[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment":3,"chapter-the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-chapter-139":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Intelligence King of Chinese Entertainment",{"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},2260442,4411,"Chapter 139: Made It Big: Top 50 Ratings of 2005","the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-chapter-139",139,"\u003Cp>Yu Yanli acted faster than Jiang Xuerou expected, finalizing the contract in less than four days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The broadcasting rights for “Water Moon Cave Heaven” were acquired by Sichuan TV and Guizhou TV at 600,000 yuan per episode, totaling 18 million yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, there was an additional clause: “Water Moon Cave Heaven” had to meet a minimum viewership standard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, it was a small bet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the ratings meet the target, they receive the full 18 million; if not, the price drops below the original 550,000 yuan per episode to approximately 15 million yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A 3-million-yuan difference—one way or the other—the TV stations save money when ratings are low and profit when they’re high, no problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Yi hesitated, preferring to secure the guaranteed payment, but Yu Yanli convinced them otherwise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bet contract Yu Yanli signed with the TV stations wasn’t overly demanding, and included multiple clauses like rebroadcast rights, making success quite possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Yi wasn’t a rookie company—they’d had several hit dramas and still had confidence in their own project, so they eventually agreed to take the risk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This also had to do with current industry trends.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>TV drama prices kept rising, quality varied wildly, competition among stations was fierce, and buying a drama that lost money happened all the time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to mention the human factors beyond the market.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last year, a CCTV official was sentenced to ten years in prison for bribery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Early this year, the producer of “The Emperor in Han Dynasty,” who also headed CCTV’s acquisition department, followed suit—rumor had it he repeatedly accepted bribes from production companies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such scandals, combined with the market environment, pushed TV stations to become even more cautious and “pragmatic” in acquiring dramas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many stations were deliberately tying acquisition prices to viewership ratings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially CCTV, which was deeply embroiled in the controversy, reportedly had already initiated reforms and planned to launch “Pay-per-Rating.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In plain terms, they’d air the drama first, then pay based on performance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example: if ratings hit 1% or below, 300,000 yuan per episode; if 3%, 400,000 yuan per episode; if x% or higher (capped), 500,000 yuan per episode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This greatly protected the TV stations’ interests while also improving the quality of prime-time programming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this would create serious trouble for producers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one could guarantee their drama would be a hit; great dramas sometimes flopped, terrible ones went viral, and many shows only became popular through rebroadcasts—this kind of game carried too much risk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now it was a buyer’s market, and TV stations—especially CCTV—were extremely dominant; if you refused to sell, someone else would.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once CCTV led the way, other stations would likely follow suit, jointly suppressing producers’ profits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Yu Yanli previously distributed “Water Moon Cave Heaven,” he’d chatted with someone from Sichuan TV.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They half-jokingly said that next time they signed a similar bet contract, the terms might be much harsher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yanli remained calm—he didn’t believe TV stations could stay unified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Competition among TV stations was fiercer than among production companies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if CCTV led the charge, some stations might follow, but others would stab CCTV in the back to snatch up quality projects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If CCTV adopted “Pay-per-Rating,” but other stations stuck to the old model, producers would have no trouble choosing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything has two sides!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, CCTV was the most powerful platform—good dramas were picked by them first, then local stations got the leftovers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, with “Pay-per-Rating,” production teams will vote with their feet—perhaps local stations will split the best dramas, leaving only the leftovers for CCTV.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With acquisition losses plus internal corruption, and a sharp decline in quality projects directly hurting overall station revenue—which is more serious?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yanli had been anxious at first, but after using his system to gather and analyze intelligence, he grew calmer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The situation won’t deteriorate to that extreme, but TV stations demanding ratings and engaging in bet contracts during acquisitions will likely become the norm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps in the future, producers will be forced to “buy ratings” just to satisfy TV stations and meet bet conditions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many old friends told Yu Yanli he’d changed—and changed quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each time, Yu Yanli smiled on the surface, but inside he sighed—every day immersed in this corrupt society, dealing daily with ruthless, seasoned sharks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he didn’t change, even with his system’s help, he’d still be manipulated and devoured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he had to change—become slicker, darker, crueler—and with his system’s aid, protect his own interests and even steal meat from those seasoned sharks’ mouths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite some added conditions, the 600,000-yuan-per-episode contract for “Water Moon Cave Heaven” was real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yanli proved his ability to seize opportunities, and collaborators naturally came knocking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only did people want to cooperate, some wanted to recruit him outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, Liu Yanming from Hai Run wanted him to bring Yi An and form a separate company to handle Hai Run’s distribution business.