Chapter 140: Unearthed Relics and Shifting Fortunes

Everyone, number these items one by one and load them onto the relic preservation vehicle.

After assigning tasks to all the staff, Feng Wancheng turned his attention to Xu Hao.

At that moment…

Not only had Xu Hao arrived at the excavation site, but Wang Xun and Qin Xuan from Mingsha County were also present.

With such a major incident, it was inevitable that the county leaders from Mingsha County would come in person.

“Director Feng, you’ve worked all day. I’ll arrange for someone to take everyone out for dinner!”

Observing the other staff all day, Xu Hao remarked.

“Then I’ll leave it in your hands!”

Feng Wancheng did not refuse.

The team that had rushed over last night had toiled under the scorching sun all day today. They deserved a break.

“Director Feng, Xu County—I’ll go find a vehicle,” someone said.

Beside him, Wang Xun added.

Ever since learning that Xu Hao had become a top-level ancient building researcher, Wang Xun had placed him at the very top of his list.

“Don’t worry. Mingsha Tourism’s vehicle is nearby. Later, we’ll head to Guesthouse One for dinner, though someone from the county might need to guard the site.”

Xu Hao waved his hand, reassuring Wang Xun not to worry.

“Alright, I’ll contact the police station. We can’t leave anyone alone during the excavation at night!”

Wang Xun nodded.

“Mm.”

And so, an hour later…

Feng Wancheng, Xu Hao, and the others sat in a private dining room at the guesthouse while the rest of the relic bureau’s staff occupied the main hall. The meal, prepared en route, was already laid out.

Before long, as they nearly finished eating, conversation began.

“Xiao Xu, your luck is truly unmatched,” a voice commented.

Observing Xu Hao, Feng Wancheng sipped his tea and couldn’t help but exclaim.

Once the news broke, Hongsha Gang Village 256 was no longer the trendy guesthouse spot it once was. There was no need for special treatment in applying for honorary titles or adjusting tourism ratings.

With the reputation and capability of the guesthouse, it’s at least at a 3A level—4A is promising, but 5A remains out of reach given the strict criteria for scale and capacity.

“Director Feng, the site itself is undoubtedly intact. It’s already all over the internet that the poem was composed at the Ancient Liangzhou Protectorate, but do you think our chances of keeping the relics here are good?”

Before Xu Hao could reply, Wang Xun interjected.

Everyone was already scheming: where should these unearthed relics be housed?

“Keep them in the Mingsha County Museum?”

Feng Wancheng shot a glance at Wang Xun.

“No! There’s no way the Mingsha County Museum could handle them. I’m asking if there’s any hope of leaving them in the desert—for instance, placing them at the Tengwang Pavilion!”

At these words, Wang Xun quickly shook his head.

Frankly, the idea of the relics remaining at the county museum was far-fetched.

The Mingsha County Museum simply doesn’t have the capacity. Anything placed there might soon be claimed by a higher authority.

It’s better to find a way to keep them in the desert.

As long as we can continuously draw visitors to Mingsha Tourism, Mingsha County will benefit as well.

“At the Tengwang Pavilion? I must say, the odds aren’t great! And that cup—you’ve seen it. Its condition, value, and cultural significance are absolutely at a national treasure level.”

Feng Wancheng shook his head slightly.

Generally, sites like the Protectorate don’t house top-tier treasures unless a major upheaval occurred back then.

Otherwise, valuable items would almost always be taken away.

“Director Feng, is there not even a slight chance?”

After a brief silence, Xu Hao spoke up.

A site’s allure pales next to that of the Yeguang Cup. If the cup were used to attract tourists, visitor numbers could multiply several times over.

“This… isn’t impossible. It all depends on whether you’re willing to fight for it!”

Feng Wancheng looked knowingly at Xu Hao.

Frankly, whether through personal connections or other reasons, Feng Wancheng wanted to keep the Yeguang Cup in Mingsha. To him, its location didn’t really matter.

“If possible, I’d like to give it a try,” Xu Hao declared.

Catching the underlying meaning, Xu Hao quickly added,

“You should have seen that sheepskin scroll with the blueprint of the Ancient Liangzhou Protectorate. If you can restore and rebuild the Protectorate at its original site, then there’s a chance! Otherwise, even if I wanted to help, I wouldn’t have a reason to.”

Feng Wancheng stole a glance at Wang Xun and Qin Xuan before turning back to Xu Hao.

“Rebuild the Protectorate at its original site?”

Xu Hao’s expression shifted noticeably.

That afternoon, he had indeed seen the sheepskin scroll.

“Although the Protectorate covers a vast area, it shouldn’t be an impossible task for you. Rebuilding it on-site could even add another attraction to the area.

But consider this: if the relics do end up staying in the desert, security for the Protectorate might fall under the relic bureau’s responsibility. Operating it would also mean you’d have to shoulder the associated costs.”

Feng Wancheng nodded thoughtfully.

He had reviewed the blueprint. While the overall layout was meticulously planned, constructing individual buildings would be less challenging than erecting structures like the wooden Tengwang Pavilion or the Tingchao Pavilion.

“Of course, rebuilding the original site is only a hopeful possibility. If higher authorities have other ideas, things could quickly go awry.”

