Writer 1978: I Need to Give the Literary World a Lesson

Chapter 504: "Fearless" grossed $3700 million worldwide.

Through his conversation with Xie Zhonghou, Liu Yimin discovered that publishing a book on the island was an extremely complicated matter. Besides finding an intermediary, there were various complex expenses such as lawyer fees and commissions.

Of the 8% royalty, 2% is customarily set aside as commission for the agent, also known as an editing fee.

Many world-class writers hire publishing agents who can work around the world to handle their publishing work so they can focus on writing.

Liu Yimin hadn't looked for anyone yet, firstly because there wasn't a shortage of people in China with the skills to deal with publishers from around the world. Secondly, these things didn't currently require much of his energy.

Xie Zhonghou also presented a list of books that the other party wanted to publish, such as "High Mountains and Long Rivers", "Red River Valley", "Beloved", "Redemption of a Slave", "Green Book", "Southern Overseas Chinese", and "The Stage".

The rest must be edited before they can be published. For example, the parts featuring the People's Liberation Army in "The Kite Runner" and "Dust Settles" need to be cut.

Liu Yimin waved his hand and said, "Then let's publish the first few volumes. The ones that need to be cut don't need to be published."

Xie Zhonghou knew Liu Yimin would have this attitude before he arrived; he had told his friends at the publishing house that he had informed them in advance.

"Actually, the figures here can also be negotiated. For example, the royalties and the middleman's commission will be paid separately by the publisher, with the publisher paying you eight percent directly, while the middleman's commission will be paid separately by the publisher under another name." Xie Zhonghou carefully explained the intricacies to Liu Yimin.

"After paying eight percent and the middleman's commission, there's not much left."

Xie Zhonghou said with a smile, "Writers with real talent always receive different treatment when faced with regulations."

"Who is your friend?" Liu Yimin asked curiously.

Xie Zhonghou wrote down a name: "Gu Jian, he is from Fujian Province. He went to Southeast Asia with his family and later returned. He came to Hong Kong in 74 and currently works there. He is a writer and an editor."

"Arrived in Hong Kong in 74?" Liu Yimin immediately grasped the key point.

Xie Zhonghou quickly said, "Yes, it's not what you think. He was originally an overseas Chinese."

"Is that so?" A faint smile appeared on Liu Yimin's lips.

“I used to work for the Hong Kong newspapers ‘Xinbao’ and ‘Dongfang Ribao’, and now I work for ‘Huaqiao Ribao’. We both work in journalism, so we have some connection,” Xie Zhonghou explained again.

“The Sing Tao Daily, they were the ones who hyped up the Singapore trip last time.”

The Xinbao was one of the newspapers that liked to hype things up. It started as an entertainment media, mainly relying on horse racing news and serialized martial arts novels. Ni Kuang was one of the people they cultivated.

That scoundrel Ni Kuang ran off from the mainland to Hong Kong and barked his horse relentlessly. When Hong Kong was about to be returned to China, he quickly fled to the United States. Seeing that nothing was amiss, he returned to Hong Kong in his later years.

Xie Zhonghou also disagreed with the practices of many newspapers in Hong Kong: "These people only care about newspaper sales, they have no journalistic integrity, and they have no sense of national responsibility. They are like a swarm of buzzing flies, they swarm towards anything they see."

"Yes, we'd be better off without newspapers like that."

“Hong Kong is a tiny place, yet it supports thirty or forty newspapers, and the competition is fierce. When you can’t win through conventional competition, you think of doing this kind of thing.” Xie Zhonghou finished speaking, then suddenly felt a little embarrassed.

Hong Kong may be a tiny place, but it's still a secret weapon of the island!
"I'll write two letters in a bit and send one to Gu Jian and the other to the publishing house on your island. Could you deliver them to them for me? Have you received the soil sent by the various local associations for the promotion of reunification?" Liu Yimin asked.

Zheng Dongguo gave him data showing that a total of about thirty cups of local soil were sent from provinces including Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichuan, Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, and Guangxi. Each cup had a label with details of where the soil was taken.

"I received it, I received it. Yimin, thank you so much. I personally delivered all this soil back. When I couldn't go back, I had my colleagues bring it for me." The veterans were even more moved when they received the soil and learned that it was personally collected by their former commander.

