Chapter 726 - 352: Expecting Twins (A Gesture for the Life Like Water and the Heirloom Jade+)_1
Aside from the play "Flowers Blooming on the Wayside," there was another troupe rehearsing "Silk Screen Story," which also revolved around Mr. Qian and Yueniang.
It’s just that "Flowers Blooming on the Wayside" mainly depicted Yueniang’s foolish wait in the countryside, yearning for her husband who went to fight at the frontiers to return soon.
Whereas "Silk Screen Story" primarily told the tale of Mr. Qian who prioritized his country, infiltrated the enemy camp as a spy, and even took a secondary wife to conceal his identity. When he saw the embroidered silk screen made by Yueniang, he was moved to tears and, against all odds, raced back thousands of miles to find his wife.
These two plays, upon their debut, caused a tremendous stir in the Great Qian Kingdom, with viewers streaming in without end. Occasionally, they would even be performed for the nobility in the palace.
The most popular among the commoners and women was the beautifully written and melodious "Flowers Blooming on the Wayside." But what the scholars and gentlemen preferred was the patriotic "Silk Screen Story."
Manjiang first secretly took Pan Yue to see the plays in the theater, and then he specifically invited both troupes to perform at the Qian family home.
Both Pan Yue and the Qian family enjoyed the two plays. However, upon hearing a brief summary of "Silk Screen Story," Yixiu took an instant disliking to it. A perfectly lovely story had to be spoiled by the inclusion of a secondary wife — utterly revolting.
After watching "Flowers Blooming on the Wayside," Pan Yue was once again moved by the protagonists of the play, crying until her eyes and the tip of her nose were red.
Today was Yixiu’s first time watching this play, and even she, who had witnessed her father Jiang’s and stepmother’s love, was moved. The actors playing Mr. Qian and Yueniang were beautiful and sang well. Especially impressive were the beautiful, ornate, yet straightforward and comprehensible lyrics, which captivated even Yixiu, who generally didn’t favor classical language. She savored them over and over again, unable to get enough.