Chapter 426 Where the Manuscript Went
Mercedes-Benz entered the domestic market after 1987. Before that, almost all the Mercedes-Benz cars running on the streets of Yanjing were vehicles of embassies and consulates of various countries.
At the entrance of the Yanjing Hotel, which Lin Weimin occasionally visits, there are many luxury cars parked all year round, including many Mercedes-Benz cars, all with embassy and consulate license plates.
The name "Da Benz" gradually became popular after the 1990s.
Ma Dudu got into the car and touched it excitedly for a long time, asking a few questions from time to time. For a young man like him, Lin Weimin's Benz was as enviable as a virgin who had taken off her clothes.
The two of them came to the restaurant and ordered a few dishes. Lin Weimin asked, "What do you want from me today?"
Ma Dudu has been collecting antiques for Lin Weimin over the past year. The two would meet from time to time. Ma Dudu always brought the old items he collected, but this time he came back empty-handed.
Ma Dudu had a mysterious smile on his face and kept the secret, "Guess?"
Seeing him like this, Lin Weimin became interested and asked, "It must be related to me?"
Ma Dudu nodded and smiled without saying anything.
"Have you found any rare treasure?"
Ma Dudu shook his head.
"Do you have any good houses to recommend?"
Ma Dudu shook his head again.
Lin Weimin waved his hands. "Then I can't guess."
Ma Dudu then smiled and said, "This matter is related to you. However, it has nothing to do with antiques and paintings or houses. It has something to do with your profession."
"Want to recommend me some good seedlings?"
Ma Dudu said, "Well, I won't let you guess. I'll tell you the truth. I came across the news about your lost manuscript."
manuscript?
Lin Weimin frowned and immediately remembered the manuscript of "The Ming Dynasty 1566" that was stolen from the editorial office.
"Is it the manuscript of "The Ming Dynasty 1566"? " he asked.
Ma Dudu nodded, "That's right!"
"What's going on?"
Ma Dudu then recounted what had happened to him.
In the past one or two years, because of collecting old items for Lin Weimin, Ma Dudu had many opportunities to interact with all kinds of people in Yanjing City, and got to know many people who operated in the gray area.
A few days ago, Ma Dudu met an antique dealer who claimed to be collecting antiques in the countryside. Ma Dudu took a fancy to a Qianlong period two-eared vase in his hand. The two chatted for a long time, and Ma Dudu finally spent 120 yuan to buy the two-eared vase.
The transaction was completed, and when chatting with the dealer, I heard that Ma Dudu was not buying things for himself, but for someone else.
The dealer then talked about a broker he knew, to whom he had just sold a Ming Dynasty Xuande furnace some time ago, and the two had even had a meal together.
During the meal, the broker told the dealer about the business he did for others. There were many big bosses in Hong Kong who liked antiques from the mainland, and this broker was specifically responsible for buying things for these big bosses. He earned a commission from it, and he made hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong dollars a year like it was a piece of cake.
When the broker said this, he naturally wanted to win over the dealer and ask him to keep an eye out for more fine antiques for him.
The dealer then asked about the specific preferences and hobbies of these Hong Kong bosses. The broker gave a wide range of stories and gave the dealer an example that left a deep impression on him.
When the broker collected the items, he spared a manuscript, which was Lin Weimin's "The Ming Dynasty 1566".
Unexpectedly, it was spotted by a boss from Hong Kong, who bought it for HK$200,000.
"You mean, the manuscript of "The Ming Dynasty 1566" was stolen, packaged and sold to a broker, and then bought by a boss in Hong Kong for 200,000 Hong Kong dollars?" Lin Weimin concluded with a frown.
"That should be right. That should be the only manuscript you left behind, right?" Ma Dudu confirmed.
Lin Weimin nodded, "Just that one."
"That can't be wrong." Ma Dudu clapped his hands.
"But..." Lin Weimin frowned, "Who would spend 200,000 Hong Kong dollars to buy my manuscript?"
Ma Dudu smiled and said, "You have to listen to me to finish what I'm saying to know what's going on."
Lin Weimin waved his hand and asked Ma Dudu to continue speaking.
At that time, the trafficker also asked the same question as Lin Weimin. It is true that Lin Weimin is a famous writer in China and has some fame overseas, but it is a bit exaggerated to say that the big bosses in Hong Kong are willing to pay a high price to buy his manuscripts.
This would be possible if another 20 or 30 years passed, or if Lin Weimin passed away.
Faced with the dealer's questions, the broker remained calm and explained the reasons to the dealer in detail.
It turns out that since the publication of "The Ming Dynasty 1566", this work, which is regarded as a classic historical reform novel by the domestic literary world, has spread to Hong Kong through some unknown channel.
At that time, Hong Kong was still under British rule.
It is not difficult for domestic publications to flow into Hong Kong, but it is very difficult to publish them.
A few years ago, Lin Weimin's "The Lover" and "Farewell My Concubine" were serialized in the "Sing Tao Evening News". Sing Tao News originally planned to publish these two novels, but encountered difficulties from the British during the censorship stage and had to give up.
Compared with book publications, the British are more lax in censorship of newspapers and magazines, which is why novels such as "The Lover" and "Farewell My Concubine" were published.
Later, Lin Weimin recommended Mo Yan's works to Hong Kong literature and they were successfully published.
