Abat in autumn,
The sun rose very early in the morning.
Wood got up early in the morning,
He smoked a cigarette,
And began to write.
Wood Kent was a well-known amateur drama critic. He didn't think he had much literary talent,
But he was good at judging the works of others.
Born in a gentleman's family, he was influenced by his theatre-loving grandmother since he was a child,
Although he studied mathematics in college,
It didn't prevent him from being active in the Abat theater after he returned to his hometown.
"Wonderful! After the countercurrent of the dinner party,
I haven't seen such a wonderful masterpiece for many years. Although it hasn't been finished yet, I can already predict it.
A story that goes straight to the point,
The concise and vivid language, the tempestuous rhythm that leaves one on edge, is closer to reality. It's definitely not the habit of those obscene writers who deliberately mystify things and ask actors to talk about it like an orator … "
Wood wrote a long paragraph in one breath,
He stretched his body,
He chewed on the great monarch's reflection in the mirror when he was lying in bed and muttered a passage that was heard by the eunuch, "My black hair has turned white. My appearance,
I have lost my valiance. I am getting old. Love,
But I will not pick the years that come. "
After writing the drama review with satisfaction,
He took out his pocket watch and glanced at it,
It was time for the second scene to begin. He was ready to get it,
When he was about to go out, he heard a servant say, "Master, young master cousin is here."
He picked up his hat,
He walked to the door,
His energetic nephew had already opened his arms and hugged him. "Uncle!"
Mr. Kent was out of breath in his arms,
He quickly broke free, took a step back, and scolded, "Ernest! How many times have I told you that a gentleman must first have a dignified and serious attitude! "
The young man didn't care. He just smiled, and his blue eyes, like the shallowest sea, were full of the innocence unique to young people. "Before being dignified, the first thing to be satisfied is emotion. Isn't that your famous saying? "
"Well, glib little bastard, I know you have other intentions. Say it. "
"Uncle, I have a pitiful friend who needs your help …"
"Her?" Mr Kent frowned. "A woman?"
He knew his nephew's character very well, so he shook his head and said, "I've never married in my life, and I don't have a wife. What can I do to help a woman?"
Ernest begged, "Don't be so heartless. She won't hold you back. It's really just a poor girl in a convent. "
Mr. Kent was stunned. He was so angry that his face turned red. "Bastard! A woman from the Mystic Cloister, you actually want me to help you? Are you afraid that I won't be able to provoke those old fogeys of the Divine Sect? "
'A hard-hearted gentleman! ' Ernest's eyes were filled with tears as he exclaimed, "A cold-hearted gentleman!"
"Okay, shut up. Shut up. If you still want my help. 'Mr. Kent had a real headache about his nephew.
Ernest's tears evaporated in an instant, leaving only his pitiful red eyes as a vestige.
Mr. Kent tapped the floor with his cane. 'Well, now. "Okay, I'm going to watch the play. As for the specifics, no matter what kind of woman she is, I have to finish listening to 'Lady Peony' first. "
The blue-eyed youth stepped aside with a grin.
He knew that his uncle was a drama addict. No matter what, he couldn't afford to offend him on this point. He was swept away like a gust of wind. "Then please enjoy the show. I'm going to attend today's appointment first. "
*
Unlike the first scene, which had a lot of empty seats, the number of people in the second scene increased significantly.
Including the audience attracted by the first scene, 'The Princess and the Mystic Cloister', there were also some people who watched the reenactment of 'The Princess and the Mystic Cloister'.
One of Abat's famous playwrights, Charlie Beckett, was also among them.
The second scene attracted everyone's attention as soon as it started.
In the palace, a sorrowful concubine sighed that she had been neglected.
In sharp contrast to her sorrow, the maids were discussing the Emperor's new favorite.
There was no Empress in the entire palace. The Emperor's love for this new Madam was so great that he built a palace for her. She was treated better than the Empress, so the other concubines were neglected.
In the imperial court, when the ministers woke up early in the morning to see the Emperor, they saw that the Emperor, who had always been diligent, no longer sat on the throne early.
The palace servants whispered to the ministers, "His Majesty is drawing the new Madam's eyebrows."
In the marketplace, women and young men wearing gorgeous new clothes and riding beautiful horses rushed to the palace gate, knocking over groups of citizens and nobles, but they didn't care at all.
The marketplace whispered, "A new batch of dignitaries is being rewarded. They are all relatives of the new Madam."
"Who is she? Who took away my husband? "The concubines sang.
"Who is she? Who took away our Emperor. "The ministers sang.
"Who is she? Who took away our rewards. "The nobles sang.
They asked the roses.
The roses said, "I have thorns all over my body, not a delicate new Madam."
They asked the water lilies.
The water lilies said, "I was born in the water, not a luxurious new Madam."
They asked the remaining peonies in the garden, "You are the most beautiful and luxurious. There are so many of you, which one is the new Madam?"
The peonies covered their faces in shame, "We are so vulgar, not as good as the new Madam." "But we know where she is."
The flowers sang in unison.
"The smoothest cream is not half as good as her skin."
"The brightest rouge is not as good as her lips."
"When she smiles, all the delicate flowers of the Empire are only fit to be her vassals."
"Everyone calls her Lady Peony."
The most flawless and delicate peony blooms delicately beside the Holy Throne of the King. "
At this time, the Emperor woke up from his sleep. When he woke up, he didn't see the new Madam. He hurriedly ordered people to look for her in the royal garden.
