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I wonder if she was worth it. Apparently she was, he was a repeat customer.

It's much more affordable when you are in a position to use public money. :)

Actually, Zhang Ziyi is already very wealthy and wouldn't need to do anything like this, so the whole story is suspect - especially since the Chinese government is putting on a full court press to get Bo Xilai on something, to keep him from ever making a comeback. Was something like this going on with minor actresses? No doubt. With someone of Zhang Ziyi's prominence, it seems unlikely.

I suspect your are on the right trail. A background on the supposed pimp,Xu Ming, and any troubles with the PRC/PLA might help put some further light on this.
If he is currently on the outs then its entirely probable that this is a plot to get Bo on something...anything.

Ziyi has a pretty loyal and vocal fan-base both in the mainland as well as on Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Europe and the U.S.A.
I look for them to chime in with some interesting exposes about this.

Not saying there isn't a grain of truth to this. Such "arrangements" are well known in Chinese cultural ..."affairs."
In the historic Chinese way of looking at things, the woman involved in this is viewed as merely protecting her future. Not really engaged in any "bad" activity.
I'm certain that there is a very old Chinese phrasing equivalent to ..."You got the money - You get the honey"