Horse-head Wall Reflects the Qing Dynasty

Chapter 62: The diligent pursuit of music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and the stage singing and dancing

"gentlemen."

Soon, the young man came to the door. With past experience, Cheng Heng just nodded and asked the young man to find a suitable place to sit first, without paying special attention to the former.

The long street was washed by the clear rain, and the dusk was setting over the slanting mountains. The students in the private school left in groups of three or two, until only the young man was left sitting at the desk. Cheng Heng's eyes naturally fell on the young man, who stood up as Cheng Heng looked at him and took the initiative to walk in front of Cheng Heng.

"Sir, that day..."

What happened that day, or the stack of rice paper and the story on it? Cheng Heng wanted to tease the student in front of him, but he was finally defeated by the latter's restraint: "If you want to thank me, then there is no need."

"If you want those manuscripts, I'm sorry I can't give them to you."

As expected, Cheng Heng saw disappointment in the young man's eyes after hearing what he said. The latter did not dare to ask why. He greeted Cheng Heng politely and turned to leave.

"Don't you ask me why I don't give it to you?" In fact, to this day, Cheng Heng can hardly say what experience he has in teaching, but he is already very experienced in opera.

Respect must be earned by oneself, not given by others out of pity and sympathy.

"Sir, why?" Perhaps he heard some room for change from Cheng Heng's words, so the young man looked up at Cheng Heng and asked, "Sir, do you want me to fight for it with something?"

"Sir, do you hope that I can achieve something in the imperial examination?"

Cheng Heng certainly understood the mentality of young people. Even at his current age, he was still that passionate person who would not back down from confronting anyone for his own persistence.

The student in front of him stiffened his neck, with understanding in his eyes, as if to say: As expected, all teachers in the world are the same, they all talk about the imperial examination.

This was the case with the gentleman who confiscated his manuscripts, and the same was true with the gentleman in front of him who seemed to have saved him. The essence remains the same. This group of gentlemen do not care about "teaching students in accordance with their aptitude". They have only one goal: to train everyone to be successful in the imperial examinations.

"Then the teacher must have made a wrong calculation. I am a naturally dull-witted student who thinks I am not cut out for the imperial examinations!"

"When did I tell you to have such an attitude?" In my time, how many parents only care about the college entrance examination, and it seems that children who cannot get into university, or cannot get into a good university, will be like this in their lives.

Some people even say: This is how your life will be!
How could the child know that he could live in so many different ways 'like this'? He only felt that he was not understood by his parents and even abandoned by his family because of something he was not good at doing. Depression and rebellion are never outcomes that can be caused by one party alone.

Cheng Heng was glad that he was stubborn and would never waver once he set his mind to something. He was also glad that his parents, although not very open-minded, did not forcefully stop his choice, and that his teachers were willing to accept his emotions...

Having seen what makes a good teacher, Cheng Heng certainly doesn't want to do something boring and useless: "Since you want to write, don't do it in secret, and don't look down on what you are doing."

“Difficult words and sentences are not the place to show your ability. Instead, words that can truly move people are what you should write.”

The young man responded with a half-comprehending response, and saw Cheng Heng write a few words for him on rice paper with colored ink: "Sir, it is only..."

"I find those words too obscure. The rest of the content belongs to you and I don't want to change it." To be honest, Cheng Heng has also heard audiences discussing the quality of newly-edited Peking operas. The lines forced a group of audiences to rate "The Golden Bag" as the best of the "newly-edited" Peking operas.

Some people may say that it is not easy to stand on the shoulders of predecessors and move forward. The decline of Peking Opera cannot be blamed on the lack of efforts of this generation. However, Cheng Heng knows that at least his efforts are far less than those of his predecessors.

The title of "artist" certainly sounds good, but when one's mind is confined to the honor brought by this title and becomes complacent... Cheng Heng realized that this unfounded sense of superiority has also led a group of people to become complacent.

"Thank you, sir." The young man didn't know how to respond to the gentleman's kindness. After hearing such a long speech, he was still a little stunned.

Obviously, the young man had never thought that he would hear such words from his teacher. After greeting Cheng Heng again, the young man left the private school after receiving Cheng Heng's response, this time with more respect.

"I brought a lot of good things back home!"

The young man just rushed into the crowd outside the door, and a harsh voice rang out, passing through the wide open door and into Cheng Heng's ears.

"How is this different from using sex to please the Lord?"

"Of course they are different. Women are the ones who use their beauty to please their masters, but these actors are all men... I would rather starve to death than let my son do such a thing than to take the imperial examination and do such a thing!"

"I heard that the Liu family's son almost had a fight with his family over this matter."

"This kind of person really brings shame to his hometown!"

"Isn't this a business trip to Yangzhou?"

What you believe in is one thing, and what others say is another. Cheng Heng found these words very harsh, but his current identity meant that he could not stand up and express his true position.

The people outside the door walked away. Just when it seemed that this matter would fade away with the rising and setting of the sun and become a topic of conversation after dinner, a fight broke out in Cheng Heng's private school!
"You're really filial to the point of fighting with your father just to do something like this!"

"My father hasn't said anything to me yet, so it's not your turn."

"You have read the books of sages in vain. You really bring shame to the teacher... No, you were not originally the teacher's student. Oh! Could it be that you were kicked out of the previous private school?" The student who had spoken out to provoke Liu earlier thought that he had caught something wrong with the young man named Liu, and took this opportunity to spread it to the whole private school.

"I don't know how you tricked Mr. Cheng into accepting you as his student!"

