Chapter 22
Unstable Chinese Republic (Arc 2.6)
Wei Tianxiong held a welcoming reception for Yang w.a.n.gkun, on the surface it was for welcoming him to Li cheng, but in reality it was in order to let him know, those in Li cheng who had some position in anything all stood on his side. If you Yang w.a.n.gkun wanted to make a move in Li cheng, you should still consider it well.
It must be said, Wei Tianxiong"s excessive self-confidence, one part was brought up by the flattery of his underlings, and the other part was because he had gotten used to his tyrannical rule over Li cheng over these years, and personally thought that those people were sincerely acknowledging allegiance to him.
Originally Wei Tianxiong had only invited Wu troupe to perform at the residence, this made Cheng Jiaming very unwilling. Even if everyone in the entire city all said that he had been beaten by Jun boss, how could he just admit defeat like this, how could he just admit that he was really worse than Jun boss.
Cheng Jiaming cajoled Wei Tianxiong for a long time, and finally got the opportunity to come to the commander"s residence to perform. He wanted to sing his most successful The Conqueror Bids Farewell to His Favorite Concubine, he just didn"t believe, he would still be defeated by that Jun boss who didn"t even dare to show his face.
Actually Cheng Jiaming had guessed, this Jun boss kept on not daring to reveal his real face to the public, could it be because his appearance was too bad and had to rely on outstanding makeup skills to conceal it from the public. Today Wei Tianxiong would definitely make him show up with his original appearance, he really wanted to see, what this Jun boss really looked like.
Once Yang w.a.n.gkun arrived at the commander"s residence, Wei Tianxiong personally came to welcome him into the back garden. The two people sat down on opposite sides of the main table, and then the other guests sat down one after another.
Wei Tianxiong clapped three times and commanded, "Start the banquet!”
The wine and food were served, on stage the opera also started performing. Cheng Jiaming came out with Farewell My Concubine, receiving a standing ovation. The guests unceasingly applauded and cheered, Wei Tianxiong also very satisfiedly followed, nodding and shaking his head to the beat. Only Yang w.a.n.gkun kept a face full of indifference.
The guests" mood was very enthusiastic, Cheng Jiaming was also very proud in his heart. He saw that everyone"s gazes were all concentrated on himself, but only Yang w.a.n.gkun didn’t really look at him, this made his heart very unwilling, and he sang with even more effort.
Yang w.a.n.gkun sat together with Wei Tianxiong, the two people were really entirely different, Yang w.a.n.gkun"s appearance couldn"t help but move women"s hearts. Even Cheng Jiaming this person with a male body and a female heart couldn"t resist the ripples in his mind.
Singing and singing, he started fantasizing in his mind. He fantasized Yang w.a.n.gkun as the conqueror, and he was the concubine, the two people sincerely loved each other, and yet were parted by life and death.
Cheng Jiaming finished singing and withdrew backstage, Liu er immediately welcomed him back, flattering, "Your Farewell My Concubine this time was really awesome, don"t need to say Li cheng, even if we looked over the entire country, we still wouldn"t be able to find another singer who would be better than you.”
Cheng Jiaming had a proud smile on his face, earlier he had been completely intoxicated in it, from the start of his opera career, this was the most refreshing performance that he had put on. He took out three silvers from the box on his dressing table and casually threw it to Liu er, "Reward you.”
"Thanks Cheng boss, thanks Cheng boss." Liu er held the silver with two hands, continuously bending his waist to thank him. But inwardly he was disdainful, just these few silvers, he actually made it out to be some sort of reward.
Cheng Jiaming removed his makeup and changed his clothes, and came to Wei Tianxiong"s side, giving Yang w.a.n.gkun and Wei Tianxiong a toast. Wei Tianxiong let him sit down at his side, this let him feel he had a lot of face. Here with so many guests, only he was able to sit next to Wei commander.
In a corner separated by fabric, Jing Yang sat in the back by himself drinking tea, Wu troupe master lifted the fabric and entered. "Jun boss in front sang Farewell My Concubine, that singing skill was really quite good, receiving a standing ovation.”
