Near Taiyang Mountain in the western suburbs of Suzhou.
This was already Chen Qing's second day back in Suzhou. After Simon made his decision, Chen Qing acted decisively, quickly summoning all the key figures related to the Jinxiu Film City project to Suzhou and initiating substantial negotiations with the municipal government to advance the project.
Today's event was even more high-profile.
Learning about the details of Suzhou's Jinxiu Film City project, the provincial government had dispatched a high-ranking official in charge of cultural tourism and related industries to inspect the site. This was largely due to the involvement of the Westeros system in the project and, to some extent, Chen Qing's adept maneuvering.
After all, the more official support the project received at various levels, the smoother its future progress would be.
In these matters, Chen Qing was far more experienced than her boss. Over the past two years, leveraging the resources and influence of Simon's reputation as a protective "tiger skin," she had unwittingly woven an intricate web of connections.
Government officials at all levels, executives from the Jinxiu system, TV station representatives, and even Chen Da, the director of the first scheduled film for the Qin Palace project, had all gathered at the selected plot of land on the western side of Taiyang Mountain. Naturally, Chen Qing took over the project manager's role, personally explaining the project to the provincial and municipal leaders.
"According to our plans, the Qin Palace will cover an estimated area of 1,000 mu (about 165 acres) with an investment of 200 million RMB. Modeled after the Xianyang Palace of the Qin Dynasty, the project will have a construction area of no less than 100,000 square meters, including at least 25 various palaces and a Qin-Han-style ancient city street. The project has already been earmarked as the set for Director Chen's The Assassination of Qin (with an investment of 70 million RMB) and Director Zhang's Hero (with a budget of $30 million). And this is just the beginning. Once the first phase is completed, we plan to build other historical replica parks featuring the styles of the Sui-Tang, Song-Yuan, and Ming-Qing dynasties in chronological order, with a total planned investment of no less than 2 billion RMB over a 10-year development cycle."
Walking side by side with several government leaders, Chen Qing spoke confidently and eloquently.
As soon as she finished, a high-ranking official surnamed Wang chuckled and said, "Ms. Chen, I'm convinced about the Qin Palace project. Before coming here, I already reviewed Director Chen's plans, which he spent years designing. Honestly, they're magnificent. But when you say you plan to invest 2 billion RMB over 10 years, aren't you drawing us a pie in the sky?"
His tone was half-joking, and the surrounding crowd laughed along.
Chen Qing smiled warmly, revealing her signature dimples, and shook her head. "Of course not, Chief Wang. Twenty billion RMB translates to less than $3 billion. For comparison, Daenerys Entertainment is currently building the Rome Universal Studios in Italy, and its total investment is $1 billion."
Chief Wang nodded, then shifted the conversation. "By the way, why isn't Ms. Lin Su with you this time?"
"Lin Su is in Hong Kong, working on the China Telecom project. Chief Wang, you know this is the first time our country's telecom industry is going international, and it's a significant collaboration with the Westeros system. Even Simon himself is paying close attention to this. I spoke to Simon yesterday, and he specifically mentioned the project," Chen Qing explained, hesitating briefly before adding, "Actually, Chief Wang, about the Forbes list, Lin Su and I should have been ranked equally. We hold identical shares in Scopus. But Simon thought it would attract too much attention if we both appeared on the list, so only Lin Su was included."
Upon hearing Chen Qing mention Simon, everyone around perked up. When she revealed that her assets were equivalent to Lin Su's, the group's surprise and disbelief quickly gave way to excitement.
Even Chief Wang, who had been strolling leisurely, slowed his steps to glance at Chen Qing. He smiled and asked, "So, Ms. Chen, does that mean you're also a super-rich individual now?"
"It's just stocks, really. Like many tech stocks in the U.S. right now, they have some level of speculative bubble," Chen Qing explained calmly. "As for cash, I don't have that much. For example, even though Forbes estimates Simon's wealth at $1.5 trillion, the liquid cash he can mobilize in the short term is only a few hundred billion dollars. Most of his stocks can't be sold off quickly, or else the market would collapse."
