"Yes." Lin Su said.
Bai Jingtang listened to the voice, turned his back and took off his robe: "Don't you have anything to ask?"
He wanted to change his clothes, and Lin Su also turned his head away from him. Although they were a married couple in modern times, and had sworn ties with heaven and earth, peeking at each other without permission was not a good habit. "Before the fall of the feudal dynasty, actors were the most despised people. What leverage do you have over others?"
"No, I sing opera because I want to." Bai Jingtang changed into the inner suit, then sat in front of the mirror and took out a wig to fix his hair. "Do you also think that opera singers are not worthy of being on stage?"
"That's what I think." Lin Su replied.
Bai Jingtang paused as he fixed his hair, then suddenly smiled and said, "Do you think I, the young master of the Bai family, would give up my job and degenerate?"
"I think." Lin Su replied, "I can
It takes a lot of courage to pursue what you like in the light."
Bai Jingjian lowered his eyes. It was the first time he heard such a statement. Actors were indeed not worthy of being on stage. No matter how famous or high-ranking they were, in the eyes of those dignitaries, they were just people who lived by the door and made jokes.
But when Bai Jingjian was young, he went to operas with his grandmother, and the stories told there always made him feel deeply moved. Such a small stage could hold so much emotion. He loved it, but he also understood that if this thing was left on the stage, the entire Bai family would be talked about, so he could only do it secretly. Why was it that it was something he loved and had never bothered anyone else, so why was it treated as inferior?
No one had ever told him this before. Was it because he was a god that he understood the human heart especially well?
"Thank you." Bai Jinglang wrapped her hair and started putting on makeup in front of the mirror.
The female role is usually based on flesh-white, and the eyebrows and the area below the eyes are covered with red. Special oil paint is applied to the fair face, and the red is deepened. The eyebrows and eyes are then carefully outlined with an eyebrow pencil, and finally the lips are colored with red paper.
Although it is painted with heavy colors, if you look closely you can tell who the original person is. However, the exquisite eyebrows and the watery light in the eyes cannot be concealed by oil paint.
After putting on a long wig, Bai Jingtang donned a golden and red costume studded with pearls. His luxurious attire, coupled with the extremely gorgeous phoenix crown, with pearls gleaming in the candlelight, was so beautiful that his beauty could not be determined by gender.
Bai Jinglang raised her sleeves and bowed gently in the direction of Lin Su, her eyes like water. Lin Su's heart moved slightly, and he suddenly understood what it meant to have a pounding heart.
He felt that he was the kind of person who was easily moved by someone, but being moved was something that could not be controlled by reason.
"What song are we singing today?" Lin Su asked.
"The Palace of Eternal Life." Bai Jinglang's voice had become graceful.
"Qinghuan, are you ready? We're going to go on stage soon?" someone urged outside the door.
"Okay." He spoke in a female voice.
"The third row is the best seat. You can take a look if you like." Bai Jinglang raised his sleeves and opened the door, obviously going to prepare to wait in the wings.
Lin Su also stood up. When he went out, the auditorium and the box were already full of people. The music had already started. Lin Su chose a place to sit and watched the duet between the Emperor Ming and the eunuch on the stage. The opera melody was long and full of energy. It didn't need a microphone like the modern ones to be heard in every corner.
Some people in the audience cheered, while others were looking forward to it.
"When will Qing Huan come out?"
"Hey, why rush? We'll be on stage eventually and we can't run away."
"I came here just to see what kind of beauty this most famous actress in the capital has."
"That's Sister Ying's treasure, you can't mess with it casually."
“…”
The voices were whispering, some of which were really unbearable to the ears. Mrs. Lu was listening to the opera seriously, but Lu Jun, who was sitting next to her, found it difficult to understand such a drawn-out singing. Compared to this incomprehensible music, he preferred the clarity of Western instruments and singing. If he had not come to accompany his mother, he would never have set foot in this place.
Since he didn't understand the play, he naturally heard the whispers. It wasn't that he looked down on this place, but that some of the men in the boxes were holding the women who came to entertain guests in their arms, and their laughter was really disgusting to watch.
"But you don't understand?" Mrs. Lu asked after seeing his expression.
"Mom, we can invite you to any opera you want to hear at home. Why come to this smoky and foul place?" Lu Jun was puzzled.
"No one else's singing can compare to Qinghuan's song. You are an educated person, but don't you know that a basket of rotten apricots is worth a fairy peach?" Mrs. Lu said with a smile.
"...What mom said makes sense." Lu Jun really couldn't tell the quality of opera, but he also knew that there was a difference between top-tier and average-tier players of Western musical instruments.
The role that can attract the dignitaries in the capital may be the most popular one in opera.
Lu Jun didn't intend to take it too seriously, but now he wanted to listen carefully.
The scene changed with the sound of fine drums, and the mood of the scene changed. When the backstage sound was raised, all the whispers disappeared when they saw the graceful figure holding a golden fan.
Her face was covered by a golden fan, revealing only a hint of her red lips and her beautiful eyes. Her posture, like holding a pipa and half covering her face, attracted countless onlookers to peek in to catch a glimpse of her complexion behind the fan.
Lin Su looked at the self-satisfied figure on the stage, and he really caught a glimpse of the appearance and demeanor of the favorite concubine who was drunk and lying in the flowers. The folding fan turned by her wrist, opening and closing three times, was even more fascinating.
When the music stopped and started again, the extremely graceful singing voice had already come out.
"The ice wheel on the island begins to turn..."
The imperial concubine looked at the moon, and she wanted to make the moon feel ashamed. With a long voice, her beautiful eyes seemed to be shrouded in the moonlight. As soon as she finished speaking, she attracted applause from the whole audience.
She was contented when gazing at the moon, but even if she was the favorite of the six palaces, there would always be some troubles and annoyances. The strong man came hurriedly and interrupted her posture that was like Chang'e under the moon.
Countless spectators felt melancholy.
"Leaning against the railing of the Jade Bridge..."
Although the imperial concubine still had a graceful demeanor when she opened the fan and threw up her sleeves, her movements were agile and charming, and were not affected at all by the heavy phoenix crown and clothes. Such movements naturally drew cheers.
Lu Jun looked at the people on the stage. The opera, which originally required him to concentrate to watch, now made him unable to look away even for a moment.
The famous actor in the capital city is indeed well-deserved in his reputation.
Everything started with the slow steps on the Jade Bridge. The imperial concubine had no one to confide her melancholy to, so she could only vent it through wine.
She gently bites the cup with her red lips and bends her waist slightly.
Although "she" is melancholy, she is not resentful, but charming, charming but vulgar. Although she looks drunk and lazy, she does not annoy people, but only makes people feel pity. They only hate why the Emperor Ming already has this charming beauty, but still breaks his gentleman's promise and makes "her" drunk under the moon.
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