Chapter 105: Change of Circumstances

The Linhe Theater Company boasts numerous opera disciples, with standout stars in every role: sheng, dan, jing, mo, and chou.

Today, Xu Qing accompanied Second Master Feng to the theater company to take the lead in finding a master most suitable for teaching the embroiderers to sing opera, hoping to settle the matter of learning opera first.

Within the theater company, regardless of gender or age, if you possess skill, a fine operatic voice, can sing with such spirit that it conveys the soul, and act in a way that draws the audience into the play, then you deserve the title of Master.

For an ordinary person, seeking a master to discuss matters is not so easy; you must wait outside first, and only when someone delivers a message will the master decide whether to show their face.

Ultimately, it is just like famous stars and big shots.

However, we have already said, that applies to ordinary people.

But can Xu Qing and Second Master Feng be considered ordinary people?

The funeral parlor has always conducted business with opera troupes; sometimes, when attending funerals for wealthy families, they cannot help but invite people from the theater company to perform.

It must be known that the money for organizing a ghost opera is far greater than that for ordinary performances.

If there is a grand opera lasting three days and three nights, the cost of a single performance can even equal more than half a year's income for an entire troupe.

So, in a sense, Xu Qing and the theater company are business partners.

As for the other Second Master Feng, there is no need to say more; this lord is a regular at the opera house, spends lavishly, and is the type of person who, upon arriving at the theater company, would have the lead performers come out to greet him.

When the troupe leader of the Linhe Theater Company saw Xu Qing and Second Master Feng arrive together, he pondered in his heart.

The troupe leader thought, how did these two who have nothing in common end up together? With such a pairing, could it be that Second Master Feng's family is holding a funeral banquet and needs someone to perform a ghost opera?

That would be wonderful! Given Second Master Feng's generosity, wouldn't he have them perform a ghost opera for seven days and seven nights? How could the silver be lacking!

Second Master Feng did not know what the troupe leader was thinking; otherwise, he would have released Big Uncle to peck several holes in the other man's body.

"I wonder what brings Second Master and Mr. Xu here?"

Second Master Feng got straight to the point, stating directly the matter of hiring a master to teach opera singing.

Upon hearing this, the troupe leader immediately showed an embarrassed expression.

"Second Master, opera is our family's secret skill; how can it be easily taught to others?"

"One hundred taels of silver."

"This is not about money. As the saying goes, the law is not lightly transmitted, and the Dao is not sold cheaply; these are rules passed down by our ancestors."

"Three hundred taels."

"Hey, what is Second Master doing? As the old saying goes, rules are dead, but people are alive. Transmitting the Dao, teaching the profession, and resolving doubts is an act of boundless merit. I just do not know which master Mr. Xu wishes to hire?"

Inside the theater company, on the largest stage, Xu Qing and Second Master Feng sat below, having already booked the entire venue.

"Sheng, Dan, Jing, Chou, and Mo; among the famous stars of each school, which one would you like to choose first, Mr.?"

"My female cousin is a woman; she must learn the Dan role."

Xu Qing did not hesitate for a moment; given the embroiderer's figure and voice, could one possibly paint a large flower face on her and ask a Jing master to teach her to sing as Bao Gong?

Upon hearing this, the troupe leader threw out a string of professional terms.

"Our Dan division also has distinctions: Zhengdan, Huadan, Wudan, Daomadan, Laodan, Caidan, and Huashan. Mr. Xu, please see which category you wish to select."

Zhengdan is also called Qingyi, singing the role of dignified and elegant women; Huadan sings the role of innocent and lively young girls or sharp-tongued young wives; Wudan, as the name suggests, requires the ability to wield a flower spear and fight well, mostly singing the roles of brave female generals.

Daomadan refers to middle-aged women skilled in martial arts; Laodan portrays elderly women; Caidan portrays those who are comical and humorous.

As for the final Huashan, it is an all-around master who combines Qingyi, Huadan, Wudan, and Daomadan into one.

