Bachelor

Chapter 402 Promise
After sorting out the information in his mind, Sun Dan quickly found out the origin of the Queen Mother.The empress dowager, surnamed Ji, died in Jiajing in 14 years. She was less than 50 years old when she died. Later, she was buried with Jiajing's father in Zhongxiang, Hubei, and she was hanged as Empress Dowager Zhangsheng.

Speaking of the Queen Mother's background, she was originally the daughter of a small family.In the Ming Dynasty, in order to prevent future relatives from becoming big, even if the emperor chose a concubine, women from wealthy and prominent families would not consider it, and only ordinary women from good families would be selected.The emperor is like this, and most of the concubines of the vassal kings come from poor families.

For example, the Empress Dowager, her parents' ancestral home was Tongxu, Henan, and her father was a fellow Jinshi.A woman's lack of talent is virtue, and the queen mother has never read any books since she was a child, so she naturally has no education.I also can't appreciate the elegant art such as "The Story of Huansha" and "The Story of the White Rabbit by Liu Zhiyuan" sung by Lai Zhanbu, and even the relatively simple and popular plays such as "Lin Chong's Night Run" are depressing.

In fact, it is not accurate to say that it is high art.In fact, in the Ming Dynasty, Kunqu opera was equivalent to popular songs of later generations, while Yueguan and Zhanbu were equivalent to popular singers.It's just that, without the fast and convenient means of communication in modern society, the number of fans of Kunqu Opera is not as large as in modern society.It is understandable that people like the Queen Mother do not accept this kind of entertainment.

So, the most important thing now is to ask the queen mother, what kind of fun does this woman in her thirties like to have in her daily life?
Everyone has hobbies and ways of leisure, and the Queen Mother is no exception.

In the mind of modern people like Sun Dan, everyone is equal, and there is no distinction between high and low.Ordinarily, there are some things that a courtier should not say in front of the queen mother, but unfortunately Sun Dan has no such concept at all. Even in front of Jiajing, he is still neither humble nor overbearing.

Sun Dan smiled and asked: "Then, what dramas does the Empress Dowager like to watch on weekdays?"

Concubine Zhang's complexion changed, and she shouted: "Bold, is there such a thing as talking to the empress dowager?"

Sun Dan didn't care, and said to the Queen Mother: "Before I came to Tongzhou this time, Your Majesty has explained it. Your Majesty said that the Queen Mother has been in a bad mood recently, and her health is not good. Let me come and see what the Queen Mother needs. See you The queen mother is in good health, and I am relieved. However, the queen mother seems to be in a bad mood recently. Watching a movie and adjusting her emotions is also good for the body. The so-called smile is less than a hundred years. This is a person, happy It's better than being unhappy."

The queen mother nodded again and again, and said, "Yes, I have been in a bad mood recently. However, when it comes to listening to operas, I don't have that kind of thought. As for what operas you like to listen to... By the way, Sun Dan, why do you ask?"

Concubine Zhang interrupted suddenly: "Queen Mother, this Sun Dan is the best at telling stories. How about asking him to tell you a few plays. By the way, is the story that my concubine told you a few days ago good?"

The queen mother said: "Is it that little swallow? Could it be that Sun Dan told you this story first?"

Concubine Zhang nodded again and again: "Yes, yes, it is the story of Little Swallow. When the concubine was sick in bed a while ago, she was so bored and afraid of making noise. His Majesty sent Sun Dan to tell the story to relieve the concubine's boredom. This grandson Dan is the best at telling stories, when Emperor Wu Zong was alive, it was often passed on to him to tell operas in the palace, and the father-in-law and maids in the palace liked to listen to it."

The queen mother's eyes lit up, and she looked at: Sun Dan: "Could it be that Sun Dan used to be a storyteller?"

Sun Dan was a little embarrassed, and coughed: "I have never been a storyteller, and those stories are written randomly by me on weekdays, so I can't be sure."

