Chapter 214

Shanghai, set of "New Shanghai Bund"

As a well-known remake, this drama is directed by renowned director Gao Xixi, stars veteran actor Li Xuejian, and features popular young male lead Huang Xiaoming and female lead Sun Li, with Huang Haibo, who has developed well over the past two years, also joining—drawing considerable external attention.

Interestingly, Huang Xiaoming, the male lead of "New Shanghai Bund," is also the male lead of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes."

The female lead Sun Li and male second lead Huang Haibo portrayed the unit female lead and one of the main cast members, respectively, in "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng."

A full-blown "Condor vs. Lu Xiaofeng" war has already erupted within the production team.

Thus, riding the wave of this "Condor vs. Lu Xiaofeng" frenzy, numerous media outlets have come to interview.

Huang Haibo, recently busy with promotions, is temporarily on leave and not on set, so the media's main targets are Huang Xiaoming and Sun Li.

Sun Li is relatively fine—she was merely the unit female lead in "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng."

Who wins or loses the "Condor vs. Lu Xiaofeng" war has little to do with her; a few polite remarks suffice, and the media can't pressure her.

Huang Xiaoming, however, cannot so easily avoid it.

As the male lead, he is the core of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes"' creative team; under this circumstance of two production teams clashing, he cannot back down.

Yet as an artist, Huang Xiaoming must maintain his image, avoid offending anyone, and steer clear of the traps journalists try to set with their questions.

For Huang Xiaoming, under thirty, newly famous for only a few years, and not yet fully evolved into a seasoned veteran, barely managing these interviews left him utterly drained.

After returning to the makeup room to remove his makeup and greeting a few acquaintances, Huang Xiaoming went back to the hotel.

Before he even finished showering, he received a call from his agent, introducing him to a series of promotional activities for "The Legend of the Condor Heroes."

Huang Xiaoming listened carefully; though he is already well-known thanks to the "Great Han Son of Heaven" series and many other dramas, and was named one of the Four Young Male Leads of Mainland China in 2003,

he knows full well that the "Great Han Son of Heaven" series alone is insufficient to distinguish him from other popular young male leads.

So he exerted every effort to outcompete Nie Yuan, another of the Four Young Male Leads, and secured the lead role in Zhang Jizhong's "The Legend of the Condor Heroes."

The results proved he made the right move.

Even before the TV series aired, continuous exposure had already significantly boosted his fame, allowing him to partner with Huayi Brothers and land a role in the billion-yuan blockbuster "The Banquet," as well as secure the promising drama "New Shanghai Bund."

If things go smoothly, the consecutive releases of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," "The Banquet," and "New Shanghai Bund" will propel his career forward by a great leap.

With Huayi Brothers' backing, he could even ascend to the top tier and have a real chance to compete for the title of Mainland China's Number One Young Male Lead.

The future looked bright, which should have made Huang Xiaoming very happy—he was indeed happy—but even the most perfect star path carries two shadows.

One shadow is the woman he once longed to chase.

Though he is now doing extremely well, compared to that old classmate, he still falls far short—not only does he lack confidence in surpassing him, he barely believes he can even match him now.

The other shadow stems from the heartbroken summer night of 2002, during the filming of "Huanzhu Gege 3."

To be honest, Huang Xiaoming had failed to win over girls before; back then, chasing his old classmate was even more miserable and humble.

But that time hurt him so deeply.

One reason was that Huang Xiaoming felt the other man had stolen his love—Qin Lan wasn't indifferent to him; their relationship was just developing slowly, and if he had continued patiently, he believed he could have succeeded.

Then that man surnamed Yan suddenly appeared—he had no idea when the two had become involved.

He had been pursuing Qin Lan for more than just a few days; he knew her circle well and was certain she had never had such a person in her life before.

Later, after asking others, he confirmed the two had only recently met—in Hengdian.

He had pursued her first, yet hadn't even touched her hand, while the two of them, after meeting just days later, were already kissing passionately.

"I fucking—"

Another reason he felt deeply unjust was that the man surnamed Yan was then completely unknown, with no money or power.

Aside from being slightly taller, slightly more muscular, and slightly younger, every other aspect was equal—or even clearly in Huang Xiaoming's favor.

Yet Qin Lan stubbornly chose him.

Even after "Great Han Son of Heaven" became a hit and Huang Xiaoming became famous and influential, he still tried to prove his charm—but Qin Lan still chose Yan Li, and even turned down a role in "Dragon Ticket," which was meant to star both of them.

