Chapter 8 Chapter 8 I appreciate your kindness...
The boss arrived just in time, and was so easy to talk to that he could even be described as "fawning".
Not to mention Zhu Yinluan and Ming Ya were bewildered, even the rehearsal host who had just sternly rejected the two of them was stunned.
"Boss? Aren't all the plays scheduled for the past half month full?" The man reminded in a low voice, "Besides, today's play is... a play at the Marquis' Mansion."
Zhu Yinluan captured a very key word, Marquis' Mansion.
Could it be...the Shen family again?
How many marquisates are there in the capital?
She had a strong premonition that it was the Shen family, but she didn't dare to ask rashly.
But Ming Ya, who was standing next to him, was about to ask, "Which mansion is this? Could it be the high-ranking Shen family?"
Because the troupe owner's attitude suddenly changed so quickly, the tone of the people rehearsing the play also softened, "Yes, it's the Shen family of the Hou Mansion."
Then he half apologized and half explained to Zhu Yinluan, "It is precisely because I accepted the order from the Shen family today that I couldn't turn it down to rehearse for my wife. Otherwise, I would have wanted to make an exception for you."
Zhu Yinluan asked back, "Since you have arranged a play for the Shen family in the Marquis' Mansion, why do you say you are free?"
"Because the old lady of the Marquis' Mansion is ill today, someone came over and said there's no need to go, so the room is empty."
Having said that, Zhu Yinluan still felt that something was wrong.
Even if there is time available, why should the owner come in person to inform us?
If it wasn’t because of her identity, Mrs. Wei?
But in a place where the powerful and the rich are everywhere in the capital, how can the Wei family rank among the top? Just to say how impatient the rehearsal was just now is enough to explain everything.
So what's the matter with this class owner?
Seeing that Zhu Yinluan was indeed alert as the attendant of the Marquis' Mansion said, the troupe owner explained, "Just now, the lady wanted to watch the play, and the rehearsal staff here has already sent someone in to pass on the message."
"We were originally planning to schedule today's play, but when the people in the Marquis' Mansion heard that it was the Wei family who wanted to watch the play, they said that today's play should be given to the Wei family."
So the class leader thought that the Wei family and the Shen family of the Marquisate had some kind of relationship, so he came over so diligently to inform and welcome them?
That makes sense, but Zhu Yinluan always felt something was wrong.
But if she had to say what was wrong, she couldn't put her finger on it.
It must be too strange.
Why does she run into people from the Shen family every time she goes out?
And he always receives favors from the Shen family?
The ambergris from last time hasn’t even been returned yet, and now he wants to borrow the Shen family’s stage to watch a play?
Zhu Yinluan felt that this was inappropriate, so she shook her head and said, "I don't want to watch the show today, let's make it for someone else."
"Mingya, let's go."
"Madam, please stay. I don't know what your concerns are. Please give our team a chance."
"It's just that I suddenly don't want to watch the show today." Zhu Yinluan still refused, but the troupe owner said that the actors were ready and waiting to go on stage. If she really left, what would happen to the public expenses today?
It’s not that Zhu Yinluan couldn’t come up with the money, but she still had some concerns. She didn’t want to owe favors to the Shen family of the Marquis’ Mansion.
Since it was the follower who proposed it, he must be the follower around Master Shen.
Apart from this, she could not think of anything else.
"Madam, it's hard to recruit people when the troupe is empty for a day. Can you please see if you can..." the troupe owner asked humbly.
Zhu Yinluan had been the housekeeper for several years and although her personality had become more independent, she didn't like to trouble or embarrass others, so she nodded.
The class owner personally led the two people in.
The theater is located in a pear orchard, with pear trees everywhere. Although it is not yet the season for the pear trees to bloom, many lanterns and red silk auspicious items are hung on the bare pear branches, making the theater look beautiful and unique.
There were also some opera characters painted on the inner walls of the courtyard, which were so lifelike that one could not take their eyes away. Zhu Yinluan could recognize some of them, but she could not tell the difference between some of them.
She used to love watching plays, but she was short of money, so she seldom went to see any. She mostly learned the names of plays and operas from storybooks. Later, when she got married, her stepmother gave her some shops to save her face. Now she had more money in her hands, but no matter how much she had, she still had to save.
Because when she first got married, the Wei family was in decline, restricted in every way, and short of money at home. She used her limited dowry to fill a lot of gaps. After Pang Shi threw the housekeeper's job to her, the livelihood of the whole family depended on her. In order to be able to gain a foothold in the Wei family, she thought of many ways to study the business of the shop to make money for the Wei family.
Zhu Yinluan thought she had tried her best and did a pretty good job, but did anyone in the Wei family remember her kindness?
Thinking back on this, my head starts to hurt again.
The troupe leader led the way and took the two of them to have a brief look at the inner and outer courtyards. Then he asked Zhu Yinluan whether she wanted to watch the show in the courtyard or in the inner room.
"It's better to stay outside because it's open outside."
"Okay." The host asked about her taste preferences and asked for tea and cakes. "There is a cool place in the outer courtyard with a wind wheel. You don't have to worry about the heat."
"Thank you." This theater does a very good job and there is nothing wrong with it.
Not only that, the several plays in this row were all to her liking.
I originally thought I would just watch one show and then go back, but before I knew it, I had watched three shows.
