"Wang Shen, how dare you do this!"
When Fan Zheng heard the news brought by Yang Jie, he couldn't help but became furious.
He originally thought that after Li Shishi returned to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, just like most teenage loves, this matter would fade away as time went by.
However, no one expected that Wang Shen would take the initiative and force Li Shishi to become Zhao Ji's concubine in order to please Zhao Ji.
Suddenly, Su Dun came in a hurry and said angrily: "Brother Fan, something bad happened. Wang Shen spread the word in the literary world that Master Li was very scheming. His so-called reluctance to be a concubine was just to seduce the young King Duan in an attempt to make him spoil his concubine and destroy his wife." That’s it!”
"That's nonsense!"
Yang Jie suddenly turned pale when he heard Wang Shen's slander.
Fan Zheng stood up suddenly, frowned and said, "Wang Shen is such a cruel trick!"
Li Shishi was born in a brothel. Although he joined a medical family, the world's prejudice against him still exists.
However, Duan Wang Zhao Ji was the prince of the current dynasty and his status was inferior. Li Shishi married Zhao Ji as his concubine. No matter who looked at it, Li Shishi was considered superior.
However, Li Shishi claimed that he did not want to be a concubine. In an era when imperial power was supreme, he did not know how to praise or had ulterior motives. As soon as this news came out, he was immediately criticized by everyone.
Su Dun said with a solemn face: "Wang Shen is a villain at first. He is just relying on a good skin. The eldest princess of Shang Shu. She should be grateful and grateful, but she doesn't know how to allow her concubine to bully the princess."
Everyone in Kaifeng City knew about Wang Shen's shady past, and Su Dun naturally knew it.
"Now it seems that he is standing up for Zhao Ji, but in fact he is just looking for a backer for himself!" Fan Zheng snorted coldly. He could see through Wang Shen's intentions at a glance. All his righteous speeches were just to increase his presence in the royal family.
Using the happiness of the medical family for his own personal gain, Wang Shen's despicable behavior made Fan Zheng furious.
"The top priority is to restore Shishi's innocence!" Yang Jie said anxiously.
"Wang Shen and the Su clan are on good terms, why not ask Grand Scholar Su to mediate." Li Qingzhao frowned.
"This strategy works!"
Yang Jie's eyes lit up, this was also a method.
Fan Zheng shook his head, took a deep breath and said: "People's words are terrible! Even if you ask Grand Master Su to come forward, you can't restore Miss Shishi's innocence."
"What should we do?" Su Dun also sighed.
Fan Zheng smiled coldly and said: "It doesn't matter, "Du Shiniang Sinks the Treasure Chest in Fury" can be staged. Once this play is released, I think the world will definitely understand Li Shishi's choice, and Wang Shen's slander will be self-defeating."
""Du Shiniang sank the treasure chest in anger"!"
Yang Jie and Su Dun were stunned and looked at Fan Zheng in surprise. They had not known the existence of this drama before.
Fan Zheng briefly explained the content of this "Qu Opera" to the two of them, and the two of them suddenly turned from worry to joy.
Wang Shen used Li Shishi's identity as a former brothel to slander her, while "Du Shiniang Sinked the Treasure Box in Anger" showed the world the toughness of a brothel woman.
"Okay! Just use this method to fight back."
At that moment, the two of them agreed. They were both young and vigorous people, so naturally they were not used to Wang Shen's slander.
Su Dun was moved in his heart and said: "Su believes that this drama will have the best effect if Miss Shishi herself stars in it!"
Yang Jie frowned. Li Shishi has returned to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital to work as a female nurse. Is it possible that she has to go out to sing opera again?
Fan Zheng advised: "What Wang Shen is slandering is Miss Shishi's innocence. Naturally, Miss Shishi must prove it herself. This is the most powerful counterattack. You can ask Miss Shishi personally to see if she is willing to come back again."
Yang Jie nodded slightly.
Sure enough, when Master Li learned about this, she agreed without hesitation. This time she not only wanted to prove her innocence, but also exposed the illusion of a talented and beautiful woman in a brothel to the world.
……………………
"Master Li is back with a new drama, "Du Shiniang Sinks the Treasure Box in Anger", which will be staged in five days!"
Soon, another news about the Liyuan spread, once again causing a sensation in Kaifeng City.
"Master Li is back again?"
Many people were shocked when they heard the news. Li Shishi was the original singer of the opera, and his appearance and singing skills were both outstanding.
After he quit the opera, his subsequent replacement, although his singing skills were extraordinary, was slightly inferior to Li Shishi, not to mention that Li Shishi came back with a new drama this time.
"Hahaha! I'm going to say that Master Li is very scheming and greedy for fame and fortune. Sure enough, she just returned to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital to work as a female nurse for a few days, but she couldn't bear the poverty and hard work and couldn't wait to come back." A scribe sneered.
