Chapter 170: Cultural Schemes and Ancient Visions

My hometown’s Yun Province TV Station! I know a senior official over there, and he’ll definitely help with this favor!

Li Ying drew a deep breath.

“And the ratings for that show ‘Ace Mediation’ on Yun Province TV are through the roof.”

“So, when is Sister Li planning to get in touch?”

“I’ll call this evening. With matters like this, the sooner the better.”

“Oh!”

It was just past eight in the morning, rush hour for workers. Yan City’s Third Ring was gridlocked, and the Second Ring was even worse! But those living in the staff quarters didn’t have to worry.

At Long Kingdom’s Ancient Architecture Institute, Li Jue and Liu Shan had already arrived at the office.

“Old Li, during this New Year’s holiday, Xiao Xu’s buzz is anything but small.”

While holding his teacup,

Liu Shan sank onto the sofa.

It was the institute leaders’ habit to arrive a few minutes early for a chat before retreating to their offices to start working.

“Are you referring to Yan City TV’s New Year’s Eve gala?”

Li Jue took a small sip from his thermos.

Ever since Xu Hao headed to Mingsha, they never missed a piece of news from that side. Lately, terms like Tiger Leopard Band and Mingsha guesthouses were everywhere.

“Mhm!”

“What used to surprise us no longer does—even if Xiao Xu stirs up bigger news, it wouldn’t shock me.”

Li Jue smiled.

“True enough,”

Liu Shan laughed along.

After a brief pause, Liu Shan continued,

“By the way, Old Li, have you informed Xiao Xu about the Ancient Architecture Intangible Heritage Cultural Forum?”

“I have!”

“Old Cao called yesterday. He mentioned that he’d invite some senior officials from other departments to the forum. Whether Mingsha can host the Ancient Architecture Academy depends on this event. I made sure to stress its importance to Xiao Xu.”

Turning serious, Liu Shan’s expression became earnest.

“Other department officials? Is Old Cao planning to use this forum as a setup for the academy’s evaluation meeting?”

Li Jue rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“Yes. Old Cao thinks that with so many peers present, these officials can hear firsthand evaluations about Mingsha’s ancient architecture. That would naturally pave the way for establishing the academy there.”

Liu Shan added,

“That works. These officials will even get a chance to check out the Protectorate of West Liang!”

Li Jue nodded in agreement.

“Huh? The Protectorate of West Liang is already complete? So soon?”

Li Jue hesitated, and once he spoke, Liu Shan’s astonishment was evident.

“It’s finished! Old Feng called the day before yesterday saying that Xiao Xu had wrapped it up. Before New Year’s, the authorities will dispatch an expert panel for evaluation. I suspect our institute will need you to head over.”

Li Jue threw his hands up in resignation.

From the seven-day turnaround of the Vermilion Bird Building and Wan Gong Sedan Chair to now finishing the Protectorate in just over two months, things kept getting crazier.

“Well, if Xiao Xu can truly secure the Ancient Architecture Protectorate, the officials should approve it,”

After a long pause,

Liu Shan came back to focus.

“But you’re right—we need to take this seriously. I’ll call Xiao Xu later to warn him against any carelessness. If the forum goes well, we might even secure an official certification for Mingsha.”

Li Jue then remarked,

“An official title? You mean from the Ancient Architecture Joint Association?”

“Yes. They always refer to places as either Mingsha guesthouses or Hongsha Gang Village 256, which sound awkward. Wouldn’t ‘Mingsha Ancient City’ roll off the tongue much better?”

Li Jue nodded.

“Exactly!”

Liu Shan mused thoughtfully.

The forum had attracted many members from the Ancient Architecture Joint Association—a body comprising numerous member units, including the Ancient Architecture Research Institute.

Though it might seem insignificant on a day-to-day basis, in some regions it held indispensable clout.

Only after a place was evaluated and certified by this association could it officially be recognized as an ancient city, village, or township and marked for tourism.

Major maps would then adopt the name, guiding tourists with ease.

Most importantly,

from then on, the area could proudly promote itself as an ancient city or town.

Otherwise, boasting about being an ancient city without the association’s backing was not only self-deceptive but verged on misleading tourists.

Years ago, a place advertised as an ancient town turned out to be nothing more than a suburban film set—a far cry from a genuine ancient city.

After all, not every place with historical architecture qualifies as an ancient city.

“However, Xiao Xu’s case for certification might be a stretch—while the city gates and walls are incomplete, they’re passable, but there’s a dearth of historical structures. The Protectorate counts as one and the all-wood Tengwang Pavilion as another. But Qixia Town and Wudi City are merely high-profile ancient constructions. Relying solely on these two to claim an ancient city title seems unlikely. I suspect the Joint Association will only grant an ancient town designation.”

After a pause, Liu Shan voiced his concerns.

The Ancient Architecture Joint Association wasn’t like the entertainment industry’s clubs; decisions weren’t made by just one or two individuals. Its members were all connected to ancient architecture, intangible heritage, and cultural relics bureaus.

