The beginning of the year is not a good sign. It doesn't refer to Yu Qing's matter, Yu Qing's matter is an emotional entanglement, no matter how hard he is, it doesn't matter to others. After she arrived in Shanghai, she settled down and got along very well with some famous local actresses, so she sent a letter and some sweet cakes and dragon beard candies to Shang Xirui, saying that she would temporarily take root in Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou and other places, please Shang Xirui If I go there in the future, I will find her to play with. There was nothing unhappy about the tone of the letter, and he talked about some things and customs in the south of the Yangtze River, which seemed to distract him. However, in Beiping, Hou Yukui, the famous actress Shang Xirui worshiped, is really dying.
Hou Yukui had smoked opium for half his life, and any disease he contracted would be particularly difficult to cure, and medicine would hardly work. In the beginning, it was just because I ate an extra mouthful of stewed hoof, I was a little loose, and gradually developed into a smoke leak. By the time the news of the illness reached Shang Xirui and the others, the old man was already seriously ill. Du Qi and his uncle Du Mingfeng brought a western doctor to visit him. Du Mingfeng and Hou Yukui still had a good friendship in the Forbidden City back then, so we can't say how deep they were, but they cherished this old opera singer as if it were an old thing used by the imperial court. . The doctor who took him injected a bottle of antibacterial medicine, but of course it didn't help. Du Qi came back and sighed to Shang Xirui and said that Hou Yukui's time is approaching this time, he doesn't recognize anyone anymore, his eyes turned red and he was very sad.
Shang Xirui also felt very sad, so sad that he was not even in the mood to get bored with Cheng Fengtai, he hurried to visit Hou Yukui. Hou Yukui was only taken care of by his disciples and grandchildren. They didn't know whether they were guilty or afraid of taking responsibility, and explained to Shang Xirui that Hou Yukui refused to use Western medicine because he believed in Chinese medicine. This delayed the illness. Shang Xirui is impatient to hear this, looking at Hou Yukui's face, he guesses he is really going to die this time. Thinking of the New Year's greetings to Hou Yukui, he also waited for him to burn two big cigarettes. Hou Yukui talked about the story of Liyuan for a long time on the cigarette couch, talking about the reasons why Kunqu Opera went from prosperity to decline, and even what to do with the new play. Chuang, how should the apprentice teach, by the way, I counted the current heroes. Thinking about it today, it seems to be a sign of confession.
Shang Xirui couldn't help bursting into tears, sat down by the bed and grabbed Hou Yukui's hand: "Grandpa! You can't leave! Our old brothers are not enough yet..."
Several apprentices looked at each other, unable to understand what kind of seniority this character and their master recognized.
Hou Yukui forcibly supported himself by hanging salt water for a period of time, but left before the pomegranate blossoms bloomed. When Shang Xirui got the news, the scratch on his cheek had long since healed, and he was happily listening to Cheng Fengtai telling jokes backstage while taking off his makeup. Niu Baiwen, head of the Qinyan Society, delivered the obituary with a sad expression, and the backstage was suddenly silent, and then sighed. Shang Xirui stood up slowly, said "Ah!", and sat down slowly.
Niu Baiwen witnessed the whole story of the friendship between Hou Yukui and Shang Xirui, and sincerely comforted Shang Xirui: "Old Hou is old, he has fought with the Empress Dowager Buddha, and he has suffered with Shengdou Xiaominduier. It's worth it! Let's not be too sad, the most important thing is to make the old man's affairs look good." Then he said: "I said, Boss Shang, Lao Hou's children and grandchildren are not good. The oldest grandson is only ten years old this year. There is no one in charge! I, Niu Baiwen, have done as much as I can, and I have no excuses! You are the number one person in our Peking Opera House, you have to take the lead!"
Shang Xirui nodded blankly: "Oh!" After thinking about it, he said: "I'm too young, I'm not qualified! There are still a few old gentlemen around!"
