Chapter 20
Unstable Chinese Republic (Arc 2.4)
Once Jing Yang came on stage, the people below were instantly attracted by his appearance, and when he had just sung a few lines, there were already quite a few people looking at him with infatuated eyes.
When he sang to the middle, suddenly some people started throwing silver onto the stage. In an instant, the audience seemed to have come out of a trance, throwing gold, silver, and jewelry at the stage one after another.
"Good!”
Jing Yang finished performing the first act of the opera, the sound of the cheers and applause rang out, almost overturning the roof.
Some people took the silvers on their bodies and the rings on their fingers, and threw them all on the stage, and then discovered that they hadn't brought enough silver today. Then they turned around to look at the companion at their side: "Do you still have anything that we can throw up there? Lend me some.”
That person would rummage around and then say, "No more ah, I also threw all of mine up there, if we had known earlier we should have brought some more.”
"Who is that on the stage ah? When did such an amazing opera singer come to our Li cheng?”
"Don't know ah, but they really do not sing a bit worse than Cheng boss.”
"What do you mean they don't sing worse ah, clearly they are better than him by who knows how many times ah.”
"Right right right, ah don't speak anymore, after we finish listening we can discuss. Wait until he finishes singing and then we can continue our discussion.”
When Jing Yang had just finished performing the third act of the opera, he suddenly met a pair of eyes on the second floor. His heart suddenly trembled, the feeling this pair of eyes gave him, felt very similar to Zhao Bocheng's eyes. He forcefully suppressed the emotion in his heart, and his vocals and movements didn't show a hint of change. The audience who had already been intoxicated by his singing didn't discover the enormous waves in his heart.
When Jing Yang took advantage of a move to look towards the second floor again, he didn't meet with that pair of eyes again, but he was very sure, that had not been an illusion.
After he finished singing, Jing Yang withdrew backstage and quickly returned to his room to remove his costume and makeup. He carefully recalled that pair of eyes just now, besides Zhao Bocheng, there would be no other person who would be able to give him this kind of feeling. Could it be, he really followed what he had promised, and accompanied him to come to this world, and came to find him?
In the previous world when his life had come to an end, Zhao Bocheng had said, no matter where he went his spirit would always go find him. He originally had not held too much hope in this promise, because he was already certain that Zhao Bocheng was not a soul from a different world, he didn't have any other memories. The universe had millions of space-times, countless worlds, if he wasn't a foreign soul who could keep his memories, how would he be able to chase after him.
But that pair of eyes was too similar, and furthermore the feeling of heart tremors just now was also too familiar. Could it be, he had really achieved it, and especially came to chase after him?
This kind of thought gave Jing Yang some anticipation and some excitement. If his lover had also come to this world, then in this world, he would also not be alone.
Wu troupe master pushed open the door and entered the room, carrying a tray in his hands that was covered in things like gold, silver, and jade.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, Jing Yang finally came out of his thoughts and turned around to look at Wu troupe master, "You are…”
"These are for you." Wu troupe master put down the tray. "Normally with you being able to sing to this ability, it should be me paying you money, yet I am actually accepting your money. These things I really can't take, all of it is for you. In the future when you come to perform, you also don't need to give me money again.”
Jing Yang had discovered that he might be able to see his lover in this world, so he was in a very good mood. He smiled, "You can just take these things, you can take it as part of the subsidy that I give to your troupe." Right now he didn't lack this bit of money, and in the future even more so.
"This…" Wu troupe master hesitated a bit. "Okay then, then I will take these things, but in the future when you come perform, you definitely cannot give any more money.”
Jing Yang nodded and didn't say anything else. He changed his clothes and again hurriedly left.
~
After Jing Yang's performance ended and the audience left, all of them seemed unwilling to extract themselves. His singing and figure seemed to have burned themselves in their ears and eyes.
They reveled in their memories while discussing.
"That singing, that figure and posture, truly awesome ah.”
"Who would disagree, I had originally thought that Cheng boss's Drunken Beauty was already awesome, I didn't think that there truly are always more talented people in the world ah.”