After "The Ming Dynasty 1566" published by Guowen Publishing House spread to Hong Kong, it was first circulated in a small circle of cultural people. Later, at some point, it was noticed by several bosses in Hong Kong.
The tactics and strategies displayed in this novel are often promoted at gatherings, and are of great benefit to people doing business.
In the small circle of businessmen, everyone has always been sharing what they have with each other. Everyone is very willing to share good resources and channels without harming their own interests.
Thus, "The Ming Dynasty 1566" became strangely popular in Hong Kong's business circles in this way.
Upon hearing that the broker had the manuscript of "The Ming Dynasty 1566", a boss who was obsessed with the novel directly offered a sky-high price of 200,000 yuan that was simply impossible to refuse.
Among the antiques from past dynasties that the brokers usually brought to the bosses, the most expensive ones were only worth 100,000 or 200,000 yuan. Now, a package of manuscripts of contemporary writers could be sold for 200,000 yuan. Naturally, they happily agreed to the deal.
In this way, the manuscript of Lin Weimin's novel "The Ming Dynasty 1566" was sold to Hong Kong by a broker.
After listening to Ma Dudu's story, Lin Weimin didn't know whether to cry or laugh.
Of course, it was a bad thing that the manuscript was lost, but it was also a great thing that it could be sold for a whopping HK$200,000.
Lin Weimin couldn't even feel hatred towards the vendor who stole the manuscript and the broker who sold it.
Without them, how could he know that his manuscript could be so valuable?
If it were several years later, Lin Weimin would be confident that his manuscript could be sold for more than 200,000.
But it’s only 1987 now, and I’m only 27 years old.
"So my manuscript has been collected by someone?" Lin Weimin asked.
Ma Dudu teased, "You still want to go to Xiangjiang to find someone to bring it back?"
Lin Weimin also laughed. If there was no way to get it back, he could only treat this as an anecdote in the literary world.
Ma Dudu reminded him, "You better be careful recently. A manuscript is sold for 200,000 Hong Kong dollars. Those Sun thieves may have set their sights on you."
Two hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars is enough to make many people take risks.
Lin Weimin smiled and said, "It doesn't matter. They are willing to spend 200,000 Hong Kong dollars to buy the manuscript of The Ming Dynasty 1566 because this novel suits their taste. My other novels do not have such appeal to those businessmen."
Ma Dudu thought about it and said, "That's true."
He came today not only to tell Lin Weimin about the manuscript, but also to relieve his inner emotions.
When Ma Dudu first heard about this, he felt like it was a fairy tale.
It was just a manuscript, but someone actually spent 200,000 Hong Kong dollars to buy it, and he was a big boss in Hong Kong.
Everyone knew that Mr. Lin’s novels were popular overseas, but no matter how popular it was, it couldn’t be as popular as “The Ming Dynasty 1566”. After all, there are very high cultural barriers involved.
Unexpectedly, this novel would become popular in Hong Kong, and among a very high-end circle.
It sounds a bit dreamy no matter how you listen to it.
As he casually chatted about his inner feelings, Ma Dudu became more and more impressed by Lin Weimin's creative talent.
The spread and popularity of "The Ming Dynasty 1566" in Hong Kong's business community may seem accidental, but it is actually the best proof of Mr. Lin's talent.
It was past eight o'clock in the evening. After almost finishing their meal and having a great chat, Lin Weimin took Ma Dudu back to the Chinese Literature Society and asked him to pick up his bicycle.
As the two were about to say goodbye, Lin Weimin suddenly remembered Wang Shuo's invitation and said to Ma Dudu, "Are you free this weekend?"
"What are your instructions?"
"It's okay. There's a party this weekend. Some of the people going there also came from military compounds. They're all people from the literary and art circles. Do you want to go?" Lin Weimin asked.
Ma Dudu was delighted when he heard this, he was a worldly-wise man and never refused anything like joining the circle, and Teacher Lin personally invited him, so how could he refuse.
After making an appointment to have dinner on the weekend, Ma Dudu happily rode away on his bike.
Lin Weimin sat in the car, thinking about what he had just heard while eating, and shook his head with a helpless smile.
I drove back to the Tuanjiehu Apartment Building and saw the discarded Crown parked there quietly.
This Crown has only been driven for two or three years, and it still looks like a new car.
After going upstairs, Lin Weimin called Tao Huimin downstairs.
"What are you doing?" Tao Huimin asked after going downstairs.
Lin Weimin pointed at the Mercedes-Benz, then at the Crown, "I've replaced my Crown, so you can drive it from now on. When you've mastered the skills, I'll buy you a new car."
Tao Huimin had no interest in cars and said, "I don't know how to drive. Besides, driving is so dangerous. What if I accidentally hit someone?"
Lin Weimin smiled and said, "If you don't know how to drive, you can practice. It's not that difficult. I'll teach you tomorrow and you'll learn it quickly."
These days there are fewer cars on the road, the road conditions are not complicated, and there are no electronic eyes, so driving is extremely easy.
"I still have to film!"
"Take some time!"
Lin Weimin's tone made it impossible to refuse, so Tao Huimin changed her approach and said, "Zhuangzhuang has been eyeing your car for a long time!"
"Give it to him after you are eliminated!" Lin Weimin said.
Han Zhuangzhuang, who was far away in Berlin, Germany, had no idea that the crown he had been longing for already had its next owner.
Too bad it wasn't him.
(End of this chapter)
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