Chapter 198: The Two Palaces Recruit Soldiers and Buy Horses, the King of Selling Films Strikes Again

Haidian, Yi'an Internet Cafe

Qin Lan glanced at the accounts from the past half-month: "Business has been good this month."

The manager, also Yan Li's cousin Yan Xin, smiled: "It's summer vacation, so students all flood into internet cafes, sitting all day—pretty much packed every day."

These days, students have so few entertainment options; at home during vacation, those without money watch TV, those with money come to internet cafes.

Few can afford a computer at home, and even if they can, the specs and internet speed aren't necessarily as comfortable as in a cafe.

Qin Lan noted the accounts and added: "Watch out—don't let in kids too young. Last time, the Xuanwu branch let a twelve-year-old elementary student online, got reported, and the internet fees weren't enough to settle it."

Yan Xin nodded: "Understood."

At that moment, a fair-skinned girl brought two chilled drinks: "Sister-in-law, have some water."

Qin Lan watched the girl leave with a smile, then turned to Yan Xin: "You've gotten together?"

Yan Xin scratched his head and chuckled.

He'd come to Jingcheng with his cousin Yan Li for a long time, starting as a supervisor, gradually becoming manager, now running two cafes.

That's right—Yi'an Internet Cafe has expanded again; there are now six locations in Jingcheng alone.

They plan to open ten total, then stop expanding; Yan Li doesn't intend to stay in this industry long—just make some pocket money and place a few people, with the real focus shifting to movie theaters.

This group of Yan Xin's, having gained experience, those with ability and ambition, will likely be transferred to manage theaters later.

In his early twenties, managing two cafes, earning well, with status and face, Yan Xin naturally drew attention from girls.

But this kid had high standards—he didn't care for the female net cafe attendants or girls from the neighboring shop, finally setting his sights on a sister who came to catch her younger brother—that fair-skinned girl just now.

Native of Jingcheng, good-looking, a primary school teacher, family background decent, parents even had some minor official position.

Yan Xin, apart from his cousin, didn't really have enough strength or education to stand out.

But young people don't care about that—if they like someone, they go after them.

Yan Xin wasn't as handsome as his cousin Yan Li, but he was still a clean-cut guy, plus, being from the Yan family, he had some related talent, and years of cafe experience had made him smooth-talking and good with people.

After persistent pursuit, he actually succeeded; the girl's school was on summer break, so she came to the cafe to date and help out.

"Does your brother know?"

"I haven't told him, but I think he might know."

Forget about the system—these hometown brothers are all Yan Li's eyes and ears; nothing escapes him.

"Say it outright—you need your brother to vet her."

Qin Lan muttered, took out her wallet, pulled out a small stack of cash, and despite Yan Xin's protests, shoved it into his hands.

"Listen to your sister-in-law—when dating, take her out more, you can't go anywhere without money."

"Don't touch the shop's public account—this is my and your brother's private gift. Your brother's always busy and doesn't have time to watch over you; if anything comes up, tell your sister-in-law."

"…."

Yan Xin couldn't refuse, took the money, and Qin Lan casually asked further.

"Last time I heard your brother say your mom—your second aunt—is coming to Jingcheng to visit, why hasn't she arrived yet?"

Yan Xin hesitated: "Then… I'll ask later?"

"Good, let me know what you find out—I need to prepare properly if she's coming."

"Understood."

After chatting a bit longer, Qin Lan grabbed her bag and left; her girlfriend, who'd been watching closely, hurried over.

"Didn't your sister-in-law say she was treating us to dinner? Why didn't she mention it just now?"

Yan Xin scratched his head and whispered: "Don't make a fuss—it's not the same one."

The girlfriend clearly knew Yan Xin's cousin's identity; hearing this, her eyes lit up: "Is it Fan Bingbing? I used to love watching 'Huanzhu Gege'."

"Uh, no, not her."

"Aren't you online saying Fan is your cousin's girlfriend?"

Yan Xin scratched his head harder: "I don't even know if she still is—he never told me."

"So you take money from one and promise dinner to another?"