In the past, Xu Qing had performed exorcisms for many female Dan performers; for instance, Qing Luo of the Heart Heaven Sect and Sai Yuxian from the opera house had both been famous stars.

Even the thousand-year-old female ghost Princess Yan Ning in the tomb could hum a couple of lines.

Therefore, he was not unfamiliar with the troupe leader's words.

"I think it would be better to do it in one step and have your Huashan grand master come out."

"Boss Xu really knows how to choose. Boss Liu is the lead performer of the opera house, the head goose carrying the banner; she performs plays every day without end, so how could she have time to teach others to sing opera?"

"Five hundred taels." Second Master Feng spoke concisely.

In Second Master Feng's eyes, anything that can be solved with money is not a problem.

Upon hearing this, Boss Chen stopped talking about how busy Boss Liu was, ran straight to the backstage, and went to invite Liu Su'e to take the stage and show her voice.

Xu Qing was a man of principle and did not wish to spend Second Master Feng's money, but Second Master Feng had said that if one did not let him spend money, it meant one did not regard him as a friend.

"Second Master, five hundred taels is after all not a small sum."

Although Xu Qing was not short of money now, spending other people's money, no matter how much, made him feel somewhat uncomfortable.

"Do not worry about these things; in previous years, I have spent ten thousand, or at least eight thousand, taels of silver in the garden. Look at the walnuts I am playing with in my hand; one costs two hundred taels, yet I still find it cheap, and playing with them always feels a bit lacking."

"It is a pity the guests from Shannan are too honest; if he had asked me for a thousand taels of silver, perhaps I would have felt something."

Xu Qing had heard that Second Master Feng's family was wealthy and powerful, but he never imagined it could be so luxurious.

A single walnut costing two hundred taels; if it were anyone else, that would be talking nonsense, robbing people like fools to death!

But with Second Master Feng, it was different; people spend money to buy a feeling. Once the feeling is there, even a hard lump of dirt is more precious than a gold ingot.

At this moment, Xu Qing was still holding the ornamental walnuts Second Master Feng had given to Xuan Yu.

His heart stirred slightly, and he asked casually, "Second Master, how much silver did you pay for this pair of walnuts you gave me?"

"Five hundred exactly; that number is round, and it gives me more feeling than this one."

"..."

Xu Qing's hand playing with the walnuts paused.

So the lead performer of the theater company was worth only the price of two walnuts!

On the stage, a group of Dan performers took turns, displaying their skills like peacocks spreading their tails, but when the lead performer Liu Su'e appeared, those opera stars instantly lost their color and became mere green leaves to set off the flower.

"My heart was already like dead water, all thoughts turned to ash, yet I did not expect the spring light to penetrate the cold night of the third nine; could it be that Heaven's will favors the grass of the deep valley? I only fear the fickleness of the world and the many frosts. Do not worry, oh~ do not forget your status and worry in vain; Xu Cheng, oh~ your lingering thoughts are in vain and full of melancholy..."

The sorrowful and melodious lyrics arose without cause; as she sang, the faint, elusive voice suddenly became clear, as if the singing woman, taking small steps, had stumbled right in front of them, tears welling in her eyes.

Xu Qing even felt a strange scent of faint incense mixed with powder drift into his nostrils, making everything around him feel unreal.

"This Mr. Liu... is quite interesting."

Xu Qing activated the Gaze-into-Qi Art and saw a willow-leaf reflection swaying back and forth on the stage, as if on refracted water ripples, a great willow tree hung its silk tassels by the embankment.

Beside him, Second Master Feng, caught up in the excitement, noticed not the slightest anomaly.

Xu Qing glanced sideways at the Big Rooster and the Golden Phoenix inside the chicken coop.

These two roosters, specialized in countering yin entities and capable of revealing the true forms of demons and evil spirits, were also unusually quiet.

The two roosters tilted their heads, gazing at the stage; their earnest expressions while listening to the opera were even more focused than Second Master Feng's.