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Yi also sent word through intermediaries, saying they were open to discussions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a classic move in the film and TV industry—or business in general.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both Hua Yi and Hai Run had done this before: when expanding into artist management, they directly poached Wang Jinghua and Chang Jihong, taking the people, teams, and resources all at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One side provided platforms and capital, the other provided expertise and connections—mutually beneficial, growing stronger together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The same applied to Yu Yanli—he excelled at distribution and held strong TV station connections; both Hai Run and Hua Yi needed such talent, and Yu Yanli, backed by a major company, had solid guarantees and high growth potential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, that’s what they thought—Yu Yanli didn’t believe his own growth potential would be lower by joining Hai Run or Hua Yi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He enjoyed being his own boss, full of drive, and had no desire to work for anyone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he did work for someone, he wouldn’t choose private firms like Hua Yi or Hai Run—he’d rather join CCTV or China Film Group, the giants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe in a few years, he’d even enter the Ministry…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding Hai Run and Hua Yi’s recruitment offers, Yu Yanli politely declined, but he showed much more enthusiasm toward cooperation with other companies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hengdian Film Base\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Cai Yinong’s guidance, Yu Yanli arrived at a white three-story building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is Tang Ren’s outpost in Hengdian—we store props, makeup, and editing equipment here; before filming, we gather actors here for martial arts training—daytime practice, overnight stays.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yanli examined the place Cai Yinong called the “White Building” with interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought to himself: if Yi An Film produced more dramas, they could set up a small base in Hengdian too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A production team isn’t just about the set and hotel—makeup rooms, rehearsal halls, meeting rooms, storage for costumes and props—all require separate rentals; having a dedicated base was genuinely convenient, comfortable, and secure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to Zhou Yi, which already had several hits, Tang Ren was noticeably weaker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though they had some decent dramas, many were co-productions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ren’s own major productions were only a few: the “” series, “The Book and Sword, Gratitude and Revenge,” “The Yang Family Women,” and so on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to film and TV production, Tang Ren was better known in the industry for artist management.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yapeng had once been signed to Tang Ren, starring in “Keep Love Alive” and “The Legend of the Condor Heroes,” becoming one of the Four Young Kings of the mainland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Kong’s Guan Yonghe and Guo Jin’an had also built considerable fame on the mainland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ren’s current top actress, Sun Li, was entirely cultivated by them—she was a rising star, and even dating another rising male star, Huang Sanshi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In contrast, Zhou Yi’s obsession with their so-called “Zhou Yi Trio” was something Yu Yanli couldn’t quite understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Bo was fine, but the other two—besides being able to fight—had terrible appearances; Yu Yanli personally saw little value in them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Probably Zhou Yi didn’t care much about this side of the business.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nowadays, artists’ earning potential is limited; many companies promote stars not for the artists’ own profits, but to use them as banners to inflate drama prices, and to have their own famous artists appear in their own dramas to cut salary costs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of that nine-hundred-million-yuan woman, Yu Yanli didn’t underestimate artist management—he strongly agreed with Tang Ren’s model of combining stars with film and TV.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, meeting Cai Yinong this time, Yu Yanli found he got along well with her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jiang Xuerou from Zhou Yi—though they were the first to collaborate—was purely transactional; their personalities and business philosophies didn’t align.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted to complain about Zhou Yi’s costumes, makeup, and props, but Tang Ren’s ideas resonated with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After touring the White Building, Yu Yanli and Cai Yinong went to the second-floor meeting room to discuss cooperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ren currently had few dramas in hand—only one called “Dandelion,” starring their top actress Sun Li and a newcomer named Hu Ge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yanli glanced at Hu Ge’s photo, then couldn’t help but look at Cai Yinong again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yanli admitted he had a suspicious mind—a no-name newcomer cast as the male lead, with a female boss—how could he not think twice?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Xuerou from Zhou Yi pushed Yu Bo hard, and rumors about her never stopped—even though she wasn’t the boss, just the boss’s wife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But none of that concerned Yu Yanli—he briefly indulged in gossip, then refocused on business.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He read through the script of “Dandelion,” then watched a condensed version; his brow furrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sisters turning against each other over a man, plus amnesia plotlines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tsk—melodrama wasn’t the issue, but there was no real highlight or selling point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Li had fame, but one person couldn’t boost sales much; Guan Ying, Hu Ge, and the male second lead Yuan Hong were all complete newcomers—they’d drag the drama down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Madam Cai, to be honest, this drama has almost no chance of airing on national TV—it’s not worth much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yanli didn’t want to take on this project.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Distribution is a two-sided business—you can’t just build your reputation among production companies; the most valuable reputation is with TV stations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You must maintain both the seller’s market and the buyer’s market.