Chapter 154: New Beginnings at Mingsha Tourism

Time flew by—in the blink of an eye, it was already the next day.

The uproar over the trending Mingsha Fireworks Festival had died down completely, and thanks to Mingsha Tourism’s swift response, the guesthouses were packed once again.

Coupled with unique thematic experiences, this winter at Mingsha Tourism no longer felt ‘cold.’

At the Mingsha Tourism CEO Office, Luo Peng and Zhu Qiang sat at the tea table enjoying a rare moment of downtime, chatting casually.

“General Zhu, how’s progress on your end?”

Lifting his teacup to take a sip, Luo Peng looked toward Zhu Qiang.

“Mission accomplished! Besides the initial guesthouse at Oasis 1, both Qixia Town and Wudi City now enjoy centralized heating—it wasn’t easy! And as for the trending topic, Lawyer Zhang San has it covered. We just need to wait for updates.”

Zhu Qiang couldn’t help but exclaim.

No one realized just how busy he had been. The heating schedule had been meticulously planned until the discovery of a Protectorate of West Liang relic site derailed everything. Fortunately, they managed to borrow fifty heavy machines from a neighboring county to complete the project on time.

Now, with both heating and central air, Mingsha guesthouses would never leave visitors shivering.

“So next, we focus on Oasis 3, right?”

Luo Peng asked.

“Yes. The foundation for the large ancient building commercial street at Oasis 3 is set. The real challenge is Brother Hao’s blueprints for Langya Pavilion! The pavilion’s foundation is manageable; the tricky part is its surroundings.

They’ve even been secretly transporting rich soil and pre-grown trees over the past few days just for Langya Pavilion.”

Zhu Qiang remarked with an undertone of amazement.

Mingsha Tourism might be earning well every day, but expenses were huge—especially with plans to create a deep mountain forest scene at Oasis 3. The challenge was evident.

“But think about it: once our guesthouses add another must-visit spot, visitors will hardly be able to cover all of Mingsha in one day.”

“Back then, it was just Brother Hao’s little log cabin. Look at it now—it’s hard to believe!”

“By the way, how’s your end going?”

After a few exchanges, Zhu Qiang turned his attention to Luo Peng.

“We’ve laid grass lattice throughout the entire ten-kilometer radius around the guesthouses. As for trees, we only planted a ring along the perimeter. With more development planned, overplanting now would only lead to replanting later.

At least, while we can’t stop the northwesterly sandstorms, the shifting sands won’t encroach on our guesthouses anymore!”

Luo Peng smiled.

“All the area’s covered with grass lattice? That fast?”

Zhu Qiang was taken aback.

“Absolutely! To secure the lattice, Mingsha Labor designed a desert vehicle that flattens it—boosting efficiency far beyond manual work and saving money in the process.”

Luo Peng added.

“I must say, General Zhu, your ingenuity really is impressive!”

Zhu Qiang couldn’t help but give a thumbs up.

Whether it was the scenic rides in the park or the ancient wedding events, it was all Luo Peng’s brainchild. Even if Mingsha Labor couldn’t match Haofang Culture or Mingsha Tourism in profits, their hidden gains were substantial.

“Everything was forged out of necessity.”

Ring, ring, ring. Just as Luo Peng was about to speak further, his phone suddenly rang.

After signaling to Zhu Qiang, he answered the call.

“Xiao Wang, what’s up?”

Mingsha Labor now had several hundred staff, complete with dedicated administrative personnel.

“President Luo, a staff member from the Mingsha County Meteorological Bureau just called. They forecast a widespread snowfall in the northwest six days from now, so we need to gear up for it!”

Moments later, the voice of the staff member came through.

“Snow? That’s nothing. Our guesthouses are well-heated, and if the snow is heavy, it might even transform the desert ancient city into a picturesque winter wonderland.”

Hearing this, Luo Peng didn’t seem worried at all—in fact, he saw it as an opportunity.

“President Luo, we’ve just secured several top-tier wedding packages. But if it snows…”

The staff member continued.

“Top-tier wedding packages?”

Luo Peng’s expression suddenly changed as he patted his forehead.

“This is bad—really bad. Alright, I understand. I’ll notify everyone shortly.”

“What’s the matter?”

Noticing Luo Peng’s sudden tension, Zhu Qiang couldn’t help but ask.

“In six days, when it snows, we already have several top-tier wedding packages booked!”

Luo Peng’s earlier calm completely vanished.

“Snow? That shouldn’t affect a traditional wedding. After all, a classic antique ceremony involves carrying a bridal sedan, and it’s held along Qing Brick Avenue. A quick scan should do the trick.”

Zhu Qiang was clearly puzzled.

“General Zhu, you know everything else is fine—the only issue is with the banquet. I booked the dining area for the wedding at the small square in front of Tengwang Pavilion.

Now with snowfall, how do we manage? We can’t have guests dining in the snow.”

Luo Peng’s brow furrowed deeper.

“Hosting the banquet in the small square?”

“Yes. The main family has so many guests that the banquet can only be held in the small square—and they even agreed, saying that an event with Tengwang Pavilion as the backdrop is truly atmospheric.

