Director of the Centre

Chapter 12 Du Shiniang

After laughing and cursing at the villager, Li Caochang led Han Lu to arrange accommodation for the actors in the village.

In the past two years, the fruit planting industry in Pingdi Village has started. In addition, Jinsha City is remote and has inconvenient transportation, so the prices of fruits and vegetables are high.After seeing the benefits, farmers have made money.

Several households in the village who were the first to become rich have built cast-in-place bungalows with one floor and one floor, and they seem to be living a good life.

Li Caochang introduced the situation of the village to Han Lu, with a complacent look on his face, and asked how many people would come to Han Lu Center.

This time, the Municipal Culture and Art Center is coming to Pingdi Village to sing a big show and has prepared ten programs.The center's leaders, actors, musicians, props, choreographers and makeup artists add up to 51 people.

The director of the center said that two people share a room, that is to say, more than 20 beds are needed, so Han Lu must make sure the beds are arranged, and don't make people sleep in the wild.

In the eyes of ordinary people, the countryside is vast, and everything is lacking, that is, there is no shortage of houses.Back then, land rights in villages and towns had not been confirmed, and management was loose.As long as you want to build a house, talk to the village cadres, complete the procedures, and build as big as you want.

But the rural areas used to be very poor. Although the yards of the old farmer’s houses were huge, there were not many rooms for people to live in. There were only three houses in an ordinary household.Coupled with the large population, in fact, many people do not have vacancies.

Hearing the exact number reported by Hanlu, Li Zhishu scratched his head and calculated for a long time.Said, if you can arrange it, I will take you to see it.

Li Zhishu is quite prestigious in the village. After walking around, he found more than a dozen families, and finally settled the problem of accommodation.
Every time Li Zhishu agreed with a family, he said to that family: "My mother-in-law killed a sheep to entertain the guests at night, so come over for a drink."

After finishing this work, it was already dinner time, the sky gradually dimmed, and the setting sun dyed the mountains around Pingdi Village golden.The rich aroma of mutton also diffused in the twilight.

When the mutton was ready, there were sixty people and seven tables.

One sheep is not enough, and his mother-in-law put about [-] catties of chayote into the sheep soup, and eat it with dipped water, which has a special flavor.Anyway, the chayote is grown in our own land, so we need as much as we want.

The red sweet potato wine is packed in a large jar half a mouthful high, and it weighs several hundred catties.As for the taste, different people have different opinions. The most troublesome thing about this thing is that there are too many impurities. After eating, there will be a layer of powder on the mouth, which is probably sweet potato starch.

Don't look at Li Caochang's rugged appearance, but in fact he has a fine heart. He already knew that this young man came here today to solicit sponsorship to beat the autumn wind, so he wouldn't be fooled by it.He also bullied Han Lu as a white-faced scholar, as soon as he came to the table, he came down and poured three glasses of wine, and said, Xiao Han, although we met for the first time today, it seems like we have been friends for many years. Don't say much, let's respect brother's words, let's dry up the wine first.

When Han Lu saw this posture, he immediately understood why Yang Guang called him a rare talent when he heard that he weighed one catty. Jinsha City is high in altitude, so hot in the daytime, but cold in the morning and evening, and the mountain people like to drink two cups to keep out the cold.When you meet people, you don't drink a drop of alcohol, and they don't want to talk to you.

"Since the branch secretary said so, if I don't drink, then I don't think of brotherhood. Come on, brother Li, let's do it."

After drinking a glass, the alcohol content was found to be around [-] degrees, and Han Lu felt a little more at ease.

It was about an empty stomach, three cups down, Li Caochang was a little smug, and said, I have a few mouthfuls of food, Xiao Han, tell me about your program arrangement.Then who, you are dead, why don't you come over to offer a cup to Xiao Han, he is a cadre from the city, you have to show the courtesy.Otherwise, people still laugh at our second brother Nong for not knowing the rules?

He wanted to take a few mouthfuls of food slowly, but he still refused to let Han Lu go.

Han Lu smiled: "Where are you fighting?"

Li Caochang was gnawing a piece of sheep scorpion, his hands were full of oil, and he said with a smile: "Xiao Han, we people in the mountains are like this, enthusiastic, and we are afraid that the guests will not enjoy themselves."

It was the first time the two met today, and Li Caochang was quite disdainful of the City Culture and Art Center's behavior of coming to eat rich people and beat the autumn wind, and it was inevitable that he would be angry with Han Lu.However, this picking festival was arranged by the superior, and he had to cooperate.

They didn't know each other before and couldn't find any common language, so they naturally talked about the repertoire arrangement for this performance.

This time the Mango Picking Festival was arranged in this way. At [-]:[-] am that day, the city leaders spoke, the district leaders spoke, and the village party secretary spoke.Finally, the district leaders announced the official start of the picking festival and set off firecrackers.

After the cannon was fired, it was estimated that the time had reached ten o'clock, and a grand cultural performance began.

The cultural and artistic performances are in the charge of the Municipal Culture and Art Center.

The first program, Sichuan Opera Face Changing.

