parentshiftbook Chapter 51 February 2nd, the Dragon Raises Its Head
Chapter 51 February 2nd, the Dragon Raises Its Head
The days passed by in this way, filled with practicing martial arts, singing opera, and eating meat.
The reputation of the Qingyun Class was completely secured.
Lu Cheng doesn't perform on stage very often anymore, only showing up two or three times every two weeks, but as long as his name is on the show, the ticket price for Deyun Tea House can be skyrocketed.
After several scenes, he gained another twenty years of external martial arts skills.
His mastery of Xingyi Quan had reached its peak, and he had reached a bottleneck where he could no longer make any progress.
On weekdays, he usually hands over the spotlight to young guys like Shunzi and Xiaodouzi, letting them take turns practicing and honing their skills.
Lu Feng also appeared on stage a few times, mostly in supporting roles. But this kid has kung fu skills, and his fight scenes are real, with every punch landing hard. It's very satisfying to watch, and he's gradually amassed a group of fans.
On February , the dragon looked up.
It should have been a day for getting a haircut and praying for good luck in the coming year, but the sky over the Peking Opera troupe in Beiping suddenly turned gloomy.
Outside Qianmen, the theater that used to house the "Fuchun Troupe" changed hands overnight.
A large plaque with black background and gold lettering was hung at the entrance... [Fengtian Official Opera Troupe].
The plaque hung high, the characters written wildly, exuding a sense of austere grandeur reminiscent of the Northeast's Changbai Mountains and Heilongjiang River. Standing at the entrance were not shouting waiters, but two rows of burly men dressed in black silk jackets with bulging waistbands.
This is no opera troupe; it's clearly a sharp knife stuck in the heart of Beijing.
These past few days, the city of Beiping has been filled with an atmosphere of panic and fear.
"Did you hear? Last night, the 'Qinghe Troupe' got picked!"
Inside the teahouse, several amateur enthusiasts lowered their voices, their faces filled with fear.
"Qinghe Class? Isn't that the class that just had a magical duel with Boss Lu a while ago? Although they lost, they still have the skills."
"What a load of rubbish! Those guys from the Fengtian troupe went, supposedly for a friendly sparring match. And what happened? The martial arts actors from the Qinghe troupe were all crippled!"
"Some had their legs broken, some had their arms dislocated. The worst off was the troupe leader, who was whipped until he was rolling on the ground, and in the end, he was forced to sign the 'Taiwan Surrender Document,' giving up all the best performance slots."
"This is too domineering! Is there no law or order?"
"The law? They're from Fengtian, backed by the Northeast Army, and they have guns, so that's the law!"
The news spread like wildfire, reaching every major opera troupe.
Not only Qinghe Troupe, but also three or four other well-known troupes were trampled on by these "outsiders".
The methods were extremely cruel, completely disregarding the traditional Peking Opera principle of "stopping when it's too late," and turning the stage into a killing arena.
One after another, blood-stained "challenge letters" were delivered to the desks of the various troupe leaders like death warrants.
……
At noon that day, Lu Cheng was in the backyard instructing Ah Bing on how to "listen to the force".
Although Ah Bing was blind, since Lu Cheng treated his eyes, although his vision was still blurry, the pterygium had cleared up considerably, and he could see large figures.
In addition, his keen hearing allowed him to progress rapidly in practicing the "listening energy" technique of internal martial arts.
"Master Lu!"
Zhou Daikui rushed in, panting, his face pale.
"Something's happened again."
"The Guanghe Restaurant was also vandalized!"
Lu Cheng frowned, but his hands didn't stop. With a gentle push, he sent Ah Bing three steps away, where he stood steadily.
"Guanghe Restaurant?"
"That's not our territory, who smashed it?"
"They're not going to smash us."
Zhou Daikui wiped his sweat. "They squeezed out the original team from Guanghelou."
"A group of people from out of town came, saying they were from the 'Fengtian government-run opera troupe'."
"These guys are really arrogant."
"They booked the best time slots at Guanghelou right away, and even booked them for a whole month."
"And they've made it public."
Zhou Daikui glanced at Lu Cheng and stammered:
"Tell me...tell me about the operas in Beiping. They're sung too softly, they don't have that masculine feel."
