Chapter 90: The Daughter Kingdom King says

Seeing Biaozi excitedly clawed at Wei Ming's bunk: "Brother Ming, you've finally discovered my strengths!"

Wei Ming: "Not as long as mine."

Mei Wenhua: "Tch!"

Seeing Biaozi added: "Brother Ming, tell me how we should set this up, I'll cooperate fully!"

Wei Ming suddenly sighed: "Forget it, let's not write it after all."

"Ah, how can you not write it!" Seeing Biaozi was anxious, and little Mei was amused.

"You know, I don't understand martial arts. If I want to write this novel well, I have to go to Shichahai to observe and learn. You came from there, so you'd be perfect to take me in, but you don't want me to meet your Swallow. Forget it, let's not go, let's not write it." Saying this, Wei Ming prepared to get off the bed and head to the Great Hall.

"Oh, is that all? You scared me. Just go ahead. We'll treat Coach Wu to a meal and have him explain it to you; he knows real kung fu."

Wei Ming smiled: "Oh, not worried anymore?"

Biaozi also laughed: "What's there to worry about now? Swallow went to Hangzhou for a competition."

Wei Ming: Damn!

He then asked: "So, did all the excellent students go?"

"Not too many, mainly Li Lianjie and the others, who are one year below us."

Wei Ming: Biao, I think you should be even more worried~

"Brother Ming, what's the name of this martial arts novel you're writing?" he asked again.

Wei Ming: "Heroes Emerge from Youth."

Seeing Biaozi immediately cheered: "Good, good name! It's practically a portrait of my life!"

In 1983, Ms. Xia Meng's Blue Bird Film Company collaborated with the mainland's Emei Er Yingchang to produce a martial arts co-production where the main cast was almost entirely children, which was *Heroes Emerge from Youth*.

That year, the film outperformed popular movies like Li Lianjie's *Kids from Shaolin*, Xie Jin's *Wreaths at the Foot of the Mountain*, and *Our Niu Baishui*, becoming the film with the highest audience attendance and most screenings in 1984, generating 2.3 million in profit for the Emei studio!

Afterwards, it was broadcast many times on movie channels, and the two characters, the "Little Wife" and the "Great Husband," became household names at the time. Later, it was even adapted into a TV series, starring Wu Lei.

It was only after meeting Xia Meng that Wei Ming conceived this idea. Not only could he connect with leftist filmmakers, but he could also earn a sum of royalties from *Story Monthly*. He had already begun thinking about how to start the story in his mind.

Arriving at the Great Hall, Wei Ming first ran over to the filmmakers' side. He wanted to get familiar with them; it would be great if *Two Oxen* and *The Tale of Two Donkeys* could be picked up by some big studios and put on the big screen.

The money from a screenplay is much higher than publication in a magazine. If collaborating with the Hong Kong side, the price would be even more impressive.

At this stage, there were no royalties, and relying on writing books to buy a car or house was indeed difficult, so Wei Ming, who was determined to progress, decided to test the waters of the film industry.

After entering, the first person he saw was Director Song Chong from the Shanghai Er Yingchang. This man was Sister Xue's benefactor; Gong Ying's representative works, *Good Things Come After Hardships* and *The Happy Bachelor*, both came from his hands. Later, Director Song even became the head of the Beijing Er Yingchang.

Director Song Chong had one film that was almost a household name, called *Pili Beibei*.

Later, after Sister Xue retired from acting for many years, her only comeback was starring in Director Song's film.

Because Wei Ming already knew Sun Daolin, he helped Wei Ming introduce many people from the Shanghai Er Yingchang.

It was a pity he couldn't see Director Xie Jin. In the eighties, when the Fifth Generation directors were emerging, a Third Generation director could still repeatedly create film classics. Looking back decades later, it still didn't feel outdated; it was truly admirable.

Wei Ming also saw the old gentleman Yu Shizhi from the Beijing People's Art Theatre. Although the old gentleman had basically retired to the second line when Wei Ming entered the theatre in his previous life, he hadn't left the stage.

It was just a pity he didn't see the other pillar of the People's Art Theatre, the old gentleman Lan Tianye. Wei Ming had deep ties with him.

In the 90s, Wei Ming's second trip to Beijing was because of the old gentleman's guidance.

Because Wei Ming and the old gentleman Lan were from the same hometown, after *Investiture of the Gods* aired that year, the old gentleman returned to his hometown.

Wei Ming had written an article, *Taigong Returns Home*, which caught the old gentleman's attention, thereby gaining an opportunity to meet. Coincidentally, the old gentleman also knew Wei Ming's grandfather, Wei Senhao, and thus brought him to the People's Art Theatre.

Now, the Literature and Art Congress was in its second-to-last day, and there were basically no serious issues left to discuss. Everyone was chatting in groups of three or five about daily life and discussing upcoming work.

It was just that there was no one he knew here. Although those from the Shanghai Er Yingchang had been introduced, they spoke in Shanghai dialect, which he couldn't understand, so he naturally couldn't join the conversation. If Sister Xue were here, he would have been able to join in.

Just as Wei Ming was preparing to change locations, he saw a young man in a military uniform who, like Wei Ming, was standing in a corner, looking a bit out of place.

Wei Ming immediately went over to get to know him.

"Comrade, may I ask what your relationship is with Master Hou Baolin?"

The young man immediately said: "That's my old man. I'm the third son of the Hou family. We look alike, don't we?"

