Chapter 78: Turbulent Times in Mingsha County

Meanwhile,

At the Mingsha County government office building, a middle-aged man sat at Wang Xun’s desk, with Qin Xuan standing by.

“Boss, the situation is getting worse—especially today. Nearly half the shops in the county town are closed. If this keeps up, what will become of the residents of Chengguan Town? Already, plenty of locals have come asking questions.”

The man’s expression was nothing but complaints, echoing exactly what the Balding Man on the street had said.

His name was Qi Qiuyun, the leader of Chengguan Town in Mingsha County—the administrative center of the county.

“So what exactly do you propose?”

Wang Xun gave Qi Qiuyun a cool glance.

“I think the two of you should rein in Mingsha Tourism a bit. Attracting investment is good, but we can’t sacrifice our locals’ livelihood for GDP by snatching businesses from our town. Right now, the benefits are all going to Hongsha Gang Village and two nearby townships, leaving Chengguan Town in the lurch.”

Qi Qiuyun muttered under his breath.

“Secretary Qi, what you’re saying is problematic!”

Unable to hold back any longer, Qin Xuan interrupted Qi Qiuyun directly.

“What do you mean by snatching business owners? Do you know how much consumption and how many jobs Mingsha Tourism has generated in the county this past month? If Chengguan Town is doing well, why would those businesses leave?”

“And if all the shops move out, what will happen to Chengguan Town’s residents? Our fiscal revenue depends on these shops paying taxes.”

Clearly exasperated, Qi Qiuyun, ignoring that Qin Xuan was his subordinate, shot back.

“That’s on you all.”

“Alright, Secretary Qi, we’ve heard you. Now get out—let’s have a meeting tonight to discuss this.”

Just as Qin Xuan was about to retort, Wang Xun waved him off.

“Okay, Secretary, I’m off!”

Hearing the order, Qi Qiuyun dared not say another word and left the office, briefcase in hand.

“Old Qin, were there many merchants coming from the desert today?”

Wang Xun poured himself a cup of tea before turning to Qin Xuan.

“At least half of them!”

“Really, half?”

Wang Xun was taken aback; he had assumed Qi Qiuyun was exaggerating, but it turned out to be true.

“Today, on a Saturday, thousands of tourists from Wei City and nearby Nieshi descended. The entrance to Hongsha Gang Village was choked with people, and the county’s shopkeepers, lured by the commotion, moved over.”

Eventually, the county traffic police and urban management had to rush over to help.

Speaking of today’s Mingsha Tourism spectacle, Qin Xuan could only sigh.

“If Mingsha Tourism maintains this momentum, Mingsha County’s GDP will soar. Our decision to fully support them was clearly the right one! Thousands of visitors a day now rival even the top-rated attractions.”

Wang Xun nodded in agreement.

“Yes, the momentum is fantastic, but I doubt Mingsha Tourism expected today’s sudden surge. Their capacity for reception and service hasn’t kept pace.”

“Then we must help boost their capability. By the way, how’s the progress on delivering water and electricity to Hongsha Gang Village? I assured our higher-ups personally.”

After a brief pause, Wang Xun asked further.

“Work started today! With three shifts, it should take about twenty days to get water and electricity to the edge of the desert plot.”

“Excellent! Push ahead!”

“Also, coordinate the fire safety inspection with Mingsha Tourism. Their buildings are mostly all wood—especially the newly built Tengwang Pavilion.”

“The entire structure is made of Oil Cedar. A single discarded cigarette could trigger a major disaster. If delays become a problem, negotiate with Mingsha Tourism about setting up a fire station for Mingsha County over there.”

“Set up a station? The desert area where Mingsha Tourism operates has already been sold. We can’t establish a branch unit in an area that’s been sold.”

Qin Xuan hesitated.

“It’s fine. We can negotiate to have more desert land allocated to them. That area is meant for such institutional setups. I have a feeling the fire brigade is just the first—not the last—of such measures.”

“Then how many personnel should we send? The county fire brigade has fewer than thirty people. Besides Tengwang Pavilion and the guesthouses, Researcher Xu seems intent on setting up an Ancient Building Courtyard as well.”

“Let’s allocate five people along with one fire truck for now.”

After a moment of silent calculation, Wang Xun affirmed,

“Understood, Boss!”

“Then what about Chengguan Town?”

Qin Xuan couldn’t help but ask.

“Just find some excuse to placate them. If we truly restrict Mingsha Tourism, why would we labor over attracting investment? We can’t always bitch about others stealing our thunder when our county has struggled for so many years.”

Wang Xun raised his tea cup and took a small sip.

Time flew, and soon dusk arrived.

Under the setting sun, the Tengli Desert shimmered as if dusted with a layer of golden sand.

At that moment,

At the Desert Pavilion in Oasis 1, along the wooden walkway of Shaji, tourists were still crammed together, snapping photos.

Meanwhile, Zhu Qiang and Luo Peng had no time to enjoy the view. Along with Xu Hao, they appeared at the base of Tengwang Pavilion.

“Brother Hao, you saw the scene today. If we open Tengwang Pavilion for free, it’ll be overcrowded—risking safety and ruining the visitor experience.”

Glancing at the sand slope below the Desert Pavilion and the Hu Yang Forest across, he added,

“Today, Mingsha Tourism’s revenue soared to several times its previous level. A single camel caravan, excluding rental fees, earned about 200,000—not to mention other attractions and restaurant sales.”

Yet, such a revenue boom came with significant drawbacks.

Zhu Qiang sighed.

Even though extra trash bins and portable toilets were hastily provided, many garbage bags and drink bottles still ended up tossed into the grass lattice.

These grass lattices had only just been planted with saxaul trees and citrus; cleaning them once was a real hassle. Some ill-mannered visitors even buried their trash in the sand, making it nearly impossible to retrieve.

“General Zhu is right. Ticket sales aren’t just for profit—they’re also meant to protect Tengwang Pavilion. That’s why it hasn’t opened today, or else disaster would have struck.”

Luo Peng added thoughtfully.

He hadn’t realized just how busy he had been until by 11 AM his ears felt like they were no longer his. That hectic day taught him that while free entry has its perks, it isn’t always the optimal solution.

“So, what do you think the ticket price should be? Although Tengwang Pavilion will be fully finished by tomorrow, it’s empty inside. Set the price wrong, and public opinion will turn against us.”

Xu Hao rubbed his forehead.

He had initially thought that even if Tengwang Pavilion eventually charged admission, they could start with free entry. But as Luo Peng pointed out, today’s situation was too overwhelming—a free entry would have undoubtedly led to problems.

Just after 1 PM, the wooden walkway leading to the Desert Pavilion was packed with people, struggling to go up or down—a dangerous scene.

“Ticket price?”

Mentioning ticket prices left both Zhu Qiang and Luo Peng in a bind.

“What if we take a cue from Gan Province’s Tengwang Pavilion—fifty per person, with exemptions for the elderly, military, and dependents?”

After a pause, Zhu Qiang said,

“That comparison won’t work. Gan Province’s Tengwang Pavilion has a deep historical and cultural heritage, with plenty of relics and ancient texts for visitors. Our Tengwang Pavilion is just a simple wooden building. Even if we charge ten, some guests would still feel it’s not worth it.”

Xu Hao shook his head.

“Following that model would be much simpler.”