To be stolen from by another man was bad enough—but it was a man who, in every way, was inferior to him.

That taste, Huang Xiaoming would never forget!

But worse was yet to come.

At the time, Huang Xiaoming had tried to make peace with it: Qin Lan was blind, abandoning a potential star for a minor actor—she'd regret it someday.

Then Huang Xiaoming saw that man surnamed Yan go from a minor actor to a millionaire out of nowhere.

Then he became a producer for multiple major productions, then a billionaire, and now he is a multi-billionaire business tycoon and industry heavyweight.

Huang Xiaoming was a potential star, yes—but that man was the investor behind the potential star.

He didn't know if Qin Lan ever regretted it—after all, that damn playboy.

But Huang Xiaoming understood: even if Qin Lan ever regretted it, the reason would have nothing to do with him.

A man who was inferior in every way stole his love in his lowest moment, then swiftly surpassed him—like slapping him repeatedly, front and back.

So although the two had had no contact for years, Yan Li remained an inescapable shadow in Huang Xiaoming's heart.

This was the "Condor vs. Lu Xiaofeng" war; Huang Xiaoming said nothing aloud, but he secretly wished "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" would deliver a crushing victory, crushing "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" underfoot.

Though he knew this drama would cause the man surnamed Yan little harm—even that man had already recouped his investment and made a profit.

But even just a public humiliation, a loss of face in public opinion, would be enough to make him secretly delighted.

Imagining it wasn't enough—he decided to watch "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng," then create a fake account to vent online.

He wouldn't watch it on TV—he wouldn't give it any ratings.

Huang Xiaoming pulled out his laptop and searched for online resources of the already-aired "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng."

After searching everywhere, he found it on Tudou. com.

Huang Xiaoming: "……"

He knew this website had Yan Li's investment, but he had no choice—other video sites had clearly been targeted with anti-piracy crackdowns.

They only offered scattered, blurry clips, nowhere near as clear or smooth as Tudou. com's stream.

He could've used some players to find resources, but he wanted to read audience comments—so in the end, he chose Tudou. com.

It's free anyway, might as well score a free ride off Yan's name.

Huang Xiaoming comforted himself, opened Tudou. com, and found "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" on the homepage banner, with high play counts exceeding 2 million cumulative views.

Keep in mind, internet users in China now number just over 100 million, and most still prefer watching TV dramas on TV or media players.

After the "Wuji" incident earlier this year and the influx of stars like Yan Li, Tudou's user base surged, but given the market size, registered users still only number in the millions.

Moreover, current data doesn't tolerate much inflation—even if inflated, the water content is minimal.

Under these conditions, "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" accumulated a million views in just a few days—its numbers were already very impressive.

Huang Xiaoming didn't fully understand the value behind the view count, but he knew how to read the comments.

The dense sea of audience and netizen comments beneath "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" revealed just how popular and well-received the drama was.

【Zhang Zhilin's performance made me take back my earlier words—he portrayed Lu Xiaofeng better than he did Guo Jing, even surpassing his own Qi Shaoshang.】

【Online, five episodes aired consecutively—I watched the whole case in one go, way more satisfying than TV.】

【Casting was excellent, suspense elements were well-executed, and even the fight scenes exceeded my expectations.】

【Personally, this is the best Gu Long drama of the past decade.】

【Jiao Enjun's Li Xunhuan and Huang Haibing's Shen Lang were perfectly portrayed, but the plot was a mixed bag—based on the few episodes so far, this drama's quality far surpasses "Little Li Feidao" and "Wu Lin Wai Shi."】

【Hua Manlou is so handsome, Ximen Chuixue is gorgeous too, and the female actors are beautiful—such good-looking men and women, pure eye candy.】

【Yan Li may not be great at much else, but his casting is spot-on—"Huan Tian Xi Di Qi Nüxian" was all handsome men and beautiful women, and looking at the cast list for "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng," they're all good-looking too.】

【...】

Huang Xiaoming found these comments overly exaggerated and wondered if Tudou was manipulating reviews.

So he opened the first episode of "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" to watch it properly.

"The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" has nine standalone units, each consisting of four to five episodes.

Since the first unit introduces the setting and character development while establishing the drama's overall tone—suspense plus Wu Xia—it has more episodes and features all four main characters to varying degrees.

