Chapter 28 Part 1

"Peerless Beauty" was hailed by Jingcheng's drama critics as a creative breakthrough for new drama. As a play staged in the morning, every show was sold out, and the box office continuously posted notices extending the performance run. The impact it created was unprecedented.

The new-style audience came to see it because it was a work by Ji Shuangyu, billed as a "Huaxia vernacular drama," and the old-style drama audience also went to have a look.

But the broader market was the passersby, the general public.

The play had all the right elements, the performance was realistic, it appealed to all tastes, anyone could understand it, and anyone could find something interesting in it.

After watching, people had to sort out the tangled character relationships, the dramatic plot twists, and the fantastic story setting. The clothing styles worn by the main actors also immediately became a sensation in Jingcheng.

On the streets and in the alleys, you could see university teachers discussing the play, and you could also see street vendors chatting about the characters in "Peerless Beauty."

In the past, vernacular plays were difficult to instill in the audience's minds.

Now, with this vernacular play, forget instilling—some die-hard fans watched it several times and could recite the lines verbatim. This also showed that Yu Jianqing's script was indeed rooted in life and easy to understand.

Ladies, in particular, found the play inspiring and helpful for the rise of female consciousness, supporting it with even greater enthusiasm. Many women memorized important passages after watching it. Even those who were illiterate could find some enlightenment in their lives from it.

Yu Jianqing and the students had been working for so long, yet the combined effect was less than that of "Peerless Beauty" in a single week. When Lin Xunfang went out to give speeches as the female lead of "Peerless Beauty," everyone was much more enthusiastic. There was nothing to be done about it; the vernacular drama format simply captured people's hearts more easily.

The new drama market, which had been somewhat sluggish, was rejuvenated in one fell swoop.

Many stages that put on new plays, as well as drama clubs from other schools, pleaded with the Spring Thunder Drama Club to extend the run further so they could learn from it and stage it themselves.

—For many years to come, "Peerless Beauty" would be performed time and again by various commercial and amateur drama clubs. Especially in schools, a student's time in the drama club was considered incomplete if they hadn't put on "Peerless Beauty."

It was also this play that, with its mature system, made the Jingcheng theater circle realize that new drama and old drama were not completely artistically opposed. There was no need to worry about one devouring or assimilating the other; instead, they could learn from each other.

Furthermore, they were rooted in the same soil.

Without a doubt, Ji Shuangyu's salary was secure.

For this amount of money, the Spring Thunder Drama Club paid it willingly and couldn't have been more straightforward about it.

And with Ji Shuangyu miraculously breaking box office records for both old and new dramas one after another, leading to the creation of the role of director in theater for the first time, he was considered exceptionally talented, and interest in him personally grew.

A few weeks into the run, gifts and letters from the "Shuang-Fans Club" began appearing backstage. A photo of Ji Shuangyu, clearly cut out from a newspaper, was pasted on them, along with a collection of poems written by the "Shuang-Fans." That's right, there were enough to be compiled into a collection.

Everyone in the theater was in an uproar.

As expected of the first-ever director, what kind of treatment was this, comparable to a famous actor!

Ying Xiaonong wiped the corner of his eye and said with satisfaction, "It should have been like this long ago."

Ji Shuangyu: "..."

Hmm... Actually, the modern Ji Shuangyu had fans too, people who liked the style of his works. It's just that here, the fact that he, a director, also had fans was rather prominent.

Moreover, it was estimated that a considerable portion of them were fans of his looks, just like Ying Xiaonong...

The proof was that when Ji Shuangyu opened the fan letters, many of them praised this very aspect!

......

All the members of the Spring Thunder Drama Club had also made a big name for themselves, becoming famous overnight in Jingcheng, just like Jin Que had.

The club they participated in had previously been just an ordinary extracurricular activity, because truly no one watched. Now it was a different story; it had become a blockbuster in Jingcheng, and even their parents at home felt proud.

When the parents went out, others would ask, "I remember your child is in the drama club at school, right? Did they perform in 'Peerless Beauty'?"

What, not only did they perform, they even had a role? That's truly remarkable!

As the female lead, Lin Xunfang's fame was the greatest. Even the principal praised her, stating that she was spreading ideas through action and had high hopes for her.

Her family originally had some minor complaints, but once the principal spoke up, her parents, who always deferred to the school, were overjoyed. Everywhere they went, they would say, "My daughter is the lead actress in 'Peerless Beauty'."

Not only could they realize their ideals, but they also received flowers and applause. It was truly a dream come true. Their student club had always only spent its funds, with little hope of a return.

This time, not only did they recoup their costs, they also made a huge profit!

The success of the Jingcheng students' new drama spread to Hushang through various channels. Some universities in Hushang, and even professional drama troupes, sent letters to inquire about these new improvements, showing great interest. Could realism truly be pushed even further?

Yu Jianqing took the letter to find Ji Shuangyu, saying excitedly, "I've exchanged a few letters with a senior schoolmate in Hushang. His school's drama club has invited a theater expert from Europe to Hushang for guidance, and he will be arriving soon.

"My senior read my letter and also the reports from Jingcheng. He is very interested in the stage space and the physical properties of the props described within. He hopes to invite the Spring Thunder Drama Club to perform in Hushang next month, and we could also exchange ideas with that expert. I was wondering if you could go with us?"

Ji Shuangyu seemed to freeze for a moment.

Hushang.

The birthplace of Huaxia's mechanical stage sets, and also the center of new drama, a place where countless people dreamed of becoming famous.

Yu Jianqing was very excited. Judging others by his own standards, he thought Director Ji must also be pleasantly surprised. This was not only an invitation to perform, but also an opportunity to seek advice from a Western theater expert.

