As soon as the play began, Lin Shih-kang felt a strange sense of familiarity.
As he watched, the story became more and more familiar. When he came to the part where Yang Xianglian was forced to jump into the river and Lin Shimei, who had achieved the highest rank in the imperial examinations, was about to marry the daughter of a high-ranking official, he was suddenly startled and stood up!
The Zhu family also realized something was wrong. Although the play was captivating, it didn't seem to praise the third-place scholar; instead, it seemed to smear him!
It wouldn't have mattered if I had just come to watch, but there was a scholar named Lin Tanhua sitting in the audience!
That's awkward.
"There might be a mistake, this... they're just acting," Zhu Chengzhi said.
Zhu Wenqing chimed in, "Wouldn't it be better to drink and chat? We might as well skip the play, Father. Why don't we let all the actors leave?"
The words of the Zhu family father and son brought Lin Shikang back to his senses. He composed himself and said, "No! Keep acting. I think the story is quite well-written."
"Actually, it's not good-looking, Brother Lin..."
"Brother Zhu, let's continue watching! Since this drama is so popular, it must have something special about it. I'm also curious to know what the Yang family is planning to do."
He felt that if he didn't finish reading, the Zhu family would think he was guilty. In fact, Lin Shikang's heart was already churning with emotions, and he was trying his best to restrain himself.
The more the play progressed, the more shocked Lin Shih-kang became!
The stories of Lin Shimei, a poor scholar who became a top scholar, Yang Xianglian, the daughter of a Beijing official, a wife lending money to her husband to take the imperial examination, and divorce—all of these resonate with my own experiences.
Isn't this play about him?
Is it a coincidence or was it done on purpose?
If it was intentional, and the play is, as the Zhu family said, extremely popular, then the impact on him would be difficult to control!
Furthermore, the rumors about her in the play are extremely similar to those about herself in Kyoto! It is said in Kyoto that Yang Cui made money by cooperating with the Star Gazing Tower, which aroused the covetousness of the Lin clan. The play also mentions that the Yang clan made money by selling peaches, ginger and plums. It is too much of a coincidence!
The only difference is that the play mentions the son-in-law marrying into the wife's family at the end!
The matter of marrying into the family is currently known only to the Wang family and myself, and has not been told to outsiders. So how did the person who wrote this play find out? Coincidence? Or did the Wang family leak the secret? If it's a coincidence, there are far too many coincidences.
After the performance, Lin Shikang called the actors and the troupe leader to his side and asked, feigning composure, "As expected of the most popular play, it was truly wonderful! The playwright is also very imaginative, but I wonder why the playwright so vilified poor scholars? Does he harbor some resentment towards scholars? Troupe leader, may I meet the playwright?"
"Young master, I don't know the person who wrote this play. I bought it for ten taels of silver."
"You really don't recognize me?"
“Every word I have said is true; I dare not deceive you.”
"That's a real pity. Such a talented person, I had hoped to befriend him, what a shame. Judging from the troupe leader's accent, he's from Wan'an County, right? I've never heard of this play before when I was in Wan'an County."
"Young master, this play has been in rehearsals for less than two months, and we have not performed it in Wan'an County."
"No wonder," Lin Shikang said with a smile, tossing over a bag of silver: "The performance was good, here's a reward for you."
"Thank you for the reward, young master."
The members of Chunxi Troupe quickly bowed and expressed their gratitude.
At this moment, Zhu Chengzhi said, "It's getting late, Lin Tanhua should rest early."
"Thank you for your hospitality, Lord Zhu and Brother Wenqing. It's getting late, so I'll head back to my room now."
Upon hearing the name "Lin Tanhua," everyone in the Chunxi Troupe was taken aback and turned their gazes in unison. The people here might not know, but the people in the Chunxi Troupe knew that the protagonist of "Tanhua's Son-in-Law" was the famous Lin Tanhua!
Lin Shikang didn't notice anything amiss with Chunxi's troupe, but Zhu Wenqing did. After a moment's thought, he sent someone to intercept Wu Xinhui.
...
Not long after, in the Zhu family study.
Zhu Wenqing rushed over and said, "Father, I just heard something."
"What's up?"
"This play, 'The Third Scholar's Son-in-Law,' is actually a true story about Lin Shikang! Moreover, Lin Shikang's wife did indeed sue the Lin family in court and won the case. These things are common knowledge in Wan'an County!"
"Such a thing exists?" Zhu Chengzhi exclaimed in surprise. "How did you find out?"
"I heard about it from Chunxi Opera Troupe. Chunxi Opera Troupe is actually from Wan'an County."
The Zhu family father and son never expected this play to be so wonderful!
Zhu Chengzhi and Zhu Wenqing were both quite capable; one was a seasoned veteran of the officialdom, and the other was a son of a concubine who had suppressed even the legitimate son. Neither of them were fools. Although Lin Shikang concealed his true feelings well, they still noticed the change in his emotions. Upon closer examination, they indeed found Lin Shikang's reaction to be quite strange.
"Father, should we still proceed with the plan?"
Zhu Chengzhi pondered for a moment and said, "Proceed! How can the common people fight against the officials! Lin Shikang is about to become the son-in-law of Vice Minister Wang, there's no way he can't even handle this little thing."
Even if it really can't be resolved, and Lin Shikang eventually collapses, the Zhu family will only lose a concubine's daughter. The Zhu family lacks everything except daughters! Having raised so many daughters, they must be of some use.
Seeing that his father had made up his mind, Zhu Wenqing said no more and left to carry out the plan.
Lin Shikang returned to his room, his mind still unsettled. He couldn't understand who wanted to harm him. Yang Cui? But Yang Cui was an illiterate woman; how could she have such power? Then was it the Zan family?
However, it has only been a month and a half since Madam Wang proposed the marriage into the family. Judging from the time frame, even if the news was leaked from the Wang family, it is impossible for it to have reached Wan'an County so quickly and been adapted into a play.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
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