Chapter 195
On the day of the winter solstice, there was a rare and unique smell in the air of Jiangcheng.
A new actor who has been heard of for a long time but never seen in person is about to make his debut in Jiangcheng. The fact that it has caused such a sensation and has been anticipated by thousands of people is largely due to the various rumors in Jiangcheng.
The mysterious boss who is only interested in the sound of the boss but not in the person is the target of speculation from all parties. He is generous and rewards people with gold ingots. It is said that it was a pile of gold ingots that fell from the sky and hit the new character's forehead and knocked him down.
People also love these rumors, especially after they are exaggerated, which are not much different from the melodramatic eight o'clock dramas in later generations.
The popularity in Jiangcheng lasted for a month and everyone wanted to see this celebrity who hadn't even appeared on stage yet. The Crescent Moon Troupe signed a contract with the largest theater to perform. The publicity was not as good as in the previous life, and newsboys were shouting about it for several days.
"Young Master Caidie, admired by the mysterious boss, is on stage to perform. Enjoy the talent of this beautiful lady with the mysterious boss on a certain day. Don't miss it." Newsboys walk through the streets, shouting incessantly. The content of their calls may not be exactly the same, but they are all similar.
The tickets for this day were sold out as soon as they went on sale. The owner of the Xinyue Troupe was grinning from ear to ear and greeted the guests who came today at the door together with the theater owner.
The people who came today came, firstly, to see the beauty, and secondly, to see the legendary mysterious boss behind the beauty. The boss behind the theater even gave up the largest box just to see who the legendary mysterious boss is.
Today the troupe is performing the classic Peony Pavilion. It is a debut performance and also a way for the young and old men in Jiangcheng to appreciate the skills of this pillar of the stage. Being able to be a pillar of the stage and having good looks is only one of the basics. It also depends on whether the skills are solid.
Jiangcheng cannot be compared with Shanghai, nor with the declining Huajing, but it is located upstream of the river, and is the Magic City downstream of the upstart Nanjing Prefecture. The people of Jiang Prefecture on the branch line have also seen the world.
This poem "The Peony Pavilion" is enough to judge the skill of this pillar, and on the other hand, it can also appreciate the vision of those who support the pillar. Upper-class people have more free time, so they can always think more and guess from all aspects, even if they have never even met the person.
The play on the stage started, and the theater manager wiped the sweat from his forehead and walked into the box on the second floor.
"Master, Master, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for a long time. I wonder if you are used to this box." The steward wiped his sweat and concealed his uneasiness. Although this arrangement was decided by the master, if the superiors were unhappy, he, a small steward, would still suffer.
"Is that person here?" Mr. Zhao would sit here to watch the show and give up his private box just to get to know this mysterious guest. The money this guest used to pay for his hospitalization was enough to build a small theater. He just booked it and let the new pillar of the Crescent Troupe perform for half a month. He really has a lot of money.
The money from renting the theater wasn't even included; the theater and the troupe split the ticket sales, so they made a lot of money this time, indirectly proving that the mysterious owner wasn't short of money. Who wouldn't want too much money these days? Most of the people who came to see the show wanted to see what this owner was up to: was he here to steal jobs in Jiangcheng or bring the God of Wealth?
"He hasn't come yet. I asked Mr. Wang. Although he is the actor who is favored by that person, Mr. Wang is not sure whether he can come back or not." The housekeeper replied in fear, fearing that innocent people would be implicated.
There is not only Boss Zhao sitting in this box, but also several of Boss Zhao's close friends, who are also here for the legendary mysterious man. Of course, there is not only this box, but all the boxes on the second floor are full. Some important people came in person, while others sent people to investigate the situation because they were embarrassed to show up.
Even the scene where he had spent real money, he didn't even show up. This was beyond many people's expectations, and in the blink of an eye, the evaluation of the seat was greatly improved. Is he an actor? After all, it's just a plaything. Spending so much gold to support a plaything proves that this person has more.
Who would take a toy so seriously? Just playing with it, not caring about it, that's the truest example of a master. This makes everyone want to know who this person is? What's his background? Could this person be...
Various speculations raced through everyone's minds. Yellow Eight Banners? But I heard there was overseas ancestry. Could he be an overseas noble? A king or prince there was also a possibility.
What's the hottest business right now? It's business with foreigners. No matter what it is, those new things from overseas can be sold for many times the price.
Having said so much, everyone is looking forward to the mysterious boss who is finally coming. At this time, the protagonist and the center of the play finally appear.
These people were all experienced and knowledgeable. The mainstay of the stage, Yuan Caidie, had quite a bit of skill in the few steps she took when she walked on stage. It wasn't that she was much better than the established actors, but her posture was the result of her hard work and talent. You could tell there was something different when she started speaking.
The same passage sung by two groups has different flavors. For example, when singing the same role of Du Liniang, some can sing it in a gentle and charming way, while others sing it with the sound of cicadas thinking of love. And the mainstay Yuan Caidie, who is making her debut on the stage, has the upbringing of a lady from a noble family in every move, every raised brow and lowered eyes. Some of the performances are deliberately sung to retain customers, and they are seductive in a different way, with a cold and noble quality.
This kind of nobility is very attractive in a special way. It turns out that the mysterious boss likes this kind of style. When someone's mind is aroused, they will start to guess about others.
The play was well performed, but the show had already started and the people they were waiting for had not yet arrived, leaving those with ulterior motives to stare blankly.
The climax of The Peony Pavilion is a dreamlike fairyland, and the two sections sung when enjoying the flowers on a boat at night are really sung with feeling. The singing skills of the scenery and characters on the stage are all amazing, winning applause from the audience. The sound of the ocean falling to the ground is so crisp that only then does the troupe owner feel relieved.
Although he felt comforted, the troupe owner still thought that if a few more gold ingots fell, his mainstay would become a hit.
No matter how much it brags about how good it is, whether it is really good or not depends on whether there are tips when the performance is carried out. The new actor may sing well, but he may not receive crazy tips from fans like the famous actors. However, with the money that falls on the stage, he is already doing well and has the confidence to become famous.
Just as the climax was about to end, a tall woman in a Western dress came down from the private room on the second floor and walked onto the stage holding a vermilion wooden box.
It was obvious that the woman was not from Jiangcheng. She had three-dimensional facial features, fair skin, and sharp upturned eyebrows. Her black hair was neatly tied behind her head, and her tight clothes outlined the lines of her body. This dress was not a cheongsam, nor was it the style worn by Heisei women, so it could only be described as a Western dress. At least local women would never wear it like this.
The woman was relaxed and at ease. All eyes in the hall and the boxes were focused on her. She walked through the hall naturally, not caring about anyone's gaze at all, and walked to the front of the stage with the mahogany box in her hands.
"Twelve East Sea Dragon Pearls, with a number of matching pearls, are presented to you as a gift to your talent. May the pearls shine together and rise with the wind and clouds."
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