National Tide 1980.

Ning Weimin observed this and continued, "I'll leave the specific preparations to you. Assign reliable people to handle the miscellaneous tasks like site selection, decoration, and staff recruitment. The core requirement is simple: the stage needs to be large, with minimal obstruction between the stage and the customers' tables. The equipment must be professional, and the environment doesn't need to be too luxurious—just some solid materials for decoration. The key is ample space and proper fire safety measures so the band can rehearse and perform with peace of mind. Oh, and considering the possibility of full houses, the restrooms also need to be large, ideally two on each side, and there should be dedicated staff to ensure they are clean and tidy."

He paused for a moment, then emphasized the direction of future cooperation.

"Besides that, I've already spoken to Cui Jian. He'll help you get to know a lot of bands in the industry. Take some time to get to know these rock bands better and do a good job of evaluating them. On the one hand, I hope you can use their actual performances to select bands that have good stage presence and are likely to be popular with the audience, and then sign them. On the other hand, we need to provide them with professional packaging and promotion to help them enter the commercial market. Our Big Ship Entertainment can't just focus on pop music. Rock music has great market potential in the future. If we can sign a few talented rock bands, help them release albums, shoot music videos, and do commercial promotion, we might be able to open up a new music territory."

He looked at Yao Peifang and added, "However, there's one point you absolutely must take seriously. That is, I don't want the people I invest in to have bad habits that violate public order and good morals, or to talk about politics recklessly and convey wrong values. So we need to be upfront about this. When signing the contract, there should be binding clauses on the artist's character. The conditions for compensation can be set higher; mistakes must have consequences. Especially with 'enhancing agents,' our artists are absolutely, absolutely forbidden from touching them. Whoever touches them will die. There is no room for leniency on this point. We will immediately initiate the compensation process and even call the police immediately."

"How to handle an alarm?"

As soon as Ning Weimin finished speaking, Yao Peifang couldn't help but frown, her face showing obvious hesitation.

"President Ning, aren't you...aren't you being a little too harsh?"

She put down her notebook and carefully chose her words to explain.

"I completely understand your desire to regulate artists' character and prevent bad habits. But the problem is, rock bands are a bit different. They mostly follow a wild and unrestrained path, emphasizing individuality and advocating freedom. Moreover, their songs inherently carry a critical and unconventional nature. If you set such harsh terms, I'm afraid they will feel resistant and resentful, thinking that you are restricting their creativity and stifling their artistic inspiration. Especially with 'enhancing agents,' as far as I know, quite a few foreign artists use them. It's one thing for you to object, but the problem is that you explicitly said you would call the police. They definitely can't accept that. After all, in their eyes, this stuff might even stimulate their creative inspiration. They might even think that you are deliberately making things difficult and have no intention of cooperating with us at all."

Yao Peifang paused, then added, "We originally wanted to help them out and take this opportunity to expand our music business. If these terms strain our relationship, not only will we fail to sign any promising bands, but we might also become enemies, earning a reputation for 'bullying others' in that industry, which would be counterproductive. How about... we relax the terms a bit? For example, a verbal warning first, and only seeking compensation if they repeatedly fail to correct their behavior? Could we temporarily remove the clause about calling the police?"

Hearing Yao Peifang's questioning, Ning Weimin's expression did not soften at all. Instead, his expression became even more serious. He slowly shook his head and said, "No, these conditions must be insisted on. There is no room for negotiation."

He leaned forward slightly, looked sharply at Yao Peifang, and said in a heavy tone.

"First of all, I'm not trying to interfere with their creative freedom, nor am I setting a topic for them or forcing them to sing hymns. I'm just trying to avoid pitfalls by imposing some restrictions on their creative themes. Does it mean that you can't create good music if you don't touch politics or violate public order and good morals? Does rebellion mean disrupting social stability and wanting to stir up trouble? In fact, young people like rock music simply because they like the vibrant vitality of this new musical form and because they can empathize with it, vent their emotions, and express their individuality. There's no contradiction in that."

"Furthermore, you only see the constraints of these terms, but you don't see the huge risks behind an artist's misconduct. Peifang, think about it. The mainstream of the entertainment industry already has a prejudice against rock bands. Once the artists we sign get involved with something like 'enhancing drugs,' or get into trouble because of prostitution, gambling, or violence, and are exposed by the media, what will the consequences be? That will undoubtedly prove those prejudices are right. At that time, not only will they suffer bad luck and face punishment from the cultural management department, losing performance opportunities, but all the album production and promotion costs we invested in them will also go down the drain, resulting in a complete loss."

