Chapter 74: The Rivalry of Pavilions
by xennovelDay Ten. Day Eleven. As Tengwang Pavilion’s roof reached its final phase, with Glazed Tiles being laid and the exterior painted, the live chat had already stopped its barrage of criticisms aimed at Xu Hao. “So, does that mean Brother Hao’s creation outshines the one in Gan Province?”
Viewing the magnificent structure towering in the Shadou area through the camera, some fans were at a loss for words, unable to describe the surge of emotions in that moment.
Who would have thought someone could erect a Tengwang Pavilion right in the Desert? Even after a few drinks, no one would boast like that!
“No! We should say each has its own merit. The cultural heritage of the one in Gan Province stands on its own. ‘Flying with the sunset, soaring with lone birds; the autumn waters merge with the endless sky’ isn’t something you see every day.”
“And while Brother Hao’s pavilion may lack deep cultural roots, it’s impressively identical in appearance.”
“Got it!”
“So, let’s check out the one in Gan Province first, then later experience Brother Hao’s place.”
“Well, Brother Hao’s Tengwang Pavilion actually towers even higher than the Desert Pavilion. Standing at its highest level and gazing out over the Desert is an entirely different experience.”
“That makes sense!”
“By the way, when will Brother Hao’s Desert Tengwang Pavilion be officially finished?”
“I’d say in another two to three days!”
“I originally planned to visit Zhang Chi’s Ancient Building Courtyard to check it out, but it seems it’s best to first soak in the grandeur of a Desert Tengwang Pavilion over at Brother Hao’s.”
“Absolutely! While the Ancient Building Courtyard is fine, in our Long Kingdom there are plenty of those. But Brother Hao’s all-wood Tengwang Pavilion is one of a kind – the only one in Long Kingdom!”
“Then what are we waiting for? Book the tickets!”
“Book? Don’t be ridiculous—I just called, and the guesthouse bookings over there are full up for a month.”
“Seriously?”
The viewers have short memories, especially when something better comes along.
Many have stopped caring about whether Xu Hao had promised anything about the Ancient Building Courtyard. Some even commented in the live chat that it’s a good thing the Ancient Building Courtyard wasn’t built, or else they’d miss out on this amazing Tengwang Pavilion! This sentiment grew even stronger after tourists from Oasis 1 and Oasis 2 uploaded stunning photos with the Desert Pavilion and Tengwang Pavilion in the background.
In an instant, the tide of opinion completely turned.
At dusk in Haishi, with the sky painted in a mesmerizing array of pinks and oranges, the scene was breathtaking. Back at Tianchen Culture Headquarters, Yang Yuan watched the video with a dark expression, finally hurling his phone onto his desk in frustration.
“This Xu Hao… seriously, is he even human?”
“Boss Yang, what do we do now? No one could have imagined that Xu Hao would pull off an all-wood Tengwang Pavilion. Apart from the massive online attention, it’s even caught the eyes of the authorities.”
“As expected. This all-wood Tengwang Pavilion is bound to be heavily promoted locally. Tourists will flock in, no doubt about it!”
Liu Qing murmured under his breath.
His mood and expression reverted back to the days when Xu Hao was constantly outclassing them.
In less than nine and a half days of brief elation, reality had struck hard.
And both he and Yang Yuan shared the exact thought: Is Xu Hao even human? His feats go far beyond what any ordinary person could do. Everyone thought he was just building an ordinary pavilion or wooden pagoda, but he went all out and delivered a masterstroke!
“How’s the fan situation over there?”
Leaning back in his chair while massaging his temples, Yang Yuan finally spoke after a long pause.
“The traction for our Ancient Building Courtyard has taken a huge hit—many loyal fans have shifted over to watch Xu Hao’s antics. In terms of visual impact, Tengwang Pavilion just outclasses the Ancient Building Courtyard.”
Liu Qing sighed in resignation.
