Chapter 110

After entering 1980, Wei Ming soon received another manuscript fee, the reprint manuscript fee for *Two Oxen*.

The Bai Hua Literature and Art Publishing House in Tianjin newly founded a journal called *Novel Monthly*, published once a month, specifically reprinting excellent novels, mainly novellas and short stories.

The inaugural issue included Jiang Zilong's *Liberation*, Wang Meng's *Cousin*, Feng Jicai's *Carved Tobacco Pouch*, Lin Jinlan's *Question Mark*, and Wei Ming's *Two Oxen*, among other works.

And this was also the first manuscript fee Wei Ming received after the new manuscript fee regulations were released.

The State Publishing Bureau just announced the new manuscript fee standard, restoring the level before '66. The copyright manuscript fee was increased to 3 to 10 yuan per thousand words, and the translation manuscript fee was 2 to 7 yuan per thousand words. At the same time, the printing-number remuneration was restored!

Because the overall manuscript fee standard was raised quite a bit, so even though it was just a reprint, the novella *Two Oxen* still brought Wei Ming a manuscript fee of 120 yuan!

It is foreseeable that with the improvement of Wei Ming's popularity, the increase in manuscript fee standards, and the restoration of printing-number remuneration, Wei Ming's manuscript fee income will have a significant increase.

And now, in front of Wei Ming were two sheets of manuscript paper, each with a title. The one on the left could be submitted to *People's Literature* for money after finishing, and the one on the right might not get anything after finishing.

However, Wei Ming ultimately chose the latter and began to create a foreign story.

When he arrived at the Nanmen guard post dormitory at noon, someone popped out from somewhere: "Hello, may I ask if you are Writer Wei Ming?"

A young man who looked a bit simple and honest, and Wei Ming felt he looked familiar.

"It's me. Who are you?"

The other party smiled: "Hello, I am Liang Xiaosheng, an editor from the Literature Department of the Beijing Er Yingchang. I am here to deliver the manuscript fee for the *The Herdsman* script."

"Oh my, Editor Liang, hello, hello." No wonder Wei Ming felt familiar. It turned out to be the author of *A Lifelong Journey* and also a famous representative of educated youth literature, using the educated youth of the Production and Construction Corps during those years as the main material, all created based on his own experiences during those years.

"Why bother you to make a trip." Wei Ming glanced at the number. It wasn't high, the lowest standard of three yuan per thousand words. This was also normal. This thing didn't have any sales, pure self-subsidy.

"This is as it should be. Besides delivering the manuscript fee, I also want to ask on behalf of our Director Jiang, is Writer Wei willing to hand over this script to our Beijing Er Yingchang for filming?" Liang Xiaosheng asked.

"Ah!" Wei Ming pretended to be surprised. "This is difficult. It's like this: at the beginning, Xie Dao Jin of the Shanghai Er Yingchang called me and asked me to change it into a script. I thought he wanted to film this story, so I worked overtime to rush out the script. However, he hasn't contacted me since. How about I ask him."

"Was it actually Xie Dao who took a fancy to it first?" Liang Xiaosheng was surprised. "However, I heard that the Shanghai Er Yingchang is preparing Xie Dao's new film, which seems to be called *Wind and Rain Azalea Red*."

"What, there's such a thing!"

Seeing Wei Ming anxious, Liang Xiaosheng hurriedly said: "It might also be a rumor. You should still contact him."

"Good, good, good," Wei Ming asked again, "Then if your Beijing Er Yingchang films it, who do you plan to let film it?"

Liang Xiaosheng said: "The directors currently interested in this script are mainly Director Chen Huaiai and Xie Dao Tian."

Wei Ming nodded. Actually, he was shaking his head in his heart. The strength of these two couldn't compare to Xie Dao Jin.

Don't really think *Farewell My Concubine* was directed by Kaige's father. Just listen to internet memes.

If it were Ling Zifeng, one of the four handsome men of Beijing Film, Wei Ming could still consider it. Among the three handsome men alive, he was the only one who could still film and film well. He was the grandfather of the "flamboyant" brother, Yao Dazui's ex-husband.

Uncle Anping had the phone number of Xie Jin's office, so Wei Ming went to the canteen to call and explained the situation.

"What, the Beijing Er Yingchang also wants to film it?" Xie Jin was anxious. "And Writer Wei, why did you send it to *Film Creation*? I said *Film New Works*."

"Oh? Then it should be that our Director Wei passed the message wrong."

Xie Jin asked again: "Then did the Beijing Er Yingchang say who would film it?"

Wei Ming scratched his head and said honestly: "Didn't remember clearly, seems to be someone surnamed Ling."

"Ah!" Xie Jin looked like he was facing a great enemy. Who else could be surnamed Ling? It must be Director Ling Zifeng, one of the four handsome men!

Ling Zifeng's qualifications were older than his. He started filming movies in the 40s. Who didn't know *Red Flag Chronicle*? If he wanted to film this movie, the Beijing Er Yingchang would definitely mobilize the greatest resources.

Xie Jin originally thought about putting *The Herdsman* aside. Who could have thought that Wei Ming's script would be written so quickly, and it was submitted to *Film Creation*, and it was taken a fancy to by Director Ling Zifeng!

"Don't promise them yet," Xie Jin said.

"Alright, but that editor said he would come again tomorrow, looking like he is determined to win."

