Chapter 82: Lies, Leads, and Two Million Investment

“Five leads? You rat—no one can be so shameless as to lie right through their eyes!”

Xu Hao wasn’t too worried about calming him down, but Fang Hou was even more depressed once comforted.

Earlier, while resting at the guesthouse Xu Hao stayed at, he had skimmed through the script for an upcoming historical comedy.

The drama is called ‘Legend of the Martial World,’ and even without diving deep into the specifics, its storyline and outline clearly show that the five leads are just the basics—each episode will introduce new characters.

Even more, several supporting roles have as much screen time as the leads. Overall, it feels more like an ensemble drama.

How can anyone say there are only five leads when it comes to paying actors?

“Heh, it isn’t as hard as you think. Actors—the expensive ones aren’t necessarily the talented ones! And the good actors aren’t automatically stars. In the end, it all comes down to how well you choose and manage your cast!”

“Most importantly, you have the ability to do this. Otherwise, why would I choose you over someone else? You’ve handled matters for major crews before—the fact that you can sort this out is no small feat.”

Xu Hao laughed and clapped a hand on Fang Hou’s shoulder.

“Alright, alright—two million is two million. But if I end up gathering a bunch of extras, don’t come crying that there aren’t enough star actors or that their skills fall short!”

Perhaps Xu Hao’s flattery had its effect, or maybe he was merely teasing earlier.

Fang Hou gave Xu Hao a stern look before finally accepting the harsh reality of a two-million-dollar budget.

“Don’t worry. We only have a two-million investment in total. Do you really expect us to attract big-name stars? In the end, as long as the project gets approved and we can promote Qixia Ancient Town—giving it a good endorsement—it doesn’t really matter if the ratings aren’t sky-high. But there is one thing I need to discuss with you.”

Xu Hao quickly waved his hand, signaling that Fang Hou shouldn’t overthink it.

“What is it?”

Fang Hou brushed the hand off his shoulder decisively.

“It’s about adding talent agency management to our business scope when we register the cultural company. Besides this project, there will be more dramas later on. Instead of the hassle of constantly finding actors, we could simply sign them to our company.”

Xu Hao let out a forced laugh.

“Haozi, it’s only been a year since we last met, and I can’t believe you’ve turned out like this. Not only do you have a two-million budget, but you’re also thinking of signing all the leads straightaway. You sure know how to talk big!”

Fang Hou appraised Xu Hao carefully from head to toe.

“This is also for the sake of making filming easier in the future! Otherwise you’d be scrambling for actors everywhere. As I always say—even extras will do as long as they can act!”

Xu Hao offered an awkward chuckle.

Deep down, even he felt a pang of guilt for what he was about to say, but the circumstances were what they were—every penny saved counted.

“Commission fees and profit-sharing are trivial concerns! Look, we’re just a newly established cultural company, operating from a makeshift office in the northwest desert of Pianyuan. Why would anyone trust us enough to sign a talent management contract? I bet if I even mention it, they’d beat me up, thinking we’re nothing more than a scam gang hiding in the Western Regions.”

Fang Hou shook his head vehemently, like a wobbling gourd.

“Monkey, isn’t this all about taking a chance? Let’s give it a try! And if it doesn’t work out, we’ll always look for talent through other agencies.”

Xu Hao chuckled again.

Though Fang Hou’s face might have looked reluctant, Xu Hao knew full well that Fang Hou would go along with it given his nature.

“Just make sure you agree in advance—if we can’t sign actors suitable for the roles, don’t blame me!”

“Alright!”

“Then, once the money is transferred, I’ll register the company in the county. The address will remain at 256 Mingsha, right?”

“Don’t worry about the company registration. Just send over a copy of your ID and let the Mingsha Tourism office handle it. When it comes time for the legal representative to show up for a photo, you can head over then!”

Xu Hao waved his hand dismissively.

“Alright, then when are you heading to Yan City?”

“Tomorrow!”

“Great. Once my company registration is done, I’ll swing by the film city in Zhe Province, and then head over to Haishi. I’ll call you when I have an update.”

