Chapter 150: Hidden Mortise and Influencer Turmoil

Is it the hidden mortise or what?

Glancing at the blueprints, Xu Hao asked.

“It’s the spot marked on the blueprint. It must be the hidden mortise you mentioned, Brother Hao,”

Luo Peng quickly pointed at the marked area.

“Oh!”

Xu Hao immediately began drawing on it with his drafting pen.

Had it been six months ago, assembling a Wan Gong Sedan Chair might have posed a challenge. But nowadays, what many consider a masterpiece only proves moderately difficult for him.

“Aside from these few tricky parts, how’s the progress on the other components of the Sedan Chair?”

While noting measurements, Xu Hao casually asked.

In fact, when Luo Peng first approached him, Xu Hao had already managed to crack the three core, most complex sections of the Sedan Chair. He never expected that even those parts—which seemed simple to him—would still leave the carpenters struggling.

“Brother Hao, the other components are coming along fast. Once these few hurdles are overcome, we can assemble everything in just a couple of days,” Luo Peng hastily added.

Whether it was the Protectorate of West Liang relic site or the Ancient Commercial Street at Oasis 3, both were still in the foundational construction phase, far from the wooden building stage. That’s why constructing this third Wan Gong Sedan Chair almost required all of Mingsha Labor’s carpenters.

Two to three hundred carpenters kicked into gear simultaneously—the pace was nothing short of impressive.

“Alright, if any issues come up, let me know. I’ll be busy at the relic site for a while, and you’ll have to handle the guesthouse with you and Qiangzi,”

Xu Hao nodded in agreement.

“Don’t worry, Brother Hao!”

Within minutes, Luo Peng left the metal-clad room clutching the blueprints.

Whew! After a deep breath, Xu Hao refocused on the plans for the Protectorate of West Liang, ready to get to work—when suddenly his phone rang.

He picked it up to see that his Second Sister, Xu Xin, was calling.

Just four days ago, Second Sister Xu Xin had arrived in Mingsha County. Although she’d already spoken with Xu Chen on the phone, Xu Hao’s recent achievements still managed to shock her.

Especially after learning about the key ancient building landmarks in the guesthouse, she couldn’t help but keep circling around him.

It wasn’t long before Xu Xin naturally decided to stay on.

Originally, Xu Hao had planned for her to stay in the Ancient Building Courtyard in Wudi City, but Xu Xin insisted on living in the company’s high-level executive apartments along Qing Brick Avenue.

And that wasn’t all.

The newly registered Haofang Brokerage Company, much like several others, is 90% owned by Haoran Investment. Xu Xin holds the position of legal representative and CEO with a 5% share, while the remaining 5% is set aside for bonuses to other managers.

For now, the office building remains with Haofang Culture until a new ancient building office is constructed for a standalone workspace.

Meanwhile,

a portion of Haofang Culture’s business has already been transferred to Haofang Brokerage—this includes contracts with the Tiger Leopard Band and all agency deals for the cast of Wulin Wai Chuan.

Bringing fresh energy to her new role, after the company was established, Xu Xin visited the Mingsha County Troupe to secure agency deals with a number of actors. These weren’t exclusive contracts; they were akin to the arrangements many performing troupe artists make for external gigs.

She later arranged an interview and a variety show appearance for several lead actors from Wulin Wai Chuan.

In short,

Xu Xin’s arrival alleviated much of the burden on Fang Hou, and the actors soon began generating additional value for the company—pushing forward progress on the series Langya Bang noticeably.

In fact, just yesterday, Fang Hou had already sent out audition invitations to a number of actors. It won’t be long before formal casting begins.

Clearly, Xu Xin’s arrival has been a tremendous help to Xu Hao.

“What’s up, Second Sister?”

Snapping back to attention, Xu Hao quickly asked.

“Old Six, there’s an online influencer named Wu Nan deliberately stirring up trouble by attacking Mingsha Tourism. Should Haofang Brokerage dig up some dirt on him?”

Xu Xin’s calm voice came through.

Running a major agency means dealing with celebrity scandals and public controversies daily—it can be explosive or even orchestrated, all about handling the timing. Sometimes, incidents even ensnare you. For Xu Xin, this was just par for the course.

As usual,

when one or two major influencers try to cause trouble, a decisive counterattack is the answer.

“They’re attacking Mingsha Tourism? What exactly did he say?”

Xu Hao paused in shock before quickly asking.

“On Weibo, he claimed that Mingsha Tourism’s firework show is inappropriate, alleging it pollutes the environment and has a negative public impact. He also criticized Mingsha Tourism’s over-commercialization, accusing their 300,000 ancient-style wedding package of being fraudulent, and demanded a public apology.”

Xu Xin continued,

“And that’s it? Coming from just one influencer? No other major voices or bloggers are amplifying this?”

Xu Hao furrowed his brows.

“Old Six, what do you mean? Do you think it’s not enough provocation? Many netizens have already begun criticizing Mingsha Tourism. Some even warn that if over-commercialization persists, Mingsha Tourism will eventually become just another abandoned ancient city!”

Xu Xin was visibly taken aback.

She had expected Xu Hao to explode in anger, yet his response was surprisingly even.