Niu Baiwen only thought that he was being modest, and said with a smile: "What are you afraid of when you are young, you have a great reputation!" He stood up and said goodbye: "You stay here, don't miss the show. I have to report the funeral with those actors .”
Shang Xirui passed the night in a sullen mood. On the second day, all the plays were stopped, and Hou Yukui's disciples, family members and several actors stayed together in mourning. Although he had a filial piety, he couldn't bear to feel bored the night before. He watched the incense candles and melted paper money in the basin. It was such a quiet and chilly night, surrounded by plain curtains and white curtains. Shang Xirui just wanted to respond to the scene, and hummed softly Hou Yukui's famous play "Qi Yuan Bao", which tells the story of a ghost appearing for revenge. He was deeply rooted in Hou Pai's spirit, and he made his apprentices feel ashamed, and told him: "Boss Shang, good boss, you can speak up when Master is buried! Don't scare us now!"
Shang Xirui said: "Why did I scare you? You should feel familiar with your master's name, there's nothing scary about it."
Next, the young granddaughter couldn't stay up all night, just took a nap, and was awakened by Shang Xirui's cool and distant opera, she couldn't tell if she was dreaming when she opened her eyes, she was so afraid that she choked and cried, It must be said that I heard grandpa singing. He bluffed a few daughters-in-law enough, saying that he wanted to coax the child, took the child away and never came back.
Shang Xirui curled his lips, reluctantly fell silent.
In the middle of the night, Shang Xirui also felt sleepy, and dozed off with his head propped up, when he felt someone pinch his ears. Woke up and saw that it was Cheng Fengtai. After Cheng Fengtai played sixteen rounds of mahjong, the night activities ended, he was thinking about Shang Xirui, so he came to him by mourning. Seeing that Shang Xirui would keep covering his ears and rubbing them back and forth after waking up, he thought he was so naive, so he smiled at him in public.
This place is no better than being in the backstage of Shuiyun Tower where they can be free to love each other. How many pairs of eyes are watching here! Shang Xirui rubbed his ears and looked around vigilantly, the famous actors immediately turned their eyes away.
Hou Yukui's eldest apprentice hurriedly found a step for him, and said with a smile, "Second Master Cheng has a heart, and at this point he still wants to come here to offer incense to Master. It's not in vain for our Master to miss you before his illness."
Cheng Fengtai said sadly: "When your master and I met in Prince An's Mansion back then, we had a very happy conversation and friendship! I like drama very much, and Laohou also loves to talk about drama to me, what a sincere old man! At that time I persuaded He took two puffs of opium, and he said he wasn't afraid, Wu Sheng's background is strong! I also promised to give him a purple jade cigarette holder. Who would have thought that, hey... I happen to have no time these two days, and I will come back during the day tomorrow. Came here to offer my condolences.”
Shang Xirui was ashamed of Cheng Fengtai when he heard it there! How can there be such a smelly and shameless person who opens his mouth to talk nonsense in front of the dead! When did he speak a word to Hou Yukui in the hall meeting of Prince An's Mansion back then!
The eldest apprentice nodded frequently, and followed the words: "Yes, the master always told me when he was alive, don't think that the second master Cheng is a Western style, he knows as much drama as you, learn from it!"
Cheng Fengtai frowned slightly, and sighed regretfully: "Old Hou knows me, so I can chat with Lao Hou and Boss Shang. After Lao Hou left, I only have Boss Shang left .”
Shang Xirui couldn't listen anymore, he stood up suddenly. The eldest apprentice had already seen that the two of them had something to do, he had never seen a mourner in the middle of the night, and he acted so jokingly with Shang Xirui, I'm afraid the drunkard didn't mean to drink. Arrange for Cheng Fengtai to have supper in the back hall, and invite Shang Xirui to accompany him. As soon as they walked out, several actors in the mourning hall began to whisper to each other.
Shang Xirui entered the door and said sternly: "Man, you can't do this!"
Cheng Fengtai thought that he thought his behavior was frivolous, sat down and said with a smile: "Oh, so Boss Shang is afraid that people will know us?"
