Cooperating with Su Liangchen to make a script for the play, Zhang Ning found out when she returned home that a story about the Zhang family had spread in the neighborhood. It was probably that Zhang Xiaomei was going to marry a rich man from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and she would soon become rich. These rumors must have come from the family.
It happened because he was eager to show it off. It couldn't have come from the Su family. The wealthy family had no contact with the common people on Liren Street.
When Zhang Ning saw his uncle, he mentioned this matter and said very displeasedly: "My little sister's business has not been done yet, and I haven't even said a word about it. You have publicized it early. If it doesn't work out in the end, how can we step down?"
?”
"Who used it to publicize it? How can we be so lenient when it comes to talking about others?" Zhang Jiujin argued.
Zhang Ning thought to himself, it's really strange. Is it possible that the news can be known to the neighbors for no reason? It's not strange for people to be vain, but you have been bragging about your wealth for a long time, why are you still opening that shop and doing a small business? The women at home are still
Are you busy working all day long? Aren’t you embarrassing yourself?
It was dusk, and the men had already gathered up and were talking at the door of the main room, while the women were busy preparing dinner. He looked back and saw Zhang Xiaomei coming out of the kitchen with a basin to pour water. The two looked at each other.
After a quick glance, she continued her work, but looked up from the window from time to time.
"Since it's not one of our own who said it, let's forget it." Zhang Ning is inconvenient to argue with his elders. No matter whether he wins or not, no one will say that he is right. If the younger generation disobeys the elders, it is wrong. This is the current moral order. He also
Asked, "You and your mother-in-law went to meet the second young master of the Su family a few days ago. How was it?"
Zhang Jiujin was immediately full of praise: "The son of a wealthy family is very particular about etiquette. The second son doesn't pretend to be big, he doesn't talk much, but he is very decent. It can be seen from his actions that he is not ordinary, and he doesn't have the dissoluteness of the playboy."
Frivolous, not bad, not bad.”
The cousin agreed: "He is tall and powerful, and he is studying all the time. He is not a rough guy."
Zhang Ning dealt with it for a few words, knowing that the younger sister had no business speaking in front of the elders, and did not ask her in front of everyone. After dinner, he saw her go into the house, and the lights upstairs turned on.
Then he walked to the door of the wing and knocked on the door.
He rarely enters his younger sister's boudoir. After all, he has grown up. It would be unreasonable to rush into the girl's room for free, but tonight he went in because he had something to ask her alone. The financial situation of the Zhang family is actually quite good.
, but at this time, what the people advocated was diligence and thrift, and they would either save some money, buy land, or lend money. I saw that everyone in the girl's room was as old and simple as Zhang Ning's, but it looked a little different.
There are little flowers she embroidered on the curtains of the window, and there is a bead curtain hanging in front of the bed. The beads are not pearls, but small nuts grown on trees, threaded with red thread to make decorations. A look at her room
There isn't anything valuable on it, but it looks delicate, flexible, clean and tidy, like a little jade.
Seeing that the younger sister was unhappy, Zhang Ning forced a smile and asked politely: "I heard that you saw someone? How about the second young master? Does he look good to you?"
Zhang Xiaomei sat down on the stool next to him and said feebly: "You have a nose and eyes. It's okay, not ugly."
"It's enough that it's not ugly. People can't just look at the outside." Zhang Ning said, "Are you satisfied with the rest?"
Zhang Xiaomei didn't answer. He was silent for a long time before he said sincerely: "As my cousin said, maybe the Su family proposed this marriage for the purpose of marriage. But there is no need to worry about it. Others want to show that the matchmaker is marrying him, and he is the first wife. Don't say
For a big and famous family like the Su family, even ordinary people care about this aspect of virtue." He pretended to smile again, "Don't be so cool, you haven't thought about the good life of the Su family.
?Endless beautiful clothes, gold and silver jewelry, and a pampered status. Many girls have such a dream..."
"Who still has time to dream!" Zhang Xiaomei said angrily, "I think uncles like to dream, and they want to get rich all day long."
Zhang Ning sighed: "You can't blame them. Not everyone can be calm after abandoning their fantasies. It has nothing to do with how many years you have lived... In the end, it is you who make the decision about this marriage. I will listen to you. And if
I won't nod, because the uncle is just an uncle after all, and he has no right to force anything."
The younger sister lowered her head and said, "I think about it again, and my brother is right. I don't want him to be rich or powerful. Second Master Su doesn't seem to be a bad person. We'll see if he's just pretending after a while."
Hearing her say this, Zhang Ning felt a little uncomfortable. Could it be that he hoped to hear his younger sister saying that she didn't like him, and that she would say bad things about Second Young Master Su? People's hearts are really contradictory. Haven't he been persuading her to choose a good husband?
Now that she has met someone she said is good, why do she feel this way? She is generous without saying it sincerely... but what if she doesn't show it?
Maybe like my uncle and others, I am also dreaming and fantasizing, and it is not so easy to abandon the realm of fantasy.
"Well, it's getting late, so I'll go down first. Let me know when you have made up your mind... You don't have to be influenced by the words of your uncle and cousin." Zhang Ning pretended to stand up indifferently. The younger sister didn't stay with him, and walked out to the eaves.