"What can I do? Who dares offend them? My brother calls them sister-in-law, so I call them sister-in-law too; whatever they say, I listen, if I'm unsure, I ask my brother—you do the same. No matter who you meet, treat them like the real sister-in-law."

"Tsk."

The girlfriend looked at him with disdain: "Playing both sides—you're just like your cousin, no good."

Yan Xin frowned: "Don't talk nonsense—you can insult me, but don't insult my brother."

The girlfriend knew Yan Li's weight in her boyfriend's heart and changed the subject, her tone threatening: "Don't you dare copy your cousin—if I catch you, hmmm."

"I don't have the guts or the ability…"

Yan Xin began professing his loyalty again—his cousin was great in every way, but that lifestyle of his did tarnish the Yan family men's reputation.

He himself got scolded by his girlfriend every few days; he'd heard even his eldest cousin back home was tightly watched by his sister-in-law.

Even his father and two uncles, men in their fifties, had been affected—luckily his grandfather died early, or he wouldn't have escaped either…

…

After checking accounts, Qin Lan stopped by a pet store to stock up.

After "The Great Song Chief Inspector" became popular, she received many script offers, but Qin Lan is now quite "picky," turning down many.

Thanks to her fame and powerful backing, her agent and company couldn't do anything about it.

Fortunately, Qin Lan cooperates with some commercial and advertising activities, so the company still makes money and thus tolerates her.

Moreover, Qin Lan doesn't reject every role—for instance, she accepted the upcoming "The Great Song Chief Inspector 2," scheduled to start shooting by year-end.

But Qin Lan heard the lead actor might be replaced.

Some say it's He Bing, others say even she might be replaced—no clear info yet, but she's kept her schedule open.

Recently, Ma Yili recommended her a role in her own drama, "The Embroidered Uniform Guard."

The role wasn't large, but she accepted it because of director Zhang Li's reputation.

More importantly, she figured Yan Li might be filming "The Legend of Xue Rengui" in Hengdian, so she could go there to find him.

If the role were big, she wouldn't have time to find Yan Li; if it were small, she could spend more time with him.

Just leaving the pet shop, she received a call—a production team wanted to meet her for an audition.

"Audition?"

Qin Lan was confused; why hadn't her agent informed her about this audition?

Thinking it might be a scam, she was about to hang up when the caller mentioned the drama was produced by Yi'an Production.

"Uh…"

Qin Lan hesitated—could this be a role arranged for her by Yan Li? But why hadn't he told her?

She called Yan Li. He told her to wait. A dozen minutes later, he called back, his voice sounding odd.

"The producer and screenwriter think your image fits. If you're free, go take a look—if it's right, you'll play it."

Qin Lan thought it over. Since it was confirmed to be a Yi'an Production project, she had no reason to refuse—any role was a role, and helping her own business was better.

She called back the previous number, got into her red BMW, and arrived at Yi'an Film & Television.

Though this company had been founded by her boyfriend, she had rarely visited.

Yet another woman was about to openly become the company's top star, even the boss's wife in many people's eyes.

Snorting, she stuck little pins into the image of that pair of lovers in her mind, then stepped into Yi'an Film & Television.

The office felt much more spacious than last time, and there were more staff—but before she could look closely, she was taken to the reception room.

Soon after, a young man wearing glasses entered with a beaming, fawning smile, extremely courteous.

"Miss Qin Lan…"

After chatting for a moment, Qin Lan learned this man was Yu Zheng, a screenwriter for Yi'an and one of the producers of the "Great Qing Imperial Harem" audition she'd been called for.

These days, screenwriters often became producers—or even directors.

Though screenwriters were sometimes undervalued in the industry, they couldn't be ignored; many used this as a stepping stone to rise.

Many renowned directors and producers began as screenwriters; the Haiyan dramas and Qiong Yao dramas especially centered on their screenwriters.

But for someone as young as Yu Zheng to directly become a producer was still uncommon.

"It's all because Director Yan has the vision and courage to promote and elevate us newcomers—Yi'an's rapid growth owes much to his foresight…"

Yu Zheng went on gushing, and Qin Lan could barely listen.

She realized: the moment he saw her, he was all flattery, showering Yan Li with praise as if it cost nothing—he definitely knew her relationship with Yan Li.

