Chapter 187: Yan Li: Not a Promotion Master, I

In May, "Railway Guerrillas" began promoting on terrestrial channels, with plans to air on satellite TV during the summer season.

Shandong TV and Henan TV have largely confirmed purchases; Inner Mongolia TV is also interested, but due to insufficient funds and low bids, it's likely to be moved to a second-run slot.

Based on signed contracts and those under negotiation, Yi'an made a rough estimate.

The total revenue for "Railway Guerrillas" is projected at 22 to 26 million yuan.

Of course, this is only a rough estimate; the actual figure depends on broadcast performance and subsequent operations.

But given the limitations of red-themed content, production costs, and current market conditions, unless ratings explode and surge past 30 million, the chance is extremely low—yet the floor is guaranteed, with a minimum of around 20 million yuan.

"Railway Guerrillas" was publicly reported to have cost 18 million yuan to produce, but the actual cost was under 15 million.

Due to its theme, it received substantial subsidies and support, so the actual investment from all production companies totaled less than 10 million yuan.

Many small and medium companies prefer producing main melody content for exactly this reason.

If you secure subsidy quotas and manage things well, you can shoot a drama with only a small portion of your own money and profit by selling it.

Even worse, some don't even sell it—they just pocket the subsidies.

First, set up a project, find ways to secure a few million in subsidies, then recruit a few investors to chip in, or secure investors first and then apply for subsidies—whatever the situation demands, it's all about double-dealing.

Half the money goes into production, the other half ends up in their pockets; if the drama sells, fine—if not, it gathers dust in storage.

So although "Railway Guerrillas" didn't bring in much revenue, after subtracting subsidies, each production company's profit was still quite substantial.

Yi'an secured a 30% share of the drama through a deal of 3 million yuan plus free distribution.

However, distribution was primarily handled by Shandong Film & TV, with Yi'an only participating lightly and contributing little effort.

Thus, profits were mainly based on share distribution, yielding roughly 6 to 8 million yuan—a return of more than double, which was quite good.

Yan Li didn't invest in this drama solely for profit.

Compared to a few million in returns, the greater benefit was that Yi'an now possessed another outstanding red-themed drama, and through it, strengthened ties with Shandong Province, Shandong TV, and his hometown, Zao City.

Taking this opportunity, he could later have the media praise Yan Li's devotion to his hometown and his spirit of heritage, then make some charitable donations.

Without exception, Yan Li should receive several awards this year from his hometown of Shandong and Zao City.

Such as provincial or municipal honors like "Outstanding Youth," "Excellent Cultural Worker," "Person of the Year," or "Charity Role Model."

At Yan Li's current level, national-level honors are still hard to reach, and competition in Beijing is fierce, so hometown honors and titles offer exceptional value.

It's hard to say how much actual support these titles will bring, but they're impressive enough.

Whether black or white, everyone will give at least a little face—better than nothing.

They also serve as groundwork, making it easier for Yan Li to further strengthen ties with his hometown and continue pursuing national-level honors.

"Railway Guerrillas" is just one; there's also "Sword of the Bright Sword" coming up, and Yi'an has several other main melody projects this year.

Yan Li feels he's already "red" enough; combined with the company's rapid growth and next year's plans, he estimates he's about to "enter the hall and ascend the chamber."

…

Besides "Railway Guerrillas" preparing for satellite broadcast, "Happy Heaven, Happy Earth: Seven Fairies" and "Chinese Paladin" are both currently airing.

The former needs no elaboration—it was one of the hottest dramas of the year's start; though not as explosive as its premiere, its influence has remained consistently strong.

Especially with the added gossip of the two men vying for Yan Li and Dong Xuan, his "ex-girlfriend," the scandal has spread widely.

Actors like Jiang Xin, Yang Xue, and Hu Siyan, whose fame is lesser or whose roles are less distinct, are now publicly labeled as the Fourth, Sixth, or Seventh Fairy.