This Madam Peony finally had enough of admiring the scenery. She walked out of the garden, holding a flower in her hand. Surrounded by flowers, she walked towards the monarch. Her silky silk dress fluttered as she gracefully and luxuriously walked out.
"Life is hard to guess, young companions become old companions."
The suspenseful appetite of the audience was satisfied. But the moment she appeared, some of the audience cried out, "Oh, it's the Princess!"
It turned out that the Emperor's new wife, the limelight Lady Peony, was actually his son's Princess, who had been demoted to a monastery by him!
After he bestowed a new wife to his son, he turned this former daughter-in-law into his own wife in broad daylight.
"Shameless!" A few virtuous gentlemen got up from their seats angrily and left in a huff.
But most people were suddenly interested. Especially since the beginning of the play said that the story was adapted from the real history of the East.
When the Prince met his wife by his father's side, he was inconsolable.
The ministers saw it as a palace scandal and slandered it.
The Emperor and Lady Peony had long been deeply in love.
They were separated by more than thirty years of time. But their souls were deeply attracted to each other.
They were equally proficient in music, singing and dancing to each other, equally fond of literature and opera, and equally appreciative of art. Their hearts were so in sync. They were a natural couple.
No matter how the world judged, Lady Peony still became the most popular woman in the entire Empire.
She was angry with the Emperor and could make him admit defeat.
When she smiled, the Emperor ordered a knight to send her some sweet and expensive fruit from thousands of miles away.
Her sisters and brothers, all of them were high officials and dignitaries, in and out of the palace.
Her brother even became the highest minister of the Empire.
And she only needed to be full of tenderness. She was pure and simple in nature, and was brimming with talent.
The Emperor of the Tang Empire, the former unparalleled wise Emperor, was getting old.
He was greedy for the beautiful illusion of youth that Lady Peony brought to him.
Although he had eyes, he used them to appreciate the palace dance.
Although he had ears, he could only hear the strings.
Although he had wisdom, he only used it to compose music for his lovers.
He relaxed, as if to repay his conscientious work as a ruling Emperor for most of his life, he allowed himself to be an artistic Emperor in addition to being a political Emperor.
In the tune of Rainbow Feathers, Lady Peony accompanied the Emperor, which was a symbol of the prosperity of the Tang Empire.
The audience looked at the most noble couple in the world, even if the actor who played the Emperor of the Tang Empire was an actor with a red nose, even if the actress who played Lady Peony was not beautiful enough. But this feeling of a glorious era that belonged to another country made the audience fall into silence.
However, such days of singing and dancing seemed to be very long, but also seemed to be very short. After more than ten years of neglect, when Lady Peony was in her prime, the two people's love reached the extreme. On a day when the Song of Rainbow Feathers was still being rehearsed, the Tang Empire broke out in rebellion.
People believed that it was Lady Peony's beauty that covered the Emperor's clear mind.
Her innocence, her talent, and the love she received had all become sins that covered the sky.
When the capital was breached, the Emperor was old and weak, but he still did not forget to take Lady Peony and flee in a hurry. The army that guarded the Emperor's escape refused to move a step.
They made a request: unless the Emperor killed Lady Peony.
Swords and spears shook, and armor shone. In the army, countless eyes stared at the Emperor's choice.
In the face of a national crisis, people forgot the hierarchy in front of the Emperor.
Baron Hawk unconsciously leaned forward, staring like a hawk at the Emperor who was once loved by his subjects, but was now threatened by his own subjects with swords and spears.
Mr. Kent's nose was covered in cold sweat.
The women secretly prayed.
**
Ernest waited outside Cook's Gentleman's Theater until the play was over. There were no cheers or polite applause inside. No one even left the theater.
It was not normal.
He touched his nose and felt a little strange.
After waiting for a long time, Mr. Kent finally came out.
"Uncle, what's wrong with you?" Ernest was shocked when he saw him.
Mr. Kent did not have the satisfaction he usually had after watching a play. Instead, his eyes were blank, the corners of his eyes were red, and his face was pale. He looked as if he had lost his soul.
Several more audience members came out one after another. They all had similar expressions, especially some of the ladies. Their handkerchiefs were all wet, but they did not cry. They were just as disappointed as Mr. Kent and kept sighing. It was a completely different reaction from other tragedies.
Ernest called out a few times before Mr. Kent murmured, "Why?"
"Huh?" Ernest was a little confused, "Why what?"
"Sigh." Mr. Kent did not say anything. He just sighed, "It seems that the power of the theater is going to be reshuffled." He seemed to have made up his mind about something. He called Coachman, "Hurry up and go home. I'm in a hurry to write a script. "
*
The story was over. But the audience in the theater did not get up to leave, and no one applauded.
The actors and actresses who played the Emperor and Lady Peony had to come out again to take a bow.
After a long time, a few audience members got up with sighs and walked out.
The audience did not loudly express their emotions like they usually did for ordinary tragedies, nor did they applaud politely. They just silently got up, put the flowers on the stage, and left with their heads down.
Sir James Cook was a little uneasy. He quietly walked to his old friend and asked, "Did they screw up the play?"
Baron Hawk sat in his seat for a long time before he replied, "It's just that we don't think they should applaud."
Sir James Cook was stunned. If they shouldn't applaud, wasn't that screwed up the play?
Baron Hawk gave him a deep look and said, "People will applaud when they see a tragedy. But when you see something unfortunate, it's inhumane to cheer. Congratulations, old friend. "
Sir James Cook did not react for a moment, but Lin Daiyu, who was quietly standing behind the scenes, had already understood the meaning of his words. She tightly pursed her lips in joy.
*
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