"Director Yu… how should I go about the audition?"

"Just call me by my name."

Yu Zheng dared not be arrogant toward Qin Lan—he was counting on her to help him.

"Great Qing Imperial Harem" had been greenlit but was still unstable—even funding wasn't fully secured, and the company clearly prioritized it lower than other projects.

Newly promoted to producer, Yu Zheng was anxious, so he turned his attention to people close to Yan Li.

Everyone knew Director Yan's style—pillow talk definitely worked.

He first tried asking Fan Xiaopang; Fan had helped, but had committed to "The White-Haired Witch," so couldn't give much support.

Fortunately, some people from Yi'an had worked on "The Investiture of the Gods" and "Lu Xiaofeng Legend," and with Yu Zheng's efforts, they dug up Qin Lan.

This was someone even Fan Xiaopang kept his distance from!

Yu Zheng was thrilled—if he could get Qin Lan onto the "Great Qing Imperial Harem" set, many things would become much easier.

To prevent mishaps, he didn't even notify his superiors.

After all, as producer, he had casting authority; plus, Qin Lan's identity was discreet—he could pretend ignorance, claim he'd chosen her for her image and acting, and get her in first.

But one problem: Qin Lan didn't match his envisioned image of the female lead, Xilin Chun—she'd suit the second or third female roles better.

But if Qin Lan could whisper a few words to Yan Li, he was willing to accept it—he could just revise the character's setup.

What he hadn't expected was how agreeable Qin Lan was.

Still, she resisted villain roles, willing only to audition for a secondary female role who redeems herself later, or a tragic supporting character.

That was enough!

Seeing Qin Lan hadn't chosen the lead, Yu Zheng immediately decided on her.

He'd watched her performances—her acting was solid, and her Qing-era costume look was flawless; after all, she debuted in "Huanzhu Gege 3."

You could say Zhihua was evil, but never that she was ugly.

The final salary would be negotiated between the production team and Qin Lan's agent; Yi'an now had money. Though the pay remained somewhat conservative, it was only for cost control—nowhere near as stingy as before.

After "The Song Dynasty's Chief Inspector," Qin Lan's fame wasn't bad—she could be considered a second-tier actress, with per-episode pay around 10,000 to 30,000 RMB.

Exact amount depended on episode count, role, and production conditions; "Great Qing Imperial Harem" had thirty episodes, and with Yu Zheng sure to give her preferential treatment, her pay wouldn't be lower than 600,000 to 800,000 RMB.

Anything more wasn't possible—not just for cost control, but because an excessively high salary for a single role, if leaked, might provoke resentment among other actors and disrupt internal harmony.

A production set was a world of fame and profit—everyone argued over whose name came first or last, let alone actual cash salaries.

Yu Zheng wanted to invite Qin Lan to dinner to build rapport, but she refused.

Qin Lan didn't have a good first impression of Yu Zheng.

She wasn't stupid—combined with his attitude and her phone call with Yan Li, she guessed she might be used.

If the script hadn't been good, if it weren't her own company's project, and if Yan Li hadn't spoken up, Qin Lan would've left long ago.

Yu Zheng realized he'd slipped up, but at least he'd gotten her in. He'd fix things gradually, smiling as he saw her off.

Just as she reached the door, she saw a round-faced Miss waiting—Yu Zheng froze.

"Director Hu?"

"Director Yu."

Hu Ya greeted him, then smiled brightly at Qin Lan: "Sister Lan, why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

As Chief Eunuch and Head of the Imperial Ritual Office, Hu Ya primarily handled affairs for this company, but occasionally interacted with Qin and Dong due to various matters, aware of their weight in the boss's eyes, and dared not neglect them.

"Not bad—you've been promoted to Director Hu."

Qin Lan chuckled teasingly; when she first met Hu Ya, the girl was still a child, and now she was already a "big shot"—a producer for Yu Zheng's drama, even entitled to be called "Director."

Hu Ya quickly waved her hands: "It's all just joking around. Yan Zong isn't here—I'm just riding on his coattails."

After chatting a few minutes, learning Qin Lan was leaving, Hu Ya immediately gripped her arm.

