Chapter 4: Grand Ceremony (4)

  The mayor of Lu suddenly remembered that he had said at a dinner party that he would host the opening ceremony of the "Oriental Holiday Hotel" on a city-wide scale. In fact, it was just an impulsive remark made by him at the time, but as a mayor, once he spoke, he had to put it into practice. He did not want to lose face in front of the old general manager of the six major pillars, nor did he want to lose face on the human landscape line of Gai San County. Of course, after sobering up, he also realized that hosting a hotel's opening ceremony on a city-wide scale was unprecedented in Xiahe at least. To do something beyond the norm, one needs to have extraordinary courage. In the era of reform and opening-up, breaking the rules is common. Moreover, these "rules" are unwritten, and there is no written regulation. With so many provincial and departmental leaders coming to attend, isn't it already a breach of the rules?

  The mayor of Lu City spoke solemnly: "The 'Oriental Holiday Hotel' has made great use of geothermal resources to develop our city's catering and entertainment services, and has already formed a leading enterprise. It is not only precious but also should be vigorously promoted. Xiahe River is located in the remote mountainous area at the provincial border, and leaders from relevant departments of the province do not come easily. The 'Oriental Holiday Hotel' is also a joint venture with Hong Kong, we must seize this celebration ceremony as a window to showcase Xiahe's economic strength and external image, increase investment attraction and service industry's charm, accelerate Xiahe's pace towards the world.

  Next year is the 30th anniversary of reform and opening up, and it is also the 20th anniversary of our city's establishment. We must further emancipate our minds and showcase the glorious achievements of construction since the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee. The 'Oriental Holiday Hotel' chose to open on a good day before National Day, which provides an opportunity for our city to create a festive atmosphere during the "Double Festival" period.

  With so many leaders and distinguished guests attending, a single opening ceremony would be too thin and dull. I suggest that the municipal party committee office take the lead, the municipal government office cooperate, and establish an organizing committee with heads of public security, traffic police, urban management, industry and commerce, environmental sanitation, cultural propaganda, and other relevant departments as members.

  Urgently mobilize, coordinate, and organize all industries and art troupes in our city that can showcase Xiahe's cultural image and economic strength to perform on the streets before the celebration ceremony. This is not only a celebration of the 'Oriental Holiday Hotel' but also a rehearsal for next year's 20th anniversary celebration.

  The TV station should broadcast live and film the entire event, making preparations for next year's 20th anniversary celebration."

  Jia Chun Guang, the municipal party committee member in charge of cultural propaganda and head of the propaganda department, was thrilled upon hearing this. He repeatedly said: "Good, extremely good! Mayor Lu has considered all aspects. The city should seize the opportunity to carry out some publicity activities that showcase the image of Xiahe River. Our propaganda and culture departments will fully cooperate and bring all the programs that can be presented onto the streets."

  Other standing committee members and attendees of the meeting, including the NPC director and CPPCC chairman, were not mentally prepared for a celebratory activity like the city's anniversary celebration, so it was not good to make any hasty statements. Host Jo Junling, standing in the position of municipal party secretary, had several considerations. "Comrade Guo has thought more comprehensively and creatively. In order to accelerate development and gather strength, the achievements of Xiahe City's construction must be grandly displayed, and its external image should also have a corresponding carrier to carry forward and glorify. I would like to ask everyone to carefully consider whether there will be any negative effects or any negative psychological factors that make a big deal out of a small matter?"

  "Secretary Qiao, you're worrying too much." said Deputy Secretary Feng Jiuzhou, in charge of cultural propaganda, "Now is an era of breaking conventions. Didn't the new leadership of the provincial party committee just propose to hold a big discussion on further emancipating the mind? It's been nearly 30 years since reform and opening up, I've worked in Xiahe for 21 years, I feel my thinking is liberated enough, but compared to the requirements of the provincial party committee, I'm still not keeping up with the pace. This shows that my thinking pattern has become outdated, there are still some rigid corners and dead spots in my mind. So, I think, as long as it's beneficial for development, being a bit unconventional is not excessive."

