Chapter 144

Chapter 144

Hong Kong Daily’s serialized fiction section wanted to sign Zhi Wei on to write for them long-term, in the same vein as "The Swordsman," with the next manuscript fee set at 50 yuan per thousand words, paid immediately upon delivery, no delays or excuses. Future rates would depend on how well the work was received.

This was a 10-yuan bump per thousand words over what she got for the last 100,000 words of "The Swordsman," and the payment wouldn’t wait until after publication.

Lu Mingzhu had assumed he was here to talk about publishing, but it turned out to be a request for a manuscript. Did this mean they liked her writing?

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have come to her.

She couldn’t help feeling a little pleased.

Lu Mingzhu asked, "How did 'The Swordsman' do in the serialization?"

She had no idea what she’d been so busy with back then, having paid no attention to it.

Editor Wang smiled. "It did great. The fact that we’re upping your fee says it all. Miss Zhi Wei, what do you think? I’m talking about the contract. We sincerely invite you to join our newspaper."

He glanced around, feeling a little uncertain.

Lu Mingzhu wasn’t dependent on writing for her income, so it was likely just a hobby for her.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have disappeared after finishing one piece.

Fifty yuan per thousand words was already on the higher end for writers. Calculating at six thousand words published daily, the manuscript fee would be 300 yuan, and uninterrupted for a month would amount to 9,000 yuan. Would a sum like that even matter to Lu Mingzhu? After all, a single jade bracelet on her wrist was worth more than that.

Editor Wang had gone with his wife to Mingzhu Diamond Jewelry Store to buy a 3-carat diamond ring and had seen the store’s prized collection.

A flawless jade set.

Rumor had it someone had offered a million yuan for it, but Mingzhu Diamond Jewelry Store hadn’t sold it.

Whether in color or texture, the jade bracelet in the set was almost identical to the one on Lu Mingzhu’s wrist, except that hers looked smaller, fitting her wrist more snugly.

Lu Mingzhu had no idea what Editor Wang was thinking. If she had known, she would have told him that 9,000 yuan was indeed a lot!

Even she thought it was a decent sum.

Back then, the average Hong Konger made less than 100 yuan a month. Do you think 9,000 yuan is a lot?

In just a few months, you could save enough to buy an entire floor of a building, rent it out to continue earning money, and sell it before the price drop in the first or second year six years later, using all the proceeds to buy grain, which could buy a lot!

Big operations for grain and oil companies, smaller ones for individuals—every bit helped.

It was too heartbreaking not to remember.

Grandma Zhang explained that city folks had grain and oil rations, with Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai being the best, never having run out of food, but farmers suffered greatly.

Lu Mingzhu’s mother chimed in, saying her grandfather had started with eight siblings, but four sisters and two brothers died in that calamity, leaving three brothers, including Lu Mingzhu’s grandfather.

Many elders sacrificed themselves, giving their descendants a chance to survive.

Girls, unlike boys, were often cast aside outright.

Even though she hadn’t experienced it, Lu Mingzhu deeply remembered their words.

Running the numbers in her head, Lu Mingzhu smiled at Editor Wang. "Thank you for your favor. It’s possible, but it will have to wait until after the New Year. I’ll send you the beginning of a new piece for review, and we’ll decide after it’s approved. If my writing’s gone downhill, wouldn’t it be a waste for you to pay 50 yuan per thousand words?"

Although she wanted to earn money, she still decided to let the quality of the new work determine the level of the manuscript fee.

Editor Wang was overjoyed upon hearing this, "Miss Zhi Wei, you’re absolutely amazing."

He complimented her genuinely.

Lu Mingzhu shifted the topic, "As for the contract..."

Under Editor Wang's expectant gaze, she smiled slightly, "I’m not ready to sign a contract yet because I don’t like feeling tied down, but I can guarantee that the new novel will only be published in the Hong Kong Daily after it passes the review, and I won’t submit it elsewhere."

When Editor Wang learned that she was He Yun's goddaughter, he knew some things couldn’t be forced.

He nodded, "We respect your decision and appreciate your support for the Hong Kong Daily. We have always strived to develop well, aiming to be the best newspaper in the hearts of Hong Kong citizens. With Miss Zhi Wei on board, it’ll be a game-changer."

"Then let’s work together happily," Lu Mingzhu said.

"Happy to work together," Editor Wang shook her hand.

After discussing the manuscript, they talked about publishing.

Lu Mingzhu said, a bit embarrassed, "By the time I saw the letter, it was already two weeks after it was sent. Plus, I had other plans for 'The Swordsman' and decided to delay its publication, so I didn’t reply in time."

Editor Wang finally realized why he hadn’t gotten a reply and immediately asked hopefully, "When are you planning to publish it?"

