Chapter 69 Opening Ceremony (End)
Lu Xiaoqi had seen the rehearsal, and she actually felt that this place would be at a disadvantage for a song and dance performance.
The characteristics of this theater are more suitable for forms such as opera, drama, and musicals, which can amplify the emotions of the performers and make the audience more immersed in the performance, but it is relatively less effective for dance.
With Director Sun, the three Li brothers, and a group of musicians including Gongsun Jin who seemed to have traveled from another era, the show was still undeniably brilliant, easily surpassing most performances at tourist attractions. However, compared to the more traditional operas she had seen performed by Zhu Lianxiu in small theaters, such as "The Tragedy of Dou E" and "The West Chamber," which focused primarily on singing and acting, it lacked a certain depth of resonance on a deeper level.
We could consider bringing Zhu Lianxiu's performances to the big stage, or creating some new plays and introducing some traditional opera performances. Otherwise, it would be a waste to have such a large performance hall here and only use it three or four times a week.
Moreover, there are additional charges.
The ancient sound of the xun (a type of ancient Chinese wind instrument) rises, simple and profound, like a wind that has traveled through thousands of years, sweeping across the sleeping Qin Chuan land.
The audience members sitting in the performance hall couldn't help but wrinkle their noses.
Tian Fan's nose was particularly sensitive. He felt as if he could smell a hint of earthy astringency, and... He tried hard to recall this somewhat familiar scent... Yes, it was the feeling he had when he looked at bronze artifacts in the museum, with a metallic chill.
The stage performance, titled "A Thousand Years of Splendor," has begun.
Li Guinian stood on the high platform, threw the xun in his hand outward, picked up the huge drumstick and smashed it down heavily on the drumhead of the alligator drum with tremendous force.
A loud "thud" was heard.
Li Pengnian led the dancers like solemn Qin terracotta warriors, drawing their bronze swords and dancing to the beat of the drums. The lights followed them closely; they were the embodiment of power, filling the sword dance with the ferocity of battle and abandoning any sense of grace.
With each pause, the ground undulates and the mountains rise.
With each step they took, they landed precisely on the peaks of the hills, adjusting their center of gravity according to the undulations of the terrain, yet never losing their formation.
“It’s the Great Wall…” Tian Fan exclaimed excitedly.
What rises from the stage is the Great Wall.
He instinctively looked around apologetically, only to find that no one had noticed him at all, and he could even hear people shouting "Great Wall!"
"The mighty Qin people, united in the face of national crisis. We will fight until our blood runs dry!"
The deep, powerful chanting echoed throughout the space, and the sword dance quickened, becoming as swift as a leopard and as fierce as a tiger, giving a direct sense of the Qin army's momentum and bravery as they swept across the land.
The Great Wall slowly descended, and the armored warriors retreated. The enormous bamboo scrolls unfurled to both sides and gradually rose.
A river seems to flow across the stage, with the sound of its gentle murmur audible. Clumps of reeds sway in the wind, adding to the romantic and poetic atmosphere of the scene.
Even Qin Yue, whose nose isn't very sensitive, could smell it this time. She took a deep breath and said, "It smells like grass and trees..."
It's like the scent of mountains and forests when spring arrives.
Li Nuan: "I smelled it too."
Qin Yue: "Wow, this is actually a 4D experiential performance."
Li Nuan recalled her experience with a 4D movie and looked at her seat with a hint of fear: "Won't it suddenly start moving?"
Last time, I really messed her up.
Qin Yue laughed and then asked curiously, "Where do you think all this water went?"
Inside the private room, Ren Zhijiao was also asking this question: "Is this water real? Won't it leak?"
Lu Xiaoqi blinked: "No, there's a special device."
As for what kind of special method it was, she didn't know, but she could make it up.
Professor Lin was also amazed by the stage effects and praised Director Sun highly: "These reeds look just like real ones. The stage effects of the performances I've seen before were all very abstract, but none of them were as good as this."
