she signed her name.

While Song Ci was reviewing documents, Wang Jing glanced at the image displayed on the electronic screen and exclaimed, "What a beautiful phoenix coronet and wedding gown! President Song, are you going to have a wedding with Shishi?"

"Yes, it's set for New Year's Day next year." Song Ci smiled brightly and handed the signed document back to Wang Jing.

"Congratulations!" Wang Jing said with envy, her eyes fixed on the phoenix coronet and embroidered robe in the picture, which exuded ancient Chinese charm.

In that instant, I felt my wedding dress and diamond ring pale in comparison. "A proper marriage, with all the formalities and gifts, Shishi is so lucky!"

Seeing Wang Jing sit down and look at the wedding planning proposal with great interest, Song Ci didn't mind and turned to instruct, "Ms. Pan, please continue."

"Regarding the ceremony procedures, the core rituals of the six rites—betrothal, name inquiry, auspicious date selection, gift presentation, date setting, and wedding ceremony—are strictly based on the traditions of Tang and Song dynasty aristocratic families, and have been streamlined and optimized to suit modern realities. In addition, we will hire folklore authorities or masters of Chinese classical studies to serve as emcees..."

Pan Yuzhen's design plan was comprehensive, from the layout of the main venue and the welcoming area with its upturned eaves and coffered ceilings, to the elements such as palace lanterns, screens, and landscape paintings.

From the wedding car, invitations, guestbook, to the cloud and dragon and phoenix patterns on the bouquet, every detail of the wedding was truly meticulously crafted.

Wang Jing was amazed by the meticulous wedding planning: "I never knew a Chinese wedding was so complicated. Every step was done according to the plan. It probably wouldn't have been possible to do this without 3 million yuan."

Song Dynasty poetry is powerful and resonant, each word carrying weight, as if making a solemn vow.

"I'll only have this one wedding in my life. Since I have the means, I'll naturally make it a grand affair so that Shishi can marry into the Song family in style. A little expense is worth it."

After all the wedding planning proposals had been presented, Song Ci paused for a moment before speaking: "Ms. Pan and Ms. Yang, please wait a moment."

He then looked at the other four who were not selected: "Thank you all for coming all this way. I will arrange for someone to transfer the design fee today. Jian Ning, please see everyone off for me."

Although Chen Min, Gao Yijing, and others were filled with regret, they were convinced of their defeat. Pan Yuzhen and Yang Se's proposal was indeed more ingenious and superior in terms of creativity and detail.

Jian Ning smiled and raised her hand, gesturing, "Please follow me!"

The group sighed softly, got up, and left the office.

Wang Jing was still immersed in the breathtaking wedding planning when she saw the guests leaving. She then stood up to say goodbye, "President Song, I have to get back to work. I won't bother you any longer."

The meeting room returned to calm, and Song Ci said in a clear voice: "I greatly admire the personal story elements incorporated into Ms. Yang's proposal and the classical cultural style created in Ms. Pan's planning."

I hope the two of you can work together to organize my wedding and my loved one's wedding, combining these two highlights.

Yang Se and Pan Yuzhen exchanged a glance, both understanding that neither party could handle the massive order of 3 million yuan alone.

They immediately responded in unison, "It's an honor to host your wedding. We'll integrate the advantages of both plans and present a new proposal for your review as soon as possible."

"Thank you both!" Song Ci nodded. "Please wait a moment."

After saying that, he picked up his phone, opened WeChat video call to his wife, and the video call was connected shortly afterward.

"Husband!" Liu Shishi smiled radiantly, her voice brimming with joy, as if she had encountered something wonderful.

Song Ci laughed too: "Shishi, is there good news?"

On the screen, Liu Shishi smiled and said happily, "The Magnolia Awards just announced the nomination list, and I have been nominated again for Best Actress for my role as Ruoxi in 'Scarlet Heart'."

"Congratulations." Song Ci was happy for his wife's career advancement. "By the way, Shishi, I'm talking to the wedding planner about our wedding."

When will filming for "Silent Notes" wrap up? I'll wait for you to return to Beiping so we can finalize the wedding plans together.

Compared to being nominated for the Magnolia Award for Best Actress, preparing for her wedding was clearly something Liu Shishi was looking forward to more; she couldn't wait to see the phoenix coronet and embroidered robe she had been longing for.

She waved a bouquet of flowers at her husband and said, "I've finished filming! The crew is having a wrap party tonight, and I can go back to Beiping tomorrow. I'll be free for the next two weeks."

"Okay, then I'll wait for you to come back."

After ending the call with Liu Shishi, Song Ci turned her attention back to the two top planners: "Ladies, how long do you expect it to take to complete the new plan?"

The two said in unison, "Three days."

Song Ci calculated the time: "Then let's set it for Sunday the 20th, when we meet at Ms. Yang's company to finalize all the wedding details."

As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly remembered something and added, "Although the wedding is in a Chinese style, my wedding photos with Shishi are also essential. You can prepare the wedding dress design plan together at that time."

Pan Yuzhen's eyes were bright: "Don't worry, Chairman Song, our studio collaborates with top international wedding dress designers, and we're sure to satisfy Madam."

(End of this chapter)