“No problem. Once everything in Yan City is sorted, I’ll also make my way to Haishi!”

After a moment’s thought, Xu Hao said,

“Haishi? What for?”

“I still have a lot of stuff there, and I need to cancel my rental too!”

“Sounds good. Let’s meet up in Haishi, then head back to Mingsha County together.”

“Alright!”

Time flew by, and before long it was 4 p.m.

Yan City, the capital of the Long Kingdom, was bustling regardless of work hours. The streets, especially in the Second Ring, teemed with tourists from all over the country.

Only the fronts of the major Long establishments stationed within the Second Ring seemed a bit desolate, and the Long Kingdom Ancient Architecture Research Institute was no exception.

“Old Li, Old Li!”

At that moment, the deputy director in charge of administration arrived at Li Jue’s office, bubbling with excitement.

“What’s up, Old Cao?”

Inside the office, besides Li Jue, Deputy Director Liu Shan was also present.

A detailed plan lay on the table before them.

“We’ve got a notice!”

Cao Jun plopped down on the sofa, visibly excited.

“A notice? From the Long Kingdom Library?”

Li Jue and Liu Shan exchanged glances before fixing their eyes on Cao Jun.

“Yes! After several rounds of review, the library liaised with Director Feng from the Su Province Cultural Relics Bureau and secured the relevant images. The verdict is in—Xiao Xu’s blueprints for Tengwang Pavilion meet the architectural standards. The Long Kingdom Library will permanently archive these blueprints, and the corresponding certificate will be delivered to the institute in the next few days.”

Cao Jun exhaled deeply.

Since joining the institute, this was only the second time he’d seen someone successfully have blueprints archived by the Long Kingdom Library; previously, they were usually sent to the Long Kingdom Construction Institute.

“It’s a success after all!”

Li Jue and Liu Shan exchanged looks—pleasantly surprised yet not entirely shocked.

After all, architectural blueprints like those of Tengwang Pavilion, which could become renowned artifacts, were bound to set a high standard for the Long Kingdom Library.

“Old Li, when will Xiao Xu arrive at the institute? Didn’t you call him a few days ago to come and work on the restoration of Wanchun Pavilion?”

Cao Jun could hardly contain his excitement.

“He? Not until tomorrow or the day after! Once he arrives, he’ll have to undergo a medical check first. He won’t officially report to the institute until the following day.”

Li Jue glanced at the documents on the table.

The plan for restoring Wanchun Pavilion had long been discussed with Xu Hao. Technically, this would be Xu Hao’s first time setting foot through the institute’s doors.

“Once he’s here, he must update me. There are still some forms he needs to fill out.”

After a moment’s thought, Cao Jun said,

“Fill out forms? Are you already planning to file him for a Level One Ancient Architecture Researcher title?”

Li Jue shot a glance at Liu Shan.

Ordinarily, someone like Xu Hao—who designed blueprints worthy of the Long Kingdom Library’s collection—would be qualified to apply for the title of Special Ancient Architecture Researcher. However, because Xu Hao hasn’t yet handled any major projects at the Ancient Architecture Research Institute, his other credentials are somewhat lacking.

In the end, the decision was to initially nominate him as a Level One Researcher. Once he earned his stripes at the Ancient Architecture Institute, it wouldn’t be too late to upgrade his title. After all, the toughest requirement had already been met.

Besides, being a Level One Ancient Architecture Researcher was a notable achievement—it was equivalent to holding a regular administrative position.

“Understood!”

Cao Jun nodded.

“Old Cao, this isn’t like your cautious self. Normally, you’d wait two or three months for something like this.”

Liu Shan looked at Cao Jun in mild disbelief.

“Two or three months? When things are so urgent, we can’t wait! The higher-ups are constantly pushing for the appointment of officials in poverty alleviation posts. If Xiao Xu isn’t made a Level One Researcher soon, how can he be assigned to work in Mingsha County?”

Cao Jun managed a wry smile.