Actor: Thank you.

As the saying goes, when people are arrogant, it rains; when the sky is arrogant, it winds.

Therefore, Zhang Yuan has always been cautious in his actions.

They were afraid that a strong wind might blow in that direction, one that they couldn't handle.

But besides life experience, there is also an element of inheritance in this kind of arrogance.

For example, this year has been nicknamed "the year of articles".

Because the article had two major works released that year, "Snow Leopard" and "Ocean Heaven", it became a huge hit.

He became a top-tier male star spanning both industries.

This was also the beginning of his arrogance.

Starting in 10, this person became incredibly arrogant, believing himself to be omnipotent.

That's how all those messy things happened later.

When they arrived at the Deyuan Society, there were quite a few wild students among them.

It exists now, and there will be more later.

But in essence, the most arrogant one is actually Teacher Guo, the class leader.

Many students followed suit and catered to his preferences.

Teacher Guo's personality and temperament are actually a bit extreme.

Therefore, having a son like Guo Qilin, who is emotionally stable, kind, and gentle, is truly like getting an SSR card.

It's also possible that it's precisely because his father is like this that his son is so reserved.

If Mr. Guo's arrogance and his desire to be superior to everyone else didn't pass on to his son, then who did he pass it on to?
"You can't even speak properly, can you even talk?"

"You're trembling on stage, how can you do crosstalk?"

"You can't even pronounce tongue twisters properly, you're embarrassing yourself!"

Outside the private room, in the lobby, Cao Yunjing was instructing his apprentices one by one.

In terms of seniority, Jinzi was of the same generation as the other apprentices.

Especially those who have already become disciples, they are fellow disciples.

But to be honest, he was better than most students.

Although he is Guo Degang's disciple, his introduction to crosstalk came from his fellow townsman, Mr. Tian Lihe from Tianjin.

I've been studying for a year or two, so I'd say I'm a semi-professional.

Moreover, he did not become an apprentice.

Because Mr. Tian Lihe is of a much higher generation, being of the same generation as Yuan Kuocheng.

Taking in a half-grown boy is outrageous; his peers would definitely be unhappy.

After graduating from high school, I came to Beijing and studied under Teacher Guo.

Back then, Teacher Guo hadn't made his fortune yet, so he took him along and they ate and lived together.

People like him, Xiao Yue, and Kong Laosan all had their share of Guo Qilin's influence, including the dogs Guo Qilin used to keep in his early years; they all bathed and cared for him.

This kid has great talent, and he really works hard when he practices.

In addition, because we arrived early, Teacher Guo taught us word by word and phrase by phrase.

Later, those students only attended classes at the Deyuan Society's school and never had the "talking practice" process.

Therefore, the four skills of crosstalk are speaking, learning, teasing, and singing.

Cao Yunjing was personally instructed.

He Yunwei, who also brought his own skills, personally taught the comedic techniques.

The proprietress Wang Hui's cousin, Zhang Yunlei, was personally taught to sing.

Teacher Guo was just average when it came to this subject.

A few years ago, Zhang Yunlei experienced a voice change during puberty, which caused his voice to change, leading him to leave the crosstalk club.

The eldest brother, He Yunwei, was very cunning and never revealed his skills to anyone.

Therefore, the responsibility of teaching the younger brother fell entirely on Cao Yunjing's shoulders.

For most of his fellow apprentices, he was considered "half a master".

Therefore, from the perspective of seniority, it is unreasonable for him to scold people.

But in terms of learning ability, it's barely passable.

But the location is wrong!
This is the master's birthday banquet, and you're disciplining your apprentice?
Not only on joyous occasions, but your master is also present. What right do you have to discipline your disciple?
So, while it may seem like he's criticizing and educating his juniors one by one, he actually has another purpose.

Zhang Yuan heard everything, but pretended not to, chatting with Brother Qian and Sister-in-law Qian from time to time.

But I didn't talk to Mr. and Mrs. Guo.

We deliberately gave them space to "think".

This isn't the first time Jinzi has done this.

Over the past year, he has come to the troupe very infrequently, and his performances have decreased sharply.

Even when he came, he would just sit there casually and have the other junior brothers serve him.

He also frequently scolds people and speaks rudely.