Director Sun: "The ones in front are real, but the ones in the back are actually projected onto an electronic screen."
When viewed together, they create an effect of vastness and desolation, with reeds drifting like snow—it is truly beautiful.
Professor Lin and Ren Zhijiao both gave him a thumbs up: "No wonder he's a director from the capital, his aesthetic sense is just different."
Director Sun was a little embarrassed. The stage design was actually arranged by Boss Lu, and he only played a role in getting it approved.
However, he wouldn't bring it up; he'd just laugh it off.
Lu Xiaoqi chuckled to herself.
"The reeds are green and lush, the white dew is like frost, the one I long for is on the other side of the water..." Li Henian recited this poem from the pre-Qin period behind the scenes. His voice was ethereal and melodious, like the murmuring of flowing water.
The dancers, holding reeds, stepped barefoot into the shallow stream. Their bodies seemed weightless; their toes lightly touched the water's surface, and their bodies spun and stretched, as if they were truly floating on the water.
Gongsun Jin leads the dance; he can perform both sword dances and such graceful dances.
If the men's sword dance just now showcased the power of the Qin state in unifying the six states, then the current "Jianjia" dance presents the romantic side of pre-Qin culture to the audience.
Tian Fan suddenly understood the meaning of the title "A Thousand Years of Splendor".
Perhaps next there will be the Han Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty...
As expected, after the Qin Dynasty segment, the grand and expansive atmosphere of the Han and Tang Dynasties, and the brilliant peak of the Song and Ming Dynasties, unfolded in succession. Dance and acrobatics were combined with poetry and songs, each scene exceptionally captivating. The stage background changed several times; in just a moment of darkness, it switched to another scene, as if it had entered a completely different space.
The Silk Road, the tribute missions of all nations, the splendor of Bianjing (Kaifeng), Zheng He's voyages to the Western Ocean... these magnificent chapters have all been vividly depicted.
When the story unfolds about Zhang Qian's mission to the Western Regions and the opening of the Silk Road, the stage is filled with undulating sand dunes, evoking images of a lone plume of smoke rising straight from the desert and the setting sun over a long river. When the story unfolds about Zheng He's voyages to the Western Ocean, the passageway between the semi-circular stage and the audience seating becomes a waterway, with ships slowly passing through it.
Combined with sound, light, and electricity, this is a visual feast.
Everyone, even the youngest children, watched with great interest and were extremely engrossed.
During the final curtain call, all the cast and crew members came up one by one to express their gratitude, and Director Sun also went down to receive the thunderous applause from the audience, enjoying his glory.
Li Guinian, a playful person, rallied everyone to lift Director Sun up and toss him into the air. When Director Sun came down, his clothes were all askew, which made Lu Xiaoqi burst into laughter.
Li Guinian joined later, and in fact, Director Sun had a lot of opinions about him at the beginning.
"This young man has too many ideas, he changes his mind all the time, he's not easy to manage," Director Sun once complained to Lu Xiaoqi. "The key is that everyone in the troupe listens to him."
He's been very annoyed these past few days.
Lu Xiaoqi paused for a moment. Of course, if he didn't have so many ideas, he wouldn't have become a musical genius adored by the whole nation. Besides, Gongsun Jin and those musicians from the Jiaofangsi were originally his subordinates, so of course they would listen to him.
She suggested tactfully, "Why don't you try listening to his idea? Maybe it will really work?"
Director Sun was initially very dissatisfied. He felt that Li Guinian—whose modern name was Li Guinian—must be someone with connections, otherwise the boss wouldn't have been so protective of him. But he also had to admit that this young man was a genius. He had an extremely high level of knowledge in classical Chinese music, but seemed to know nothing about modern Western music. At first, he didn't even seem to have played the piano before, but after only a few days, he could play a simple piece of music quite well from the sheet music.
Director Sun was also a person who appreciated talent, and remembering Lu Xiaoqi's words, he decided to give him a try.