"The king's consort has indeed not wronged Mr. Li. As expected, this woman's claim that she does not want to be a concubine is probably a deliberate attempt to take advantage of His Highness Prince Duan. Seeing that His Highness Prince Duan is still young, he covets the position of princess based on his beauty. It is simply unreasonable to know how high the heavens and the earth are." A Tai student said scornfully.
With his status as an imperial student, he had no chance to meet Li Shishi. But now, the more he despised Li Shishi, the stronger the abnormal pleasure he felt in his heart.
Many of Master Li's admirers couldn't help but sigh. Once upon a time, they were full of praise for Master Li's courageous retreat and return to a traditional Chinese medicine hospital as a female nurse.
However, first Wang Shen slandered Master Li, saying that he had seduced His Royal Highness Duan Wang and tried to escape. Now Master Li has come back again, and even they have doubts about Master Li's character.
With the whole city talking about it, the third part of the drama "Du Shiniang Sinks the Treasure Box in Anger" instantly became the focus of the whole city.
The five days are coming soon.
Today, the day of Li Shishi's comeback, was the first performance of "Du Shiniang's Furious Treasure Box". Coupled with the turmoil between Li Shishi and Zhao Ji, the opera house was once again overcrowded.
"when!"
With the sound of a gong, the play begins.
As expected, the graceful and moving figure of Master Li appeared on the stage.
"She really is a master girl!"
Everyone in the audience was talking a lot. When Li Shishi announced his retirement from opera, countless people felt sorry for it. But now that Li Shishi appears on the stage again, everyone is filled with emotions.
"This time Master Li actually acted in his true colors, playing the role of a brothel girl!" As the plot developed, the admiring audience couldn't help but exclaimed.
On the stage, Du Shiniang, played by Li Shishi, is a courtesan from Kaifeng. She welcomes people to and from her every day. She puts on a smile and longs to escape from the sea of suffering and meet her beloved. Until one day she meets the one she likes, Imperial College student Li Jia. , the two men are talented and beautiful, and they are in love with each other.
"It's common for brothel girls to love literary men."
Under the stands, all the literati couldn't help but look proud. It was obvious that they had all had the same experience.
As the plot develops, Du Shiniang loves Li Jia for his honesty, honesty and good intentions, and agrees with his mother to redeem himself with three hundred gold. Li Jia is a poor imperial college student who has no way to borrow money, so Du Shiniang decides to take out one hundred and fifty gold from the treasure box. With the help of ten pieces of gold and the help of friends, they finally collected 300 kilograms. The two of them took the "treasure box" home, and all the sisters donated treasures to each other.
"The man is affectionate, the concubine is interested, the talented man and the beautiful woman are blessed by heaven, it is really gratifying and congratulatory!"
Many romantic talents couldn't help but clapped their hands when they saw this scene. This scene was a good thing they had dreamed of, but it was actually done to a dull Li Jia.
"Du Shiniang is willing to marry a good man, could it be that Master Li is preparing to express his ambition with Qu and show his goodwill to King Duan!" Some people also speculated.
It immediately attracted the approval of many people. After all, any woman in the world would choose His Highness Prince Duan.
"Master!"
In the theater box, Zhao Ji looked at Master Li on the stage with burning eyes. Such a happy ending was not what he wanted in his heart!
"It can't be that simple!"
Under the stands, some literati looked solemn. The name of the play was "Du Shiniang sank the treasure box in anger". If it was really a happy situation for everyone, how could there be such a thing as the treasure box being sunk in anger.
Sure enough, when the two were returning home by boat, Du Shiniang played the piano and sang, which alarmed Sun Fu, a salt merchant on the neighboring ship. Sun Fu coveted Du Shiniang's beauty and found an excuse to drink with Li Jia. Li Jia was worried that his parents would scold him for bringing a brothel girl home, so under Sun Fu's coaxing, he sold Du Shiniang to her for a thousand gold coins.
"ah!"
Suddenly the audience was in an uproar.
"This is absolutely shameless! Du Shiniang entrusted her body and mind to Li Jia, but Li Jia turned out to be treacherous."
"Li Jia is a hypocrite and betrays Du Shiniang's sincerity.
"Sun Fu is a despicable villain, insidious and cunning! He covets Shi Niang's beauty."
……………………
In the troupe, the audience was filled with indignation and said that Du Shiniang had a deep love for Li Jia, and even took the initiative to give half of the money to him to redeem her life, but now she was abandoned by Li Jia and resold.
"It's just an opera, and it's not true. Why is it like this?" Some people smiled and said disapprovingly.
"No! This is not just a drama, but something that really happened around us." A scholar sneered.
Everyone couldn't help but be startled, and then saw that many elders in the literary world around them looked extremely embarrassed.
"You're talking about the literary world giving away singers!"
The people around were stunned for a moment, and then suddenly realized that there was a trend in the literary world of the Song Dynasty, that is, giving singing girls to each other.
According to legend, even Su Daxiang, when he was demoted, gave away all the singers around him to others. This kind of custom was extremely popular in Kaifeng City.