"And that's not the most important thing. I'm afraid our company's brand image will plummet, and the positive reputation we've worked so hard to build through public service advertisements and high-quality programs will collapse instantly. Even more serious is that they might implicate our other artists and affect the review of our other film, television, and variety show projects. It's like one bad apple spoiling the whole bunch."

"At that time, it won't just be a matter of losing a few dollars; the entire Big Ship Entertainment will suffer negative pressure as a result. It won't be utterly ruined, but all our previous efforts will be wasted, and the significant losses will be no joke."

Ning Weimin's voice carried an undeniable firmness: "I can't take such a risk. Don't forget, this is the Republic, not a foreign country, with its own unique national conditions. Rather than regretting it after something goes wrong, it's better to lay everything out in the open from the beginning, clearly draw the red lines, and clarify responsibilities. Although we want to help, we can't be the ones to suffer and be dragged down by others."

He looked at Yao Peifang and continued.

"As for your point about them valuing individuality and not wanting to be constrained, I admit that. After all, how many kids from ordinary families can play in bands these days? They may be poor, but they're not really beggars. They might refuse our conditions out of youthful arrogance. But that's okay, we're offering real money. We provide them with rehearsal space, performance opportunities, and platforms to release albums, taking on commercial risks—this is genuine help. Our goal is to help them redeem rock music, to help everyone become wealthy and respectable artists, instead of clinging to artistic aloofness with distorted prejudices, living a life of hardship. So it's not unreasonable for us to ask them to adhere to basic moral principles. If they don't want to, let them continue to be free. These things always have to be mutually agreeable; it's not a good deal if no one is eager to please. Truly talented and visionary bands will never mistake bad habits for individuality, nor will they refuse reasonable moral constraints. Only those who can resist these low-level temptations can go far in this industry."

Ning Weimin concluded with a resolute tone.

"In short, for those willing to accept the terms, we'll sign them and nurture them properly. I can even arrange opportunities for them to perform in France, Japan, and Hong Kong, promoting their music to overseas markets. For those unwilling to accept, no matter how talented they are, we won't touch them. Better to have none than to have bad ones; it's better than getting burned. You must remember this principle: the mass entertainment industry cannot escape the constraints of public order and good morals. The lifeline of this industry is always in the hands of the relevant authorities. Therefore, these regulations are not just for show; they must be strictly enforced without any compromise."

Yao Peifang was finally persuaded. She felt Ning Weimin's seriousness and agreed with his reasoning.

Despite this, a hint of difficulty lingered between her brows. After a moment's hesitation, she honestly voiced her personal concerns.

"You're right, but... I'm still a little worried. You know, most of these people in the rock scene have all sorts of tempers and are quite unruly. I haven't dealt with any of them before. I'm a little afraid that when I do deal with them, we won't be able to see eye to eye. If I fail to explain the rationale behind these terms clearly, and they feel that I'm using the rules to pressure them, not only will I fail to convince them to sign, but I'll also delay the preparation of the bar and the expansion of the music venue, which would be bad."

Ning Weimin only came to his senses after Yao Peifang finished speaking.

Looking at the refined, tall, and beautiful Shanghai girl in front of him, he instantly realized that he had indeed overlooked some things.

Indeed, Yao Peifang is capable, but she has always worked in the mainstream entertainment industry, specializing in meticulous and professional work such as variety show production and film and television project coordination.

Asking her to deal with a group of rock musicians with a strong "streetwise" vibe and to negotiate those harsh terms is indeed a bit much. Plus, bars are inherently chaotic and prone to trouble; how will she manage them after opening?

This is also a considerable challenge for her.

He only wanted to save himself trouble, so he pushed all the work onto her, which could even be described as making things difficult for her.

Thinking of this, Ning Weimin's serious expression turned into embarrassment, and his tone softened.

“I didn’t think it through. You’re right. It’s really not appropriate for you to deal with these people with all sorts of tempers and negotiate these terms.”

After a moment's thought, he quickly came up with an idea and said with a determined look, "How about this, I'll send someone to assist you. You'll still be the overall person in charge, focusing on key matters such as artist signing, training, and performance coordination, which is also your forte. As for the bar's preparation, daily operations, the preliminary communication and coordination with those rock bands, and dealing with any trouble that may arise in the bar, those things will be left to others."

"Do you remember Luo Guangliang? The one who managed my real estate agency."

Ning Weimin immediately gave his name and explained, "He's an extremely reliable person. Don't let his quiet nature fool you; in Beijing, he's best at dealing with all sorts of people. He's tactful in his words and actions, able to be both outgoing and authoritative. Having him in charge of the bar's operations and initial band coordination is perfect. With him protecting you, no one will dare to act arrogantly in front of you. You can focus on saying what you need to say and doing what you need to do. He can protect you, share the burden, and keep those unruly people in check, preventing unnecessary conflicts."