"Don't go—dinner's almost ready. You rarely come to the company; I must treat you properly. There's a good Hunanese restaurant nearby—I'll take you."

"This…"

Qin Lan was willing to give Hu Ya face—she'd just refused Yu Zheng; now accepting Hu Ya's invitation—wouldn't that seem like favoritism?

But Yu Zheng didn't care; he boldly said, "Ladies, can I tag along? I just remembered some character details I'd like to discuss with Sister Lan."

Qin Lan: "..."

Hu Ya calling her "sister" was fine—she was genuinely younger. But how old was Yu Zheng? Why call her "sister"?

Yu Zheng was indeed older than Qin Lan—by just one year—and in this circle, calling someone "brother" or "sister" wasn't about age.

Qin Lan couldn't refuse, yet didn't want to dine with Yu Zheng. As she hesitated, Yu Zheng gritted his teeth and whispered:

"Sister Lan, it's like this: someone recommended Dong Xuan to play the female lead in this drama. I think she's unsuitable, but I can't easily reject her—I'd like you to mention it to Yan Zong."

Qin Lan frowned at Yu Zheng. Whether this was Really Not Important didn't matter—what mattered was the attitude he revealed.

After a moment of silence, Qin Lan smiled: "If you're tagging along for dinner, you're paying."

Yu Zheng grinned sheepishly: "Of course."

Hu Ya: "..."

She didn't want to go anymore. It was just dinner—how did she end up picking a side?

Yu Zheng wanted to cling to a powerful ally; she didn't want to offend Dong Xuan.

Most crucially, Fan Xiaopang was coming soon—this guy was the real powerhouse, and he was in the company. If he thought she favored one side, he might take her out.

But if she bolted now, she'd offend Qin Lan too. No choice—she forced a smile and joined them, silently cursing Yu Zheng to hell.

Yu Zheng vaguely sensed Hu Ya's mood but didn't care.

Betting on Qin Lan wasn't something he'd thought about for just a day or two.

Hu Ya's indecisive behavior wasn't popular, but Yan Li protected her, so it didn't matter.

Others who tried to avoid offending anyone were safe—but that also meant they'd gain no support or favor from either side, making advancement nearly impossible.

Fortune favors the bold!

Choosing a side might bring hostility—but it also meant gaining strong backing from one faction.

Qin Lan was an "unheated stove" still unnoticed and unbet on by most; the risk might be high, but the payoff would be huge if she won.

Yu Zheng was a gambler. After brief contact with Qin Lan, he subtly judged her character, combined it with prior intelligence, and made his move decisively.

Of course, he played it safe—he ignored Fan Xiaopang, who had helped him before and held great power, and targeted Dong Xuan instead.

If Qin Lan proved unreliable, he could still crawl to Fan Xiaopang for help…

…

The meal left Qin Lan and Yu Zheng thoroughly satisfied; Hu Ya, however, was restless.

After much hesitation, she pulled out her phone and called Yan Li.

"Mm, I know."

Yan Li hung up, his mood still calm.

He'd long sensed this tension. Though Huang Shengyi had stepped forward to "take responsibility," temporarily halting the conflict,

Fan Xiaopang's impending arrival at Yi'an still stirred nerves in Qin and Dong.

The two, who had previously focused only on Yan Li, now consciously began courting others—even meddling in Yi'an, which they'd never touched before.

Qin Lan had Yu Zheng, her "fire-starting specialist," siding with her; Dong Xuan, meanwhile, invoked her status as sister-in-law, showing concern for Zhang Songwen, Lin Jiachuan, Zhou Yi, and several of Yan Li's hometown brothers in the company.

Zhang, Lin, and Zhou—their college roommates—had known Dong Xuan since university and naturally trusted her more, as she was Yan Li's earliest sister-in-law.

Those hometown brothers, facing Dong Xuan—the first sister-in-law Yan Li ever introduced—treated her with deep respect.

Though the roommates held little real power in the company, their bond with Yan Li meant everyone owed them some face.

Those hometown brothers weren't ordinary staff; some capable ones had risen to lead production teams.

