Without hesitation, Ho Chun-ting picked up his private line and dialed Jin Yong's private number on the top floor of Ming Pao.
After waiting for a few seconds, a slightly hoarse but powerful voice came through the receiver: "Hello? Who is this?"
"Mr. Cha, it's me, Huo Zhenting. Sorry to bother you so late." Huo Zhenting leaned back in his chair, his voice steady and powerful.
"Oh, Mr. Huo? It's rare! What advice do you have for me?" Jin Yong's voice was filled with smile.
"Mr. Cha is straightforward. I won't beat around the bush. Ming Pao wants to poach Huang Yi from A Step into the Past, right? Very good. I fully support him and have high hopes for him." Huo Zhenting said bluntly, "No matter how much Huang Yi's royalties are now, no matter what Ming Pao offers. Even if it's ten times the exorbitant price offered by Asia Daily, it doesn't matter." He paused, then spoke clearly, "This money will be charged to me, Huo Zhenting. I will pay it in full by placing an advertisement of the same amount in Ming Pao! Whatever Huang Yi asks for in royalties, I, Huo Zhenting, will cover it all!"
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line. Even through the phone line, Huo Zhenting could sense the pause in Jin Yong's breathing and the subsequent surprise.
"...Are you serious, Mr. Huo?!" Jin Yong's voice suddenly rose.
"Of course it's true. I, Ho Chun-ting, never break my promise. Mr. Cha, just talk with sincerity. I believe in the golden brand of Ming Pao, the guarantee of royalties far exceeding that of Asia Times, and... certain natural and just positions," Ho Chun-ting said meaningfully, "No smart person who knows the current affairs will refuse. I am waiting for Mr. Cha's good news." The "natural and just" he mentioned would naturally be interpreted as "national justice" and "cultural righteousness" that are opposed to Kobayashi Tenno's Oriental background.
Jin Yong's low, yet unconcealed, excited voice echoed through the receiver: "Young Master Huo is a man of great righteousness! In that case, it's a deal! Waiting for good news!"
The call ended, the busy tone echoing monotonously. Peter Ho slowly replaced the receiver. Outside the window, the neon lights of Victoria Harbour remained blazing, outlining the cold trajectory of capital flows.
…
The Ming Pao editorial office was brightly lit late at night. Cha Liangyong had just put down the phone, a smile spreading across his lips. Editor-in-Chief Wang Yang entered with a copy of the proofs. Seeing the unusual glow on his face and the glint in his eyes, he paused. "Mr. Cha...?"
Jin Yong suddenly looked up: "Wang Yang, sit down! That was Huo Zhenting just now!"
Wang Yang's heart tightened, and he sat down immediately: "Young Master Huo calling at this time must have a deeper meaning?"
Jin Yong took a deep breath, still unable to suppress his excitement. "He said... no matter what terms we offer Huang Yi, one million! Two million! Even ten million Hong Kong dollars!" He tapped the table vigorously. "This money will be covered by him, Peter Ho, in the form of an equivalent advertising fee!"
Wang Yang stood up suddenly, and the chair legs made a harsh friction: "What...what?! Mr. Huo personally endorses it? He covers the entire manuscript fee?!" The huge joy made him unbelievable.
"Yes! He personally promised!" Jin Yong also stood up and paced around. "As long as Huang Yi agrees to come, he will pay all the royalties! Just think about it, with this, the platform of Ming Pao and the financial resources of Peter Ho, what a guarantee!"
He stopped, his eyes shooting towards Wang Yang like lightning. "With Master Huo's words, poaching Huang Yi is no longer a chance; it's a guaranteed victory! Hong Kong intellectuals seek nothing but fame and fortune. In the past, we had fame, but not necessarily enough profit to overwhelm someone bound by a high-premium contract. But now," he snorted, "fame, Ming Pao is the greatest fame! And profit, Huo Zhenting offers unlimited profit! Plus..." Jin Yong looked out the window at the neon lights of Tsim Sha Tsui, "Kobayashi Tenbo's Japanese background is a thorn in the hearts of many intellectuals right now! National stance, cultural orthodoxy, this great stick of justice, is being offered at the critical moment, and Huang Yi dares to say 'no'? With fame, fortune, and justice all at once, how can he, unless he's a god, cling to a new newspaper with an uncertain future?"
"Brilliant! Mr. Cha! A stroke of genius!" Wang Yang recovered, his eyes filled with admiration and ecstasy, rubbing his hands repeatedly, "This is not only poaching, but also a perfect and excellent strategy! Just sit back and relax, and you can make Xiaolin Tianwang's backyard a fire!"
He quickly gathered his thoughts: "It would be the best! Huang Yi is a cash cow! Every word he writes will generate multiple times the advertising value and circulation! Even if Huang Yi stubbornly refuses to leave," Wang Yang smiled with satisfaction, "that's a blow to the heart of Asia Daily! How much will Kobayashi Tianwang have to pay to keep him? Double? Triple? Five times the remuneration? Enough to drain his tight cash flow! The best part is," he became increasingly excited as he spoke, "even if Huang Yi doesn't leave, knowing our call, Mr. Cha's sincerity, and the stiflingly high price, can he still sit still? Can he still write without distraction? A grand story like A Step into the Past is most afraid of the author being distracted! As soon as his mind is distracted, the subsequent quality will inevitably decline! Reputation will collapse! Asia Daily can just wait for the avalanche! No matter how you look at it, we're a sure winner with this move! Master Huo is generous, and Mr. Cha is wise!"
Wang Yang seemed to have seen the decline of Asia Times and the rise of Ming Pao.
Jin Yong stood by the window, his face calm and composed, a smile of confidence that suggested he was in control of the situation. The fire ignited by Huo Zhenting, fanned by this literary giant, had already spread to his opponent's base camp.
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