National Tide 1980.

"Mr. Cha, please go ahead."

Ning Weimin sat upright, ready for battle.

"First, whether it's translating and republishing my novels, publishing comics and serialized works, or adapting them into films and television dramas, the bottom line of artistic integrity cannot be compromised. You must ensure that the original content is preserved as much as possible, and you must not arbitrarily delete or alter the core plot or character settings of my work, let alone distort, parody, or destroy the theme of my work. If changes are unavoidable, you must obtain my permission or the approval of the review committee designated by me."

"Of course, I completely agree. It's your work, so of course you have the final say. I'm only responsible for operation, promotion, and implementation."

Ning Weimin agreed without hesitation.

Jin Yong's works are already very mature; his original intention was simply to reap the rewards without any effort.

In terms of creation, he thinks it would be good enough to restore the original work as much as possible, focusing on production level and quality, and he really has no expectations for innovation.

Even if they do it better, it's because they have a good foundation; if they do it poorly, they'll offend people and get scolded.

If you can benefit from the business and make money, why bother with thankless secondary creations?
Needless to say, his straightforward attitude pleased Cha Liangyong.

Cha Liangyong gave him a satisfied look and slowly said the next point.

"Secondly, once you acquire the copyright, book publishing should come first. You just promised to release my entire collection of novels in mainland China, and I want to see that as soon as possible. In addition, all official publications, film and television opening sequences, and comic book covers must clearly indicate my pen name. Furthermore, I hope that all overseas distribution, film and television adaptations, and comic book development must be based on the premise of the complete and authentic publication of books in mainland China. We must first establish a solid foundation before discussing the details."

Ning Weimin readily agreed once again.

"What you've said is exactly what I'm looking to do. Within a year, I guarantee the complete set of authentic Jin Yong novels will be available in mainland China. At the latest, within two years, one or two volumes of the mainland comic book version will be available, and I aim to have the entire set published within five years. Progress overseas will naturally be slower, but I can guarantee that once the translation work is completed, I will soon have your novels in bookstores in Japan and France. I have distribution channels, so that's not a problem. I even have my own bookstore in Japan called Keibundo. We're currently looking for locations to open branches."

"Oh? You actually have a bookstore in Japan? Isn't that a lucrative business?"

Cha Liangyong blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected Ning Weimin to open a bookstore.

Because bookstore profits are so meager, and based on his understanding of the publishing markets in Japan and Hong Kong, he didn't believe Ning Weimin would do something so foolish.

However, Ning Weimin had a rather noble reason.

"Bookstores don't really make a lot of money, but I don't do everything for the money. To be honest, I actually own several bookstores in Beijing, not only selling books but also renting them out. You can read them with a membership for only twelve yuan a year, which is really a loss-making endeavor. You could say the more stores I have, the more money I lose. But as long as it helps young people in Beijing read more books, I'm willing to lose a little. I'm happy even if I suffer a loss. As for opening a bookstore in Tokyo, Japan, I also have my own purpose, which is to more easily promote Chinese culture. Currently, through this bookstore, I have published Japanese versions of novels and comic books such as *Dream of the Red Chamber*, *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, and *Journey to the West* in Japan. I have also done many cultural promotions at various Japanese universities. The Japanese people like them very much, and the sales are quite good. At the same time, I also translate some excellent Japanese novels into Chinese and recommend them to China. Seicho Matsumoto and Haruki Murakami are my collaborators. Don't you think that's great? So don't worry, I have some experience in promoting novels and books overseas."

"Wow, you've done so much! You've established so many non-profit bookstores in China. That's truly remarkable."

Now, the old man looked at Ning Weimin with even greater respect, and his expression became even more amiable.

But at the same time, he found it difficult to say what he was about to say.

"It's alright, just tell me what you need. Please don't be shy."

Ning Weimin noticed the old man's predicament and took the initiative to ask him what was wrong.

Only then did the old man say something, somewhat embarrassed.

"Thirdly, there's the issue of copyright fees. I can give you long-term, global, and full-category authorization, but the copyrights to my works aren't cheap. Since you dare to ask for such a contract, I hope you're prepared to write a large check. This is essential; I need to see if you're truly sincere and have the capability, not just making empty promises. Otherwise, I can't feel at ease."

Seemingly afraid of appearing greedy, the old man was about to explain again, but Ning Weimin felt relieved and immediately smiled.

"Mr. Cha, rest assured, money is not a problem. Your request is very reasonable. Just give me a number, and I will absolutely not bargain with you."

His generosity only made the old man feel more embarrassed.

"I've collaborated with TV stations and film companies in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Most of my works are priced between HK$500,000 and HK$800,000 per film or television adaptation. So let's use HK$500,000 as a starting point; fourteen works would amount to HK$7 million. If that's acceptable, I can even forgo cash for the book and comic book publishing rights, only asking for 5% of the net profit as dividends. After all, you'll need to hire translators and illustrators, which also incurs costs..."

The old man thought about it carefully before giving a number, which was indeed a fair market price.