Huang Xiaoming had never read the original "Lu Xiaofeng" novel, but he'd seen some related adaptations.

He didn't feel deeply about Lu Xiaofeng himself, but Ren Quan's portrayal of Hua Manlou was elegant and refined, like jade warmed by the sun.

Based on his own acting experience, he'd bet his life this performance would shine.

And as some comments said, the plot was brisk and powerful, with suspense well-crafted—he hadn't guessed the killer at all.

Many praised the fight scenes, but Huang Xiaoming didn't find them especially outstanding—just good. What truly impressed him was the costume, makeup, and set design.

Especially the costumes and hairstyles were exquisitely crafted; though sometimes they lacked the realism and "jianghu aura" of "The Return of the Condor Heroes," the actors themselves were truly stunning.

Especially Hua Manlou and Ximen Chuixue—one in elegant, ornate robes, the other a white-clad swordsman—both dazzlingly handsome.

Even Huang Haibo, a fellow surname who didn't rely on his looks, seemed to look better in the drama.

If costume, makeup, and set design are the main selling point, no matter how good they are, they're useless—like a useless rib.

But if a drama has other strong selling points, and is enhanced by exquisite costume, makeup, and set design, its overall quality immediately rises.

When quality rises, viewers feel more comfortable watching, and unconsciously raise their evaluation of the drama.

In 2006, due to budget and team limitations, many dramas—even hit ones—were still labeled "cheap" or "crude."

Jin Yong's dramas with the big beard were widely acclaimed and could even compete with the nostalgic TVB versions; their high production quality was one important reason.

Huang Xiaoming had seen the preview clips of "The Return of the Condor Heroes."

Objectively speaking, he felt the two dramas were evenly matched, and in some aspects, "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" even surpassed it.

【...】

Huang Xiaoming watched it on fast-forward—five episodes per unit, and the sixth episode had just begun, but plenty of hooks were already planted.

He searched online and found Tudou's playback speed was one day slower than TV stations—meaning "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" had already aired eight episodes.

As for ratings...

Huang Xiaoming didn't need to watch—he'd already been told by reporters.

Shanghai TV and Jingcheng TV ranked third and fifth respectively in their time slot, while Anhui TV surged to number one the day after premiere and held it ever since.

Don't think it's absurd—Anhui TV is currently at its peak, with consistently strong viewership.

Though its overall scale is considered second-tier, its entertainment performance stands out, often dominating first-tier channels, and sometimes the only provincial channel that can compete with Hunan TV in variety shows and dramas.

So while Anhui TV aired simultaneously with Beijing and Shanghai's first-tier channels, it outperformed them—unexpected, yet perfectly logical.

With all three channels occupying the top ranks, "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" achieved extremely high market share, surpassing 20% just two days after premiere.

In viewership ratings, though not as explosive as "Wu Lin Wai Zhuan," it still performed remarkably well.

Anhui TV, the highest-ranked, had an average viewership rating of 3.47; based on current trends, breaking 4 was a sure thing, and breaking 5 wasn't out of the question.

This data on a provincial satellite channel could easily compete for the channel's annual championship.

With good luck, it might even secure a top spot in the annual rankings.

As for the annual viewership champion? Forget it—that's CCTV's monopoly.

Huang Xiaoming's data and sources were limited, so he couldn't pinpoint exactly where "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" stood—but he could be certain.

This drama had become a hit.

————

"The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" had become a hit!

This seemed to be something many had anticipated.

The overwhelming promotion and endless buzz made it one of the most anticipated dramas of the year, and in some ways, it had already become popular before it even aired.

People were more curious about how big it would become and how good its quality truly was.

In terms of ratings, reputation, influence, and discussion, "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" had shone brightly.

Though it didn't match "Wu Lin Wai Zhuan," it could still be called one of the hottest dramas of 2006's opening.

And since the drama was still in its prime broadcast period, with time, reruns, and accumulating momentum, its performance in every aspect still had room to grow.

Compared to straightforward data, what truly surprised people about "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" was its excellent reputation.

Douban, which was only established last year, saw many users give "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" high ratings.

"The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" scored 8.6 on Douban, surpassing Zhang Dahuzi's most acclaimed work, "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" (8.3).

"The Smiling, Proud Wanderer" and "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" fared even worse.

"The Legend of the Condor Heroes" scored the lowest, at just 6.7; "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer" saw a slight rise in reputation over recent years due to Zhang Dahuzi's increasing influence, and currently holds a Douban score of 7.4.

