After a long while, Fangzheng planned on returning to take a look before bidding Yang Hua farewell. He really could not appreciate such a show.
However, at that moment, Fangzheng saw a figure run into the woods in a hurry.
Fangzheng followed out of curiosity and on careful look, he was surprised to see that it was Fifth Zhao.
He saw Fifth Zhao holding a box and coming to the back of the woods. He respectfully took out the item inside and placed it on the ground. It was a memorial tablet!
Then, Fifth Zhao plopped to his knees in front of the seating area and began kowtowing. As he kowtowed, he cried, "Mom, I'm unfilial. I've put on that filthy act again today. I've insulted the ancestors again. I know that such a person will not be qualified to enter the ancestral grave even after I die. But I have no choice. I need to live too. Boohoo! "
Upon saying that, Fifth Zhao broke down on the spot. He cried as tears streamed down his cheeks. He kowtowed repeatedly.
Fangzheng's heart winced when he saw this.
To put it nicely, Fifth Zhao was the foreman of a drama troupe, but to put it bluntly, he was a small boss. To put it simply, he was just a street performer. He relied on his own abilities to earn money, to eat, to feed his family, and to feed the people who made a living with him. He also wished to act well, but when faced with the hard demands of the market, he had no way of resisting. All he could do was follow the flow. He laughed on stage, but cried offstage. Behind the smiles, there was too much bitterness.
At that moment, Fifth Zhao's wife came. She similarly knelt beside Fifth Zhao and patted him on the shoulder. "I knew you would be here. Every time you act in such a manner, you will find a corner with no one around to cry. Don't cry. We were born with cheap lives, so that's all we can do. "
"Back when I brought you into the industry, we agreed that we would only act in proper shows, those traditional good things. But … Sorry, "said Fifth Zhao.
"Don't say it. It's been so many years, and you have said it many times. Once you're on stage, don't act like you're Fifth Zhao … An old senior once said that when we perform Two-people Rotation, we have to wear two skins. One is a shameless skin. Once we're on stage, we have to let go of everything else and satisfy the audience. The other layer of skin is called strength … "At this point, Fifth Zhao's eyes turned red. These words sounded simple, but it went against his heart. When he acted in something that even he found disgusting, like a clown for others to see, even if he earned money, he still felt terrible.
Fifth Zhao said, "He also said that dreams are like the glass in front of a truck in front of reality. It's useless. But I can't accept it. Two-people Rotation is such a good show. Why did I have to walk down this path … "
"This is not something you and I can change. Get up. Erzi and the others are holding the fort. After they're done, we still have to go up, "Zhao Wu's wife said.
Fifth Zhao sighed and stood up. "Sigh …"
When Fangzheng saw this, he walked forward and pressed his palms together. "Amitabha."
This Buddhist proclamation gave Fifth Zhao a fright. When they saw Fangzheng, their faces blushed instantly. Fifth Zhao said in embarrassment, "Venerable One, I'm sorry. I … I just …"
"Amitabha. This Penniless Monk has seen your filial piety. However, This Penniless Monk does not agree with your words. Therefore, This Penniless Monk wishes to have a chat with you, "said Fangzheng with a smile.
Seeing the white-robed monk in front of them with a smile that was as warm as sunlight, the stifled feeling in their hearts dissipated without them realizing it. They felt a lot more comfortable. Fifth Zhao knew of Fangzheng. He often visited the nearby villages, so it was impossible for him not to know this famous person. However, Fifth Zhao had never been to One Finger Monastery. Fifth Zhao had never seen Fangzheng in person either. This was the first time he saw Fangzheng onstage. Now, it was the first time he was meeting him face to face at such a close distance.
Fifth Zhao's wife said, "Venerable One, we were just grumbling. You …"
"Patron, don't worry. This Penniless Monk will not tell anyone what he heard today." Fangzheng knew that if Fifth Zhao's words were to spread and be used by people with ulterior motives, their careers would be over.
Upon hearing Fangzheng's words, the duo heaved a sigh.
The trio sat on the ground as Fifth Zhao sighed. "I swear. Although what I said wasn't pleasant to the ears … Reality is as such. It's not only me. I know many Two-people Rotation actors. They are in the same situation. We also wish to perform something good, but no one wants to watch. You saw it for yourself. Everyone likes that … "
Fangzheng said, "Patron, This Penniless Monk saw it. However, the two of you have an unshirkable responsibility for Two-people Rotation's development to this day. "
"I …" Fifth Zhao wanted to argue, but he realized that he could not thicken his skin to say anything when faced with Fangzheng's calm and serene eyes.
Fangzheng continued. "In the past, entertainers might have been rated as low-class, but in our northeast, once they become famous, they will gain fame and bring honor to their ancestors. But look at you. You are a famous actor in the surrounding villages, but you can't even enter your ancestors' graves. Now, This Penniless Monk often hears this saying: If a family has a Two-people Rotation singer, they won't enter their ancestors' graves after they die! Although you have earned money, you have lost too many things.
If even the locals view Two-people Rotation in such a manner, how would outsiders view Two-people Rotation? Perhaps they won't even be able to enter the low-class, right? "
Upon hearing this, Fifth Zhao fell silent. He lowered his head and scratched his head with both hands. He said bitterly, "What other solutions can there be? I know some teachers who insist on singing proper plays. Even for them, they had a moment of glory in the past, but now they have nothing left to act. In order to survive, they can only abandon their dreams. That's reality. "
Fangzheng smiled and looked up into the sky. A swallow landed on a tree branch.
Fangzheng said, "Patron, what do you think that is?"
"A swallow," answered Fifth Zhao's wife subconsciously.
Fangzheng smiled. "What habits does a swallow have?"
Fifth Zhao did not understand what Fangzheng was getting at. Instead, he said, "It's a migratory bird."
"It's indeed a migratory bird. It flies south in winter. What happens if it doesn't fly south? "asked Fangzheng.
"It freezes to death." When Fifth Zhao said that, he shuddered and said with a bitter smile, "I'm that swallow that freezes to death."
Fangzheng shook his head and pointed at a sparrow. "Then why didn't it freeze to death?"
"It grows feathers in winter to resist the cold," said Fifth Zhao's wife.
Fangzheng nodded. "That's right. Growing feathers in winter helps to resist the cold, so there's no need to leave home. Although a sparrow is small and not as beautiful as a swallow, it knows how to protect its home. It will not fly away no matter what. The same predicament, different choices, and a completely different life. When This Penniless Monk was young, This Penniless Monk did not like the chirping of sparrows. It was very noisy and ugly. But in winter, the mountains are sealed off by snow, so there are no birds. Occasionally, I will hear them chirp. It's like the sound of nature, and the entire world seems to come alive. "
"Venerable One, what do you mean?" asked Fifth Zhao's wife, perplexed.
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