Chapter 414: Great Influence

Chapter 414: Chapter 414: Great Influence

Yang Xiaokang was a bit embarrassed to hear Wang Chenning say that.

"Teacher Wang, your calligraphy is truly excellent!" he said, tactfully stating his opinion. "What you just wrote is perfect as well. It says everything that needs to be said!"

"Fine," Wang Chenning said, putting down the brush. "Then let someone else write it."

Wang Chenning didn’t insist, letting Yang Xiaokang and the others breathe a sigh of relief.

They were planning to post the messages from Wang Chenning and the others on their official social media account and also broadcast them in a video for the television audience.

"A debt of blood must be paid in blood!" was a sentiment shared by many, of course, but it was a bit inappropriate to display publicly.

Since Wang Chenning didn’t insist, there was no longer a problem.

Wang Chenning’s calligraphy was excellent, and the lines he wrote were very fitting for the occasion. It would have a powerful effect no matter where it was displayed.

After Wang Chenning set down the brush, quite a few people came forward to look at what he had written.

They showered praise on both his calligraphy and the brilliance of his words. Everyone marveled at the exquisite skill of his art, declaring it to be at a master’s level.

Wang Chenning’s calligraphy was indeed superb—an expressive and individualistic take on the Liu style that would leave anyone who saw it in awe.

Otherwise, Ling Weiguo wouldn’t have requested a piece of his calligraphy a while back.

The director of the memorial hall immediately announced they would have Wang Chenning’s brush calligraphy mounted and framed, then displayed in a prominent place for more people to see.

Wang Chenning used his phone to take a picture of his own calligraphy. He then snapped photos of what Luo Yuqing, Zhao Xiao’an, and Yang Xiaofei had written before posting on Weibo.

"At the request of our hosts, I left a message. It’s just that it feels unfinished... I couldn’t write the last four characters I wanted to!

Today’s schedule in Jinling: pay respects to these figures who have been written into history. This afternoon, I’m going to the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum and the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum. I’d like to ask all of you: what is the biggest thing the two great men I’ll be honoring this afternoon have in common?"

As he was posting, Wang Chenning glanced at his previous Weibo post and saw it had already shot to the top of the trending list.

Beneath his pinned comment, there was a flood of replies, all saying "A debt of blood must be paid in blood!" or "Blood for blood!" The comment thread was already over twenty thousand replies long.

The post’s total comments and reposts had already surpassed one hundred thousand. In the comments, everyone praised Wang Chenning’s patriotic passion. Many people declared they would be sure to visit the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall, and that they would bring their families with them to learn about patriotism and to contemplate and reflect on that period of history.

After Wang Chenning sent out his new Weibo post, engagement skyrocketed.

In the few short minutes it took Wang Chenning to send the post and scan the comments on his previous one, the new post’s reposts, comments, and likes had already broken into the thousands.

Some netizens had already posted the answer.

"What the two great men have in common is this: they both put forward the slogan, ’Expel the barbarians, revive China!’"

Some people even posted the full text of Zhu Yuanzhang’s "Proclamation Against the Yuan Dynasty" and Mr. Sun’s "Expel the Barbarians" oath in the replies.

Seeing this, Wang Chenning tucked his phone back into his pocket, quite satisfied.

It was already past noon when they left the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall.

Yang Xiaokang had already arranged for lunch. Luo Yuqing and Wang Chenning exchanged a glance, and neither of them refused.

Lunch was a simple buffet, at a standard of eighty yuan per person.

As they sat down to eat, Yang Xiaokang said with great emotion, "Teacher Wang, your two Weibo posts this morning, along with Miss Zhao’s, have successfully sent our memorial hall and the entire city of Jinling to the top of the trending lists. All train tickets to Jinling for today and tomorrow are completely sold out, and the railway department is holding emergency meetings about adding temporary trains. Search traffic for our various tourist attractions has also increased dramatically, and the number of netizens leaving messages and condolences on the memorial’s website has multiplied. Your influence... it’s truly on another level!"

In addition to Wang Chenning’s two posts that morning, Zhao Xiao’an had also made a post of her own and reposted both of his.

Her original post included several photos from inside and outside the memorial hall, a picture of Wang Chenning writing his message, and a video of him asking a staff member if he could write "Blood for blood."

That original post of hers also successfully shot to the top of the trending list.

With the Qingming Festival just a few days away, the public’s commemorative sentiment was quickly ignited online. People mourned the dead through various channels and praised the patriotic passion of Wang Chenning, Zhao Xiao’an, and the others.

Someone in the comments called Wang Chenning and Zhao Xiao’an influencers, but the remark was immediately shot down.

"What influencer has Teacher Wang’s actual substance and skill? Who has his kind of fiery patriotism?"

Someone else added, "What influencer is as handsome as Teacher Wang, or has such a noble air?"

"Teacher Wang’s calligraphy is incredible! It’s master-level!"

"Teacher Wang is amazing at everything. I can’t believe such a perfect man actually exists in this world!"

"He really is the perfect man. No wonder the gorgeous Zhao Xiao’an is always swooning over Teacher Wang!"

"A few days ago, I thought Chief Reporter Zhao and President Yang were being pathetic. There are countless men in the world, and plenty of amazing ones, so why were they so intent on hanging all their hopes on Teacher Wang? Now I get it. There’s truly no man in the world more outstanding than he is. What woman, after meeting Teacher Wang, wouldn’t want to hang herself from his ’crooked-neck tree’?"

Yang Xiaokang briefly scanned the online comments and trending topics and listened to the reports from his subordinates. His admiration for Wang Chenning was truly like a surging river, endless and unceasing.

He was only in his twenties, yet his influence was immense. In less than two months, his follower count was approaching one hundred million.

Compared to those traffic-driven celebrities, his level of influence was a complete curbstomp—they weren’t even worthy to carry his shoes!

No wonder Wang Jiangxing had personally invited Wang Chenning to be the ambassador for Qiantang.

’Jinling has to make a move, too. During the banquet for Wang Chenning and his group tonight, I have to ask for his opinion on the matter.’

’Being an ambassador for two cities at once might not be proper, but there’s nothing wrong with him helping Jinling with a bit of promotion, maybe as a guest ambassador for the city, right?’

But Wang Chenning remained modest. "I think any person who brings glory to our country and possesses a patriotic heart will be beloved by the people online."

"I must learn from you!" Yang Xiaokang said, raising his teacup to toast Wang Chenning. "Let me toast Teacher Wang with tea in place of wine. You truly live up to the title of ’Teacher.’ I hope you’ll visit Jinling often. Whether for sightseeing or for investment, you are always most welcome!"

"I definitely will."

Luo Yuqing, who had been sitting to the side scrolling through her phone while listening to them, waited for a lull in their official-sounding conversation before interjecting, "I’m worried that when we visit the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum and Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum this afternoon, we’re going to run into a massive surge of tourists and traffic jams."

Yang Xiaokang immediately replied, "I’ve already reported the possibility. There will certainly be countermeasures in place. Please, rest assured. This afternoon’s tour will go smoothly!"

But Luo Yuqing countered, "I’d bet money the number of tourists at those two places this afternoon will be far beyond your expectations, to the point where your countermeasures will be completely overwhelmed. Let’s just hope nothing serious happens."

The color drained from Yang Xiaokang’s face at her words.