Unexpectedly, after Li Guinian adjusted a few segments and added some of his own ideas, the result was quite good.
Director Sun was impressed; it turned out the man was actually a well-connected individual with some ability! After some consideration, he decided that such a person was worth befriending, so he simply handed over the Han and Tang Dynasty sections to him.
Nowadays, Director Sun and Li Guinian have a pretty good relationship.
Director Sun was hired from outside. After he left, Lu Xiaoqi planned to hand over the entire performance department to Li Guinian to manage, letting him give full play to his talents!
After the performance, everyone walked out in an orderly manner; it was already 8 p.m.
There will be a fireworks display at nine o'clock.
Lu Xiaoqi sent Su Jun a WeChat message: "How's it going on your end? Are you ready?"
Su Jun replied instantly: "No problem, just wait until nine o'clock."
For some reason, Lu Xiaoqi felt that there was a hint of nervousness in his few words, so she comforted him, "Don't worry, you've prepared a huge surprise! No one will dislike it."
Su Jun returned a smile.
Lu Xiaoqi sighed, "...Please, find another one!"
Su Jun changed to a wide, grinning expression.
Lu Xiaoqi curled her lips in disgust, deeply feeling that there was still a generation gap between them.
Since they had run into each other again, Tian Fan decided to travel together with Li Nuan and Qin Yue once more.
Li Nuan: "Highly recommended, it's better than any performance I've seen in scenic spots before."
Qin Yue: "I feel like it's the kind of movie that you have to buy a separate ticket to see in a theater. It would be normal for back row seats to cost 88 or 128 yuan, right? It's super cost-effective to see it for free with the ticket included."
Tian Fan excitedly recommended the performance in the small theater in the annex to them: "This one is actually more impressive. Although the visuals aren't as glamorous, it's definitely worth seeing live."
The two exchanged a glance: "Then let's go tomorrow!"
As soon as I stepped out of the theater, I heard several girls screaming. I looked up and they were all stunned for a moment.
Qin Yue was heartbroken: "Why did I turn off the live stream?!"
If the live stream is on, then the fans can see the beautiful scenery in front of them.
Warm yellow lights gradually illuminated the riverside wooden houses, casting a honey-like glow that spilled onto the dark river surface, shattering into shimmering gold leaf. The sky was a tranquil blue, serene and peaceful.
Because it was New Year's Day, lanterns were hung everywhere. Buildings like restaurants and theaters were adorned with glass lanterns, while houses and courtyards were decorated with plain lanterns, their lights outlining pavilions, towers, and upturned eaves. Boats on the waterways also carried handmade lanterns, their lights shattering the reflections on the river and creating ripples.
"Thank goodness it wasn't colored light," Qin Yue remarked, taking out her phone to record a video.
Li Nuan nodded in deep agreement.
The lighting in many scenic spots these days is simply disastrous—a riot of colors, and it makes you wonder who made those decisions. It seriously undermines the local people's aesthetic sense. A single, warm yellow light like this would be perfectly sufficient.
Purely beautiful.
"Let's go take a boat," Qin Yue suggested. "It would be beautiful to watch the fireworks from the river later."
Both agreed, but there were already many people queuing at the pier in Zone 2. It seemed that although it was already evening, not many people were going home early, and everyone wanted to stay and watch the fireworks show that night.
It took them a full forty minutes to get a turn. Because of the large number of people, the pier had stopped chartering boats to allow more tourists to enjoy the night cruise.
Sitting on the small boat, swaying gently, watching the lights twinkling on both banks and the shimmering gold on the river, even the chilly winter wind made the trip worthwhile. Tian Fan even managed to photograph a three- or four-year-old girl wearing a cloak on the opposite boat, leaning against the side with her two buns peeking out – she was absolutely adorable.
Sitting opposite them were Ma Yu, Xu Yueran, and Xiao Liyu.
The little carp made a V-sign to Tian Fan's camera, showing great liveliness and not at all shy.
