Chapter 101 The Entire Entertainment Industry Boycotts Xiao Kaitian

The analysis post that surfaced online went roughly like this:

Chen Jingming, a director from Han and Tang Pictures, is forty-six this year. His breakthrough work was The Land That Passed Away. He specializes in period films, but the movies he has made in recent years have been mostly obscure and difficult to follow. It is fair to say he is no longer a leading figure in the mainstream market. Who knows where he found the nerve to claim he could direct a science-fiction film.

As for the investor behind this science-fiction project, I investigated in detail. It is a newly established company called Qixi Media Consulting. What must be noted is that this is a company with absolutely no foundation in the film industry. It is said to handle mainly consulting business, and I believe everyone understands what that means.

In plain terms, this is very likely nothing more than a shell company.

The key point is that the money did arrive, and it is real money. This consulting firm in Haidu obtained a billion in financing from Fenghua Holdings. To say there is no catch would be impossible. The more one thinks about it, the more unsettling it becomes.

Then there is the props supplier, a renowned conglomerate from Country M’s film industry. That part is indeed the real thing. But when it comes to props production worth hundreds of millions, anyone with even a basic grasp of mathematics and economics should understand what is going on. One might as well do the arithmetic.

So I strongly believe that if this film launch event is not just a publicity stunt, then there must be something else going on. I hope the relevant authorities will intervene and investigate properly.

This long post was pinned beneath Li Qiuping’s Weibo account and immediately received a considerable number of reposts. With the added doubts about the film, it shot straight into the trending searches.

As ordinary users, unaware of the full situation, reposted it in droves, mainstream media quickly noticed the shift, and commentary soon followed.

—In the history of Han and Tang cinema, there have been only a handful of excellent science-fiction works. The public still views science fiction through the lens of complete dominance by the film industry of Country M. If this were a genuine science-fiction production investment, I would support it wholeheartedly. But if there are other motives involved, then I can only say sorry.

—Chen Jingming is a director of period realism. If you say he can direct romance, historical drama, even horror, I would accept that. But science fiction? I’m sorry, I hereby declare that I absolutely will not watch it. The special effects, likely not worth even a few cents, are already foreseeable.

—Ling Xuan’s acting is still acceptable, and the male lead, Li Lihua, goes without saying: he is a major award-winning actor. But first, the two of them are not on the same level in terms of stature, which makes the film’s attempt to ride on hype highly suspect. Judging from the overall analysis, this film appears to have a very strong suspicion of laundering money.

Most of the talk online consisted of negative remarks belittling Beyond the Sky Dome, spreading like a spark in dry grass and quickly catching fire.

In the capital, inside the tower housing the Su family’s controlled Su Family Film and Media Group, Su Jingyao pulled up the zipper of his jacket. His face carried a wine-flushed redness, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth. “Xiao Kaitian, you actually dare to enter the entertainment industry. Truly, the road to heaven you refuse to take; the road to hell, you insist on coming.”

“Mr. Su,” said the woman seated before him in a red sweater. She was extremely beautiful, and with a flick of her long hair she said, “Ling Xuan is the female lead in this film. She offended you like that before. We can’t let her rise again.”

“Of course. Since Ling Xuan is so ungrateful, then don’t blame me for blacklisting her across the entire entertainment industry.” Su Jingyao slowly rolled up his sleeves, the onyx cuff links gleaming in the light. “Contact the people you know right away. We’ll add more fuel to this fire online.”

By the time Chen Jingming and the others noticed the talk online, the situation was already out of control.

First, Li Lihua, who had originally been slated as the male lead, posted a statement on Weibo:

—Today I noticed the many discussions circulating online. Our studio hereby solemnly states that our artist, Li Lihua, has never been in discussions for participation in any related science-fiction film. We hope rumors stop with the wise.

A simple, straightforward sentence immediately sentenced the Qixi Media Consulting film to death.

Once this statement appeared, the entire entertainment industry was thrown into an uproar. Numerous directors, actors, and independent media figures who had personal ties with Li Lihua all reposted the Weibo post.

It also became an indirect official verdict suggesting that the Qixi Media Consulting film had improper origins.

Soon after, the Su Family Film and Media Group issued its own notice:

—Our former artist, Ling Xuan, who after years of cultivation by our company still violated the relevant rules without authorization and remained unrepentant, was terminated from her contract. After both parties parted ways, our company has always adhered to the principle that if you are well, then the weather is fine. Only today do we realize that keeping one’s feet on the ground is the best way to conduct oneself in the entertainment industry. As an actor, tempering one’s craft and strengthening one’s inner substance are the true path to success.

As soon as this notice was released, the accusations against Ling Xuan surged at once.

“That damn Li Lihua, and that blasted Su Family Film and Media Group!” Chen Jingming angrily smashed the teacup on the table. The sound of porcelain breaking in the night was especially harsh. Lin Xiang, Guo Lei, and the others all looked deathly pale.

This film had, in fact, privately contacted Li Lihua at the outset. Chen Jingming had even reached a verbal agreement with him, and both sides had repeatedly confirmed their schedules. No one expected that at the final moment, Li Lihua would turn coat.

But this was normal in the entertainment world. Beyond the Sky Dome was now being denounced by everyone, and Li Lihua, careful of his reputation, naturally would not wade into this muddy water.

“People online have started tracing the connection between Qixi Media Consulting and Mr. Xiao’s Tang Empire,” Guo Lei said, clutching her phone, her palms drenched in sweat. “What should we do? If they really dig into it, paper can’t wrap up a fire.”

The reason Xiao Kaitian founded Qixi Media Consulting was to use it as a forward base for the first stage of operations. He had not deliberately erased the ties between the two companies, and now, with interested parties pushing the matter, the power behind Tang Empire was gradually entering the public eye. Along with it, the old stories of Xiao Kaitian’s past began to be spun into all sorts of nonsense across the internet.

There was even a cutting post that said: If someone like Xiao Kaitian can build a company, then I suppose everyone in Han and Tang, all two billion of them, must be bosses.

A movement of resistance against Xiao Kaitian began to appear throughout the entertainment industry.

The people at Qixi Media Consulting seemed utterly powerless to respond. Guo Lei and the others did not understand these entertainment-industry maneuvers, and Lin Xiang understood even less. By the time they realized what was happening, they were already being crushed in the court of public opinion.

“Is Brother Xiao’s phone still off?” Lin Xiang wiped his face. Though it was winter, he felt cold sweat breaking out in waves. He did not have much education and was not especially clever, but he was not stupid. If this film produced by Qixi Media Consulting failed, it could very well affect the later operations of Tang Empire.

A collapse in one blow was the only way to describe the current situation.

“No contact. Something must have happened to Mr. Xiao,” Guo Lei said. The makeup on her face had completely melted, looking blotchy and ugly, but she had no time to care. She only kept dialing Xiao Kaitian’s number again and again.

The mechanical female voice repeated over and over: The user you are calling is switched off.

And with each repetition, the others’ disappointment deepened.

“Keep calling. All night if necessary. Don’t stop until it connects!” Chen Jingming ground the cigarette butt he had nearly burned to the end into the ashtray with ruthless force.