"Is that so?" Jing Yang rocked the teacup in his hands, and after staying silent for a while, he smiled. "Then let us also perform Farewell My Concubine.”
"We"ll also sing Farewell My Concubine?" Wu troupe master froze. "Then aren"t we repeating with Cheng boss?”
"Only with repet.i.tion can there be comparison, who is superior or inferior will also naturally become apparent." Jing Yang said. "You can perform the conqueror.”
"But…, we never practiced this before, if we aren"t able to coordinate well…" Wu troupe master hesitated.
"Don"t worry, in the past how you sang it, just do it like that now, I"ll be able to coordinate with you." Jing Yang placed down his tea cup and began to put on his makeup.
Wu troupe master stood there for a while, and seeing that Jing Yang had already started dressing up, he could only turn around and also start dressing up.
When Wu troupe master came on stage and only sang two lines, the people below all froze. How could it be that Wu troupe was also performing Farewell My Concubine? The guests all looked at each other in confusion, not understanding the situation.
At the main table, Wei Tianxiong and Cheng Jiaming were also somewhat surprised, they had all thought, Wu troupe would again sing The Drunken Beauty, and had never thought that they would sing the same opera as Cheng troupe. Even if they had previously decided to sing Farewell My Concubine, but after Cheng troupe had already sung it before them, and even sung it quite well, they actually didn"t avoid it or change to a different opera.
Cheng Jiaming was totally disdainful in his heart, ridiculing Wu troupe for overestimating their capability. Wei Tianxiong though actually somewhat looked forward to Jun boss"s performance. Out of everyone, only Yang w.a.n.gkun"s eyes showed a trace of indiscernible thoughts, he felt that this Jun boss, definitely did it on purpose.
Jing Yang held twin swords and stepped on stage, his dignified manner contained beauty, his lovely charm contained magnanimity. His sword dance was valiant and formidable, truly causing people to be captivated.
"Good!" Wei Tianxiong loudly cheered, the guests below also followed with applause.
Different from the mellow, sweet, and clear voice of the Drunken Beauty, he took the Yu concubine"s exquisite and happy, beautiful and pleasant voice, and expressed it to perfection.
With the previous performance as comparison, who sang it better, the people there all had made a judgment in their hearts. This Jun boss, no matter whether it was his posture or vocal or movements, they were all unsurpa.s.sed ah.
What the guests inwardly found most mystical was that every time they finished listening to Jun boss"s opera, his appearance and voice would always remain in their minds, not dissipating even after a long time. This really achieved the effect of voices reverberating around the rafters, uninterrupted even after three days. And the content that Cheng Jiaming had just sang, they were already unable to remember.
The guests discussed while whispering to each other, exclaiming in admiration that Jun boss"s opera really was awesome, it was better than Cheng boss by not just a little bit. This performing the same opera one after another, the difference was even more obvious, the highs and lows were truly apparent.
Cheng Jiaming heard the audience"s quiet discussion, and felt the gazes of the guests looking toward him, unable to conceal his unpleasant expression.
Wei Tianxiong laughed loudly with satisfaction, clapping his hands. "Good good good, go invite Jun boss over, today I want to see the true ident.i.ty of this Lu shan.”
The guests also anxiously waited, they wanted to see in the end who this Jun boss really was, how he really looked when his makeup was removed. Would he be as charming and moving as Yang concubine, or fresh and refined as Lu concubine.
After Jing Yang removed his makeup, he once again put on that black cap and pushed down the brim. Lowering his head, he followed Wu troupe master to go see Wei Tianxiong.
"Wei commander, Yang commander-in-chief." Wu troupe master bent his waist to salute the two people.
Wei Tianxiong looked behind Wu troupe master. "This person is Jun boss?”
"It is precisely this person." Wu troupe master moved to the side, revealing Jing Yang behind him.
"Come forward to let me see." Wei Tianxiong said.