Shang Xirui froze for a moment, then realized: "What's so scary, let them know." Cheng Fengtai beckoned to him, he walked over and Cheng Fengtai pulled him into his lap and sat on his lap, the two hit each other, Shang Xirui Most of the complaints disappeared, and one hand unconsciously wrapped Cheng Fengtai's neck, muttering: "How could you lie like that! You are so rascal!"
Cheng Fengtai was quite innocent: "I didn't intend to say that at first, he first said that Hou Yukui was talking about me before he died, so I have no choice but to accept it like this!"
Shang Xirui was right when he thought about it, he didn't pursue it anymore, he took a piece of mung bean cake and stuffed it in his mouth to eat, Cheng Fengtai kicked him off his lap after eating the third piece: "It looks so thin, why is it so heavy? Like lead." In fact, he is used to sitting on light women on his lap: "It is said that if you want to be pretty, you should wear a filial piety. Boss Shang's sack suit is really pretty."
Shang Xirui snorted, took the plate and ate it. Cheng Fengtai asked leisurely: "When I first came in, I saw Si Xi'er, she was winking at me. This time he is not bringing Xiao Zhouzi with him. Don't let Xiao Zhouzi get killed by him?"
"Impossible!" Shang Xirui waved his hand: "I'll go to the little Zhouzi after Grandpa Hou's funeral is over." His tone suddenly changed, and he smiled sweetly at Cheng Fengtai, especially with a coquettish attitude: "Second Master, Can you help me come forward to ask someone?"
Cheng Fengtai is not willing: "What relationship do I have with you Liyuanxing? You think Fan Lian is more reliable."
"Then let Fan Lian ask for it. Anyway, I can't go. Sixi'er hates me. Knowing that I want Xiao Zhouzi, I really have to kill Xiao Zhouzi."
"Look at your popularity!"
Shang Xirui retorted: "I'm very popular! Except with Si Xier!"
Cheng Fengtai took a sip of tea and nodded: "That's right, you're a money-scattering boy! Can you be popular?" He was still brooding over the pile of IOUs: "I really don't want to deal with Si Xier, it's like dog skin plaster The person! Isn't this asking me to betray my lust with him! Go talk to Fan Lian yourself later."
Shang Xirui snatched his teacup and took a big mouthful of tea, his bulging cheeks threatened to spray him in the face, Cheng Fengtai hurriedly blocked his mouth in case he would act wild: "Okay, I promise you, I'll do it for you, hurry up Swallow it for me." Shang Xirui looked as if he regretted not being able to spray him in the face.
Cheng Fengtai looked at him and sighed again: "When I first met you, you and I were so cute! You really looked like a singer. It's not the same as now!"
"What about now?"
"Now you're like a monkey performer, scratching your ears, jumping up and down, and you're the same as before." Cheng Fengtai pinched his chin and said, "But it's pretty good for the outside world. Seeing you take the lead in kneeling in the mourning hall, you look like a capable person If it’s the most important thing, I don’t know what’s really going on.”
Shang Xirui felt that he was praised, he brushed off the corners of his clothes, crossed his legs, very chic.
"There are a few familiar faces in the mourning hall. Why are you actors guarding Hou Yukui when he's gone? Where's his own son?"
There is a story here. Hou Yukui originally had four sons. Later, it is said that every time he played the old Cheng Ying in "The Orphan of Zhao", one of his sons died unexpectedly. After the third time it was fulfilled, Hou Yukui still didn't believe in evil when it came to the fourth time, but this evil thing happened to be true again. Mrs. Hou died out of breath, and she kept her eyes shut before she died, all because she hated Hou Yukui. Hou Yukui was originally stubborn and hard-headed, but his personality became more and more eccentric after that, he was not close to his family, and spent all his time with opium.
