Joseph sat there in silence. The arrogance in his heart had receded significantly.
Actually, it wasn't the shorthand handwriting that had given him a blow. Although looking at the shorthand that he didn't understand at all had indeed made him feel defeated, the bigger blow was the books!
In three months, he had actually finished reading nearly a hundred books!
He still had the ability to judge whether it was a hoax or not. Even if he couldn't understand the notes, he could tell that the person who had made the notes and markings hadn't just casually flipped through the books. Instead, they had been very serious. The underlined paragraphs and the notes and remarks in the blank spaces indicated that every single book had been read and memorized seriously!
What kind of speed was this?
Of course, reading quickly didn't mean anything. The main thing was how capable Fang Zhao was as a person.
Thinking back on all the information he had gathered on Fang Zhao, Joseph felt that it was better for him to remain silent.
Sitting there and staring at people was impolite behavior, and Joseph couldn't keep staring at Fang Zhao and studying him. Thus, he stared at the bookshelf. He had wanted to ponder some questions, but as he pondered, he fell into a daze.
Only when he heard the sound of the book closing did Joseph return to his senses. He once again put on a polite smile.
Fang Zhao placed the notebook in the drawer and glanced at Joseph. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"No, no, no. I was the one who disturbed you." This time, Joseph was much more humble than he had been at the start. No matter what, Fang Zhao was still a person worthy of admiration.
Joseph noticed that Fang Zhao didn't seem to be in a rush, so he didn't get straight to the point. Instead, he took out the thickest history book from the bookshelf. "I have a question for Mr. Fang. Are the notes written here shorthand?"
"Yes." Fang Zhao joked. "This is shorthand that I invented myself — Fang's Wild Cursive, One Stroke Book."
Actually, it couldn't be considered cursive, but it had gradually evolved from cursive. Some of the more complicated words would be replaced with other symbols, which was how Fang Zhao had adapted his shorthand method. Basically, he could write a sentence in one stroke.
When it came to note-taking, it was fine as long as one could recognize the words. Only writing for oneself would be done in such a manner. Only writing for others would be in a language that everyone could recognize.
Just like when Fang Zhao was composing, he would use his own notation for his manuscripts. Only when he showed it to others would it be converted to the current common notation.
During the Period of Destruction, Fang Zhao had frequently used this sort of shorthand method when writing down strategic analysis and personal notes. When he no longer needed it, Fang Zhao would promptly destroy it. At that time, he had to be cautious. Not only did he have to guard against external enemies, he also had to guard against petty people.
Because of this, the so-called "Notes of Great People" in the New Era Memorial Hall were actually not personal items. They were all for others to see and had no secrets. Naturally, they were not written in "Fang's Wild Cursive."
But now, there was no need to destroy what he had written. There were no strategic secrets that concerned the survival of the team that needed to be kept. It was just that this habit had been preserved. When Fang Zhao went on a mission, he had less free time. This kind of shorthand method saved time and trouble.
Moreover, perhaps due to the change in his physique, Fang Zhou was now reading faster and faster. His mind was also thinking faster. In order to save as much time as possible to write down the ideas in his mind, regardless of whether it was combat mode or non-combat mode, using this "one stroke" method was the most suitable.
Shorthand notebooks from the Period of Destruction had all been destroyed, so Fang Zhao wasn't afraid of being discovered.
"I see." Sure enough, it was shorthand.
"Have you read all of these?" Joseph asked in a seemingly casual manner.
"Yes, I'm almost done with these," Fang Zhao replied. Actually, there were still about 10 books. The bookshelves had been too full yesterday, so he had moved them elsewhere to make room for the newly printed books. But Fang Zhao didn't need to say all this.
"I didn't expect Mr. Fang to read so many books during your military service," Joseph lamented. "I finally understand why you are so knowledgeable despite your composing background."
Fang Zhao had originally wanted to reply with "one is never too old to learn," but he swallowed it right before the words left his mouth. Now was not the right time.
Seeing that Fang Zhao did not get complacent because of this matter and did not have any other superfluous emotions, Joseph didn't bring it up again. With a straight face, he told Fang Zhao the purpose of today's visit.
"I wonder if Mr. Fang knows about the revolutionary film project set during the Period of Destruction that is about to be relaunched?" Joseph asked.
"I've heard." Fang Zhao nodded.
"Although it has not been officially announced, a few entertainment companies from various continents have received news of the relaunch. This matter of relaunching is indeed a fact. Our Inter-planetary Fund, as one of the investors and producers, has nomination rights. "
Joseph observed Fang Zhao imperceptibly. He did not see any trace of urgency, fervor, or excitement on Fang Zhao's face. Fang Zhao was still the same as before, maintaining his attentive posture.