To be fair, the reason "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" scored so high.

It is certainly due to its high quality, but the main reason is the excellent contrast provided by its peers.

Zhang Dahuzi's Jin Yong adaptations are well-made, but TVB versions have huge fanbases, and other Jin Yong adaptations also include some quality classics.

However, Gu Long's adaptations are an entirely different matter.

Gu Long's quality adaptations are few to begin with, and a considerable proportion are early works with limited influence and aspects that may not suit modern audiences.

In recent years, Gu Long adaptations like "Little Li Feidao," "Xiao Shiyilang," "Wu Lin Wai Shi," and "Xiao Yuer and Hua Wuke."

It's not that these shows have poor quality or performance, but they've generated considerable controversy, especially since many plotlines have nothing to do with Gu Long's original works.

As a result, many regard them as semi-original adaptations—or simply as Wu Xia dramas—rather than true Gu Long adaptations.

Under these circumstances, "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" emerged out of nowhere.

Compared to objective factors like quality, what moved many Gu Long fans most was.

This drama has the Gu Long flavor!

Even if this flavor isn't perfect, even if it's only a little, it's enough to bring tears to fans worn down by countless distorted adaptations.

On Douban's comment section, Gu Long book fans repeatedly mention two words: 【Sincerity】.

Many original book fans don't have high demands.

Especially fans who've been repeatedly betrayed—if the production team respects the original, it's enough to satisfy them; if they further adapt and perform it thoughtfully based on the original, it becomes a sincere work.

No matter how good the production quality is, if sincerity is present, it earns special bonus points.

When Yan Li began filming "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng," criticism was loud, and many book fans vowed they would never watch it.

But now the situation has turned: original book fans are lavishing praise on this drama.

They expected a pile of shit, but got a cake—and with other "shit" around as contrast.

This unexpected high level of delight has made "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" unusually well-received.

Netizens showered it with praise, and the media also gave it high evaluations.

Pang Yidian, a reporter for the Southern Metropolis Daily, praised the drama and its production team extensively.

【……The reason "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" succeeded is first and foremost the excellent casting: Zhang Zhilin possesses both acting skill and appearance, naturally portraying Lu Xiaofeng's free-spirited charm; Ren Quan's elegant gentlemanly image complements Zhang Zhilin perfectly, one humorous, one serious; Yan Kuan captured Ximen Chuixue's coldness……】

【……Moreover, we must praise producer Yan Li. Personally, I believe many Gu Long adaptations are uneven, ruined by reckless, chaotic changes; but in this version of "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng," the producer and screenwriter showed no excessive indulgence, exercising extreme restraint in adaptation……】

【……Gu Long's original is highly successful, proving the story itself is good; any change carries risk. Gu Long is a master of Wu Xia—how many can rewrite better than he wrote? So changing it inevitably ruins it, resulting in bad dramas……】

【……The high-paced, episodic format avoids being bound by so-called main plots—it's simply one case after another, clean and crisp, leaving audiences thoroughly satisfied……】

【……Yan Li himself stepped forward to argue with Zhang Jizhong, saving the production team massive promotional funds, channeling all money into the drama itself—every scene, every frame reveals the crew's dedication……】

【……Below, I will briefly outline the several episodes of "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng" already aired……】

Hengdian Hotel

Yan Li read the online article and sent a screenshot to his secretary Hu Ya.

"Was this article paid for?"

Hu Ya quickly replied in the affirmative—Pang Yidian is now a long-term collaborator of Yi'an, having repeatedly championed Yi'an in various areas.

Besides this article, he has written two blog posts.

One praised Yan Li as a producer who pushes the next wave forward; the other praised Yi'an artists, such as Zhang Zhilin and Fan Xiaopang, who portrayed Xue Bing and Gongsun Dama.

During a TV drama's peak popularity, positive press releases are unavoidable.

If you don't pay for them, it doesn't mean you'll get fair evaluations from random netizens—you might just get smears from competitors.

Yan Li nodded, telling Hu Ya to tell Pang Yidian: if he wants to praise, praise well—but don't flatter him directly or indirectly in praise of the drama; he won't pay extra.

Hu Ya went to deliver the message and quickly returned with the response.