The group nodded in understanding.
Chief Wang, however, merely smiled again and returned to the original topic. "I've also looked into the Three Kingdoms City built by CCTV in Wuxi for filming The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. In recent years, since it opened to the public, it's earned decent ticket revenues alongside its use as a filming site. But with 1,000 mu just for the Qin Palace, and even more planned later, isn't this project a bit too ambitious?"
"Not at all," Chen Qing responded firmly. "Chief Wang, it's not that the Jinxiu Film City project is too large; it's that the Three Kingdoms City in Wuxi is too small. Moreover, to be frank, CCTV's management of the Three Kingdoms City is rather rudimentary. It lacks a proper commercial model. For Jinxiu Film City, we're introducing management expertise from American film-themed parks. Take the Los Angeles Universal Studios, for example. That single studio not only meets the filming needs of Daenerys Entertainment but also attracts millions of visitors annually. According to the data I've recently reviewed, in the past fiscal year ending this September, the Los Angeles Universal Studios welcomed over 7 million visitors worldwide and generated $1.1 billion in revenue—equivalent to 9.5 billion RMB."
Aside from Chief Wang, the Suzhou municipal officials had already heard similar statements from Chen Qing before. Otherwise, they wouldn't have come up with the so-called "Carrying Pole Plan" in just one month.
Still, hearing Chen Qing repeat these numbers left everyone awestruck once more.
Even if the project's future output value only reached half of this figure, it would be a monumental achievement for all the officials involved in promoting the project.
Chief Wang, while outwardly composed, said, "Our country isn't on the same level as the United States, after all. We can't compare to them, can we?"
Chen Qing nodded slightly, acknowledging the difference, but quickly added, "Chief Wang, while it's true that America's development has reached a bottleneck, China still has limitless potential. This year, our GDP growth is expected to reach 17%, a figure that's garnering global attention. This means that our people's standard of living is rapidly improving. Along with this improvement comes a growing demand for cultural and entertainment experiences, which the Jinxiu Film City project is perfectly positioned to fulfill. Just as you mentioned the popularity of the Three Kingdoms City, it already demonstrates the enormous potential of our cultural tourism industry."
Chief Wang nodded thoughtfully and asked, "You mentioned a 10-year development cycle. Why so long?"
Chen Qing understood the implication behind this question. Chinese officials, often limited by their term durations, generally preferred projects that yielded quick results. She had anticipated this and said, "The tourism aspect of Jinxiu Film City will take time to cultivate. It may not show immediate results. However, its film industry component will deliver instant benefits. For example, the Qin Palace has already secured two major projects from Director Chen and Director Zhang. This is where we need to learn from international practices."
Sensing curiosity from Chief Wang, Chen Qing continued after a brief pause, "Many people know that Hollywood is in the United States, but in recent years, Hollywood productions have been moving abroad to places like Canada and Australia. To attract film projects, these countries offer extremely generous tax rebates. For instance, Australia currently offers an average rebate of 15%. For a $100 million film, the government provides $15 million in direct cash subsidies. Why do they do this? Because these film projects drive growth across local industries. A $100 million film budget spent locally gets absorbed into the region's GDP."
Pausing briefly to ensure everyone was still listening attentively, Chen Qing resumed, "For us, once Jinxiu Film City is completed, it won't need the long cultivation period required for tourism. If managed properly, it can quickly generate tangible economic benefits. While China's film industry may still be in its infancy, the television industry is thriving. Hundreds of TV series are filmed every year, all requiring locations. Attracting these productions means their spending will flow directly into our local economy. Additionally, there's the employment factor. Beyond the jobs created within the film city itself, the surrounding areas will see increased demand for accommodation, dining, transportation, and more. Even extras are a significant consideration—productions often require hundreds of extras across all age groups. In the future, practically anyone near the film city could find work within its ecosystem."
