[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-lord-of-the-proles":3,"chapter-lord-of-the-proles-lord-of-the-proles-chapter-259":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Lord of the Proles",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2290557,4478,"Chapter 259: Hollow Code Copper Seal","lord-of-the-proles-chapter-259",259,"\u003Cp>“Seven Brother, it’s me, Qin Tianjiu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Tianjiu, Qin Xiaopang, had met Ma Wu once before; he remembered Ma Wu and recognized him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Wu remembered Qin Xiaopang, but he simply couldn’t recognize him now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first time Ma Wu saw Qin Tianjiu, this little fatty was about one meter seventy tall and weighed around one hundred and seventy jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, the boy before him was still about one meter seventy tall, but his weight barely reached ninety jin; his body had changed, his face had changed, and because he’d become so emaciated, even his voice had changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder Ma Wu didn’t recognize him—even Li Banfeng hadn’t recognized him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after Xiaopang revealed his identity and explained his purpose did things become clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would never hide anything from Li Banfeng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Qin Tianjiu ate the Changlu Silk Moth, his appetite exploded; within half a year, he advanced continuously and became a Level Three cultivator. The Three Heroes Gate regarded him as a talent and broke protocol to promote him to Copper Seal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, this so-called break-in-promotion wasn’t much of a privilege; in the Three Heroes Gate, Level One and Two cultivators were Iron Seals, while Level Three and Four were Copper Seals—this had been the rule for years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiaopang wasn’t suited to be a Copper Seal mainly because his seniority was too shallow; he was only twenty-one, which was clearly too young—none of the familiar Copper Seals were under forty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, he’d only joined the gang for less than a year; other Copper Seals had spent at least ten or twenty years climbing through the ranks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone in his position, even if made a Copper Seal, would struggle to command respect, especially in a traditional place like Yaowang Gully—if Xiaopang became a Copper Seal, the gang would fall into chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the Three Heroes Gate simply transferred Qin Tianjiu to Lüshui City and made him a Hollow Code Copper Seal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was a Hollow Code Copper Seal?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It meant he was given the title but no territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Three Heroes Gate, a Copper Seal controlled several streets; all merchants on those streets paid him tribute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But a Hollow Code Copper Seal had no territory, meaning no income—Qin Tianjiu and his few subordinates’ food and expenses were entirely subsidized by the gang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isn’t that fine? It’s like someone’s paying your salary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Actually, it wasn’t fine at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Three Heroes Gate, brothers risked their lives daily; who didn’t want a better life?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xiaopang’s life wasn’t good; he was nominally a Copper Seal, yet his earnings barely matched an Iron Seal’s and weren’t much better than an ordinary gang member’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Xiaopang was content—he knew clearly that rapid advancement came with this cost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides subsidies, the gang also rewarded Hollow Code Copper Seals if they completed special missions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today’s mission was especially unusual: Xiaopang had been ordered by the Silver Seal to provoke Ma Wu on set.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seven Brother, I didn’t know this film was yours—if I had known, I wouldn’t have come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But since I’m here, it might not be a bad thing. Keep filming. I’ll handle the rest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng said: “This order came from your Silver Seal. What can you possibly do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why not arrange a meeting? Get your Silver Seal to meet us—maybe we can resolve this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Tianjiu replied: “We’ll definitely arrange a meeting, but not yet. I know the Silver Seal’s nature and the gang’s ways—leave this to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also, I need to discuss something with Seven Brother: these next few days, I’ll bring a few brothers to stay on set. They might speak crudely or even act roughly—don’t pay them any mind. Pretend they don’t exist.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng nodded. Ma Wu looked at Xiaopang and said: “Qin Brother, how much time has passed? Your transformation is enormous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Young Master Wu, there's more to it, but now isn't the time to talk. Let me finish this task first, then we'll chat properly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Tianjiu and his men stayed on set; Ma Wu continued filming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His subordinates watched Xiaopang, confused about his intentions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One subordinate, named Yue Shucai, a Level One Literary Cultivator, was close to Xiaopang. He lowered his voice and asked: “Brother Nine, are we not doing this job anymore?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course we are—just watch for now.” As he spoke, Qin Tianjiu’s expression turned grim. Yue Shucai dared not ask more and sat quietly beside Xiaopang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At noon, the crew ate. Ma Wu specially prepared meals for Xiaopang and his men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Shucai still couldn’t understand. He asked again: “Brother Nine, what’s going on? Do we eat or not?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eat. Eat first, then talk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiaopang ate first; the others followed. The meal was eaten with uneasy hearts—they all felt something was coming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the afternoon, Qin Tianjiu told the group: “Stay here. I’m going to see the Silver Seal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Shucai panicked: “Brother Nine, is something wrong? Don’t leave us here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Something’s happened, but how to handle it depends on the Silver Seal’s orders. Listen to me: no one moves without my command!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiaopang left. The rest waited, trembling, silent until the crew finished work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Tianjiu truly went to see the Silver Seal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silver Seal Tan Jinle was listening to opera in a private room at Qingyun Tea House. When he heard Xiaopang had come, he dismissed all others, set down his teacup, and half-reclined in his chair: “Did you finish the job with Ma Wu?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Tianjiu shook his head: “I went, but I didn’t finish.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you didn’t finish, why are you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I brought my men. I told him to stop filming. He refused. I thought of forcing him—but Ma Wu didn’t back down. He said if I moved, he’d fight back, and he’d take responsibility.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh my, he’s got spirit!” Tan Jinle laughed. “Fine. Teach him a lesson. Smash his gear. Tell the boys to be careful—no one dies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gold Brother, he said there’s someone special on set.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What special person? Left Wu Gang? Let him touch you—I’ll see if he dares.