Wei Ming: "Alike, too alike. Nice to meet you."

Inner thought: Not as good as Hou Yaowen.

"What should I call you?" Hou Yaowen didn't dare to underestimate anyone who could get in.

"Wei Ming, a novelist. I don't know how I ended up in this room."

"I'm in the performing arts like my dad. He insisted I come over to meet the uncles and grandfathers in the film industry, but he didn't come himself. How am I supposed to know them?"

A "small transparent" and a "semi-transparent" started chatting just like that. Making a friend now might mean recognizing a big fat nephew in the future.

Although he had such a legendary father, Hou San hadn't received all of his father's true teachings. Now he was in the Railway Art Troupe, and although he had performed some works with Qian'er's master, his influence was average.

Tonight's performance was mainly from the performing arts world: Peking Opera, Yue Opera, Beijing-style drum storytelling, Henan narrative singing, Beijing-style storytelling, Shanghai ballad singing, farce, and crosstalk, etc. Later, with the audience's choices, crosstalk basically remained the only active one. Hou San and Wei Ming sat in the audience together, but Wei Ming could feel his longing for the stage from his eyes.

But unfortunately, the one representing "crosstalk" on stage today was his father's grand-disciple, Kunkun.

Watching Jiang Kun, who was two years younger than him, perform programs like *Such Photography* with ease, Hou San envied his sense of relaxation.

After Jiang Kun left the stage, Guan Xiaotong's grandfather went up. He was a master of Yanjing Qinshu and performed a piece of *Yang Bajie Tours Spring*. That voice was much more comfortable than Guan Xiaotong's.

Wei Ming scanned the surroundings, but unfortunately didn't see a representative of Jingxi Dagu; otherwise, he might have seen Liu Shi Shi's grandfather.

The evening party concluded with the old gentleman Ma Sanli's *Starting at Ten O'Clock*. On the scene, only he could hold down a stage of this level.

It was a pity he didn't see him before the meeting, and he ran away quickly after the meeting. Wei Ming couldn't get the old gentleman Ma and Master Hou to take a photo with him, but he did get a photo with Master Hou, taken by Hou San.

Hearing that Wei Ming was from Peking University, Master Hou smiled: "Then we will meet again."

Wei Ming wondered, what, are you going to hold a special performance at Peking University?

The next day, Wei Ming and Chen Jiangong took the car driven by Master Liu to the Great Hall to attend the closing ceremony of the 4th Literature and Art Congress. The grand event, which lasted 18 days and had a profound influence, finally came to an end.

Wei Ming could be said to have had a full harvest, having squandered all his film. Next, just developing the photos would take a lot of time.

!

"Master, you go back first, I'll stroll around the city." Wei Ming didn't plan to go back to Peking University with the car.

Master Liu said: "Where are you going? I'll give you a ride, it's just a step on the gas."

Chen Jiangong also said: "Yes, I'm not in a hurry."

So Wei Ming troubled Master Liu to drop him off at the Health Research Institute.

"What are you going there for? Is your body not hygienic?" Master Liu and his mouth.

"Looking for a friend."

"Looking for a friend? Don't you already have a foreign friend?" Bai Bai Lao Liu smirked, "Little Wei, tell me the truth, is that thing between you two real or fake?"

Wei Ming: "Which thing are you referring to? Pregnancy or going abroad?"

Even a person as honest as Chen Jiangong couldn't help but tilt his head to listen. Is it that exciting?!

"No, did you two really do that!?" Bai Bai Lao Liu was so excited he almost rear-ended the tricycle in front.

Wei Ming: "Is that possible? We are just ordinary friends who have met three times. It's all rumors."

"Then what kind of friend is this at the health institute?"

"An ordinary friend with some conflicts of interest." Wei Ming said righteously.

Today he came to deliver a cassette to Zhu Lin. He didn't even say hello before coming, which gave her a huge surprise.

"What songs are these?"

"Let me sing a part for you."

"Ah, you can sing English songs too?"

Wei Ming started singing directly: "when i was young i'd listen to the radio / waiting for my favorite songs……"

This song was pleasant, and not too difficult to sing. Although it wasn't about love, the melody immediately struck Zhu Lin.

Little stars even appeared in her eyes as she looked at Wei Ming. How could there be such an excellent boy in the world? She really wanted to raise one!

After Wei Ming finished singing, he explained the Chinese meaning to her. Actually, the song title *Yesterday Once More* could summarize it well.

"Who sang this? Is it very famous abroad?"

"Yes, very famous. It's called the Carpenters, a brother-sister duo. The sister sings, the brother accompanies. This cassette basically contains their songs from a few years ago. If you want more, I can help you find them."

"Yes, I want them!"

Wei Ming: "Five yuan a tape."

One sentence extinguished the little stars in Sister Zhu Lin's eyes.

Actually, Wei Ming was already very kind. As a middleman, he didn't even ask for a price difference and was responsible for delivery.

Next time he didn't want to deliver, so he said to Zhu Lin: "I probably won't have time to come to the city recently. You can also come to Peking University to find me."

"Yes, okay. I haven't been to the Summer Palace for a long time."

Wei Ming waved his hand: "Going now~"

He took the bus back to Peking University this time, and then saw Liu Rulong hanging his head at the South Gate, looking burdened with worries.

"What's up, Ah Long?"

Liu Rulong: "Ah Ming, it seems something happened to my dad!"

……

(2000 first subscriptions added, 3000 is still a bit off, come on!)

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 91 =====