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>True success in distribution means making the TV stations, the production companies, and you—the middleman—all rich together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If most dramas you distribute become hits or perform well, ensuring TV stations profit, you earn their recognition and trust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, you won’t need to chase stations one by one—they’ll come to you for long-term cooperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yi An’s drama selection? Trustworthy!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, Yu Yanli had standards for distribution projects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially after building a reputation, he wouldn’t take just any project—he had to protect the reputations of both TV stations and Yi An.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in this business, you’re not always free to choose; Yu Yanli wanted to secure Tang Ren as a major client, and he was especially eyeing their upcoming project, “New Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, showing some sincerity was unavoidable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yanli first said the drama had almost no chance of national broadcast, unsettling Cai Yinong, then switched tone and offered to help place it on local channels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I did a rough calculation—this drama is modern, mostly new actors, and not many episodes, so the cost should be low. If Brother Cai trusts me, I’ll do my best to ensure you break even.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Cai Yinong wasn’t a greenhorn; though influenced by Yan Li, she remained calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though our drama has some flaws, the quality is still solid. And the more it needs help, the more we need someone like Brother Yan—a master distributor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li said nothing, sipped water quietly, and looked at Cai Yinong: “What’s your requirement?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Prime-time broadcast, first-run fee of ten million.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li put down his cup and stood up immediately: “Thank you for the meal—I’ll be going.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Yinong hadn’t expected Yan Li to be so blunt; she quickly grabbed his arm: “Brother Yan, don’t rush—I never said we couldn’t negotiate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Cai Yinong’s soothing words, Yan Li sat back down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having understood Cai Yinong’s stance and seized the initiative, Yan Li’s tone grew more forceful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Cai, I’ll be straight—I’m here for Tangren and their new version of ‘New Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio.’ This ‘Dandelion’ is just a side project.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can help you distribute it. I can’t guarantee prime-time broadcast, but breaking even should be no problem. How much profit you make depends on the market and the drama’s own strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Yinong was still reluctant, but she knew there was no way around it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both sides wanted to cooperate, but Yan Li held the upper hand—he had other companies to turn to if Tangren refused; Tangren, however, needed Yan Li’s distribution power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They reached an agreement on ‘Dandelion,’ and finally turned to serious negotiations: ‘New Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This drama was Tangren’s current flagship project, with Shanghai Film Investment involved; estimated cost: 18 to 25 million. The proposed cast was also decent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The list included Lin Zhiying, currently popular Huang Xiaoming, plus Sun Li, Huang Sanshi, Zhou Young Master, Li Bingbing, Ren Quan, and others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the proposed cast list was inflated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When ‘Happy Heaven’s Seven Fairies’ did online voting, they claimed they’d get all four young goddesses. Even getting half these stars for Tangren would be a miracle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li still had high hopes for the project—the cast was promising, ‘Strange Tales’ had strong brand recognition, and Tangren’s production quality was solid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just distribution—had he been asked to invest, he’d have been willing to put in money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Cai, really no investment?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li wanted a share, but Cai Yinong also saw strong potential in ‘New Strange Tales,’ and with Shanghai Film already on board, she didn’t want to give up any equity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Yan Li dropped it and made another request—he wanted to insert two actors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Yinong didn’t refuse this, but she gently said they’d need auditions, and Tangren would decide the roles, though they’d try to accommodate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li wasn’t satisfied, but he understood—it was essentially free. If the roles were bad, he’d just refuse them later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Yinong studied Yan Li’s expression, then suddenly pulled a file from her desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If Brother Yan wants to invest, take a look at this project.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“‘Chinese Paladin’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li flipped through the file briefly, frowned: “A game adaptation? You can turn games into dramas?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Yinong had heard this before—many in film and TV couldn’t accept it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hollywood’s ‘Resident Evil’ was adapted from a game. Gamers are growing in number—they’re the new soil for our industry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li nodded. Compared to older industry veterans, he was younger and more open to new things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But regarding Cai Yinong’s “gamers,” Yan Li remained skeptical—he was preparing to open an internet cafe and knew these people well; liking games and liking dramas were two different things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Twenty million investment?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li nearly snapped the file shut—‘New Strange Tales’ cost how much? This drama wanted twenty million?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he saw the lead cast—almost entirely unknown newcomers. They were trying to trick some fool into promoting Tangren’s new actors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just investment—he didn’t even want to handle distribution!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li skimmed through it briefly, then offered a polite smile: “Investment is serious business. I’ll take it back, study it, and get back to you, Brother Cai.