I also found an opportunity to give the soil I collected from Xikou to Jiang Da. The reason I came to the mainland was that during our meeting, he asked me to come and write a detailed report on the mainland, covering politics, economics, culture, and the current social situation, which he wanted everyone to see.

Xie Zhonghou handed Liu Yimin several photos. The photos showed veterans wearing rumpled clothes, clutching soil and wailing. The camera shot from above, their wide-open mouths and pained expressions creating a powerful impact.

"Then you'd better write it carefully; your fountain pen is a bridge."

"I'll stay in Yanjing for about ten days. I'm confident I can write a panoramic article." When Xie Zhonghou arrived, he had already listed the main aspects and perspectives he would observe, and even planned out the places he would go.

When Xie Zhonghou submitted his interview itinerary to the mainland, he thought he would be scrutinized or at least "monitored." Unexpectedly, the mainland told him directly that he was free to move around.

"On my way here, I looked out the car window and saw that the mainland's economy was not as good as the island's, but this confident spirit is something you can't learn on the island. I'm not afraid to see the bad side of things."

"Because we believe that we will definitely develop. In addition, the comparison of strength has always been based on comprehensive strength, not a single dimension."

Liu Yimin's words startled Xie Zhonghou, but he quickly understood the reason: the difference in their overall strength was enormous.

At noon, Liu Yimin took Xie Zhonghou to eat in the courtyard. Liu Yimin specially asked Ximei to buy several dishes from Xie Zhonghou's hometown at the restaurant.

Upon seeing Zhu Lin, Xie Zhonghou quickly shook his hand and said, "Your reputation is growing in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. I heard you performed in a play in Hong Kong? Back then, people watched your performance but didn't recognize you. Now that you're in Hong Kong, you could say everyone knows you."

"Mr. Xie, you flatter me. It's all thanks to the audience's kindness," Zhu Lin said politely, his tone unhurried.

Xie Zhonghou looked at Liu Yimin and said, "Yimin, you are so lucky. Your wife is beautiful and well-educated."

Xie Zhonghou's words made Liu Yimin and Zhu Lin exchange a smile, and they asked Xie Zhonghou about the situation of "Huo Yuanjia" in Hong Kong.

"The box office of 'Fearless' in Hong Kong has exceeded HK$15 million, and it has been hailed by the Hong Kong media as a whirlwind in mainland China. The production quality is better than that of Hong Kong films, leaving local martial arts films behind."

“That’s right, but the screening is almost over, isn’t it?” Liu Yimin asked.

"It's almost over, probably in about half a month."

A typical movie's theatrical run lasts about thirty days, though popular films may have a longer run. "Fearless" has already been showing in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia for over a month. Its release in other regions was later, and Liu Yimin doesn't know the exact box office figures. Only China Film Group knows this number; even Beijing Film Studio doesn't.

Xie Zhonghou asked Liu Yimin how much money he could earn from the script, and Xie Zhonghou was very surprised to hear that it was only a few thousand yuan.

"This is far too little. If this script were overseas, you would earn at least several hundred thousand." Xie Zhonghou said with great regret.

Liu Yimin honestly said, "I don't want to say anything grandiose like I never feel like I'm at a disadvantage, but under the current domestic film system, this is the highest script fee I can get, and I'm already quite satisfied."

“The average worker on the mainland only earns a little over a hundred yuan a month. I’ve been to Hong Kong and know the wage level there. Professor Liu’s several thousand yuan is equivalent to hundreds of thousands of yuan in China,” Zhu Lin replied.

Xie Zhonghou pursed his lips: "In the end, there is still a difference. If you earn hundreds of thousands outside, you can spend them back on the mainland, which is equivalent to several million."

"That's the difference. Mainland writers used to be more indifferent to profit, but in the last two years, people have become much more natural when talking about royalties."

Xie Zhonghou tasted a bite of his hometown dish and lingered for a long time before swallowing it, only swallowing it with satisfaction after the flavor had fully stimulated his taste buds.

"Yimin, your screenplay 'The Redemption of a Slave' premieres on the island today. I heard from my colleagues there that the tickets sold out days ago, so it should sell quite a few. Li Ao is even urging everyone to go see it. You should make a lot of money from this movie, right?"

"That's alright, it mainly depends on the box office," Liu Yimin said with a smile.