Ma Yu and Xu Yueran couldn't help but laugh. Ma Yu exclaimed, "Look at her, she usually takes a nap every day, but today she not only didn't take a nap, but she's still so energetic. It's really rare."
Xu Yueran: "You can tell that the little carp really likes this place."
Ma Yu: "That's good, I can fall asleep instantly when I get back."
She was very satisfied.
The small boat entered the lake, and the illuminated Qinghe Tower came into view, offering a completely different experience from the daytime view. Xu Yueran noticed that quite a few boats were heading this way.
The boatwoman explained with a smile, "This is actually the best spot to watch the fireworks, and you won't have to squeeze with the crowds. But you can't stand up later, okay?"
Xu Yueran couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "You guys all know so much!"
Boatwoman: "We talked about this during our training."
They don't rigidly follow a fixed route; instead, they adjust it according to the guests' preferences without affecting river traffic. Right now, the guests definitely want to watch the fireworks.
Ma Yu silently gave her a thumbs up and secretly noted down her employee ID, planning to see if there was any way to praise this boatwoman later. She had a very good impression of all the staff members she had met in the ancient town that day.
They were all very enthusiastic and considerate, and it was clear that they had received professional training, making people feel very comfortable.
By nine o'clock, the sky seemed to be still.
"Mom, where are the fireworks?" Little Carp asked Ma Yu, turning around.
Ma Yu was also a little puzzled: "...Let's wait and see."
Could something have gone wrong? Today's experience was so great, I hope I don't lose points on the last activity... Oh well, even if I lose points here, I'll forgive it.
Just as I finished thinking about it, a clear and melodious cry suddenly rang out from the sky.
"Mommy, godmother, look—!" The little carp suddenly pointed excitedly into the distance.
Looking up, they saw that the glazed roof ornaments of the Illusionary Sound Pavilion seemed to have come to life, with two phoenixes soaring into the air, leaving long trails of light and fire in the blue velvet-like night sky, shimmering with color.
"Is it a holographic projection?"
Xu Yueran exclaimed "Wow!" Her mouth was still agape when she saw them gracefully circling in the air a few times, their postures noble, scattering golden specks of light, before vanishing into the night sky like bubbles.
Huh? That's it?
That's way too short!
Just then, someone shouted, "Look over there!"
"Big bird, there's a big bird!" the little carp shouted, straining its little head toward the bow of the boat, pointing to the distant sky.
In the distance, under the deep night sky, four or five divine birds of different shapes and dazzling light were flying in formation towards the main river channel! Leading the way was still the huge golden-red phoenix, followed by the luan birds, their colorful wings spread wide, burning with blazing white flames, trailing rosy light in the night sky like flowing rainbow ribbons.
The sounds of silk and bamboo instruments echoed, as if descending from the heavens, ethereal music wafting through the air.
Surrounded by the divine birds was none other than a flying boat!
The flying boat was enveloped in a soft, moonlit halo, its carved beams and painted rafters, its flying eaves and brackets resembling a miniature jade palace brought into the night sky. Colorful auspicious clouds surged beneath its base, shimmering and radiant, supporting its smooth gliding motion.
On the boat, among the pavilions, one could vaguely see several figures with flowing robes, some playing the zither, some holding fans, and some gazing into the distance from the railing, their demeanor elegant and otherworldly.
"The fairy ship! Mommy, it's the fairy ship!" The little carp jumped around excitedly on the ship, her little hands tightly gripping Ma Yu's arm, afraid of missing even the slightest thing.
Ma Yu held her tightly to keep her from moving, while greedily gazing at the magnificent view in the sky, afraid of missing even the slightest detail.
"My God... is this a holographic projection combined with fireworks? That's amazing!" Xu Yueran finally found her voice, her expression filled with disbelief, before shaking her head again, "No! This isn't a holographic projection!"
But what exactly is it?
Exclamations of surprise rose and fell from the sidelines.
"This is like a god descending to earth!"
"Isn't this the immortal ship from fantasy novels?! How did they do that?"