Even Dong Xuan and Li Lin are alternately called the First and Third Fairies, or Goddess Dragon and Du Bingyan.

There's no choice—since the actors themselves aren't that famous, leveraging the popularity of breakout drama roles to gain public recognition is a decent strategy.

Fan Xiaopang now turns cold at the mention of Jin Suo, but back then, he also heavily rode the coattails of "My Fair Princess."

Even today, when many mention her, their first thought is still that little maid.

Among the Seven Fairies cast, Hu Siyan is the most enthusiastic and most deeply tied to the drama.

On one hand, she's the female lead and one of the biggest beneficiaries; on the other, she's been sidelined by Dong and Fan, denied access to Yan Li's subsequent resources, and can only rely on "Happy Heaven, Happy Earth: Seven Fairies."

Although the constant bundling and overexposure sparked some controversy, Hu Siyan's fame is now indeed second only to Shuang Bing and Dong Xuan.

Had Dong Xuan not been exposed as Yan Li's "ex-girlfriend" and dragged into the scandal, boosting her visibility, Hu might have broken into the top three.

Hu isn't yet a top-tier rising star, but she's undeniably a major figure in the entertainment circle.

The latter, "Chinese Paladin," didn't explode in satellite ratings, but thanks to Yi'an's distribution boost, its performance remained outstanding.

Through intense broadcasting on major city TV stations and high online popularity, it ranked among the hottest dramas of the first half of 2005.

The male and female leads, Hu Zi and Liu Tianxian, saw their fame surge.

Hu Zi nearly transformed from a newcomer into a rising young actor; Liu Tianxian became the leader of the new generation of young actresses, and with her likable image and positioning, her popularity soared.

Rumor has it she's planning to sign with Sony, aiming to enter the music industry and undergo training in Japan.

Yan Li doesn't understand this logic—multimedia development is fine, everyone does it, but when you're at your peak, there's no need to halt acting and fly abroad for training.

Perhaps there are other arrangements, and since Zhang Dahu's "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" hasn't been aired yet, she has the freedom to be capricious.

Other supporting actors from "Chinese Paladin," like Peng Yuyan and An Yixuan, have also gained recognition.

Recently, during the media open day for "Lu Xiaofeng Legend," the number of reporters interviewing An Yixuan was nearly catching up to Jiang Xin and Yang Xue, who rose to fame through "Happy Heaven, Happy Earth: Seven Fairies" and the Spring Festival Gala.

However, since it can't yet air on satellite, revenue is limited to terrestrial channels, and Yi'an has not yet recouped its investment.

But the hidden benefits are considerable.

"Happy Heaven, Happy Earth: Seven Fairies" and "Chinese Paladin"—both of this year's first-half blockbusters feature Yi'an's involvement.

Yan Li's reputation as a "genius producer" grows louder, and public attention toward his involvement in "Fengshen Bang" and "Lu Xiaofeng Legend" has also increased.

Another project adding to Yan Li's reputation is "Survival: Migrant Workers."

This drama was a minor setback for Yan Li.

Aside from "Chinese Paladin," which failed to air on satellite due to policy reasons, this is the only "normal drama" he's ever produced that failed to secure satellite broadcast.

No choice—the theme is too sensitive, and the media has been pushing agendas; just not being banned is already lucky.

Yan Li plans to lie low, wait until next year or the year after, change the title, and see if satellite broadcast becomes possible.

Setting aside the sensitivity, the drama's data is solid, and its critical reception is surprisingly strong, widely praised, and under low public pressure—it should still attract satellite channels.

Although it didn't air on satellite, the drama had low investment and, due to its good reputation, generated considerable discussion.

Terrestrial channels and city-county stations have fewer restrictions and some are willing to buy it; recouping costs isn't an issue, and there's even potential for a small profit of one or two million yuan.

Yan Li was already aware of this beforehand—recovering costs would be satisfactory enough.