"That's good. We have to be careful when dealing with the arts and culture industry in the US and the West; their accounting skills are too sophisticated," Xie Zhonghou said earnestly.

"Understood, we're on guard against that."

Zheng Dongguo and his group called to ask if Xie Zhonghou could meet with them.

Xie Zhonghou looked at the phone in Liu Yimin's hand with a complicated expression, as if he was weighing the pros and cons in his mind.

Zheng Dongguo sighed: "If you don't want to come, then forget it."

"Commander Zheng, may I go this afternoon?" Xie Zhonghou said slowly.

"Great, great, great!" Zheng Dongguo exclaimed excitedly.

In the afternoon, Liu Yimin and Xie Zhonghou arrived at Zheng Dongguo's house. The house was packed with people, and upon seeing Xie Zhonghou, they all began to ask what the islanders thought.

Xie Zhonghou didn't know what to say, so he could only use official language. He only became more talkative when the topic shifted to the island's development and policies. Xie Zhonghou spoke very cautiously, changing the subject or glossing over certain points whenever possible.

Huang Wei whispered to Li Xianzhou beside him, "'The Central News Agency' has a tradition of reporting only good news and not bad news. When the army is in complete defeat on the battlefield, they shout 'Great victory! Great victory!' on the radio!"

"Old Huang, stop complaining," Li Xianzhou said softly.

Liu Yimin didn't say much, but listened to their conversation.

After chatting for about thirty minutes, Xie Zhonghou took another group photo. Before leaving, Zheng Dongguo inquired about Sun Liren's situation.

After Xie Zhonghou said a few words, Zheng Dongguo asked again, "I wonder if Old Sun received the soil I sent?"

Xie Zhonghou said awkwardly, "To be escorted! To be escorted!"

Everyone present was shrewd; once Xie Zhonghou said that, everyone understood what he meant, and no one dared to go and deliver it.

"Rest assured, sirs, I will definitely give you a ride if the opportunity arises," Xie Zhonghou added before getting into the car.

"it is good!"

Aside from visiting Liu Yimin on the first day, Xie Zhonghou spent the rest of his time taking photos and observing society in mainland China. Occasionally, he would meet with Liu Yimin to share his thoughts on the issues he observed.

At the Ji'an Institute, Liu Yimin was flipping through a book, with Wei Wei and the old commander sitting next to him.

Wei Wei asked, "Yi Min, what do you think of the writing?"

"Great, this will be very helpful for my future writing of works on the subject of domestic revolution." This is a biography of the old commander compiled by Wei Wei and others. It took a lot of effort and is divided into three parts: "Youth", "Youthful Glory" and "Strong Pine". However, it is not yet finished.

"Don't just say it's good, point out any problems too," the old commander said with a smile.

Liu Yimin then said, feeling wronged, "You're making things difficult for me. The materials are all in the hands of the compilation team."

The old commander's biography was written relatively late, as he did not quite agree with writing a biography and instead wrote a memoir. However, the higher authorities issued a notice that a memoir could not replace a biography, so the Yanjing Military Region specially established an editorial group headed by Wei Wei.

The old leader didn't make things difficult for Liu Yimin anymore, but instead inquired about Xie Zhonghou's situation.

"He's still wandering around Yanjing! This person's thinking is quite progressive these days, so we don't need to worry about him too much."

"Yi Min, was it you who did the ideological work?" Wei Wei asked curiously, and then added, "Yi Min has a tradition of doing a good job in ideological work. Everyone is saying that Yi Min can strategize against F in five days. This 'Youth Night Talk' radio program is also very good."

Liu Yimin chuckled, and the old leader said, "He's suitable to be a political commissar. I'll send you a copy when Comrade Wei Wei finishes compiling his biography."

“Then I must have your autograph,” Liu Yimin said.

“No problem. Other things are hard to handle, but signatures are easy. How many do you want? I’ll sign as many as you want.”

After Wei Wei left, the old leader told Liu Yimin that Deng Xiaoping's deeds would be declassified this month, and the People's Daily news report had been written and was just waiting for the order.

The two then visited Deng Xiaoping at the 301 Hospital. The old leader was not in good health recently, so he did not stay at the hospital for long before leaving.

Deng Lao and his wife Xu Luxi also advised the old leader not to come anymore, but the old leader's daughter and secretary often came to visit on his behalf.

