newbobooks Chapter 52 The Performing Arts of the Era (Including the War of Resistance) 1
Chapter 52 The Performing Arts of the Era (Including the War of Resistance) 1
When she opened her eyes again, she felt many people around her. Liu Yuxi didn't dare to move, so she closed her eyes and let Xiao Liu transmit the original owner's memories to her. After reading the original owner's memories, Liu Yuxi felt a little like dying and going back. The 1930s! How could she endure those decades? By the time life got better, she would be dead. And in those days, unless you didn't go on stage or become a lead actor, you would be criticized for ten years. Sigh! Life was hard, Old Liu sighed.
It's winter, 1932. The original owner of this body has just been sold to a theatrical troupe by her family. Her family fled from Northeast China; her parents and brothers were scattered, some died of illness, and only she, like a weed, stubbornly survived. Her grandparents and uncles disliked her, saying she was a jinx, but because she was quite pretty, they sold her to a theatrical troupe that was recruiting actors when they passed through Beiping. Even so, in those days, her family was considered charitable. They didn't lose her on the journey, nor did they sell her to some filthy place; they were already very kind to her. Moreover, she learned a skill in the theatrical troupe, and if she was lucky enough to become a star, her future life would be quite good.
Therefore, the original owner only felt reluctant to leave her family, but not resentful. She was 8 years old this year, but because she hadn't eaten well since she was little, and because of the journey of fleeing, she now looked like a 4.5-year-old child, thin and small.
The original owner of this body had been living in fear and anxiety the entire way, wearing only thin clothes. The grief of losing her parents and the devastation of her family had been building up inside her. After being sold by her grandparents, she fell asleep in the opera troupe and suddenly developed a high fever. After touching her forehead and finding it was no longer hot, Liu Yuxi took an ibuprofen tablet and went to sleep. "What's done is done," she thought. "Things will work themselves out."
The next day, before dawn, I was woken up by the older kids in the troupe. In those days, to learn a craft, you had to do odd jobs for three years first. Only if the master thought you were of good character would he pass on his skills to you. After you finished your apprenticeship, you still had to serve the master for three years. All the money you earned during those three years had to go to the master. In a troupe like this, unless you became a famous star and the troupe leader had to support you, you were destined to be paid by the troupe leader.
After everyone got up, the younger children and those who had just joined the class started a fire, carried water, and chopped wood. The older children started practicing basic skills. That's why they say, "One minute on stage requires ten years of practice off stage," and "Practice makes perfect." You can't imagine how difficult and long the process is for a theatrical actor to go from beginner to master, and then to playing an important role on stage, just by watching one play.
Because of her short stature, Liu Yuxi was assigned to cleaning work. The opera troupe she belonged to was a medium-sized one, with about thirty or forty people. They rented a courtyard; the opera stage faced the street, and their living quarters were in the back. To put it bluntly, they were like itinerant vendors; after all, they weren't a famous troupe whose reputation alone could guarantee them a comfortable life.
When these theatrical troupes arrive in a new place, after renting a performance venue, they arrange for several groups of people to take turns performing in several high-traffic areas each day to spread their name and announce the location of their theater and the approximate start time of their performances. Meanwhile, the others continue rehearsing at the rented venue. Once the people in the city know that a new theatrical troupe has arrived, they will put up a performance sign at the theater entrance and start selling tickets for their official performances.
Back then, there weren't many entertainment options, and watching plays was a significant part of people's leisure and entertainment. If a city had many wealthy people and their opera troupes performed well, they would stay in that city for a year or so. However, if a city's economy was weak, the money from performances and tips wouldn't be enough to support the opera troupe, and the troupe leader would have to take them to another place.
The reason we came to Beiping this time is that warlords are everywhere now, and people in small cities are living a hard life. They simply can't support the opera troupe. So the troupe leader brought them to Beiping. After all, this is where the emperor used to live, so there shouldn't be any major chaos. Besides, there are many wealthy lords here. Although the competition is fierce, the money that the famous troupes leave behind is enough to support their opera troupe.
Liu Yuxi began her life in the opera troupe. Every morning while working, she would watch the children practicing their basic skills, memorizing what she saw. In the afternoon, when the troupe leader let the newcomers play freely in the courtyard, she would find an inconspicuous corner, enter her private space, and begin practicing. She didn't practice singing or anything like that; she felt it was better to practice those under the guidance of a master. She only practiced the basic physical movements. She also took the opportunity to replenish her body's nutrients, as she was too thin and small, and she worried it might affect her lifespan.
Six months later, Liu Yuxi had changed dramatically. She had caught up with the height of her peers, her skin had become fairer, and her face, especially her eyes, was very lively.
Their opera troupe's business has been booming for the past six months, with tickets selling out every day. Wealthy customers on the second floor frequently tip them – that's the essence of Beiping. The troupe leader has decided not to move anytime soon; he wants to make as much money as possible while he can, because in this world, you never know when things could get chaotic.
By the end of 33, Liu Yuxi, thanks to her cleverness, had been taken in by Wang Juan, the most outstanding female impersonator in their troupe, whose stage name was Xiao Dujuan. This was the prelude to passing on her mantle. Liu Yuxi served her with utmost care, because things could change at any moment until the moment of formally becoming her disciple.
Following the lead actor, even a lowly maidservant was treated with deference by everyone else in the troupe. If someone invited the lead actor to a performance, she would accompany them, making Liu Yuxi's life very easy. Her food, clothing, and lodging were taken care of by the troupe leader. When Wang Juan went out to perform, she would also receive some rewards from the hosts; sometimes, if Wang Juan was in a good mood, she would give her a couple of gifts. Not to mention, she could observe Wang Juan practicing and performing up close, giving her a significant advantage in learning opera later on.
Every day, following Wang Juan in and out of theaters and the homes of various wealthy families in Beiping, Liu Yuxi witnessed many sights she had never seen before: the revelry of bereaved families on their deathbeds, the pretentious posturing of nouveau riche, and the tight security in the homes of warlords. Liu Yuxi felt that her knowledge had broadened once again!