Chapter 63
The prince's mansion was so magnificent and dazzling that Dapeng couldn't even take in the sight as he followed Zhou Li.
It's not that they haven't seen wealthy families before, but it's rare to see one as wealthy as this. Only the brothers of the ruling party could be so down-to-earth as to show all their wealth to others.
When Zhou Li arrived at the prince's mansion, he felt even more that the old prince was not the same kind of person as them. He was a vested interest holder under the rule of the northern government. His reforms were top-down, and the purpose of his reforms was not for the people, but to prolong the rule of the northern government.
The Youxiatang had always felt that the old prince was someone they could cooperate with because of the ambitions he had made and the things he had done, but now it seemed that he was already very old and only cared about pleasure.
The scene of the prince's mansion was both within Zhou Li's imagination and beyond her imagination. She could imagine wealth and splendor, but she had never imagined such extravagance and debauchery.
Zhou Li did not see the old prince today. The stage was being built, and the palace steward took them to see it. Among them was the play list selected by the noble, which was written in a thin scroll and the steward showed it to Zhou Li.
The palace's steward naturally had a different temperament and treated Zhou Li no differently than an ordinary person.
Zhou Li saw the stage, which was built on a lotus pond. There was a stream between the stage and the audience. It was decorated with lights all around, and one could imagine that it must be very beautiful at night.
After agreeing on the play list with the housekeeper, the housekeeper invited Zhou Li and the others to stay in the palace. However, Zhou Li left when he saw that the palace was messy.
The housekeeper sent someone to escort them out. After leaving the City Lord's Mansion, Dapeng finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, "This palace is truly a royal palace. It makes us look like we are just peasants."
Zhou Li laughed and said, "They are from the royal family, while we who rely on our skills to make a living are naturally just peasants."
Dapeng looked at Zhou Li for a long moment before he asked in confusion, "Boss, why are you being so self-deprecating today? You're never like this normally."
Zhou Li glared at him. Dapeng rubbed his head and smiled innocently, "Boss, are you also frightened by the aura of the palace?"
"Do you think I'm you?" Zhou Li turned his head.
Dapeng asked, "What happened?"
Zhou Li just sighed, "I don't think the hall master's idea will work."
How could he listen to what they said when he was so powerful? He might be caught as a traitor before he even got close to the old prince. Moreover, Zhou Li had something on his mind. The little boys he met in the provincial capital had always been weighing heavily on his mind.
Dapeng scratched his head and looked at Zhou Li thinking hard, wondering what the class leader was thinking about.
He is a stupid man and doesn't know the boss's troubles, but as a smart person, the boss must have her own ideas.
Zhou Li was wondering what was going on in the provincial capital?
The information from the Ranger Hall was transmitted slowly. I didn't know whether Zhang Mei had reached the provincial capital. Also, a foreigner died on the eighth concubine's birthday that day. I didn't know whether their cooperation had been broken.
Zhou Li thought Tang Jing knew all these things, but the hateful thing was that Tang Jing said nothing, and last night he was... still... inexplicable.
Zhou Li's face felt a little hot. She lifted the car curtain to let the wind blow to relieve the stuffiness in her chest.
Arriving at the post station, Zhou Li subconsciously looked towards the door, expecting to see Tang Jing, but there was no one there. She stood at the door for a while, and Dapeng called out, "Master, what do we need to take to the Prince's Mansion?"
Zhou Li looked around and felt a little lost.
She said, "Just take the things we usually eat with us, and..." As she gave instructions, she walked inside. The wind blew past where she had just stood, dropping a few fallen leaves.
Zhou Li's life remains the same, practicing and rehearsing every day.
The troupe is full of experienced and versatile people, and they all worked hard to stage several plays selected by the prince's mansion.
The butler also gave Zhou Li a list of possible plays based on the guests' preferences.
Zhou Li and Dapeng worked closely together, especially Zhou Li. She was a famous actress, and many dignitaries would probably want to see her.
Zhou Li was busy every day and had no time to think about Tang Jing. When the old prince's birthday came, Zhou Li went to the prince's mansion early to prepare.
The stage has been set up. It is more magnificent and beautiful than the stages Zhou Li has performed on in the past. Dapeng loves it very much and says that it is worth dying to be able to perform in such a beautiful place. Zhou Li slaps him hard on the head.
"Stop saying such unlucky things," Zhou Li said.
"Pooh, pooh, pooh." Dapeng quickly spit out the bad luck.
The show was performed several times on the stage. The main show started in the afternoon. The stage was covered with gauze, and people could not be seen vaguely, but sounds could be heard. Many people passing by would stop for a while to appreciate the intermittent beautiful sounds.
At noon, the butler sent someone to bring food here and repeatedly warned them not to wander around and to bow when meeting an important person. Zhou Li and his group had already learned etiquette from the people arranged by the butler, so they naturally knew how to respond.
Dapeng and a few others gathered together to eat, while Zhou Li sat alone by the stage, listening to the flowing water under the bridge.
She had already put on her full makeup, but she hadn't even put on her costume yet. The person delivering food had already heard a short snippet of Zhou Li's singing. He joined Dapeng and the others and quietly praised her, "I heard from the people in the palace that you were specially invited by the old prince. I was wondering why the capital had so many opera troupes but only invited you. This time, I'm completely convinced."
Dapeng and his colleagues are proud of the bank. No one who has heard the troupe leader's opera will not be immersed in the dramatic tension of the troupe leader, otherwise they would not be so famous. It is precisely because of the troupe leader's example that Dapeng and his colleagues have not given up opera.