  The speech of Deputy Secretary Feng Jiuzhou was undoubtedly a powerful support for Mayor Lu's speech, and the echoes of other standing committee members also rose and fell. As the situation developed favorably, Qiao Junling naturally felt happy to do this favor, so he sincerely accepted everyone's opinions: "Comrade Jiuzhou reminded us well, it seems that my requirements as a municipal party secretary and the provincial party committee's requirement for further emancipating our minds have obvious differences. After working in a place for a long time, thinking inertia will play tricks on you, and your courage will not be bold enough. Well, since everyone agrees, let's follow Comrade Guo's opinion to organize the event. Establish an organizing committee, and organize it according to the scale of the city celebration. In this way, the ceremony will naturally be upgraded, with the municipal party secretary presiding over the meeting, and the mayor reporting to the provincial and relevant department leaders on project construction and introducing related situations. The old general manager of the Oriental Group doesn't need to say more, just take charge of reception, and let the Oriental Group handle the expenses. Since the specifications are so high, the venue decoration must be grand and solemn, creating a strong atmosphere for further emancipating our minds. The street performances must be carefully organized, showcasing the characteristics of Xiahe, and demonstrating the momentum of Xiahe."

  The municipal party committee meeting ended in a joyful atmosphere.

  Less than half an hour after the meeting, Gai Sansheng received phone calls from Municipal Party Secretary Qiao Junling and Mayor Lu Guotang. The two phone calls had different purposes but the same goal, expressing concern and encouragement as well as support.

  Middle layer meeting

  After receiving the phone calls from the municipal party secretary and mayor, Gai Sanxian couldn't sit still anymore. She had thought that holding a grand opening ceremony on a scale similar to the city's anniversary celebrations was just a casual remark made by the young and vigorous Mayor Lu at a dinner party, but unexpectedly it was formally approved at the municipal party committee meeting. As a result, the original plan for the celebration was too small in scale. However, suddenly organizing an event of this magnitude as required by the municipal leaders was not just a matter of spending more money; there were many aspects to consider, and she felt like she was sitting on pins and needles. Her mood was similar to when she first became a new daughter-in-law twenty years ago - both excited and nervous. The excitement came from the fact that holding an event on a scale similar to the city's anniversary celebrations would be the greatest support for her and the Dongfang Group, whether from a political or economic perspective. From a business point of view, it would also produce a huge advertising effect. The nervousness was because there were so many provincial and municipal leaders attending, and she had to figure out what standards to use for entertaining them, how many levels of souvenirs to prepare, and all these things needed to be communicated with Li, the Hong Kong boss who held 40% of the shares.

  He immediately excitedly spoke in Cantonese, "This is a great thing! The policies of Xiahe City are getting better and better! The larger the scale of the celebration, the more beneficial it will be for our business to make money. As for the expenses, there's no problem at all! A grand opening sale is the most common promotional activity. I can prepare the souvenirs in Hong Kong..."

  He had been listening to Li's nonsense for over ten minutes before finally saying, "Thanks, nice doing business with you." and hung up the phone. Li's nonsense was too much for his eardrums. Gai Sanxian turned on the speaker and played a tune from "Take It Easy" to soothe his auditory nerves, while asking the office to notify General Manager Wu Bu Neng and the six department heads of Finance, Public Relations, Human Resources, Food and Beverage, Rooms, and Entertainment to hold an emergency meeting.

  The management decision-making circle of the Oriental Group consists of nine people. Since Hong Kong shareholder Li Maoxin is not often in Xiahe, he appointed Financial Director Yuan Benli as Assistant General Manager and Human Resources Director Yu Hegang as a representative of the Hong Kong side to participate in the operation. On the side of Gai San County, which is the controlling party, the main participants in operational decision-making are General Manager and Public Relations Director Wu Bunan, Finance Director Jin Weimin, Catering Department Manager Yu Jiahui, Room Department Manager Hao Meiyun, and Entertainment Center Manager Xie Shengping. These five middle-level cadres are all old-timers who started their careers in Gai San County and are known as the "Five Tiger Generals" in the Oriental Group. Hong Kong shareholder Li usually only attends the annual dividend distribution meeting and comes to participate in major funding actions and project decision-making, while general affairs are entrusted to representatives to participate in and implement.

  This time the opening ceremony was suddenly expanded in scale, and the preparation time was too hasty. Boss Li couldn't arrive in time, so he entrusted Gai Sancun to make all decisions over the phone. As long as it's a good thing, Boss Li always supports it 10,000 times!