Qin Yue once again regretted not starting a live stream, and could only hurriedly point her phone at the scene, hoping to capture even a fraction of its beauty.
The ethereal flying boat, escorted by a divine bird guard, circled the crowd, eliciting screams and cheers, before slowly descending onto the lake. Suddenly, the dozen or so "immortals" on board sprang into action!
Playing the zither, blowing the flute, waving a fan...
"It's a doll!" Tian Fan exclaimed as he finally recognized it.
Their movements have a rhythm unique to puppets.
They were puppets!
The celestial vessel was suspended by several large drones, and it was probably painted with a special coating. It looked very blurry from a distance under the cover of night, but could be seen clearly when you got closer.
The phoenix sang loudly, and suddenly, a galaxy of light and flame burst forth from its tail and the bottom of the celestial vessel. At the same time, a series of "bang" sounds echoed in the sky.
Fireworks!
One by one, fireworks exploded in the deep blue night sky, instantly illuminating the entire nightscape. They then transformed into tiny clusters of light, some like arcs of light, others like flowers, slowly drifting down. Before they had even faded, a second wave of fireworks soared into the sky, one after another, illuminating the magnificent Qinghe Tower and the dazzling ancient town, creating a spectacular scene of a city ablaze with light and color.
The flames cascaded like a waterfall, reflected in the water, making the world seem to be doubly splendid.
At that moment, the passengers on the ship felt as if their small boat was not floating on the water, but suspended in a sea of brilliant stars!
Drunk, I was unaware that the sky was reflected in the water; my boat was filled with dreams that pressed down on the Milky Way.
The fireworks display lasted for about ten minutes, reaching its zenith before fading away. The phoenix and the celestial boat sailed into the distance, and the music ceased. The entire town fell into a brief, profound silence. Everyone remained tilted back, gazing intently, as if the magnificent spectacle was still unfolding.
The little carp nestled in Ma Yu's arms, its big eyes reflecting the last glimmer of light on the river's surface, and asked reluctantly, "Mommy, has the fairy gone home?"
Ma Yu murmured, "Yes, the immortals have gone home."
If it weren't for the lingering smell of fireworks, she would have thought it was all a dream.
The little carp exclaimed contentedly, "Mommy, the fireworks the fairies set off were a hundred times, no, a thousand, ten thousand times more beautiful than those in the storybooks!"
Even as the event ended, they could still hear the people around them having a heated discussion, and they were still very excited, completely oblivious to the atmosphere.
"Isn't this a hundred times better than Disney's fireworks?"
"It's amazing! I filmed more than a dozen videos, but none of them are as stunning as seeing it in person."
"That spaceship is so cool, how did it get up there?"
"Drones? Didn't you see them? I think those phoenixes are more amazing; I don't know how they flew up there. I didn't see any drones..."
"They looked so happy watching the fireworks from the boat. It was like the fireworks were falling into the water. Next time we come, I want to ride in a boat too."
"However, it seems that the fireworks are not performed every day, but only on weekends."
"There will definitely be some during Chinese New Year, let's come then. But it will definitely be super crowded during Chinese New Year!"
"Definitely, it's been trending on several social media platforms today. Our Qinghe City finally has a decent tourist attraction..."
Qinghe Ancient Town closes at 10:00 AM. After watching the fireworks, everyone slowly walked towards the town entrance, preparing to end their day's visit. Many staff members were maintaining order along the way.
Xu Yueran couldn't help but open her phone to check the reservation status for the 4th, and then couldn't help but chuckle. She knew that the earlier the better—when she first checked, there were more than 4,000 reservations, when she made her move, there were more than 7,000, and now there are more than 9,000!
The little carp said in a sweet, childish voice, "Mommy, I really look forward to coming to play next time!"
Ma Yu kissed her cheek: "Mom is looking forward to it too! We'll come in a few days!"
