Chapter 147: Schemes Under the Desert Sky

“You came to Mingsha County just to work for you?”

Xu Chen halted for a moment, then shook his head resolutely.

“Really, Mingsha Tourism giving us ancient costume orders is already a huge favor for our Xu Family!”

“Third Brother, if Grandfather hadn’t bought this desert, we wouldn’t have Mingsha Tourism. Just think of it as our family’s company.”

Hearing Xu Chen’s refusal, Xu Hao immediately pressed on.

Although Mingsha has three reliable helpers—Zhu Qiang, Luo Peng, and Fang Hou—the increasing workload of the three companies sometimes leaves them overwhelmed.

If our Third Brother came over, many tasks could safely be handed to him.

“No! Old Six, this desert was bought and given to you by Grandfather, just like the multi-million dollar car he once got me. Everything in this desert is your property, not the Xu Family’s.

Besides, without Mingsha Tourism, this desert would still be worthless!”

Xu Chen looked at Xu Hao with satisfaction.

He understood Old Six’s meaning. Certain matters must be kept separate, just as when he once managed Tianchen Culture—salaries and bonuses made it clear whose was whose.

It’s precisely because of this that the Xu sisters have always lived in harmony.

“Then, Third Brother, you—”

Xu Hao was even more confused.

“Old Six, if I go to help you, what about Grandfather? You know how temperamental he is—last time, he harbored a grudge after being ambushed by that Foreign Consortium.”

At the mention of events from over half a year ago, Xu Chen’s expression grew somber.

“Have they found the consortium that targeted the Xu Family? Does it have any connection with the domestic company trying to acquire our assets—like Tianchen Culture?”

Xu Hao raised an eyebrow.

“They’ve just uncovered a few clues. It’s probably unrelated to the Tianchen Culture acquisition—the company isn’t even on the scale yet!”

Xu Chen shook his head.

In just a few days, the Xu Family’s leveraged foreign exchange assets had evaporated. This consortium’s might is top-notch; with a mere flick of a finger, billions can disappear from the international capital market.

Even if they operate in the physical sector, they focus on high-end tech or energy projects that influence entire star systems. They couldn’t care less about the entertainment industry.

“Since Grandfather’s holding onto that grudge, why not rely on Mingsha Tourism for a comeback? Last time, his inability to fight back was because he lacked physical assets for support.

There’s plenty of space in Mingsha. We could have Grandfather over without a hitch.”

Xu Hao couldn’t help but add,

“Alright, Old Six. I’ll definitely relay your intentions to Grandfather, but you need to stay out of this! Grandfather has always been stubborn—if he wants to personally take down that Foreign Consortium, so be it.

He’s already eighty-one! Even if it doesn’t work out in the end, he won’t regret it.”

Xu Chen patted Xu Hao’s shoulder.

“Uh…”

After a long silence, Xu Hao stopped insisting.

“Alright then. If Grandfather needs anything, just give me a call. One call and Mingsha Tourism will move heaven and earth.”

Since the day Third Brother and the sisters graduated from college and joined the Xu Group, they had served as Grandfather’s most trusted aides and his default successors.

Unlike him—he had never worked a single day at the Xu Group.

Just as Xu Chen said, if he went to Mingsha Tourism, what would become of Grandfather? That garment processing factory might no longer remain merely a processing plant—it was Grandfather’s last bit of pride.

“Old Six, things are actually fine now. With ancient costumes processed by us for Mingsha Tourism, it’s both business and a quiet support to Grandfather. But if you truly need more hands, have Second Sister come over to help!”

After a pause, Xu Chen continued,

“Second Sister?”

“Yes! She’s a whiz at managing celebrity promotions, though not so much with business deals. Staying in New Country wouldn’t help either. Besides, you have Haofang Culture on your side—she could lend a hand!”

Xu Chen sighed.

Take, for instance, the recent search for a new spokesperson. It was obvious what needed to be done, yet she refused to believe it. And what was the result?

“She’s coming back to the country this time?”

Xu Hao’s eyes lit up.

To be honest, although Haofang Culture had already produced two hit dramas, their signed artists hadn’t landed many endorsement deals. It wasn’t due to Fang Hou’s incapability; he’d been busy with other projects and had no time to manage the actors.

In a way, it was a waste of resources.

If Second Sister came over, she could even set up a new agency entirely devoted to managing artists.

“She’s back! I’ll call her tomorrow and have her come to Mingsha County to see just how successful Old Six of the Xu Family has become. Even though she used to scold you harshly, deep down, she cares about you the most among all us sisters!”

“I know!”

“Come on, shall we go back in for another drink?”

“Sure!”