Pang Yidian: 【I'm not kowtowing to your boss Yan; this article is objective. I believe the greatest contributor to this drama is your boss Yan—positive evaluations inevitably circle back to him.】

Yan Li: "……"

Such straightforward, perceptive people are rare—raise his fee, don't let honest people suffer……

After reading the positive reviews, Yan Li searched for negative ones.

No drama can please everyone, nor can it be without flaws.

Yan Li still valued quality criticism—it could help Yi'an's future production and development.

Negative reviews came in all shapes: some found the mystery elements too simple, some disliked the casting, some thought the plot uninteresting, some said it didn't live up to its hype, others simply called it a bad drama.

I hate it—it's crap!

Yan Li was long used to such comments; he ignored the meaningless ones and looked for valuable ones—then he found one.

"The Gap in Vision: Why Yan Li Falls Short of Zhang Dahuzi—Lacking National Sentiment, Only Self-Interest"

He clicked in and saw the article compared him to Zhang Dahuzi, even to Gu Long and Jin Yong, using grand narratives and loaded labels to belittle him.

Yan Li wasn't angry—it was clearly a Zhang Dahuzi press release—but the writing was good, so he checked the pen name.

"Yidian Fang—this name sounds familiar."

Yan Li sent Hu Ya a message: pause the fee increase for now—I'll check with the system later; if he's playing both sides, I'll deal with that fat bastard.

Ignoring this minor incident, Yan Li roughly compared the positive and negative reviews of "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng"—far better than he expected.

He lit a cigarette, relaxed, and silently calculated.

The data is still rising; once the premiere ends and the ratings peak, reruns and terrestrial channels will follow, further expanding its influence.

Back then, The Legend of the Condor Heroes should have been airing too; no matter how well you sing a solo, it's still a solo—only when both Phoenix and Condor clash does the real spectacle begin.

Spectacle means money!

The fiercer the rivalry between the two dramas, the hotter they become, and the higher the subsequent distribution negotiations and selling prices will rise.

Local channels are fine—they're scattered and hard to track—but satellite channels repeatedly broke single-episode sale records with Phoenix and Condor; given this explosive performance, shouldn't we consider pushing second- and third-round prices toward record-breaking levels too?

Shouldn't the still-unsold Hong Kong, Taiwan, and overseas rights also show proper respect to this blockbuster?

Earlier, Yan Li said he'd sell both dramas for over 80 million each; that estimate was a bit optimistic, and whether it's achievable depends on some luck.

But selling both for a combined 150 million? Yan Li now thinks it's still worth a shot.

Roughly calculated: total 150 million, each drama sells for 75 million.

The Legend of the Condor Heroes is simple: 16% distribution share, Yi'an gets 12 million.

The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng is more complex: subtract distribution share first, then take 40%—roughly 35 to 38 million.

Cumulatively, Yi'an's income approaches 50 million; after deducting costs, expenses, and taxes, Yan Li's personal take is nearly 30 million.

"It's just not as profitable as the stock market."

Yan Li increasingly understood why many corporate bosses, seeing a bull market, mortgaged company assets and even diverted corporate funds into stocks.

Few people can resist the temptation of effortless, fast money.

He constantly warned himself, thought clearly, and had enough backing—but even he couldn't help complaining when he saw this gap.

Those bosses who earn less than him and face greater pressure, once they taste sweetness, will let greed take over and won't stop until they're bloodied and broken.

Putting aside those wild ideas, Yan Li wondered whether he should stoke the Phoenix-Condor rivalry further.

75 million doesn't sound as good as 80 million; 150 million isn't as auspicious as 160 million.

At this stage, his verbal sparring with Zhang Dahuizi was nearly over; further arguing would require tearing up the peace and shouting insults—both sides were already tired.

The tension between the two dramas was also thick; anyone who knew anything understood they were mortal enemies.

Just proceed as planned, wait for the explosion—further incitement wouldn't add much.

Yan Li pondered whether he could work on some gossip.

Himself? Forget it; The Investiture of the Gods didn't have the heat of Phoenix and Condor; the main selling point would be him and Fan Xiaopang—no need to use it yet.

Besides, both had little screen time and no scenes together; forced hype wouldn't work well.

Maybe try other actors—like Zhang Zhilin's breakup? No, don't break up his marriage.

Better to target Yan Kuan or Ren Quan's rumored affair with some female cast member.

Best would be Ren Quan—his fame is higher, gossip attracts more attention, and given his situation, it wouldn't involve jealousy over a partner.

