DCFRP Extra 11

TL: Hua

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The box of the Laurel Stage protrudes from the building in an elegant arc shaped like a balcony. The audience sitting on the soft leather sofa can see everything from left to right except behind them. The view is simply amazing.

Without needing to turn his head, Xun Qian could see Rong Qing wearing a black floral robe and jacket, accompanied by two or three servants, holding a handheld telescope with enamel and gold edges, sitting in the next box.

In order to ensure the viewing experience of each box, there are only 5 boxes on the first floor of the Laurel Stage, each equipped with coffee tables, small tables, and soft leather sofas.

Of course, although the view of the 5 boxes is good, the box in the middle is still the best.

Rong Qing is a renowned figure with certain accomplishments. When he was in Beiping, he often visited every theater there. He has status and position, so he never got a seat that isn’t in the middle.

Therefore, as soon as he sat down, he looked to the next door, saw Xun Qian, paused, and took the initiative to say hello.

Xun Qian also noticed this and nodded politely. The two didn’t change any words.

Today’s play started at 3 pm. The first play was “Gathering of Heroes,” the second was “Farewell My Concubine,” and the last was “Drunken Concubine,” with Qi Xiaoyu as the finale.

A large poster was hung outside the Laurel Stage. The promotion started on Wednesday, and a special newspaper was published to invite Shanghai fans to watch today’s series of good plays.

These three plays are all classics, with both literary and martial arts plays and all kinds of outstanding roles, such as Sheng (male roles), Dan (female roles), Jing (painted-face roles), Mo (elderly roles), and Chou (clown roles)[mfn][/mfn]. Therefore, as soon as it was announced, the tickets were sold out very early.

 

Soon after Xun Qian arrived, more and more people came into the hall on the first floor, which soon became full.

Backstage, the apprentices of the Red Moon Troupe started preparing early in the morning, putting on makeup, changing costumes, and warming up.

Qi Xiaoyu, without donning the phoenix crown, paced back and forth with a folding fan made of mud and gold and was carefully pondering the emotional changes of Yang Yuhuan from expectation to disappointment, from loneliness to resentment in the play.

He was a little nervous today, perhaps because he had not performed on stage in such a place for a long time, perhaps because he was going to be the finale, or perhaps because this play was more difficult than the others.

He thought that he had to at least live up to the phoenix crown that his master bought for him. Although the shopkeeper of “You Long Xi Feng” gave them a much lower price that day, far lower than normal, it still wasn’t a small amount for them.

He wanted to do his best to live up to what Qi Fengjian had said to him that day and what Qi Fengjian expected of him.

When “Gathering of Heroes” was sung outside, he was practicing.

When “Farewell My Concubine” was sung outside, he was still practicing.

Qi Xiaoyu didn’t put on the phoenix crown until Yu Ji started to dance with a sword.

The actor portraying Gao Lishi is Xiao Qiao from the Red Moon Troupe, who, together with Qi Fengjian, takes out the phoenix crown from the mahogany box.

The other apprentices who sang this play also gathered around. Although they had seen this phoenix crown before, when it was taken out, they couldn’t help but admire the pearls and kingfisher feathers again.

Xiao Qiao asked, “Master, which one is better, this one or the one you kept back then?”

Qi Fengjian carefully lifted the phoenix crown and answered honestly, “Each has its own merits.”

He helped Qi Xiaoyu put on the heavy phoenix crown and looked at the little apprentice in the mirror, whose eyes and figure were set off by the phoenix crown to be more dazzling, and pressed his shoulders, “The heavier, the more you should treat it lightly.”

There was a quarter-hour break between “Farewell My Concubine” and “The Drunken Concubine”.

The people who watched the play for several hours in the theater were a little tired, a little exhausted, a little lingering, and a little excited and expectant.

It’s not that they haven’t seen “The Drunken Concubine,” but there aren’t many good ones.

Although the plot of this play is simple, it has a lot of singing and complicated dancing, and the requirements for voice and body are too high.

The theater buzzed with chatter while everyone waited.

Xun Qian’s fingers lightly pressed on the plush armrest cushions of the soft leather sofa. He was also a little nervous.

He had seen Qi Xiaoyu perform on stage at the Peking Opera Theater in S City, but it was different from watching it in this environment.

It’s hard to say what’s different, but it’s a little different.

Butler Cheng glanced over and brought a cup of tea. “I heard that Mr. Qi was a big shot in Beiping, and now that he’s in Shanghai, he must be no worse.”

Xun Qian took the tea, opened the lid, blew it, and before he took a sip, he heard the sound of the huqin. He paused, put the cup down, and looked at the stage.

The sheng, xiao, guqin, and zither were all in place, but the first to sound was the huqin.

The first song played was “General’s Order,” which suppressed all the noise in the audience.

Then, Gao Lishi came on stage and sang in a clownish voice, “Empress Qi, this is the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.”

“The Drunken Concubine” is about Concubine Yang enjoying flowers while drunk in the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.

Knowing that the concubine was about to appear, everyone’s eyes kept looking behind the curtain.

Then, in the eyes of thousands of people, Concubine Yang appeared, wearing a phoenix crown, a female python robe, a cloud shawl, and holding a mud-gold folding fan.

“The Drunken Concubine” isn’t easy and can be said to be difficult to sing.

First, the singing style is changeable, and second, the posture is difficult to do.

Too coquettish is unruly, and too stiff is no beauty.

It is really a case of one point more is too much, and one point less is too little.

But if done well, it can be extremely good, so good that it takes your breath away.

Qi Xiaoyu looked very good from the moment he appeared on stage.

His presence was captivating before he even started performing.

