Chapter 8: Everything Is Getting Better

Audition Process… Actually, it’s quite slow!
Since it’s not a leading role…
According to Yang Qian, Shen Yan will most likely join the crew; if a suitable role comes up, he’ll take it…
Usually, supporting actors are paid monthly, around 4,000 to 5,000 yuan per month.
Actors like Shen Yan who can handle a variety of roles, especially those with lines, get paid!
It’s similar to what he earned on “The Right Path of the World,” where he made over sixty thousand yuan.
That’s why he believed acting had potential…
Then he went to Beijing to chase his dreams as a “Beijing drifter”!
Yes, acting can be quite lucrative, but that’s precisely why the film industry is so insular—outsiders simply cannot break in!
The original self was truly naive.
Unbeknownst to him, resources are like a disease, transmitted only through certain channels: mother-to-child, blood, and intimate relationships…
He chatted with Yang Qian a bit more; she asked where he was staying.
“I’m at a budget hotel nearby… I originally planned to leave tomorrow…”
Yang Qian said, “You’ll probably have to stay a few more days. How about I talk to the crew and arrange for you to stay at our hotel?”
“…No, thanks. I have some personal matters…”
“All right, then. I’m heading back to the crew now… Remember to keep your phone on…”
“Okay!”
Yang Qian left…
Shen Yan wasn’t worried that she might try to take advantage of him.
Yang Qian was a genuinely kind older sister; when she said staying at the crew’s hotel, she meant exactly that…
It was already 2009, and lead actors could easily request additional rooms from the crew!
This was thanks to Wang Bozhao…
If not for his protest, the Hong Kong and Taiwanese creative teams would still be enjoying VIP treatment while mainland actors were treated as second-class…
Li Xiaolu and Li Lianhua once said that when filming “Young Zhang Sanfeng,” they only had standard rooms…
Sometimes on location, their accommodations were even worse than the crew’s errand runners!
This led to the HK/Taiwan teams acting arrogantly on set—from assistant directors and production staff to makeup artists and even their nannies, they were often surly and demanding, prone to fits of anger and verbal abuse without consequence.
After the Wang Bozhao incident, the HK/Taiwan teams became much more subdued…
Nowadays, most TV drama crews treat their lead actors on par with the HK/Taiwan creative teams.
Just asking for a room!
Still… Shen Yan felt awkward accepting such generosity…
They took time out of their busy schedules to accompany him to auditions, and he didn’t want to seem like he was freeloading.
Isn’t that shameless?
……
The headquarters of “Modern and Ancient Legends: Martial Arts Edition” is in Wuhan. The editor-in-chief, using the pen name Aoyue Han, real name Wu Fan, is a member of the Chinese Writers Association. The magazine focuses on domestic martial arts and fantasy literature, dedicating itself to discovering and nurturing a batch of popular young martial arts writers, jointly ushering in a new era of mainland martial arts fiction!
They have nurtured numerous martial arts authors: Cang Yue, Bu Feiyan, Xiao Duan, Fang Baiyu, Feng Ge, Shen Yingying, Shi Weihan…
Even Wen Ruian (author of “The Four Great Constables” series) and Huang Yi (“The Legend of the Edge Wilderness”) have serialized their works in “Martial Arts Edition.”
In 2006, the highest single-issue circulation of “Modern and Ancient Legends: Martial Arts Edition” reached 720,000 copies. As the martial arts novel magazine with the largest circulation, it became the banner bearer of “New Mainland Martial Arts.”
At that time, it was serializing “Kunlun.” Afterward, although works like “Peak” and “Vast Sea” continued serialization, the magazine’s sales never hit a new peak.
Sun Xiao also serialized “Longqing World” in “Martial Arts Edition,” while Jiu Ba Dao had “Kung Fu” and the “Assassin Series,” and Ma Boyong contributed “My Jianghu”…
In fact, by 2009, “Martial Arts Edition” still boasted solid sales, selling over 300,000 copies monthly!
For now, there’s no shortage of submissions!
Xiaoduan’s “Founding Tang” alone was enough to sustain serialization.
But “Lotus Pavilion” was exceptionally brilliant!
Not only did its characters pay homage to Gu Long, but the plot also featured the protagonist’s detective-style martial arts investigations, a style pioneered by Gu Long himself.
“Lotus Pavilion” is divided into three parts, totaling 560,000 words: “Lotus Pavilion: The Return of an Old Friend,” “Lotus Pavilion: Fleeting Joys,” and “Lotus Pavilion: Slow Song of Yangzhou.”
Shen Yan submitted the first part along with outlines for the latter two.