As expected, Ji Shuangyu covered his face in excitement.

After a long pause, he stammered, "...So, is there a performance fee?"

Yu Jianqing: "..."

Yu Jianqing: "I, I didn't ask..."

He wasn't the type to care about such money; to be specially invited to perform was already a great honor in his heart, an affirmation of him. But then he remembered that Director Ji liked to earn a living, so he quickly said, "But! There must be! My senior is also very rich!"

Only then did Ji Shuangyu relax. "I was just asking. Haha, what a great honor."

Yu Jianqing: That's what you say, but I suspect if there's no money, you definitely wouldn't accept this honor...!

"It's just the timing. I really need to discuss it with the boss and see how to arrange next month's performances," Ji Shuangyu said. The performance schedule in Jingcheng was much denser than in Hushang, so he couldn't be away for too long.

Besides, he had several children at home. Ji Feifei and Ji Leizong were now in school, and he was paying a neighbor to look after the other two. If he went to Hushang, the older ones could board at school, but what about the younger ones? Should he leave them with Boss Rooster, or take them with him on the trip? He had to think it over carefully.

"Also, if we're really going to Hushang, shouldn't you give them something special?" Ji Shuangyu said.

Yu Jianqing didn't catch on. "What?"

Ji Shuangyu had just received a thousand yuan from them and was being quite professional. He said, "'Peerless Beauty' is set in Jingcheng, so the people of Jingcheng can relate to it more. It's different in Hushang. If you want to achieve the best effect there, you might as well stage a short play set in Hushang to wow the audience."

A short play, also called a one-act play, has its entire plot completed within a single act. Most have no scene changes or set changes and are performed before the "main course," originally to accommodate latecomers.

Yu Jianqing nodded repeatedly as he listened. "That would be for the best. We should have enough time to rehearse a one-act play!"

......

When Ji Shuangyu went to the Changle Theater to discuss the matter with Xu Xinyue, Xu Xinyue scratched his face after hearing it. "What a situation. Wait a moment."

He went and called over the people from the Hanxi Troupe, including Jin Que and Ying Xiaonong.

"Ah, I just had a relative from the same clan in Hushang who wants to invite Jin Que and Boss Ying to take the troupe to Hushang to strike it rich. They're hesitating right now, not sure if they should go," said Xu Xinyue.

Huh, that was indeed a coincidence.

But on second thought, "Temple of the Spiritual Official," "The Record of Sympathetic Joy," and "Peerless Beauty" were all very popular. However, because the traditional opera world favored realistic sets, they might have hesitated to adopt the Xieyi Style. So they were a beat behind, and it wasn't surprising that the invitations came at roughly the same time now.

Ji Shuangyu smiled at Jin Que and Ying Xiaonong and said, "Never mind Jin Que, but surely Boss Ying wouldn't get stage fright?"

"You're just a kid, what do you know?" Ying Xiaonong said. "Not just anyone can make it in Hushang. The southern audiences have varied tastes, but one thing is constant: they love beauty. They like actors with good figures and handsome faces, unlike our Jingcheng, where singing skills are highly valued. On this point alone, many famous actors have failed miserably in Hushang."

"Of course, our Golden Immortal's looks and figure are certainly beyond reproach. It's just that the first two times you perform in a new city, you basically can't make any money. The theaters that book you aren't sure. It usually takes until the third visit to start turning a profit."

"I'm afraid Jin Que has caught that from... Boss Xu, saying that for the first time she'd have to lose her own money to prepare her costumes and can't bear it, so she'd rather venture out later."

"As for me, Hushang? I went there four or five times in my early years. I can't be bothered to join the excitement. Besides, I have something on right now. The Gelin Company has invited me to record a few records!"

Nowadays, famous actors took pride in being invited by record companies to make recordings. Ying Xiaonong had already conquered Hushang, so he naturally prioritized recording records.

"Congratulations, Boss Ying! From now on, your voice will be heard on every street and alley." Ji Shuangyu offered his congratulations, then said to Jin Que, "As for me, I might have to accompany the Spring Thunder Drama Club on a trip to Hushang. If you ask me, we might as well go together. As for the boss's friend, I'll talk to him about the profit-sharing. Let's try to make our money back on the first trip."

"Will that work?" Jin Que's eyes widened. "Will the bosses in Hushang trust me?"

So many famous senior actors had lost money just to gain exposure on their first trip to Hushang. Some even returned in disgrace after one or two visits and never went back.

"Let's give it a try. I have some experience chatting with bosses like him." Ji Shuangyu flexed his wrist. "If you don't believe me, ask the boss how I get money out of him."

Xu Xinyue: "..."

He almost cursed out loud...!

Already more confident than before, and with Ji Shuangyu backing her up, Jin Que felt her confidence soar.

Thus, the various parties contacted each other and settled on a time. A month later, Ji Shuangyu decided to lead the Spring Thunder Drama Club and the Hanxi Troupe to perform in Hushang together.

......

.

Eighteen Scholars Alley.

This was where Ji Shuangyu's new home was located, named after a wealthy merchant who once lived there and grew camellias.

Before rushing off to Hushang, Ji Shuangyu was here supervising the renovations. He had just received a high salary, so he could afford better-quality materials. It was already late, and the workers just needed to finish up for the day.

Shu Wangyan and Zhou Siyin were also there. Originally, Ji Shuangyu had mentioned buying a new house while chatting with his current neighbor and new friend, Shu Wangyan. Shu Wangyan asked where it was and then insisted on coming to see it.

Zhou Siyin was there at the time, so he came along as well.