Before Lu Mingzhu could answer, he told her, "Our newspaper is affiliated with Hong Kong Publishing House. We initially wanted to capitalize on the popularity of 'The Swordsman' to compile and publish it, but without your reply, we had to shelve the plan. Even though the buzz has died down, readers still occasionally ask when 'The Swordsman' will be published."

Lu Mingzhu didn’t specify a publication date, only smiled and said, "I’m planning to turn 'The Swordsman' into a movie."

Editor Wang straightened up, "Really?"

If it were made into a movie, the audience would be much larger. Movie tickets are cheap—for the price of a newspaper, you could watch a movie. He was sure all Hong Kong residents would opt to see the movie.

At that point, not just ten thousand, but even a hundred thousand copies could sell.

Seeing Lu Mingzhu smile and nod, Editor Wang hurriedly said, "Miss Zhi Wei, please make sure to give the copyright of 'The Swordsman' to our Hong Kong Publishing House. I guarantee they will offer you the utmost sincerity."

"How serious are they?" Lu Mingzhu was curious.

"20% royalty." Originally set at 15%, Editor Wang talked it over with his old friend He Long, who manages publishing at Hong Kong Publishing House, after returning to the newspaper yesterday. After their conversation, he raised the royalty to 20%, the highest in the industry.

Sensing their sincerity, Lu Mingzhu nodded, "That works."

Then she asked, "How’s the royalty calculated? Is it 20% of the total price times the number of copies published?"

She vaguely recalled that in the ’50s and ’60s, there was a word count fee.

Hearing Lu Mingzhu's question, Editor Wang was momentarily stunned, "Yes, if 'The Swordsman' is published at around 4 yuan for a 388,000-word book, it might be split into three volumes, with twenty thousand copies printed, and you’d get 16,000 yuan in royalties."

"That sounds good," Lu Mingzhu said, reassured.

Editor Wang immediately said, "Can I use your phone to call the publishing house and have them come over to sign the contract with you? It won’t affect your movie plans. We can print a batch first and start selling. When the movie is about to be released, please notify us, and the publishing house will reprint and distribute to major bookstores."

Lu Mingzhu agreed and gestured, "Please go ahead."

The phone was right beside them.

Editor Wang quickly dialed the number of Hong Kong Publishing House and said to his old friend He Long, "I’ve discussed it with Miss Zhi Wei, come over and sign the publishing contract."

He Long responded swiftly, "I’ll be right there."

He showed up quickly, bringing the publishing contract he’d drafted the night before.

Without taking time to admire the luxurious furniture in Lu Mingzhu's home, the portly man smiled amiably, "Miss Zhi Wei, I’ve always been a fan of your work, 'The Swordsman.' It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person."

Lu Mingzhu replied courteously, "Hello, thank you for your appreciation."

"Miss Zhi Wei, this is He Long, the chief editor of Hong Kong Publishing House," Editor Wang introduced He Long's identity. "Since the publishing industry in Hong Kong isn’t thriving, many educational books are brought in from the mainland. So, when He Long saw your novel, he thought of publishing it. He was quite downcast for a while when he couldn’t get in touch with you."

Lu Mingzhu was surprised, "Educational books are all brought in from the mainland?"

She was genuinely unaware of this.

Since both regions use traditional Chinese characters, she hadn’t noticed any difference.

He Long said seriously, "The cultural decline in Hong Kong has been a long-standing issue. So, when I came across your novel, it felt like discovering a treasure. I’m confident 'The Swordsman' will be a hit once it’s released."

"Thank you for your kind words," Lu Mingzhu replied, feeling she had seized a golden opportunity.

She never aimed to be a literary giant or delve into such profound intellectual depths. She simply wanted to write stories she enjoyed, gain some fame and profit, and avoid being idle.

This was her sole talent that let her earn a living independently.

He Long initially planned a first print run of 20,000 copies. When he learned Lu Mingzhu was writing a script for 'The Swordsman' and planning a movie adaptation, he couldn’t help asking, "Are you sure?"

His reaction mirrored Editor Wang’s.

Lu Mingzhu laughed, "Absolutely."

"Have you signed the contract yet?" He Long asked, believing only a signed contract could offer assurance.

Lu Mingzhu understood their concerns and replied directly, "I own shares in a film company."

Editor Wang and He Long chimed in unison, "Then there’s nothing to worry about."

No wonder she lives on the hilltop—she owns her own company.

He Long promptly doubled the first print run and handed Lu Mingzhu a HK$32,000 check along with the royalty statement, saying, "Miss Lu, here’s to a successful partnership."

Seeing the signature, he naturally addressed her by her original surname.