Jing Yang moved forward a couple steps, and then removed his hat and raised his head. He then saluted neither haughtily nor humbly, "Yang commander-in-chief, Wei commander.”
Yang w.a.n.gkun looked at Jing Yang"s face, in his heart he had some unclear, unknown thoughts, even he himself wasn"t able to understand, why he would have this kind of feelings toward a man.
Wei Tianxiong previously had never seen Cheng Junxi before, plundering the Cheng family"s properties didn"t require he himself to appear. He had always let his underlings go take care of it. This was also his first time seeing him, the admiring expression on his face was also extremely obvious.
In Wei Tianxiong"s eyes, this Jun boss who had removed his makeup didn"t have a thread of that female air, his manner also did not at all make people feel that he was effeminate. His clean and elegant appearance, and lack of flirtatious behavior, gave him an urge to occupy him.
Cheng Jiaming was unable to recognize him at first glance, and only after carefully looking over that face, he suddenly stood up. He accidentally knocked over a winegla.s.s on the table, it shattered on the floor, emitting the crisp sound of broken gla.s.s.
Everyone looked toward the suddenly excited Cheng Jiaming.
"You…" Cheng Jiaming pointed at Jing Yang, shouting, "Cheng Junxi! How could it be you, how could you know how to sing opera!”
"Cheng Junxi?" Wei Tianxiong felt that this name was a little familiar, in a short period of time he was unable to remember who this was. The aide at his side was also shocked after seeing Jing Yang, and after he snapped out of his trance, he bent to say a few words in Wei Tianxiong"s ear.
"Why could it not be me?" Jing Yang calmly looked at him.
After Wei Tianxiong knew of his ident.i.ty, he used a shocked gaze to look him over. "You are really Jun boss?”
"No mistake, I Cheng Junxi am Jun boss.”
"Impossible! Commander, he is definitely impersonating someone, how could it be possible for the Cheng family"s big young master to know how to sing opera!" Cheng Jiaming felt that this definitely was a scam, he wanted to take over the attention that Jun boss had attracted from Wei Tianxiong, and make it easier to take back the Cheng family properties. How would it be possible for he this big young master to know how to sing opera, and even be able to sing better than him, the person who had performed just now was definitely a different person.
"Wu troupe master, you best speak truthfully with me, Cheng Junxi and Jun boss, in the end are they the same person or not." Wei Tianxiong looked toward Wu troupe master with a malicious gaze in order to have Wu troupe master speak the truth. He had already taken a fancy to Cheng Junxi this person, but if Jun boss was really another person, he didn"t mind bringing both of them together into his home.
"I don"t dare to fool commander, Cheng young master is precisely Jun boss." Wu troupe master responded.
"Wei commander doesn"t need to make it difficult for Wu troupe master, I naturally have methods to prove whether or not it is me." Jing Yang turned around and walked on stage, and everyone"s eyes followed him.
There were some guests who could recognize him, and all had incredible expressions. When did this Cheng family young master know how to sing opera?
They were all the same as Cheng Jiaming, they felt that there may be something strange in this matter.
Translator Notes:
[1] tyrannical rule – 作威作福, idiom, means riding roughshod over people
[2] cajole – 软磨硬泡, idiom, means to coax and pester
[3] The Conqueror Bids Farewell – 霸王别姬, apparently this is the name of the tragic opera, there"s also a 1993 film called Farewell My Concubine with the same name, personally I like this film name better
[4] entirely different – 天差地别, idiom, means poles apart
[5] Lu shan – 庐山, literally is a district in Jiujiang city, or a famous mountain, is this supposed to be a metaphor or something?
[6] anxiously waited – 翘首以盼, idiom, means to hold your breath in antic.i.p.ation
[7] neither haughtily nor humbly – 不亢不卑, other pairs include neither overbearing nor servile, neither supercilious nor obsequious
RandomNotes:
Got up bright and early to finish 2 chapters of this arc. A nice and quick translation of a little over 1 hour: 10 am – 11:10 am, for ~3k characters to 2.2k words. Quite satisfying.