Chapter 63: Wang Wei Effect

  In the blink of an eye, a week has passed. Due to the successful premiere of "Ying Lie Qian Qiu", Wang Wei was 'lucky' enough to be invited to attend the National Day military parade five days ago. However, if Wang Wei had a choice, he would rather not have attended this parade, because until now, Wang Wei still remembers that after the movie screening, someone pulled him aside and asked with a smile whether he had ever thought of joining the Communist Party of China.

  Wang Wei wanted to refuse at the time, Wang Wei didn't want to be like Deng Lijun, shrouded in a veil of national M party spies until death. Although this news is not very reliable, Wang Wei remembers reading a report in later generations that Deng Lijun's brother Deng Changdi once publicly said that at the time, the TW authorities intentionally let his sister do spy work. However, his sister refused. But such things are originally catching wind and grasping shadows, as the saying goes, "even if it's not shit, it's still shit".

  However, Jing didn't give Wang Wei a chance to refuse at all, but said with a 'benevolent' face, Ah Wei, after cooperating with China Film this time, the mark of the party and country has been printed on your body. It's impossible to wash it off now.

  "Director, I didn't mean it that way......" Wang Wei hastily explained. If the boss had any bad feelings towards him, he would rather pack up and leave TW immediately.

  "Don't be impatient, young people are always impulsive." He interrupted Wang Wei's words and continued.

  "And you want to develop in TW, with the party and country as your backing, many things will be easier for you." As he said this, Jiang Yong looked at Wang Wei with a smile.

  "Since that's the case, everything will be arranged by the principal. I'm willing to join the party." Wang Wei responded with a bitter smile. Having said so much, Wang Wei couldn't help but agree, and earlier, Jiang Mei's words had two layers of meaning: first, you already have the mark of the party and country on your body, as long as you follow the party and country, benefits will not be absent from you; if you are unwilling, then the 'big stick' is also unavoidable.

  "Alright, since that's the case, I'll go make arrangements then." He patted Wang Wei's shoulder with a smile and said: "Young man, do well, the Party and the country won't let you down."

  The day after he was released from detention, people from the organization started contacting him.

  "You must be Wang Wei." A man in his forties with a crew cut approached Wang Wei.

  "Who are you?" Wang Wei remembered that he seemed to not recognize this person.

  "My name is Liu Yuehua, I'm here to guide you into the party?" The newcomer got straight to the point.

  Then Wang Wei was taken to a private place and read out the oath of joining the party under Liu Yuehua's leadership:

  The Premier (referring to the Father of the Nation, Sun Yat-sen) has established a great ambition to save the country and its people, created the Three Principles of the People and the Five-Power Constitution, led the national revolution, revived China, and established the Republic. Today, all compatriots across the nation can unite in one virtue and one heart, inheriting his teachings, which is the result of our Premier's great wisdom, benevolence, and bravery, as well as the legacy of our ancestors' heavenly mandate to govern for the public good.

  Now the foundation of the revolution is established, and revolutionary ideology prevails. However, internal worries and external threats are simultaneously intensifying with the progress of the revolution. All my comrades should understand that our party bears a responsibility to our ancestors of countless generations, to future generations, to the people of the nation, and to humanity worldwide, which is thousands and tens of thousands of times heavier than before.

  I understand the ruler deeply knows that the country is the accumulation of people, and people are the vessels of the heart. The order or disorder of a country depends on the prosperity or corruption of society, and the prosperity or corruption of society depends on the stability or instability of people's hearts. He also understands that the consistent great way of ancient sages to be sincere, righteous, self-cultivated, and govern peacefully is based on cultivating oneself as the foundation, which is the only supreme virtue for saving the country, saving the people, and saving all humanity in the world. Therefore, he does not hesitate to leave teachings behind, repeatedly warning and advising again and again.

  This grand assembly, deeply aware of the greatness and severity of our national crisis, and also cognizant of the fact that the calamities afflicting humanity are still on the rise, firmly believes that self-reliance is the foundation for helping others, and self-salvation is the beginning of saving others. Therefore, we specially formulate these twelve articles as a code of conduct for all Party members, and order all comrades to abide by them uniformly. We must ensure that fathers teach their sons, teachers instruct their pupils, superior officials guide their subordinates, and commanders lead their soldiers, so that everyone shares the same faith and practices it together, with mutual encouragement and mutual criticism, in a spirit of affection, sincerity, and unity from beginning to end.

  Everyone can become a towering figure in the world, and this Republic of China will become a rich, powerful, happy and prosperous country. Then the Three Principles of the People can be implemented throughout the nation, promoted to the world, for thousands of years, forever leaving an eternal legacy.

