Huayu Entertainment 1995 started with hijacking.

Chapter 265 Release
"I knew it! It has to be Ronaldo, the alien! Number one in the world!"

"Pshaw! If Barak had played yesterday, the outcome would have been very different!"

As Zhao Fan and his friends walked, they chatted about the World Cup final between Brazil and Germany the previous night. The World Cup was in full swing, and this year's tournament was particularly favorable for China, not only because the host cities were close by, allowing fans to avoid staying up all night, but also because the Chinese national team had qualified for the first time.

However, thinking of the Chinese team, who had already returned home half a month ago, Zhao Fan sighed with frustration again:

"Sigh! Our Chinese team is just too disappointing. Not only did we not score a single goal, but we also conceded nine goals!"

Another person waved his hand in defense, saying, "Alright, alright, we're stronger than the Saudi team. We only conceded 4 goals against Brazil, while Saudi Arabia was slaughtered by the German machine, 8-0!"

"Exactly. Besides, we had a really bad draw in the group stage this time. We have both the champion Brazil and the third-place Turkey in the group, so we can understand our results. Let's treat this as practice, gain experience, and try to get out of the group stage next World Cup!"

As they spoke, their eyes were filled with anticipation and expectation, and they had no doubt about the future of Chinese football, showing great confidence in it.

Although the Chinese men's national football team performed poorly in the group stage of this World Cup, the general public in China, from top to bottom, remains optimistic about Chinese football, believing that this is just the beginning of the team's journey to the world stage.

At this moment, Zhao Fan said, "Look, Wu Yuchen has already won the Oscar for Best Picture. When do you think the men's football team will be able to win the World Cup?"

"How can you compare them?"

"Hey, let me give you an example! One is the highest award in the film industry, and the other is the highest award in the football world!"

"The World Cup is much more difficult; I reckon it's impossible within the next 20 years!"

"What are you thinking? The World Cup is still too difficult. The Oscars are held every year, while the World Cup is held every four years. Just from that perspective, the chances are even fewer. It took Wu Yuchen eight years from making a movie to winning Best Picture. Multiply that by four, and it would still be 32 years. If I give the Chinese national football team an extra time, it would be at least 50 years!"

"Don't you dare criticize Wu Yuchen! He's one of the best in the world. In the football world, if he's not Ronaldo, he's definitely on par with Zidane and Beckham. You want to compare the Chinese national team players to Coach Wu? The gap is just too big!"

"That's not necessarily true! Maybe in twenty or thirty years, China will produce stars like Zidane and Beckham?"

The group chatted idly as they arrived at the movie theater entrance, where a large poster hung up, with the movie's title, "Brotherhood of Blades," printed in the center. These three characters had been specially aged according to Wu Yuchen's request, appearing to be stained with blood, but more like red rust.

Wu Yuchen's presence here carries a special meaning. The Embroidered Spring Blade itself symbolizes the Embroidered Uniform Guard, which was a military institution exclusively under the Ming Dynasty's imperial power. Its rusty appearance symbolizes the corruption of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the impending decline of the Ming Dynasty.

Looking at the poster prominently displaying "Directed by Wu Yuchen," Zhao Fan couldn't help but sigh:
"I didn't like last year's 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,' it just didn't feel right. I wonder how Director Wu's 'Brotherhood of Blades' will be?"

One of his companions immediately gave a thumbs up: "That'll definitely work! Director Wu is the best! Let me tell you, I've even bought the novel to read..."

Someone next to him quickly interrupted, "Stop, stop! Don't give away any spoilers! I'm only interested in the movie; I'll read the novel after I've seen the movie!"

After entering the movie theater, the group saw many tall shelves in the lobby, with large posters hanging on them. Each poster featured a character holding a weapon, labeled with the character and weapon names, such as Leslie Cheung's Shen Lian, Jiang Wen's Lu Jianxing, Wu Jing's Jin Yichuan, Duan Long's Ding Xiu, Zhao Wenzhuo's Zhao Jingzhong, and Jiang Qinqin's Zhou Miaotong.

"My brother is so handsome!"

"Jiang Wen looks so imposing!"

"Jiang Qinqin is so beautiful!"

Each shelf was surrounded by people, chattering excitedly. This spectacle far surpassed that of previous films; the publicity efforts were on a completely different level.

The theater was packed with people—some looking at posters, some buying tickets, some queuing to enter, some buying things, and some looking for restrooms—making the entire theater bustling with activity.

After the group lined up and entered the theater, they were quite excited: "Damn, there are so many people! This is the first time I've ever seen so many people at a movie theater!"

"Did you guys notice that scalper selling tickets just now? He was asking for 100 yuan a ticket, and the amazing thing is, someone actually bought them!"

"I want to be the first to see Wu Yuchen's movies!"