He not only inherited Mr. Guo's professional skills, but also his arrogance.

In terms of performance style, tone, and rhythm, Cao Yunjing and Guo Degang are about 80 to 90% similar.

Even Guo Qilin doesn't look that much like him, because Master Guo incorporates many of his master Yu Qian's styles.

If there were a "Guo Degang Imitation Contest," even Mr. Guo would only come in second place; Cao Yunjing would be number one.

Not only did they train their apprentices, but they also toasted each of them with a cup of wine.

His voice grew louder and louder, and his attitude became increasingly fiery.

Does he seem drunk...?

Zhang Yuan glanced at it.

He would pat anyone on the shoulder and lecture them, but when he was with Xiao Yue, he only whispered a few words of advice.

Confucius also said a few words.

I brought both of them myself.

When Jinzi came to Li Hedong... who was a rogue turned professional, she simply walked past him without daring to say a word.

Because of how he disciplined his apprentice, Li Hedong kept staring at him.

If you dare to mess with me, I dare to take action.

The soft ones are afraid of the hard ones, the hard ones are afraid of the horizontal ones, and the horizontal ones are afraid of death.

Zhang Yuan chuckled softly, holding his wine glass. "What a drunkard, still able to tell the difference?"

Being able to avoid people and distinguish between close and distant relationships means you're not drunk.

People who perform crosstalk are very cunning!
Zhang Yuan glanced again at his eldest apprentice, He Yunwei, and his partner, Li Jing.

The two of them just lowered their heads and ate without saying a word.

He Yunwei kept his hands and mouth busy, but his eyes would occasionally glance at the gold and then at his master.

"Brother Qian, are you going on stage later too?"

"Yes."

"Then let's not drink any more, let's have some tea instead."

"That's so boring." Brother Qian pretended to be clueless, but he knew perfectly well what was going on.

I knew something was wrong; something bad was about to happen!
"That's alright. You have tea, and I'll still toast you with wine. I'll take care of your share, okay?"

When we changed Teacher Yu's teacup, he ordered two more bottles of white wine.

"Brother, you're drinking so fast."

A little while later, Brother Qian was surprised to see him drinking glass after glass.

"It's Teacher Guo's birthday, I'm so happy, I should drink more."

"Come, let me offer a toast to you both."

"May your happiness be as boundless as the Eastern Sea, and may your marriage last a hundred years." Zhang Yuan stood up to offer a toast, but his mouth was already trembling slightly.

It's like my tongue isn't very sensitive anymore.

"Brother, don't drink too much." Sister-in-law Qian reached out to stop him from pouring more wine.

"Hey, brother, drink as much as you like, it's fine." But Brother Qian stopped him.

He discovered that Zhang Yuan was deliberately drinking more.

He realized that he, like himself, knew something was wrong; he was pretending to be drunk!

He's probably planning to get drunk and avoid trouble.

Brother Qian only guessed half of it correctly.

Zhang Yuan pretended to be drunk not to avoid trouble, but to get things done.

After giving a lecture outside, Cao Yunjing, carrying a wine glass in one hand and a wine bottle in the other, staggered into the private room with a flushed face.

I'll still go find my fellow apprentices first.

"Yunping, you still need to work on it."

"He's still too green on stage!"

"Yun Jie, you're quick to respond to the situation."

"Yunxia, ​​you can't overdo it. A loud voice is useless."

Little did he know that he himself was the loudest voice in the world right now.

They came over one by one to toast Brother Qian.

"Godfather, Godmother, please take care of yourselves."

"Especially Godfather, please don't drink too much."

He didn't seem as enthusiastic as he was with Brother Qian; instead, it sounded like he was giving him instructions.

"What advice do you have for me, Teacher Cao?" After he finished speaking with Brother Qian and his wife, Zhang Yuan looked at him with a smile.

"No, no."

"Let's have a drink!" She stood up and clinked glasses with him.

I almost lost my balance and had to be helped by the other person.

Seeing his reaction, Jinzi relaxed slightly.

It's good to be drunk.

Being drunk makes you feel much safer.

Because he knew that Zhang Yuan was "heavy-handed".

He was afraid of being beaten.