  We are shouldering the heavy responsibility of revolution and nation-building, a responsibility that all Party comrades share.

  Loyalty and bravery are the foundation of patriotism.

  Filial piety is the foundation of family harmony

  Benevolence is the foundation of interacting with things.

  Four, integrity is the foundation of establishing an enterprise.

  Peace is the foundation of getting along with others.

  Sixth, etiquette is the foundation of governance

  Seven, obedience is the foundation of responsibility.

  Eight, diligence and thriftiness are the foundation of service

  Nine, cleanliness is the foundation of strengthening one's body

  Helping others is the root of happiness

  Eleventh: Scholarship is the foundation for saving the world.

  Perseverance is the key to success.

  Declarant: Wang Wei Declaration on October 9th.

  Party Introducer: Jiang Jingyi.

  When Wang Wei saw the introducer for joining the party, he couldn't help but widen his eyes. This can't be a mistake, right?

  Due to the 'National Day' celebrations, Taiwan's three major newspapers and mainstream media temporarily chose to 'ignore' reports on 'Ying Lie Qian Qiu', instead dedicating all their pages to the 'National Day' military parade and the still spirited Chiang Kai-shek.

  During National Day celebrations, the heroic posture of the Taiwanese national army can be seen in all newspapers in Taiwan. The energetic and hopeful attitude of Chairman Chiang towards the future of Taiwan is also visible.

  The military parade gave the Taiwanese people, who had been in a state of emptiness and tension for a long time, a sense of purpose, spiritual sustenance, and hope. The national army is still so strong, Chairman Chiang is still so vigorous, and we will definitely be able to counterattack across the strait, Taiwan will surely have hope.

  For this situation, Wang Wei was still very understanding. After all, at that time, TW was not worse than the mainland in terms of press control and media censorship. Moreover, Wang Wei knew that his film was also a propaganda film, so there would definitely be some promotion. So no need to rush for now.

  As Wang Wei had expected, on the third morning after National Day, the three major mainstream newspapers in Taiwan simultaneously put reviews of "A Better Tomorrow" on their headlines.

  "The general will not die, the heroic spirit will live on. From the Battle of Xifengkou to the Lugou Bridge Incident, from the bloody battle of Xiangnan to the Winter Offensive, General Zhang Zizhong proved to the world with his own iron blood that the Chinese people will never surrender, just like now, even if everyone betrays the Republic of China, it will not surrender. Let us shout in unison: The general will not die, the heroic spirit will live on..."

  "Ying Lie Qian Qiu" has restored for us the deeds of an iron-blooded general, recording the numerous crimes of the aggressors, allowing us descendants to forever remember national humiliation and always remember those compatriots killed by the invaders.

  "‘The Battle at Lake Changjin’ is a worthy big production film, it restored the grandeur and cruelty of the war scenes. It showed the momentum of the Party's army, and declared to those traitors and invaders that the Party can still counterattack without you."

  JoongAng Ilbo

  The other two mainstream newspapers, China Times and United Daily News, also highly praised the success of Ying Lie Chuan.

  TTV, CTS and newly launched CTV broadcast a montage version of "Ying Lie Qian Qiu".

  From the TV people saw not only unprecedented scenes of marching and grand yet tense battle scenes, but also nauseating scenes of Japanese troops massacring villages.

  These shocking scenes quickly made the masses remember the movie "Ying Lie Qian Qiu". As a result, a strange phenomenon appeared in TW, where people rushed to the cinema to book tickets for "Ying Lie Qian Qiu" before the movie was even released.

  This made the theater owners who had always been skeptical of propaganda films laugh with joy. However, they had already anticipated this situation after watching the premiere of "Ying Lie Qian Qiu" that day. In the film industry, a professional term was even coined to describe this phenomenon - "Wang Wei Phenomenon". Because as long as Wang Wei directed a movie, tickets would be sold out instantly. Even if Wang Wei made a terrible movie and deceived audiences, when his next movie came out, audiences would still buy tickets to watch it. But that's another story, let's not mention it for now.

  Due to the audience's extraordinary enthusiasm, theater owners rushed to buy copies from China Film.

  As a result, the film studio had to work day and night to produce copies of "Eternal Glory". In just over a week's time, the copies were sent to cinemas all over Taiwan. What kind of box office miracle this would bring, Wang Wei's mouth slightly curled up.

  P.S: I've had a cold for a week now, and it seems to be getting worse. Ah, what a busy autumn season! However, I'll keep updating as long as I can move my fingers. Hope everyone takes care of their bodies, don't end up like me - health is more important than anything else!