Chapter 18: Two Hundred for a Thousand Words

The uniforms were quickly purchased. Before evening self-study began, Zhang Tan and Li Dong, who had helped with the errands, entered the dormitory carrying a pile of jerseys, and asked everyone to bring back the members of the soccer team.

After a lively commotion, the jerseys were distributed according to their numbers.

Zhang Tan’s uniform came with a captain’s armband and bore the number 10—a number of utmost importance in soccer, usually worn by the team’s soul and core player. Legends like Maradona, Pele, Baggio, Zidane, Ronaldinho, Kaka, Messi, and Neymar all wore the number 10.

At Manchester United, two numbers are most significant. One is 7, once worn by the club’s king, Cantona, now Beckham, and destined for Cristiano Ronaldo. The other is the implicit meaning of number 10 itself.

Last year, the number 10 at Manchester United belonged to Sheringham, a veteran who played in England until the age of forty-one. This year, it is Van Nistelrooy, the so-called "King of the Six-Yard Box," a prolific goal scorer. In the future, it will be the chubby Rooney.

And now, the number 10 at Manchester United belongs to Zhang Tan: “From now on, call me... Master, wait, call me the Golden Right Foot!”

After handing out the uniforms, taking advantage of the fact that the team was all present, Zhang Tan explained in detail the matters regarding the soccer matches and regular training.

Training would be simple—every day at noon, they would gather and practice with other classes at the old sports ground.

There were two key points about the soccer tournament: one was the selection for the school team, the other was the prize money.

“For school team selection, we just have to perform our best. The PE teachers for the second year are in charge of picking players, so the school team is mainly composed of second-year students. Third-years aren’t allowed to play, and first-years will only have a few talented newcomers to eventually succeed the second-years. As for the prize money, here’s how it works: everyone pays two yuan, and each class must pay.”

“What’s the money for?” Zhou Yuxi asked, puzzled.

Zhang Tan explained, “Each class has eleven players, so that’s twenty-two yuan. There are seven classes in the second year, three of which don’t have a soccer team, and seven classes in the first year, so there are thirteen teams in total—two hundred eighty-six yuan, which is the prize for the tournament. Whoever wins the championship takes it all. Eighty-six yuan will be used to buy two match balls, which will also go to the champions in the end.”

“Two hundred yuan, that’s quite the reward for the winners.”

“That’ll pay for quite a few meals.”

Seeing everyone drawn to the prospect of two hundred yuan, Zhang Tan seized the moment to encourage them: “Exactly, two yuan each isn’t much. If we win the championship, we’ll get two hundred yuan in prize money plus two soccer balls. The balls will be for the class, and the two hundred yuan can be spent on a feast at the Tianyuan Restaurant! If the teachers can go, why can’t we?”

“Let’s do it! Time for a big meal!”

“Reserve seats at Tianyuan Restaurant now!”

“Win the championship—anyone who stands in our way gets taken down!”

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The dozen or so members of the soccer team howled about winning the championship, without even considering whether this team was capable of it.

Zhang Tan wasn’t sure himself, but the soccer atmosphere at Shuangdun Middle School was quite average; few knew how to play. With more training and teamwork, victory was within reach. Don't forget, in his previous life, this very team—composed mostly of people who’d never played soccer—made it all the way to the finals.

“Excellent, since everyone is confident, we’ll start training at noon tomorrow!”

Then Zhang Tan spoke to the class monitor, Ding Chunlong: “Old Ding, we’re playing a match at noon the day after tomorrow. You’re in charge of rallying the girls in the class to come cheer us on.”

Ding Chunlong—in his past life, he was known as “Old Monster Ding,” but since Jin Yong’s “Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils” hadn’t yet been published, that nickname was still pending.

“No problem, leave the girls to me.”

Someone raised a question: “Zhang Tan, the crucial thing is we don’t have a soccer ball.”

Before Zhang Tan could answer, Li Dong chimed in, “Don’t worry, Zhang Tan already bought a soccer ball when he got the uniforms.”

The ball was kept at Zhang Tan’s rented room. It was his investment in the soccer team—as captain, he had to make some contribution to earn the team’s trust. So Zhang Tan reluctantly spent thirty-five yuan on the cheapest ball he could find. He couldn’t afford anything more expensive, and he was determined to win; after victory, the class would have two more balls, making pricier options unnecessary.

Thus, the team was formed, the uniforms bought, the entry fee paid, and the soccer ball acquired.

All the hardware was ready. What remained was training.

And—marching forth!

...

“Zhang Tan, your letter.”

Returning to class from the dormitory’s rally, Zhang Tan was handed an envelope by his desk mate, Cao Yu.

“My letter has arrived? So soon.” Zhang Tan was delighted as he took the envelope.

At this time, letters were usually sent as either express or regular mail. Regular mail involved sticking a stamp and dropping it in a mailbox, taking about a week to arrive; express cost more but was much faster, two or three days at most. Zhang Tan had asked the shop to send it express.

He had expected the "Legends of Today and Past" magazine to reply by regular mail, but to his surprise, they also sent it express.

Inside, he found a sheet of paper and two remittance slips.

“Remittance slips?”

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Zhang Tan’s eyes shone, and without even reading the letter, he unfolded the slips to check the amounts.

The first slip was for one thousand two hundred yuan.

The second, two thousand four hundred yuan.

“Why are there two remittance slips?”

Excited and puzzled, Zhang Tan opened the letter, which was printed in formal typeface.

“Hello Zhang Tan, we are the editorial department of 'Legends of Today and Past: Wuxia Edition'...”

After reading, Zhang Tan breathed a long sigh of relief, finally understanding the origin of the two remittance slips. The one for one thousand two hundred yuan was manuscript payment from "Legends of Today and Past: Story Edition," paid at one hundred yuan per thousand characters. The two thousand four hundred yuan slip was for the "Wuxia Edition," at two hundred yuan per thousand characters.

“So the 'Wuxia Edition' is already planning its launch.”

The letter explained that the "Wuxia Edition" was scheduled to release a trial issue in November, intending to publish Zhang Tan’s "The Four Great Constables Shake the East." However, since he had only written a little over twelve thousand characters—insufficient for a serialized installment—they hoped he would continue submitting, expanding the manuscript to over thirty thousand characters, the more the better.

Meanwhile, the "Story Edition" didn’t have such requirements; twelve thousand characters were enough for them to publish as a palate cleanser in their October issue.

Thus, the October issue of "Story Edition" would publish the first twelve thousand characters of "The Four Great Constables Shake the East."

In November, when the "Wuxia Edition" trial issue appeared, "The Four Great Constables Shake the East" would shift to serialization in that magazine.

“Not bad, not bad—two hundred yuan per thousand characters. If this were the future online literature era, I’d be considered a top author! Ha, money’s here!”

Clutching the two remittance slips, Zhang Tan smiled silently.

——————————

Thanks to “Ah, to hell with you” for the 1888 Starting Point coins reward.

Thanks to “Silent Bookworm” and “Little Foxy” for the 588 Starting Point coins reward.

Thanks to Gongsun Tang, Xie Yuquan, Waterglass, and Dan Shuo Shi Shui Liu Nian for their rewards.

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