The night wore on, and nobody knew when the drinking session would end.

When Xu Hao finally came to after blacking out completely, it was already noon. After a quick wash-up, he stepped outside his room and found Zhu Qiang already waiting by the door.

“Brother Hao, Third Brother has already left,”

Zhu Qiang quickly said upon seeing Xu Hao.

“Left?”

“He said you should take better care of yourself and not overdo it. Grandfather is getting on in years and often talks about wanting a grandchild. For now, he can only count on you.”

“Uh…”

“Brother Hao, regarding the ancient costume processing, Third Brother has already discussed it. He insisted on signing a formal commercial contract, so this time it’s 30,000 sets over three months, delivered in batches to us.”

Zhu Qiang continued,

“It’s signed. Third Brother has his principles.”

Xu Hao sighed.

In the Xu Family, stubbornness runs in the blood. Grandfather is like that, and so is Xu Chen. Even though he said last night he would call if something happened, the news was undoubtedly in his favor.

“By the way, how is the ancient costume rental business doing these days?”

After a pause, Xu Hao asked.

“Business is decent at the moment. Tourists mainly rent costumes from either the cast of ‘Wulin Wai Chuan’ or from the ‘Snowy Series.’ Especially for young women, they tend to choose the heroines or supporting female roles. However, our guesthouses are only just about full now. In a few days, if occupancy drops, the revenue from the costume rental will surely decline.”

Zhu Qiang sighed deeply.

Due to a series of hot events, the official account of Mingsha Tourism had already gained over four million followers, along with a batch of loyal fans. But the biting cold weather was an undeniable fact.

Domestic tourists at this time usually prefer southern destinations over the Great Northwest.

This inherent flaw is nearly unsolvable!

The off-peak and peak seasons of tourist spots in the Northwest, even the North, follow this pattern.

“Didn’t Little Luo say they were planning a fireworks show at the guesthouse? With some promotion, it should attract plenty of visitors. After all, the ancient structures have been coated with fire-retardant paint, so safety isn’t a major issue!”

Xu Hao furrowed his brows.

Although the projects to rebuild the old Governor’s Mansion, construct the ancient commercial street near Oasis No.3, and build Langya Pavilion were progressing steadily, their pace was much slower than expected.

Especially the Governor’s Mansion, where every detail is painstakingly researched—even consulting historical records. Finishing by March or April next year would be a super speed achievement. That’s if they stick to timber joinery in winter; using reinforced concrete would push completion to later in the year.

So before these two projects go online, other methods must be devised to draw in tourists.

Both Mingsha Tourism and Mingsha Labor have grown significantly. A drop in visitor numbers would result in losses.

“Brother Hao, the fireworks show has been officially approved. I plan to set up a Qing Brick Square just north of the Desert Pavilion for the display. This way, safety isn’t a worry and we can easily manage the leftover debris from the fireworks.

But isn’t a standalone fireworks show a bit monotonous?”

Upon mentioning the fireworks show, Zhu Qiang interjected quickly,

“Monotonous?”

“Yeah! Although many places now ban fireworks altogether, here we can let them fly freely. Still, it’s unlikely that tourists would travel miles just to see a fireworks display. I think the show should only be an auxiliary attraction.”

“That’s true! Do you have any other good ideas? In the Northwest, the only winter activities are skiing and ice-skating—but those are the forte of Northeastern resorts. They even have Snow Villages and ice festivals!”

Xu Hao folded his arms and fell into thought.

Zhu Qiang had a point, but with the conditions of the northwest desert, what more could be done?

“I’m still brainstorming.”

Zhu Qiang shook his head.

The guesthouse business originally centered on ancient architecture. Fireworks are acceptable, but while fireworks have been celebrated for ages as a complement to traditional structures, few other entertainment projects can be integrated with this heritage.

“Oh, have you thought about hosting other events? It doesn’t necessarily have to be an amusement project!”

After a long pause, Xu Hao asked again.

“Hosting events or activities?”

Zhu Qiang paused.

“Yes, if we can offer projects that aren’t affected by season or weather, and let tourists actively inquire—like adopting a grass lattice! Or even hosting traditional Chinese weddings! Our ancient buildings, complete with palanquins, can easily be transformed into wedding venues. Whether in winter or summer, a wedding isn’t hindered.”

Xu Hao nodded.

“Hosting weddings? Brother Hao, that’s a brilliant idea!”

No sooner had he agreed than Zhu Qiang’s eyes lit up, as if Xu Hao’s words had sparked a breakthrough.

“Unique wedding story arcs to mend regrets?”

Xu Hao couldn’t help but glance at Zhu Qiang in response.