Huayu Entertainment 1995 started with hijacking.

Chapter 139 Bringing Capital into the Group
"After Liu Ye finished filming your movie and came back from the set, he kept bragging and invited everyone in our class over for dinner. He ended up getting drunk, hugging the person next to him and crying his eyes out about how tough his freshman year was, how much he suffered, until his eyes were swollen. The next day, he wore sunglasses to class and got a severe scolding from Teacher Chang."

In the room, when Wu Yuchen asked, Zeng Li smiled and told him about Liu Ye and Chen Minghao's situation, which made Wu Yuchen shake his head and laugh: "This guy is still so funny!"

Then Wu Yuchen said with a smile, "Pear, I've got something good for you."

"What?" Zeng Li asked curiously.

Wu Yuchen pulled out a thick stack of scripts and handed them to Zeng Li; it was none other than "The Grand Mansion Gate".

"This is..." Zeng Li asked curiously, but she also vaguely realized what Wu Yuchen meant.

“It’s a really good script. I’ll stay with you today. You can read it first,” Wu Yuchen said with a smile.

Zeng Li and the other students at school weren't fully aware of the controversy surrounding "The Grand Mansion Gate." However, she trusted Wu Yuchen's words, nodded, took the script, and began to read it carefully.

Wu Yuchen is going to talk to Guo Baochang about "The Grand Mansion Gate" in the next couple of days. It's such a classic drama with many good roles, and he wants to give Zeng Li a chance.

It's undeniable that the Central Academy of Drama has strict requirements for its students and lays a solid foundation, but learning without practice may not necessarily be a good thing for actors.

Although the Central Academy of Drama is very strict and doesn't allow students to take on roles casually, they would definitely let people go if the director is Guo Baochang.

Watching Zeng Li read the script, he recalled that in his previous life, Zeng Li hadn't taken on a single role during her four years of university, obediently staying at school for those four years. The closest opportunity she had was when they were casting for the female lead in "My Father and Mother." Zhang Yimou came to the school looking for Zeng Li but couldn't find her, so Zhang Ziyi ended up getting the role instead.

However, to be honest, even if Zeng Li had been there, she might not have been able to really beat Zhang Ziyi.

Putting aside all the messy gossip surrounding Zhang Ziyi, if we're just talking about talent, Zhang Ziyi has a significant advantage.

Many people may think that Zhang Ziyi is not that pretty or stunning.

However, her face is exactly the type that directors and cinematographers love most, and she is said to be flawless from every angle on the big screen.

Zeng Li is the opposite of Zhang Ziyi. She is very beautiful in real life and was voted the school beauty by the boys as soon as she entered the school. However, on camera, her face shape is not as pleasing to the eye as Zhang Ziyi's. She is very dependent on styling and makeup.

Zhang Ziyi is truly blessed with natural talent; she is a natural leader among actors!
However, with Wu Yuchen around, he naturally wants to secure more opportunities for Zeng Li, and the upcoming investment in "The Grand Mansion Gate" is undoubtedly a good choice.

After Zeng Li received the script for "The Grand Mansion Gate", she became completely immersed in it without realizing it, and a whole day had passed from morning to night.

Just then, a large hand blocked her view. She tried to pry the hand away, but the script was taken away.

"Hey! I haven't finished watching it yet!" Zeng Li said hurriedly.

"Alright, let's rest for a bit first, there's no rush," Wu Yuchen said with a smile.

Zeng Li frowned and pouted. She was completely absorbed in the story of "The Grand Mansion Gate" and was annoyed by Wu Yuchen's interruption.

"Tell me first, what do you think of this script? Is it good?" Wu Yuchen asked.

“Great! Excellent! It’s just as good as the classic plays we rehearsed in school! Everyone is so vivid, it’s like being in that era.” Zeng Li said with great certainty.

Wu Yuchen smiled and nodded, then continued, "So, which character do you like the most?"

Zeng Li hesitated for a moment upon hearing this. She liked many of the characters, whether it was the wise and decisive Second Madam of the Bai family, or the courageous and upright Bai Jingqi... she liked them all.

Seeing her like this, Wu Yuchen gently tapped her head: "Lizi, I'm asking which role you want to play! Don't say anything like the Second Madam of the Bai family, you can't play that role, and you're too old."

Zeng Li was engrossed in her book when she heard Wu Yuchen say this, and she quickly asked, "Are you going to film this script?"

Wu Yuchen shook his head: "It's not me. This is director Guo Baochang's life's work, and only he can direct it. But I will try my best to get you a role."

Zeng Li was overjoyed to hear Wu Yuchen say that. After all, as an actor, being able to participate in such a good drama would undoubtedly be a very happy and fulfilling thing.

She was silent for a moment, carefully considering the roles she could play. After a while, she met Wu Yuchen's eyes and said, "I want to play Yang Jiuhong."