Then, after paying respects to each of the elderly gentlemen, they finally came to their master and mistress.

After regaining his footing, he glanced in Zhang Yuan's direction again.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he found that the man was "pretending to sleep," as if he had fallen asleep with his eyes half-closed. He then looked at his master.

"Master, mistress, I toast you."

Mr. and Mrs. Guo raised their glasses.

After finishing his drink, Jinzi spoke again.

"Master, I haven't been coming to the troupe much lately."

"You saw it, too."

"Now there's no place for me backstage, and there's no place for me at meals either!"

He complained loudly.

Teacher Guo remained silent, while Wang Hui squinted at him. "I've mentored so many of my junior brothers."

"Now there are more and more people, and every time I come back, there are a few more unfamiliar faces."

"I feel less and less like my team."

“The newcomers all get to perform, but the earlier ones are still learning and can’t get on stage yet.”

"I feel sorry for my junior brothers."

The whole table fell silent; no one spoke.

"Master, it's not that I don't want to come back."

"Even if they come back, they won't recognize anyone."

"Even if he comes back, he won't be able to get on stage."

"Even if I get on stage, I won't make any money!"

The emotions built up layer by layer, and the voice grew louder and louder.

We've finally gotten to the root of the matter.

money!
No one can escape this word.

Just like "Da Ming Dynasty 1566", the whole drama revolves around this word.

But the Ming Dynasty wasn't short of money; rather, the distribution of it was extremely uneven!

Money and land were concentrated in the hands of princes, noble families, and even the emperor himself.

The situation of Deyuan Society was actually similar.

The apprentices don't earn much from their performances.

Even though my salary has increased, my income is still not enough.

If you perform for a full month, you'll only make a few thousand yuan.

But going out to record a show is worth at least a year's worth of performing in the troupe!
Therefore, many people are dissatisfied with their income.

But Cao Yunjing was the only hothead who dared to speak up.

"Master, I don't have enough to eat!" Jinzi shouted, pointing to the table where only scraps remained.

"I have no choice but to go outside to find food."

"Master, if you give us a word today, we'll all be here."

"Give us more food!"

His words were clearly audible from the private room to the lobby, and everyone fell silent, not a single person uttering a sound.

They didn't even dare to breathe.

Cao Yunjing was reprimanding people just now to establish his authority and to tell all the trainees, "You were all trained by me!"
Now that he's taking the lead in demanding a raise, will anyone still stop him?

There is a leader among all the dragons!

Of course, he remained silent.

We chose today because there are so many people, the master can't deny it.

At the same time, having many people around can also embolden you.

The reason why I felt relieved when Zhang Yuan was drunk is for the same reason.

Afraid of getting beaten up.

Jinzi thought that by doing this, she had ultimately won.

If prices are going to rise, everyone should rise. Anyone who stands up for Teacher Guo is cutting themselves off from everyone else.

But just like many major historical events, when men are out of ideas, women often come up with unexpected solutions.

He did not expect that Zhang Wenshun's daughter, Zhang Deyan, who had passed away not long ago, would get up at this moment.

"Brother, it's your master's birthday."

"There's something you can't say like that."

The old man with the crooked shoulders is a veteran of the team, with a high status and seniority.

This is his "orphan," and no one dares to object.

Moreover, they're not stupid; now the whole family of three is dependent on Mr. Guo and the crosstalk club.

Therefore, we must stand up now.

"Don't stop me!" Cao Yunjing hadn't expected that someone would suddenly appear out of nowhere.

He shrugged, trying to shake off the arm that was around him.

But his act of throwing it away ruined everything!
Whether it was because she lost her balance or did it on purpose, Zhang Deyan, the elder's daughter, fell to the ground after being pushed by him!
"Jinzi, what are you doing!"

This is bad, we're at a critical juncture.

She's still a woman!

Jinzi completely underestimated the power of women, especially his master's wife!

Wang Hui quickly got up and rushed to Zhang Deyan's side, helping her sit down.

She then went to Cao Yunjing herself and called out to him loudly.

"This is your master's birthday."

"You can't treat your master like that."

"None of you can treat Master like this."

"If that's the case, why don't we just turn this place into a wasteland?" the man said, speaking with a Tianjin accent.