Qin Yue, Li Nuan, and Tian Fan, who were not far from them, planned to take advantage of the fact that there were fewer people to go to Qinghe Tower to take some night photos. They would then go back and probably have to frantically organize the materials, post them online, and make videos.
What a fulfilling day!
For the staff of Qinghe Ancient Town, the busy work is far from over.
In the open space of Zone 7, Su Jun carefully inspected the phoenixes and immortal ships that had just returned and landed. After finishing the inspection and finding that the damage was within his estimated range, he breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.
"It's alright, better than the previous times."
The staff members nearby, including craftsman He who was skilled at making puppets and craftsman Fang who had previously worked with firearms and was now working with fireworks, immediately felt more relaxed.
Fang the craftsman exclaimed, "Thank goodness, we made it in time."
The fireworks were a dozen seconds late because they made a small mistake, but thankfully it was fixed quickly. Otherwise, if everything else had gone perfectly and they were the only ones who messed up, we would have been too embarrassed to show our faces.
Su Jun looked at the objects in front of him with a smile, and at this moment he suddenly wanted to sit on the steps to the side without caring about his image.
My phone chimed with a WeChat message.
Lu Xiaoqi sent me a meme of a cheerleader dancing while holding up flowers, with the caption: "Great job! You're the best!"
His expression softened instantly. He typed "undo," selected an emoji, and then deleted it again, his expression gradually becoming serious. The staff around him quieted down, sensing that Assistant Su was definitely discussing something important with someone—
Su Jun selected a colleague group and clicked in. After scrolling for a while, he finally found a suitable emoji, saved it, and sent it in one go.
"So-so, third in the world."
I need to collect more emojis in the future.
Su Jun waited for a while, but when she didn't reply, he put down his phone with some regret.
For months, he kept thinking, everyone is working hard to open their businesses, so what can I do?
He can't just stay "Assistant Su" forever. Besides, although he knows a little about everything, he's definitely not as good as the professionals in fields like finance, human resources, and law.
I still need to go back to my area of expertise, mechanics.
He had been studying the mechanical knowledge of this era and had some ideas in mind. Later, Fang, a craftsman who was good at firearms, and He, a craftsman who was good at string puppetry, also came. His ideas became more and more mature and perfect.
To realize this concept, they have conducted countless experiments over the past few months. How can the phoenix take flight? What materials should the celestial ship be made of to control its weight? How can the silken puppet start automatically and move smoothly?
In the end, many drones and gliders were burned, and it cost a huge sum of money to turn the plan from a concept into reality.
Craftsman He greatly admired Su Jun.
Back in Bianjing, he had often heard about the ingenuity of the Imperial Observatory's water-powered astronomical clock tower, but only after working with Su Jun for so long did he truly appreciate its value. Moreover, this Assistant Su was also very knowledgeable about modern technology, even though he had only arrived a few months earlier.
He cupped his hands and said, "It is thanks to Assistant Su's brilliant ideas that we have such a magnificent scene today."
Su Jun quickly returned the greeting: "Without the masters, no matter how many wonderful ideas I have, it would be difficult to complete them."
For a moment, the scene was filled with joy and harmony.
Several glider operators nearby couldn't help but mutter to themselves: "Tsk tsk, the pre-job training in Qinghe Ancient Town must be very strict. There aren't many tourists around, yet they're all speaking in such a literary style, like they're reciting classical Chinese..."
Su Jun finally received the reply he had been waiting for: "There's a late-night snack in the cafeteria, come quickly."
He couldn't help but smile, his whole demeanor softening, as if enveloped in a warm, golden light.
......
After 10 a.m., tourists had gradually left Qinghe Ancient Town, and security guards began patrolling the area to prevent anyone from lingering.
Meanwhile, all kinds of shops were taking inventory and packing up, preparing to close for the day.
Inside the shop with the sign "Feng's Hot Rice Noodles," Grandpa Feng sat down and began to tally up today's accounts.
His wife, Granny Li, came over, looking a little nervous: "How was it? How much did you earn today?"
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