Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Authority of the National Broadcast

“Attorney Wang, do you now realize that Shanzi might have deliberately put on a show? Settle in and enjoy the spectacle; who knows, he might have another trick up his sleeve.”

Yu Yi’s words indeed prompted Wang Huansheng to reflect. However, Liu Qingshan paid no attention to the glance Yu Yi cast his way. “Everyone, have a taste—is my cooking on par with those hotel chefs?”

Seeing Kunal energetically sampling all kinds of dishes, he felt quite proud. He knew that his apprentice hailed from India and was particularly fond of curry. Not only Kunal, but on any city street back home, the rich aroma of curry wafts from every food shop, almost deserving to be called the “national flavor.”

Various religious sects have different dietary taboos: Muslims don’t eat pork, Hindus generally avoid beef and may even be completely vegetarian. Orthodox Muslims cannot drink any alcohol, and during Ramadan, all food and drink are forbidden from sunrise to sunset.

Thus, when hosting Indian guests, one must clarify their religious beliefs to avoid unpleasant surprises. Fortunately, Kunal had practiced martial arts since childhood and even spent a few years at the Shaolin Temple. Apart from his unwavering preference for curry, he adapted well to Chinese cuisine.

Compared to the other Indians at yesterday’s table, he was the most adaptable, and he didn’t shy away from alcohol. But it was different for Karam; he upheld the belief among many Hindus that people of status and refinement do not eat meat, only the lowly do. Such individuals are even embarrassed to discuss meat consumption; if you ask an Indian about which meat dish is delicious, their face might flush with embarrassment, much like a man asking an unmarried woman about intimate matters.

“Kunal, tell me which dishes on this table you like best.”

It was clear that Park Hye-jin was also quite interested in the Indian guest.

With his mouth full, Kunal pointed at several meat dishes. “This one, this one, all are tasty, and that stewed chicken—if it had curry spice, it would be perfect.”

Curry itself isn’t spicy; the heat is intentionally added, and with the chili, the flavor becomes even more vibrant and appetizing.

Kunal’s tolerance for meat stems from his martial arts background and his years traveling far and wide; his diet differs greatly from strictly orthodox Indian fare.

“Have you ever tried Chinese hotpot? Next time, I’ll take you to the Hotpot City, where you can taste the real traditional flavor with over 1,900 years of history!”

Although Park Hye-jin was a woman, she possessed a boyish, mischievous temperament—the kind commonly called spirited. Upon learning that Kunal was Liu Qingshan’s first apprentice, she persistently insisted that he address her as “Aunt,” which in Korean is pronounced “go mo.”

Because of this “go mo,” Yu Yi—who had always had a favorable impression of Park Hye-jin—often tried to coax Kunal into calling him “go mo bu,” which in China means “uncle-in-law.”

Yu Yi was in his thirties and still unmarried, much to Park Hye-jin’s consternation since she herself was married. Her relationship with her husband was not particularly close, but with two children, she couldn’t simply distance herself from someone who admired her.

Their subtle, ambiguous relationship became a favorite topic for Mao Shaochong to gossip about.

Liu Qingshan was also curious, as these people had only met yesterday, and he was even more intrigued that Park Hye-jin hadn’t explicitly rejected Yu Yi.

Before Kunal could answer, Park Hye-jin received a phone call.

When she returned, her expression had changed. “Shanzi, guess who called me?”

“Do I need to guess? It must be someone from your connections at the Capital TV station! And they told you the exact broadcast time.”

Liu Qingshan smiled at her. “Judging by your expression, did I guess right? Tell me, is it tomorrow or the day after?”

“Haha, you guessed wrong this time. The station originally planned to air it on tonight’s entertainment news, but someone called the station director and requested the tape be sent to the relevant department for review!”

“You’re still so happy, even though it’s being reviewed?” Liu Qingshan teased her.

“Well, aren’t you just as unconcerned? Fine, I’m not worried because the person who called the station director was from the national television station!”

Capital TV is a local station, directly under the city government, while National TV is a state-level institution. Technically, the two are not subordinate to each other.

But National TV is a vice-ministerial unit, with its chief holding vice-ministerial rank and an office at the State Administration of Film and Television.

So there’s no doubt National TV is the relevant department, and it indeed has the credentials to review lower-level stations.

Given that Liu Qingshan was noticed by the “The Condor Heroes” production team, it’s not surprising the tape was temporarily sent to National TV.

“Isn’t Capital TV afraid their program will be stolen?”

There are indeed concerns, which is why Liu Qingshan asked.

“If an entire show was taken, Capital TV might object, but what’s being sent is just a segment of entertainment news—a simple news item. Why would they mind?”

Attorney Wang Huansheng seemed to have recovered his composure. “I don’t think it’s likely to be stolen. Think about it—is Mr. Liu’s matter a major event? At most, it’s just a media hotspot!”

The others suddenly understood. National TV is an institution of such stature—even if Liu Qingshan is highly regarded, he’s merely a minor figure among countless dramas.

National TV is the most authoritative, representing the will of the state, and would never be swayed by such trivial matters.

“Yes, National TV is of great significance. I also think the final broadcast will only be on the local station.”

Park Hye-jin immediately corrected her earlier mistake. She was admirable for never stubbornly clinging to her views, but always adjusting based on the situation.

Liu Qingshan agreed, and was pleasantly surprised to see Wang Huansheng quickly regain clarity after a moment of confusion.

He had been exploring the future partner’s personality traits, knowing that only with a clear understanding could he entrust future legal affairs.

Unlike the others—Shahrukh, Park Hye-jin, Kunal, Yu Yi, or Mao Shaochong—all were initially recommended and thus trustworthy.

Even those who would eventually work with him, like Ma Shengli, had supported Liu Qingshan and established a foundation of trust.

If he wanted to build his own team from now on, he needed to identify potential issues in advance.

Especially for highly specialized positions like legal counsel, he had to be extra cautious.

“The authority of National TV requires rigorous selection of news material. I don’t think this point needs debate. Since the press conference will ultimately air on Capital TV, I suggest Mr. Liu prepare for the various opinions that may arise in society!”

Wang Huansheng further clarified his view, and everyone understood the implication—except for the foreigner Kunal.