Chapter 714 - 712: There Must Be a Commotion
The Emperor did not bring up the timber rail project at the Imperial Court but instead directly entrusted Jinrong with it through the Cabinet, just as Tan Weixian had said. The Main Office would supply all the necessary materials, primary and auxiliary, required for the project.
When the Cabinet dispatched the task, it did not even seek the opinions of Prince Yu or Prince Fu.
By the latter part of the first month of the lunar year, the Guangsha Construction Business operated by the Qi family had also opened its doors, and although it had not yet secured any construction projects, it started operations on the sixteenth of the month to accommodate the inquiries of various customers.
In this era, small advertisements were not common. Firstly, there weren’t many public utilities, so the places where one could post small ads were either private properties or government office premises. Engaging in such activities was akin to courting death.
Secondly, there were few literate people in this era, and the numerous craftsmen and construction businesses already had their dedicated streets and alleys. Clients usually found them on their own. The effect of posting small advertisements was insignificant, to say the least.
Luckily, Guangsha Construction was not far from the construction industry hub in North City. Ye Xinyan had already had two large advertisement boards made: one horizontal and high above the shopfront, and the other, vertical, placed conspicuously at the entrance.
Both advertisement boards were made with bright colored paint on oilcloth. Besides the necessary text, they featured a dreamlike background of pavilions, towers, small bridges over flowing streams, as well as extraordinary rocks, scenic spots, and village houses.
These two boards were ready before the New Year, and as the shopfront was refurbished by the end of last year and it was close to the New Year, to avoid trouble, the advertisement boards were kept in the Qi Family Courtyard until they opened for business after the New Year.