“Not that I’m unwilling, Second Sister. But how many followers does this influencer actually have?”

After a brief pause, Xu Hao inquired.

“He’s got over 4 million followers, I’d say.”

“Over 4 million? That’s not too shabby!”

“Old Six, do you want me to step in? Although Haofang Brokerage may not have top-tier stars at the moment, handling a single influencer should be manageable.”

Xu Xin couldn’t help but ask further.

“No, Second Sister, you focus on your agency. And if things are quiet, perhaps help Monkey audition for a new role—he’s due to discuss contracts with Yan City TV these days.”

Xu Hao added casually.

“Really? I don’t need to intervene at all?”

“Not at all. I’ll just call General Zhu at Mingsha Tourism to handle it; he’s well-versed in these matters,”

Xu Hao concluded.

The setting sun slanted across the sky,

and the late autumn-early winter twilight over the Mingsha Desert, with its deep blue hues, lent a cool, somber air. Visitors along Qing Brick Avenue were bundled in sweaters, a stark contrast to the short-sleeved attire still common in southern cities.

Meanwhile, in Rongcheng, a middle-aged man with gold-rimmed glasses was fuming on his phone by the floor-to-ceiling window of a high-rise.

“Wu Nan, why did you provoke Mingsha Tourism? Delete your Weibo and apologize immediately—then this can be put behind us,”

he fumed.

“General Zhu, it’s nothing big—I’m just addressing the issue. Besides, this Weibo has achieved its purpose. Some cities banning fireworks are practically at odds with those permitting them!”

Almost immediately, a puzzled voice crackled over the line.

“Nothing? Have you forgotten how the editor-in-chief of Nanjiang News got involved? And tell me, are you the only one posting on Weibo? Not a single other media outlet is sharing or even commenting on your post!

Don’t they realize that once this blows up, the traffic will be massive?”

The man bit his lip in exasperation.

Why did all his contacts seem so short-sighted? Must they always choose to stir trouble with Mingsha Tourism? He had called Wu Nan—the very influencer responsible for the online hype.

“General Zhu, this time is different!”

Yet, Wu Nan’s tone remained cool and indifferent.

“Different? What’s so different?”

The man glared in frustration.

“General Zhu, last time Nanjiang News concocted baseless stories and even dragged in local Mingsha County authorities. But this time, the facts are clear and the evidence undeniable. So why should I be afraid?”

Wu Nan chuckled lightly.

“But…”

The man faltered, hesitating.

Ever since Nanjiang News had to pay an enormous sum last time, just hearing Mingsha Tourism mentioned alongside that lawyer’s name made him feel nauseous.

Although Wu Nan had a point,

there was an unsettling feeling in the back of his mind—as though trouble was brewing.

After all, Wu Nan wields considerable influence online, and building a following like his isn’t easy.

“General Zhu, just sit back and watch the show. Think of it as payback for Nanjiang News!”

After a pause, Wu Nan added,

“So, what do you plan to do?”

After a long silence, the man asked.

“Simple: keep ramping up the pressure until Mingsha Tourism addresses the issues surrounding their fireworks show and the outrageous wedding package quotes. Anything beyond that is none of my business,”

Wu Nan stated firmly.

“And you won’t meddle with anything else?”

The man raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

“General Zhu, why would I meddle further? These two issues are clear, well-evidenced, and tap directly into public concerns. That’s how I netted 200,000 followers in just half a day.”

“Then be careful! Don’t stir up any extra trouble.”

“General Zhu, relax—I know my limits!”

“Alright then!”

Night deepened.

In Yan City, neon signs flickered, and taillights from lined-up cars created a vibrant, moving tapestry on the streets.

Online, spurred by Wu Nan’s relentless incitement, the controversy over Mingsha Tourism’s fireworks show naturally trended. Even though it wasn’t at the top, the heat it generated in traffic and comments was undeniable.

Unlike the previous one-sided storm, a significant number of netizens sided with Mingsha Tourism this time.

At the Ancient Architecture Research Institute, housed in a small two-story building,

Li Jue, Liu Shan, and Cao Jun lingered by a tea stand, chatting casually.

“Old Li, have you seen the online news? Mingsha Tourism is trending again?”

Liu Shan raised his tea cup for a modest sip.

Ever since the Mingsha Tourism Festival, Liu Shan had marked Mingsha County as a key term—his smart feed pinging him with every update.

“What’s the reason this time?”

Li Jue looked up, visibly startled.

“Two reasons: firstly, Xiao Xu wants to organize a fireworks show; secondly, it’s about the exorbitant wedding package.”

Liu Shan nodded in agreement.

“As for the pricey wedding package, that’s hard to judge. But who did the fireworks show offend? Even Global Amusement Park in Yan City or Dino乐 in Haishi manage fireworks displays without a hitch, right?”

Li Jue furrowed his brows.

“Now the public debate is centered on the fireworks show polluting the environment and the fact that the area boasts many all-wooden ancient structures.”

“Nonsense! Xiao Xu would never be foolish enough to stage a fireworks show right next to Tengwang Pavilion. Besides, Xiao Xu mentioned that all the new ancient buildings are equipped with fire-retardant coatings.”