"In the end who is it, have you asked around?”
"I've asked around, Wu troupe master only said that this person was surnamed Jun, he doesn't know anything else.”
"There's actually something like this, it shouldn't be some famous singer from outside who doesn't want to reveal his identity ba?”
"It's possible, in any case he definitely isn't from Li cheng, otherwise how would we not have heard of him before ne. Didn't Wu troupe master say he also doesn't know this person's identity?”
"Then did you ask Wu troupe master whether or not he would still come sing here? How many more times would he sing?”
"…I really did not think of asking this…”
"Then quickly go ask ah!”
"Go go go, let's go right now.”
Jing Yang had thoroughly become famous in Li cheng, many people ran to interrogate Wu troupe master but were all unable to get any definite responses. So no one knew who this exceptionally skilled person really was, and also didn't know when he would perform again. But the people who had heard him perform before all had the same feeling: his performance was sonorous and resounding, not diminishing even after three days.
The people in Li cheng were all transmitting the news, Fairview Park's Jun boss's Drunken Beauty in comparison to Ya Garden's Cheng boss, was better by who knows how many times. At first the people who said these things were all some poor commoners, so the majority of the people in Li cheng didn't believe it and felt that they had received some benefits from Wu troupe master. Yet now even many of the wealthy also started spreading these words, those who believed in it also kept on increasing.
These news also spread to Cheng Jiaming's ears, he naturally didn't believe it and also didn't accept it. But outside it had already spread to this extent, he also couldn't stay indifferent. He dispatched some people to ask around about who this person really was. Only after he knew the identity of the person would he be able to think of a proper response.
"Were you able to ask clearly?" Cheng Jiaming leaned back on his rocking chair and asked the subordinate who had returned.
"I was incompetent, I used many methods, but that Wu troupe master stuck to his claim that he didn't know who that person was.”
"You didn't know to ask other people? Fairview Park has so many people, there's always someone whose mouth is looser." Cheng Jiaming was very dissatisfied with his subordinate's unfavorable results.
"I had also thought of methods to ask other people, but they all said that they didn't know." The subordinate explained.
"Go think of some more methods, you must find out that person no matter what!" Cheng Jiaming sat up straight and severely said.
"But why do you need to make such an effort against someone who doesn't even dare to show their face? His opera is also not necessarily as good as how they claim, rumors will always be discredited.”
"What do you know? I told you to go so just go, what rubbish are you spouting?" He definitely could not tolerate anyone seizing his limelight in Li cheng. Even if that person was deliberately mystifying themselves it was still unacceptable, he had to deal with him before he could attract Wei Tianxiong's attention.
"Yes yes, I will go ask around again." The subordinate could tell that Cheng Jiaming had gotten angry and repeatedly agreed.
~
These days Jing Yang had no mind to pay attention to the things happening outside. He only thought about how he would be able to find out who that person was, and after he found him how he could confirm whether or not he was his previous world's lover. But even thinking back and forth he was still unable to think of any good ideas, he couldn't just go to the streets everyday and randomly stroll around to try his luck. Right now he had no similarities to the him from the previous world, whether or not he would be able to recognize himself was still hard to say.
There was no way, he could only let nature take its course and resign himself to fate. If it was truly that he had come to find himself, he trusted that they would be able to meet each other one day. Right now, he should still take care of the business that he needed to solve.
After another ten or so days, Fairview Park spread the news that Jun boss would again come to perform. Not even half a day later, the seats had already been completely sold out.
That night, Wei Tianxiong and Cheng Jiaming also came together to Fairview Park, and also brought over twenty bodyguards. Wu troupe master quickly came out to welcome them. Even though they hadn't reserved seats, he still brought them to the best room on the second floor. It was fortunate that Jun shao had reminded him to leave the second floor's best room open.
Wei Tianxiong had been brought over by Cheng Jiaming. No matter how Cheng Jiaming's subordinate had investigated, he was still unable to find out who this Jun boss really was. Plus people had already mentioned this person in front of Wei Tianxiong and aroused Wei Tianxiong's interest, and he had even discussed this person with him. He might as well simply beat him at his own game and bring Wei Tianxiong over, taking advantage of him to find out who this person was.