Also, The Legend of the Condor Heroes should stir up some gossip too.

Yan Li personally called Zhang Dahuizi: a rising young male lead and a rising young female lead, falling in love on set—a famous martial arts couple—what a perfect selling point! But The Legend of the Condor Heroes kept rejecting it outright.

Does he think selling this drama is easy?

The production team won't cooperate—how's he supposed to sell it? How will anyone make money?!

Zhang Dahuizi, caught off guard, was silenced by Yan Li's tirade and could only respond.

"The woman won't agree—she's a pure jade maiden; gossip would ruin her image."

Does he not know the benefits of gossip?!

Li Yapeng and Xu Qing stirred gossip for The Smiling, Proud Wanderer; no need for The Legend of the Condor Heroes—the leads just dated directly.

The tent incident in The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils was rumored with every detail; the production team wasn't entirely innocent—Chen Hao, who played Azhu, had rumors linking her to Hu Jun and Lin Zhiying.

Now, The Legend of the Condor Heroes—a Wu Xia drama centered on romance—if he could stir gossip, he'd have done it already.

"Jade maiden…"

Yan Li was speechless: "Even jade maidens can't avoid love—didn't Little Dragon Girl come down to earth too?"

"I don't care. A project worth hundreds of millions—do we listen to just one person? Do you have any sense of the bigger picture? If you can't handle it, I'll do it myself."

Zhang Dahuizi was startled—he feared Yan Li didn't understand the depth, and that behind her stood a billionaire on the rich list.

"So what if she's on the rich list? Even the richest must be reasonable."

Yan Li sneered: "If he won't allow hype and we lose hundreds of millions or even a billion in difference, will he make up the gap? Old Zhang, don't side with outsiders—we're responsible to the investors."

Zhang Dahuizi's beard bristled—this brat was pushing too far. I'm older than your father, how dare you call me Old Zhang?

"Fine, you're so great, you do it. It's just gossip—who knows how much effect it'll have? Is it worth angering a billionaire like this?"

"Kid, you're young and reckless—I know you're not afraid—but business is about harmony. No need to fight over this; there are other ways to solve it."

Hearing this, Yan Li calmed down: "Then what do you suggest?"

Zhang Dahuizi paused: "Alright, gossip still happens—but focus on the man. Say Huang Xiaoming secretly loves her, but she doesn't like him. That creates buzz without damaging her jade maiden image too much."

Huang Xiaoming would look bad…

Yan Li nodded—who looked bad didn't matter to him; he only cared about the gossip's effect and profit.

If Huang Xiaoming got screwed, even better—he knew the kid had been whispering behind his back.

"Then I leave it to you, Old Man. I'll wait for your good news."

Yan Li hung up cleanly. Zhang Dahuizi held the phone, slowly realizing.

"Did that kid just set me up?"

That kid played the game better than him in New Shanghai—he didn't believe Yan Li didn't know Liu Tianxian's background. His earlier outburst was just bluffing, forcing him to compromise and cooperate.

"Cunning little bastard."

He muttered curses, but understood Yan Li sought the project's success—which benefited him too. He couldn't hold it back.

After weighing his words, Zhang Dahuizi pulled out his phone and made a call.

"Xiao Li… I can't stop him. That kid's too ruthless."

"Listen, he said if you don't agree, he'll publicly declare his love to Yi Fei himself—his reputation's terrible; if Yi Fei's linked to him, she's finished…"

"... Alright, don't worry, I won't let Yifei get shortchanged—I'll let you review the script first."

"..."

After hanging up, Zhang the Big Hu Zi smirked. Old ginger is the spiciest—I do the work, you take the blame.

As for Huang Xiaoming, this kid has no powerful patron behind him, and he still wants to film his version of The Deer and the Cauldron—he's easy to control.

Just give the order and arrange it directly; worst case, I'll write the script more favorably...

Soon, someone leaked that Huang Xiaoming was secretly in love with Liu Tianxian, but she was too young and didn't want to date, so she turned him down.

Huang Xiaoming, helpless, could only silently protect her as an older brother—once, to save Liu Tianxian, he risked his life diving into the water, his emotions deeply moving.

"Ugh~"

Yan Li gagged. Is this a leak or a romance novel?

The old bastard wants it both ways—wants to stir up gossip but doesn't want to offend anyone.

Then again, rumors previously claimed Huang Xiaoming was secretly in love with Xiao Yanzi, unable to win her heart; now he's "secretly in love" with Liu Tianxian, silently guarding her.

