Chapter 43: After the Spring Banquet

Mrs. Tai smiled and scolded Mr. Xu: She just likes to do weird things and is not afraid of scaring the sisters. Then she looked back at Mrs. Wu who was standing behind her, "Danyang, you have to take good care of it."

The Fifth Madam put her hand on the Tai Madam's shoulder, grabbed her husband with her eyes and pursed her lips, smiling.

The fifth uncle also had good intentions. The third lady smiled and said, seeing so many elders and sisters here, we can't let those opera singers come in to present the playbills. With that, she went over to take the playbills from Mr. Xu Wu's hand and presented them to the concubine.

But Mrs. Tai handed the play list to Zheng Taijun: Take a look and see which play you like.

Zheng Taijun refused and insisted on letting Mrs. Tai order the show: guests are welcome to host.

Seeing that she was sincere, Mrs. Tai handed the play sheet to Mrs. Huang next to her.

Mrs. Huang was not polite and took over the playbill with a smile: "You all pushed me back and forth, and now you can sing at a reduced rate. There was a maid behind me who handed me tortoiseshell glasses."

She put on her glasses and read the play list carefully: "Brothers' Classmate" "Pipa" "Golden Mink" "Golden Seal" It’s better to watch a literary opera. This martial arts opera is crackling and dancing, and I don’t know what is being sung.

As he spoke, he looked at everyone present.

Naturally, everyone had no objections and said: I will listen to you.

Mrs. Huang put together the play list and said to Mr. Xu with a smile: "Then let's sing the pipa line. I like to hear it."

Xu Wuye drank like the waiters in the theater, then took the play list and went to the wing behind the stage.

After a while, a door opened in the wing, and several men came out with various musical instruments and sat on the right side of the stage.

A man in his forties came on stage and made a witty remark, and then the gongs and drums sounded, and the play started.

The Geyang tune is high-pitched, sonorous and powerful, and the instrumental music is mainly composed of large gongs, small gongs and drums.

This is still a literary play. If it were a martial play, wouldn't the sound be louder?

Eleven Niang is a little nostalgic for Yue Opera. She dances with long sleeves and a lot of artistic conception.

She had never seen this kind of drama before, so she calmed down and watched it carefully.

The first scene of "Pipa Play" is about separation. It tells the story of Cai Bojie, a newly married scholar, who separated from his wife Zhao Wuniang because he had to go to Beijing to take the exam.

The actors on the stage sang sincerely, and raised their hands and looked very well. Unfortunately, they sang in Fang opera, and Eleven Niang had to concentrate to barely understand 70-80% of it.

It would be great if the lines could be printed on a booklet for theatergoers to compare. I remember that when I went to the theater with my grandparents, they would always have such a booklet.

Suddenly someone pulled her right sleeve.

Eleven Niang knew it was Wu Niang without looking back.

Eleven Niang, we can’t let Eleven Niang steal the limelight. Her voice is very low.

Eleven Niang simply turned back and opened her eyes wide: I couldn’t hear what my sister said.

The sound of gongs and drums happened to stop for a beat, and her voice was clear and loud.

Everyone looked over.

Eleven Niang showed an apologetic smile to everyone.

Wu Niang smiled coquettishly and said: I said you sit over a little bit and block me.

Oh Eleven Niang smiled and moved her position, getting closer to the eldest lady.

The gongs and drums sounded again.

The second chapter is about high school. It tells the story of Cai Bojie, who won the top prize in high school and was preparing to return to his hometown in fine clothes. However, Prime Minister Niu took a fancy to him and wanted to recruit him as his son-in-law.

Eleven Niang looked at Miss Gan Qi sitting there secretly looking around, looking helpless and patient, but Miss Gan San listened with interest, and even held her tightly when Prime Minister Niu said that he wanted to recruit Cai Bojie as his son-in-law.

fist.

Let’s look at the other ladies.

Qiao Lianfang was a little absent-minded, Miss Lin frowned slightly, and although Miss Kang was sitting upright, the expression on her face alternated with laughter and sadness according to the singer's emotions.

Eleven Niang couldn't help but smile.

Look at the Fifth Lady.

Unexpectedly, she turned out to be like Miss Tang, looking completely involved in the plot.

Eleven Niang thought for a moment, then looked back at Wu Niang and Ten Niang.

Wu Niang's face was livid, and even makeup could not hide her extremely bad mood. She was not in the mood to listen to the show. Ten Niang, on the other hand, looked at the stage with a smile, her expression contented.

Eleven Niang suddenly thought of the allusion about the snipe and the clam fighting, and the fisherman profiting.

After the second chorus, there was a short intermission.

There are burlesque actors appearing to perform gags.

Now everyone, young and old, was attracted and smiled widely.

The lady rewarded him.

