Over lunch, Chen Qing and Mo Yiling discussed general ideas for the upcoming projects. This was followed by a detailed afternoon meeting with the Jinshu team and local government officials. The primary topic of the meeting was the simultaneous launch of two major projects following the Qin Palace: Ming and Qing Palace Garden and Jiangnan Elegance.
The Ming and Qing Palace Garden project was inspired by the Hengdian World Studios from Simon's memories. Its concept was straightforward: a full-scale replica of the Forbidden City. In fact, this version would be even larger than the 1,080-acre Beijing original, with a planned scale of 1,500 acres, which included about 1,000 acres for the palace complex itself and surrounding facilities like parking lots.
Unlike the Qin Palace, which had a relatively simple design and a budget of just 200 million RMB, the Ming and Qing Palace Garden was designed to be built with the utmost precision. The project's higher quality and greater number of buildings meant its cost would more than triple, despite the complex being only 50% larger.
As for Jiangnan Elegance, the concept drew inspiration from the historical figures, literary works, folklore, and supernatural tales from the Jiangnan region spanning thousands of years. The project included a variety of ancient-style attractions. For example, the previously separated Peach Blossom Cove, a highly famous component, would still be located near the Jiangnan Elegance park.
At the meeting, it was decided that the core theme for Jiangnan Elegance would be "A Dream of a Thousand Years." This concept would feature elements from different eras—Spring and Autumn, Warring States, Jin, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing, and others. Upon completion, the park would cover 2,000 to 3,000 acres and require an investment exceeding 1 billion RMB.
To ensure these projects could be operational as soon as they were built, Jinshu planned to produce a large number of television dramas, which were in far higher demand than films in China at the time. Naturally, most of these dramas would be period pieces. Additionally, Jinshu would establish related companies as part of the supporting infrastructure, including Jinshu Talent Agency, Jinshu Dining and Hotel Group, and future companies like Jinshu Performing Arts School and Jinshu VFX Company.
Once this matter was settled, Chen Qing spent just one day in Suzhou before heading to Shanghai and then Hong Kong. In Shanghai, she followed up on several major investments by the Westeros system in China. In Hong Kong, she joined the China Telecom IPO roadshow team. The roadshow officially kicked off on December 2nd in London. The IPO, with a valuation of $20 billion, was planned for simultaneous listing in Hong Kong and New York.
Meanwhile, in North America:
Thanksgiving in 1996 fell on November 28th, relatively late in the month.
This year, the Westeros family celebrated Thanksgiving at their estate in Greenwich, Connecticut, on the East Coast. The region's four distinct seasons created a festive atmosphere, and Simon and Janet also wanted to be near New York for the December 5th topping-off ceremony of the Westeros Tower. Both were eager to stand atop the long-anticipated skyscraper, the tallest in the world.
On the cultural side, North American media's focus was on the 1996 Thanksgiving box office.
During the week of November 22nd to November 28th, Wonder Woman 2 dominated the box office with unparalleled popularity and critical acclaim. Films like Space Jam and Disney's live-action adaptation of 101 Dalmatians, which premiered on November 27th, were thoroughly overshadowed.
Wonder Woman 2 debuted with an astonishing $107.15 million in its opening weekend, marking another three-day $100 million milestone. Its full first-week box office reached $153.37 million. Within the ten films of the DC Extended Universe released so far, this achievement was second only to last year's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which had set extraordinary records during the Christmas season.
The competition couldn't keep up with the film's momentum. Star Trek: First Contact took second place but saw its box office plummet by 54% in its second week, earning just $15.94 million. After two weeks, its cumulative gross barely crossed $50 million, landing at $50.61 million.
In third place, Space Jam suffered a 41% drop in its second week, faring slightly better than Star Trek. However, due to its modest opening, the film only managed $14.79 million for the week, bringing its two-week total to $39.93 million. This was disastrous for Warner Bros., which had poured $80 million into its production.
Disney's 101 Dalmatians came in fourth.
This live-action adaptation of the classic animated film was Disney's flagship holiday release, with a production budget of $75 million. The studio even enlisted Home Alone creator John Hughes as writer and producer, despite his recent decline in popularity.
Given the film's hefty budget and holiday theme, Disney agonized over whether to release it during Thanksgiving or the Christmas season. Ultimately, they chose the earlier date of November 27th. Christmas might have been a better fit thematically, but the competition during that season, including Wonder Woman 2, was just as fierce, if not more so. Furthermore, Disney feared that if the film didn't receive stellar reviews, its theatrical run could be over in just two weeks.
Unfortunately, 101 Dalmatians debuted to poor reviews, scoring around 4 out of 10 from both critics and audiences. Despite aggressive marketing and its holiday appeal, the film only grossed $10.17 million in its first two days, falling far short of Disney's expectations of $15–20 million.
The film's prospects looked grim.
While holiday-themed films often perform well in the absence of strong competition, 101 Dalmatians was surrounded by juggernauts like Wonder Woman 2 and upcoming releases like Jumanji and Charlie's Angels. With poor reviews and stiff competition, any hope for a long theatrical run seemed increasingly unrealistic.