Based on the strange phenomena revealed by the Gaze-into-Qi Art, Xu Qing could tell that Liu Su'e was merely an ordinary person; it was only that occasional phantom image of a willow tree.

Xu Qing recalled Liu Youdao's sworn mother in Little Stone Village; Liu Youdao originally had no name, and the villagers called him Tie Dan because he always liked to wander the village in open-crotch pants.

Later, Liu Youdao met his master, Yang Qiying; Master Yang felt that constantly calling him Tie Dan was not proper, so he named him Liu Youdao, taking the surname Liu from that old willow tree.

When the play ended, the famous actor on stage approached.

"May I ask where Master Liu's home is? Does your family have any brothers or sisters?"

Liu Su'e bowed slightly and said, "To answer Mr., the Opera Garden is my home; most in the opera troupe are those who learned opera from childhood without parents. As for brothers and sisters..."

"... the masters in the Opera Garden are my own kin."

Seeing Liu Su'e's answer was flawless, Xu Qing was not in a hurry.

He took his leave of Second Master Feng and Troupe Master Chen, then led Liu Su'e toward the Water Gate Bridge.

On the way, Xu Qing deliberately detoured to a general store and bought quite a few things.

Before long, the outstanding pillar of the Opera Garden, with her exceptional temperament, became his errand-runner.

Scissors, thread baskets, measuring tapes, various silk threads, needles of all sizes—he bought everything.

By the time they left the general store, Liu Su'e was already carrying numerous large and small packages.

Xu Qing was not idle either; he held the birdcage in one hand and carried quite a few other items in the other.

"Mr. Xu's cousin seems to be a clever and dexterous Miss."

Xu Qing smiled and said, "My cousin simply cannot sit still and always seeks things to do; otherwise, I would not have invited Master Liu to teach her opera for entertainment."

"By the way, I have yet to ask why Master Liu chose the name Liu Su'e; does it hold some meaning?"

Liu Su'e did not overthink it; she panted lightly, unable to free a hand to wipe the powder-sweat from her temples, and while carrying the various packages, she walked and said, "I am not afraid of Mr. laughing at me; Su'e is the name given to me by the Old Lady. She said that when I was young, I was very beautiful; in fact, Su'e is actually the name of a fairy from the Moon Palace."

Liu Su'e's face turned red, as if somewhat ashamed to speak of it.

She glanced at Xu Qing; seeing his expression remained unchanged, she continued explaining, "As for the surname Liu, it is because I was weak and sickly as a child. The Old Troupe Master sought a connection with a high master, who arranged for me to take the willow tree as my sworn mother, saying the sworn mother could shield me from wind and rain."

Xu Qing narrowed his eyes; this maneuver was quite comparable to Liu Youdao's.

However, Liu Youdao's sworn mother had not yet matured, whereas the one Liu Su'e took as sworn mother... seemed to truly possess some cultivation.

Arriving at the Water Gate Bridge, Xu Qing did not head to his own villa; instead, he found a nearby inn and rented a room.

Since Liu Su'e did not know Xu Qing's character, she would not easily go to his residence.

Furthermore, the villa Xu Qing had purchased at the Water Gate Bridge was a haunted house among haunted houses, so he was not willing to let Liu Su'e go there either.

After discussing it, the two decided simply to rent a room at the inn, which would be more convenient for both.

"Master Liu, please rest for a moment; later this evening, my cousin will come over."

Watching Liu Su'e enter the room, Xu Qing immediately stored all the purchased embroidery needles and threads into the Shanhe Map.

Returning to the villa, the moment Xu Qing stepped inside, he saw the Embroiderer sitting by the stone table, propping her cheek and staring blankly.

The silk threads in the weaving room had long been exhausted; this girl now sat alone guarding the empty residence, and aside from cultivation, her remaining time was spent only staring blankly.

"Ah, you've finally remembered to come! I thought you had forgotten me!"