The queen mother clapped her hands: "By the way, Sun Dan, your story is really good. I like to hear about the little swallow. However, Concubine Zhang is not good at eloquence, and it doesn't sound as exciting as the storyteller. It's a good thing." , come out of her mouth, why is it so bland and tasteless?"

When Concubine Zhang heard the Queen Mother's words, her expression was more embarrassing than Sun Dan's, and she murmured a few times: "The concubine is a dumb person. She only knows how to serve the Queen Mother wholeheartedly, but she can't learn to be glib."

The queen mother shook her head, but said: "A good storyteller does not depend on eloquence alone. He also has to know how to shake the burden, know how to match a certain expression and tone, know how to adjust the story according to the audience's preferences, and know how to tell the story. What, I know what not to say. This book is finished, but it is a university question." She sighed, and said quietly: "In the early years, before I was married to Xing Wangfu, my mother celebrated her birthday, and my father I specially spent a tael of silver to invite a storyteller to come to my house. What are you talking about? It’s about Li Cunxiao’s story of fighting a tiger. Alas, so many years have passed in a blink of an eye. Both of Bengong’s parents have passed away, but that scene Book, that story, but I really remember it. It was lively, lively, that day, more than 100 members of the whole family came to listen to the book."

Speaking of it, the queen mother was only in her thirties, but when she started talking, she seemed like an old man in her 60s and [-]s, chattering endlessly.

The more Sun Dan listened, the more he understood in his heart, there was a voice in his heart shouting: Great layman, great layman.

It seems that I guessed right, the Empress Dowager is quick-tempered and vulgar, even if you let Zhanbu and the others babble and sing on the stage for a long time, she can't understand a word.Even if you understand it, you may not be able to understand the meaning and artistic conception of the libretto.For example, can she appreciate the benefits of the phrase "what a beautiful day, what a beautiful day, what kind of house is it to enjoy the pleasure?"
Yes, if Zhanbu wants to sing this opera well, he has to be very vulgar, the more vulgar the better.Anyway, in the Ming Dynasty, no one should come to oppose his boss's three customs, what are you afraid of?
Concubine Zhang Guifei continued to play tricks and acted like a baby beside the Queen Mother: "My Queen Mother, my concubine is stupid, so the story is naturally not pleasant to tell. But Sun Dan's mouth is just honey, and even ordinary things are in his mouth. You can even tell flowers. How about your old man ask Sun Dan to tell you a few words?"

Sun Dan was taken aback, but he wasn't afraid to tell the story.But a noble and irritable person like the Queen Mother is not easy to get along with.If you say a wrong word, you will be in trouble.Besides, the last time he told Concubine Zhang Gui a story, it was a last resort.Now, he has a lot of things to do, so he doesn't have the energy to tell others.If the Empress Dowager really wants to listen to "Han Zhu Ge Ge", it will take at least half a month for a story to be finished, do you still want to live?
Fortunately, the queen mother also felt that this was inappropriate, and said to Concubine Zhang with a smile: "Confused, Sun Dan is now the number one scholar and an indispensable person around the emperor. How could he be used as a storyteller? Do you see a joke, how decent is it?"

Sun Dan breathed a sigh of relief, but pretended to be disappointed: "Hey, since the queen mother said so, I have no choice but to obey."

Concubine Zhang Guifei did have the idea of ​​asking Sun Dan to tell the queen mother a story. It is said that too much talk will lead to failure, and the queen mother is impatient. At that time, as long as Sun Dan's language mistakes are caught, it may not be impossible to cause some troubles for Sun Dan.

But Concubine Zhang Guifei was very disappointed when she heard that the Queen Mother refused to let Sun Dan tell the story, but she refused to let it go. Her eyes kept rolling, thinking about how to give Sun Dan some color.