In fifth place was Annabelle.
Despite being a horror film, seemingly at odds with the holiday spirit, Annabelle had been performing steadily. It saw a 39% drop this week after a 43% decline the week before, earning $9.45 million. After five weeks in theaters, the film's total domestic gross reached $134.21 million, and it was only a matter of time before it became the first Conjuring Universe film to surpass $150 million domestically.
December 5th, 1996 – New York, Manhattan.
On a clear Thursday afternoon, the Westeros Tower, occupying an entire block between 59th and 60th Streets on the east side of Madison Avenue, reached a significant milestone.
At 2:00 PM, atop the building's 135th floor, Simon and Janet unveiled the symbolic covering over the glass windows. With this gesture, the Westeros Tower, which had been under construction for five years since demolition began in early 1992, officially reached its structural completion. Standing 622 meters tall, it became the tallest building in the world.
Even without its final fittings, the skyscraper—built using the most advanced materials and cutting-edge technology available—had already exceeded its initial $1 billion budget. The current cost stood at $1.7 billion, and by the time all infrastructure was completed, the total was expected to reach $2.5 billion, making it the most expensive skyscraper ever built. Adjusted for inflation, this record would likely remain unbroken for decades. For comparison, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, completed in 2010, cost $1.5 billion, while the new One World Trade Center, completed in 2013, cost $3.2 billion under extremely high safety standards.
Given these figures, Simon never entertained the idea of making a financial return from the building.
With his vast wealth, Simon's focus was on creating a landmark of unparalleled quality and prestige.
Key to the project was its emphasis on safety. The building was designed to withstand the strongest recorded earthquakes and hurricanes in the New York region. Furthermore, security measures would match those of the Westeros family's private residences. Incidents like the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, where half a ton of explosives were detonated in the parking garage, would never occur here.
The building's stringent entry requirements were another unique feature. Simon planned to set relatively low rental prices, aiming only to cover maintenance and taxes, without seeking profit. Instead, the goal was to attract a diverse tenant base and foster popularity. However, only tenants meeting rigorous standards would be granted access.
After the unveiling, Simon gave a brief speech before declaring the party officially underway.
Against the backdrop of the clear winter sky, even with the surrounding steel beams still exposed, the festive atmosphere quickly took hold as champagne bottles were popped open.
Simon, holding a glass of champagne, approached the Rebolds—Jennifer's parents—to offer a personal explanation.
He clarified why Jennifer hadn't attended the topping-off ceremony despite being on the East Coast. Though she had likely already discussed this with her parents, Simon felt it was polite to address it himself. He explained the Westeros family's safety protocols, which discouraged them from traveling together on the same plane or yacht unless absolutely necessary. While Janet often ignored these rules, Jennifer and the children always adhered to them.
For this event, which required using construction elevators to reach the roof, Jennifer and the children had stayed behind as an extra precaution.
The Rebolds understood completely and even appreciated
the measures.
After all, Simon's careful consideration for Jennifer's safety demonstrated her importance within the Westeros family. If she were merely a casual companion, such precautions wouldn't have been necessary.
Changing the subject, James Rebold said, "I read an article in the latest issue of Barron's about Hollywood. Wonder Woman 2 is another $1 billion global blockbuster, but the other studios seem to be struggling. Aren't you worried this might provoke backlash?"
Simon replied, "Backlash is inevitable. During the Wonder Woman 2 premiere afterparty, Bob White approached me to discuss relaxing restrictions on developing DC superhero films. Although Jack later called to clarify, it's clear where they stand. Other studios feel the same."
"What's your plan?" James asked.
"Daenerys Entertainment will continue doing what it does best, and we'll wait to see how the other studios react. That's always been our approach. The Westeros system doesn't stop moving forward because of external factors. As long as we stay far ahead of the competition, it'll be difficult for them to cause us any real trouble." After a pause, Simon added, "The problem is the visibility of Wonder Woman 2. It gives the impression that Daenerys Entertainment only produces $1 billion films. While it's true that the recent billion-dollar films in Hollywood are mostly tied to us, there aren't many—one or two per year at most. The market can't sustain more."
James considered this and said, "That could be a useful narrative to push in the media."
Simon paused, then nodded. "I'll arrange for it after the party."
James had a point. Framing Hollywood as a market capable of accommodating only one or two billion-dollar films annually could ease public resentment toward Daenerys Entertainment's dominance, even if it was an illusion. By calming the media, the company could continue its gradual "boiling frog" strategy with less scrutiny.
Simon even thought of expanding on this narrative.
For example, emphasizing that Daenerys Entertainment's profit margins on the DC films were lower than Warner Bros.'. The more successful the series became, the more it seemed Daenerys was "losing out."
Let them believe that.
A little psychological balance for the competition and the media might reduce the opposition, allowing Daenerys Entertainment to advance its plans with less resistance.
As for the reality?
The flames beneath the "pot" would only grow stronger.
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