  The mayor of Xiahe City, Gai Sanxian, is not just a pretty face. She is practical, diligent in her studies, thoughtful and able to appoint the right people to the right jobs. The quality of an entrepreneur lies first and foremost in their ability to control. Whether someone is an insider or outsider is only relevant when comparing professional skills and work experience. Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty was able to rule for decades because she had a good grasp on balancing the power of her civil and military officials. If she were to go into battle, she would definitely not be as effective as a deputy general or a robust soldier, and would probably end up as a female prisoner of war of the Turks.

  The elegant boardroom has a large oil painting "Seine River Scenery" on the front wall, giving people a sense of elegance and comfort. The oval conference table has two intelligent control high-back lift chairs at both ends, which are naturally the seats of Chairman Gai Sanxian and major shareholder Li Maoxin. No shareholder or director has ever dared to ask for it when they have an itchy butt.

  The attendees arrived quickly and everyone sat down in their usual seats. Director Xu Jianmin opened the red leather notebook to take notes.

  Although the preparation time for the celebration was already very urgent, Gai Sanxian's expression remained calm as usual. She also opened her notebook as usual and asked each department to report on the preparations for the opening ceremony one by one.

  General Manager Wu Bunan took off his glasses and put them on his notebook, listening carefully to the reports of various departments, occasionally jotting down a few notes. His appearance was really similar to that of famous film actor Ge You, except that when thinking or talking to people, his eyelids blinked even faster than Ge's, and his intelligent forehead shone several degrees brighter than Ge's. Therefore, people who knew him well generally called him "Ge General", which he did not mind but rather smiled and accepted. Wu Bunan was originally unable to walk without his nearsighted glasses, but as he grew older, his nearsightedness turned into presbyopia, and now he often took off his glasses to read materials.

  "Dongfang Holiday Hotel" is a top-notch building in terms of design style and investment scale, standing out from the crowd in this remote mountainous county-level city. The municipal government's office buildings are still five-story buildings from twenty years ago, with no particular architectural style or design to speak of. In the past decade, most residential complexes developed by real estate developers have also been five- or six-story buildings with little change in exterior design. Even the offices of the wealthiest departments, such as the National Taxation Bureau and the Power Building, do not exceed fifteen stories. The Dongfang Group has erected an eighteen-story building in just one year, including three underground levels for a total height of twenty-one stories. The original design concept was to create a new architectural style symbolizing the 21st century, which had a significant impact on industry professionals. During the construction process, despite the company's increasing investment, employees' wages and benefits remained at the highest level in the city. The owner of Dongfang Group is well-versed in using treatment as a means to an end, so she enjoys a good reputation among catering and entertainment industry workers in Xihe City, which in turn brings in more business. Her partnership with Hong Kong businessman Li Maoxin was facilitated by her excellent reputation, as well as the city's strong support for investment attraction policies, unique geothermal resources, and her own charm. The two parties reached an agreement after just one dinner meeting. Of course, according to Li's way of thinking, a pretty face is also a rare ecological resource.

  Reputation and cohesion are intangible assets. The department managers of the middle and lower levels also worked hard to prepare for the opening ceremony. Chairman Gai Sanxian was relatively satisfied with the preparations made by each department for the celebration. However, plans couldn't keep up with changes, she had to quickly convey the changed situation to everyone, and then quickly define a new implementation plan, rapidly form a joint force day and night, striving to create an unprecedented celebration ceremony, a "Chang'e Rushing to the Moon" project in Xiahe City. Thinking of this, Gai Sanxian turned her charcoal pen over and tapped it on the table, beginning her re-mobilization speech.

