Chapter 24 Release a video to test the waters
The food was already in the pot, and it was too late for Luo Baoming to stop it. He just hoped that Liu Hongmin would not ask for too much, otherwise, he would have to refuse cruelly.
He had no choice but to refuse. Even if he agreed, he would not be able to fulfill the contract when he returned. Everyone in Hong Kong knew that Mr. Jin Yong was stingy. Even Ni Kuang, who was a money-grubber, could not get a penny from Mr. Jin Yong.
In terms of culture, Mr. Jin Yong is a qualified literary giant; in terms of economics, Mr. Jin Yong is also a qualified capitalist.
"Mr. Liu, let's talk about the payment for your manuscript. I've learned about your payment. It's about 6 or 7 yuan per thousand words. I can raise it to 8 yuan per thousand words."
When Cha Jianying heard this price that was not in line with his expectations, he couldn't help but look at Liu Hongmin.
Liu Hongmin opened the Erguotou and filled a glass for Luo Baoming.
"Eight dollars per thousand words is too little."
Luo Baoming was not surprised. He offered eight yuan for every thousand words just to lay the groundwork, and he never thought that Liu Hongmin would agree to it right away.
"It's quite a bit. It's higher than the royalties for all the works you've ever published."
Liu Hongmin: "Mr. Luo, since you know all this, I wonder if you know how many single volumes of Shao Bao's books have been sold?"
Luo Baoming shook his head, "A lot?"
Liu Hongmin held up three fingers and said, "Three hundred thousand copies."
Luo Baoming's eyes flickered. "With a market as big as the mainland, 300,000 copies is not a lot."
"The main consumers of Shaobao are college students. Most of the current college students live on student subsidies. Unless they really like a novel, they will never spend 50 cents to buy it. Because this 50 cents is enough for them to live for ten days."
Liu Hongmin smiled and said, "So many students would buy a book together and then take turns reading it. So the number of people who have read Shao Bao is at least over one million. Shao Bao has now published four single volumes, each of which has been read by about 250,000 people. If it is brought to Hong Kong, even if the number of readers is reduced by ten times, there will still be 25,000 people."
He looked at Luo Baoming with a smile, "As far as I know, Hong Kong likes mystery novels more than we do."
Luo Baoming silently glanced at Cha Jianying. This distant relative of Mr. Jin Yong was really a traitor!
"Mr. Luo, I don't want to ask for too much. But you are a newspaper in Hong Kong, you can't discriminate against a mainlander like me, right?"
"How could this be?" Luo Baoming said with a smile, "Mr. Jin Yong is pro-mainland, otherwise he wouldn't have sent me to the capital."
"If that's the case, why is Mr. Luo unwilling to even give me the guaranteed minimum price for Hong Kong royalties?"
Luo Baoming: "You are from mainland China!"
"But you plan to publish Shao Bao in Hong Kong! If I submit my work abroad, they will definitely pay me according to the local payment standards."
Luo Baoming was helpless, "Okay, then ten dollars per thousand words."
“It’s just the first one.”
Luo Baoming frowned and looked at Liu Hongmin, "Didn't we agree on seven parts?"
Liu Hongmin smiled and said, "I can give you all seven books for publication, but the ten yuan per thousand words is only the price for the first book. After the first book is published, we can discuss the price for the second book after seeing the effect. I think this situation should be very common in Hong Kong, right?" Luo Baoming was silent. This situation is not just common, but universal. All writers want to get high royalties, and Ni Kuang's royalties have increased from ten yuan per thousand words to one hundred and twenty yuan per thousand words. The money he asked for was too much, and Zhen Pao really couldn't give it. Then he was fooled by Mr. Jin Yong to Ming Pao, and got eighty yuan per thousand words, and he kept it for many years.
"Okay! But when we sign the contract, we want the priority to sign the remaining six."
Liu Hongmin laughed and said, "Don't worry, Mr. Luo. I said I would give you all seven copies, and I won't go back on my word. If you don't want to publish them, I won't sell the remaining six copies to other newspapers in Hong Kong."
When Luo Baoming heard this, he looked at Liu Hongmin in surprise. Liu Hongmin's eyes were clear, and he didn't seem to be lying to him. This made him sigh: Mainlanders are really simple, even a little fox, they are so principled in doing things.
Liu Hongmin was very sincere. He only said that he would not publish it in newspapers, but he did not say that he would not publish a single volume or collection of works. He was confident that as long as Ming Pao published Shao Bao, there would definitely be people who wanted to publish Shao Bao's single volume or collection.
Even if it is not published in the next few years, it will be published after "Judge Bao" is broadcast in 93.
The craze caused by the TV series "Justice Bao" is Liu Hongmin's confidence. When the time comes, Liu Hongmin will definitely make a fortune by taking advantage of this favorable trend.
What he was unsure about was how much Hong Kong loved Justice Bao before the show was broadcast. So when he first met Luo Baoming, he thought it was an opportunity that Zha Jianying had sought for him.
Luo Baoming said: "Mr. Liu, I don't have much RMB on me, so I can only pay you the royalties after I return to Hong Kong."
"I don't want RMB, I want Hong Kong dollars!"
"What do you want Hong Kong dollars for?" Luo Baoming asked puzzledly, "You can't use it in mainland China?"
Liu Hongmin smiled and said, "Of course it's for your consideration, so you don't have to go to the bank to exchange it into RMB."
Foreign exchange certificates will be issued next year, and he will lose a lot if he uses RMB for settlement. The best currency to hold in this era is foreign currency, which can be used to buy many things internationally. It is the favorite currency for people who want to go abroad.
Of course, they like the US dollar. But after a few years, when the Hong Kong dollar is pegged to the US dollar and the fixed exchange rate of Hong Kong dollars to 1 US dollar is implemented, it will also be popular.
The second is foreign exchange coupons, which can be used to buy things in stores that receive foreign guests. Of course, you need to have a foreign friend to go with you, otherwise they will not receive you.
That's why Liu Hongmin insisted on getting Hong Kong dollars. Whether it was exchanged for foreign exchange certificates or exchanged for US dollars after a few years, it was more cost-effective than the RMB.
He already has enough RMB in his hands. If the house he likes isn't too good, he won't have any worries about money for the next ten years.
Luo Baoming didn't know what Liu Hongmin was thinking, but it was a good thing that he didn't have to exchange RMB. According to the ten yuan per thousand words, it was only one thousand yuan. It was not worth going to the bank to exchange RMB for such a small amount of money.
The two of them reached an agreement, and Luo Baoming took it as drafting the terms of the contract.
"That's it for today. Once I have the contract ready, I'll come back to sign it with you."
Liu Hongmin agreed, "No problem. Mr. Luo, now that we have finished our business, let's eat! Let me tell you, these dishes are all specialties of Beijing. You may be able to eat them in Hong Kong, but the taste is definitely not as authentic as in Beijing."
Luo Baoming's appetite also grew. "Really? Then I'd like to try it."
(End of this chapter)