Shang Xirui himself believed in "drama prophecy", and told Cheng Fengtai about his and Jiang Mengping's "Legend of the White Snake". Chang Zhixin was sitting in the audience for the first public performance of this play. The second time, Chang and Jiang became acquainted. After the third time, Xu Xian, who Chang Zhixin disguised as Xu Xian, hooked up the white lady and ran away. Xiaoqing'er refused to agree, and was forced into a hurry. The white lady did not hesitate to flood Jinshan, but also wanted to make a marriage with Xu Xian.
Cheng Fengtai shook his head and said that you should not be Xiaoqing, Xiaoqing is not like this, you should be Fahai.
The news of Hou Yukui's death spread widely the next day, needless to say the number of mourners. Shang Xirui stayed up all night, during the day he found an opportunity to sleep in a small wing of the Hou's house, and within an hour of lying down, Niu Baiwen yelled him up, saying something happened in Shuiyun Tower.
Shang Xirui slowly sat up and put on his shoes, it's not uncommon for those monsters in Shuiyunlou to do something while he's away. When there is a quarrel, it means who is arguing with whom, whoever has stolen the money in the account is exposed, Shang Xirui doesn't even bother to deal with it.
Niu Baiwen picked him up and helped him put the other shoe on: "An old man just came, and as soon as he entered the mourning hall, he yelled 'Old Hou! You said it was Uncle Li who played the huqin for you? Go and recognize it!"
When Shang Xirui heard that, it's okay! Leaving Niu Baiwen far behind, he rushed to the mourning hall to see that Uncle Li had fallen on the ground. A few actors and family members surrounded him, pinching people and pouring herbal tea, Uncle Li just gritted his teeth. Hou Yukui's daughter-in-law hesitated and said, "Isn't it a stroke?" After saying this, everyone felt that the symptoms were very similar, and shouted for a doctor.
Shang Xirui's fiery temper looked like he was dying of anxiety, he pushed Uncle Li on his back as he pushed through the crowd: "How long will the doctor have to wait! I'll run with him on my back!"
Everyone exclaimed and tore Uncle Li off his back: "Boss Shang, don't mess around! This disease is absolutely unstoppable!"
Shang Xirui was so anxious that he circled around Uncle Li, slamming his fist tightly into the other palm, like a firecracker, no one had the guts to approach him for fear of being teased He was blown away by him, or he was blown up by himself. After spending days like years waiting for the doctor to come, it was really a stroke when he took the pulse. Hou Yukui died because he didn't believe in Western medicine, so in Hou Zhai, he dared not let Chinese medicine dominate. Hou Yukui's senior disciple called the shots and immediately invited another British doctor to give him an injection. This kind of emergency can't be cured by one shot. He was taken to the hospital for treatment for a few days, and he came back with a life, but after waking up, half of his body has been in limbo since then, not to mention that he can no longer play the piano. People are waiting. When asked about his friendship with Hou Yukui and who else was in his family, Uncle Li blinked his dim eyes and opened his mouth, a stream of saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth, unable to speak the whole sentence.
This hurts Shang Xirui! Taking care of Hou Yukui's funeral is tiring enough, and now I have to go to the hospital to visit Uncle Li frequently. In fact, Xiao Lai stayed in the hospital to take care of him, so he didn't need Shang Xirui's clumsy help. Shang Xirui just didn't give up, he had to see if Uncle Li could move every day. Cheng Fengtai volunteered to be his driver, picked him up and down between Hou's house and the hospital, it took only three or four days, and he watched Shang Xirui lose weight, his eyes were full of murderous intent. If those ignorant actors in Shuiyun Tower still bother him with some shitty accident at this time, he doesn't care who is right and who is wrong, and they will all yell and scold them back. This day, there was another dispute in Shuiyun Tower over the priority of rehearsal, Shang Xirui's temper flared up, he rolled up his sleeves and almost beat someone up, and frightened away the senior sister who came to complain.
Sitting in the car, Cheng Fengtai said with a smile: "Boss Shang, why don't I give you an idea?"
Shang Xirui cut off his words as soon as he opened his mouth, and roared violently: "You need to talk more! Drive your car well! It's so annoying!"
