Chapter 786: Reviving the Guanxiang Districts
Cheng Xu had become an unexpected sensation!
It couldn’t be helped; only the oldest handful of villagers knew when Cheng Xu had first arrived in Gao Family Village. Furthermore, only a select few—Gao Yiye, San Shier, and Gao Chuwu—were aware of Cheng Xu’s true identity.
For everyone who had arrived in Gao Family Village since, they only knew of "Instructor He," the masked drillmaster of the Gao Family Village Militia, but nothing of his origins or past exploits.
Upon seeing the movie’s plot, they naturally projected Cheng Xu onto the heroic lead.
Ordinary folk didn't truly care about the facts; they only cared if a legend was captivating.
Clearly, associating Cheng Xu with the "Minor Border Soldier of Da Ling River" was an incredibly engaging story, and that was more than enough.
Immediately, gossip about Instructor He swept through both Gao Family Village and Puzhou.
And gossip, once started, quickly spiraled...
Initially, the rumors followed the movie's narrative.
"Have you heard? Instructor He has mastered the Yang family spear techniques and Li Guang's archery, and he recently even devised his own flintlock rifle skill called 'Shadow Gale,' which boasts perfect accuracy within three hundred meters, felling an enemy with every shot."
"Isn't Mr. Bai Yuan, the master of Bai Family Fortress, the most skilled with flintlock rifles in Gao Family Village?"
"Oh, that's only because Instructor He rarely takes action. If he often showcased his skills, Mr. Bai wouldn't stand a chance!"
"Old Zhang San said... over six years ago, on a snowy night, he was sleeping at home when he heard a knock. He got up to check, and there stood Instructor He at the door. He asked in a northeastern accent, 'Do you take in outsiders here?' Old Zhang San nodded and said yes. Then, the very next day, the Gao Family Village Militia was established."
"I also heard that before Instructor He came to Gao Family Village, the militia's drillmaster was none other than Chen Qianhu! Yes, the same Chen Qianhu who played Xiao Tianzuo and Zu Dashou! He tried to sideline Instructor He, but being outmatched, he was eventually defeated by Instructor He."
"That doesn't sound right. Didn't Instructor He build the Gao Family Village Militia from the ground up? How could there have been a drillmaster before him?"
"Uh... well... I'm not entirely sure about that."
As Cheng Xu’s popularity exploded, a new sentiment began to ripple through Gao Family Village and Puzhou.
"Those Manchus are truly despicable!"
"While Zu Dashou's surrender was hateful, the real culprits are the Manchus, aren't they? If the Manchus hadn't attacked, Zu Dashou wouldn't have surrendered, and the people of Da Ling River City wouldn't have been eaten like grain."
"Exactly, the Manchus are utterly vile."
For the common people in the central plains and Shaanxi, the Manchus in the northeast were a distant, shadowy threat. The imperial court at the time lacked proper propaganda, leaving most citizens largely unaware of the Manchus.
But this movie had brought the scars and suffering inflicted by the Manchus directly before the people's eyes.
The "Northern Barbarians" in *Mu Guiying* were figures of a long-past history, but the Manchus in *Minor Border Soldier of Da Ling River* were a very real, very present, and very active enemy.
"I want to enlist! So I can deal with the Manchus in the future."
"Me too!"
"Let's go together! How cool would it be to fight the Northern Barbarians alongside Instructor He!"
With repeated screenings and an intensifying atmosphere, enlistment numbers in both Gao Family Village and Puzhou soared.
Moreover, Instructor He’s portrayal in the film—his image as a man who would risk his life to uphold justice—drastically changed public perception of soldiers. The old adage, "A good man doesn't become a soldier, and good iron isn't used for nails," began to be cast aside.
Mass-Produced Unit No. 3 stepped into the Flower World Star Agency and sat before Lao Nanfeng.
Lao Nanfeng was currently counting his money...
The movie's immense success had filled his coffers. With such a massive fortune, he naturally planned to indulge in the finest food and drink and enjoy all the splendor and riches life had to offer. Lao Nanfeng had no grand aspirations; he simply loved reveling in the pleasures of the material world. In this regard, he was quite similar to Zhu Cunji.
Seeing Li Daoxuan, Lao Nanfeng quickly offered a deep bow. "Thank you, Heavenly Lord. The film you instructed the Saintess to help your subordinate create has been a phenomenal success. Your subordinate has been counting money until his hands cramped these past few days."
Li Daoxuan smiled. "Having earned your fortune, do not forget your mission."
Lao Nanfeng's expression grew serious. "Your subordinate understands! The Heavenly Lord produced this film not merely to help your subordinate make money, but more importantly, to recruit soldiers."
"Indeed," Li Daoxuan confirmed. "So, how are the constructions of your various sub-theaters progressing?"
Lao Nanfeng chuckled. "The sub-theater in Gao Family Village itself is already operational. The sub-theaters in Hedong Circuit, Han City, Chengcheng County, and Heyang County are nearing completion. Only... *cough*... Xi'an City has encountered a slight difficulty."
Li Daoxuan raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What's wrong with Xi'an?"
Lao Nanfeng explained, "The layout of Xi'an City is too established; there's virtually no space left for development. Your subordinate simply couldn't find a suitable empty plot to build a grand theater."
Li Daoxuan understood. So that was the problem.
Xi'an, an ancient capital for many dynasties, had been "a bustling capital where carriages emerged at dawn" since the Tang Dynasty.
In modern terms, "the more prosperous a place, the harder it is to develop." Just thinking about those rows upon rows of old houses was enough to give one a headache.
Li Daoxuan instructed, "If it's impossible in the main city, then revive the Guanxiang districts."
During the mid-Ming Dynasty, the cramped Xi'an could no longer contain its economic prosperity. Four bustling areas had extended outwards from the city's four gates, known as the "Four Great Guanxiang" of east, south, west, and north.
Sadly, by the Tianqi and Chongzhen eras, due to the great famine in Shaanxi and the economic collapse, these once-prosperous Guanxiang districts had decayed along with the economy, becoming ruins.
The "Xi'an East Station" railway station built by Gao Family Village was located next to the ruins of the East Guanxiang, outside the East Gate.
Lao Nanfeng replied, "There's a great drought across the land, and bandits run rampant. Although our efforts have significantly improved the situation in Shaanxi compared to previous years, the common people are still afraid. It's still very difficult to draw them out from the main city to the Guanxiang districts for activities in the evening, as dusk approaches."
"Understood,"
Li Daoxuan said. "Then the Guanxiang districts need to offer many compelling attractions. Movies are one, and we'll also set up night markets. I will notify the Gao Family Village Village Committee and have San Shier move all of Gao Family Village’s wondrous and unusual goods to be sold in Xi'an's East Guanxiang. It's time for the people of Xi'an to experience the quality of life enjoyed in Gao Family Village."
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