In fact, the value of Jin Yong's copyright is almost an open secret in Hong Kong; almost all Hong Kong and Taiwan film and television companies and television stations are aware of it.

Ning Weimin had already learned about the basic market situation before coming to talk, and he had personally confirmed it with Tsui Hark yesterday, so he made his statement without any hesitation.

"Mr. Cha, rest assured, money is not a problem. I can pay on the spot, or even in one lump sum. As for the price, you're being too kind to me. You're even giving me the copyrights to the books and comic books? That's great, but you're losing out. Because what I want is exclusive authorization for the mainland and overseas markets, so you can only sell the copyrights to Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan in the future. How about this, so that neither of us loses out? You'll still enjoy your 5% share of the net profit from the books and comic books, and in addition, I'll give you an extra five million Hong Kong dollars for all publications. That means I'll pay you a total of twelve million Hong Kong dollars in copyright fees in one lump sum, is that alright?"

"What?... Twelve million Hong Kong dollars?"

The old man was stunned. He never expected that Ning Weimin would not only agree to the price he offered, but would also raise the price by almost double.

As for the mainland market and overseas markets, although they are vast.

But that was exactly the kind of place he thought he would have a hard time making money on his own, so authorizing Ning Weimin to do so had no impact on his own source of income.

"So, are you satisfied with this number?"

"This... this is more than just satisfactory, isn't it? Especially considering you're losing money running your bookstore... I..."

The old man had a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead.

"No, no, your work is worth the price. Only such a figure would be worthy of your status. As for the bookstore, don't worry, I can afford it and I enjoy it."

"..."

The old man was still in a daze, unable to understand why this was happening.

To be honest, even though he was already a billionaire and had sold copyrights countless times, the price Ning Weimin asked for was a number he had never imagined.

After all, his wealth mainly came from running newspapers, and Hong Kong is just a small place. Even if you add up Macau and Taiwan, the market for martial arts novels isn't that big.

Compared to other writers of his kind, he earns one to two million yuan a year from martial arts novels, and another 500,000 yuan from selling copyrights, which already makes him one of the best martial arts novelists.

Others, no matter how popular their works are, can't even get half of his copyright and royalties.

Take Gu Long from Taiwan as an example. The highest price he ever paid for a film or television adaptation of "A Sword Pierces the Sun" was one million New Taiwan Dollars, which is only about 250,000 Hong Kong Dollars.

No one has ever been able to catch up with him, let alone earn tens of millions of Hong Kong dollars in one go by writing martial arts novels.

With just a nod, he could break historical records and become a figure worthy of being recorded in the annals of martial arts novel writing.

How could he remain calm and composed?
However, Ning Weimin is not a fool, nor is he a sucker.

The reason this kid was so generous with money and said such nice things was mainly because Jin Yong's martial arts novels were indeed a gold mine from which he could make a lot of money.

He even had a plan for the next move. He not only wanted to try his hand at publishing and film and television, but he also wanted to use this to develop related products, develop games when the time was right, and even build a martial arts-themed amusement park or film and television base.

People of this era simply cannot see the true commercial value of these works.

Moreover, considering the other party's high reputation and status as the editor-in-chief of Ta Kung Pao, if he is not generous today, what if he makes a fortune from copyright in the future and people resent him?

Cultural figures are absolutely not to be trifled with, or you'll be condemned for eternity.

As for his past life, there was a guy with a big beard who only contributed a symbolic one yuan to film Jin Yong's works.

He certainly knew about this kind of cheap deal.

But precisely because he knew the situation clearly, he didn't indulge in such daydreams.

Putting everything else aside, can he compare to that big bearded man?
That guy came to Jin Yong under the banner of CCTV.

Moreover, it was after the TV series "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" was released, and its high level of historical accuracy impressed the old man.

The fact that the guy was able to get such conditions is essentially a matter of "Master Jin's" trust in CCTV's productions; it's about giving face to a national-level television station.

He doesn't have the same background as Zhang Da Hu Zi now, so naturally he can't take advantage of such convenience.

"Please don't refuse. I know you want to give me some leeway on the price so I can open more bookstores. How about this, since I'll inevitably need to consult you about the subsequent production, could you please lower the consulting fee a bit?"

Ning Weimin spoke sincerely, then held up one finger, "I think the consulting fee should be just a symbolic one yuan."

As Cha Liangyong looked at the young man before him, the last trace of doubt in his eyes completely vanished, replaced by an almost affectionate closeness.

Ning Weimin is too good at giving people a way out and too good at maintaining the situation.

He had lived a whole life and seen all kinds of people, but he had never met anyone so likable.

He was now quite willing to believe that the young man in front of him was truly capable and sincere.

He is the one who can perhaps elevate his life's work to a higher level.

The old gentleman slowly extended his hand. "Alright, Mr. Ning, if you're happy, I'm happy too. The consulting fee will be one dollar, as you said. But the copyright fee of twelve million is unnecessary; ten million Hong Kong dollars will suffice."