Through them, plus her own status, Dong Xuan could influence many matters.

How to put it? Neither truly sought power or profit—just one thought: they couldn't let the Fan family take over the company.

If Fan Xiaopang became Yi'an's boss-lady, commanding obedience, while they were ignored—what would be left for them to do?

Yan Li didn't take it seriously. Even without Qin and Dong, the company had plenty of small factions.

Their people were, in a sense, his people—all knew who truly held power.

Of course, he'd still need to reprimand them, to prevent internal strife.

Hmm… internal strife was inevitable—no growing company escaped it. The key was keeping it controllable, not letting it disrupt the company's overall stability.

Ignoring these minor incidents, Yan Li proceeded with final negotiations with Hunan Satellite TV over "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng."

The outcome was somewhat disappointing, but Yan Li had expected it.

He'd dealt with many satellite channels; Hunan TV was the hardest to negotiate with—possessing platform advantages, strong confidence, and professional staff, squeezing profits from producers.

Selling to them guaranteed profit, but big profits depended on luck.

Though "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" stalled, "The Investiture of the Gods" was going well.

Hunan Satellite TV favored the divine battles in it, believing it would attract many teenage viewers; they valued this market segment highly and showed greater sincerity.

Yan Li, however, wasn't obsessed with breaking records for "The Investiture of the Gods" and didn't demand exorbitant prices.

The price hasn't been settled yet!

Yan Li hopes to negotiate to around 30 to 32 million, while Hunan TV leans toward a maximum of 28 million.

Hunan Satellite TV is negotiating for first-run exclusive broadcasting rights; this price isn't low, but it's not especially high either.

At the very least, Yan Li is confident he can find several satellite channels for joint broadcast and sell the first-run rights for over 30 million.

However, Hunan TV offers a tempting condition: full payment within one month after broadcast.

This is why, despite Hunan TV being difficult to deal with, Yan Li always considers them one of his top partnership candidates.

They haggle hard, but they pay without hesitation!

Many second- and third-tier satellite channels offer high contract prices but delay payment for years or simply don't pay at all—no matter the listed price of 100 million, Yan Li won't cooperate with them.

Low price but quick payment, high price but delayed payment—anyone who's done business knows who to partner with.

Money in hand is real money!

It's only because Yan Li has the system that he can uncover the bottom price and still hold out—others would've agreed long ago.

After securing additional promotional and media resources and landing several variety show appearances, Yan Li finally gave in.

The first-run exclusive broadcasting rights for "The Investiture of the Gods: Phoenix Sings at Qishan" were acquired by Hunan Satellite TV for 28 million.

However, since it was sold alongside "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng," the terrestrial channel distribution hasn't been rolled out yet—but it still earned several million.

The final investment for this drama was roughly 35 million, nearly breaking even.

How much profit it will make is hard to say—it depends on subsequent distribution and terrestrial broadcast performance.

But for Yan Li, money has already started coming in.

For "The Investiture of the Gods" project, 30 million in external investment holds 60% of the shares; Yan Li and Yongle each hold 20%, contributing a total of 5 million.

Of course, the coal boss isn't stupid just because he's rich—this ratio is truly exaggerated.

So Yongle offsets his contribution with production value, and Yan Li and Yi'an's distribution share is only 8%.

Even so, with current earnings alone, Yan Li can claim nearly 10 million, and after deducting costs, he profits several million.

Not to mention the continuous stream of future income, all pure profit.

But this return pales in comparison to "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng."

After leaving Xingcheng in Hunan, Yan Li went to the Magic City, then to Jingcheng; with prior groundwork, he finally secured the first-run rights for "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng."

Jingcheng, the Magic City, and Anhui Satellite TV acquired the first-run broadcasting rights for "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" at 1 million per episode, totaling 40 million.

Yi'an, who invested 2 million plus production, holds 40% of the shares and an additional 12% distribution share.

Since Yi'an's distribution contracts typically deduct distribution fees from the total sale price before allocating profits to investors by share.

Thus, Yi'an's share of earnings is roughly 20 million; even after subtracting the 2 million cost, it far exceeds what "The Investiture of the Gods" earned.