"Mr. Fang, you have signed with Silver Wing Media. As a member of the consultant team for 'Beauties' and 'Warring States,' you should know that the consultant team is indispensable for historical dramas. We have also seen the two historical dramas produced by Silver Wing. The quality is indeed top-notch, and the strength of the consultant team is very strong. Today, I am representing our Inter-planetary Fund to extend an invitation to Mr. Fang. We hope that you can become a member of the consultant team for the revolutionary film project that is about to be relaunched. "
Before Joseph had received this assignment, he had actually not understood why the higher-ups had chosen Fang Zhao. As a member of the film project team, Joseph naturally knew what the revolutionary film project was about.
Although this project had been proposed a long time ago, it had not been able to be shot. That was because the various parties that were paying for the production had been quarreling.
Just like the Inter-planetary Fund, there were more than 10 investors and producers. They were all reputable families from various continents, and they had been quarreling all the way until now. In terms of actors, you couldn't stand me, and I couldn't stand you. The script was also quarreling. Some said it was fictitious and slanderous, while others said it was too exaggerated and easy to attract criticism. The script had also been revised over the years.
Now, the Inter-planetary Fund had increased its investment in this project, contacted other investors, and decided to restart this project. The first thing to do was to assemble the consultant team.
As a revolutionary film project, the consultant team was naturally very large. It could be said that the number and capability of the consultant team this time was something that previous film and television dramas could not compare to. Perhaps for many years to come, there would not be a comparable consultant team for a historical drama.
Every investor had their own approved consultant, and the Inter-planetary Fund had also nominated many industry experts and professors who studied the history of the Period of Destruction.
When the highly viewed historical drama "Beauties" and the currently popular "Warring States" finished airing, many people would not pay attention to the densely packed subtitles at the end of the film, but the people from the Inter-planetary Fund's film project team would pay attention to them.
For many historical dramas, the so-called historical consultants were only in name. They were forcefully roped in to hold up the facade. After a meal and a few words, they would be dismissed. Their usefulness was close to zero. Perhaps those nominal consultants had not even seen the script, which was why there were so many dramas with loose settings. To those nominal consultants, it was a loss of reputation. However, many historical consultants did not care about their reputation. They cared more about how much money they could get. As long as they got paid, it was fine. If the director did not need them, they would be happy to relax.
However, the quality of the already aired "Beauties" and the currently popular "Warring States" could be seen the moment these two dramas were released. The masses were not blind. The viewership and popularity of these two dramas were proof. That was why the Inter-planetary Fund attached importance to the consultant team at the end of the film.
Fang Zhao had his eyes on this revolutionary film project. Naturally, he would not reject an invitation.
Fang Zhao discussed the terms of the contract with Joseph and signed a confidentiality agreement. What needed to be kept secret was not the matter of signing the consultant team, but the contents of the script that he would receive.
The script had not been completely finalized and needed the consultant team to take a look. Probably only after the script was finalized would the matter of the reboot be announced.
After signing the contract, Fang Zhao asked, "Who are the members of the consultant team that have been invited?"
Since the contract had already been signed and everyone was in a cooperative relationship, Joseph did not need to keep it a secret. He showed Fang Zhao the list of people who had been included in the consultant team. "These are the ones that have already been confirmed. Right now, there might be some like you who are newly invited and have yet to be registered. The list is incomplete."
Even though the list was incomplete, Fang Zhao could tell what a revolutionary film project's consultant team was with a single glance. Such a formidable lineup was something that previous dramas could not compare to.
The chief historical consultant was the dean of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. He was a highly respected cultural researcher. Behind him were members of the Institute of Archaeology and History, as well as literature award winners. They were all well-known scholars and artists.
How did Fang Zhao know about them?
A third of the history-related books on the bookshelf were written by these people!
Just by looking at these names, one could tell that this was definitely a high-quality drama.
If the list of consultants for this rebooted revolutionary film project was released, this lineup would make the entire film industry tremble!
Looking at these names, it was reasonable to say that someone like Fang Zhao, who did not specialize in history, would not be invited. In terms of consultants, given Fang Zhao's current status, he was far from comparable to those who had already made a name for themselves.
But Fang Zhao's "actual combat" experience was strong. He was a member of the consultant team for "Beauties" and "Warring States," a member of Silver Wing's regional architectural design team, and a member of Fiery Bird's "Battle of the Century" consultant team. These were all real examples that could not be faked!
More importantly, Fiery Bird's "Battle of the Century" was set during the real Period of Destruction. Fang Zhao had given many pertinent suggestions.
For investors, Fang Zhao's resume was no less valuable than some literary awards.
And it was precisely because of this that the Inter-planetary Fund had sent Joseph over to extend an invitation to Fang Zhao.
Perhaps even Duan Qianji herself had not expected that, after two meticulously produced historical dramas, before the actors had even registered with the investors, the historical consultant had already been targeted.
Since the mission had been completed, Joseph did not stay at the outpost for long and planned to take his leave.
"Please wait a moment," Fang Zhao called out to Joseph, who had gotten up to leave.
"Mr. Fang, do you still have any questions?" Joseph was puzzled.
"Has the casting been confirmed?" Fang Zhao asked.