He has a background in storytelling with drum accompaniment and has an exceptionally clear voice.

Now that he's using his inner energy, his voice can be heard not only in private rooms and the lobby, but also on the street if you stand close by.

The others dared not utter a sound!
Now, whoever speaks up is "sorrying to their master".

Whoever wants to ruin the crosstalk club is the one who will cause it to go out of business.

Once this big hat was put on display, the people in the room were immediately in control.

But it's not over yet!

Wang Hui rolled her eyes and looked at the apprentice who had lived at her home for several years.

Without the slightest hesitation, she put on a crying tone and wailed a few times, her voice filled with heart-wrenching pain.

"Jinzi, no matter how bad your master is, he's still your master."

"If he does anything wrong, and you can't stand it, blame it all on your master's wife."

"I'll kneel down before you, okay?!"

His knees buckled, and he fell downwards.

Cao Yunjing was dumbfounded.

How did it become like this?

If Wang Hui kneels down, and his master's wife kneels to her disciple, then they're finished.

You are utterly wicked, a traitor to your master and a disgrace to your ancestors.

This is a plan that will wipe out the entire family line; there's no turning back.

Once it's used, it's meant to take your life.

No matter where you go to argue, no matter how much you try, you'll still be in the wrong.

The Chinese people have a strict hierarchical system based on the concepts of ruler and subject, father and son, with elders kneeling before juniors, which violates the public order and good customs in people's hearts.

Actually, Jinzi was stunned when Zhang Deyan collapsed.

The other person was also an elder, and a woman at that, and she was pushed down by herself.

Therefore, if Wang Hui kneels down at this moment, Cao Yunjing will be branded as a "traitor to his teacher".

There's no time to react, not even enough time to reach out and help, and the other person won't give you that chance.

Besides, I've wanted to get rid of it for you for a long time!

Great ability and a bad temper are both external traits.

More importantly, Cao Yunjing and Guo Degang's ex-wife are distant relatives.

The current team is full of Wang Hui's "relatives by marriage".

You, as your ex-wife's "in-law," are nothing but a thorn in my side.

However, the thud that everyone expected—Wang Hui kneeling on the ground—did not occur.

Instead, a scream was heard.

"Ouch!!!"

Just as Wang Hui was about to land, she suddenly sprang up from the ground as if she had a spring attached to her.

He failed to kneel.

When Qian looked down, he saw a crab shell lying on the ground right in front of Wang Hui.

Looking at the table again, the large crab shell from which I had taken the steamed crab was gone.

"Ok?"

Brother Qian recalled.

I vaguely remember Zhang Yuan eating crab shells with his drinks earlier.

The crab shell is facing upwards, with irregular and sharp edges.

A person is made of flesh and blood, and the weight of the entire body falls down—how much force would that take?
It hurt terribly as soon as I touched it!

Wang Hui almost screamed out Tom's voice from "Tom and Jerry".

Cao Yunjing was completely dumbfounded.

Did your master's wife practice stilt walking?

It rises and falls.

But before he could think about it, he felt a soreness behind his knee.

When I realized it, I found that I had become much shorter.

Looking down again... how come I'm kneeling now?
hiss!
The soreness in the back of my knees slowly turned into pain.

Ding dong!

Not far away, Zhang Yuan shuddered, as if he had been jolted awake from a drunken stupor.

In his haste, he knocked over the bowls and plates in front of him.

"what happened?"

"what?"

"I closed my eyes for a bit, and suddenly Jinzi knelt down before his master's wife?"

"Hey you, Brother Long," Zhang Yuan called to his bodyguard.

"Get me another set of cutlery, I haven't had enough to drink yet," Zhang Yuan said, still insisting on drinking despite being drunk.

"Chopsticks, bring me another pair of chopsticks."

Because his chopsticks were on the ground not far behind Cao Yunjing.

It's long and pointed, perfect for poking the tendons behind the knee.

As Zhang Yuan spoke, he pulled Brother Long aside and whispered something in his ear.

Brother Long went out and called someone to get new tableware for the boss.

He then left the lobby without looking back and did not return.

Zhang Yuan then took a sip of tea to clear his throat.

The others, however, discovered that the situation had now reversed completely… (End of Chapter)