Compared to a few months ago, Deng Lao has lost a lot of weight, and the clothes that used to fit him are now a size too big.

"Comrade Jiaxian, take care! You are an unsung hero of the country, but after this month, the people of the country will all know your name, and your name will also be on the list of national model workers this year." The old leader held Deng Lao's hand tightly.

After the old leader left, Liu Yimin chatted with Deng Lao for a while, and seeing that he was gradually losing strength, he also prepared to leave.

Before leaving, Deng said, "Yimin, your 'Youth Night Talk' column is good. It should inspire young people to have confidence in the country, aspirations for the future, and fighting spirit."

Deng's wife, Xu Luxi, chimed in, "Old Deng wanted to write a letter to the young people, but unfortunately he hasn't been feeling well lately and hasn't finished it yet."

"Mr. Deng, don't rush, take your time writing. I'll read it aloud to everyone on the program later," Liu Yimin said softly, bending down.

"Okay, I'll write it down and give it to you."

Liu Yimin gently placed Deng Lao's hand by the bedside, smiled, waved, and left the 301 Hospital.

At the Institute of Literature and Art, Liu Yimin is preparing the list of teachers for the next training session. Many schools have written to inquire about or recommend outstanding young teachers from their schools.

Too few people cause headaches, too many people cause headaches too. There aren't enough offices, and if there are more, accommodation will also become a problem.

The Chinese department couldn't provide any offices, so Liu Yimin planned to ask Ding Shisun for some. Liu Yimin had secured $500,000 for the school; surely that would be enough to get five offices?

Yan Zhen knocked on the door and came in: "Director, Professor Yuan Xingpei is planning to hold a conference at Jinling University to promote journalism textbooks. Here is the conference budget, please take a look."

Liu Yimin took the document, which stated five thousand yuan. He thought back to the expenses he incurred last time he attended a conference at Fudan University, which cost around three thousand yuan. However, the reason it was three thousand last time was because it was a joint event with Fudan University and the American Comparative Literature Research Association, with the cost shared among the three parties.

"Approved! Tell Professor Yuan to take care of his health." Liu Yimin wrote his name at the bottom of the document.

"Okay!" Yan Zhen turned and left the office.

Just as Yan Zhen left, there was another knock on the door. Liu Yimin frowned, but it was Wang Yang who entered.

"Wang Chang, what brings you here?" Liu Yimin stood up and invited him to sit down, personally pouring him a cup of tea.

“Director, I’m also a member of the Institute of Literature and Art.” Wang Yang said seriously.

"Alright, my dear Factory Director Wang."

Wang Yang pulled a document out of his briefcase: "Yi Min, look, our Institute of Literature has succeeded."

"What worked?"

"Huo Yuanjia!"

Liu Yimin took the document from Wang Yang. It was a document from China Film Group, addressed to the Film Bureau and Beijing Film Studio. It contained detailed data on the overseas distribution of "Huo Yuanjia".

"Nearly forty million in global box office?" Liu Yimin couldn't help but ask, looking at the figure of thirty-seven million US dollars.

"Yes, it grossed five million dollars in Japan, and the US, its main box office region, grossed over ten million. Judging from the current trend, it should gross around forty-five million. These capitalist countries are really pent up, giving us short screening times, some only twenty days, and the screening rate isn't very good either," Wang Yang said angrily.

"That's how foreigners are. We, on the other hand, not only schedule good time slots for them, but also good movie theaters."

After finishing his rant, Wang Yang's face lit up with joy: "Based on this box office performance, Beijing Film Studio will make a lot of money this time."

"Even after splitting the profits with overseas publishers, we can still make a couple million dollars," Liu Yimin roughly calculated.

"More than 30 million US dollars, with the highest revenue share, which is eight percent. China Film Group first shares the profits with the external distribution companies, and then shares the net profit with us."

While happy, Wang Yang did not forget to thank Liu Yimin, feeling fortunate that he had joined the Institute of Literature and Art early on and become one of their own, which allowed him to obtain the script so smoothly.

In addition, the Institute of Literature and Art provides an excellent platform for film studios to generate profits.

Liu Yimin remarked, "China Film Group also made a considerable amount of money this time."

These words struck a nerve with Wang Yang, instantly extinguishing his joy. He couldn't help but curse, "That damned Ding Daming!"
(End of this chapter)