"Shocking! According to an unknown person, the author of 'Lady Peony' is actually a woman! "
"Breaking news: 'Lady Peony' is plagiarized!"
"How terrifying! After a certain noble finished watching 'Lady Peony',
He actually has to watch it twice a day, and each time is not short! "
The tabloid newsboy scattered the newspapers in his hands and shouted loudly.
"Three pence." The coachman took out a small newspaper from the street.
And handed it to Sir James Cook.
Sir James Cook glanced at the headline "Indecent drama, suspected of being written by a female author" in the newspaper, and his face suddenly turned black.
On the surface, there was nothing wrong with 'Lady Peony'.
But it did have an indecent plot. If it was written by a male author, it would at most be teased by the public. If it was a female author, it was not.
According to the traditional ethics of the Church,
Women paid attention to chastity, and it was best if they could recognize a few words,
They only knew how to read scriptures, pray, and do housework,
A lady who obeyed her husband.
He had not said anything about the author because of this. Although after the countercurrent at the banquet,
The Church had suffered a heavy blow,
The shackles that bound all living beings had loosened,
But the ethics of the Church, which had been implemented for thousands of years, were deeply rooted in the hearts of the people,
Especially in a place like Abat, which was far away from the capital, Bona.
Originally, the social tradition was not very tolerant of female scholars,
The few so-called "female scholars" who were famous in Bona and appeared in public only wrote some family comedies,
Or a small poem about a talented scholar and a beautiful woman in love.
A female author wrote a play like 'Lady Peony'.
Even if it was taken from real history,
Even if the ending was in line with social morality,
It would often be criticized.
There was no need to be afraid of the gossip of the citizens. What was afraid of was that the Church was quite crazy.
Moreover, the popularity of 'Lady Peony' must have violated the interests of the Church's religious play.
Fortunately, the person who exposed it knew that Madame Géron's special status in Abat and did not involve the real address. There was no definite evidence. It was just a rumor now.
He hurriedly called Coachman back to the theater, and as expected, he saw a few black-robed clergymen pacing back and forth at the entrance. He hastily shouted, "Doorman, tell them to go away. They're obstructing my business. I'm going to call the guards!"
The doorman was also flustered by these priests. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva and bluffed, "What are you doing? The April Decree stated that preaching in front of a noble's private building required the noble's consent! This theater is my master's private property! "
A few black-robed clergymen glanced at him and said, "Brother, we're just curious about the new play." But they cast a sidelong glance at Sir James Cook's carriage and walked away with a sneer.
Sir James Cook watched them leave before he wiped the sweat off his forehead.
On the same day, Lin Daiyu received a small newspaper.
Miss Volgue came back from grocery shopping and talked about the news on the street, "Oh my god, I heard that 'Lady Peony' was actually written by a woman!"
Madame Géron frowned and scolded the old servant, which was rare for her, "I don't want to hear such dirty news."
Lin Daiyu looked down at the newspaper and then glanced at Madame Géron, who was still praying with her eyes closed. She calmly threw the small newspaper away.
When she was quietly led to Sir James Cook's private house, Sir James Cook said to her,
"You have to be careful when you go out."
"Will you refuse to perform my work because of this?"
Sir James Cook thought of the hundreds of gold coins that Lady Peony had brought him and said firmly, "Miss, I'm a businessman. As long as your work can bring me a steady stream of income, I don't care about this little risk. "
Lin Daiyu's face, which was always pale, showed a hint of a smile.
"Then, strike while the iron is hot. This is the new manuscript that I have written. Don't worry, it's different from Lady Peony. "
It's only been a few days, and she has already written another play?
Diligent and productive! It's rare that this lady is not like those lazy people who procrastinate!
It's just a good work, which is rare. Who can be better than others?
Sir James Cook was surprised and hurriedly read the title:
"A Wrong Marriage"?
*
It was raining outside. Daniel was disappointed to miss the ticket sales for today's "Lady Peony".