Cheng Fengtai glanced at him contemptuously, and didn't say much, thinking that such a bastard would be betrayed by rumors, so he would be better off with this or that. After getting along for a long time, this dog's temper is exposed, who can stand it? Who is willing to spend money to buy an uncle to come back to be angry. Even if Cheng Fengtai's heart is sincere, he still finds it hard to let go of his anger when he is interrupted by such a sentence from time to time.
The two walked in silence. Every time Shang Xirui kills Cheng Fengtai, he feels a little uneasy and regretful, but every time he is especially angry in front of Cheng Fengtai. Of course, no matter how regretful he was, he would not take the initiative to bow his head. He got out of the car at the hospital with a stiff neck, and slammed the car door hard without looking back.
Cheng Fengtai called him to stop, and hooked his fingers at him.
Shang Xirui walked over with a cold face, thinking he was trying to coax him: "Why?"
Cheng Fengtai looked at his face, deliberately lit a cigarette and smoked a couple of puffs to make him angry, then he half-closed his eyes and said: "Today, put the group of idle actors you raised into a shift and go to the hospital in turn. Come and replace them Xiao Lai's hand, how many days can a little girl last? Second, I go to Hou's house every day to report Uncle Li's situation to you, saving you some trouble." Shang Xirui remembered it in his heart, and realized that this was really a good way to save the actor They are just idle and creating disasters, why didn't I think of it earlier
Cheng Fengtai glanced at him up and down, very disgusted: "If you have a temper, don't just use it against me, you know? I'm so spoiled with you, like a grandson. What's the use of you punishing me? With others You know how to be gentle, courteous, humble, and considerate."
Shang Xirui muttered something, Cheng Fengtai thought he was scolding him again: "Say what? Louder!"
Shang Xirui said loudly: "I said, you are not someone else!"
Cheng Fengtai was stunned for a moment, recalled it for a long time, held back a smile, tried hard to maintain an expression of disgust and impatience, waved to Shang Xirui: "Get out!" Step up and run into the hospital vigorously. Cheng Fengtai thought to himself that he was really a bit cheap, and he was so willing to be someone other than "others" who was being pissed off.
The weather couldn't stop the coffin, and when the seven days came, Hou Yukui buried his coffin. Actors from Beiping and Tianjin, famous or not, those on the stage and down on the ground, the whole city mobilized to help the coffin, together with actors from afar and hundreds of fans, almost turned Qianmen Street They are all blocked. All the actors attending the funeral recognized Hou Yukui as their ancestors, but the Hou family didn't prepare such filial clothes at all, so they cut white cloth into strips and gave them to tie around their waists. There was an old actor whose background was unknown, dressed in the clothes of a little widow in the show, put on heavy makeup, walked behind the coffin and cried all the way, as sad as a man left behind by his deceased husband little widow. Because the funeral was so grand, the government was also alarmed, and a road sacrificial shed was set up where the funeral procession must pass, and a large official in charge of culture was appointed to express condolences. The members of the funeral committee ranged from the number one scholar in the previous dynasty to the famous actress, literary giant and wealthy businessman. Hou Yukui can be said to be extremely honored.
At the end of spring, the sun was shining brightly, and several sedan chairs were taken by female relatives, actresses, and elders of the previous generation. Other opera singers walked for more than ten miles to the cemetery outside the city. Shang Xirui was sweating all over from the sun, and the restlessness and fatigue of the past few days made his heart so angry, and the voice of mourning was so loud in his ears, Shang Xirui felt a rush of heat gushing from his nostrils, As soon as he sniffed his nose and choked his throat, he hurriedly covered his mouth with his sleeve and coughed fiercely with his head turned purple.
Niu Baiwen suddenly cried out in pain: "Boss Shang! Oh my God! Why are you doing this!"