He made heavy dances like holding a cup, lying fish, drunken steps, and looking lithe. The difficult movements were smooth and natural, charming and varied.

“Life is like a spring dream; I shall drink a few cups with joy.”

Every word, tone, move, and posture is full of poetry.

Especially those three times of bowing down and lying down.

The first time, Gao Lishi came to invite the imperial concubine to drink.

Qi Xiaoyu crouched down with a cup in his hand, slowly lowered his waist, and then flipped over. He held the cup in his mouth and leaned forward to find the wine plate. The whole process was supported by the strength of his legs and waist.

Qi Xiaoyu controlled his strength very well. He seemed to be lying down, his eyes were hazy, and his face was as beautiful as peaches and plums under the phoenix crown. When he flipped over, he won the applause of the whole audience.

As Qi Fengjian said, a good actor will win the applause of the whole audience when he wants to.

When he bent down for the third time, he strode drunkenly to the center of the stage, flipping his water sleeves to pick flowers. He couldn’t pick them in his drunkenness, so he flipped them again. After several flips, he flipped faster and faster. Finally, he stood up straight.

When straightening up to reach for flowers, picking flowers, and smelling flowers, he didn’t look at anyone, but every move fascinated the audience.

Xun Qian was fascinated, and Rong Qing was also fascinated.

At first, Xun Qian also noticed the jade belt on the clothes and the fan in his hand, but later he forgot everything.

There was another round of cheers and applause, almost overturning the roof of the Laurel Stage.

The red canal curls up in the autumn smoke.

The last time Xun Qian saw Qi Xiaoyu on stage, he was sitting in the first row, with only Qi Xiaoyu in his eyes.

This time, on the second floor, he was able to take in the whole audience and could really see how many people were fascinated by it.

He watched until the end, and the imperial concubine left the stage amid applause and gorgeous ceremonial guards.

The audience was still applauding, and there were several more curtain calls.

Gu Zizhen and the apprentices came up to praise their junior brother for being the best and for living up to everyone’s expectations tonight and making Huang Jue regret it.

Qi Xiaoyu transformed back into Qi Xiaoyu. He breathed a long sigh of relief, smiled, and took off the phoenix crown, returning it to his master’s hand.

Qi Fengjian praised him, “Your performance tonight is very good. With this performance, you will have a foothold in Shanghai in the future.”

The theater manager also rushed in, and with him, a stream of flower baskets was sent in, some for Zhuge Liang, some for Yu Ji and Overlord, but most for the Imperial Concubine.

The manager said with a thumbs up, “Mr. Qi, Master Qi, you sang the Imperial Concubine really well tonight. I don’t know how many fans are waiting to see you outside.

How about singing this play only on our Laurel Stage in the future?”

After that, he pointed to a large flower basket behind him and said, “Look, this is the flowers sent by Rong-beile, and it’s definitely for Mr. Qi.”

Qi Xiaoyu had just taken a look when someone pushed a flower cart in with a pot in his hand.

The manager went around to read the small words on the cart, and after reading it, he shouted, “Mr. Qi, look, Commander Xun has sent flowers and a cup of tea to moisten your throat.”

Qi Xiaoyu then remembered Xun Qian. He saw Xun Qian when he was on the stage, but he didn’t look at the other party.

His relationship with Xun Qian was already a little unclear. He didn’t forget that he had agreed to attend a dinner with Xun Qian. He didn’t want to take another look and see another meaning.

The manager of the theater already felt that there was another meaning. He winked at Qi Xiaoyu, “The commander’s tea has been delivered. Isn’t Mr. Qi going to see him?”

Everyone else looked at Qi Xiaoyu when they heard this.

However, Qi Fengjian, who was standing next to him, had already patted his shoulder and said calmly, “Go ahead, remove the makeup and change clothes. I’ll go with you to offer him a cup of tea.”

The manager hurriedly said, “Master Qi is right!”

Outside, the audience began to disperse. Of course, those who dispersed would not go home immediately. Some would go to the door to wait for Qi Xiaoyu and others to come out.

Xun Qian and Rong Qing had not left yet.

Butler Cheng invited Rong Qing to come over and took him to Xun Qian’s box, asking him to sit opposite.

Rong Qing lifted his jacket and sat on a single sofa opposite.

Xun Qian had someone pour a cup of newly harvested tea and put it in front of Rong Qing.

Rong Qing looked at Xun Qian but did not drink it. He only asked, “I wonder if Commander Xun has any advice for me?”

Xun Qian took the tea and blew on it. His cold and indifferent voice asked directly, “Does Rong-beile like to listen to Xiaoyu singing?”

Rong Qing didn’t avoid his confrontation. “Commander Xun also heard it just now. Mr. Qi’s singing can make people crazy and intoxicated. Who can dislike that?”

Xun Qian lowered his eyes. His eyelashes covered his gaze, drawing a black arc. “If Rong-beile only likes to listen to Xiaoyu singing, then I can be at ease.”

Rong Qing frowned slightly. “What does Commander Xun mean by this?”

Xun Qian slowly said, “I mean exactly what you just heard.”

Rong Qing said, “I was there when Mr. Qi first performed on stage.”

Rong Qing paused when he said this, and just after thinking about the meaning of Xun Qian’s words, he lifted his lips slightly, “Could it be that Commander Xun has other ideas besides wanting to listen to Mr. Qi perform?”

Xun Qian put down the teacup, leaned into the single sofa, and smiled, “Yes, I don’t just want to listen to him perform; I want to marry him.”

In the hallway outside the private room, not only did Qi Xiaoyu’s hand shake, but Qi Fengjian’s hand also shook. The porcelain cup was shaken and hit the plate, making a ringing sound.

 

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