Seeing how determined the other party was to save him money, Ning Weimin couldn't refuse.

He beamed and immediately stood up, clasping his hands tightly. "Mr. Cha, thank you so much. I will certainly live up to your expectations and present your work with all my heart."

An old man and a young man, a scholar and a businessman, one holding a pen and the other holding gold, finalized a super collaboration in the old man's mansion at No. 1 Peak Road that would influence Chinese culture, film and television, publishing and overseas dissemination for decades to come.

But even though the business deal was finalized, the conversation was far from over.

The old gentleman then asked, somewhat out of curiosity.

"Mr. Ning, perhaps it's a bit early for me to ask this question, but I still want to know, which of my works do you like the most? And which one will you film first?"

"I like all your works. If I had to pick my favorite, it would probably be 'The Return of the Condor Heroes'?"

"Oh? Why?"

"Hey, maybe it's because I'm an orphan. My parents died early, so I can really understand Yang Guo's feelings about being a wanderer in his childhood. Of course, it might also be because I later married a wife who was older than me but very beautiful. I can empathize with the emotions of many characters."

Ning Weimin's answer left "Master Jin" speechless for a moment, because when his parents died young, he was unsure whether to offer comfort or change the subject.

Just as he was hesitating, Ning Weimin had already shifted his focus, saying, "However, if we're talking about actual filming, I would definitely prioritize 'The Deer and the Cauldron'."

The old man became even more curious.

Because "The Deer and the Cauldron" was his last work, even though he publicly declared it to be his most satisfying and mature work.

However, there is also a lot of controversy surrounding his anti-wuxia style, his writing about history and human nature, which is not something that most people can understand.

In many people's eyes, Wei Xiaobao is a despicable scoundrel who can't even do martial arts and doesn't deserve to be the protagonist. Many believe this novel can't even be considered a wuxia (martial arts) novel.

From a visual perspective, the martial arts in this novel are not as well-presented or memorable as in other works.

Therefore, he now suspects that Ning Weimin said this on purpose to curry favor with him.

He frowned at this. "Why?"

The way he looked at Ning Weimin at that moment was probably similar to how Li Bai looked at Gao Lishi back then.

But to his surprise, Ning Weimin's answer once again took him by surprise: "Of course, it's because the production cost is the lowest right now."

"Low cost?"

"Yes. Costumes, makeup, props, and actors are all at the lowest cost right now. First, I have costumes from 'The Burning of the Yuanmingyuan,' 'The Empress Dowager,' and the Italian director's 'The Last Emperor,' which directly recreate the most authentic history. Second, Beijing still retains relatively intact hutongs, streets, and mansions, and filming inside the Forbidden City is negotiable and doesn't cost much in terms of location fees. Third, labor costs are low in mainland China right now, and actors' salaries are low, making it perfect for filming large-scale scenes. These conditions might not be available in a few years. Don't you think I should hurry up and film this first?"

The old man couldn't help but smile. To be honest, if you look at it from a practical point of view, that's really the case.

"Do you have any candidates in mind for the main roles? It's not easy to find main characters for this TV series..."

"To be honest, I do have some ideas."

"Oh? Why don't you tell me?"

"I've actually seen the Hong Kong version of the TV series, the one starring Tony Leung and Andy Lau. But their style leans more towards entertainment, the characters are a bit exaggerated and stereotypical, not realistic enough. Tony Leung's portrayal of Wei Xiaobao in the Yangzhou brothel lacks the sleazy, street-smart demeanor, and there's no significant difference in his demeanor when he becomes a eunuch and later a high-ranking official. Especially the Kangxi Emperor, he lacks the aloofness of a true emperor, and Andy Lau's image is too innocent and gentle. As a result, the scenes of fighting Ao Bai seem like children's fighting."

"Okay, please continue..."

"These very shortcomings are actually the strengths of mainland actors who specialize in historical dramas. I think an actor named Chen Baoguo is a good fit for the role of Wei Xiaobao. He can adapt to different roles, having played handsome young men, worker leaders, ordinary people, and even gangsters from the Republican era. In the movie 'The God Whip' he filmed a few years ago, his character Glass Flower was utterly sleazy and vulgar, lacking any heroic spirit. Last year, in 'The Old Shop,' he vividly portrayed the manager of Quanjude, embodying the shrewdness of a businessman. His greatest strength is his ability to create believable characters, making the audience forget who he is. His only weakness is that he's over thirty. Playing a young man is slightly challenging, but it's not a big problem. As for the choice of Emperor Kangxi, I don't know if you know about the 1988 mainland TV series 'The Last Emperor,' in which the actor who played Puyi was Chen Daoming. To be honest, his temperament fits the role, but his appearance..."

"What's wrong with his appearance? Does he look very different from Puyi?"

At this point, Ning Weimin suddenly couldn't help but laugh, "You can't say that. After all, even John Lone could play Puyi. The key is that Chen Daoming has a long, thin face; to me, he looks just like the Kangxi Emperor in the portraits." (End of Chapter)