But with snow now, what are we going to do?”

Luo Peng explained.

Worse still, it wasn’t just this one wedding—all subsequent bookings were of the same kind.

“Then, can we shift the venue to another place in time?”

Zhu Qiang’s eyes tightened with concern.

To be honest, the wedding six days from now was the first event Mingsha Labor organized after launching a promotion, and the hot topic was sure to draw plenty of onlookers.

If the first event were to go awry, it wouldn’t just damage Mingsha Labor’s reputation—it could tarnish the image of the entire resort.

“It’s too late. Once the small square is secured, neither the banquet halls in Qixia Town nor those in Wudi City are options—they’re likely already booked. Besides, neither Tongfu Inn nor the banquet halls in Wudi City have venues large enough to accommodate several hundred guests at once.”

Luo Peng paced anxiously.

“This…”

Zhu Qiang fell into deep thought.

What had been a smooth plan was now at a complete standstill thanks to the weather forecast.

“President Luo, don’t panic. Let’s first get in touch with the banquet halls in Qixia Town and Wudi City. If that doesn’t work, we can ask Brother Hao—maybe he has a good idea.”

After a long silence, Zhu Qiang looked up.

“Ask Brother Hao? But he’s busy over there now…”

Luo Peng hesitated.

“It shouldn’t hold things up. Who knows, Brother Hao might have a better solution.”

“Alright then!”

Before long, it was already noon.

About a dozen kilometers north of the guesthouse city gate, wooden beams—marked with serial numbers and about as thick as a bowl—were being gently lowered onto the ground by a crane.

“Slow! Slow down!”

A man in a white safety helmet kept shouting, while a perimeter ditch for bricklaying had already been dug around the site.

The entire construction area buzzed with busy yet orderly activity.

According to sketches from the uncovered Sheepskin Journal,

the Protectorate of West Liang relic site stretched north to south, about 200 meters wide east to west and 300 meters long north to south, covering roughly 90 acres with front, middle, and back courtyards.

The front yard, including the main gate, once served as a courtroom office; the middle courtyard was where Protectorate officials worked; and the back housed a small garden along with a four-sided courtyard where the chief official resided. Flanking the middle courtyard were a small arena and a platform for selecting officers.

To keep on schedule, work had already begun on the ancient Qing brick wall of the Protectorate. Once completed, the eastern wall would leave an alley about two meters wide that perfectly connected with the planned wall—a flawless integration!

“Engineer Li, instruct the workers to be gentle—do not mar the edges!”

At the main gate of the Protectorate, Xu Hao looked toward the man beside him.

Even though it was colder now, the underground work had been completed ahead of schedule, leaving only the above-ground wooden framework. The cold wasn’t an issue—as long as nothing went wrong, the main construction would finish in just over a month.

“Boss, rest assured. I know the Protectorate is different from other ancient structures,”

the man replied with a firm nod.

He, a seasoned foreman with Mingsha Labor, had never seen Xu Hao this meticulous before.

“Especially with the main gate and the front courtyard courthouse—every detail must be flawless.”

Xu Hao glanced at the blueprints in his hand.

The very essence and the most imposing part of the Protectorate were its main gate and front yard courthouse; the middle courtyard was secondary, and the back yard the least significant.

Moreover, if they managed to secure the Yeguang Cup in the future, it along with other relics would be displayed in the courthouse hall. That’s why all fire prevention and security measures had to be preplanned or reserved in advance.

The underground work was also intended for enhanced security.

“We really can’t afford to lose the Yeguang Cup!” “Alright, Boss!”

“By the way, has the plaque for the Protectorate been prepared?”

After a brief pause, Xu Hao asked again.

The plaque for the Protectorate was crafted with utmost care. Xu Hao had also arranged for several poetic plaques to be hung on the exterior walls, including one inscribed with ‘Grapes and fine wine, the Yeguang Cup; Urgent to play the pipa as we set off,’ among others.

This had nothing to do with the site’s restoration—it was purely for promotional purposes, to let visitors know that the poem originated from the Protectorate.

“Boss, aside from the main beam, all other components are tagged and ready! However, the main beam and large pillars will need about ten more days.”

Engineer Li quickly explained.

The carpenters chosen for the numbered woodwork were top-notch.

“Ten days? That works. Once the main beam is done, we will start the assembly immediately!”

Xu Hao nodded.

Despite the tight schedule, some things—like the main beam and pillars—simply couldn’t be rushed.

Once installed, the main beam and pillars would be in place for decades, so measures against decay, fire, and pests had to be perfect.

Moreover, the treatment process for the main beam and pillars was based on an ancient technique developed by Xu Hao.

Using this traditional method,

the results were outstanding and odor-free—it truly restored the essence of the Protectorate’s courthouse and main gate from the very foundations.

“Alright, Boss!”

“Also, have the bricklayers ramped up their work lately. The outer wall needs to be finished as soon as possible. If the carpenters have a break, they can rest—but then we’ll hit it all in one go.”

Xu Hao surveyed the surroundings and said.

Ring-ring. Just as Xu Hao was about to continue, his phone rang again.