The more frenzied and lively the atmosphere was, the more everyone anticipated "Brotherhood of Blades" and felt a slight sense of superiority for being able to see this highly anticipated film as soon as possible.

Soon, as the lights in the theater went out, the chattering crowd all fell silent.

The film opens with the Imperial Guards arresting the eunuch faction, starting with an intense fight. This small climax immediately gets the audience excited and allows the three main brothers to make their appearances in different ways, leaving a deep impression on the audience.

Wu Yuchen's version of "Brotherhood of Blades" has no shortage of funding, the actors have all undergone several months of training, and Yuan Heping's team was hired as the action director. Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that the fight scenes are much better than the previous version.

In this fight scene, the three main brothers each fought very coolly, keeping Zhao Fan and the others glued to the screen.

When Xu Xianchun was arrested by Jiang Wen and his men, and the three brothers reunited, the audience in the theater breathed a sigh of relief.

After this scene, Zhao Fan was certain that "Brotherhood of Blades" would not be as disliked as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." It was Wu Yuchen's movies that suited his taste!

After a brief conversation, the three brothers parted ways, and the scene shifted to a lavish and sensual place. Following Leslie Cheung's gaze, through the crack in the door, they saw a beautiful woman dancing and swaying to a song on an expensive carpet.

"There is a beautiful woman in the north"
Unparalleled and independent

A single glance could topple a city

A second glance could topple a nation

How could one not know the power of beauty to topple cities and kingdoms?
"A beauty like this is hard to find again"

The ancient and melodious tunes and songs filled the audience's ears. Jiang Qinqin, who was dancing alone, had a temperament that matched the ancient style of the song perfectly. Even in this place full of sensual and enchanting fireworks, she exuded a sense of tranquility and detachment from the world.

Listening to "Song of the Beauty" and watching Jiang Qinqin dance on screen, everyone was involuntarily left with the same impression: stunningly beautiful! Young people like Zhao Fan were even more impressed, with the label of goddess imprinted in their minds.

Next, through the conversation between Shen Lian and Zhou Miaotong, everyone learned that the stunningly beautiful Zhou Miaotong had been protected by Shen Lian in the Jiaofangsi for several years, but now, because she was about to be selected as the top courtesan and get married, Shen Lian was powerless to help her.

Meanwhile, Lu Jianxing faced difficulties from his superior. Jin Yichuan brought out Ding Xiu, a villain who seemed like a rogue but was also highly skilled in martial arts, and he also took advantage of Lu Jianxing by eating and drinking at his expense.

Zhao Fan also realized that although the three brothers in the main story seemed to be powerful and imposing imperial guards, they were not actually living a very glamorous life. Each of them was just a small figure in the system, and each had their own difficulties.

The eldest brother, Lu Jianxing, wants to fill his father's vacant position as a centurion, which is essentially a promotion; the second brother, Shen Lian, wants to redeem his beloved Zhou Miaotong from her servitude; the third brother, Jin Yichuan, has a persistent, entangled person who seems to have questionable background and identity.
This subtly planted a seed in the audience's mind: what should the main characters do to change the status quo?

The appearance of Zhao Jingzhong, the eunuch of the Eastern Depot, the next day brought about this opportunity, ordering the three brothers to hunt down and kill Wei Zhongxian, the head of the eunuch faction!

Wei Zhongxian is a very famous figure, and most people know him without needing an introduction. The upcoming scene immediately piqued the audience's interest.

After all, this is the Grand Eunuch, Wei Zhongxian, also known as the Nine Thousand Years Old! The fact that the protagonist goes after such a powerful figure and their scenes intersect with his will naturally pique the interest of many viewers.

This scene was a real treat for the audience. In terms of action, the three main brothers fought fiercely against Wei Zhongxian's many men, with swords flashing and the fighting intense. In terms of dramatic scenes, Leslie Cheung and Chin Shih-chieh delivered outstanding performances.

Leslie Cheung is an actor blessed with natural talent, possessing a face perfectly suited for film; every glance and gesture exudes emotion, holding up even the most intense close-ups. Jin Shijie's portrayal of Wei Zhongxian is simply breathtaking. His hunched back, hoarse voice, and nuanced delivery of lines, coupled with his fearlessness in the face of Shen Lian's assassination attempt—one moment displaying the aura of someone wielding absolute power, the next revealing the cunning and deceit necessary for survival—all contribute to his remarkable transformation.

In the luxurious room, every word that reached Shen Lian's ears and the glittering gold before his eyes stirred his desires. The sounds of fighting outside constantly entered the room, and the firelight reflected Zhang Guorong's face in shifting light and shadow. The audience in front of the screen had their hearts in their throats at this moment, but anyone could understand Shen Lian's struggle.

The spectacular fight scenes, the actors' superb acting skills, the excellent dialogue, and the captivating political intrigue all sent Zhao Fan's adrenaline soaring, completely immersing him in the movie.