Given the widespread unemployment caused by ongoing state enterprise reforms, employment was a focal issue for governments at all levels. Addressing it successfully was also a major political achievement.
Chen Qing's emphasis on GDP and employment hit directly at the two points that mattered most to the officials present.
The on-site inspection lasted only half an hour, most of which was spent with Chen Qing eloquently painting an enticing picture of the future, leaving everyone increasingly excited about the project
.
The group then returned to the city center for a one-hour discussion meeting.
During the meeting, Chief Wang, whose interest had clearly been piqued, personally inquired about any remaining challenges to advancing the project.
Naturally, there were still unresolved issues, but Chen Qing chose not to raise them in front of everyone, instead maintaining an air of confidence. Sensitive matters were best left for internal discussions.
In the end, it was Chief Wang himself who pointed out a potential issue: the proposed site for the Qin Palace, located 20 kilometers from the city center on the western hills of Taiyang Mountain, seemed somewhat remote. He suggested relocating it to the flatter eastern side for easier construction.
Chen Qing politely declined the suggestion, carefully explaining that the chosen location was in line with national policies to avoid using arable land (which also made it easier to obtain approvals). Additionally, the hills provided convenient access to local materials for construction. She further argued that the 20-kilometer distance was ideal—only about a 10-minute drive from the city center—and that the current site offered ample space for future development, with 50 square kilometers of potential land west of Taiyang Mountain. Relocating to the east would not only limit space but also create competition with urban development.
Chief Wang, impressed by the broader vision for the project, praised the careful planning.
The day concluded with a luncheon that stretched into the afternoon, leaving everyone in high spirits.
But of course, this was just the beginning.
After seeing Chief Wang off, the group returned to the municipal government offices for a smaller meeting with core stakeholders from both the government and the Jinxiu team.
The discussion centered on the project's next steps and key personnel appointments.
One pressing matter was the name of the area surrounding Taiyang Mountain. Although it had an administrative designation, it was still broadly referred to as "the suburbs of Suzhou." If this region was to be heavily developed, it couldn't remain so vaguely labeled.
After a brief discussion, the government decided to rename the area "Huqiu District," aligning with what it was called in the original timeline. Many locals had already begun using this name over the years, making it a natural choice.
Next came personnel decisions.
In recent years, Suzhou's development focus had been on the eastern suburbs' industrial park, which naturally attracted top talent. The western suburbs, by contrast, had been largely neglected.
Now, with plans for significant development in the western region, the area suddenly became highly sought after. Even though the project enjoyed provincial government backing and strong support from top municipal officials, Chen Qing knew the importance of having her own people in key positions to navigate bureaucratic hurdles.
Her preferred candidate had long been decided: Zhu Momo's mother, Mo Yiling.
After the closed-door meeting, Chen Qing successfully secured a deputy district chief position for Mo Yiling. She didn't push for the top role, as that would have drawn too much attention. A position with sufficient influence was enough.
By evening, after leaving the municipal government offices, Chen Qing scheduled a meeting with other senior executives from the Jinxiu system for the next morning. Once seated in her car, she pulled out her phone and dialed Mo Yiling.
The call was quickly answered.
Chen Qing got straight to the point, explaining that there was a suitable position for her. Although it was still at the deputy division level, moving from a remote county in Yunnan to a coastal city like Suzhou was a significant leap. It would allow her to escape the oppressive environment of the Mo family and make an immediate impact. Knowing Mo Yiling's pragmatic nature, Chen Qing was confident she wouldn't refuse, even if she suspected there were ulterior motives involved.
Still, Mo Yiling didn't agree right away, saying she needed time to think it over.
After all, she was the pillar of her family in their small county. If she left, what would become of her siblings and relatives?
Chen Qing, having anticipated this hesitation, reassured her at the end of the call: the entire Mo family could be relocated and provided for if needed. The Westeros system had the resources to make it happen. Then, with a firm but polite tone, she gave Mo Yiling just one night to consider the offer.
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