Keep in mind, this is only the satellite channel first-run—terrestrial channels and other revenues haven't even been counted.

If it performs well, it has a strong chance of surpassing Yi'an's most profitable project, "Huan Tian Xi Di: Seven Fairies."

…

Yan Li made no effort to hide that "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" had broken records.

He aimed squarely at breaking records—not just to earn more money, but also for publicity.

When "Huan Tian Xi Di: Seven Fairies" was sold, Yan Li had already tasted the sweetness of this approach.

The higher you sell it, the more valuable the drama appears, the more people rush to buy it, and the higher your asking price becomes.

Yi'an hasn't reached the point of quietly getting rich—right now, if they don't make money, they shout about it; if they do make money, they scream even louder, hoarse from shouting.

But unlike last time with "Huan Tian Xi Di: Seven Fairies," when the sky-high price only stunned everyone,

this time, while marveling at Yan Li's reputation as the King of Drama Sales, their eyes turned to "The Legend of the Condor Heroes."

"The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" sold for 1 million per episode—"The Legend of the Condor Heroes" still seems to overshadow it slightly—how much should it sell for?

Whoosh~

Big Bearded Zhang furiously swept the meeting room documents onto the floor, glaring at the distribution head and roaring.

"Useless! They're selling at 1 million per episode—what the hell are you even doing?"

"If you're so great, go sell it yourself!"

The distribution head was also fed up—since distribution began, Big Bearded Zhang had been pressuring him daily.

Didn't he know how damn difficult those TV stations were?!

His team had traveled nationwide, eating poorly, sleeping poorly, groveling, smiling through every insult; several team members ended up hospitalized, one with gastric bleeding; he himself hadn't had blood pressure below 180 in over two months.

After all this grueling effort, they finally secured 850,000 per episode.

Not the industry's highest, but definitely top-tier distribution—other production teams would've treated him like a god of wealth; yet he was being pointed at and cursed.

"I quit."

The distribution head kicked his chair aside: "You play tough with them and use me as a scapegoat—you made the mess, you clean it up. All you know is bluster—go sell it yourself! If you can get 800,000 per episode, I'll take your surname, fuck."

Someone tried to stop him, but Big Bearded Zhang waved them off: "Let him go. I don't believe it—Yan Li's little bastard can sell for 1 million, and we can't? He sells for 1 million, we'll sell for 1.2 million per episode."

Upon hearing this, the two remaining members of the distribution team immediately stood up and left.

This guy was truly unmanageable—he was insane!

Big Bearded Zhang was truly furious now: "All of you leave! I'll sell it myself—I refuse to believe I can't get a 1 million contract!"

Hearing this, the representative from Ciwén Film & Television, the producing company, frowned.

"Director Zhang, I understand your frustration, but we can't let personal pride harm everyone's interests."

Big Bearded Zhang could get a 1 million contract if he was willing to push hard.

A contract isn't the same as revenue.

A listed price of 1 million doesn't mean the TV station pays 1 million—some stations only pay 600,000 and never settle the remainder; that's not uncommon.

But doing so damages the production team's investors, may trigger tax issues, and TV station choices can affect broadcast performance, potentially jeopardizing the entire drama's operation.

For the sake of some so-called face, risking so much money and exposure—Zhang Dahuizi acts on impulse, but others won't follow him.

"So you want me to admit defeat to that kid?"

Zhang Dahuizi was unwilling to yield; those around him urged: "The first round doesn't decide everything—we can make a push later and surely earn more than him."

True as that sounds, everyone has seen the power of the King of Film Sales.

He sold his premiere episodes for a million per episode on satellite TV—how could terrestrial channels possibly compete? A late push? We're afraid we'll fall farther and farther behind.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a nervous assistant came forward to report: "Boss Zhang, Yi'an has just announced that the Taiwan rights for The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng have been sold."

Everyone stared at Zhang Dahuizi in tension; Zhang Dahuizi took two heavy breaths, then suddenly blurted out:

"What if we hand over The Return of the Condor Heroes to him for distribution?"

"??? "

————

PS: Got held up today, so fewer words—will make up tomorrow.

(End of Chapter)