“The Return of an Old Friend” is 200,000 words, spread across seven chapters…
If serialized, each issue would be about 30,000 to 50,000 words, enough to fill five issues, or roughly two and a half months!
“Martial Arts Edition” is a tri-monthly publication, releasing three issues each month: early, mid, and late month editions…
Usually, the late-month edition features a novella.
Serialization would be limited to the early and mid-month issues.
To receive payment sooner, Shen Yan submitted not only to “Martial Arts Edition” but also to “Martial Arts Stories.”
“Martial Arts Stories” is another magazine that once rivaled “Martial Arts Edition.” Wang Qingchuan, known as “Southern Fengge, Northern Qingchuan,” was one of its columnists, famous for “Wild Goose Flying Under the Waning Moon.”
Others like Liu Jianliang serialized “Ghost Sword Kid,” “Spirit Eagle Flying Dragon,” “Wind Field Seven Curses,” and “Beauty and Empire Stew.”
At its peak, “Martial Arts Stories” sold over 500,000 copies monthly!
However, it did not produce any major hits afterward…
The payment rates between these two magazines were similar: “Martial Arts Edition” paid between 150 to 300 yuan per thousand words, while “Martial Arts Stories” offered about 100 to 250 yuan per thousand words…
In his email, Shen Yan clearly stated that whichever magazine serialized first would receive priority for his submissions!
The editor of “Martial Arts Edition” was the first to contact Shen Yan…
They offered the top rate of 300 yuan per thousand words.
Shen Yan had no reason to refuse.
So he said, “By the middle of next month, I can guarantee the manuscripts for ‘Fleeting Joys’ and ‘Slow Song of Yangzhou’ will be sent to the editorial department!”
“…No need to rush so much; quality is the most important!”
“Thank you, editor…”
After hanging up, Shen Yan returned to the audition office for “The Living Buddha Ji Gong” and explained briefly, “That was the editor calling me just now…”
Dong Li asked curiously, “The editor?”
“I wrote a martial arts novel that will be serialized next month…”
“Oh? Martial arts novel?”
“Yes, submitted to ‘Modern and Ancient Legends: Martial Arts Edition’…”
Zheng Shirong chimed in, “You still read martial arts at your age?”
“…He’s not just reading, he wrote one, and it’s about to be serialized—a talented guy!”
“What makes me talented?” Shen Yan quickly waved his hands, “I just read too many martial arts novels and then wrote one myself…”
“Eh,” Dong Li shook his head, “Martial arts dramas haven’t been popular in recent years…”
Zheng Shirong said, “There’s still an audience… Last year, CCTV aired several Gu Long dramas. ‘The Legend of Chu Liuxiang’ and ‘The Sword Washing Flowers’ had decent ratings. This year, CCTV has ‘Book and Sword, Gratitude and Revenge’ and ‘Meteor, Butterfly, Sword’… General Jian also did martial arts… What’s your novel called?”
“…‘Lotus Pavilion.’ The main plot is about Li Xiangyi, the supreme leader of the Four Directions Sect in the martial world, who is severely injured after a great battle. He then retreats from the martial world, becoming a humble doctor named Li Lianhua. Ten years later, after meeting new friend Fang Duobing and old enemy Di Feisheng, he is drawn back into the martial world…”
Zheng Shirong stroked his chin, “…Drawn back in? That’s a bit cliché…”
Shen Yan said, “Yes, it’s inspired by ‘Sentimental Swordsman, Ruthless Sword.’ The protagonist is also based on Li Xunhuan…”
“…Oh?”
“It’s a kind of tribute!”
“Aren’t you afraid people will criticize it?”
“No, actually ‘Sentimental Swordsman, Ruthless Sword’ and the relationships between Li Xunhuan, Long Xiaoyun, and Lin Shiyin clearly pay homage to Wang Dulu’s characters Li Mubai, Yu Xiulian, and Meng Sizhao…”
Dong Li asked, “Wang Dulu?”
Zheng Shirong answered quickly, “The author of ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’! You’ve even read Wang Dulu’s novels?”
“No…” Shen Yan shook his head, “Mr. Wang Dulu’s stories aren’t very engaging… I only read ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’…”
Zheng Shirong smiled and changed the subject, “Where will ‘Lotus Pavilion’ be serialized?”
“‘Modern and Ancient Legends: Martial Arts Edition’!”
“I’ll definitely buy a copy to read!”
“…If there’s a sample issue, I’ll send it to you then.”
“…Sounds good,” Zheng Shirong asked Dong Li, “Which role suits our talented friend here?”