The key is the high reputation, which adds another prestigious accolade to Yi'an's name; unfortunately, the theme is slightly lacking, or it might have won some awards.

"The Conquest," "Detective Di Renjie," "Happy Heaven, Happy Earth: Seven Fairies," "Chinese Paladin," "Survival: Migrant Workers"

These dramas produced or co-produced by Yi'an have achieved strong results, high popularity, and excellent reputation.

They have long shed their amateur roots and transformed into a well-known company in the industry.

Right now, the film and TV industry hasn't yet seen much capital involvement, no valuations or IPOs.

Otherwise, Yi'an Film & TV would be worth at least 100 million yuan at minimum, and Yan Boss's personal fortune would rise further.

…

Yi'an Film & TV has grown rapidly, and as its boss, Yan Li is a public figure, naturally drawing attention and discussion.

The most straightforward and curious question—how much money does Yan Li have?

Two years ago, when Yan Li first rose to fame with "The Conquest," he publicly claimed his net worth was in the tens of millions.

Now, with his company consistently producing hits and managing several multi-million-yuan projects, and having gifted Fan Xiaopang a million-yuan luxury car, his wealth is certainly far beyond 10 to 20 million.

Conservatively, Yan Li's net worth is at least 50 million yuan.

Some speculate it's over 100 million, though this claim has believers and skeptics alike.

These days, money still holds great value—a million can be called "minor wealth," ten million qualifies as "rich," and hundreds of millions are hard for ordinary people to imagine.

Yet when reporters came to the set to ask this question, Yan Li didn't deny the speculation—he gave an ambiguous reply.

"About that."

These four words caused quite a stir outside—24-year-old billionaire, self-made, the credibility is undeniable.

Wealth dazzles the eyes; some hail him as a business legend of the 80s generation, and his previously negative image began to turn around.

Even Fan Xiaopang got a whitewash—stealing a man was being a homewrecker, but stealing a super diamond daddy? That's bravely chasing love, perfectly understandable.

Of course, many believe Yan Li is deliberately hyping himself.

The public isn't stupid—there are plenty of smart people; the Shuang Bing vs. Yan Li feud and the Feng-Diao battle had clear signs of promotion, and online, some have already dubbed Yan Li the "Promotion Master."

So they suspect he's marketing himself as a billionaire to boost attention for his projects or company and attract investment.

They're right—he's flaunting his wealth to promote and package himself.

But unlike public speculation, he's genuinely a billionaire—this is both promotion and fact.

Thinking this way, Yan Li feels slightly wronged—he shouldn't be called a "Promotion Master," he's the "Truth Prince."

He hyped the Shuang Bing vs. Yan Li feud—and yes, he slept with both.

He hyped being a billionaire—and yes, he really has that much money.

He hyped the Feng-Diao battle—whether one wins or loses aside, at least he genuinely prepared to fight.

The public uproar has also affected the sets of "Fengshen Bang" and "Lu Xiaofeng Legend."

Sometimes when Yan Li walks through the set, he senses certain women staring at him with unusually hot eyes—even a few men do the same.

To prevent anyone from lunging at him or kidnapping him, he now always travels with several bodyguards.

The women connected to him are reacting differently.

Wang Ou stares at him with glittering eyes, Wu Jiani blushes shyly, Qin Lan is a mix of emotions—happy yet conflicted.

Even with tens of millions, he couldn't keep them all away—now that he's a billionaire, his enemies won't just upgrade from a reinforced platoon to a reinforced company, maybe even a reinforced battalion.

How can one woman possibly hold them off?!

Fan Xiaopang is relatively the calmest—he's seen Yan Li spend money like water firsthand.

Back then, she had suspected this dog of being richer than the public believed, and her willingness to sign with Yi'an stemmed from trust in Yan Li's ability and financial strength.

Yet when she truly learned Yan Li admitted to having hundreds of millions in assets, she was still slightly stunned.

