[{"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-51":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},2260354,4411,"Chapter 51: Joining","the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-chapter-51",51,"\u003Cp>Yan Li spent two more days playing with Qin Lan before finally leaving Beijing to shoot “The Treasure Basin,” despite her reluctance to let him go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The production had already been filming for over a month; if not for Yan Li’s limited role and Cheng Lidong’s protection, they’d have called him long ago to get moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to his earlier trip to Hengdian to film “Heroes of Sui and Tang,” Yan Li now had far more money at his disposal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Remembering how exhausting the train ride to Hengdian had been, Yan Li tried air travel for the first time in his life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though economy class wasn’t particularly comfortable, the speed was undeniable—what took over ten hours by train took less than two by plane.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Yan Li hadn’t expected Suzhou to have no airport—he first had to fly to Shanghai, then take a car to Suzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhouzhuang Ancient Town\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A famous tourist site in Suzhou, renowned for its well-preserved Ming and Qing architecture, it has attracted several film crews, including that of “The Treasure Basin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, another reason is that Zhouzhuang is the hometown of Shen Wansan, and much of “The Treasure Basin”’s plot unfolds in Suzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Filming local figures and local stories in their own setting counts as promotion, and often brings some preferential treatment—or even subsidies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon arriving at the set, Yan Li went to report to Cheng Lidong, the producer of “The Treasure Basin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back in Beijing, Yan Li had helped Cheng Lidong out, and the two had become close brothers, Yan Li always calling him “Brother Cheng.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, on Cheng’s home turf, Yan Li didn’t come swaggering in to claim favors—he adopted a more formal address and showed deep respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Director Cheng, I have little filming experience—please give me your guidance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Lidong was pleased with Yan Li’s attitude—he hadn’t misjudged the boy; he knew his place and knew how to handle people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li had indeed helped him, and his connections in certain departments were real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Lidong acknowledged the favor and was willing to cultivate a good relationship with Yan Li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But their statuses were different, and this was his production; if Yan Li flaunted his favors and acted disrespectfully, Cheng wouldn’t turn hostile—but their relationship wouldn’t last.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that Yan Li had voluntarily shown proper respect, Cheng knew he was tactful and wouldn’t cause trouble, so he warmed up considerably, feigning annoyance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Call me Brother Cheng—do you think I’m a stranger?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li’s earlier formality was both instinctively cautious and informed by the system’s insight into Cheng’s thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Cheng’s reaction, he knew he’d passed the test and smoothly switched back to their old brotherly banter, grinning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was just worried you’d have trouble—privately, we can do whatever we want, but on set, we need to be formal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You little rascal, so crafty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Lidong laughed and scolded, pulled out cigarettes, and handed one to each; Yan Li swiftly produced a lighter and lit his.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They smoked and chatted warmly, and Yan Li extracted some insider information about the “The Treasure Basin” crew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of all the productions he’d joined, this one had the strongest backing—he could stay safe as long as he didn’t cause trouble, with Cheng Lidong watching his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After strengthening ties with Cheng Lidong, Yan Li left to get his hotel room key from the production supervisor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Going through back channels was great—not only did he get a private room, but the space, decor, and amenities were excellent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was due both to Cheng Lidong’s influence and because “The Treasure Basin” had a larger budget than “The Conquest” or “Snow Goddess Dragon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the lead actor of “The Treasure Basin” was Zhang Weijian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since his fallout with TVB, Zhang Weijian moved north and starred in hit dramas like “Young Fang Shi Yu,” “Xiao Bao and Kangxi,” “Clever Little Bud,” “Young Zhang Sanfeng,” and “Fang Miao Detective.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Currently, Zhang Weijian is among the most box-office-drawing actors in mainland television.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even rumors say he’s taking every role offered to pay off debts from his company’s bankruptcy, but he still isn’t cheap to hire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Yan Li’s system, Zhang Weijian’s salary alone nearly matched half the entire cast’s combined pay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Notably, Yan Li’s salary ranked among the highest in the “The Treasure Basin” crew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He earned 2,500 per episode, with about fourteen episodes, totaling roughly 35,000 yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering Yan Li had no fame and played a supporting role, this salary was almost certainly due to Cheng Lidong’s deliberate favoritism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li had refused Cheng’s red envelope and chosen a minor role; Cheng likely felt embarrassed and, still mindful of Yan Li’s “connections,” made up for it in pay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After traveling half the day, Yan Li was tired—he washed up, lay on the hotel’s comfortable bed, and sent text messages to Dong Xuan and Qin Lan to let them know he was safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, I need to buy a new phone and change my number—otherwise I’ll keep texting the wrong people…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next morning, Yan Li woke early and went jogging in his sportswear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lately, Qin Lan had blocked his door every morning, leaving him little time to exercise; now that he was on “The Treasure Basin,” with few duties, he could finally strengthen his physique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The body is the foundation of all achievement—never slack off!