Pirates began to dominate the Chinese entertainment industry.

Chapter 94 Taking Over Golden Harvest, Shocking the Entire Audience (Day 4 of 10,000 words per day, please subscribe)

Kowloon Bay, Golden Harvest Headquarters Building.

This six-story old building, surrounded by glass-walled skyscrapers, looks like an old cotton-padded coat hanging in a luxury store window.

The four gold brick logos in the lobby on the first floor were polished to a shine. The last thing Zou Wenhuai did before retiring was to have them re-gilded.

It was exactly 10:00 AM.

Ji Yun pushed open the conference room door, which was filled with smoke.

More than twenty executives occupied seats on both sides of the long table.

The three most senior production managers sat by the window, while the theater management department sat opposite them.

The cigarettes in their hands had burned down to the filters, and the ashtrays were piled high with them.

No one got up when Ji Yun entered.

An elderly man with white hair sat at the other end of the long table, slowly smoking a cigar and sizing up Ji Yun through the smoke.

Ji Yun had read the information.

Tsai Yung-chang, director of Golden Harvest's production department, joined Golden Harvest in 1970. He worked with Chow Man-wai to promote Shaw Brothers, support Bruce Lee, and sign Cheng Lung.

In terms of seniority, apart from Raymond Chow himself, no one in Hong Kong can overpower him.

"Mr. Ji, young man, you've got quite a entourage."

Cai Yongchang placed his cigar on the edge of the ashtray and smiled as he pointed to Huo Wenxi standing next to Ji Yun.

"They even poached Mani from Eagle Empire. No wonder Mr. Yang has been so irritable lately."

A low chuckle rippled through the conference room.

Huo Wenxi stood behind Ji Yun, her face slightly stiff.

She was previously the director of the artist management department and record department of Eagle Entertainment, a high-ranking and powerful position. She hadn't been ridiculed in public for a long time, but she still suppressed her anger and bowed slightly to call out "Uncle Cai".

"Uncle Cai," Ji Yun ignored his teasing, walked directly to the empty seat in the middle of the long table, casually threw a stack of documents on the table, and smiled, "I heard that when you were hospitalized last year, Mr. Zou personally visited you. You told Mr. Zou that as long as there is a breath left, Jiahe cannot fall."

Cai Yongchang's smile faded.

"That's why I'm here." Ji Yun crossed her legs, tapping her fingers lightly on the table. "I know many of you here are dissatisfied. Nineteen years old, from mainland China, started out making comedies, what gives you the right to control Golden Harvest?"

The meeting room fell completely silent.

Sitting next to Cai Yongchang, the deputy production manager Chen Zhixin stubbed out his cigarette, placed his hands on the table with his hands folded, and maintained a very good expression. However, the faint curve at the corner of his mouth betrayed his true thoughts.

"But the truth is simple: Golden Harvest is dying."

These words were like a stone thrown into stagnant water, causing the faces of several veteran officials to change drastically.

Cai Yongchang gripped the cigarette pack tightly, and the ash fell onto the table.

"Golden Harvest suffered a loss of HK$47 million last year, cinema attendance has declined for five consecutive years, and the production department has not produced a single film that grossed over HK$10 million in three years."

"If Mr. Chow hadn't sold the Lai Chi Kok plot of land last year, Golden Harvest wouldn't even have enough money to cover employee severance pay."

With each sentence he spoke, the temperature in the conference room dropped by one degree.

No one refuted him, because what he said was true.

"Zou sold his shares to me not because he trusted me."

Ji Yun stood up and slowly walked around the long table. "It's because in the last few years of his reign, none of you old ministers could carry this banner."

Chen Zhixin's face turned completely black.

Cai Yongchang bit his cheek, staring at Ji Yun for a long time, then suddenly sneered: "Mr. Ji, your eloquence is indeed remarkable. But making movies isn't just about talking. Tell me what you want to do."

Ji Yun returned to her seat and nodded to Huo Wenxi.

Huo Wenxi took out three business plans from her briefcase and pushed them in front of Cai Yongchang, Chen Zhixin, and the cinema director respectively.

"Three things, all to be launched within three months."

He held up one finger.

"First, the digital restoration project of 476 classic Hong Kong films in the Golden Harvest film library will be officially launched tomorrow."

I have brought in two technical teams from the mainland, along with staff recruited locally in Hong Kong, to complete the first batch of 50 4K restorations within three months. Once restored, they will be simultaneously released on mainland video platforms, initially with free licensing, and will become a paid service in the future.

The theater director was startled, silently looked up, and his expression changed from "polite but suspicious" to scrutinizing.

