At Huayi Entertainment Company, the executive in charge of artist contracts was furious.
He scolded Jiang Hua's former manager harshly.
"What are you doing? Manager Li specifically asked for Jiang Hua to make an appearance, and you tell me you can't find him. Are you a dead man? Don't you know how to go to his house and drag him out?"
"Manager Li is our main investor. If she withdraws her investment, you won't have it easy either."
The manager said in a low voice, "Executive Ji, that kid Jiang Hua doesn't know what's good for him. Should we break his hands and feet?"
"Nonsense!" Executive Ji glanced at the manager, irritated. "Put away your schemes. We live in a society ruled by law now. We must handle things legally."
He snorted coldly. "Tell the artist department to give him work, have him do commercial performances in towns. Huayi doesn't support idlers."
As long as Huayi put out the word, there would be plenty of orders for town commercial performances at the right price.
They could work him to death on the road.
Haha, they were all cultured people and couldn't do things like breaking someone's limbs. But if he worked himself to death, that wouldn't be their responsibility.
After all, there was insurance, right?
In other words, shelving him for the past three years was their way of taming this eagle. Now, this eagle still wouldn't obey.
Then they would squeeze out his last bit of value. Don't underestimate town commercial performances. Doing one every two days, if managed well, could bring in several million yuan a year.
Of course, if the actor worked himself to death, the insurance company would compensate. They were a legitimate company and provided their actors with the five insurances and one fund.
The manager's phone rang.
"Hello, Brother Zhou, we asked at the airport. Jiang Hua went to Zhejiang Province."
"What? Zhejiang Province? Tell him to come back immediately and do the commercial performances. We've been too good to him these past few years."
"But his phone is turned off."
Damn it, could this guy be hiding somewhere? Deduct his salary, they must deduct his salary.
"Deduct his salary for this month. I'll see how he can still act high and mighty when he can't even afford to eat."
Executive Ji had spoken, coinciding with his own thoughts.
He patted his chest and assured, "Don't worry, Executive Ji. I'll make sure to recover our losses from him."
...
On the other side, Director Cai was standing with Jiang Hua in the office of the head of the tourism bureau.
"Chief, Little Jiang is just the talent we need. He's young, has an active mind, and has five years of experience in the entertainment industry. He knows how to attract fans and make young people fall in love with opera."
The bureau chief rubbed his head, having been bothered all morning. If it were an ordinary civil servant, they could just go through a process and make a public announcement.
But Jiang Hua was different. He had a contract and a penalty of 50 million yuan for breach of contract.
The art troupe was just a second-level institutional unit and didn't have the clout to coordinate with a private enterprise.
Unless he had taken the exam for the military or the public security, procuratorate, or court system, they would have unconditionally let him go.
Or if he had taken the exam for a major art troupe like the General Political Department's Literature and Art Troupe, that would work too.
But he had taken the exam for a local art troupe. They wouldn't give him any face. Why should they waive a 50 million yuan penalty just because he said so?
Moreover, if they set this precedent, in the future, celebrities stuck in the entertainment industry could just turn around and join a local art troupe, not paying any money.
This was equivalent to taking a bite out of many people's cake. He, a mere bureau chief, couldn't withstand the pressure.
Jiang Hua had oversimplified the matter. It really wasn't the bureau chief's fault for not agreeing to this.
A second-level institutional unit didn't have the power to coordinate this.
Seeing the bureau chief's indifference, Director Cai became anxious. After interacting with Jiang Hua for two days, she felt that he had ideas and a spark.
Perhaps the declining state of traditional opera could be reversed in his hands.
Most importantly, she saw another possibility in Jiang Hua. Traditional opera also needed to keep up with the times.
"Hmph! If you won't do it, I'll go to the general administration. I refuse to believe that they would hold back on releasing a mere nobody from the entertainment industry."
The bureau chief stood up and slammed the table.
"Cai Fei, can't you use your brain? 50 million yuan! Do you think they'll easily let him go? You're just a second-level institutional unit. Releasing him is no big deal, but what will celebrities do in the future if there are more cases of being stuck in contracts in the entertainment industry? They'll just find a local art troupe to take a post and be done with it."
"They earn money from this. You're blocking their financial path."
The bureau chief made it very clear. Termination fees were a very important part of an entertainment company's income.
If you could get out of a contract just by passing the exam for a second-level institutional unit, it would be a pipe dream. They wouldn't be able to make money anymore.
The fact that this leader could say this meant that he had a solution. He was also the highest-ranking leader Jiang Hua could reach at the moment.
Sometimes, how could you know if something would work if you didn't try? He would take a chance, even if it meant becoming a literary and art soldier. In any case, he wouldn't just sit and wait for death.
"Chief, I'm preparing to stage a new Yue opera, 'New Dragon Gate Inn.' I've already thought of the lyrics. I believe young people will like it. Our troupe will definitely bring Yue opera to the national stage."
After saying this, Jiang Hua sang a short segment, which was quite stunning. Even Director Cai had never heard it before.
She became even more certain of her idea. This guy could bring new possibilities to Yue opera.
Could the entertainment industry afford to lose a nobody? But the opera circle needed a breakthrough opportunity.
After the song ended, the bureau chief clapped his hands and said, "It sounds very nice, but I can't do anything about it."
Jiang Hua finally gave up. Sigh, it seemed he had overthought it. Even an ordinary civil servant couldn't get out of a contract.
"Wait, your grandfather is a war hero?"
"Yes, yes, yes. My grandfather fought from the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression to the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea."
The bureau chief glanced at Jiang Hua's file and his eyes lit up.
"How about this? Our tourism bureau will coordinate with your original work unit and strive for a peaceful termination of the contract."
"Also, I need to remind you that you can't leave the art troupe after terminating your contract with the original company."
Jiang Hua immediately said, "I won't, I won't. I've already been banned by the entertainment industry. I can't go back. I'm very emotionally stable. As long as I have food, lodging, and the five insurances and one fund, that's enough. I plan to stay with Xiaobaihua for life."
This little monkey, give him a little sunshine and he beams.
Director Cai patted him. He had no proper manners at all.
"Alright, go back and wait for news."
The bureau chief had spoken. Jiang Hua finally breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't know why the bureau chief had suddenly decided to help.
Could it be that his grandfather's spirit was showing? The festival was coming up soon. He should burn some joss paper for the old man.
If even the bureau chief couldn't resolve this, then there really was no way.
He didn't know what rank the chief of the municipal tourism bureau was. Would Huayi give him face?
"Little Jiang, you still have a trick up your sleeve. Hurry up and tell me about your idea for 'New Dragon Gate Inn.'"
He hadn't even officially started the job yet, and he already had to contribute his energy to the art troupe. He was really worrying.
But since Director Cai wanted to hear it, Jiang Hua didn't hold back. In his previous life, this new style of Yue opera had taken the internet by storm, with tickets selling out instantly.
As an opera enthusiast, Jiang Hua had naturally gone to listen to it, so he remembered it very clearly.
It was truly an excellent play.
The more Director Cai listened, the more shocked she became. How did this guy come up with this? Closing the distance with the audience, immersive theater-going.
From the arrangement of the venue to the lyrics, Jiang Hua poured out everything in one go.
Listening to it, the director felt a burst of joy. She had thought Jiang Hua was just bragging, but she never expected him to actually be capable of being a scriptwriter.
This kid Jiang Hua, their art troupe had to keep him. No one could take him away.
...