Chapter 436 The Blueprint for Dahe Village
These past few days, Cheng Wanwan has been planning the lotus pond project. She really didn't expect the village head to take the initiative to talk to her about it.
She sat down in the main room, lit a candle, and then took out the drawings she had made over the past few days to formally discuss the matter.
"So it turns out that Aunt Dashan already had a plan in mind." The village head looked at the blueprints and couldn't help but sigh with admiration. "How did you get such a clever brain?"
Cheng Wanwan dared not admit that she was smart. She was a modern person who had seen a lot and naturally thought a lot. She was already embarrassed to directly use the successful experiences that others had figured out, and she didn't want to be labeled as smart.
She began, "The lotus pond will attract many people, and they'll all be people who can afford to spend their spare money. The villagers can use this to make money. For example, there's hunting. We can have Hunter Zhao designate the area, select some men from the patrol team to guard it, and make some tools. I think tourists would be very willing to try it. There are also boat trips on the lake and the river. There are lotus flowers in the lake, and our Dahe Village is flanked by continuous mountain peaks, which are also incredibly beautiful..."
“As long as people come, the village economy will be boosted. They need to eat, drink tea, have snacks, and go to the toilet. If these necessities are handled by different people, wouldn't all the villagers benefit? Also, we can vigorously develop lotus culture. Last time, Master Yu's lotus landscape painting sold for a high price of five taels of silver. If the villagers carved a lotus flower, made bamboo or wood carvings, wove some trinkets, or embroidered some lotus handkerchiefs, I think some people would be willing to spend that money…”
She spoke at length and in great detail, ultimately broadening the perspective to consider the entire Dahe Village, suggesting that almost everyone in the village would benefit.
The village head's expression remained blank, continuously blank, continuously shocked, his gaze shifting from disbelief to respect...
“These details require the villagers’ cooperation to perfect, which will probably take at least half a month.” Cheng Wanwan wrote the time on the paper. “And after half a month, the lotus flowers will bloom one after another. Starting from the beginning of June, the village will officially receive guests who come to admire the lotus flowers. What does the village head think?”
"Good, good, good!" Li Zhengzhi nodded. "What you said is excellent. We'll do it your way, and I'll get the whole village to cooperate!"
For projects that require the entire village's effort, the profits are counted at the market and distributed as dividends at the end of the year.
Cheng Wanwan nodded: "Leave everything else to Uncle Village Head, I'll take care of the publicity."
First, we need to find Master Yu to draw promotional posters and post them out. Then, we need to write some simple advertising leaflets and distribute them at the entrances of schools in nearby counties and towns. The purpose of doing this is twofold: first, to promote the event, and second, to only accept advance reservations. After all, the venue is limited. If one group of customers comes, it will be full; if two groups come, it will be barely enough; and if three groups come, we really won't be able to handle it...
The next day, Cheng Wanwan specifically contacted the village head to arrange the things that needed to be done, and the village head then made the arrangements one by one.
After this day, it will be the day that Madam Qian will hold her birthday banquet.
She could guess that the people invited must be mistresses or young ladies of noble families. These people would definitely dress up in their finest attire when they went out, and they would definitely bring maids with them. As a lady of the Sui family, she could not dress too shabbily, nor could she be completely lacking in pomp and circumstance.
Wei Xiaohai was in charge of driving the carriage, and Wei Hongying was in charge of attending to him. The three of them boarded the carriage together.
Today, Cheng Wanwan wore a floor-length, light blue dress embroidered with jasmine flowers, and auspicious clouds on the hem and cuffs, which looked very stylish.
She wore a golden hairpin in her hair, which also had a lotus scene on it. When she moved her head, the dragonfly wings on the lotus fluttered, as if it was about to take flight.
The earrings on her ears also feature lotus flower pendants, hanging vertically like water droplets, which is very beautiful.
She was wearing a complete set of jewelry: hairpin, earrings, necklace, and bracelet. Each piece was exquisite, and even people who don't like jewelry would probably notice it.
Before noon, the carriage arrived in Baiyun County and then slowly drove towards the entrance of the Qian residence.
This was Cheng Wanwan's first time visiting the Qian family. It must be said that the Qian family was truly magnificent. Two stone lions stood imposingly, large red lanterns hung high, and many flower pots were placed at the entrance, making it look lush and lively.
"Madam Sui, your presence is an honor to grace us with your presence! We are so sorry for not welcoming you sooner!"
Old Master Qian spotted Cheng Wanwan's carriage at a glance and immediately abandoned the other guests to come and greet it.
When the other guests heard the name "Mrs. Sui," they quickly turned around to look.
The carriage curtain was lifted, and an unremarkable-looking young maid came out first, then helped a woman wearing a light blue dress down.
The woman was dressed in fine silk and brocade, and she looked extraordinary. It turned out that this was the famous Lady Sui.
Madam Qian's eyes lit up as she looked at the hairpin in Cheng Wanwan's hair. She was a jewelry collector, but she had never seen such an exquisite hairpin before. It must be a fine piece from the capital, and only Lady Sui could be worthy of it.
She quickly followed her father-in-law to greet her: "Greetings, Madam Sui! Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to attend my birthday banquet. I am truly honored!"
“Hui’er and I are quite familiar with each other. You are Hui’er’s mother, so please don’t be so polite as to call yourself a commoner in front of me.” Cheng Wanwan presented the congratulatory gift and said with a smile, “Madam Qian looks so young. She looks no more than thirty-five. You can’t tell that she is forty at all.”
Madam Qian smiled, her lips pressed together: "Madam Sui is so good at praising people. Just pretend I'm only thirty-five. Today is my thirty-fifth birthday banquet. Come on, let's go inside and sit down to talk."
After taking Cheng Wanwan inside, Grandpa Qian didn't stay any longer. After all, it was a gathering of women, and it would be inconvenient for an old man like him to stay there.
Many people had already arrived at the banquet hall of the Qian family mansion. They were all noble ladies and young women who were familiar with Madam Qian. When they saw Cheng Wanwan enter, they all bowed to her.
Cheng Wanwan has a gentle temperament and speaks with a smile, so she quickly became friends with everyone.
Some of the bolder young ladies came over to ask questions.
"Where did you buy the hairpin in Lady Sui's hair?"
"I've never seen this style before. What kind of flower is this? The dragonfly is so realistic. The earrings and bracelets are also this style."
“I’ve seen it in paintings. It’s a lotus flower, also called a water lily or a water hibiscus. It’s said that it can only grow in the south.”
"These flowers are so beautiful!"
"..."
Cheng Wanwan took off the gold hairpin from her head: "I went to Huzhou not long ago. Some southern merchants were selling jewelry on the street. I thought it was pretty, so I bought it. If I had any extras, I would have given them to you all. It's a pity that this is the only set left."
“These lotus flowers are truly lifelike and vivid,” Madam Qian said hesitantly. “I heard from Hui’er that there is a hundred-acre lotus pond in Dahe Village, which belongs to Madam Sui. I wonder… if it would be convenient for us to go and admire the lotus flowers?”
She sensed from Hui'er's words that Lady Sui seemed to welcome outsiders to come and admire the flowers, but she was afraid that Hui'er had misunderstood, so she asked the question with some trepidation.
The women around them all looked on with anticipation.
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