chsdbacks Chapter 72 Japanese Military Intervention in Company Film
Chapter 72 Japanese Military Intervention in Company Film
His gaze swept across the crowd, and he knew what was going on. The company currently had ten upgraded smart beauty dolls, who were responsible for some high-profile and risky occasions.
Besides these, all the performers are real, living artists: fifteen male artists, twenty-two female artists, and more than forty folk artists who are skilled in playing musical instruments and singing, and are proficient in storytelling, crosstalk, storytelling with musical accompaniment, and folk songs.
These folk artists, before they had any powerful backers, were often bullied by thugs, traitors, and spies when they tried to find work, and it was difficult for them to earn even a little money.
Since signing with his company and having his protection, no one dares to mess with me anymore, and I can finally earn money with my head held high.
Yan Shuo treated them well, giving them not only a decent basic salary each month, but also generous bonuses. In total, it was about three times the salary of an average family, enough for them to support their entire family.
He thought to himself: In those days, an ordinary person could barely make ends meet with 20 yuan a month, 40 yuan could afford meat every day, 60 yuan could afford cigarettes, alcohol, and meat, and could also buy a new piece of clothing, some cheap cosmetics and jewelry; and 100 yuan could buy foreign gadgets like a phonograph.
The lowest base salary he offered to the company's artists was 150 yuan. If they had any gigs or performances, they could get extra commission, and the company covered all their travel expenses. No wonder these artists were so devoted to him and lived much more comfortably than their peers.
Yan Shuo strolled leisurely around the company. This five-story building with a small courtyard facing the street was purchased by him in the French Concession for nearly two million French dollars, a huge sum that he would never have dared to dream of before.
It was worth it. The building had over fifty telephones, and almost every artist got one. They also had their own private room, which was enough for changing and sleeping. Even the dressing room and bathroom were fully equipped. All these facilities only took up two floors of space.
The third and fourth floors are the artists' training rooms and dormitories. At this moment, many artists are practicing in the training rooms: some are practicing their singing, their voices are clear and bright; some are playing instruments together, the melodies are melodious; and some are rehearsing skits and crosstalk, bursts of laughter can be heard from time to time.
The second floor is the office area, where the director, accountant, auditor, agent, human resources and other departments are located. Everyone is doing their job, and the sounds of phones ringing and discussions rising and falling are everywhere, creating a busy scene.
The first floor houses the reception area, external liaison office, and equipment maintenance room, with a constant stream of guests and staff coming and going.
The top fifth floor is Yan Shuo's exclusive area, with a spacious office, a comfortable temporary overnight room, and a luxuriously decorated conference hall specifically for receiving important clients.
The small courtyard behind the building is even more practical. The back door is open for easy access, and a row of attached buildings is filled with props for filming. The open space in the courtyard has been converted into a small rehearsal space, where artists can rehearse directly when they need to go out for performances, which is both time-saving and convenient.
There's also a canteen in the corner of the courtyard. When it's mealtime, the aroma of food wafts out, giving the whole company a lively and welcoming atmosphere.
"Boss, you're here! The finance department just finished the payroll and is waiting for your review." Company manager Wan Liwen walked over quickly, with a warm smile on her face and a stack of forms in her hand.
Yan Shuo nodded and followed Wan Liwen to the finance office on the second floor.
Wan Liwen, 30 years old, is from Songjiang, Shanghai. She is 165cm tall, slender, and has a beautiful and gentle face. She often wears plain white or light gray cheongsams with simple pearl accessories. Her eyes are calm and elegant, and her demeanor is graceful and capable. She is the general manager of Fengming Music Film Company.
Born into a scholarly family, her father was killed by the Japanese army during the January 28 Incident. She graduated from Shanghai University with a degree in business and studied film and television management in Paris. She once worked for the Star Film Company, accumulating cultural and entertainment resources. In 1938, Yan Shuo invited her to take charge of Fengming Film Company because of her abilities and anti-Japanese stance. Knowing that Yan Shuo was a secret agent, she used the cultural and entertainment business as a cover for his material transportation and secret service activities. She was fluent in Chinese, English, and Japanese, and was skilled in operations and public relations. Her cousin was the liaison for Yan Shuo's secret service team.
"Yuji Maeda said he's coming to the company this afternoon, do you want to see him?" Upon arriving at the office, Wan Liwen handed over the documents that needed Yan Shuo's signature. After Yan Shuo signed them and the secretary brought coffee and went out to close the door, Wan Liwen spoke.
"What's he doing here?" Yan Shuo asked curiously.
Yuji Maeda, a major in his forties, was the head of the propaganda section of the Japanese Army's Shanghai reporting department.
This person specialized in propaganda warfare, and was responsible for controlling major newspapers and radio stations in Shanghai, forcibly publishing pro-Japanese propaganda.
Yuji Maeda is extremely arrogant and likes to give speeches in public. He talks a lot of nonsense, which is useless, but he is very proud of it. Every time he comes, Yan Shuo has to give him money. He also likes to take advantage of others. Yan Shuo's wine cabinet is always stocked with some fancy foreign wines and red wines, which are prepared for these guys in the reporting department. Xiao Zhi's system has a lot of them. In Xiao Zhi's words, they are of average quality, cheap, even cheaper than the price of stockings. They can make you drunk, and they taste good, but compared with high-quality wines, they are just for show. They have more technology and hard work inside.
Maeda Yuji is still a major in his forties, which shows he doesn't have much of a background. Graduating from the Army Academy is no big deal, so his family must be just an ordinary one. He'll probably only reach the rank of lieutenant colonel before he dies. No wonder he always tries to get something from me whenever he comes here.
Yan Shuo had just finished signing the payroll and taken a sip of his coffee when a slightly noisy sound of footsteps came from downstairs, mixed with the employees' deliberately hushed greetings.
Wan Liwen, with her keen hearing, furrowed her brow almost imperceptibly before regaining her gentle smile: "It seems Section Chief Maeda has arrived. Boss, I'll go and escort him up."
Just as she reached the door, the office door was pushed open, and a middle-aged man in a Japanese army major's uniform strode in—it was Maeda Yuji.
He was in his forties, slightly overweight, with the flesh on his cheeks swaying gently as he walked. The cherry blossom badge on his collar was polished to a shine, and the military knife at his waist made a crisp sound as it clattered, making him appear particularly flamboyant.
Two soldiers followed behind him, carrying several empty cloth bags, clearly indicating that they had come prepared.
"Boss Liu, it's been a long time!" Maeda Yuji said in a loud voice, speaking in broken Chinese.
He entered without any formalities and went straight to Yan Shuo's mahogany desk. His gaze swept over the documents on the desk and then fell on the wine cabinet in the corner, where his eyes lit up instantly.
Yan Shuo put down his coffee cup, stood up and went to greet him with a perfectly timed smile: "Section Chief Maeda, it's an honor to have you here. Please have a seat." He gestured for Wan Liwen to pour him some wine.
Wan Liwen deftly took out a beautifully packaged bottle of foreign liquor from the wine cabinet. This was a "showpiece" redeemed from the Xiaozhi system. The bottle was printed with complicated foreign languages, and the label was embossed in gold, making it look quite valuable.
She poured two glasses, handed one to Maeda Yuji, and placed the other in front of Yan Shuo.
Yuji Maeda took the glass, brought it to his nose, and sniffed it. He narrowed his eyes in satisfaction: "The sake here at Boss Liu's is indeed top-notch! Much better than those other sakes!"
As he spoke, he tilted his head back and took a big gulp, smacked his lips, and seemed quite satisfied with the taste of this mixture of "technology and hard work".