Especially the last scene of "Changchun Garden". This play is unpopular and obscure. She saw it in a rare copy in her early years. The copy only had the first half, and the second half was lost.
Although many years have passed, the play is well written, with many twists and turns. I once tried to watch the second half myself, but I couldn't, and I was never satisfied with it. So I kept it in mind for so many years, but I didn't expect to see it today.
Years of regrets were made up for, and Zhu Yinluan felt much better. When the play ended, she followed Mingya and clapped her hands gently.
The master and servant were watching so intently that they didn't notice at all that in the half-open window of the theater, a handsome man was standing there, looking down at her face.
She was looking intently at the stage, and he was also looking intently at her soft and peaceful profile.
Seeing her brows relax, the man's thin lips also slightly raised, "......"
After three performances, it was actually getting late. Zhu Yinluan thought she would go out for a walk and then go back.
But the actors on the stage were rehearsing another play. Before she asked, Ming Ya said, "Miss, it's He Fangdan!"
This play is not only lively, but also vivid and interesting, which is completely different from the previous three.
Zhu Yinluan was so fascinated by the show that when she came to her senses it was already over.
The opera troupe owner had someone bring up some longevity noodles and said with a smile, "I heard that your wife is celebrating her birthday today. I wish you a happy and carefree youth and many years of happiness."
"This..." Zhu Yinluan was stunned.
"This noodle is not valuable, I just want to have a good luck, I hope you don't mind it." The boss handed over the silver chopsticks.
Mingya took it for Zhu Yinluan and thanked her on her behalf.
"Miss, this troupe is great, and the noodles are very well made. Would you like to try some?"
Zhu Yinluan looked at the noodle soup in the bowl that symbolized longevity and felt that there was some similarity.
She had never eaten longevity noodle soup before, but why did she feel that this noodle was... familiar?
Under Mingya's urging, Zhu Yinluan picked up her chopsticks and tasted it. It tasted good, the soup was delicious, and the noodles were chewy. Although it was delicious, she still felt like she had eaten it before.
But if she had eaten it, how could she not remember it?
"Miss, what's wrong with you?" Ming Ya asked when she saw Zhu Yinluan was distracted.
"No, nothing." Zhu Yinluan threw away the thoughts in her mind, thinking it might be an illusion.
No one has ever made longevity noodles for her, so where does the familiarity come from?
It must be that the disease has not been fully cured, causing delusions.
Before she knew it, she had finished the bowl of longevity noodles. Zhu Yinluan felt relaxed all over, her head was no longer dizzy, and her mood improved a lot as well.
"The young lady looks better now." Mingya was happy to see that Zhu Yinluan had finally developed an appetite and stopped eating after just two bites.
"Thank you very much for the host's hospitality." Zhu Yinluan was asking Mingya to take the money.
But the troupe owner said, "Today's play is just for you, so you don't have to pay. Here is a small gift, please accept it. Please forgive the mistakes of the people who arranged the play in front, and don't take your anger out on our troupe. If you want to watch a play in the future, please send someone to let us know your number."
What should I do if I eat and take at the same time?
Zhu Yinluan said it was inappropriate and refused to accept it no matter what, but the boss insisted, saying that the Wei family would become powerful in the future and asked the Wei family to take care of them.
Unable to refuse the kindness, Zhu Yinluan was given a gift.
“…”
On the way back, she opened it and saw that it was actually the theater troupe's play card. With this card, one can be listed as the theater's primary guest. In the future, if she wants to invite people to watch a play, the troupe will arrange numbers in advance.
Although it is not very expensive, it is rare. After all, to get this brand, one must be extremely wealthy and have power over most people.
"I thought this troupe was unsympathetic and flattering, but I didn't expect them to be so reasonable, respectful and considerate."
Zhu Yinluan fumbled with the opera cards, feeling the lines on the surface of her fingertips, but she felt something was wrong.
But she couldn't tell.
After thinking carefully, the only possibility that came to mind was the Shen family.
It was probably the Shen family's intervention that made the opera troupe's people feel that it was difficult to offend the Wei family.
After all, it was because of the affection of the Master Shen whom I had never met...
If it weren't for him, would we have no show to watch, no noodles to eat, and even no tickets to the opera troupe?
When I arrived at the house, I found that my eldest sister was there. Not only that, Wei Ruzhuo had also returned home early, and Pang Shi was also there.
Several people were having dinner in the main hall, chatting and laughing like a family, and she, the daughter-in-law, looked more like an intruder.
Pang Shi, her mother-in-law who had always disliked her, smiled at her eldest sister, and even her husband... was considerate and helped her eldest sister pick up food.
Although it was the eldest sister who asked him to help, shouldn't the two of them avoid suspicion? Wasn't there a maid next to them? Why didn't they ask the maid to do it?
Zhu Yinluan stood not far away and watched silently.
No one at the dinner table noticed her, until Mother Yun called her "Young Madam".
The three of them just looked over, but when they looked over, the smiles on their faces disappeared, as if they did not welcome her arrival.
Facing these three faces, Zhu Yinluan didn't want to go any further. She just felt suffocated and gradually enveloped her...
Especially when she saw Pang Shi, her eldest sister, and the person she trusted most closely.
She didn't know when it started, but she felt a little disgusted and even wanted to escape.
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