He couldn't help but shake his head in self-mockery.
There was still a faint scent of osmanthus floating in the air. He reached out and took out the auspicious charm from his pocket. The first time he got this thing, he was also surrounded by the scent of osmanthus. He remembered it very clearly.
Zhang Xiaomei stood behind the window, gently lifting the curtain, reluctant to see him return to his room, but she saw him stopping under the eaves, holding a red thing and gently putting it in front of his mouth. She curiously looked at what he was holding.
Something, the light was too dark but I couldn’t see it clearly.
…
The elegance and subtlety after letting go of utilitarian vanity is Zhang Ning's favorite feeling, just like the play performed by Fang Ling.
Chunhan Liyuan, which has been prepared for a long time, finally opened, and the situation was as optimistic as expected. The first night was full of guests, and those invited were all people with some status in Nanjing City. These people are not short of money and are potential regular customers.
People excitedly came to watch the first performance of the New Liyuan, just because of the new song "Suzhou Opera". It has been very popular in Jinling these days, and tonight you can listen to what it is.
Zhang Ning, of course, wanted to join in the fun. He, Mr. Su and other celebrities sat in a good seat in the lobby. There was a seat on the wooden floor with desks. The place was high up and had a good view. It was truly a VIP seat, so you could sit down and take your time.
Looking down at the hall, the hall is full of people, and both the sitting and standing places are full.
After waiting for a while, people were beating gongs and drums amidst the noise. The first person to come up was Mo Jiao, who read the story. Mr. Su wanted to say something, but he had to turn his head because he was a little noisy. Even so, the voice was unclear, as if he was
Zhang Ning didn't hear clearly whether the lines were written by Brother Ping'an or what he said, so he had to smile in return.
The play started, and most people began to watch the play seriously, and the noise finally gradually decreased. After the play ended, the musicians played the wooden clappers, and in the crisp rhythm, a woman in a white dress appeared on the stage.
Mr. Su and others immediately opened their eyes and looked at the stage attentively. Zhang Ning also immediately recognized that the female actor was Fang Ling.
She didn't wear a costume, she just wore a plain cross-collar skirt, a simple hosta in her hair, and a silk fan in her hand. She walked onto the stage gracefully. At first glance, she looked like a homely lady.
, very simple and elegant. But her face is painted with thick drama makeup, which is as thick as the Peking Opera makeup Zhang Ning has seen. It is impossible to tell what a real face looks like. You can tell whether she is a girl or a girl just by looking at her face.
It's hard to tell the difference, like a mask.
The wooden music played the rhythm, and for a while the flute and flute sounded together. Fang Ling on the stage simply started singing with a fan, and Fang sang "Only in plain makeup", and the hall immediately became noticeably quiet.
Her postures and techniques are as if they were done by her hands, without any artificiality at all. They are also very soft, slow and charming, just like her daily manners or a special kind of light dancing. Her singing and breathing are also graceful, long and continuous. There is no noise.
The liveliness is not colorful, but there is a subtle lingering fragrance and tenderness. As soon as it opens, it is very contagious and brings people into a sentimental and sentimental world.
Countless spectators in the increasingly large hall became silent, leaving only the moving singing and orchestral melody, making the sound more penetrating. After each line was sung, it seemed to linger on the wooden beams in the hall.
go.
The scenes set up in this play are not as realistic as modern movies and TV shows. You can tell it is a play at first glance, and the way the story is sung and acted is completely different from how you talk and live in your daily life. But once you enter the play, it is like being there, and there are endless possibilities.
Fantasy space. Zhang Ning felt like he was dreaming even with his eyes open.
With thunderous cheers ringing in his ears, Zhang Ning woke up from his dream and secretly sighed that Fang Ling was indeed very talented in the art of opera. Perhaps hiding her was a kind of obliteration.
The people present also came to their senses and praised one after another. An old cousin next to him smiled and said: "Brother Su's music has reached a higher level again, and Gu Chunhan on the stage sings it well too."
Su Liangchen casually cupped his hands: "I can't deny Brother Ma's kind words. I really appreciate it." He smiled again and looked at Zhang Ning, "Speaking of which, we met Gu Chunhan in Yangzhou, and suddenly I remembered that we haven't met each other before.
Her beautiful face. Brother Ping An, look at it, she is wearing this kind of makeup to prevent others from seeing her true face."
"If you don't wear costumes, you really don't need to wear that kind of makeup." Someone agreed.
Su Liangchen asked again: "Brother Ping'an must have seen Gu Chunhan's appearance?"
"No." Zhang Ning insisted, "She is a married woman, so maybe it is not convenient for her to show up. I heard that this opera house was funded by her husband."
"Mrs. Gu..., haha, I haven't seen the true face of Lushan. Her husband is also a mysterious man. I sent someone to inquire a while ago. He only said that he was a tea merchant, but no one has ever seen him." Su Liangchen shook his head and sighed.
road.
Their disguised identities were to avoid government spies. No matter how many friends Mr. Su had, where would they start to investigate?
"Listen to the opera. After tonight, I don't know when I will be able to hear again." Mr. Su said, and after thinking for a while, he added, "Let's go back and revise "The Romance of the West Chamber", and maybe we can listen to another good one."
play."
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