Compared to his hundreds of millions, what truly drew attention was Yan Li's youth and the astonishing brevity of his rise.

He was barely twenty-five, and from the launch of "Conquest" to now, barely two years had passed—he'd rapidly risen from a fresh graduate actor to this status; had she not witnessed it herself, she'd have suspected it was all hype.

Thinking of how her mother had called specifically to ask about her and Yan Li, Fan Xiaopang couldn't help feeling irritated.

Can she really hold onto him? This bastard is fickle and heartless!

After wrap, Fan Xiaopang stormed back to the hotel with her small bag, just as Wang Ou and Wu Jiani returned from outside. Wang Ou couldn't resist glancing at her, and she immediately snapped back.

"Why are you staring at me? Who told you to look?"

"Hey!"

Even though Wang Ou didn't want a conflict with Fan Xiaopang, she couldn't tolerate her arrogance.

"Do you own this hotel? I can't even glance as I pass by?"

"That's right—I won't let you look."

Wu Jiani feared they'd come to blows and quickly pulled Wang Ou away: "Don't provoke her—she's in a bad mood."

"Like I'm in a good one."

Wang Ou's face was grim; she knew exactly why Fan Xiaopang had become a ticking bomb.

Though Yan Li had sealed his lips, rumors still spread through the crew: Qin Lan and Fan Xiaopang had clashed during filming.

And from Yan Li's subsequent attitude, Fan Xiaopang had lost that argument.

Wang Ou had initially been gleeful—Fan had bullied her, now she was being bullied—but later, the amusement faded.

Previously, though Fan Xiaopang often monopolized Yan Li, he never stuck solely to her—Wang Ou still got scraps.

Now that Qin Lan had arrived, not even scraps remained—she couldn't even see a bone.

To prevent ambushes, Qin Lan even persuaded Yan Li to move out of their current hotel and relocate, and since her role was light, she wasn't tied down by filming, allowing her to accompany Yan Li day and night.

Fan Xiaopang had fallen from heaven to hell—she'd plunged from hell to the deepest layer of hell.

Without Yan Li's soothing presence, resentment festered; Fan Xiaopang became a powder keg, but wasn't Wang Ou's heart also filled with rage?

Wang Ou hated Fan Xiaopang, but now she hated Qin Lan even more.

On the surface, gentle and smiling at everyone, yet inwardly cruel and venomous—two-faced. Fan Xiaopang hadn't been wrong: she was a living Zhihua.

The boss was foolish, blinded by such a woman.

Repeatedly struck, Wang Ou's mindset had unraveled, and she couldn't help glancing again at Wu Jiani.

No more hesitation—unless she acted soon, she'd be kicked out. She had to build her own leverage.

On the other side, Fan Xiaopang stormed back to her room, ready to vent on her pillow, when her phone suddenly rang.

Seeing the familiar caller ID, Fan Xiaopang's face brightened—she knew this dog couldn't hold out.

Just as she was about to answer, she paused, silently counted over twenty seconds, then picked up, voice cold.

"Hello."

Yan Li's voice came through: "The company secured a new endorsement for you—run it by Sister Hua, and make sure there are no disputes later."

"Oh, anything else?"

"No. I'll have my team inform yours. You've got a lot of shooting these days—rest."

"..."

Listening to the dial tone, Fan Xiaopang was stunned, then grabbed the pillow and pounded it again.

Yan Li hung up, glanced at Qin Lan pretending to watch TV on the sofa, shook his head, and raised his voice.

"What? You want me to come over there?"

Qin Lan sat up straight, eyes fixed on him. Yan Li hesitated a moment: "I'm busy—I have to stay with my wife."

Satisfied, Qin Lan came over, hugged him, and kissed him as a reward. Yan Li seized the chance to make demands.

Though having many women was troublesome, introducing competition brought greater gains.

Qin Lan had exerted tremendous effort these past days to keep Yan Li tied to her side...

(End of Chapter)