Yang Jiuhong is the second concubine of the male protagonist Bai Jingqi. Born into a brothel, she fell in love with Bai Jingqi, was unwilling to accept her fate, and longed for freedom. However, after entering the mansion, she was always looked down upon by the second mistress of the Bai family because of her background as a prostitute. As a result, her biological daughter was taken away when she was a child. She spent the rest of her life in resentment and loneliness and died with regret.

Wu Yuchen nodded. He didn't say anything about Zeng Li's choice; she was certainly capable of playing the role given her appearance. Zeng Li was beautiful enough in glamorous attire to portray a top courtesan in a brothel, and her slightly elongated face in the film perfectly captured the sorrow and meanness of Yang Jiuhong in her middle age.

In the previous life, Yang Jiuhong was played by He Saifei, but since Zeng Li wants to play the role now, Wu Yuchen will definitely side with Zeng Li. Moreover, he previously cast He Saifei as the female lead in "The Passionate Years," a critically acclaimed and commercially successful role that also won awards, so it wasn't a bad deal for her.

……

Guo Baochang is in a great mood lately. After a group of people came to visit him after hearing that he was hospitalized, the script for "The Grand Mansion Gate" that had been taken away was returned, and the contract issue was also resolved.

What made him even happier was that Chen Baoguo told him that he had even secured investment, as Wu Yuchen, who had recently gained fame, was willing to invest in him to support the filming of "The Grand Mansion Gate".

With his mental illness gone, his physical health also recovered quickly. He has completed the discharge procedures and moved back home to recuperate.

But he waited and waited for several days without Wu Yuchen contacting him. He began to wonder if the young man had regretted his words after making a fuss.

Thinking of this, Guo Baochang couldn't sit still any longer. He hurriedly asked someone for Wu Yuchen's contact information and called him.

"Hello? Is this Wu Yuchen? Yes, this is Guo Baochang. I... What? You're downstairs at my place? Oh, okay, okay!"

Guo Baochang opened the door, and within half a minute, Wu Yuchen appeared at his door, accompanied by a very beautiful girl.

"Darling, congratulations on your discharge from the hospital! These are some skincare products I brought for you to help you recover."

Wu Yuchen waved the things he was carrying and then introduced, "This is Zeng Li, from the Performance Department of the Central Academy of Drama." Zeng Li also greeted Guo Baochang respectfully.

Guo Baochang's mind raced as he watched Wu Yuchen bring a pretty girl to see him, but he warmly welcomed the two into the house.

After having his wife serve tea to the two of them, he smiled and said, "Wu Yuchen, you don't need to keep calling them 'Master Bao' anymore."

Wu Yuchen smiled and said, "I call Teacher Xie 'Teacher,' but if we're talking about seniority, I should really call you 'Grandmaster'!"

Guo Baochang smiled and waved his hand:

"They're flattering me. Actually, I didn't do much back then. Their talent is obvious to everyone. They could have succeeded without me. At most, I provided logistical support for them. Don't follow their lead. Let's stick to our own things. Just call me Teacher Guo."

Guo Baochang knew perfectly well that he was now begging Wu Yuchen to invest money in him, and he couldn't put on airs in front of him, even if Wu Yuchen had the qualifications.

"Okay, Teacher Guo!"

Wu Yuchen smiled and nodded. After exchanging a few words of greeting with Guo Baochang about his health, he got down to business:

"Mr. Guo, I've come here to discuss 'The Grand Mansion Gate' with you. I've read the script, and it's excellent. I'd like to invest in your production. I wonder if you'd be willing?"

Upon hearing this, Guo Baochang smiled from the bottom of his heart:
"Of course I'm willing! How could I not? This is exactly what I've been hoping for. You have no idea how many investors I've been looking for. Since 95, I've gone to seventy or eighty companies. I'm not bragging, but I've drunk tons of alcohol just from the drinks I've had to accompany them. I never thought I'd get scammed in the end. If it weren't for you guys pulling me out of the way, sigh!"

Then Guo Baochang waved his hand and said, "Let's not talk about anything that might spoil the mood. Wu Yuchen, I am truly grateful that you are willing to invest in my 'The Grand Mansion'! But I have to say this first: I don't want to rush into making 'The Grand Mansion'. I want to bring out everything in the script to life."

In the old days, there was a common saying in Beijing: "Wearing Ma Juyuan hat, Neiliansheng shoes, wearing Badaxiang clothes, and wrapped with Si Da Heng belt."

"I want to make all of these exactly as they were: Ma Juyuan's hat, Neiliansheng's cloth shoes, Badaxiang's clothes, and Sidaoheng's receipts."

Upon hearing this, Wu Yuchen finally understood why Guo Baochang had approached so many TV stations and film and television companies, but they all ultimately refused to invest in him. With his filming style, the costs were simply unbearable.

Wu Yuchen smiled and said, "Teacher Guo, we are both directors, so I naturally understand your feelings. I also admire your spirit of striving for excellence. I agree with your idea of ​​restoring the original scenery of the Grand Mansion. Here's what I'll do: I'll invest 2000 million in you."