The gatekeeper of the Gentlemen's Theater glanced at the young man with mud on his trousers. At first glance, he knew that he didn't even have the money to take a public carriage and could only walk on the dirty street.
"It's full, sir." He said casually, "You can go to the Civic Theater next door. There are standing tickets there, and it can accommodate as many people as you want. "
It was just a little noisy, the actors were a little rough, and there were vegetable leaves on the ground. He was used to seeing this.
Daniel clenched the four shillings that he exchanged for the manuscript. He was not willing to give up.
He remembered his sweetheart, a fashionable young lady, waving a feather fan and talking about the new play "Lady Peony" with her companions. She said in a mocking tone, "My God, you haven't seen a play in the Gentlemen's Theater?"
He asked the ticket seller bitterly, "Forget it, since we're here, let's do another play." After that, he remembered that he could save two shillings for dinner today, so he and his sister could have a good meal. He added a little timidly, "I want a play for two shillings."
The doorman rolled his eyes at the wretched man and replied impatiently, "No, sir. Even our cheapest play costs three shillings. "
Daniel was very disappointed. He rolled his eyes and pointed angrily, "Doesn't that poster say two shillings?"
The gatekeeper looked at the poster that had just been put up today. The paste was still new. It said: "A Wrong Marriage"/Two shillings for a play.
It was a comedy.
*
"Miss." Sir James Cook frowned, "With all due respect, this is a comedy? A happy ending? "
"Yes."
Sir James Cook's fat face showed a very conflicted look, "You're ruining your own reputation. Lady Peony is popular in Abat and has a good start, but you've written a comedy with a happy ending. "
Lin Daiyu was a little confused, "Is there something wrong with the script?"
"No. Your script is very exciting. " Very wonderful. "Sir Cook took a few steps and muttered in embarrassment," It's just that this is a comedy. "
*
A comedy. No wonder it was so cheap.
Daniel himself had also written plays. Of course, he knew that under Luster's palace neoclassicism, comedies had been degraded.
But he really could only afford this one, so he could only slap his face and pretend to be reserved, "I quite like to try something new occasionally. Then I'll buy a ticket for this play. "
Under the doorman's supercilious eyes, he took the ticket and rubbed the mud on his shoddy leather shoes on the theater's carpet in an undignified manner. Only then did he walk in while looking left and right.
"Pauper pretending to be rich!" After he walked in, the doorman spat on the ground and cursed. His expression quickly changed to one of reverence.
"Master, Madam."
Sir James Cook was smiling obsequiously as he sent a noble lady out. The lady's waist was extremely thin under the wide skirt. Her posture was graceful, and the gauze half covered her jade face. She nodded gently to Sir James Cook, "I'll take this script to the City of July."
Old Cook responded repeatedly.
This lady was His Majesty the Emperor's cousin and the current favorite in the palace. She was willing to bring a script by an unknown author like Abat back to Bona, which was famous for its literature and art. It was enough for him to brag about for the rest of his life.
The servant held a lace umbrella, and the floor was covered with a blanket to prevent the lady's shoes from getting wet. The lady was about to board the carriage with the help of the maid. Suddenly, she looked up and inadvertently caught a glimpse of a poster.
Her gaze was attracted.
In the dark wind and rain, a young man and a young woman. They stood with their backs facing each other, their fingers tightly interlocked, and there were countless swords, spears, swords, and halberds on each side.
"Wrong Marriage?" The lady opened her red lips and read the name of the play.
"Madam, this is a comedy."
Sir James Cook quickly explained, "It's a new play by the author of Lady Peony."
"A comedy?" Hathaway's lips curled up slightly, "A comedy written by someone who can write Lady Peony."
Luster, the head of neoclassicism, was said to have a close relationship with the palace. Afraid that she would be disgusted with Lady Peony, Sir James Cook quickly added, "Madam, this is by no means the kind of lowly comedy that takes pleasure in vulgar absurdity."
Hathaway remembered that she had learned from Old Cook that the author was a young woman. She nodded nonchalantly.
"Then, bring this play back with you."