Compared to serialization fees, the publishing royalties were astronomical!

Lu Mingzhu finally received a hefty fee and regretted not publishing sooner.

Since 'Hong Kong Daily' had the 'The Swordsman' manuscripts in their archives—being part of the same family—they could use them directly, so Lu Mingzhu didn’t need to submit additional copies.

She was thrilled, "I was just worried I wouldn’t have time to transcribe it again!"

"You could buy a photocopier to save the time of transcribing," Editor Wang reminded her. "The more advanced photocopiers are quite useful. As soon as 'The Swordsman' arrived at our newspaper office, we made several copies. The ones we'll give to He Long are photocopies, not the originals. But I've always had a question."

Lu Mingzhu smiled, "You're asking why the handwriting is different, right?"

Editor Wang nodded.

"Creating and polishing is already exhausting; of course, the transcription should be left to others!" Lu Mingzhu decided she would continue to do so because she didn't want to photocopy her polished manuscripts.

They were full of corrections, and some handwriting was too messy, not presentable.

With his doubts resolved, Editor Wang bid farewell along with He Long.

Lu Mingzhu politely saw them off and returned to the house, counting the manuscript fee she had just received. She happily called Xie Junyao, "Do you have time after work tonight? Let me take you out for a fancy dinner."

"What’s the good news?" Xie Junyao asked gently.

"The Swordsman has been published, I just signed the contract and received a large royalty payment." What made Lu Mingzhu the happiest was that there was no initial or final payment, but a one-time payment.

She appreciated partners who were so direct.

Xie Junyao quickly said, "Congratulations, congratulations. When The Swordsman is released, I’ll be the first to buy ten copies."

He had read the entire text of The Swordsman. Based on the total word count, it was impossible to publish it in a single volume. It was more likely to be published in three volumes, upper, middle, and lower, hence he referred to it as sets.

Lu Mingzhu laughed, "Then thank you for your support!"

Xie Junyao took the opportunity to ask, "I have time tonight, what cuisine would you like to eat? I'll make a reservation first."

"How about some local food?" Lu Mingzhu was craving some braised pork.

"Alright," Xie Junyao agreed.

After hanging up, Lu Mingzhu went to the bank to withdraw the royalty payment and deposited it into a separate account. As she left the bank, ready to go home and continue writing the script for The Swordsman, she suddenly noticed a line of rickshaws loaded with people and luggage passing by.

They looked like they had just arrived in Hong Kong from Shanghai.

Their outfits had a distinctly Shanghai style.

There was an unmistakable sophistication about them that you didn’t see elsewhere.

Lu Mingzhu didn't pay much attention at first, but then she heard a clear female voice say, "Driver, stop! Everyone, stop! I see my sister, Lu Mingzhu!"

The line of rickshaws pulled over to the side of the road, and a young lady poked her head out from one of the rickshaws and shouted again, "Lu Mingzhu!"

Lu Mingzhu squinted her eyes.

It wasn’t until the young lady, a middle-aged couple, and three kids stepped out of the rickshaw and approached her that she recognized them, "Fourth sister, fourth brother-in-law, sixth sister, you’re here?"

Lu Peipei patted her shoulder, "It’s been two years—you’ve gotten even more beautiful. I almost didn’t recognize you."

She looked her up and down, marveling.

She had blossomed, her features more refined, exuding charm and grace, like a blooming red rose.

Lu Mingzhu didn't show any modesty, "Thank you for the compliment."

She then said hello to Lu Qingqing and Xiong Jiaming, "Fourth sister, fourth brother-in-law, didn't you come back with third brother? Didn’t he arrange for someone to meet you? Where are you heading?"

"I’m here," Lu Zhangling said as he stepped out of a rickshaw.

He had just been taking a nap in the rickshaw.

The rickshaw’s sudden stop sent him lurching forward, nearly tumbling out.

"Third brother, you're here? Are you taking fourth sister, fourth brother-in-law, and sixth sister to the second and third concubines’ homes?" Lu Mingzhu looked at the direction of the rickshaws and guessed.

Lu Zhangling nodded, "You're right."

"In that case, I’ll let you get going. Hurry up and hop back in—you’ll still make it for lunch." Lu Qingqing had married early and rarely returned to her parents' home. Lu Peipei and the original body had always been somewhat distant. Moreover, the three concubines had played along with the fortune-telling incident involving the original body, so Lu Mingzhu's attitude naturally wasn't very warm. She didn’t ask why second sister Lu Zhenzhen wasn’t with them.

Lu Qingqing smiled, "Alright, we’ll get settled first. Once we’ve gotten used to Hong Kong, we’ll all get together again."

Her straightforward personality hadn’t changed, unlike her mother, the second concubine.