Upon hearing this, Guo Baochang was overjoyed. 20 million was more than double the 10 million that the TV station had offered him!
Just as he was about to say something, Wu Yuchen also reached out his hand:
"Teacher Guo, please let me finish. I personally really like 'The Grand Mansion Gate' and am willing to invest so much, but a group of employees in my company also make a living from it, so I can't just invest such a large sum of money and then ignore it. I definitely want to make a profit, or at least not lose too much."

"The 20 million is agreed upon; I won't shortchange you a single penny, but that's it, no more. That's all the money we have. If you feel you have extra funds, then you can get as many of those hats as you want, whether it's Ma Juyuan's or Neiliansheng's cloth shoes. But if the filming funds are insufficient, don't come crying to me about being poor later."

Guo Baochang opened his mouth, but then thought about his experiences over the past few years. Now that he had finally met someone like Wu Yuchen who was willing to invest a huge sum of 2000 million yuan in him, what more could he ask for? Wu Yuchen's actions were already more than enough, and he deserved Chen Baoguo's description of him as being extremely righteous.

At the same time, Guo Baochang secretly resolved that since this director, a grand-disciple, was willing to help him, he couldn't be too reckless. Like he said, he couldn't let them lose too much money. He needed to make full use of the connections he had built up over the years to gather as many good actors as possible to participate!

Seeing that Guo Baochang didn't object, Wu Yuchen grinned and said:
"Teacher Guo, regarding the casting, I have absolutely no objection to Teacher Chen playing Master Bai. However, I have one small request..."

Wu Yuchen took Zeng Li's hand and helped her stand up, then said to Guo Baochang:
"After reading the script for 'The Grand Mansion Gate,' Pear really liked the character Yang Jiuhong. She couldn't eat or sleep, and she was so worried about losing her appetite. Could she play this role?"

Zeng Li immediately bowed to Guo Baochang in compliance.

When Guo Baochang saw Wu Yuchen bring a pretty girl over, he was already prepared, knowing that Wu was likely going to get a role. He wasn't unfamiliar with this kind of thing; it was the same even back in the day.

But casting Zeng Li as Yang Jiuhong...

Guo Baochang looked slightly troubled and said, "Wu Yuchen, isn't he a bit too young?"

Wu Yuchen smiled and said:

"Teacher Guo, I'm not worried about the age. After all, Teacher Chen Baoguo played the role from 18 to old age. When Bai Er Nainai enters the house, won't she also have to play the role from 18 to old age? In the end, she will have to rely on makeup. The role of Yang Jiuhong is from a young girl to middle age, so it's not incongruous for Li Zi to play it."

As for acting skills, I'll need Mr. Guo to put in more effort to guide me. Pear's attitude is absolutely excellent; feel free to scold her if she needs it!

As Wu Yuchen spoke, he also stood up and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Guo Baochang.

Guo Baochang remained silent for a moment, then looked Zeng Li up and down. She was indeed beautiful, and would definitely be suitable to play Yang Jiuhong, the second concubine who came from a brothel background. Having graduated from the Central Academy of Drama, her foundation should be solid, and she had already said she would let him coach her acting skills, so her attitude should be fine.

Then he thought of the 2000 million yuan that Wu Yuchen had invested. With so much money invested, was it too much to put in an actress who wasn't even the lead actress?
Guo Baochang knew in his heart that this was the best choice for him. He felt that his health was not as good as before during this hospitalization. If he waited a few more years, what if he couldn't even film anymore?
Guo Baochang smiled and said, "Okay, Director Wu, I also think Zeng Li is quite suitable."

Wu Yuchen and Zeng Li exchanged a glance, then smiled at Guo Baochang and said, "Okay, Mr. Guo, then it's settled. We can sign the contract anytime!"

After leaving Guo Baochang's house, Wu Yuchen walked with his arm around Zeng Li. Seeing her happy expression, he couldn't help but smile, and then gave her some instructions:

"I've introduced you to director Guo Baochang before. The cast for this drama will definitely be a group of top actors in the industry. Some may not be well-known, but their acting skills are all first-rate."

Now that you're in the cast, keep a humble attitude. Make sure you learn and practice diligently; this is a really great opportunity for you. You'll definitely be acting opposite Chen Baoguo quite a bit. I'll talk to him about it tomorrow and ask him to mentor you. Also…”

Seeing Wu Yuchen constantly nagging her about various matters, and seeing how concerned he was about her, Zeng Li felt a surge of sweetness in her heart. She couldn't help but tiptoe and kiss him on the cheek.

Wu Yuchen was stunned for a moment, then cupped her face in his hands and responded warmly.

……

In the production team of "The Grand Mansion Gate", the director will definitely be Guo Baochang. Kang Honglei, who was very interested in him before, volunteered to be the assistant director. Wu Yuchen naturally did not refuse, and Guo Baochang had no objection.

However, this drama can't be filmed just like that. The construction of the set and other preparations will take some time. It would be good if filming could start next year.

All of this is no longer relevant to Wu Yuchen; he has already boarded a plane bound for America.

(End of this chapter)