Chapter 123: Taking Shape

At the same time, He Zhixing established several branch freight points throughout the city. The Wuzhen Industrial Park handled unified shipments, allowing nearby retailers to directly procure and collect goods from these branch locations.

In less than a month, formulas for several beverages were developed, including Baisheng Fruit and several varieties of wild strawberries. The juice made from Baisheng Fruit was branded as "Baisheng Juice," a product of Wuzhen. The lemon-yellow bottles bore these words prominently, alongside a few distinctive characters indicating "Countryside Product." Below the large lettering of Baisheng Juice, the label read: "Benefits the kidneys and strengthens essence, promotes health and wellness."

On the opposite side of the bottle, details about the product’s functions, ingredients, shelf life, standard numbers, nutritional content, and company address were clearly listed. The four types of wild strawberries were made into wild strawberry juice and wild strawberry milk beverages, all carrying the countryside product brand.

The first batch was produced at the city’s beverage company and, once shipped, quickly sold out in their own supermarkets as well as major supermarkets throughout the city. The response was overwhelming; once people heard these juices were made from wild fruits sourced from the countryside, a buying frenzy ensued.

On the day the products launched, He Zhixing personally visited major provincial and city television stations to air advertisements. He also invited the well-known local singer Zhang ** to endorse the brand, which sparked considerable interest. The countryside beverage brand of Wuzhen officially made its mark. The beverage company’s workforce doubled from 1,500 to 3,000 employees, with significant improvements in wages and benefits. Additionally, a branch beverage factory was established within the Wuzhen Industrial Park, providing employment opportunities for many of the local surplus laborers.

He Zhixing’s countryside specialty products flourished comprehensively. Farmers growing these unique rural crops continuously expanded their planting areas. Some even abandoned their original pine tree plantations and rice paddies to devote themselves entirely to cultivating these specialty products.

The tunnel connecting the county district to Wuzhen was also opened. At the entrance to the tunnel at the foot of the mountain, He Zhixing personally erected a grand archway inscribed with the words "Welcome to Wuzhen." The horizontal plaque bore two lines of poetic verse: "A scene of spring breeze curves through Wuzhen, tenderly welcoming blossoms with purity and grace!" At the bottom, He Zhixing’s own signature was engraved.

By this time, the Spring Festival had passed. Upon emerging from the tunnel, one was greeted by a winding flat road flanked by trees adorned with flowers resembling pear blossoms, yet even more exquisite—oil-green trees blooming in pure white. The flowers, nestled among verdant greenery along the roadside, appeared dignified and natural. The closer one drew to the Wuzhen mountainous area, the more one could see bases cultivating wild vegetables, wild fruits, and other countryside specialty products. These were planted on the hillsides along the road and in the terraced fields below, creating the impression of entering a town even more verdant, natural, and environmentally pristine than the legendary Peach Blossom Spring.

A gentle breeze swept through the entire town. There was no need to recall Zeng Guofan’s famous saying to describe tranquility: "Honestly, when I discussed the true meaning of stillness with others, I once visited a Taoist master’s home and saw him meditating in the scorching heat without feeling hot, even experiencing a cool breeze. I asked him, ‘Master, how can you meditate in this sweltering room without ventilation and not feel hot?’ He told me, ‘If your heart is always troubled by worldly matters, you cannot achieve stillness no matter how hard you try. As long as your heart is tranquil, everything becomes pure and refreshing, like bathing in a cool breeze.’"

The breathing exercises involved a rhythmic flow—exhaling through the head, nose, and mouth, then continuing through the hands, chest, abdomen, back, and legs before inhaling back and relaxing.

This was the meditation mantra he taught Zeng Guofan. Yet in Wuzhen, such mantras were unnecessary. The saying "a calm heart naturally feels cool" came alive here. Simply stepping through the tunnel into Wuzhen and beholding such splendid natural beauty brought an effortless sensation akin to basking in the gentle spring breeze.

The Wuzhen Industrial Park was now officially connected to the Countryside Specialty Product Street. Large-scale buyers headed to the industrial park, while smaller visitors enjoyed shopping along the specialty product street. After two years of hard work, Wuzhen had finally begun to take shape on a substantial scale.