Chapter 200: Mingsha Tourism’s Bold Announcements
by xennovel“Mingsha Tourism issued an announcement?”
Ding Xiaoping and Bai Ming furrowed their brows in unison, all eyes turning toward the staff member.
“What announcement?”
Snapping back to reality, Ding Xiaoping asked in a low tone.
“Chairman, Mingsha Tourism has issued three announcements. The first one states that Yan City TV, Eggplant TV, and Yun Province TV will broadcast the entire Ancient Building Cultural Heritage Forum live,”
the staff member murmured softly.
“What? Did you say all three channels will broadcast simultaneously?”
Ding Xiaoping was instantly stunned, his face betraying complete bewilderment.
Having Yan City TV broadcast the forum live would be expected—everyone knows that Yan City TV and Mingsha Tourism are round-the-clock strategic partners, and the favor was sure to be returned! But what about Eggplant TV and Yun Province TV?
Especially Eggplant TV!
Eggplant TV is the most valued in-depth partner of the Director Association. They’d normally align with the Association, so why suddenly broadcast the forum live—especially at such a critical moment?
Just seconds ago, he claimed that Mingsha Culture had no support; now, their face has swollen to an unrecognizable state.
“Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”
Snapping back to focus, Ding Xiaoping confirmed once more.
“Leader, the official website of Mingsha Tourism indeed states this, and all three channels’ broadcasting schedules are posted!”
The staff member hurriedly denied it.
At first, he couldn’t believe it. To verify, he even checked the broadcasting schedules on Eggplant TV and Yun Province TV’s websites—indeed, the forum was set to be broadcast live.
“So what about the second announcement?”
Nearby, Bai Ming quickly jumped in.
“The second announcement says there will be about two hours of performances on the opening day. Viewers, please tune in.”
The staff member responded.
“Two hours of performances?”
Bai Ming instinctively glanced at the still-frowning Ding Xiaoping.
Remember, during the last tourism festival hosted by Mingsha, the program barely lasted that long. Yet this forum’s spectacle seems to surpass the festival entirely.
“And the third announcement?”
“The third announcement states that to celebrate the successful opening of the forum, Mingsha Tourism will open 450 wall guesthouses for booking from tonight’s early hours, with official check-ins starting March 31st.”
“Wall guesthouses?”
Bai Ming was stunned once again.
He’d never heard that term before.
Just as Bai Ming was about to ask what exactly wall guesthouses were, Ding Xiaoping interjected,
“This won’t do—I need to call Eggplant TV! Why are they broadcasting live?”
Whether it’s the two-hour performance or the wall guesthouses, Ding Xiaoping wasn’t concerned. What he really wanted was to ask Eggplant TV’s Cai An what his game was!
Ignoring whether the staff were still around, he pulled out his phone and dialed Cai An’s number.
Beep, beep, beep… After several rings, the call was answered.
“Old Cai, what’s going on? Why are you broadcasting that forum live?”
Ding Xiaoping immediately confronted him.
“Old Ding, just because you say that doesn’t mean Eggplant TV can’t broadcast the forum. It’s just a normal business partnership! Do our TV projects need to be approved by your Director Association?”
In the next moment, Cai An’s cool voice came through.
“Old Cai, you—”
Ding Xiaoping was completely speechless; the tone, the attitude—it oozed coldness. Their relationship hadn’t been like this before.
Before Ding Xiaoping could respond, Cai An’s voice came over the phone: “Old Ding, we’re currently in discussions with a cultural company about a new drama. I’ve got to hang up now.”
Immediately after, the phone line went busy.
“What?”
For a moment, the entire office fell into a deathly silence.
At the same time, as Ding Xiaoping of the Director Association was utterly baffled, chatter erupted across the forum.
“Unbelievable! I never expected Eggplant TV to broadcast Mingsha Tourism’s event! Aren’t Eggplant TV and the Director Association on really good terms?”
“Very surprising!”
“While the exact reasons remain unclear, one thing’s for sure: Eggplant TV has made its stance clear. In the future, you can expect Haofang Culture’s programs or Haofang Agency’s artists to appear on Eggplant TV without a hitch.”
“I bet the Director Association is dumbfounded!”
“Exactly. With Eggplant TV being a top-tier channel, along with Yan City TV and Yun Province TV… tsk tsk. How can the Director Association ever control Haofang Culture now?”
“Ha! To think they once dared try to restrict Haofang Culture—when they couldn’t even manage that before. Now, with Eggplant TV and Yun Province TV siding with Haofang Culture, it’s even more outrageous!”
“It seems the Director Association has really bitten off more than it can chew!”
“Exactly. If not for Ning An Cultural Tourism canceling their film festival, that festival would have been completely obliterated by this Ancient Building Cultural Heritage Forum.”
“So, the question is: What trick is Mingsha Tourism going to pull next?”
“What trick? Haven’t they already revealed enough? Am I the only one who noticed the second and third announcements pack a big punch?”
At that moment, a netizen couldn’t hold back and remarked.
“Second and third?”
