"What, you're leaving!" Master Liu suppressed his discomfort and went to Mu Qingyang's room. Just as he was about to talk to him about the concubine, he heard Mu Qingyang say this.
"Yes, Master. We'll leave today. Go tell the person in charge here that the Mu Family Troupe will settle its accounts and leave today," Mu Qingyang said decisively. This morning, someone from the Fucha clan came to tell him that the Fucha clan wanted to see him, but he had declined.
"Why? You're very popular with these mistresses now, why do you want to leave?" Old Liu asked, puzzled. He felt that the demands made by the concubine today were far better than the demands made by Mu Qingyang at this moment.
"It's not for any particular reason, I just want to leave. I don't want to sing here anymore. Master, we can make money just as well if we go out. Why do we have to stay here?" Mu Qingyang said irritably.
“Qingyang, do you know where this is? It’s not a place you can just come and go as you please. This is a villa of Prince Yong’s mansion. Our fate is in their hands. If they don’t let you leave, do you dare to go?” Master Liu said anxiously.
“Go ahead and resign. Does that mean we have no personal freedom? Even business is based on mutual consent. Does that mean we can’t leave?” Mu Qingyang said.
"You! Offending Prince Yong won't end well. Let me tell you the truth, I just came back from the concubine's place. She specifically asked for you to come over, saying she wants to rehearse more of those Western plays," Liu Bantou said angrily. He never expected that Mu Qingyang would leave at this time.
"A concubine?" Mu Qingyang said in surprise.
"Yes, they specifically asked you to come over. Are you going or not?" Old Liu simply couldn't do anything with Mu Qingyang. If it weren't for the fact that he was a star performer, he would have kicked him out long ago.
"Why does the concubine want to perform Western plays?" Mu Qingyang asked, frowning.
"How would I know? They just like watching Western plays!" Old Liu said.
"No, Master, you should refuse the concubine. Tell her that Qingyang has something to do back home and needs to leave immediately. Let them find someone else." Mu Qingyang thought of the place he was in and her presence, and he didn't want to stay a moment longer, even though performing Western opera was his idea.
"You, how can you be so stubborn! Now that money is being handed to you, are you stupid or just plain dumb?!" Old Liu was so angry he wanted to hit him with his pipe.
“Master, we can still make money even if we leave, so why do you have to put up with these masters’ bad temper here?” Mu Qingyang said.
“My pillar of the troupe is not someone we can just leave as we please. If you want to leave, you can go and talk to the concubine yourself. Anyway, I'm too old to persuade her,” said Master Liu, slamming his hand on the reins.
“Very well, then I will personally go and resign,” Mu Qingyang said upon hearing this.
Master Liu nearly fainted, then angrily flung his sleeves and stormed out.
Mu Qingyang did indeed come to find Lan Qin in person. When he stood tall and handsome in front of her, our Comrade Lan Qin was a little embarrassed. Mu Qingyang was the kind of handsome, melancholic prince type, the kind that's usually very popular with teenage girls.
"Young Master Mu, please have a seat!" Lanqin said.
Unlike Master Liu, Mu Qingyang was not coy and sat down in a very natural manner. After Si Hua brought him tea, he casually sipped it, showing that he was not intimidated in front of the powerful and influential.
"Young Master Mu, Master Liu has already told you, hasn't he? This concubine wishes to invite you to stay and organize a small troupe to perform Western plays," Lanqin said.
"Why does the concubine want to do this?" Mu Qingyang asked.
"For no particular reason, I just find it fun. I don't like listening to Peking Opera, I prefer Master Mu's Western operas," Lanqin said directly.
Mu Qingyang looked at Lan Qin, who was blinking very honestly, and smiled, "How long do you think I'll need to stay here, Consort?"
“I don’t know either. If you can quickly train some people who can perform Western plays, then Young Master Mu can leave. Of course, during this period, I will still pay Young Master Mu the same commission he would receive for performing at private parties,” Lan Qin said.
Mu Qingyang hesitated. He actually loved Western opera, otherwise he wouldn't have insisted on learning it in front of Master Liu. However, the Liu family's affairs made him unwilling to stay here any longer.
"Is there something troubling you, young master?" Lanqin asked, noticing his hesitation.
"It's nothing, I just want to get out. ****I'm stuck in this garden, I'm not free," Mu Qingyang said.
Lanqin nodded in understanding, but she really didn't want to let him leave like this, so she tried to say, "If Young Master Mu wants to leave, he only needs to take his waist token. I can leave without restricting his freedom. Young Master Mu, actually, other actors would love to have the whole place booked. Would you please reconsider?"
Mu Qingyang had never received such treatment from these high-ranking officials and dignitaries before, except for that Liu Shi in the past, but now she was the one who looked down on him the most.
“Alright, since Consort is so kind to you, it wouldn’t be right to refuse. However, I would like to make a deal with you: I will only stay here for three months, and within those three months, I will train a group of entertainers that you need. What do you say?” Mu Qingyang thought about it and realized that staying for a few more months, as long as he didn’t have to see her again, wasn’t out of the question.
“Alright, it’s a deal. And within these three months, if Young Master Mu wishes to leave, he can come to this concubine’s office at any time to obtain a written order to leave.” Seeing that the other party was so agreeable, Lanqin also said.
"Thank you for your consideration, Consort! Consort, I have another request. I wonder if you would grant it?" Mu Qingyang said after a moment's thought.
“Just say it!” Lanqin said.
"I am here specifically to teach the actors Western opera for my concubine, because Western opera doesn't emphasize sitting, fighting, singing, or walking; it only requires the actors to have basic singing and acting skills. However, three months is too intensive, so I may have to teach them behind closed doors and no longer go out to perform. Moreover, I don't like to be disturbed by others anymore. Could you please set aside a courtyard for me to teach those actors?" Mu Qingyang said. He said this because he didn't want to see Liu Shi again, nor did he want to be disturbed by Fucha Shi again.
Upon hearing this request, Lanqin readily agreed, saying, "That's no problem at all. From today onwards, you can retire and let your fellow disciples handle the social engagements. How about living in Yue Di Yun? It's close to here, making communication convenient, and the scenery is beautiful with no one to bother you."
"Excellent! Thank you for your kindness, Consort. It is truly a blessing for me to be able to stay in such a paradise on earth for a while." Mu Qingyang did not expect Lanqin to be so kind, and immediately clasped his hands in greeting.
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