Xu Qing sat down like a lord, with tea and snacks spread out, not even glancing at them.
The actor playing the bearded warrior wasn't upset, serving at his side, he chuckled, "Get comfortable, and later I'll perform a splendid act just for you!"
Xu Qing raised an eyebrow, glanced at the bowing warrior beside him, and casually asked, "What role are you playing?"
"The warrior role, playing the bearded conqueror!"
The actor had just finished a warrior's scene, the makeup still fresh on his face, his forehead dusted with gold powder, so you couldn't tell what he really looked like...
With his costume, anyone who loves opera could see he's a conqueror, yet Xu Qing seemed not to recognize him at all.
"A conqueror?"
"Indeed, a conqueror."
"Doesn't look like it to me!"
"What do you think it looks like then?"
"More like a turtle!"
"..."
The troupe leader, who'd been listening beside Xu Qing, finally couldn't hold back, giving him a sideways glance and said, "Mind your words, sir. Our famous Jinmen Prefecture conqueror from Lixiang Courtyard cannot be disparaged."
"Just because he's famous doesn't mean he's good!" Xu Qing looked at the incredibly familiar troupe leader before him, smirking slightly, "Seems like the troupe leader forgot the rules of the opera house! If you want to create a character, you have to start from the basics, in actions and words, aligning with the role you want to portray!"
"Look at your proud disciple, currying favor at the slightest gain, treating me like his own father. Is that how a conqueror behaves?"
"..."
The troupe leader's face shifted, finally casting a harsh glare at the standing warrior disciple, scolding, "Useless little turtle, can't even handle basic etiquette, what do you have those eyes for if you lack discernment!"
Xu Qing ignored the ranting troupe leader, he looked toward the stage where performers came and went. The warrior's face paint was fierce, his voice thunderous; the female role swayed elegantly; the lead character recited with a straight spine; the clown pranked around; the elder role posed to look mature...
The audience seats were filled with wealthy guests in silk and satin.
As for the food on the tables, it seemed tempting, with glistening fruits and watery vegetables, glossy meat dishes, and fresh salads that looked just picked from a garden.
The aroma from the wine jug was mouthwatering!
But what's Xu Qing's line of work? A master of the funeral business, what ceremonial scents could escape him?
In one glance, the glossy meat turned out to be rotten mice full of green fur that had snuck into the garden.
The verdant vegetable leaves, upon a closer look, were just dried grass stalks and rotten tree leaves!
The wine humbly offered by the warrior was nothing but a concoction of sludge from the bottom of a ditch!
The performers, lively in form and sound, were pallid without blood, their shadows faint on the ground, clearly not living beings—all played by specters! The guests ate and drank blissfully unaware. Xu Qing's heart pounded, secretly thinking: "This isn't a performance; it's a ghostly assembly!"
Finally, three chimes rang, the ghostly figures vanished, the theater cold and empty. Only a leading lady with flowing sleeves gently swaying, gracefully stood there. Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes lively, her breath warm—out of everyone, she was the only living being! Xu Qing finally caught his breath, chills running down his spine: Today, it seems I've encountered spirits, and she's the only human. She gave a slight smile, "Gentleman, the show's over, let's go."
The theater brimming with life, every role present, sang lively on stage. In the courtyard, dozens of spectators, all well-dressed, sitting or standing, tables full of tea, wine, and snacks, exuding a fragrant aroma, looking at the steamed fish, braised beef, and plates of crystal dumplings, with enticing colors and flavors, making their mouths water.