With this idea, ordinary people couldn't even have enough food to eat. Like them, who used to work alone, there were not many people listening to operas, and they couldn't make a few coins from performing operas all year round. It was not until they met Zhou Li that they gathered these scattered people together and made their opera troupe what it is today.
Everyone knows that this troupe depends entirely on Zhou Li.
Most people are attracted by Zhou Li. She is indeed a great person and deserves all the praises, but what is even more praiseworthy is her character.
Despite such a great reputation, Zhou Li has never been proud and has never slacked off, which has further motivated them.
Zhou Li didn't know that she was so highly praised by Dapeng. To her, it was just a matter of doing her best and having a clear conscience.
As a fast traveler, she is a passer-by in the lives of many people, but for Zhou Li, this is also her life. She is immortal, and every experience and person she meets is extremely precious to her.
Zhou Li saw fish swimming in the stream, so she broke the steamed buns she had eaten into pieces and threw them down. Suddenly, she heard some teasing voices coming from the pavilion. Zhou Li looked up and saw Tang Jing with her hair in a woman's bun. She was wearing a light pink dress, which was extremely inappropriate for her, but also somewhat suitable, because at her age she should have worn such a bright color. However, due to her experience and habits, Tang Jing always wore dark clothes, and the light pink clothes made her skin look more transparent and fair, as if she was about to melt in the sunlight.
Zhou Li was a little dazed. It seemed that the people over at the pavilion had also noticed her. Several girls of similar age stood together, chattering and pointing at Zhou Li. Tang Jing had her usual indifferent expression on her face. She just glanced at them and turned around to walk back. The sisters who came with her to meet the new people also followed her back. The excitement in front was really not something that people in the backyard like them could see.
Zhou Li was stunned for a moment, then suddenly turned around, tightly grasped the arm of the servant who had just delivered the meal, pointed to the place where Tang Jing disappeared, and asked in a hurry, "Where is that place?"
The servant was infected by her nervous tone and stammered, "Yes, yes, it's the backyard, where the concubines live."
"Auntie or concubine?" Zhou Li's voice was strange.
Could Tang Jing actually make such a huge sacrifice just to sneak into the Prince's Mansion? She felt an indescribable feeling in her heart: weird, angry, anxious, a mixture of all sorts of emotions.
"What, what happened?" asked the servant.
"It's okay." Zhou Li smiled at him. The boy was frightened by Zhou Li. Zhou Li didn't know that her smile was uglier than crying.
At the auspicious time of noon, guests arrived one after another.
The performance began on the stage, and the entire prince's mansion was bustling with activity. Zhou Li sat in front of the mirror backstage, but her heart sank. She had already put on her full costume and was just waiting for the VIP to arrive, the old prince to take the main seat, and perform on stage.
Zhou Li stared at the mirror in a daze. She was wondering if Tang Jing would not take such a risky move if she agreed to let him join the troupe. She had always been a person who could achieve victory by surprise, but now she could go to such lengths for the mission.
Thinking of this, Zhou Li began to get angry again, even resentful, hating Tang Jing for not cherishing him.
"Owner?" Dapeng finished his performance and ran in excitedly, saying, "There are so many people outside!"
Zhou Li said coldly, "We also have a lot of people performing in other cities."
Dapeng muttered, "This is different. The people sitting here are people you don't usually see."
Zhou Li snorted coldly: "We are all human beings, why do we have to divide them into different levels? How much higher are they than us?"
Dapeng was stunned. He felt that something was wrong with the class owner since he finished eating. He looked at Zhou Li worriedly and asked, "Class owner, are you okay?"
Zhou Li pursed her lips and looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes sparking.
She coughed a few times and said, "It's okay." Seeing that Dapeng didn't leave, she casually said, "I haven't been on stage for a long time. I'm a little nervous."
The troupe owner isn't someone who gets nervous on stage, is he? Dapeng muttered to himself, but seeing the troupe owner's expression of wanting to be quiet, he decided to go back to work.
Everyone backstage was busy, except Zhou Li, who was sitting in front of the mirror with her eyes closed. When she heard someone shout, "It's time for the boss to go on stage!" she stood up, her eyes as bright as cold stars.
The old prince was sitting cheerfully in the seat of honor. Beside him sat a middle-aged man, dressed casually, but when he entered just now, everyone who saw him hurriedly saluted, knowing that he was a high-ranking official. The middle-aged man and the old prince sat together. When the old prince heard the announcement, he leaned in and said, "This is someone I specially invited. Last year, I went to the south to visit Zhang Mei. While strolling around in the evening, I saw a crowded stage. Although I couldn't see anyone, I felt that this voice was right. Since then, when I listen to other people's performances, it always feels a little lacking in charm."
"It's rare that you praise someone so much, so I'd really like to listen carefully." The middle-aged man said with a smile.
At this time, the sound of drums on the stage was dense. Following the drumbeats, a clear and high-pitched voice soared into the sky, which immediately stunned the people who were talking below the stage. People suddenly became quiet and turned to look at the stage. Zhou Li came out with small steps and stood in the middle of the stage. She swung her two-meter-long sleeves and then took them back into her hands. Her sleeves half covered her face, her eyes were as white as lotus jade, and she looked like cold stars, which immediately attracted a round of cheers.
Zhou Li lowered her eyes, parted her red lips, and fluttered her sleeves, her figure graceful.
Just one appearance caught everyone's attention.
The audience couldn't help but sigh: "This song should only exist in heaven, how many times can we hear it in the world?"
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