"Even that so-called 'Master Lu' is just a pretty boy who knows how to show off his skills."
"They want to set up a stage and put on a 'rival show'."
"Whoever loses, get out of Beiping!"
Lu Cheng remained calm after hearing this, and even picked up the teapot to pour himself a cup of tea.
"A government-run opera troupe in Fengtian?"
He remembered the post he received during the Chinese New Year.
That's the approach taken by the Northeast warlords.
These people are "dragons crossing the river" who come with guns and official power.
"That's interesting."
Lu Cheng blew on the tea leaves.
"We don't go looking for trouble, but trouble comes looking for us."
"Master, what's the procedure for this 'rivalry'?"
Zhou Daikui had a bitter face.
"It's like two opera troupes performing, facing each other or right next to each other."
"Let's see who cheers the loudest, and who gets the most reward money."
"But these Fengtian people are definitely not that simple."
"I heard they brought a lot of 'Dragon and Tiger Martial Arts Masters,' who are tough guys who have fought against bandits outside the Great Wall."
"This isn't opera, this is practically bloodshed!"
Lu Cheng put down his teacup and stood up.
He walked to the weapon rack and reached out to stroke the white wax spear that had accompanied him in many battles.
The shaft was warm to the touch, but the tip was icy cold.
"Since they're outsiders, we'll have to see if they can keep our local bullies in check."
"Since they've specifically named them."
"There's no way to avoid it."
"Shunzi!"
"Here!" Shunzi, who was squatting in a horse stance, answered loudly.
"Go and deliver a letter to Guanghelou."
A golden light flashed in Lu Cheng's eyes; it was the oppressive feeling brought by the [Fiery Eyes].
"Just say, Lu Cheng from the Qingyun Class, you've accepted!"
"The time is set for three days from now."
"The play..."
A playful smile appeared on Lu Cheng's lips.
"Didn't they say we were weak?"
"Then let's sing the toughest one."
"The Crossroads!"
……
Crossroads.
This is a pure martial arts play, and it's also a play where the fighting takes place "in the dark".
The key is for two people to fight in the dark. Although the stage is brightly lit, the actors must portray the tension of not being able to see their own hands in front of their faces.
Most importantly, the weapons in this play are all for close combat.
Knife against knife, knife against touch.
The slightest mistake could result in bloodshed.
The news caused an uproar throughout the Peking Opera world in Beiping.
"Wow, Boss Lu is going to go head-to-head."
"The Crossroads? That's a play that really tests your skills. I've heard that every member of the Fengtian troupe is a martial arts expert. I'm afraid Boss Lu might be in for a surprise this time..."
"I think it's unlikely. There's a saying that even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake, but this time, the dragon is coming with a gun."
……
The rumors and gossip outside had already spread like wildfire, and the streets and alleys were buzzing with excitement.
This kind of tense, suspenseful drama is the most enjoyable to watch; everyone cranes their necks, eagerly awaiting the day when the truth will be revealed.
After finishing the rehearsal that day, Lu Cheng stood up, changed into an inconspicuous gray cloth robe, put on a top hat, and pulled the brim down low.
"Let's go, Shunzi."
"Let's go to the Fengtian troupe's theater and watch a show."
Fuchun Garden (now Fengtian Banchangzi).
The drums and gongs were deafening, but the rhythm was too fast and too agitated, making people feel uneasy.
The play being performed on stage is "The Chain".
Lu Cheng sat in the corner, ordered a pot of tea, and activated his [Fiery Eyes].
The martial arts actor playing "Huang Tianba" on stage was burly and his movements were powerful and fierce.
But in Lu Cheng's eyes, this person's every move was not like that of a traditional opera performer.
"The calluses on my hands are thick; they're from years of holding a gun."
"A stable lower body and a brisk walk are the habits of soldiers."
"His eyes were fierce, filled with murderous intent..."
Lu Cheng narrowed his eyes.
This doesn't look like a traditional opera performance.
These are clearly a group of soldiers in theatrical costumes!
Moreover, they are elite and fierce soldiers who have been on the battlefield and seen blood!