The literary era since 1979

The next day, at Joint Publishing Company in Hong Kong.

Fang Yan sat in the office, reviewing the first draft of "Green Snake" submitted by Li Bihua. There were still significant differences between the novel and the movie.

At this moment, Dong Xiuyu knocked on the door, "Editor-in-Chief Fang, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Pan, please have afternoon tea..."

"Oh!"

Fangyan was very surprised and walked out. He saw that the office area was crowded with people. Each of them had a cup of Yuanyang milk tea in one hand and pineapple buns, radish cakes, egg tarts, milky toast and other desserts in the other hand. They ate and chatted, laughing and it was very lively.

Pan Yaoming walked through the crowd and spotted him, holding a specially packaged meal and greeting him with a smile.

"What's going on? Did you win the lottery or the horse race? Why are you so generous?"

Fangyan unpacked the package, which contained egg waffles and pineapple buns. "Don't you have to pay your mortgage?"

"Don't insult me. It's thanks to you that I've made a small fortune."

Pan Yaoming was very excited. "It's exactly as you said. This is the first time that the Japanese stock market has recovered from last year's stock market crash."

Fangyan took a bite of pineapple bun and caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye as he took out the newspaper tucked under his arm and unfolded it in front of him.

The news above the financial section read, "In early February 1988, the Japanese Ministry of Finance launched the policy of 'strengthening the flexibility of fund trusts with specific money trusts', which gave corporate investors a shot in the arm and encouraged corporate investors, and the stock market hit a new high."

The news content below is that the Securities Bureau of the Ministry of Finance, which serves as the "Japan Securities Regulatory Commission", submitted a formal report to the authorities entitled "On the Ideal Path for the Future Development of Investment Trusts", elaborating on the vision and ambition of Japan's fund industry "to go global like Japanese cars and Japanese home appliances." The underlying meaning is obvious: the bubble in Japan's financial sector will continue to expand and grow.

Seeing this, he smiled and said, "Old Pan, you made a lot of money from the Nikkei futures this time, right?"

"hey-hey."

Pan Yaoming grinned and said, "To be honest, this afternoon tea was bought specially for you. Buying it just for you would easily cause misunderstandings and would be detrimental to unity. So I will pay for today's afternoon tea alone. Look, the milk tea I bought is also from your favorite LAN Fong Yuan."

"You want to get rid of me with just a cup of milk tea and a pack of egg waffles? You are too rude."

Fangyan joked.

"Don't worry, I'll treat you to a good meal tonight."

Pan Yaoming put the newspaper aside and said in a low voice: "Also, I will tell you another piece of good news that you want to hear the most."

Fangyan was surprised, "How do you know which good news I want to hear the most?"

"It's related to Yulang International Company. Do you want to continue listening to this good news?"

"Go on."

"I know that you have been very interested in Hong Kong comics and the leading company in Hong Kong comics, Yulang International, since last year."

Pan Yaoming said: "So I sent someone to keep an eye on it, and guess what, Huang Yulang and his company really got into trouble."

After asking, Fangyan found out that under the impact of last year's global stock market crash, Yulang International's market value evaporated by two-thirds, and its stock price has fallen below the issue price. The entire company is in a state of uncertainty and unrest. From time to time, rumors circulate that the company is suspected of reducing costs and increasing efficiency, and laying off employees and cutting salaries.

"Look, this is the annual report released by Huang Yulang Company not long ago." Pan Yaoming said, "Although I only have a vague understanding of company financial reports and can't see too much, but this document from Yulang International Company is too normal, which makes it seem very abnormal."

"Whether it is normal or not is not the key. The key is whether we can find comic talents that we can use from Wong Yuk-long's company."

Fang Yan finished his last bite of pineapple bun. "This is not a problem at all. Huang Yulang's company is already a ship about to hit the rocks. There must be people who want to jump off the ship."

Pan Yaoming said: "What's more, Huang Yulang will also lay off a number of editors, painters and managers in order to save the company's manpower expenses."

"What I want most are the outstanding people in Huang Yulang's company, such as Ma Rongcheng."

The person that Fangyan is referring to is the writer of "Chinese Hero", who will create the popular "Feng Yun" in the future.

"You want to poach Ma Rongcheng!?"

Pan Yaoming was shocked and his first reaction was “Impossible”.

Fang Yan took a sip of milk tea and asked, "Old Pan, do you think it's impossible?"

"It's not impossible, but I can only say that the difficulty is very great, not just ordinary great."

Pan Yaoming reminded him that Ma Rongcheng had been drawing comics in Huang Yulang's company for a long time, and Huang Yulang had been very kind to him in cultivating and promoting him.

Part of the credit for the success of "Chinese Hero" should be attributed to his half-master Huang Yulang and the platform of Yulang International Company. Ma Rongcheng also made a leap forward with "Chinese Hero". His net worth increased more than tenfold and his annual salary increased to 600 million Hong Kong dollars.

He was clearly the number one comic in Hong Kong after Wong Yuk-long, and his annual salary of 600 million also set a record that year.

"Salary and benefits are not a problem. I can even give what Wong Yuk-long cannot."

Fang Yan shrugged his shoulders and decided not to use equity incentives to paint a rosy picture for Ma Rongcheng, but to directly give him shares in the publishing company.

"That might be possible, but Ma Rongcheng is Huang Yulang's cash cow and the pillar of the company. He can't just sit there and watch such a big shot being poached. He must have buried a lot of harsh conditions in the contract to prevent someone from poaching Ma Rongcheng."

Pan Yaoming said: "Or they will try every possible means to prevent Ma Rongcheng from changing jobs."

"How can we know if we don't try? I don't think Ma Rongcheng is someone who is willing to be under someone else for long."

I remember the dialect clearly. Ma Rongcheng later left Huang Yulang's company and started his own business, establishing Tianxia Publishing House.

"Feng Yun" was published by Tian Xia Publishing House. The book was serialized for 25 years and established his status as a "generation of painting god" in the Hong Kong comics industry.

"Then try it!"

Pan Yaoming nodded solemnly.

"In addition to Ma Rongcheng, we also need to recruit some good talents from Huang Yulang's company and other comic book publishers. If we can't find any in a short time, we can settle for the next best thing and recruit some outstanding painters to draw my novels."

Fangyan recalled it carefully.

Other people worth poaching from Huang Yulang's company include Niu Lao, who drew "Young and Dangerous", and Xu Jingchen, who drew the "Street Fighter" and "King of Fighters" series.

"That's right. For example, The Three-Body Problem, Ghost Blows Out the Light, Detective Di Renjie..."

Pan Yaoming said: "Besides, there is the 'fantasy cultivation' you mentioned. In my opinion, 'Chinese Hero' can also be considered a fantasy."

Fang Yan smiled and said, "Then it's settled. Lao Pan, I will invite Ma Rongcheng to meet in your name to see his attitude!" (End of this chapter)