Jing Yang knew that Wei Tianxiong and Cheng Jiaming had come. Everything was happening occurring to plan, from now on, he was going to let Wei Tianxiong become interested in him, and then get closer to him step by step.
"Do you think this Jun boss person is really as good as those people claim? That he sings better than you?" Wei Tianxiong smiled and asked Cheng Jiaming.
"I am also very curious about at what level this Jun boss can sing opera to receive such praise and fame." Cheng Jiaming maintained a calm facade, but in his heart he was disdainful. "Hopefully it's not just some reckless rumors spread by some people who don't understand opera and just want to watch the excitement. Officer is someone who understands opera, after you finish listening, who is better would naturally be able to distinguished.”
"I just like to see your self-confident and haughty appearance." Wei Tianxiong pinched his chin and pulled over his hand to rub it.
Cheng Jiaming wanted to pull out his hand, but was pulled by Wei Tianxiong into his arms, and his hands were running over his back. The nearby bodyguards had long gotten used to this kind of scene, motionlessly looking forward like statues.
The two people flirted around, Cheng Jiaming put on the appearance of wanting to resist yet not actually objecting, attracting Wei Tianxiong's excitement. He only focused on eating tofu, and didn't even pay attention to Jing Yang coming on stage.
The sound coming from the stage made Wei Tianxiong stop his movements and turn his head around to look over, and instantly froze. Cheng Jiaming followed his gaze to look over and also froze. He carefully listened a while to the person on stage's singing, he looked at his figure and movements, and in his heart he had a very bad premonition.
Wei Tianxiong had already let go of Cheng Jiaming and focused on starting at the person on stage. His eyes were roving over Jing Yang's face and body, his mind had long already drifted off into who knows where.
Hearing that mellow, sweet, and bright voice, seeing that devastatingly beautiful face, as well as that graceful and charming appearance, Wei Tianxiong's gaze seemed increasingly obsessed, fantasizing some dirty affairs.
Even Jing Yang on stage was able to feel that vulgar gaze from Wei Tianxiong, making him very uncomfortable.
Cheng Jiaming's complexion also became increasingly unpleasant, right now he really regretted bringing Wei Tianxiong over. He had underestimated this opponent and made a wrong move.
But even if he hadn't brought him here, Wei Tianxiong would see this person sooner or later. He couldn't lose his head, he needed to calm down, he could definitely handle this person. He still needed to rely on Wei Tianxiong to seize the Cheng family properties, he couldn't let other people replace him in front of Wei Tianxiong right now.
When he saw Jing Yang withdrawing backstage, Wei Tianxiong said to the bodyguard beside him, "Invite this Jun boss over, I want to see him.”
Translator Notes:
[1] movement of the opera – 衔杯的动作, this literally means drinking cup/title cup move, I feel like it makes more sense as an opera act
[2] intoxicated by – 如痴如醉, idiom, literally means as if drunk and stupefied
[3] unwilling to extract themselves – 意犹未尽, means to wish to continue something or seeming to have not fully expressed themselves
[4] always more talented people in the world – 人外有人，天外有天, idiom, means that in the wider world there are people more talented than oneself/someone
[5] sonorous and resounding – 余音绕梁, idiom, literally means reverberating around the rafters
[6] flirted around – 拉拉扯扯, means something like touching hands or arms in a too familiar/intimate way
[7] lose his head – 自乱阵脚, idiom, means to panic
Random Notes:
It’s been quite a while since I last translated. Almost a month by this point? I stopped reading light novels a while ago, and also took a break from translating around that time. Good thing I had stored so many chapters in advance, or else some delays may have happened.
Not a bad chapter, took 1.5 hours: 9 pm – 10:30 pm, for 3.3k characters to 2.5k words. We’ll see if I can translate 4-5 more chapters over the next week to build up my backlog again and then start posting for Arc 2.
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