Chapter 137: A Festival of Surprises

Wanjiang? What kind of song is this?

When the host announced the act, both home viewers and the live audience brimmed with anticipation.

By now, the opening ceremony had already shattered their expectations with the previous acts.

First, an impassioned desert performance ignited the entire atmosphere.

Next came a rendition of “Drunken Concubine,” instantly transporting everyone back to the Tang Dynasty. Dancers clad in Tang attire made it seem like the legendary romance between the Tang Emperor and Yang Guifei was unfolding once more.

The faint strain of “Love and hate, both so vast—when will love finally be found?” lingered in their ears.

After “Drunken Concubine,” a brisk, energetic performance of “Desert Camel” took the stage.

This song was even more infectious than the earlier one.

Especially when the line, “I ride the desert vessel with a pipe and an hourglass on my back, holding a jug of strong liquor…”, rang out;

the imagery of an endless ancient road filled with bittersweet emotions made them yearn to rent a few camels and venture deep into the desert.

The song perfectly captured the moment.

And that wasn’t all.

Exhilaratingly, the camel dancers featured Bai Zhantang, Inspector Xing, and Xiao Liu from Wulin Wai Chuan.

As they contorted vigorously on stage, the blend of comic flair and musical charm reached its peak.

One viewer even remarked, “Luckily they didn’t hire those celebrities—otherwise, nothing would have matched this level of brilliance.”

Meanwhile, some livestream viewers muttered in regret, “Damn, if I’d known the Mingsha County Troupe would pull off such an amazing show, I wouldn’t have spent money on a ticket; enjoying it for free would’ve been so much better.”

So when the host announced the act “Wanjiang,” every spectator could only be filled with anticipation.

And the performance of “Wanjiang” certainly did not disappoint.

As the dramatic vocals intoned, “The rising red sun fills the east with radiant light,” the festival’s energy soared.

Even the two top officials from the Tourism Department and local leaders in the front row exchanged glances, noting, “This song should serve as an example for our cultural troupe. We need more majestic and inspiring pieces like this!”

Turning his head,

the head of the Tourism Department remarked, clearly pleased with the festival.

“I never expected Mingsha County to harbor such talent. They’ve set a great precedent for our province’s tourism. Future opening ceremonies should be done just like this! It proves that you don’t need to shell out big bucks for celebrities to create a captivating show.”

The official continued.

His expression made it obvious how fond he was of Mingsha County. If other counties followed their lead, Su Province’s economy would surely rise from its lagging status.

Most importantly, this Mingsha County Tourism Festival not only boosted local popularity but also enhanced the province’s reputation.

“It’s mainly due to your excellent leadership and the abundant talent from Mingsha!”

“Well, it’s not entirely our own talent—it actually comes from the Ancient Architecture Institute of the Long Kingdom. But I’m convinced they’ll soon become part of our own ranks,”

the official said, glancing unconsciously at Li Jue seated in the distance.

“Heh, if Mingsha County’s local services weren’t up to par, they wouldn’t even be able to retain a company like Mingsha Tourism.”

“On that front, Mingsha County has performed quite well.”

Meanwhile, while the two senior officials chatted, Luo Qiang in the last row suddenly pulled out his phone and checked a message.

His brow furrowed.

He then turned to Qin Xuan sitting beside him.

At this opening ceremony, only three representatives from Mingsha County had secured seats: Wang Xun, Qin Xuan, and Zhu Qiang from Mingsha Tourism, while others like Luo Peng missed out.

“Qin County, there’s an issue at the northern construction site. I need to check it out!”

Zhu Qiang murmured.

Even though it was the day of the festival, work on certain projects hadn’t halted—especially the heating project. They were in the midst of constructing a waste-to-energy plant along with the underground heating pipeline gallery.

“What’s the situation? Is it serious? Do you need our help?”

At these words, Qin Xuan’s expression sharpened, and even Wang Xun hurried over.

Xu Hao was seated in the front row; after the performance, he planned to accompany the officials for visits to Tengwang Pavilion, Qixia Town, Tingchao Pavilion, and Wudi City, leaving him with no time for this matter.

So any issues had to be handled by the county! “They said something was unearthed. I’ll check it out first, and if needed, I’ll call you. Otherwise, we’ll manage it ourselves.”

Zhu Qiang quickly explained.