At this point, Ning Weimin looked at Yao Peifang and added.

"Don't worry, I'll talk to President Luo personally. Tell him to follow your instructions and fully cooperate with your work. You're mainly in charge of setting the rules and the tone for this matter. From now on, you just need to grasp the overall direction and ensure that the terms and standards for artist contracts are implemented properly. You don't need to worry about any other miscellaneous matters. Doesn't that make things much easier for you?"

After listening to Ning Weimin's arrangements, Yao Peifang's tense shoulders relaxed slightly.

Although his face showed the joy of being trusted and relied upon, he still didn't look relaxed.

She remained silent for a few seconds before slowly nodding, her tone carrying a hint of anxiety stemming from a deep sense of responsibility.

“Since President Ning has made all the arrangements, I will do my best. I understand how to handle this. With President Luo’s assistance, things will be much easier. I will focus on the core matters of artist signings and performance coordination, and I will also communicate fully with these bands. Without further ado, I will go to Sanlitun tomorrow to inspect potential locations.”

She thought the matter was settled, but to her surprise, Ning Weimin spoke up again as soon as she agreed, his tone as indifferent as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

"By the way, Peifang, we need to hurry up with this. I hope you can get the basic work of preparing for the Sanlitun bar and connecting with the band in a month or two as soon as possible, and at the same time do a good job of promoting the release of 'Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky' in the mainland market. Once you've finished these things, pack your bags and go to Hong Kong with Jet Li's 'Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky' crew. You'll be responsible for liaising with Silver Screen and promoting 'Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky' there."

"What? One or two months?"

Yao Peifang suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with astonishment. She then frowned, her tone laced with complaint, "President Ning, isn't this too rushed? We have to get the bar preparations, band arrangements, and 'Riki-Oh' promotion in mainland China sorted out in one or two months, and then we have to fly to Hong Kong. There's no time to even catch our breath. Besides... we have an agreement with the film company that the revenue from 'Riki-Oh' in Hong Kong has nothing to do with us. Even if the movie is a huge hit, we won't make any money. Why bother with all this effort to promote it there? We should focus our energy on selling copies in mainland China. That's the real way to make a profit."

Faced with Yao Peifang's complaints, Ning Weimin remained calm and patiently explained.

"Actually, promoting 'Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky' in Hong Kong is just a side task for you, not the main purpose. The core reason I sent you to Hong Kong is two other things. First, to represent me in contacting director Tsui Hark of Cinema City to see if there are any suitable film projects we can co-invest in and co-produce this year. Second, 'The Peony Lantern,' which we produced and filmed in mainland China, is a ghost film. Besides getting it released in Japan, I also want to know if it's possible to release it in Hong Kong through Cinema City's channels. Third, you also need to meet with Mr. Jin Yong of Ming Pao. Please arrange a time for me. I want to go there from Hainan in the summer to discuss the copyright issues of his martial arts novels with him in person. I hope to first release Japanese and manga versions to test the waters in the Japanese market."

Upon hearing this, Yao Peifang was both amused and exasperated, and said with a hint of helpless reproach.

"President Ning, you're really treating me like a beast of burden! You even expect me to handle the publishing business. This is outrageous exploitation! And since it's targeting the Japanese market, couldn't you send your subordinates from Japan? I just finished working on the bar and signing a rock band, and now I have to promote 'Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky,' travel to Hong Kong, negotiate collaborations, and secure copyrights. Add to that our own training school and the commercial promotion for Chen Lin and Jin Haibo. Where am I supposed to find all that energy? Besides, my company only has about twenty employees in total, okay? And I also have to manage the daily operations of 'Yixiao Dafang Film Company.' We're not even short-handed enough!"

“Sigh, you insist on doing everything yourself and you don’t have enough manpower, but that’s your problem. I didn’t stop you from hiring.”

Ning Weimin waved his hand with a smile and said half-jokingly, "Besides, don't be ungrateful. The copyright of Jin Yong's novels will definitely be used to make TV series in the future, which is still your business, isn't it? Besides, my intention is not to make you work hard, but to reward you and let you take this opportunity to rest. After you arrive in Hong Kong, there are no tasks or goals that you must achieve. It's all just contact work, so there's no need to feel any pressure."

He continued, “Besides that, you should go to local concerts, visit bars, and sing karaoke—just consider it experiencing life. The key is to learn how they organize performances and run businesses. You can treat this business trip like a vacation. See, it's company-funded for you to meet celebrities and attend parties—what more could you want? At worst, you can buy yourself some clothes and jewelry, and the company will reimburse you. Is that alright?” (End of Chapter)