Someone used a plum blossom tea tray painted with red paint and gold to hold five large, bright ingots.

Eleventh Mother clicked her tongue.

The ingots were twenty taels each, and this pallet was one hundred taels. She could barely sell this amount after two years of sewing, and that was because Master Jian helped sell it.

The third scene is a forced marriage. It describes how Prime Minister Niu persuaded the emperor to grant a marriage, and how he forced Cai Bojie to stay in Kyoto.

When it was sung that Cai Bozhe was alone in the study, feeling melancholy, a young boy with a hairless head ran in and stood outside the wing looking around, but he did not dare to come in, his face full of anxiety.

The third lady watched and quietly walked over and whispered a few words to the young man, then hurriedly came back and whispered something in the ear of the madam.

The mistress was slightly startled when Xiaosi came back. Why did she let him in so early today? There were no outsiders here. Then she smiled at Zheng Taijun beside her and said, The Marquis is back. I heard that everyone is here. I want to come in and say hello.

How dare you think that Zheng Taijun was very happy, but he said words of refusal.

But Mrs. Huang smiled and said: I haven't seen the Marquis for some years. He went to fight the year before last. Last year, I was in poor health and did not attend the palace banquet. Now I am afraid that I have become more calm.

The third lady got the idea of ​​the madam, went out and whispered a few instructions to the boy. The boy nodded repeatedly and ran away quickly.

The madam smiled: He has been calm since he was a child, but now he is dull.

I have never seen anyone more demanding than Mrs. Tang. Mrs. Tang teased, "I don't know how good the Fifth Master is. He is willing to wear colorful clothes to entertain his wife, but you are making nonsense on the left and being a monkey on the right." Saying that, she looked at

The fifth lady covered her mouth and smiled, so that the two children did not know how to please you. As for the Marquis, everyone praised him for being mature and restrained, but when it came to your mouth, he became dull. Alas, I don't know how to please my two children.

When can I be as stupid and stupid as the Marquis and the Fifth Master and have fun? I am satisfied. This is very flattering. It not only praises Xu Lingyi, but also the Fifth Master Xu, and also praises the Fifth Madam, but alone

Not to mention the third lady who has been serving in front of everyone.

Eleven Niang’s eyes wandered.

The madam laughed, her face full of satisfaction.

The others also laughed, but only the eldest lady had a trace of disappointment in her eyes.

Eleven Niang couldn't help but sigh softly.

If Yuanniang is not sick, the eldest wife will also feel honored.

A boy shouted loudly: Lord Marquis is here

The bustling stage suddenly stopped and there was no sound at all. The musicians and actors stood motionless on the spot.

Xu Wuye suddenly appeared: What's wrong? He's still wearing his original clothes, with a half-painted face.

The Fifth Madam looked at it and burst out laughing: Didn't you hear that the Marquis is back?

Oh, he yelled and hurried into the side room. Don't say I'm here.

Everyone in the courtyard was laughing so hard that they couldn't stand upright.

The third lady smiled and led the ladies to hide behind the screen on the west side.

Behind the screen was a place for banquets. Everyone sat separately, except Miss Gan Qi, who leaned against the gap in the screen and looked out.

Miss Gansan hurriedly grabbed her sister: "What's there to see? Grandpa's birthday will be in a few days, and the Marquis will go to celebrate his birthday. Just watch it. Don't embarrass yourself here. The last sentence was very light, but no one in the room spoke."

, everyone heard it clearly.

Miss Gan Qi shook her sister's hand: Oh, let me see. My sixth brother keeps talking about how powerful he is every day, but I want to see if he has three heads and six arms.

Miss Gansan held her sister's hand and refused to let go: If you do this, I will never take you out again.

Miss Lin covered her sleeves and smiled, but Miss Tang showed disdain. Only Qiao Lianfang looked at the third young lady of the Gan family thoughtfully.

There were shouts of greetings coming from outside: The Marquis is here.

A mellow and gentle voice cut through the noisy locks and touched people's hearts: The son greets his mother

The two young ladies of the Gan family were stunned in front of the screen, and everyone else, including the eleventh mother, sat upright with bated breaths.

Get up, get up. There was unconcealable joy in Madam Madam’s voice. Why did you get off the court so early today? Is there nothing wrong?

These days have been quite leisurely. The voice spoke unhurriedly, giving people a calm and unhurried certainty. I heard that several ladies are here, and my son has come to say hello.

Dare not dare, several ladies were polite, but it could also be heard that they were very happy with Xu Lingyi's behavior.

The seventh Miss of the Gan family rolled her eyes and leaned in front of the screen to peek again. The third Miss of the Gan family stood there, pulling, but she was afraid that people outside would hear the noise, so she didn't pull. It was also a very rude move, and it was not allowed to enter.

, it’s not even possible to retreat, it’s very embarrassing.
To be continued...