Even during votes at the Ancient Architecture Research Institute, only two votes were cast.

“So we need to call Xiao Xu and impress upon him the seriousness of this. If it all goes through, not only will we establish the Ancient Architecture Academy, but we might even rename it directly as Mingsha Ancient City.”

Li Jue nodded in agreement.

“Xu Hao is one of our own, but we must remain realistic about certain matters,” he added.

“Understood!”

Time flew by, and soon it was ten in the morning.

At Mingsha Land, Oasis 3, Xu Hao had just finished filming an indoor scene for ‘Legend of Langya.’

Under Zhu Qiang’s high-intensity constructions, the ancient architecture commercial street across the three oases was nearly complete, and the iconic surroundings of the Langya Pavilion were almost finished—only the pavilion itself remained.

Once the Langya Pavilion was constructed, filming for ‘Legend of Langya’ would proceed without a hitch.

Ring ring ring. Just as Xu Hao was about to explain the scene further to Hu Xiao, his phone suddenly rang.

After signaling to Hu Xiao, Xu Hao stepped aside to take the call.

“Dean Li, did you need me?”

It turned out that the call was from Li Jue.

“Xiao Xu, are you busy right now?”

“Not at all, go ahead,” Xiao Xu replied.

“Here’s the situation…”

A few minutes later,

Xu Hao’s voice brimmed with excitement as he spoke again.

“So you’re saying that if we pull off that cultural forum next March, we can not only secure accreditation for the Ancient Architecture Academy but also receive an ancient city certification?”

To some, the Ancient Architecture Academy might seem unremarkable, but no undergraduate institution should be underestimated—it can boost local economic activity far beyond other units. Moreover, having a university status dramatically elevates a region.

If memory served right, Wei City currently only had one junior college, and Mingsha County had just two county high schools and a vocational school.

Furthermore, the ancient city title is vital.

Once approved, the grand entrance would proudly bear the inscription ‘Mingsha Ancient City.’

That inscription would undeniably enhance the gate’s imposing presence.

“Exactly, that’s why I want you to take this seriously. It’s a rare opportunity!”

Li Jue’s voice came through once more.

“Thank you, Dean. Rest assured, I’ll handle it with utmost care.”

Xu Hao quickly interjected,

“No need to thank me; we’re all in this together, so I won’t trouble you further!”

“Dean Li, take care!”

Staring at his darkened phone, Xu Hao thought for a moment before reopening the screen and dialing Zhu Qiang’s number.

With a casual swipe, he placed the call.

Beep beep beep. The call connected quickly.

“Brother Hao, did you need me?”

Soon, Zhu Qiang’s voice filled the line.

“Qiangzi, contact that engineer who mentioned the underground river before noon today. Also, reach out to our previous lumber suppliers and tell them we need a massive amount of wood—possibly several times more than before! Tell them to stock up!”

Xu Hao replied promptly,

“Brother Hao, got it!”

Zhu Qiang continued,

“And call Little Luo to start coordinating machinery and workers. Contact as many as possible and make sure they understand that during this Chinese New Year, there might be no rest! Triple their wages! If they’re willing, have them report; if not, find more—no sudden work stoppages allowed.”

After a moment, Xu Hao added,

“Alright, Brother Hao!”

At 4:30 in the afternoon, in the Mingsha County government building, Qin Xuan was busy organizing documents in his new office. He had just been promoted to a top official in Mingsha County, while Wang Xun had been transferred to Wei City as a fourth-level leader.

“Xu County’s strength is undeniable. It was once all about Mingsha Tourism, then Haofang Culture joined, and now there’s Haofang Agency! Soon, Mingsha County will boast its own top-tier celebrity,”

Leaning back in his chair while staring at his computer screen, Qin Xuan couldn’t help but muse.

Mingsha County has become a benchmark in Su Province!

At every meeting, its achievements were lauded—especially in poverty alleviation and economic growth. Even Wei City had been repeatedly praised.

And all this success was thanks to Xu Hao and Mingsha Tourism. How could Qin Xuan not be moved?

“With the Tiger Leopard Band, by New Year Mingsha Tourism might not have any major projects left. If there’s a shortage of tourists, just two concerts by the Tiger Leopard Band will do the trick.

Next, it’ll be time for Mingsha County’s annual year-end review.”

Shutting down his computer, Qin Xuan mumbled to himself.

This year’s county performance would soon be clear—not about a few percentage points but how many times growth could multiply.

Thump, thump, thump! Just as Qin Xuan was about to get up for tea, the office door was suddenly knocked on.

“Come in!”

Qin Xuan casually called out.

“Boss, President Luo from Mingsha Labor just called!”

A young staff member pushed the door open.

“President Luo? What’s the matter?”

“President Luo said that Mingsha Labor urgently needs a large number of workers who won’t be going home for the New Year. They managed to find a few, but it’s far from enough. They’re asking if the county can lend a hand!”

The young man quickly explained the situation.

“They need a huge number of workers staying over the holiday? What project is Xu County planning now?”

Qin Xuan was instantly stunned.