Chapter 2040 - Collective Wedding (VIII)

To fully utilize Guangzhou's wealth, the Council of Elders had recently dispatched people to Guangzhou specifically to prepare a "project promotion conference." Gao Ju and other "core members" of the Industry and Commerce Association had already met with the Elder and examined some projects.

Commercial trade in medieval times was mostly extremely profitable, and maritime trade especially so. But maritime trade carried enormous uncertainties. Even an experienced foreign trade merchant like Gao Ju couldn't guarantee profits every year. The arrival dates of Portuguese ships and the demand for various goods differed annually, all predicted by experience—it was another form of "depending on the heavens." Years of overflowing profits were common enough, but years of total loss had occurred too.

To hedge risk, merchants typically bought land and collected rent once they accumulated capital. Not just Gao Ju—even the Zheng Zhilong family, formerly the greatest maritime trading power in the South China Sea, did the same.

But now, the model of buying land and collecting rent was obviously no longer viable. By comparison, the projects offered by the Council of Elders, though with lower profit margins than his maritime trade and requiring particularly large investments, had quite stable returns. Whether textiles, food, or building materials, the Council of Elders' own demand was immense. Just selling to the Council of Elders could yield stable income. This was very attractive to merchants who sought stability at heart.

How could Zhang Yu know what this old fox was plotting? He was young and came from humble origins. After becoming successful, he felt a strong need for others' recognition. Gao Ju was both a senior merchant and now the Association chairman—who would have thought he'd be so pleasant and easy to talk to! Thus he not only spoke freely about his company's situation but also shared all the problems encountered in operations. Gao Ju nodded repeatedly, thinking that the Australians really possessed something special! Though the machines were expensive, they were truly the philosopher's stone!

Thinking of this, he couldn't help laughing: "Little brother truly is a young talent! Managing such a large business at such a young age! This old Gao really can't compare to you youngsters. No wonder the Chiefs value your family so highly!"

With this flattery, Zhang Yu also felt somewhat embarrassed and said modestly: "This is all thanks to the Chiefs' support. What ability could your little brother have? Before, I was just a muddleheaded person. Couldn't focus on studying, just liked reading Australian miscellaneous books. It was just fate, I suppose."

"Not at all, not at all. Young Master Zhang is too modest." Gao Ju warmly patted his shoulder, thinking: I wonder if he's married? If not, my family does have girls of similar age. If I could become his in-law through this, it would be a great help in the future.

His eyes turned and he deliberately said while selecting dishes: "Today's collective wedding is really grand! It makes me itch inside, thinking if only I could be twenty or thirty years younger, I could join in the fun!"

Zhang Yu didn't know Gao Ju was testing him and laughed: "This is all because the Council of Elders shows compassion for the poor and weak and cares for the people! Being able to attend this wedding banquet is our great fortune."

"Is Young Master Zhang married? If not, there's still a chance."

Now Zhang Yu's face reddened. He wasn't actually that young anymore. Previously, his family circumstances had been poor, and they couldn't find a suitable family to arrange a betrothal—as the saying goes, too high to reach, too low to accept. There was the tofu shop owner's daughter who made eyes at him—a good match in status. But the tofu shop owner had some money and looked down on his family.

Now that his family had prospered, the tofu shop owner's daughter naturally no longer met his father's standards. Though the girl harbored deep feelings, Zhang Yu didn't dare make his own decision—his father was busy trying to arrange a match with "upper-class families."

Gao Ju, seeing his expression, knew he almost certainly wasn't married and laughed: "Never mind, never mind. Little brother is thin-skinned. Let's not discuss it."

Zhang Yu, afraid of being looked down upon, quickly said: "To be honest, in the past my family was poor and making a living wasn't easy. Though my parents wanted to arrange a betrothal for me, it never materialized. After Guangzhou's recovery, I was busy with company affairs, and this matter got delayed."

"I see." Now Gao Ju was even more certain. "Young Master Zhang is in his prime. Don't delay your life's great matter."

Zhang Yu didn't know what Gao Ju meant by this and responded vaguely. The two returned to the table with plates full of dishes and sat down.

The guests had all been puzzled. Watching several "Australia experts" walk over and pick through the long tables with plates, they now returned with plates full of hot, fragrant food. Everyone's eyes widened: getting your own food—wasn't this like a porridge kitchen handing out gruel?!

These Australian customs were truly unprecedented! But sitting any longer risked going hungry, so those with slightly thicker skin rose with embarrassed smiles, imitating the "Australia experts" to select dishes.