Finally, Feng Wancheng added,

“A chance at hope is better than none! As for security and expenses, that’s manageable—as long as we can draw visitors from across the nation to the guesthouse.”

Xu Hao immediately agreed.

He understood that some things were simply beyond Feng Wancheng’s control.

Besides, top-tier relics like these couldn’t be entrusted to a private enterprise.

Moreover, given his official status, the Yeguang Cup was destined to be state-owned. Otherwise, netizens would have torn it apart.

“Alright then. Since you’re willing to try, let’s expedite the rebuilding project. Any delays could lead to complications. I’ll have our team begin excavating and clear some space for you immediately.”

Feng Wancheng nodded in agreement.

With the unearthed relics, even decayed wood or items with no restoration value could simply be backfilled on-site.

“Thank you for your guidance, Director Feng. I’ll begin making preparations over the next few days. But may I take another look at that sheepskin scroll?”

After a moment’s thought, Xu Hao added.

Ever since he’d crossed over, his memory and comprehension had grown immensely—almost to an extraordinary level. Given the blueprint, reconstructing the original Protectorate wasn’t really an issue.

“No problem. You can check it out tomorrow at the relic preservation vehicle.”

“Mm!”

Unbeknownst to the discussion about the Yeguang Cup on Xu Hao’s side, in the staff dormitory, Zhu Qiang and Luo Peng were also deep in conversation.

“General Zhu, do you really think these relics can be preserved?”

Luo Peng sighed before asking,

“It’s unlikely! Their value is enormous. As expected, museums at every level will be after them. Given our guesthouse’s unique nature, our chances are slim.”

Zhu Qiang shook his head in agreement.

Some matters are just common sense.

“It’s truly a pity!”

Luo Peng fell silent, his question meant only to gauge Zhu Qiang’s thoughts.

“Forget it. Brother Hao will surely have a plan. In the meantime, let’s focus on our own tasks. Besides ramping up the heating system, you need to push forward with the grass lattice installation and tree planting within a ten-kilometer radius.”

Zhu Qiang waved his hand dismissively.

He had already coordinated with the engineering team at noon—the underground heating pipes would be rerouted to bypass the site.

“Mm. I’ve already started purchasing the grass lattice and tree saplings today.”

“Then we’ll report the carbon emission values for trading. With the grass lattice and tree planting, we should secure a significant amount of carbon credits.”

“Good.”

Human joys and sorrows vary immensely. The discovery of these top-tier relics in Mingsha County left some people elated, while others were deeply frustrated.

In the office of the Iron and Coal Arts Troupe’s Deputy Director Ran Xiangfei, as he scanned the computer screen, his brows furrowed. Across from him sat Director Wan Shan.

“Mingsha Tourism really hit the jackpot!”

“Absolutely! Just after the tourism festival ended, they uncovered a relic site with numerous top-tier relics. It’s even trending online, seeming more popular than the festival itself.”

Director Wan Shan joined in the complaint.

Ever since the ratings for the Chef Detective plummeted, both Ran Xiangfei and Wan Shan had been itching to stir up some issues for Haofang Culture and Yan City TV.

They had even checked Haofang Culture’s registered location—it now effectively operated with Mingsha Tourism as its backend.

“So, what are we going to do now?”

After a pause, Wan Shan continued,

“What else? We stick to our original plan. Tomorrow, we start bolstering Yan City TV and Haofang Culture.”

Ran Xiangfei squinted his eyes.

“Tomorrow? But Mingsha Tourism is riding high right now.”

Wan Shan hesitated for a moment.

“Mm. In fact, this isn’t a bad thing for us. As long as we shape public opinion correctly, no matter how high Yan City TV or Haofang Culture soar, they’ll eventually come crashing down.”

Ran Xiangfei glanced at Wan Shan.

Over the past few days, using every connection, they had learned about Yan City TV’s upcoming projects and Haofang Culture’s collaboration plans. This time, they intended to use public opinion to bring both down.

“You mean we start the narrative simultaneously?”

“Exactly. Tomorrow, we’ll hype the upcoming New Year’s Eve gala at Yan City TV—claiming that the station will not only invite several big names but also feature plenty of original content. And for Haofang Culture, we’ll say that their collaboration with Yan City TV on the new costume epic ‘Nirvana List’ will involve all available resources to turn it into a timeless classic.”

This, they reasoned, would force their competitors into submission.

Ran Xiangfei’s lips curled into a cold smile.

Sometimes, high audience expectations can be a curse—any slight flaw and the criticism would pour in.

“Alright, I’ll arrange it for tomorrow!”

Wan Shan nodded emphatically.

To be honest, he was also impressed by the original songs from the tourism festival’s opening; in their eyes, such originality was irreplaceable.

“By the way, since everything’s already set, why not add a little extra to Mingsha Tourism’s narrative?”

After a brief pause, Ran Xiangfei’s eyes lit up as he conceived an idea.

“Add extra details? How so?”

“Just claim that Mingsha Tourism will soon be vigorously developing this relic site. Essentially, spread endless praise and hype—pressure them into managing the site. Once Mingsha Tourism buckles under the pressure and starts developing it, Haofang Culture’s ‘Nirvana List’ will suffer.

In any case, the higher we set the hype, the better. You can come up with your own reasons.”

“Sounds good!”

At these words, Wan Shan’s face lit up with enthusiasm.