Judging by Qin Xuan and Wang Xun’s expressions, it was clear they had misunderstood, assuming some accident had occurred.

“Alright, just give us a call if there’s any trouble!”

Wang Xun nodded.

“Okay!”

Then, Zhu Qiang cautiously slipped out of the meeting hall through a side exit. As soon as he stepped outside, he grabbed his phone and said, “President Luo, hold on—I’m on my way!”

“Alright!”

Moments later, Luo Peng’s voice came through the phone.

The desert plot was a perfect square—fifty kilometers on each side. The under-construction Ancient City Gate stood at the center of the eastern border, while the construction site lay thirteen kilometers to the north.

It would take some time to get there from here.

After about forty minutes,

Zhu Qiang finally arrived at the scene. He saw Luo Peng and over a hundred workers gathered around a sand mound, chatting. Ten excavators and bulldozers had ceased work and were parked quietly off to the side.

“What did you uncover?”

After disembarking from the all-terrain vehicle, Zhu Qiang quickly made his way over.

“President Zhu, look at this!”

Upon seeing Zhu Qiang, Luo Peng and the workers quickly dusted off their clothes and rushed over to him.

“This…”

Climbing atop the sand mound, Zhu Qiang was stunned by the sight below: scattered decayed timber lay haphazardly in the sand. Although the wood was utterly weathered, a closer look revealed deliberate mortise and tenon joints, not just random debris.

There was no other explanation.

Some timbers were even still connected, subtly displaying their joinery.

More importantly, this was only the tip of the iceberg; there was undoubtedly much more buried in the sand.

“Has anything else been unearthed nearby?”

Gathering his thoughts, Zhu Qiang asked urgently.

“No. Once the excavator operator hit that spot and unearthed these timbers, we sensed something was off and stopped digging,” replied Luo Peng with a shake of his head.

Being a local, Luo Peng knew that this area had long been a desert—not a secondary desert formed in recent decades by drifting sand.

The sudden discovery of so much decayed wood clearly wasn’t remnants left by departing farmers.

“Alright, everyone, continue work according to the blueprints for the next few hundred meters. Seal off this area for now. Once the festival is over, I’ll call Brother Hao. If I’m not mistaken, this might be the ruins of an ancient structure. By the way, I’ll contact Director Feng later—he’s nearby.”

After a moment’s thought, Zhu Qiang stated.

“Understood!”

Meanwhile,

in the conference room at Yan City TV Headquarters,

Han Lijun, Ren Long, and other station heads kept their eyes glued to the projected live feed of the Mingsha Tourism Festival.

Even though Yan City TV couldn’t be there in person to support Mingsha Tourism, they were all intensely focused on the opening ceremony.

For one, the relationship between Yan City TV and Haofang Culture had grown particularly close; and secondly,

the station staff were eager to see what surprises the opening ceremony held. Online, the netizens’ earlier concerns now seemed laughable.

Sure, big-name stars have their appeal, but they aren’t everything—Wulin Wai Chuan and the Snowy Series are proof enough.

At this moment, the festival’s performances had indeed exceeded everyone’s expectations.

“Boss, to be honest, the quality of these songs is extraordinary. Each piece is on par with Spring Festival Gala standards. Especially ‘Wanjiang’—it has such a vibe that this year, the Long Kingdom Spring Festival will definitely feature the Mingsha County Troupe.”

Returning to the present, Ren Long couldn’t help but exclaim.

As the station’s chief content editor, he could instantly tell which performances were hits. ‘Wanjiang’ met every criterion—truly a rare gem in recent years.

“Exactly! And the biggest beneficiary here is the desert guesthouse. With its iconic architecture and two major IPs, if these songs catch on, Mingsha County is set to become the nation’s top tourist destination—no contest!”

Another station leader chimed in.

Sure enough, a quick scroll through the short video platforms tomorrow would flood with content about Mingsha County—either the festival itself or these enchanting songs.

“Becoming the nation’s top destination? It’s trending in that direction, but it won’t be easy.”

From his seat, Han Lijun shook his head at his subordinates’ comments.

“Why?”

Ren Long asked, puzzled.

He continued, “Whether it’s the spirited desert performance or the song ‘Desert Camel,’ whenever they’re sung, people immediately picture Mingsha County’s desert. And when ‘Drunken Concubine’ plays, minds drift to Mingsha’s ancient architecture. This organic promotion beats spending a fortune on ads any day.”