"Li Qingzhao really has a vicious tongue and has scolded the entire Kaifeng literary world!" All the literati took a breath and immediately understood the power of this opera.
Once upon a time, Li Qingzhao was just a venomous comment on the poetry of a veteran in the literary world. Now, "Du Shiniang Sinks the Treasure Box in Anger" can be said to have scolded the entire literary world.
Soon, "Du Shiniang Sinks the Treasure Box in Anger" reached the most exciting part.
Du Shiniang deeply felt the humiliation of her personality. On the bow of the boat, she opened the treasure box in front of everyone and threw the purple jade, gold and silver antiques worth thousands of dollars into the river one by one. She then threw herself into the river holding the treasure box and died.
"What a wonderful woman!"
Everyone admired.
At this moment, Li Shishi was completely involved in Du Shiniang. She was also a brothel girl, and she also met her lover. Du Shiniang sank the treasure chest in anger and Li Shishi refused Duan Wang Zhao Ji's courtship. They can be said to be two extremes.
In order to be a good person, Du Shiniang trusted Li Jia, and finally died with hatred. However, Li Shishi rejected a prince's love and returned to a traditional Chinese medicine hospital to work as a female nurse. Isn't it a great wisdom in life?
In the box, Zhao Ji looked at this scene with an embarrassed expression.
Li Jia on the stage is not his true portrayal. He is a relative of the emperor, and it is impossible for the imperial family to accommodate Li Shishi, who was born in a brothel.
If he forcibly takes Li Shishi as his concubine, I'm afraid Li Shishi's fate will not be much better than Du Shiniang's.
"Am I Li Jia?" Zhao Ji said speechlessly.
As the opera came to an end, everyone felt mixed feelings. Some people complained for Du Shiniang, while others gritted their teeth and cursed Li Jia and Sun Fu.
Some people looked at the literary elders in front of them with strange eyes, because this opera vividly showed the scandal of the Song Dynasty literary circle giving concubines to each other, which made them lose face.
Almost instantly, public opinion in Kaifeng City reversed again.
At this moment, no one accuses Li Shishi of rejecting His Highness Duan Wang out of ignorance. After all, compared with Du Shiniang's experience, Li Shishi's choice can be said to be the wisest, and it is also a courage that ordinary women do not have. This makes the world's view of Li Shishi Even more admiration.
At the end of the play, everyone left one after another. Even Zhao Ji did not have the courage to go to Li Shishi at this moment, but left in despair.
In Kaifeng City, the influence of "Du Shiniang Sinks the Treasure Box" continued to expand, exceeding almost everyone's expectations.
This opera immediately spread throughout the brothels, instantly arousing the resonance of countless women in brothels. The status of women in brothels has always been extremely low. Countless women dream of meeting their husbands and marrying them as wives, but they are often deceived. , the end was extremely miserable.
In the Tang Dynasty, there was a talented man named Li Yi, who was one of the representatives. He abandoned Huo Xiaoyu, a brothel girl, and Huo Xiaoyu eventually died in hatred.
The custom of giving concubines to each other reappeared in the literary circles of the Song Dynasty. This opera can be said to show the tragic fate of the brothel girls in the Tang and Song Dynasties one by one.
At the same time, the scholars and talented men no longer received the treatment of honored guests in the brothel, but instead received the indifference of the women in the brothel.
The custom of giving concubines to each other in Kaifeng's literary circles was even more eradicated, and the literati who had engaged in this behavior were disgraced and their reputations were tarnished.
"This is the real role of opera, which is enough to influence the world." Fan Zheng said solemnly after seeing the influence of "Du Shiniang Sinks the Treasure Box in Anger".
Li Qingzhao also looked at this scene in shock. Before, both "The Legend of Concubine Yang" and "General of the Yang Family" only promoted the beauty of love and loyalty.
As soon as the ironic "Du Shiniang sank the treasure chest in anger" came out, Li Qingzhao suddenly realized that perhaps irony and tragedy are more alarming, and this is the meaning of opera.
"What about Miss Shishi!" Li Qingzhao asked.
Fan Zheng nodded and said: "The incident was so big that it naturally alarmed the royal family. Now His Royal Highness Duan Wang has been banned by the royal family!"
In fact, Fan Zheng did not tell the specific truth one by one. Zhao Ji still had a weak character. Facing the pressure from the royal family, Zhao Ji immediately decided to sever all relations with Li Shishi and would only marry a daughter of the Wang family.
"What about Wang Shen?" Li Qingzhao asked worriedly.
"Wang Shen is nothing to be afraid of. My husband has asked His Highness to mediate on his behalf!" Fan Zheng said solemnly.
Li Qingzhao breathed a sigh of relief. Wang Shen had the status of Prince Consort. After all, he was a relative of the emperor and it was difficult to show off his face. It could be said that it was most appropriate to ask Zhao Bai, the king of Shen, to come forward.
(End of chapter)