After talking for a long time, Sun Dan remembered that he was here to intercede for Zhanbu, and said, "Queen Mother, it's really inappropriate for me to be a storyteller now. However, I know the boss of the Zhanjiaban." I heard from him earlier that the opera he sang offended the Queen Mother very much. So Tuochen came over and asked, to see what kind of opera the Queen Mother likes to listen to, so I can go down and arrange a new one."

"That actor's play!" The queen mother yawned: "It's so boring, I really don't want to see him again. However, this actor was sent by His Majesty to relieve my boredom. If you don't listen, you will Refute His Majesty's filial piety."

"That's that, that's that." Sun Dan nodded again and again: "He has sung the play, and he can go back to hand over his errands, or, the queen mother let them go back to the capital?"

Concubine Zhang Gui immediately jumped up. A while ago, she was slapped by Sun Dan a few times. A few days ago, another worse news came from the capital. Zhang Qiangwei's casino was actually blocked by Yang Tinghe.

Elder Yang Ge had no grievances with Concubine Zhang Guifei in the past, and has no vendettas in recent days, so how could they be so ruthless.Don't think about it, it must have been done by Sun Dan, so Concubine Zhang Gui hated Sun Dan even more in her heart.

Now that Sun Dan is the emperor's personal secretary and the number one scholar, she naturally has nothing to do with Sun Dan.But Sun Dan can't be dealt with, and his friends can also be relieved of the hatred in his heart.

This time, the exhibition cloth was delivered to the door, so naturally they would not let it go.

Concubine Zhang Guifei: "It's impossible to let them go back to the capital. The actor came to Tongzhou to receive the holy order. He wanted to make the Queen Mother happy, so he left just like that, which is against the order."

Concubine Zhang Guifei's reaction was within Sun Dan's expectation, and she was not annoyed in her heart, she said lightly: "So, the Empress Dowager must let Zhanbu sing again?

The Empress Dowager shook her head repeatedly, obviously very allergic to Zhanbu's drama: "Forget it, forget it, that opera singer sings too loudly, I can't bear it, in my opinion, such a lowly person can be beaten to death directly."

Concubine Zhang Gui was overjoyed in her heart, and said repeatedly: "Yes, this exhibition is really despicable, it actually made the Queen Mother unhappy, so she just beat her to death and dragged her out to feed the dogs."

Sun Dan was startled: "Queen Mother, how about this, I'll write a play for Zhanbu, and this time, Queen Mother, you will enjoy watching it."

"You wrote plays for him?" The queen mother asked suspiciously, and pondered for a while: "Your story is naturally excellent. Although the little swallow that Concubine Zhang said is not good, I can tell that the story is good. If If you come to write a play, you might as well watch it."

Concubine Zhang Guifei sneered: "Sun Dan, if you speak the book in person, I admit that you speak it very well. But if it is replaced by someone else, whether it speaks better than singing or sings better than speaking, I think it will not work. "

Sun Dan calmly asked: "What if Zhanbu can make the Queen Mother smile?"

Concubine Zhang: "If that's the case, we will naturally let them go back to the capital."

The Empress Dowager also smiled: "If you can make me happy, not only will you let the actor go back, but you will also be rewarded. My royal family is rich in the world, and I don't need a few taels of silver."

Sun Dan: "Okay, that's it. I wrote this play for Zhanbu, and it will definitely satisfy the Queen Mother."

……

After leaving the Queen Mother, Sun Dan went directly to see Zhanbu and told him about the matter.Said: "Zhanbu, I wrote your play for you, and I will let you pass the test."

Zhanbu was so excited that tears were about to fall, "With Jingyuan's help, the fate of my family has been saved."

Sun Dan: "The rehearsal will start tomorrow, and the performance will be shown to the Queen Mother the day after tomorrow. I need two props, and you will prepare them for me tomorrow."

"Okay, you say."

Sun Dan: "A donkey and a pair of crutches."

Zhanbu: "Your outfit is really weird."

(End of this chapter)