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After running a few laps and practicing martial arts in a quiet spot, Yan Li went for breakfast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His daily system update that morning mentioned a restaurant in Zhouzhuang serving breakfast and lunch; their local specialty, Wansan Noodles, was excellent—he followed the directions and found it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as Yan Li entered and ordered, he heard a thick Beijing accent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boss, one bowl of Wansan Noodles, double toppings, one bowl of tofu pudding, two fried dough sticks…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li turned around and grinned—it was Liang Guanhua!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Liang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang Guanhua, seeing a handsome, vigorous young man greeting him, looked puzzled on his round face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sorry, who are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m Yan Li, from Beijing Film Academy, Class of 2000—I attended your lecture, and I’m also on this ‘The Treasure Basin’ crew.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To the general public, Liang Guanhua is best known for “The Happy Life of Poor-Mouth Zhang Damin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in Beijing’s performing arts circle, he still holds influence—one of the middle-generation pillars of the Beijing People’s Art Theatre, with countless stage classics, including the role of Wang Lifa in the new version of “Teahouse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially among students of the Acting Departments at Central Academy of Drama and Beijing Film Academy, nearly everyone has seen the Beijing People’s Art Theatre’s classic “Teahouse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Yan Li’s claim of attending his class—it was actually just a single lecture Liang gave at Beijing Film Academy during Yan Li’s sophomore year, not a real course; Yan Li was just using it to flatter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, you’re the one playing Song Dian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang Guanhua had heard Yan Li’s name; once he introduced himself, Liang immediately remembered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come, come, Master Liang, join me for breakfast.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li was warmly insistent; though Liang Guanhua wasn’t widely famous, as a representative of the Beijing People’s Art Theatre, his colleagues and friends included Song Dandan, Pu Cunxin, Feng Yuanzheng, He Bing—his network was not to be underestimated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Yan Li now had some connections of his own—he didn’t need to cozy up to Liang to land roles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang’s own network in that area was limited, otherwise he wouldn’t have only become famous in film and TV near forty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li’s eagerness was aimed more at Liang’s professional skill—he’d seen Liang’s stage performances and deeply admired them; now that they were filming together, he wanted to learn as much as he could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang Guanhua hesitated, but couldn’t resist Yan Li’s enthusiasm and sat down with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li, young and strong, had a big appetite; Liang, with his round figure, ate plenty too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Food lover met food glutton—they were delighted to meet, wishing they’d known each other sooner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They ate happily and chatted merrily; Liang even praised Yan Li’s keen eye and sharp nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d been in Zhouzhuang over a month and only just found a decent restaurant, yet Yan Li found it on his first day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first Liang thought Yan Li was lucky, but when they started talking about food, he realized Yan Li spoke with deep knowledge—he’d met a kindred spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t just luck—it had to be real talent!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you talk about other things, I’ll be modest—but finding good food and fun? I’ve got a real gift.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li was supremely confident—the system’s recommendations, whether for food or entertainment, had never failed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then keep your eyes open—I’ll enjoy the benefits too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang Guanhua was delighted; many people like to eat, but few know how to find good food—a food lover meeting a culinary radar was like Bo Ya meeting Zi Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The friendly atmosphere was slightly spoiled at bill time, as both men insisted on paying, arguing good-naturedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, Liang couldn’t match Yan Li’s strength and lost—he grumbled he’d treat him tomorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they walked back to the hotel together, they met two beautiful girls stepping out of the elevator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl on the left, with a sweet face and dimples, simply smiled and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl on the right, with delicate features, fair skin, big eyes, and an oval face, greeted them with a bright smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Liang, good morning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang Guanhua smiled warmly: “Morning, Bingbing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1574,"2026-06-19T16:16:52.605Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a304378534c6af086ba06fbb098a105e79c7b8fd7075d602b8a7b6543f9d0b9a","the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-chapter-52","the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-chapter-50",405,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-cover.jpg"]