“Because Mingsha County lacks genuine cultural depth! Take Gan Province’s Tengwang Pavilion—though it’s a concrete structure attempting to mimic ancient architecture, it doesn’t hold a candle to the cultural legacy that makes Gan’s Tengwang Pavilion revered. Tourists instantly recognize it because it exudes cultural heritage, while in Mingsha County, when you mention it, people only think of Qixia Town and Tingchao Pavilion. Tengwang Pavilion rarely comes to mind.”

Han Lijun remarked, “Without real cultural heritage, Mingsha County can only be a trendy hotspot, not a top-tier destination.”

“That’s true! New constructions can mimic ancient architecture and even be featured in dramas, but historical relics can’t be fixed by a TV show.”

After Han Lijun’s analysis, Ren Long and the other leader sighed.

“By the way, boss, should we consider collaborating with the Mingsha County Troupe for this year’s Spring Festival Gala? Let them take the lead?”

Switching topics, Ren Long reminded everyone.

Today is October 20th. In just two months, New Year’s Eve will arrive, followed immediately by the Lunar New Year.

Whether it’s the New Year’s countdown or the Spring Festival, these are prime battlegrounds for major TV stations!

Especially for Yan City TV.

If this year’s New Year’s and Spring Festival Galas succeed, they’ll secure a spot in the top tier.

“Mingsha County Troupe? In reality, it’s Haofang Culture that’s pulling the strings behind the scenes.”

Han Lijun glanced at Ren Long.

“If the Mingsha County Troupe truly had that level of talent, they’d have risen to fame long ago. How could it take until now? So, Haofang Culture is certainly behind this.”

“Then should we invite Haofang Culture?”

Ren Long’s eyes lit up.

If Haofang Culture were at the helm, it wouldn’t guarantee a hit for the Spring Festival or New Year’s Gala. This time, Yan City TV clinched a major win with the Snowy Series,

but Eggplant TV and the Director Association would undoubtedly try to reclaim the spotlight. As expected, the next battleground is the New Year’s Gala.

“Forget it. We’ll handle it ourselves! Let’s avoid disturbing them before the holidays. Any delays with the New Year’s Gala might derail Haofang Culture’s third historical drama, and that’d be a serious loss!”

Han Lijun shook his head.

More than the New Year’s Gala, he was keenly focused on Haofang Culture’s third production.

Just a few days ago, they mentioned that the script for a historical drama titled “Langya List” was ready—a title that hinted at something far from a typical rivalry drama.

“Then we’ll do it ourselves!”

At the mention of the new drama’s title, Ren Long fell silent.

“Yeah.”

Moments of joy are always fleeting. Before anyone knew it, the Mingsha County Troupe collectively bowed as leaders came on stage for handshakes, officially wrapping up the opening ceremony.

Even though the ceremony had ended, online buzz and discussion only grew louder! Praise kept pouring in.

Netizens weren’t just talking about the songs—they were raving about Mingsha Tourism. To them, the festival’s quality rivaled even some major Long Kingdom events, a truly heartfelt performance.

In short,

this wave of Mingsha Tourism not only earned stellar reviews but also skyrocketed its reputation—a breakout success that cemented its status in the elite circles of the Long Kingdom while earning the nod of approval from major travel agencies.

Some travel agency heads, after watching the opening ceremony, even planned to launch direct tour routes to Mingsha, while many incorporated Hongsha Gang Village 256 into the Long Kingdom’s Northwest Tour itinerary. The first stop being Su Province’s Lanshi and next, Mingsha County! A surge in guesthouse tourism is imminent.

With that,

an evening celebration banquet for Mingsha Tourism was inevitable. Meanwhile, Feng Wancheng from the Su Province Cultural Relics Bureau appeared at the excavation site where the decayed timber had been unearthed.

“This…”

When it came to cultural relics, Feng Wancheng was a bona fide expert—not one of those pseudo-experts online who barely research and rely on hearsay.

Carefully stepping down from the pit, he picked up a small piece of the decayed wood and examined it intently. Suddenly, a thought struck him; he quickly grabbed his phone and dialed a number.

Soon, the call connected, and he said, “Boss, you wanted me?”

A male voice replied, “Yes. Get our team to Mingsha County immediately—right now! They’ve uncovered something extraordinary here.”

Feng Wancheng concluded his instructions.