  "Ministers and managers: First of all, I would like to express my condolences and gratitude to everyone for their hard work day and night in preparation for the opening ceremony. Everyone has made a lot of effective efforts, which is very good. However, the situation is constantly changing, and our leaders at all levels are not only highly concerned about the opening ceremony of our Oriental Group's new project but also pay special attention to it. New ideas and creativity are being proposed continuously. I have just communicated with Mr. Li from Hong Kong over the phone, but I haven't had time to communicate with General Wu yet, so I quickly gathered everyone together for a meeting. There are less than 240 hours left until September 28th. The municipal party committee has just made a decision requiring our Oriental Group's opening ceremony to be organized and prepared on a scale similar to that of the city's celebration. Several major leaders from the province will attend the event. A preparatory committee has been established, and relevant departments such as public security, transportation, urban management, industry and commerce, health, environmental protection, and cultural propaganda have been asked to provide strong support and cooperation. The official document will be issued soon. All units in the city are required to arrange activities in advance to celebrate National Day, including raising national flags, hanging colorful flags, banners, and slogans, and setting up rainbow gates at major entrances and exits of the city. The TV station will broadcast live and record the entire event. The last item on the agenda is a street performance by various art troupes and folk flower teams from across the city. This has become a grand event for the whole city. Our original plan was too small and not good enough. Please come up with ideas, how can we, as the host, adapt to the situation and add luster to the ceremony? At the same time, we need to quickly come up with a practical and feasible plan to speed up our work."

  Everyone perked up their ears, small eyes widened into big eyes, and big eyes became even rounder. No one expected the egg to suddenly inflate like a balloon. You looked at me, I looked at you, we stared at each other in dismay, wanting to speak but hesitating. General Manager Wu's forehead sparkled, his eyelids blinked rapidly several times as he said: "This is great! Many companies' project launches want to make a big splash, but they're afraid that even the leaders won't show up to give them face."

  "Of course it's a good thing." Gai Sancun swept his inquiring gaze around everyone's face, "Everyone is invited to come up with ideas. We are holding a Zhuge meeting, which is to study how to make a good thing even better."

  In Xihe City, Wu Bu Neng Suo was known as the "Multi-talented Star". With just a blink of his eye, he would come up with a string of ideas. "My opinion is that since things have gotten big, whether it's one shovel or two shovels, we should make a big show out of it and make it earth-shattering, so everyone knows about it. As long as the leaders support us, everything will be easy to say. If the provincial leaders come to attend, that would be the greatest support and recognition for our Dongfang Group. Our Dongfang Group now has the three elements of heaven, earth, and man in place. The leader will make Dongfang look good, and Dongfang will add glory to the leader. This is the guiding ideology for us to do a good job with the celebration activities. Specifically, the main stage must be grand and majestic, with lights and sound effects that are top-notch and of the highest standard. We can invite experts from the province to come and design the layout. Now, as long as we're willing to spend money, there's nothing that can't be done."

  "I've already discussed it with Mr. Li from Hong Kong and he thinks it's a good idea. If the budget is not enough, we can add another million," said Gai Sanxian. "Nowadays, holding celebrations in front of TV audiences and leaders at all levels is to create a brand, it must be impressive, it must have an effect. We have sufficient financial support."

  "Alright, money is the courage of men. As the general manager, I will be even more capable with this budget." Once the chairman had clearly stated his stance on expenses, Wu Bunan's creative ideas followed suit.

  "Now that we've decided to hold a grand celebration for the city's anniversary, all six major industries in the city have their own professional or semi-professional art troupes, including traditional performances like lion dance, dragon drumming, flower arrangement, and float parades. These are all inherited skills from our ancestors in Xiahe, nothing new.

  Let them perform to their heart's content for Dongfang's celebration! We'll applaud enthusiastically for them. The logistics department head of the 59627 unit is my old buddy. This missile division from Taihang Mountain has a well-equipped honor guard and military band. I think with suitable expenses, inviting them to participate in Dongfang's celebration will definitely refresh our leaders' ears and eyes, and also thrill the citizens."

  "This is a great idea!" Everyone agreed.

  "It's just getting started." Wu Bu Neng had this characteristic, the more people called him good, the more he would drag things out slowly and steadily. "Other companies in the six major industries all have art troupes, we don't have an art troupe to send a team."

  "Formation?" Gai Sanxian began to understand Wu Bu Neng's intention, but she had a deeper thought: this was going to be in broad daylight, in front of provincial and municipal leaders and TV audiences! How to highlight the positive significance, bring out the healthy and positive things, and avoid unnecessary negative effects.

  Dining department manager Yu Jiahui said: "Our dining department's second floor service miss Bai Tian'e can form a small square team, and the uniforms are ready-made; in addition, the welcoming ladies of each hall wear cheongsam dresses and can also form a square team."

  "The entertainment center and guest room department can both form teams." Wu Bu said.