"If he comes, you just drag him along. Comrade Wei Ming, believe me, only I can film the soul of this movie," Xie Jin said confidently.

After hanging up the phone, Xie Jin immediately asked someone to find the latest issue of *Film Creation* and read the *The Herdsman* script from beginning to end.

After reading it, he felt very incredible. Is Wei Ming really only 18 years old? Or was it adjusted by the editors of *Film Creation* before publication?

The format was very standard and rigorous, the scene layout was clear, and the inner drama was just right. It was simply like a screenwriter of decades. It was as if there was already a complete picture in his brain.

Filming such a script simply couldn't be easier!

Xie Jin paced back and forth in the office. His inner balance had completely leaned toward *The Herdsman*. As for *Legend of Tianyun Mountain*, it was currently being revised by the screenwriters of the Shanghai Er Yingchang.

After confirming this idea, he immediately pushed open the office of Deputy Director Shi Fangyu.

"Director Shi, I've decided. Let's film *The Herdsman* first." "Ah, why did you change your mind? Didn't we agree to film *Legend of Tianyun Mountain* first?"

"It won't work. If we don't film it, it will be snatched away by the Beijing Er Yingchang."

Director Shi immediately became serious: "What?! You sit down, sit down and talk..."

On the other side, Liang Xiaosheng returned to the Beijing Er Yingchang and mentioned that Xie Jin had taken a fancy to *The Herdsman* long ago.

Chen Huaiai was a bit depressed. He was from the Second Creation Group of the Beijing Er Yingchang. After Director Cui Wei passed away, he was actually the leader of the Second Creation Group.

However, his strength had always been questioned because he didn't have many feature film works, and basically, they were all co-directed with others, such as *Little Soldier Zhang Ga* and *Sea Glow*. As for those he directed independently, they were all opera films.

Last year, the studio matched him and Xie Tieli of the Fourth Creation Group to film *Great River Flows*. It looked like they intended to let Xie Tieli take up the banner of the Second Creation Group. He was unwilling!

He heard Wei Ming's name from his son Kaige, and heard about *The Herdsman*. Coincidentally, he heard that the author had written the script and submitted it to the Beijing Er Yingchang. After reading the script, he felt he could do it again. The script was written so meticulously, just film it according to it!

He wanted to prove his strength through this movie, but he didn't expect there to be a Xie Tian competing with him.

Now it's good, Xie Jin of the Shanghai Er Yingchang also popped out. Don't look at Xie Jin being younger, but his directing ability was recognized as strong.

Fortunately, Director Wang Yang still supported him.

"Our Beijing Er Yingchang is not worse than the Shanghai Er Yingchang, but Xie Jin is indeed powerful. How about this, you and Tieli cooperate."

!

Although Chen Huaiai was unwilling, he was also afraid of not being able to compete with Xie Jin, so he thought about it and nodded: "Alright."

Director Wang Yang dug out an envelope from the drawer, with group photos and photos: "I am also an old acquaintance with Writer Wei. How about this, I'll call Peking University. He should sell me this face."

Old Wang, who said this, also smiled. When he received this group photo, he never thought he would have a time when he needed Wei Ming.

However, this call didn't find Wei Ming, saying that he went out early in the morning and hadn't returned yet.

Wang Yang had to explain the matter and asked Wei Ming to come to the Beijing Er Yingchang to discuss the important matters of adaptation.

On the other side, Xie Dao Jin was also afraid that the night would be long and dreams would be many, and he couldn't reach him, so he bought a train to Yanjing that day, preparing to talk to Wei Ming in person.

He had also cooperated with many screenwriters and authors. Wei Ming was the first one to have such a "face."

When lying on the sleeper of the train, Xie Jin couldn't help but smile bitterly.

Because after Chen Huaiai went home, he talked about this matter, and his son was also present at the time.

So very quickly, in the classroom of the Directing Department of the Film Academy.

"Do you know how hot Wei Ming's *The Herdsman* is now? Beijing Film and Shanghai Film are about to fight over this script!"

"No way!" The students were very shocked. The novel was indeed written well, but could it be stronger than those old classic works?

Tian Zhuangzhuang said slowly: "Kaige, you're exaggerating, right?"

"Really not exaggerating. My dad is so anxious that he's bubbling, and the Shanghai side is also determined to win."

Li Shaohong: "I especially like this novel. Kaige, if your dad films it, can you let us go to the crew to do odd jobs?"

Hu Mei also said: "Yes, count me in."

Chen Kaige acted as if this movie was already his father's trophy: "It's possible, as long as you don't want wages."

Zhang Yimou was also mixed among them at this time, so this rumor quickly spread to the Photography Department.

"Changwei, let me tell you, I know a friend, he is very powerful..."

Then even the Art Department knew.

Liu Rulong's ears moved in the dormitory. Wait, I seem to have heard my brother's movement of showing off!

At this moment, his brother had just returned from Chaoyang, with donkey meat and dough hanging on his bike, and it was still snowing in the sky.

He didn't take the Nanmen this time, entered the school directly from the West Side Gate, and returned to the Spoon Garden.

"Melinda, look what I brought you!"

"This is... donkey fire?!"

(Sorry, this chapter is not enough for 3000, but it doesn't affect me asking for monthly tickets, please, Old Buddha will come back with another chapter later~)

(End of chapter)