Initially, Zhang Chi’s live chat was flooded with comments mocking Xu Hao for being too scared to face challenges. But now, the script had completely flipped, with everyone praising Xu Hao for playing with a higher caliber.
“These viewers are really fickle—they lack any conviction.”
Yang Yuan chuckled bitterly.
“Although Xu Hao’s act may have stolen the spotlight, not a single fan or viewer is forcing a comparison between the Ancient Building Courtyard and Tengwang Pavilion. In that sense, we still hold an edge.”
“An edge? No way—we have to totally outdo him this time!”
BANG! Yang Yuan, growing increasingly irate, finally slammed his fist onto the desk.
After spending over thirty million on this project, all we get is an ‘edge’?
“Totally outdone?”
Liu Qing shrank back, at a loss for words.
At that moment, he couldn’t think of any chance for a complete triumph. The Ancient Building Courtyard would be fully completed in just another fortnight, and any last-minute additions were now unrealistic.
More importantly, even if they tried to add more, nothing could match the caliber of a wooden Tengwang Pavilion.
He had discreetly asked Zhao Fei beforehand, and Zhao Fei had stated that even with all the cement and rebar, their company couldn’t recreate a Tengwang Pavilion. This was no matter of money.
“Hmph, it’s all about momentum. As long as we can snatch the buzz back, we’re good.”
Yang Yuan gritted his teeth.
“Snatching the buzz?”
“Exactly. Don’t forget, we’ve already signed on a renowned period light-hearted comedy director along with several top-billed actors. Once Zhang Chi promotes in his live chat that once the Ancient Building Courtyard is completed, a film crew will move in to shoot the series—backed by the star power of both the male and female leads, there’s no way tourists will stay away! Xu Hao’s side, without any celebrity backing, is just an empty shell.”
Yang Yuan’s eyes squinted almost to a sliver.
Normally, it wasn’t time to start the promotional campaign for this project, but now there was no time for distractions.
“You’re right—how come I didn’t think of that! This time, we’ve hired Wan Shan, the country’s most acclaimed director of period dramas. Our male lead is Deng Liang and the female lead is Wang Ran.”
The fan bases of these two stars are so massive that even a single word could drown out Xu Hao.
Moreover, once these big names shoot at the Ancient Building Courtyard, its value will soar, turning it into a iconic check-in spot.
Liu Qing patted his head in sudden realization, finally grasping Yang Yuan’s plan for total victory.
“Set it up immediately!”
Yang Yuan waved his hand dismissively. He simply couldn’t bear to see Xu Hao’s Tengwang Pavilion dominating the trending pages of every short video platform.
“Understood, Boss Yang!”
Meanwhile, after over a dozen hectic days of preparations, Xu Hao finally appeared in the live stream. Now, Tengwang Pavilion was down to the finishing touches, with minor tasks overseen by laborers and foremen.
As per routine, he greeted the more than one hundred thousand viewers in his live chat.
“Brother Hao, you finally showed up!”
“I’ve been waiting so long my flowers have already wilted!”
“Respect!”
“Please accept my kneeling salute.”
As soon as Xu Hao appeared, the live chat exploded, comments flooding in like a virus attacking a computer, and it took several minutes before things finally calmed down.
“Brother Hao, to be fair—even though your Tengwang Pavilion is insanely impressive this time, you should have informed your fans and brothers in the live chat about the Ancient Building Courtyard, so we’d know what to expect.”
“Exactly!”
Unsurprisingly, many loyal fans and even a few who still harbored grudges brought up the Ancient Building Courtyard once more.
“Ancient Building Courtyard?”
Xu Hao stroked his chin.
“Yeah, the Ancient Building Courtyard. You have no idea how the fans at Zhang Chi’s side ridiculed us when we started building it. We were almost incensed back then.”
A fan sent several furious emoji in rapid succession.
“Wait a minute, when did I ever say I wasn’t building the Ancient Building Courtyard?”
Xu Hao glanced at the comments and immediately responded with a puzzled look.
“Huh?”
In the next instant, the once lively live chat fell eerily silent.