"Not yet. We have to wait for the script to be finalized before we can settle the casting issue." Joseph thought that Fang Zhao was asking around on behalf of Silver Wing, so he did not find it strange. "For this drama, important supporting roles and leads all need to be acknowledged by many parties before being voted on. This will depend on how the various companies operate. I don't know much about these things, but there is one thing I can be sure of: those who are not well known have no chance."
The "reputation" Joseph was referring to was not just the reputation of a particular continent but on a global scale.
"Many thanks," Fang Zhao said.
"You're welcome." Joseph seemed to recall something and turned to Fang Zhao. "Mr. Fang is very talented in composing. I have also listened to the background music for the two Silver Wing dramas. They are very good. I look forward to hearing more of Mr. Fang's compositions in the upcoming dramas."
With that, Joseph gave a courteous smile and left.
What he meant was to tell Fang Zhao: Get your company to help run the show, hype it up, and expand your reputation. Who knows, you might catch the eye of the Inter-planetary Fund. After all, no matter how great a film project was, it still required background music. Fang Zhao definitely would not get the opening and closing credits. Fang Zhao was not qualified yet, but the short background music was a chance for Fang Zhao.
Of course, Fang Zhao understood what Joseph meant, but he had his own plans and would not follow Joseph's suggestion. Still, he was grateful for Joseph's kind reminder.
After Joseph left, Fang Zhao looked at the invitation on the table. After scanning it with his personal terminal, he would receive permission to enter a discussion group for the consultant team. It was easy to manage.
When Fang Zhao entered, he received an electronic file. It had nothing to do with the script, but it was a reminder for new consultants to take note of and help them adjust their mental state.
Consultants, consultants, you can't just care and not ask. You can't just care and not ask. Film dramas were not historical documentaries. Naturally, they had their artistic aspects. This was to remind some insensible consultants where to start and from which angle to consider problems.
First and foremost, historical dramas were dramas, not history. They were presented in the form of audio-visual art. They drew inspiration from life but were above life. As a form of audio-visual art, the investment was huge. Naturally, it had to be able to resonate with the audience. That way, there would be greater returns. But besides being artistic, there could not be a lack of authenticity in certain key areas.
After reading through the file, Fang Zhao had a rough idea. Now that he had been invited, he just had to report his arrival. When the time came, the contents of the script would be distributed.
Just as he was thinking about what the script would talk about, Fang Zhao received a call from Xue Jing.
Music artist Xue Jing, who had just finished his global lecture tour, had also seen the video of Baiji military district's mobilization ceremony and seen the commendation portion.
However, Old Master Xue was concerned and worried that Fang Zhao would take the wrong path. What if Fang Zhao decided to stay in the military and develop?
Xue Jing still hoped that Fang Zhao would have higher aspirations in the art of music. He hoped that Fang Zhao would be able to walk even further on this path and gain the approval of more people, especially those especially picky academics. If Fang Zhao did not move up, those academics would continue to judge Fang Zhao as a "low-end person."
"I go out on missions during the day. When I return to the outpost, I will compose. Right now, I am composing a piece of background music for 'Warring States,' "Fang Zhao explained his daily routine.
When Xue Jing heard this, the worry on his face lessened and his smile deepened. "That's good. The ancient-style background music in 'Beauties' and 'Warring States' is also very good. I have seen your work. Keep it up. Given your current ability, when your military service is over, you can plan your solo performance."
"That's what I was thinking too."
Xue Jing was very happy with Fang Zhao's reply. After chatting a little more about music-related issues and repeatedly reminding Fang Zhao to pay attention to his safety while out on missions, he ended the call.
After ending the call with Xue Jing, Fang Zhao pondered for a bit before dialing a number.
Yanzhou Military General Hospital. Yan Biao was in the middle of a follow-up examination. He had already been fitted with prosthetics, and they were the especially expensive ones. He was very satisfied with their flexibility and practicality. His retirement pay and bonuses had all been spent on them. If not for the fact that he was a retired soldier with military merits and enjoyed exceptional treatment and discounts, he would never have been able to afford these prosthetics with his retirement pay.
Yan Biao was very surprised when he received Fang Zhao's call. He had been in contact with Fang Zhao all this time, but it had all been through text messages. After nearly half a year of treatment and rehabilitation, his body had already recovered. Perhaps it was because he was looking forward to the future and had a good attitude. Coupled with the continuous innovation of medical technology, his body had recovered earlier than he had expected.
When he had sent Fang Zhao a message last week, Fang Zhao had informed him that he had already been discharged from the hospital, that his body had been adjusted to peak condition, and that he could return to duty at any time. Today, he had only come to the hospital for a follow-up examination. The results were also very good.
After going through Yan Biao's follow-up results and ascertaining that there were no problems, Fang Zhao said, "Prepare to start work."
Yan Biao jolted, his eyes shining with anticipation. "I have been waiting for this day for a long time!"
After carefully listening to Fang Zhao's instructions and ending the call, Yan Biao stood at the entrance of the hospital, gazing at the sky and taking a deep breath. It was time for him to work!
But before that...
Yan Biao lifted his trouser leg and looked at his metallic gray mechanical calf, somewhat hesitant.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