Although Shen Lian threw out Wei Zhongxian's waist token, announcing that Wei Zhongxian was dead, Zhao Fan had a strong premonition that Wei Zhongxian would not die so easily!

As expected, Wei Zhongxian was not dead at all. He returned to the vicinity of the capital and met with his adopted son, Zhao Jingzhong. He instructed Zhao Jingzhong to kill Shen Lian, who knew that Wei Zhongxian was still alive, intending to use this as a pretext to fake his death and escape. At the same time, Han Kuang, played by Ni Dahong, appeared as an official reinstated by the Donglin Party and insisted on verifying the charred corpse.

This means that pressure and malice from all sides have begun to focus on the three main characters, instantly making the audience tense and worried about their fate.

As expected, in the next mission, the three protagonists were tricked by Zhao Jingzhong and trapped in the Yan family compound, where they were surrounded and attacked. They then engaged in a fierce battle while covering each other.

Outside the wall, hundreds of Imperial Guards lined up in neat square formations and fired their fully drawn bows in unison. The scene of hundreds of men firing simultaneously created the illusion of a volley of arrows, and the special effects were incredibly realistic. The camera followed the angle of the rain of arrows as they disappeared into the bodies of the many servants and retainers in the Yan family mansion.

The scene shifts to Zhao Jingzhong drinking tea in the sedan chair, and the smug fat Imperial Guard. The audience is seething with hatred, wishing the protagonist would appear and kill the two of them at any moment.

After several rounds of arrows, the Yan residence fell silent. The moment they pushed open the door, the first thing they saw was several dead bodies covered in arrows, but upon closer inspection, their faces were not those of the three main characters.

Several dead bodies were pushed over, revealing the three main characters, panting heavily and bearing injuries. They coldly surveyed the crowd outside, and the aura emanating from them caused many of the Imperial Guards outside to involuntarily take a step back.

After the climactic fight scene ended and the three main characters were found safe and sound, the audience breathed a sigh of relief.

The film's pacing is also well-balanced, with a dramatic scene following the climax to explain the plot's direction. For example, Shen Lian coerces the fat Jinyiwei commander, Jin Yichuan is approached by Ding Xiu again when he goes to see a doctor, the three brothers are invited to watch a play but are provoked, and Shen Lian confesses to the two brothers that he released Wei Zhongxian in exchange for gold and silver, etc.

The situation is now clear: Wei Zhongxian wants them dead, Zhao Jingzhong wants them dead, and if the court finds out they released Wei Zhongxian, they will also face death. The only option now is to flee!

But the enemy had no intention of giving them that opportunity...

"Who? Doesn't Grandfather know he's my junior brother?"

"How do people like you still care about this?"

"Father-in-law, you've misunderstood. This person is my dearest friend, my brother!"

As the audience watched Ding Xiu say these words to Zhao Jingzhong, they couldn't help but think that this deadbeat wasn't entirely useless after all!

However, the next moment, everyone in the arena was shocked by Ding Xiu's back injury.

Ding Xiu raised his head and said with a smirk, "I'll have to pay more!"

Zhao Fan couldn't help but blurt out, "Damn it! This piece of shit!"

However, after cursing, he couldn't help but laugh, finding the scene quite comical. The tense atmosphere in the theater was momentarily relieved by Ding Xiu's antics.

Shen Lian wanted to redeem Zhou Miaotong from her servitude, Jin Yichuan went to the clinic, and Jiang Wen seemed to have become a different person. He put on a brand-new official robe and picked up his broadsword. His originally calm demeanor became flamboyant and domineering.

Looking into Jiang Wen's eyes, Zhao Fan knew that something was about to happen!

As expected, Jiang Wen appeared directly in the room of Zhang Ying, the fat Jinyiwei superior, and slit the fat man's throat with his broadsword.

When the audience heard Lu Jianxing say the word "dignity," many people couldn't help but cheer.

From the beginning until now, the main trio has been manipulated by these people. This fat guy is not a high-ranking official, but he is the most disgusting. Killing him now means that the main trio has finally started to fight back, and it also allows the audience to finally vent their anger and release their emotions to a certain extent.

Some viewers have already guessed Jiang Wen's intention: to buy time for the two brothers so they can escape the city sooner.

However, neither of his brothers had an easy time either. Jin Yichuan encountered Ding Xiu, was defeated by him, and was even shot with a black arrow, which pushed Ding Xiu away, resulting in his own death.

Shen Lian was personally intercepted by Zhao Jingzhong and arrived at the Jiaofangsi with a group of trusted men. There was another exciting fight. First, Shen Lian fought a battle with a group of shield soldiers, and then he fought Zhao Jingzhong with sword and spear in a confined space, which made the audience's hearts jump.

(End of this chapter)