"...Is this really so expressive?"
Ah Qing, Momo, and Lingren were stunned when they heard the receptionist associate the improvement in service quality with the district mayor's swift and forceful actions.
"Uh... you're from Tang's Town, so I'm not afraid to speak bluntly."
As the receptionist seated everyone, she quietly shared:
"Before the boss got promoted, he didn't care at all about Spring Mountain Grassland's performance; it was all about preserving ancestral land. Back then, the operation plan was to close at three every day to see how much ticket money they could sell."
"After deducting operating costs and taxes, the remaining ticket money was used to invite drama troupes for performances. Essentially, the boss provided the venue, and tourists crowdfunded drama troupe performances."
"Since the boss got promoted and was labeled as an obstacle to Botou's tourism economy, he started his own drama troupe and band for horse feast and bonfire concert performances..."
"Operating costs went up, and ticket prices rose from 268 two years ago to 398 now."
The horse feast includes food, drink, and performance, along with few fireworks during bonfire parties and local specialty mare's milk wine.
The costs are clear, and the quality of the drama troupe's performance depends on that day's tourist crowdfunding.
But now, the situation is different, with a standard and operational process for setting the scenic area's operating costs.
More tourists mean daily performances.
Fewer tourists mean performances every two or three days, saving material costs aside from labor.
"At least now, I'm willing to bring my family to spend here, and I can accept the price of four hundred per person." After explaining the changes to Spring Mountain Grassland, the receptionist sighed.
Clearly.
The extensive changes to Spring Mountain Grassland Area are bewildering even for her as a firsthand witness.
"So, did we catch a good time?" Sitting on the chair, Ah Qing looked curiously at the nearby Tang You and asked, "So... can I share the boss's story in my livestream?"
Ah Qing hadn't dared to start her live stream earlier, afraid of bringing trouble to Tang You due to Tang You's complaints.
However, with the banquet hall's quality decor and the receptionist's personal willingness to spend, Ah Qing suddenly felt she could start the livestream.
After all...
The highest possible praise from an employee for their own enterprise is: I'm willing to spend at the place I work without employee discounts.
"Go ahead! It's fine..." Tang You waved it off, indifferent about Ah Qing's live stream.
The Spring Mountain Grassland Area exists solely for the boss behind the scenes, initially for commemoration purposes, but now primarily for raising horses.
Good or bad, there's no expectation to get rich here; even a minor loss is considered a win.
Besides...
Ah Qing's livestream is definitely positive publicity for Spring Mountain Grassland Area.
"Promoted..."
"He wasn't promoted by I, but if I were to promote him, now he'd be under the table rather than I..."
The little fox, with a face full of black lines, complained while lying on Ah Qing's lap.
The tables were arranged in rows, forming a tiered banquet hall.
Afraid of the little fox flipping food or other stuff off the table, Ah Qing didn't let it up the table; it could only move around on people's laps.
Moreover, Medicine Spring Mountain Lord didn't even have a ticket.
If Medicine Spring Mountain Lord were here, there would definitely be no other visitors in the Mongolian tent.
Soon, the horse feast performance began.
The originally playing music switched.
With security personnel escorting, a wood-burning stove was brought to the stage.
People dressed in Shaman priest attire entered, chanting the ritual to worship heaven around the bonfire, while some guests in Northern outfits were also invited onto the stage.
"Um..." Ah Qing glanced towards Tang You.
"They all paid extra," Tang You shrugged: "Previously, just participating in the horse feast came with matching outfits and those who paid extra wore royal and aristocratic outfits during the cattle and sheep butchering segment..."
"As for now... I don't really understand, the only thing I know is they paid extra. But it might be related to hygiene regulations, right?"
Everyone in the food industry has to get a health certificate every year.
Tourists who paid extra, dressed in royal aristocratic attire, butchering cattle and sheep clearly doesn't comply with hygiene regulations.
"Oh... So it was paid extra," Ah Qing nodded at the mention, telling her live stream audience about the boss's story of embarrassment.
After the Shaman ritual ended, it was the turn of individuals dressed as Northern lords with black rubber gloves, wielding Mongolian knives, to segment cattle and sheep.
Then, a group of waitresses donned in traditional attire carried large wooden trays and, along with female waitstaff from the kitchen, served dishes.
The horse feast essentials of beef, mutton, tea and dairy products were laid before the guests, along with six courses.
While the portion of other dishes was average, just two pounds of roasted beef and mutton was enough to stuff someone to death, and at last, with slight reluctance, the waitstaff brought out mint, lettuce, and perilla to the table.
A proper horse feast.
No room for veggies, all about drinking tea. In previous Central Plains' reign over the Northern area, martial force wasn't the sole factor; resources like tea were a major aspect.
But as tourists hail from all over, forcing them into an all-meat feast might bring cheerful faces with the risk of complaints once back home.
Though slightly against ancestral rules.
The boss of Spring Mountain Grassland clearly didn't want to get dragged to the boxing ring by city leaders.
Everything necessary was supplied at once.
In royal attire, dancers performed soothing music and traditional dances as guests enjoyed the feast.
Until.
As the banquet neared its end, waitstaff again emerged from the kitchen with three-section lid bowls, offering all guests a cup of cleansing tea.
And at that time, the host, dressed in lord's attire, returned to the stage, beaming, and began:
"Distinguished guests, the evening program is only now officially opening."
"I kindly invite the rested guests to the grassland to enjoy the concert by our renowned local band, blending Mongolian throat singing and rock, accompanied by grand fireworks!"
As if on cue to the host's speech, from outside the Mongolian tent came the sound of deep drumbeats and bass resonating across the grassland.
"Wait... isn't it a bonfire party?"
Upon hearing the host's words and drumbeats from the grassland, Ah Qing asked Tang You, somewhat surprised.
"How would I know such an extravagant scene," Tang You murmured, revealing a puzzled expression.
Originally suspected as a concert where only a few people would be performing tunes around a bonfire.
But with the bass making the Mongolian tent tremble, transmitting to the banquet hall.
Everyone realized.
This concert might be a legitimate performance, not merely a small gathering of music enthusiasts.
"Concert?" Ansheng perked up, hearing the "boom-tss, boom-tss" echo from outside:
"Could I...?"
"If I shout out my voice, should be able to transmit through speakers deep into the grassland, right?"