"..."

Hearing these words, Xu Qing felt something was off.

Was this like he had kept a mistress outside and was now meeting his kept lover in secret?

"Is this for me?" The Embroiderer's eyes lit up as she looked at the embroidery needles and threads Xu Qing produced.

Xu Qing nodded.

The Embroiderer hugged the needle-and-thread basket joyfully, overjoyed.

Women in this era were easily satisfied; if you caught some small chicks or ducklings, or bought some needles and threads, they could be happy for half a day.

Especially for a 'person' like the Embroiderer, who had been exposed to needlework since childhood and possessed an innate temperament of a virtuous wife and good mother, this was even more true.

"Embroiderer, you are here all alone with no one to talk to; I feel continuing like this is not right."

"So, today I have specially invited a famous opera star for you; from now on, every two days you can go to her place to learn opera and relieve boredom."

The Embroiderer, who had been winding thread by herself, put down the thread spool and looked at Xu Qing with a wary expression.

"Young Master, why are you suddenly so kind to me?"

Xu Qing spoke with grave seriousness: "You guard the gate and protect the courtyard for me; naturally, I must treat you well."

"..." The Embroiderer lowered her head, her eyes darting away.

After hesitating for a moment, she raised her head, as if making some resolution, mustered her courage, looked at Xu Qing, and said in a measured tone:

"Young Master, humans and ghosts are on different paths after all; this is not good!"

"?"

Wait, so you think I went to all this trouble to sign you up for a hobby class in order to become a Necromancer?

Xu Qing bared his teeth and simply stopped acting; he laid his cards on the table: "I'll tell you the truth; I paid a master to teach you opera for no other reason than to have you learn the singing style of a female dan role, so you can use it to scare people in the future."

"The methods of scaring people you devised yourself are too crude; once ordinary mortals figure it out, they won't work."

"Only through specialized training, with a master providing one-on-one guidance to cultivate you, teaching you how to arrange plots to frighten people, will you have any chance of surpassing other yin ghosts."

The Embroiderer stuck out her little tongue, as if she didn't understand what he said.

"I know; you are doing all this for my own good."

"..."

Xu Qing opened his mouth several times to speak, then stopped, and finally decided against it.

He was a zombie; why bother arguing seriously with a ghost whose mind was broken?

After sending the embroiderer to the inn, Xu Qing had Master Liu draw up a class schedule for her; from now on, this girl would be a ghost with school to attend.

With the embroiderer's schooling arranged, Xu Qing took Xuan Yu and Jin Luan and walked toward Wellside Street.

When they arrived before the paper-shrine shop, Xu Qing suddenly chuckled.

"Brother Wencai, long time no see; are you planning to return?"

Wu Wencai's face was covered in scruffy stubble, and his expression looked quite haggard.

Seeing Xu Qing, he forced some spirit into his voice and said, "I am grateful for Brother Xu's concern; today I am bringing my aunt back to rest and recover."

Xu Qing stepped closer, and upon seeing Wu Wencai's appearance, he could not help but frown and ask, "Wencai, what is wrong with you? In just a month, how have you become so haggard?"

Wu Wencai's mouth opened slightly, and two streams of tears fell silently.

He licked his cracked lips, looked upward, and sighed, "It is a long story!"

Xu Qing turned his head to look inside the paper-shrine shop but saw no sign of Wu Yaoxing.

"Don't whimper like a man; if there is something, say it. I ask you, where is Old Wu?"

Wu Wencai welcomed Xu Qing into the paper-shrine shop, where paper men and paper horses were quietly watching them.

"My uncle was falsely accused by the Prefect and thrown into prison; now he is suffering in the jail."

Xu Qing frowned and asked, "What crime was he accused of?"

"They say he conspired with the rebels of the Tianxin Cult. Officials sent men to search, and in the house my uncle rented, they found three hundred taels of silver and letters proving he colluded with foreign traitors."

(End of this chapter)