Face-changing is a must-have in Sichuan opera, easy to understand, lively, everyone likes it.In order to push the atmosphere to a climax and win the show, Yang Guang discussed with the actors whether they could add fire-breathing and sword-swallowing.

The actor felt insulted and said, director, for the collective benefit, I can blow fire, but swallowing a sword is a sideshow. I am also a national third-level actor. If you let me swallow this, isn't that insulting?Do you want another boulder in your chest to shoot me to death on the stage?
Yang Guang had no choice but to say, well, it's up to you, just spray or swallow.

The second program is the Peking Opera "Shajiabang—Wisdom Fighting".The Peking Opera actors in the Cultural Center have lost a lot. It has been a few years since they have filmed a show. This time, Peking Opera actors should be allowed to appear.

The third program, folk music ensemble "Higher by the Day".

The fourth program, the symphony "Pineapple Dance", 5 minutes.

There is a symphony orchestra in the regiment. Although the audience is unwilling to listen to it, they still have to go.The group can't let the western instrument musicians idle!
The fifth program is the main axis "Du Shiniang Sinks the Treasure Box in Anger", starring Tao Tao.Although the Municipal Culture and Art Center is a three-in-one Sichuan Opera Troupe, Peking Opera Troupe and Symphony Orchestra, due to the serious brain drain in recent years, Peking Opera has been unable to carry out a big show independently.On the side of the symphony orchestra, to put it bluntly, the professional level is really not good, otherwise the musicians would not be able to nest in this remote city.

Only Sichuan Opera is the signature of the cultural center. It often wins national and provincial awards. The cultural center is mixed with imperial food.

The sixth program, the chorus "Tomorrow will be better".

It takes about an hour to finish the whole set. After the singing, the troops will be withdrawn and the performance allowance will be received.If you run fast, you still have time to go home for lunch.

……

After the introduction, Han Lu asked: "Li Zhishu, is it okay for you to watch the show?"

Li Cao said: "You can change your face, it looks lively; "Shajiabang—Wisdom Fighting" is good, I watched it countless times when I was young, and I know it by heart."

While talking, he took advantage of the wine and sang: "Everyone who comes is a guest."

Han Lu continued, "It all depends on your mouth."

The villagers applaud.

Li Cao looked at Han Lu with a smile.

Our Comrade Xiaohan instantly understood that Li Zhishu was mocking himself as a lobbyist this time.

This old man is really annoying.

Li Caochang: "As for the next two programs, folk music and Western music, we farmers don't understand anything, so we just listen to it, anyway, that's it. The last program will be better tomorrow, everyone can sing, and it's pretty good. It's "Du Shiniang" that I'm afraid no one will like it."

Han Lu asked why.Li Caochang said that the rhythm of drama is too slow, and you can say it clearly in a second if you say a word. You have to sing for a long time, and it is unpleasant to hear.Change it, change it to something else.

Han Ludao, that’s too bad. The predecessor of our cultural center is Sichuan Opera Troupe, Peking Opera Troupe and Symphony Orchestra. If we don’t even perform a play, what will the leaders think of us?
Li Caochang: "Han Lu, if you want to sing an opera, you can, but you can't be in this one. The picking festival is a great day, and if you come to a treasure chest of anger and make a tragedy, isn't that bad luck?"

Han Lu was given a few more glasses of wine, he was a bit over the top, and his words were not very polite: "Secretary, do you think it is such a simple matter to change a play, and the actors can sing with a single mouth on stage?"

Li Caochang's face was unhappy: "Then I'll ask you for advice."

Han Lu: "After a play is confirmed to be performed, it has to be prepared half a month in advance. First of all, the protagonist and supporting roles have to support the play, and the musicians and actors also have to support the play. Come on stage, do you know why?"

"What?"

Han Lu said sincerely: "The artists in our center all have professional pursuits for art. During the rehearsal, they have to figure out the role, bring themselves into the role, and regard themselves as people in the play. Only by pretending to be real can they Impress the audience. Otherwise, you are sorry for the audience, sorry for the craftsmanship left by the ancestors, sorry for the master who passed on the mantle, and you are unworthy descendants. You are a great humiliation to the artists. Tao Tao, who plays Du Shiniang in our center Sister Tao has locked herself in the room every day to figure it out, you can change it if you want? Change to a new show, change to a new person, is there time?"

Li Caochang was unmoved, and still shook his head: "Du Shiniang is too tragic, it is really inappropriate!"

Han Lu worked hard for a long time, but when he saw that Li Caochang refused to agree, he was anxious.Adding that he was drinking a little too much, he said casually: "What a tragedy, the ending of this play has been changed, it's a happy reunion, don't you know?"

"Happy ending, isn't it?" Li Cao was stunned: "I remember that Du Shiniang committed suicide by diving in the end. In order to sink to the bottom smoothly, she went into the water with her treasure chest. You just kept saying that this is the old ancestor. Do you dare to change the things left behind, the things of your ancestors?"

"Whoever said that the law of the ancestors cannot be changed, we will change it." Han Lu drank another glass of wine: "Let me tell you this story."

(End of this chapter)