"Where are you going," Lady Zhou’s eyes caught sight of Lady He trying to sneak out along the wall, and she imdiately scolded, "You best stay at ho obediently. Didn’t I already say, you’re not going anywhere today to avoid making a fool of yourself."
"Mom, I wasn’t planning on going out, I was just heading to the backyard for a quick restroom break." Lady He grinned and actually didn’t dare to step outside.
"Lazy people always need to relieve themselves," Lady Zhou glared at Lady He disdainfully.
The Yangko dance troupe swayed for a while at the entrance of the old house before proceeding, stopping again at the big entrance of Scholar Wang’s house, where they danced for quite so ti. Sure enough, soone from the Wang family ca out to give them a reward. The perforrs of the Yangko dance were overjoyed and danced along the street again, circled around the threshing ground, and then headed back towards the archway.
By the ti the Yangko troupe returned to the archway, the crowd had beco even more massive than earlier. There were people carrying benches and small stools rushing towards the archway. The tent had already reached full capacity, so many had to stand outside. So elderly or respected individuals were invited to sit in the front row, where the Lian Family had arranged seats. Among them was the abbot of the Thirty Mile Camp Village Temple, with Xiao Tanzhi attending to him.
In addition to attendees from nearby villages coming to watch the play, the archway attracted a variety of vendors. They were selling roasted peanuts and sunflower seeds, as well as candied haws, sugar beans, candy pieces, small snacks, and trinkets of all sorts. Surprisingly, business was quite good.
The Yangko dance troupe once again danced in front of the archway. After earning rounds of applause, they gradually moved into the sheds prepared behind the stage specifically for the perforrs.
At this mont, the sound of firecrackers was heard, signaling that the Lian Family’s feast had begun and simultaneously announcing that the opera on stage was about to start.
Today, the Lian Manman’s family had many guests. Just the female guests in the backyard filled six tables. Each table had a serving of the now-famous roast duck from Liaodong Prefecture, and the rest of the dishes were mostly prepared by chefs from Lian’s Restaurant in Jinyang County Town, the quality and presentation were, no doubt, exquisite.
In Lian Manman’s room, two tables were set, and the young girls ate quite gracefully.
After the banquet, so guests who lived far away took their leave, while others who loved watching the opera stayed. By the ti the play ended around eleven, most of the guests had left the courtyard, and the audience had also dispersed as the performance on the front stage concluded.
The Lian Family’s stewards busily cleaned up and arranged another feast to entertain the perforrs and jugglers, keeping them occupied.
While other guests departed, only the Zhang Family and Wu Family remained.
After their al, the perforrs didn’t leave. In the morning, they perford for the nearby villagers, and in the afternoon, they were to perform a few more pieces exclusively for Lady Zhang. The mbers of the Zhang and Wu Families stayed to watch the opera with her.
"Mom, when everything is ready, shall we let them perform in the courtyard? You and Grandma don’t have to go outside; just sit indoors and listen," Lian Manman suggested to Lady Zhang.
"No need; let’s go outside. It’s spacious there, and with that shelter, a brazier burning, and so extra layers worn, it’s not cold at all. The weather is fine today," Lady Zhang replied, "Outside, more people can watch. Watching an opera needs a crowd to feel lively."
The original idea was to keep the perforrs for Lady Zhang and Lady Li to enjoy the opera comfortably indoors. However, Lady Zhang wasn’t satisfied with just having the Zhang and Wu Families stay with her; she wanted the villagers to co and enjoy the opera too because the more, the rrier.
Lady Li and others had no objections and agreed that outdoor viewing was excellent.
"Alright then, I’ll have soone tidy up the shelter and gather so braziers." Wu Lang said as he went out to make the arrangents.
Quickly, everything was tidied outside, and the perforrs were ready. The Lian Family, Zhang Family, Wu Family, along with Lady Zhao and Lian Yeye, ca out of the courtyard, heading toward the shelter to watch the opera.
News that there would be an afternoon performance had spread in the village. Lady Zhang of the Lian Family invited the village girls and won to watch the opera, so more people arrived in the shelter. Young ladies, wives, and old won sat together. When Lian Manman and her group arrived, they all stood up.
Recognizing many familiar faces, Lady Zhang greeted them with smiles.
Lian Manman had hot tea delivered and passed out so small snacks.
The shelter, now cleaned, was quite tidy, and with the braziers lit, it wasn’t cold at all. After everyone settled down, the opera began.
This afternoon’s performance mostly comprised pieces selected by Lady Zhang, with one chosen by Lady Li. The first play was "The Execution of i," perford by Xiao Hongyu’s opera troupe. The second was "Rolling Bamboo Mat," perford by an opera troupe from outside the region, renowned in Jinyang County. These two plays were extrely popular in Jinyang County, and many never tired of watching them.
Shortly after the opera began on stage, Lady Zhang took out her handkerchief to wipe her tears. Watching the other won, they were doing the sa. Soon, it was the opera singing on stage, but offstage everyone was crying and whispering curses, thoroughly imrsed in the performance.
Lian Manman’s mouth twitched; these won shared the sa taste as Lady Zhang. They loved watching these dramas that celebrated good morals, vilified wickedness, where kind n and won, after enduring hardships, eventually overca evil to find happiness.
Lian Manman was familiar with "The Execution of i," but "Rolling Bamboo Mat" was foreign to her. (To be continued. If you like this work, please co to Qidian (qidian) to vote for recomndations, monthly tickets. Your support is my biggest motivation.)
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