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not Left Wu Gang. Ma Wu said the Lu family is here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Jinle sat upright and slammed his teacup on the table: “Who from the Lu family?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He didn’t say. I didn’t see anyone. I don’t know if he’s lying. I think he’s bluffing. I considered ordering my men to attack—see if the Lu family is really there. If they are…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t!” Tan Jinle snapped. “Attack? If the Lu family really is there, won’t it be too late?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Xiaopang lowered his head: “I didn’t dare act on my own. That’s why I came to report. This is the gang’s order—I can’t refuse. Otherwise, how can I ever stand in the gang…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who said you can’t do it? Do it! Keep your men stationed at Ma Wu’s set. Don’t move. Just watch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just watch?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s wrong with watching? It’s still effort. Do you really want to provoke the Lu family?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But just watching without acting—won’t that be humiliating?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Jinle frowned: “That’s why you’re young—you don’t understand. What’s humiliating?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You standing before Ma Wu means the Three Heroes Gate has done its part. How well it was done? That depends on how you frame it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I think you handled this well. If the boss thinks it’s insufficient, he’ll scold you a little. But if you anger the Lu family, your life is over—and I’ll be dragged down with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Tianjiu sighed: “Then I’ll take my men and keep watch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go. Occasionally scare them a bit—but absolutely no fighting!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Tianjiu agreed. The next day, he brought his men back to the set.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing these thugs loitering on set, the actors grew fearful. When they shouted and swaggered nearby, many considered quitting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after a few days, they got used to it. It was just noise—loud and intimidating, yet they never actually did anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crew grew accustomed, but outsiders didn’t know the truth. Rumors spread that the Three Heroes Gate was going to wreck Ma Wu’s set. Passersby now avoided the location entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Chang instructed Ling Miaoying: “Hurry up filming. While the Three Heroes Gate is tying Ma Wu up, we must release ‘Blood Blade Detective’ Part Two first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling Miaoying delivered. A month later, Part Two premiered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On opening day, every theater in Lüshui City was packed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some seats were filled by people Ling Miaoying hired to boost turnout; others were genuine ticket buyers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling Miaoying roughly estimated: at least seventy percent occupancy, maybe even eighty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was an excellent result. If sustained, the film would make huge profits, and Ling Family Cinema would be firmly established.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, the momentum didn’t last. The next day, occupancy dropped below sixty percent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The third day, it fell below half.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the following days, theaters grew nearly empty—almost no one came to watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Changhong didn’t understand. He went to a theater himself. The movie had barely started when many audience members stood up and walked out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was going on?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They paid for tickets—and left before the end?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two audience members dressed well—clearly wealthy. Zhou Changhong followed them and smiled: “Why leave? I thought it was great.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Great? If I’d known, I wouldn’t have come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Changhong urged: “You already paid. Stay a little longer—it’s not a loss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man waved him off: “A ticket’s cheap. The problem is this movie’s fake.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fake?” Zhou Changhong froze. “What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t you see? Look how tightly they’re covered—what’s there to see? Nothing real at all!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Changhong was baffled. Another audience member said: “We bought the wrong ticket. We wanted ‘Blood Spear Detective’—that’s the real one. This is a fake. Total waste of time!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Blood Blade Detective’ had become the counterfeit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Changhong sat through the entire film.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The movie had no flaws. Ling Miaoying had poured her heart into it—it would rank among the best even in other provinces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem wasn’t the film—it was the audience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without ‘Blood Spear Detective,’ ‘Blood Blade Detective’ would have easily held seventy percent occupancy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But these viewers didn’t come to watch a movie—they came for blood and guns. ‘Blood Blade Detective’ didn’t match their expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should Ling Miaoying shift direction—follow Ma Wu’s path?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They couldn’t do what Ma Wu did—it would destroy the Ling family’s reputation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, films made that way weren’t what he wanted—and they’d block future projects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Changhong had a clear plan—this matter didn’t need rushing; as long as Ma Wu’s film couldn’t be made, and people forgot his filthy movie, things would return to the original plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten days later, *Blood Spear Detective Part Two* was released.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Little promotion was done—Ma Wu placed a few notices in the newspapers, then let the film premiere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On opening day, Zhou Changhong couldn’t get a seated ticket, so he bought a standing one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He watched the film to the very end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, he’d seen enough of those shocking images—there were too many of them in Waizhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he desperately wanted to know one thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this film, who was the real culprit?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The story of this film wasn’t bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The story was solid, and the impact was strong—what could *Blood Blade Detective* possibly compete with?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grand visuals?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Famous actors?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lavish filming techniques?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did any of these truly matter to the audiences of Puzhou?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Changhong’s cheeks twitched repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could he possibly stop *Blood Spear Detective*?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should he go himself and smash the set?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: He wouldn’t be that impulsive, would he?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1917,"2026-06-20T03:43:16.386Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","408659320ad0dc3f53d203267659a33e60e247780d8d264df59d1c36c93ed853","lord-of-the-proles-chapter-260","lord-of-the-proles-chapter-258",863,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flord-of-the-proles-cover.jpg"]