All the relatives and friends who were crying heartbroken turned their heads together, only to see Shang Xirui's mouthful of red blood sprayed on the white filial robe, soaking one sleeve, making it redder and more eye-catching. Only then did they discover to their surprise that this silent red opera singer had a deeper relationship with Hou Yukui than any of them. Although I didn't see him shed a lot of tears during the days of the wake, it turned out that he was spitting blood on the day of the burial. The friendship is so sincere that the Hou family's daughters and grandchildren feel ashamed, and Hou Yukui's apprentices are even more ashamed that Shang Xirui has robbed them of their jobs, so they throw themselves on the grave and cry loudly.
The Hou family and Niu Baiwen were touched, they were embarrassed to burden Shang Xirui, and asked him to sit in the sedan chair and rest. Shang Xirui was out of breath from choking, he straightened up on his thighs, trying to explain the principle of nosebleed backflow to them. In the eyes of the aunt of the Hou family, this weak, stubborn and affectionate little boy was simply too distressing. She covered his mouth with a tear-stained handkerchief, sobbing, "Boss Shang, don't say anything." Yes, our Hou family misses your affection."
Niu Baiwen also frowned, and regretfully said: "Boss Shang, you should take a break! Don't let us close another one at the Liyuan Bank!" Before Shang Xirui could speak, he greeted the two people in Shuiyun Building Little actor: "Hurry up and put your troupe master into the sedan chair!"
So Shang Xirui sat in the sedan chair and dozed off with peace of mind on the way back. Singing a big play in the afternoon, the Hou family dared not work for Shang Xirui, and Shang Xirui sat next to his aunt and grandma with peace of mind and watched a few good plays and ate a lot of snacks. Niu Baiwen was busy going in and out, Shang Xirui took advantage of the time to grab him: "Master Niu, I want to sing "Wujiapo" with Hou Yukui's big apprentice."
This was the first scene he and Hou Yukui played in Prince An's Mansion that year.
Niu Baiwen couldn't help but moved and said: "If you feel that your body is still healthy, it's not impossible to sing a few folds. Only one fold!"
Hou Yukui's big apprentice pretends to be on stage, and he has a three-point resemblance to Hou Yukui. Shang Xirui's Wang Baochuan came to the stage gracefully, met the eyes of Master Hou's disciples, one thought this was the person the master praised so much; the other thought this was the old Hou's direct heir. The two have different thoughts and the same injury, and both of them burst into tears. Clanking and singing a play, Shang Xirui returned to the wing without taking off his make-up or watching the play, sitting at the table in a daze.
The eldest grandson of the Hou family ran in with a bowl and put the bowl in front of him: "Boss Shang, Auntie said that your play is really good, you have worked so hard, let you eat this to replenish your body."
Seeing that he didn't respond, the child smiled at him, turned around and was about to leave. Shang Xirui grabbed him abruptly, dragged him in front of him and pinched him all over his body, making the child dodge left and right, squealing.
Shang Xirui frowned, held the child's face in his hands: "Come on, call me twice."
The child was terrified by something crazy, eager and persistent in his eyes, slapped Shang Xirui's arm away, and ran out, shouting in horror: "Mom! Mom! This one is crazy!"
Hearing the child's voice, Shang Xirui's eyes dimmed quickly, leaning on the edge of the table, he was in a daze again. The tonic in the bowl is cold, and the scene outside is almost cold. On the wall hangs the sword used by Hou Yukui, with a beard. Hou Yukui is dead, and his big apprentice is asking him to use his voice, and his little grandson is not good enough to sing an opera—Hou Yukui's grandson doesn't even have a mouthful of food from his patriarch! At this moment, Shang Xirui felt deeply saddened by Hou Yukui's death. Thinking of Uncle Li again, the pain that gouges out his heart and soul is simply irresolvable.
Cheng Fengtai came in from outside like a gust of wind, knelt down in front of Shang Xirui, stroked the back of his head with one hand, looked up at him worriedly: "I heard that Boss Shang coughed up blood? How dare you sing?"
Shang Xirui cried as soon as he bumped his head into his arms.