Fifty films in three months, that's really swift and efficient.

"Secondly," Ji Yun raised her second finger, "all 49 of Golden Harvest's cinemas in Asia will begin renovations by the end of the year."

The renovation includes not only replacing seats and upgrading the sound system, but also introducing Dolby Atmos, IMAX, and a more flexible film scheduling system.

Only by introducing intelligent systems can we truly reduce labor costs and improve scheduling efficiency. Currently, a single such system in mainland China costs only about 50,000 yuan, and I have already arranged a team to handle the implementation. It will cover all 49 cinemas, with a cost of less than 500,000 yuan.

He turned to Cai Yongchang and Chen Zhixin.

"Thirdly, Golden Harvest's production department must be restarted this year."

I'll decide on the new projects, I'll provide the funding, and you, Mr. Cai, will select the team.

But casting, script, and budget approval all have to pass my review.

He sat down, picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and moistened his throat.

"Anyone who has objections to the above three points may speak now."

The meeting room was so quiet you could hear the sea breeze outside the window.

The cinema director glanced around and, seeing no one speak, spoke first, his tone significantly lower than before: "Mr. Ji, I have no objections. We have already completed the financial audits for the first batch of twenty-odd cinemas."

Cai Yongchang leaned back in his chair and stared at Ji Yun for a long time.

Suddenly, he picked up the plan on the table, turned to the first page, which contained a detailed timetable and budget for the restoration of the Jiahe Film Archive.

"How long have you been preparing for this restoration plan?"

Ji Yun smiled, "Preparations began after Mr. Zou and I first had tea at the Peninsula."

Cai Yongchang fell silent.

He closed the proposal, took a pen from his suit pocket, unscrewed the cap, and signed his name on the last page.

Then he pushed the proposal back to Ji Yun.

"Mr. Ji, I feel somewhat relieved to have Jiahe in your care."

He stood up, walked up to Ji Yun, and whispered something only the two of them could hear: "Ah Huai didn't misjudge you."

Deputy Production Manager Chen Zhixin sat in his seat, his eyes flickering as he looked at the pen that Cai Yongchang had used to sign.

He is one of the leading figures of the younger generation at Golden Harvest, and his relationship with Orange Sky Entertainment has always been ambiguous.

Long before Ji Yun took over, people from Orange Sky approached him, promising that if he could lead the resistance against the new boss, Orange Sky would help him establish his own independent entity.

Now that Cai Yongchang has become the first to defect, his plans have been completely ruined.

"Chen Sheng, is there any other question?" Ji Yun's voice came from the other end of the long table, neither warm nor cold, but with a dangerous glint in her eyes.

Chen Zhixin forced a smile: "No problem. Mr. Ji has made such a good arrangement, I fully support him."

"Okay." Ji Yun glanced at him.

Then he turned to Mani Fok and said, "Mani, send out the personnel adjustment notice. Effective immediately, Mr. Cai will be promoted to Senior Advisor of Golden Harvest, with his salary remaining unchanged at the Director level; Mr. Chen Zhixin will be transferred to the Southeast Asia Cinema Management Department as Director, responsible for the operation of Golden Harvest's seven cinemas in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand."

Chen Zhixin's face instantly turned ashen.

Southeast Asia Cinema Management Department?

That was Golden Harvest's most peripheral business segment, managing small cinemas with less than 30% occupancy, whose combined annual revenue was less than that of a single cinema on Hong Kong Island.

This isn't a transfer; it's exile.

"Mr. Ji, I've been a producer for over ten years."

"That's why I'm letting you change your environment."

Ji Yun interrupted him, her smile gentle but her tone leaving no room for doubt, "Mr. Chen has been the deputy director of the production department for twelve years, without ever independently producing a film. Perhaps a change of field could bring him a new breakthrough."

Chen Zhixin opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something.

"Mr. Chen," Ji Yun stood up, walked to his side, and gently patted his shoulder, "The Southeast Asian market is the future of Golden Harvest. You have extensive experience, so you're perfect for it."

These words sound nice, but everyone understood the underlying meaning: I know all about your little dealings with outsiders, so if you know what's good for you, leave on your own.

Chen Zhixin looked at Ji Yun's excessively young yet frighteningly composed face, remained silent for a moment, then stood up, took off his employee badge from around his neck, and placed it on the table.

"Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Ji." He managed to say, then turned and walked out of the conference room.

The door closed behind him.

Ji Yun returned to her seat and looked around.

"Anyone else who wants to leave can do so now. I will provide full compensation in accordance with labor law."

The entire room was silent; no one moved.