The carriage rumbled away, and the doorman was still standing there, raising his head to smell the remaining fragrance in the air.
Sir James Cook motioned for the man beside him to slap him, "How many tickets has' Wrong Marriage 'sold?"
"One, one."
*
"You shouldn't write comedies. Since Moliere, good comedies have been hard to find. I don't have any prejudice against comedies, but the world does. You should take advantage of Lady Peony's popularity and write a few more tragedies to consolidate it. "
Lin Daiyu furrowed her brows slightly before relaxing them. Then, with an air of arrogance, she replied nonchalantly, "I believe in my script."
*
It rained for a few days. The air was stuffy, and so were people's hearts.
Because of her confidence in her script, Lin Daiyu breathed a sigh of relief after handing over the second book. When she breathed a sigh of relief, the illness accumulated from staying up late to write the script in the past few days flared up, and she coughed.
Her body had been in bad condition ever since she was stranded at sea.
Lin Daiyu had no choice but to go out to see a doctor and buy medicine.
Because of Sir James Cook's advice, she chose to rent a reliable carriage recommended by Miss Volgue and went down a small path.
She closed her eyes and thought about the play in the bumpy carriage.
"The lyrics are clear and beautiful, smooth and natural. The first half of the play is filled with a legendary dream-like atmosphere from beginning to end. It adds a layer of fairy tale beauty to the love between the Emperor of the Eastern Empire and Lady Peony, the symbol of the empire's prosperity. However, the more dreamy the first half is, the more cruel the second half is, in the misty rain, when Madam Peony dies, the remaining dreamy colors of the imperial concubine in her rainbow-colored feather dress, matched with the extremely realistic destruction of the family and country, the helplessness of the Emperor on the ridge of yellow earth, the sudden awakening of Madam Peony before her death. "
"Did the Emperor love Lady Peony? I think so. He loved her as if she was his own indulgence. "
This legendary imperial concubine had always been literary figures in the Central Plains, and was a frequent guest in dramas.
Even after she brought them to a foreign country, there was still a lot of controversy, and it aroused people's endless interest.
There were all kinds of comments in the tabloids. But she didn't like any of them.
As she was thinking, the Coachman suddenly stopped. The carriage shook violently, and she was almost thrown out. She quickly held onto the handrail. The coachman was shouting.
"If you're in the way and want to die, just say it!"
Then a young man's voice said, "She's dying. I beg you, I can pay double the price."
"There's a lady inside. I've already chartered the carriage!"
Lin Daiyu opened the carriage door and saw a young man supporting a woman dressed in black with a headscarf wrapped around her head. The woman was so weak that she couldn't even stand up.
The coachman said in a low voice, "Madam, this is a nun from the Church of God. Nuns usually cultivate in seclusion in the monastery. Without the permission of the guardian and the dean, they usually can't come out. Looking at them, I'm afraid they escaped. It's not easy to meddle in their affairs. "
She looked at the nun. According to Luster's appearance, she was about fifteen or sixteen years old. Her face was sallow and pale, and her cheeks were deeply sunken. A large black robe covered her whole body.
The young man supported her, but not intimately. He only held her shoulders and tried his best not to touch her.
He also heard the coachman's whispers. For a moment, his clear brown eyes were filled with pleading.
"Save her. She's innocent. I can pay double the price. Really, I'm going to find a private doctor. I won't drag you down. "
Lin Daiyu saw him raise his head and was startled. She had always had a photographic memory. This young man with brown eyes, brown curly hair, and fair skin was one of the two college students she had seen in the clothing store before.
They had helped her.
And this girl was so young, but she looked very bad. She wasn't a doctor who had been sick for a long time, but because she had been sick for a long time, she knew a little about diagnosis. Looking at the girl's face, she knew that if she delayed, something bad would happen.
Not to mention that it wasn't an elopement. Even if it was an elopement, in her eyes, she wouldn't leave her in the lurch.
"Come up." She said.
"Madam!" The coachman saw that something was wrong and called out.
