blueteamnovel Chapter 43 This isn't going to perform in a play, it's going to brave a dragon's den!
Chapter 43 This isn't going to perform in a play, it's going to brave a dragon's den!
Although the sun in Beiping was scorching, the chilly wind of late spring still seemed to seep straight into your bones.
At the entrance of the Lu residence, a gleaming black Ford sedan sputtered and emitted black smoke, resembling a steel monster lying there panting heavily.
The car door opened, and Manager Zhao, wearing sunglasses, had one leg already inside the car.
"Master Zhao, Master Zhao, please wait!"
Zhou Daikui scrambled down the steps.
His weathered old face was covered in sweat, a mixture of anxiety and fear.
Although he was an opera singer, after traveling all over the country for so many years, he had a keen understanding of human relationships and social dynamics.
With Commander Ma absent, Fourth Concubine was in charge and specially selected Lu Cheng for this "one-man show".
In addition, there's Qinghe Class's Xiao Shengyun, who went in yesterday and hasn't come out yet.
This is all a setup.
This is a scheme to break Lu Cheng's wings and pluck his feathers, this phoenix that has just taken flight!
Zhou Daikui grabbed Manager Zhao's car door handle, his hand trembling.
"Master Zhao, please grant me this favor, even just one step."
Manager Zhao frowned, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes behind his sunglasses.
"Master Zhou, you know the rules of the Marshal's Mansion. If we miss the appointed time, we'll both lose our heads."
"No, I wouldn't dare to delay your mission."
Zhou Daikui gritted his teeth, and the flesh on his cheeks trembled.
He suddenly reached into his pocket and pulled out a heavy red cloth bag.
That was a full one hundred silver dollars!
What does one hundred silver dollars mean these days?
They could afford to set up ten tables of fine food at the best restaurants outside Qianmen, buy four or five acres of good irrigated land, and ensure that their family of five could live comfortably for a year.
Just a few months ago, this hundred yuan was the food that the entire Qingyun Class, young and old, ate for half a year, and it was the life-saving money that Zhou Daikui couldn't borrow even after begging his head until it bled.
But now, Zhou Daikui didn't even blink.
He desperately stuffed the red cloth bundle into Manager Zhao's sleeve.
"Master Zhao, here's some money for tea. Take it and moisten your throat on the way."
Zhou Daikui's voice was low, revealing a sense of humility.
"Our Chengzi... is young and impetuous, sometimes ignorant, and not yet fortunate enough to serve important people."
"Once we arrive at your residence, if I say something wrong or give the wrong signal..."
"I beg you, Master Zhao... to be more tolerant and give him more guidance. Even scolding him a couple of times or hitting him a couple of times would be fine, just don't let him suffer a great loss."
"This child... is very honest and straightforward."
One hundred silver dollars was a heavy weight to be had.
Manager Zhao's previously tense face instantly relaxed, just like the frozen ground in early spring.
He subtly pinched the red cloth bundle with his fingers, listening to the crisp sound of the silver coins rubbing together.
She's a sensible person.
The Qingyun Troupe's success isn't just due to their stage presence; Zhou Daikui has also put in a lot of effort offstage.
"Master Zhou, you are a man of principle."
Manager Zhao smiled and with a flick of his wrist, the red cloth package disappeared into his sleeve as if by magic.
"Don't worry about it."
"Boss Lu is a talent valued by the Marshal. He will be the future chief instructor of the Big Sword Brigade. He's practically a military leader."
"As long as Boss Lu isn't too stubborn and goes along with the benefactor's wishes, this is an immense blessing."
After saying that, Manager Zhao patted Zhou Daikui's hands, which were still gripping the car door, signaling him to let go.
"Let's go back and wait for Boss Lu's good news."
Zhou Daikui then let go, standing in the wind, watching Lu Cheng get into the dark carriage. The door slammed shut, cutting off his view.
His heart pounded even harder.
……
The wheels rolled and rolled over the bluestone pavement of Qianmen Street.
The carriage was filled with a faint smell of leather, as well as the cheap smell of tobacco emanating from Manager Zhao.
Lu Cheng sat in the back row, closing his eyes to rest.
