[{"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-69":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},2260372,4411,"Chapter 69: Flawless Tactics: Securing the Rights to","the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-chapter-69",69,"\u003Cp>A restaurant in Jingcheng\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qunshu saw off his guests, returned to the private room, his face dark as death, muttering curses under his breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fucking bastards, taking advantage of misfortune, fucking….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Weiwei, knowing he was in a foul mood, patiently soothed him: “If this doesn’t work, go back to that XX company.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qunshu rubbed his hair in agitation: “3.5 million is too low. If I sell at this price, I’ll lose over 700,000 net, not even counting the time and energy I’ve poured in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Weiwei fell silent. As someone close to Gao Qunshu, she understood his pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Conquest” originally had investors, but when some pulled out, Gao Qunshu had no choice but to cover the costs himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Gao Qunshu had directed several dramas, they were all low-budget productions; only “Thirteen Murders” had any real impact, and most of the time, he was just a hired hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Gao Qunshu’s savings were modest. The total cost of “Conquest” was 4.2 million, and he bore more than half.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qunshu didn’t have that much money—he borrowed heavily and mortgaged his house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With “Conquest” struggling to sell, if it lost money, Gao Qunshu wouldn’t just be ruined—he’d be financially shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, Gao Qunshu had long given up on making a profit from “Conquest.” He only hoped to break even, at least avoid massive losses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Four million. Minimum three hundred and eighty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qunshu stated his bottom line, smiling bitterly: “I’ll accept the loss—but I need enough to pay off my debts and redeem my house.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Gao Qunshu smoke one cigarette after another in despair, Liu Weiwei had no solution—she could only sit in silent company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two stayed in the private room for over half an hour, until the waiter politely reminded them, then rose to leave—only to hear a shout as they reached the lobby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Director Gao? Sister Wei?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qunshu and Liu Weiwei turned—and were startled: “Little Yan? What are you doing here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just met a client, stopped by for a quick meal. What a coincidence! I’ve missed you two so much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dressed sharply, Yan Li warmly grabbed Gao Qunshu’s arm, pulled him and Liu Weiwei to his table, and called the waiter to order more dishes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Weiwei said they’d already eaten, stopped him from ordering more, then studied Yan Li curiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little Yan, you’re doing well now. What are you up to? Not acting anymore?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still acting, but I’m also doing some behind-the-scenes work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qunshu remembered someone had inquired about Yan Li before—his mind stirred: “Did you go to Huayi?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li shook his head. He knew what Gao Qunshu meant and smiled: “Sister Hua wanted me to be her agent, then she wanted to sign me as an artist. I’m too lazy and free-spirited—I turned them down. I started my own little thing, just for the freedom.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you’re a boss now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Weiwei flattered him. Yan Li waved it off: “Can’t say that. I just earn my sweat money.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qunshu asked casually: “What’s your main business?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li had been waiting for this question. He smiled: “TV drama distribution.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>TV drama… distribution?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qunshu and Liu Weiwei exchanged glances, eyes narrowing—this was too convenient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had they not been sure they had nothing worth stealing, they’d have suspected Yan Li was lying in wait for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qunshu, older and more composed, stayed silent. Liu Weiwei didn’t care—she’d try anything, even if it was a long shot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How’d you get into this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, it’s a long story.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li began his rehearsed tale: luck had favored him—he met a few good seniors who helped him run errands, and from there, he built connections, gradually picking up small jobs, accumulating funds and contacts with TV stations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Out in the world, your identity and resume are what you make them!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li had used this tactic of bluffing before—yet he wasn’t entirely deceiving Gao Qunshu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some embellishment was inevitable, but overall, it was half-truth, half-fiction—after all, Gao Qunshu wasn’t a fool; he might verify a few things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So most of Yan Li’s claims had some basis in fact!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “good seniors” were real: Li Peng, producer of “Snow Goddess Dragon”; Cheng Lidong, producer of “The Treasure Basin”; Meng Ji, director of “Spring Sunshine, Pig Eight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter which one Gao Qunshu asked about, they all claimed to have a good relationship with Yan Li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His TV station contacts weren’t fake either—he’d been cultivating them these past days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if most were just drinking buddies, they couldn’t get real work done, but they could still speak well of him when needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for whether anyone could verify any projects or side jobs he’d done with them—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was exactly right. Yan Li was a young man—why should his connections be obvious? Some things are understood, not spoken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Truth and falsehood, real and illusory!