The Emperor of Secret Love (Huang)?!

Yan Li observed the public opinion—the center of all discussion was Huang Xiaoming; the women had successfully vanished from the spotlight.

Regarding his actions, there were supporters and detractors, with the latter outnumbering the former.

The dramas The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber and Chinese Paladin had brought Liu Tianxian many fans; because she followed the jade maiden image, her fans were extremely sensitive about this.

An old man nearly ten years her senior dared to covet their goddess.

On the street, you meet a fortune-teller—what the hell are you?

Huang Xiaoming was targeted by a barrage of criticism; his personal forum was overrun. Of course, his fans weren't passive—they called themselves the Jiao Sect, fighting to the death against Liu Tianxian's fans for their sect master.

Fan wars erupted, and public discussion was substantial—voices echoed across all platforms, and media outlets reposted them.

Yan Li nodded in satisfaction. Whether the gossip was good or bad, the publicity effect had been achieved.

Although the current trend might cause a small portion of fans to abandon the drama, it would attract more casual viewers; casual viewers would boost ratings, and even those who abandoned it might still watch—or at least speak up for promotion.

Compared to traditional, conventional gossip-mongering, this approach was fresh, and the effect might even be better.

Yan Li even considered learning from this and adding a secret love plot for the gossip partner of The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng.

But Ren Quan adamantly refused, thinking it too embarrassing.

Besides, the person he was hyping was Yang Xue, who was already with Wang Jinghua—no matter who he gossiped about, Ren Quan would naturally favor his fellow sect sister.

Yang Xue didn't have nearly as many fans as Liu Tianxian; adding a secret love plot might backfire.

Yan Li was convinced. Ren Quan and Yang Xue's gossip was immediately launched, but the effect was far worse than that of The Legend of the Condor Heroes.

There was nothing to be done—their fame and popularity didn't match, and their topic heat was nowhere near.

Forced to add more drama, Yan Li had Yang Xiaopang play the "matchmaker" for the two—since she knew both Ren Quan and Yang Xue well, her involvement was plausible and reasonable.

Adding Yang Xiaopang still didn't improve the overall effect—it lacked a breakout topic.

Yan Li thought and thought, then gritted his teeth and stomped his foot—he'd do it himself.

Why did Yang Xiaopang play matchmaker for Ren and Yang? Because Yan Li was lustful; she feared he'd target Yang Xue, so she stepped in to arrange the match and quash his lecherous intentions.

The logic was solid, and the drama had appeal—but Yan Li's reputation took a hit.

But he didn't care about that anymore; his reputation was already in ruins, and at least he could make some money.

Worth it!

Besides Ren Quan and Yang Xue, Yan Li also spoke with An Yixuan, who appeared in The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng.

He'd only recently learned that An Yixuan had once been linked to Huang Xiaoming during the filming of The Emperor of Han Dynasty 3.

Although she herself said they were just friends, Yan Li thought—if they were friends, couldn't he "reuse the old tune" and create a cross-drama collaboration?

Besides An Yixuan, he also had his eye on Sun Li—they were filming The New Shanghai, so why not stir up romance from the drama?

One man, three women—plenty of topics!

The result? Only An Yixuan showed some interest; Sun Li firmly refused, citing personal and company reasons.

Understandable—she was a rising star, didn't lack topics, and had only played a guest female lead; no need to sacrifice herself for The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng.

Huang Xiaoming also resisted—he was an actor, an idol, not as reckless as Yan Li.

Secretly loving Liu Tianxian was one thing—it never came to anything, and later he could claim the "good older brother, good younger sister" angle, take a few insults, but it wouldn't damage his core fanbase; he could even market himself as a tender, devoted man.

But gossiping with multiple actresses changed the nature entirely—it severely damaged his image and reputation.

He was the Jiao Sect's sect master, not the lecherous sect master!

Since the parties involved refused to cooperate, Yan Li couldn't force them—he could only reluctantly give up.

He also complained about Huang Xiaoming's fan name—calling them "sect members" and "sect master"—turning a decent fan club into something like a cult.

His own fans were more down-to-earth: "Salt Grains"—a clever homophone, playful and catchy.

As for things like "Ice Riding Captain" or whatever—that he absolutely rejected. Pfft, who the hell do you think you are...

————

ps: (4000/9000)

(End of Chapter)