Lin Daiyu shook her head: "If there's something wrong, it's my responsibility. It has nothing to do with you. Double the money. Go. "
She helped the young man help the girl dressed as a nun into the carriage so that she could rest against it.
The young man breathed a sigh of relief and sat down next to Coachman. He whispered: "Go to Block 18, Block 6, Room 108 in District 3."
Lin Daiyu retracted her hand and saw that the hand she had helped the girl was full of bloodstains. She calmly retracted her hand and took a closer look. Sure enough, the black nun's dress was almost soaked in blood.
She coughed softly, took off her cloak, and put it on the girl: "Cushion it, block it."
She couldn't leave too many bloodstains in the carriage.
The girl was dying and couldn't answer, but the young man looked back at her gratefully.
Abat's literary style wasn't flourishing, and there weren't many literary salons. The most famous one was Wood Kent's.
The salon, which had been open for a few days, had gathered all of Abat's slightly famous literati.
Only a few playwrights, led by Charlie Beckett, weren't present.
"Today, let's talk about the rising stars in the literary world." Someone suggested today's theme.
"I'm not interested in the rising stars." Wood Kent said.
"Ha, Old Joe," another author said, "don't provoke him. He recently watched Lady Peony five times in a row, and wants to see the author of Lady Peony's new play even more. He's crazy about it. "
"Sigh. 'I have a peony in my heart, and it's difficult to laugh with vulgar flowers.' " Wood Kent didn't refute. He just took a puff of his cigarette and sullenly spat out a line from the emperor in Lady Peony.
Publisher George was also a drama lover, and couldn't help but sigh and nod. Indeed, in these years, there were fewer and fewer outstanding playwrights, not to mention Abat, who had always been disliked by literati. What they saw was either the face of a vulgar woman or the face of a religious woman.
After seeing a masterpiece like Lady Peony, it was torture to look back on those vulgar plays.
Just as the few of them were talking, "Oh my god!", "Ah!" A series of exclamations came from outside the gatehouse. The servants and maids were panicking and running.
How rude. The fact that there were no womenfolk was the most annoying thing.
Mr. Kent stood up, his face darkened. He walked a few steps into the corridor and was about to call the butler when suddenly a gust of wind with the smell of blood approached him. The young man couldn't help but say, "Uncle, it's a matter of life and death, quickly call the doctor!"
It was his troublesome nephew, and he was holding a nun in his arms … Wait, a nun?!
Wood Kent's face turned green.
He took a deep breath to suppress the dizziness, and asked the butler's wife and several maids to carry the nun to the guest room.
He glanced at his nephew coldly and was about to ask someone to call for a reliable doctor that he was familiar with, when he suddenly saw a young lady behind his nephew.
This young lady had an eye-catching exotic face, and she didn't look much older than the nun in his nephew's arms. She was very beautiful. Even though Luster's aesthetic was different, he could still feel her clean, melancholy, and extreme beauty.
When she saw this scene, she seemed to be slightly relieved. She bowed to him and then said goodbye to the young man, "Then, I'll take my leave."
The matter was temporarily over. Ernest saluted her and was finally in the mood to laugh. He scratched his head and said, "Thank you, Miss Anna."
"Anna?" Wood Kent was stunned for a moment. When he remembered where he had heard this name and became excited, the unfamiliar young lady had already smiled and said goodbye. She turned around and walked a distance away.
But to stop a young lady, whom he had never met, was not proper for a gentleman of old standing.
Fine. After all, there were too many women named Anna. Although she had a foreign face, it didn't necessarily mean that she was.
When the young lady got into the carriage and disappeared, Ernest clapped his hands. "Ah!"
"What's wrong with you?" Wood Kent had a headache when it came to his nephew, so he asked angrily.
Ernest smiled embarrassedly and said, "I forgot to return Miss Anna's cloak." The cloak didn't seem to be very cheap, and from the young lady's clothes, she didn't seem to be well-off.
"Next time." But the next time, where could he find her? Ernest was a little worried.
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