“Exactly, while performances at the forum’s opening are nothing unusual, the fact that Mingsha Tourism even mentioned the duration means this show is anything but ordinary.”
“Alright, even if the second announcement makes some sense, what about the third?”
“You might have heard of wall hotels—like those in the ancient capital Xijing—but wall guesthouses aren’t the same. Mingsha Tourism is opening 450 of them, which means their wall extends for over ten kilometers and meets the criteria for public access.”
“Over ten kilometers?”
Listening to the netizen’s analysis, many were momentarily stunned.
For many, their impression of Mingsha’s walls was limited to the times of the tourism festival.
“If your analysis is correct, this Ancient Building Cultural Heritage Forum is going to be a spectacle—over ten kilometers of walls, simply breathtaking. I bet Mingsha Tourism isn’t doing this just to repair the wall; it’s merely a bonus.”
“So, just wait—over the next few days, Mingsha Tourism will surely release wave after wave of updates until the mysterious project officially opens its doors.”
“Makes sense!”
“So here’s a question: If someone reserves a wall guesthouse tonight, could they transfer it? I’m willing to pay a premium.”
“Not allowed!”
The power of netizens is boundless, and the discussion had inadvertently raised the buzz around the Ancient Building Cultural Heritage Forum to a new peak. At that very moment, Xu Hao, Zhu Qiang, and Luo Peng were in the Ancient Building Courtyard in Wudi City, discussing the wall guesthouses. Although the news was out, the pricing was yet to be finalized.
“Brother Hao, I think around 300 should be just right! Although wall guesthouses sound unique, the stay experience still can’t compare to Qing Brick Avenue guesthouses—or even the hotels on both sides of Zhuque Avenue.”
After a pause, Zhu Qiang said.
The wall guesthouses have no clear windows; the only light comes from the wall itself. Some guests might find it unsettling, while others might barely manage.
“Alright then, 300 it is!”
After some thought, Xu Hao nodded.
Originally, the wall guesthouses were designed as a budget option, simply to avoid wasting space within the wall. So a low price was perfectly reasonable.
“Brother Hao, what about the fee for climbing the wall?”
After a pause, Zhu Qiang added,
“Climbing the wall fee? What do you think is appropriate?”
Xu Hao picked up his teacup and took a sip.
Initially, he intended to offer the wall for free, since Mingsha had plenty of it. But on second thought, that would lead to overcrowding and potential safety hazards, not to mention a poor guest experience.
“Brother Hao, in the ancient capital Xijing, climbing the wall costs 100 yuan. Should we set the same standard?”
Zhu Qiang said.
“100 yuan? Isn’t that a bit steep?”
Xu Hao put his teacup down and looked at Zhu Qiang.
As Mingsha’s projects multiplied, visitor spending also increased. In a way, it was good for Mingsha Tourism, though they don’t really profit from wall tours.
“So, what do you think?”
“How about this: 60 yuan! Plus, after buying a ticket, you can rent a bicycle on the wall for free—if you want a sightseeing bike, that’ll be extra. Also, seniors and children get half-price, soldiers ride free, and locals of Mingsha County pay just 1 yuan per ride.”
After some thought, Xu Hao shared his idea.
“Brother Hao, that’s great!”
Nearby, Luo Peng chimed in.
He agreed that 100 yuan for climbing the wall in Xijing was too pricey, especially considering the extra fee for bicycle rental—Mingsha’s pricing was just right.
“Let’s go with Brother Hao’s plan. I’ll call the county’s Price Bureau later to file it!”
Zhu Qiang immediately nodded.
He was only making a suggestion, not insisting on a 100-yuan fee.
“Hmm!”
Xu Hao nodded.
After a brief pause, Xu Hao looked at Zhu Qiang again and said, “As for the top-tier ancient building guesthouses, there’s no way to roll them out before the forum. It has to wait until afterwards! In the next few days, everyone will be at the service of the forum!”
Recently, Mingsha Tourism has received plenty of feedback from visitors who said their trips were great but something felt missing—perhaps because they never got to experience truly authentic ancient building guesthouses.
Staying in genuinely ancient-style guesthouses would offer a far richer experience, unlike those that look ancient on the outside but are basically modern hotels inside.
Zhu Qiang then brought this issue to Xu Hao’s attention.
“Brother Hao, I get it. I’m just wondering—if we’re going to build truly ancient guesthouses, shouldn’t we have different standards?”
Zhu Qiang quickly added.
Although he wanted to offer the best service to visitors before the forum, some things simply couldn’t be rushed.
“Absolutely! Truly ancient guesthouses come in various courtyard sizes, and the wooden beds differ too—an orange-wood frame bed is nothing like a six-pillar bed made of sandalwood for blessings.”
Xu Hao nodded.
A top-tier ancient guesthouse might only accommodate one family, but its construction cost and labor complexity rival that of even the grandest pavilions.
P.S. Brothers, updates are expected to return to normal starting tomorrow. After a little adjustment, we’ll be back to rapid updates—Lao Ba said, “Do it, or else.”