The abundance of dishes far exceeded the guests' expectations. Though for the wealthy, many dishes were somewhat simple, both cooking and seasoning were no worse than what their own family cooks carefully prepared—especially the large quantity of dishes made from fresh seafood, which even they couldn't normally feast on freely. The fresh, rich flavor far surpassed ordinary preserved products. As for the abundant fried foods and meat dishes, they created a feeling of "pools of wine and forests of meat."

For ordinary commoners and naturalized citizens, the impact of the food before them was even greater. Though naturalized citizens were familiar with the buffet format, such variety and abundance was unprecedented in their memory. In an era when even carbohydrate intake was insufficient, with so much fat and protein piled before their eyes, dining etiquette was thrown out the window. Instantly, the dining tables were mobbed by guests getting food. In just over ten minutes, several "hearty dishes" were completely emptied.

Fortunately, the banquet had anticipated this. Once pots emptied, people came to replenish them, keeping pots constantly full. No matter what dish, everything was served without limit—eat as much as you wanted.

"The Australians are truly famous for their extravagance!" More than one person secretly praised.

The newlyweds naturally couldn't enjoy the food. Following old-timeline custom, they each carried a glass of low-alcohol fruit wine to toast the guests and Elders.

In traditional wedding banquets, new brides only had the custom of serving tea to close relatives, never appearing in public to toast guests. So this too was a "new custom." However, guests from wealthy families felt quite awkward when the bride came to toast—most wouldn't make eye contact, quickly drinking their wine and being done with it. The naturalized citizen guests' tables were much livelier: some grabbed the groom and bride to drink more, others deliberately shook their cups to prevent the bride from pouring properly. Waves of laughter and teasing added much festive cheer to the venue.

"So many people outside!" Zuo Yamei lifted the curtain at the stage entrance and peeked outside. "A sea of people!"

"All waiting to watch the spectacle." Lin Aili carefully touched the bangs she'd spent hours getting permed.

"How annoying—I've never performed in front of so many people." The girls whispered among themselves behind the curtain.

The members of the Plaid Skirt Club were now waiting in the dressing room on the side of the stage. Fifteen members were performing this time, all from Lingao—to maintain the team's training and cohesion, all club members were arranged to work in various departments in Lingao.

Though based in Lingao, in the years since the Plaid Skirt Club was established, they had also performed many shows in Hainan, Taiwan, and Jeju Island. This was the result of the club's several bigwigs, especially Elder Wu Ciren, constantly promoting them. Because within the Council of Elders, a considerable voice believed that such girl idol groups were meaningless in this timeline: there was no soil for their existence—the society under Council rule wasn't wealthy, and for quite some time there would be no audience for consuming idol groups. Some even suspected the Plaid Skirts were created just to satisfy a few Elders' hobbies, a pure waste of resources. Others strongly opposed idol groups, believing they purely objectified and commodified women, peddling "soft pornography."

Wu Ciren and others firmly "refuted" this, arguing that idol groups could unite hearts and minds and serve as new cultural propaganda even in the current social environment. They could exist like ordinary performing arts groups and play a role in cultural propaganda.

For this, he and several other Elders not only paid all the Plaid Skirt Club's expenses out of pocket but also brought their own provisions to have the group perform "at the grassroots" everywhere, building goodwill and name recognition. Naturally, wherever the club went, it caused a sensation. However, talk of "corrupting public morals" and "offending decency" was once the talk of the town. According to informants within the Lingao Puppet Troupe: several creative staff members had said, "How can wooden legs compare to women's legs?"

This put enormous pressure on the naturalized citizen members of the troupe. Once recognized when going out, people would point and whisper. In their departments too, they were often gossiped about, called "selling their looks" and "shameless." Many members wanted to quit.

Finally, the Plaid Skirt Club had to ask several bigwigs to come out and show support. After Wang Luobin and others discussed it, they concluded that though the Plaid Skirts' performance format was controversial within the Council of Elders, their form constituted a challenge to the old order, old culture, and old ideas. If they retreated on this, the new fashion being promoted among women, especially leg-and-arm-baring dresses, would also inevitably be criticized. Therefore, it had to be supported.

For this reason, at a public cultural evening, the "ministers" of various provinces, led by Wang Luobin, specially attended the club's public performance. Wang Luobin even gave a clear-cut "speech," denouncing that "feudal morality hasn't been fully eradicated" and that "those who think dirty thoughts upon seeing women's legs need a good cleansing"... This finally suppressed the controversy. The Publicity Department even issued a special order: at all public cultural performances, the Plaid Skirt Club must appear.

(End of Chapter)