He didn't speak, his breathing was steady and long, and as the car bumped along, his body seemed to have a self-awareness, slightly adjusting the tension and relaxation of his muscles to maintain a stable center of gravity.
This is what a martial artist who has entered the gate of martial arts is like: every part of the body is a dantian (energy center), and every part is alert.
Manager Zhao, sitting in the passenger seat, glanced back.
This glance filled him with secret amazement.
Having worked at the Marshal's Mansion for so many years, he had seen quite a few actors and martial arts performers.
Those famous actors, riding in the Marshal's Mansion's car for the first time, were either uneasy and didn't know where to put their hands and feet, or they had fawning expressions on their faces, wishing they could stick their bodies against him to curry favor.
But this Lu Cheng...
stable.
That's too stable.
It's like the clay and wood sculptures in the temple, or like a knife hidden in its sheath.
His composure was even more remarkable than that of brigade commanders and regimental commanders who led troops into battle.
"Boss Lu."
After receiving the money, Manager Zhao naturally became more talkative and was also willing to do someone a favor.
"I've watched all of your performances."
"Especially that performance of 'The Chariot Challenge'."
Manager Zhao took off his sunglasses, and his slightly cloudy eyes revealed genuine admiration.
"Wow, that's real skill."
"I used to follow the commander and watch a lot of martial arts demonstrations. Iron Palm, Golden Bell Cover, those personal disciples, hey, lots of fancy moves, little real skill."
"It takes a lot of luck to smash that brick down, and sometimes you even have to soak the brick in vinegar beforehand to soften it."
"But that shot of yours..."
Manager Zhao recalled the scene at Guanghe Restaurant that day and couldn't help but give a thumbs up.
"That was a solid 100-pound iron cart! It was sent flying with a single shot, even the gun barrel exploded."
"Boss Lu, with all these skills, you probably didn't have a master to guide you, did you?"
Lu Cheng opened his eyes, and a flash of golden light appeared in the depths of his pupils so fast that Manager Zhao thought he was seeing things.
"A self-taught method, something I figured out on my own," Lu Cheng replied casually.
"That's right!"
Manager Zhao slapped his thigh, raising his voice several decibels.
"If they are taught by famous teachers, then they all have a routine and a set pattern."
"You have no formal teacher, yet you've reached this level of skill, surpassing even those disciples who have been pampered with medicine since childhood."
"That's what you call extraordinary talent, that's what you call being fed by the founding fathers!"
"In other words, as we used to say...astonishing talent and extraordinary comprehension!"
Manager Zhao's words were half flattery and half his true feelings.
In this chaotic world, the ability to fight is the only true measure of success.
Young, capable fighters like Lu Cheng, who have no connections, are highly sought-after by various factions.
Lu Cheng smiled but didn't respond to the comment.
He knew that Manager Zhao had taken the money, but he hadn't finished speaking yet.
really.
The car turned into Dongjiaomin Lane, and the surroundings gradually quieted down.
Manager Zhao lowered his voice and turned around, saying mysteriously:
"Boss Lu, since Master Zhou has entrusted me with this, I have a few words to say from the bottom of my heart."
"This gathering today, though said to be at the invitation of the Marshal, is actually... the idea of the Fourth Concubine."
Lu Cheng's eyes flickered slightly.
That Yao Hong?
"This fourth concubine is the apple of our commander's eye."
Manager Zhao's tone carried a hint of ambiguity, as well as a touch of awe.
"Although her background is... cough cough, that's a bit... but the commander-in-chief likes her."
"The fourth concubine loves listening to opera, and even more so, she loves learning opera."
"She said that singing opera can improve one's posture, make one's waist and legs more flexible, and make one more pleasing to the general."
At this point, Manager Zhao chuckled a few times, a laugh that all men understand.
"Recently, all the well-known martial arts actors and young male actors in Beijing have been invited here."
"But what was the result?"
Manager Zhao curled his lip, "Those old actors, either they have wrinkled faces, which Fourth Concubine finds disgusting; or they have too much airs, and they have to put on airs when teaching opera."
"You know Sheng Yun from the Qinghe class the other day, right?"
"I know." Lu Cheng nodded. "I heard you were kept behind?"
"They stayed."