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless Gao Qunshu had his own intelligence network, after checking everything, he’d fully believe Yan Li’s story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the most critical part of Yan Li’s plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His story had flaws—but Gao Qunshu was desperate. With even a fraction of hope, he’d ignore every inconsistency, clutching Yan Li like a lifeline, refusing to let go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The best trick isn’t flawless design—it’s exploiting human weakness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmph!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li realized he’d just invented a new career through his system—if he went into fraud, he could talk Gao into handing over Liu Weiwei too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, what Yan Li was doing now was still deception—or rather, getting something for nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But others scam and run. Yan Li wanted profit, but he had no intention of screwing over Gao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He preferred to call it mutual benefit, win-win cooperation…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After learning Yan Li’s story, Liu Weiwei wanted to reveal everything—but Gao Qunshu quietly stopped her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yan Li had predicted, Gao Qunshu, a seasoned veteran, was wary—he wouldn’t believe a word without verification. He planned to investigate first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li wasn’t in a hurry. He waited patiently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, less than three days later, Gao Qunshu invited him to dinner and brought up “Conquest” distribution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Director Gao, no one else knows, but I know the quality of our drama—it’s truly excellent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li heaped praise on Gao Qunshu, making the old man’s eyes nearly tear up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For weeks, he’d been battered—distribution stalled, TV stations rejected him, so-called “friends” turned into armchair critics, tearing apart “Conquest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worse, Gao Qunshu even heard whispers calling him a documentary director unfit for TV dramas, saying this loss would finally teach him his place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mood, as can be imagined, was dire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Yan Li’s affirmation now felt like rain after a drought. For that alone, Gao Qunshu would gladly cooperate—even if it meant losing more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Yan Li had no intention of letting Gao lose money. His terms were generous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qunshu would transfer all rights to “Conquest” to Yan Li’s Yi’an Film & Television for 4.5 million.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The price stunned Gao Qunshu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d expected to sell for 3.8 to 4 million. Even 3.6 to 3.8 million would’ve been acceptable, just to thank Yan Li for understanding him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li offered 4.5 million—enough to cover his costs and net him 300,000 profit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Gao Qunshu didn’t celebrate long. Yan Li quickly added conditions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The 4.5 million would be paid in installments: only 500,000 as a deposit, the rest to be settled within two years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qunshu was uneasy. Installments were normal in the industry—he’d never expect full payment from anyone else either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he hadn’t expected Yan Li to offer so little upfront, and stretch it so long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still had debts to pay and a house to redeem!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Director Gao, you know I’m just starting out. My funds are limited—I can’t pay more now. But I guarantee: as soon as the project moves forward, I’ll pay you quickly. If you’re in trouble, say so—we’ll work it out together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li had thoroughly researched Gao Qunshu’s situation. He’d asked high, left room to bargain—the initial terms were designed to leave space for negotiation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hope of breaking even, the personal validation, Yan Li’s reasonable tone—all held Gao Qunshu in place, and now they began negotiating back and forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After prolonged back-and-forth, Yan Li made several “concessions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deposit remained 500,000, but the total rose to 5 million, and the second payment—no less than 1 million—must be made within six months.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most importantly: if the 5 million wasn’t fully paid within two years, the rights to “Conquest” would be jointly held by Yan Li and Gao Qunshu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Weiwei read the final terms and glared at Gao Qunshu, indignant on Yan Li’s behalf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He does all the work, you sit back collecting money, and the risk’s all his? That’s not fair.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li grinned sheepishly: “It’s fine, Sister Wei. Business always carries risk. Director Gao’s already been kind to me. I believe this drama will make money—maybe you’ll envy me someday.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Envy you for what? You deserve every cent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Weiwei thought Yan Li was too honest. Gao Qunshu added: “Contract’s signed. Profit or loss—it’s fate. We both accept it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Li raised his thumb high: “Director Gao, you’re sharp.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d spoken plainly, taken the loss himself, and silenced any future complaints—should “Conquest” become a huge hit, there’d be no pointless disputes…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1550,"2026-06-19T16:16:52.605Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","5692c0ff1579f09955ddfb633aa5e9fe44fafe572d48aeee0d09733a86bfac64","the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-chapter-70","the-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-chapter-68",405,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-intelligence-king-of-chinese-entertainment-cover.jpg"]