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Yinong saw through his half-hearted efforts and felt disappointed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had originally held high hopes for 'Chinese Paladin,' but kept getting dampened—rumors even spread that some authority planned to shut down online game programs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Chinese Paladin’ required heavy investment, so Cai Yinong hesitated and considered bringing in another company to share the risk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after testing a few, all responded coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dinner, Yan Li and Cai Yinong left Hengdian for Wushi Film City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Happy Heaven’s Seven Fairies’ was nearly finished—he, as producer, couldn’t be absent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he arrived, they were shooting night scenes; seeing the crew tired and low-spirited, Yan Li handed Wu Maowen a stack of bills and told him to buy some late-night snacks to lift morale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Yan Li stayed behind the director’s monitor, watching actors film, while chatting with Wang Decai about progress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half an hour later, Wu Maowen and others arrived with several large boxes—night snacks they’d bought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was late, time was tight, but Wushi Film City had many night-food vendors; they didn’t care what they grabbed and piled up a huge haul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After informing the director, the crew took a break; Wu Maowen and the crew assistants distributed the snacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One assistant director shouted: “Brother Yan saw how hard everyone worked—he bought snacks to reward you all!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone sensible started chanting: “Thank you, Brother Yan!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even some actors joined in: “Brother Yan is generous!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li bit into a dumpling: “You’re not calling me Yan the Skinflint anymore?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Skinflint? Who said that? Step forward! Brother Yan treats us so well—how ungrateful!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fan Xiaopang was indignant, jumping up to defend Yan Li; Yan Li watched coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who else? You’re the one who cursed him the most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The system has already notified me five times—twice you muttered aloud, twice you cursed inwardly, once you dreamed of cursing him. Wait—I’ll make you learn what real skinflint means.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After eating, filming resumed. Yan Li didn’t leave—he stayed nearby, overseeing, while scrolling through the intelligence triggered at midnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today was April 1st—the monthly intelligence had triggered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li was now reckless: he only checked annual intelligence with prayers, and monthly intelligence only when he felt like it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But today, perhaps because of the snacks, his fortune was good—he got eight pieces of intelligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Monthly Intelligence 1: In August 2007, Li Bingbing won the Huabiao Award for Best Actress for the film ‘Clouds of the South.’]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li memorized ‘Clouds of the South’ and moved to the next.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Monthly Intelligence 2: The famous wuxia drama ‘The First Hero’ began filming in April 2004 at Wushi Film City, with cast including Guo Jin’an, Li Yapeng, Gao Yuanyuan… Huang Shengyi…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li had been puzzled how this intelligence triggered—until he saw the date, Wushi Film City, and Huang Shengyi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good heavens—could this little witch be coming to ‘Happy Heaven’s Seven Fairies’ to find me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for ‘The First Hero’ becoming popular, Yan Li wasn’t surprised—Wang Pangzi carried the aura of a renowned director; this drama had already drawn industry attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was tempted by this project, but couldn’t join.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm… maybe he could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It depended on whether the crew had any savvy people—many crews, even some TV stations, didn’t know co-productions couldn’t air on prime-time; if reported, they’d be pulled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The intelligence system had given Yan Li a list of distribution taboos, including this one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The First Hero’ had Hong Kong backing—they might not understand mainland rules. If they stepped into a trap…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Monthly Intelligence 3: Actor Hu Ge rose rapidly to fame after ‘Chinese Paladin’ aired…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li stared at this intelligence for half a minute, then pulled out his phone and sent a text to his secretary Hu Ya: “Gather all game data on ‘Chinese Paladin.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Daily Intelligence 8: 2005 Top 50 Ratings—#1 ‘Beijing Smoke and Clouds,’ #2 ‘Sword of the Loyal,’ #3 ‘Emperor Wu of Han,’ … #8 ‘The Inspector of the Great Song,’ … #10 ‘Xiaoyuer and Hu Wuque,’ … #12 ‘Chinese Paladin,’ … #44 ‘The First Hero’]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li’s eyes widened slightly—if he secured half the distribution rights to next year’s top fifty dramas, he’d instantly become a VIP to every TV station.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soon he calmed down—distribution rights weren’t something he could just grab; he could only try his best.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, Yan Li doubted this intelligence’s accuracy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, ‘Sword of the Loyal’—he’d previously received a monthly intelligence clearly stating it was the 2005 ratings champion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The system had triggered many monthly intelligences; Yan Li had learned some patterns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Future information in intelligence wasn’t guaranteed to be correct—due to different perspectives, abbreviated details, or direct quotes from the future, some intelligence could be inaccurate or one-sided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, ratings—there were multiple measurement methods; different methods produced completely different results.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>National, regional, CCTV, provincial satellite ratings—all had their own rankings, sometimes each ranking separately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So often, Yan Li could only treat these intelligences as references—if he blindly followed them, he’d get burned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Useless system.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even so, this intelligence was valuable—he even thought it rivaled annual intelligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fifty dramas—even if some rankings were off, they weren’t random; making the list meant they had some merit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Yan Li secured even a few—either as co-producer or distributor—he’d make Yi’an Film shine brilliantly next year…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",3436,"2026-06-19T16:16:52.605Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","91f5cb2f306dea89facb95a10efaeba7f36982bbe54de9174c5f579fbdbee6bd","the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-chapter-140","the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-chapter-138",405,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-cover.jpg"]