Farming and studying are passed down from generation to generation, and filial piety and brotherhood come first. The behavior of the young man surnamed Liu and those Huiban who went to Beijing from Yangzhou by water and won the emperor's favor obviously did not meet the requirements of this standard. The rebels of the times naturally became the target of public disapproval.

"I do not have."

There is no contradiction between the moving words and the pale explanation. The young man surnamed Liu neither bothered to explain nor was he good at speaking. He was defeated by the siege of his classmates in just a few words.

"Okay, let's all go. Stop thinking about other people's affairs and just take care of your own business!"

After the teacher said this, the students could not continue to make trouble in front of the teacher even if they had a lot to say. They returned to their seats one by one. Cheng Heng's eyes swept around, briefly lingered on the young man surnamed Liu, and quickly moved back to his desk. Most students took the teacher's words as a guide. Even if they were not convinced, the matter of "Huiban" and "opera singing" finally came to an end in the school.

Cheng Heng was not satisfied with this, and he did not want anything to happen that was beyond his control.

"Sir, you don't have to keep those manuscripts... I, I don't want to write anymore."

"Okay." Since he couldn't resist the rumors in this era, Cheng Heng didn't want to force the young man surnamed Liu into a desperate situation where he would be abandoned by his friends and relatives because of his words.

When I decided to pursue a career in art, although many of my classmates labeled the word "opera" as "old-fashioned", "conservative", and even "feudal remnants", it was impossible for me to be isolated from the group or end up being abandoned by my friends and relatives.

But this era is different, Cheng Heng can accept the young people's retreat.

"Sir, won't you ask me why?"

"It's your own choice, I have no right to interfere."

Cheng Heng actually understood that young people's rebellious psychology is often born out of "you don't let me do something". But this time, Cheng Heng really didn't mean to influence the boy's choice.

If you are willing to persist, I will do my best to ensure a safe environment for you. If you are willing to give up, I will not persuade you to continue because of the cost you have invested in the past.

In his own choice, Cheng Heng finally balanced his original idea with Guan Yin's words and found a direction that seemed to be what the teacher should do.

"Sir, actually..." The young man surnamed Liu felt that he had failed the gentleman's kindness and wanted to tell him his difficulties. After thinking about it, he was worried that these reasons would be as pale and powerless as excuses.

"Sir, sir, please go and have a look. There is a dispute at the gate of Zhang's house on the east side of the street. One of your students said that he doesn't want to go to private school anymore and wants to go to the capital to sing in the opera troupe and make a lot of money!"

Perhaps in the eyes of some people, those who cannot compare with them in the imperial examination can make a lot of money by singing operas, so they can naturally do it better.

But little do people know how many children from wealthy families cannot endure hardship, and how many are simply not cut out for it? Cheng Heng's college entrance exam scores were not bad, and his opera singing was barely acceptable in his own eyes. Of course, he knew that this was something that required both talent and hard work.

Cheng Heng knew that with his personality, it would be difficult for him to avoid saying something that was not appropriate for his identity - this was not a stage after all, and it would be difficult for Cheng Heng to truly immerse himself in his role.

In addition, Cheng Heng’s first concern now is no longer just to restore the reputation of the opera industry, but also the future of those students.

"Sir, are we going?" The young man surnamed Liu looked at Cheng Heng with an inexplicable pleading look, "Sir, can I stay in the private school first?"

"What are you doing in the private school?" Cheng Heng did not stop. After a moment, he seemed to understand the source of the former's evasion. "If this matter has anything to do with you, you'd better be present."

Looking up, there was no cloud in sight. On the long street, the blue bricks were occasionally covered with dirt from wheel tracks. Cheng Heng didn't care what might get on his clothes, he just followed the person who was pointing the way. Although the young man surnamed Liu was reluctant, he still followed closely because of Cheng Heng's words.

"Why can't I?"

"I want to go to the capital too!"

"Look up and see if you can live up to your ancestors? Are you worthy of these plaques?"

"What's the use of a plaque? Can it make money?" The child was so embarrassed by the elders' scolding that he got angry and said something without thinking. "You also said that in order to support me, the family is almost running out of food!"

"Didn't these plaques come from the money someone in the family earned from doing business? Mom has spoiled my brother. Maybe he is more suitable for studying than me. So what if I join the troupe?"

"What are you yelling about!" Cheng Heng's words made the indignant child shut up.

After a brief shock, the child came to his senses and revealed the truth to his teacher: "Sir, you yourself also..."

The child found the shadow of the young man surnamed Liu in the crowd. His eyes passed through the crowd and fell directly on the former: "Sir, didn't you write those obscene lyrics and songs for him without telling your family? Why? Now that it's my turn, I can't make money to support my family?"

"Does that mean that whatever children from rich families do is right?"

"Then sing a few lines."

Cheng Heng stopped trying to stop him. The kid started to feel guilty, wondering if his teacher and his father had teamed up to trick him into falling into some trap. "Why should I sing?"

"You have to rely on God to support you in this line of work. You are now at the age of singing, so it is not too early to start learning. If your voice becomes useless, you will regret it."

Not all masters will plan for their apprentices' future in advance. Moreover, at this age when Peking Opera has not yet developed in a real sense, most of the masters are still learning by trial and error and do not have a truly reasonable teaching system.

This child in front of me, his voice doesn't sound bad now, if he works hard, he can lead a troupe to sing in the future. But who knows what will happen after the collapse? Who knows if he will collapse before he gets older?

Or maybe, he just didn't follow the right master, and his voice was ruined at a young age, and his body was in bad shape, so he ended up playing supporting roles, and his life was wasted like this...

"Class owner, am I right?" Cheng Heng couldn't say whether the class owner in front of him was a good person or not, but the latter had been acting like an outsider and hadn't said anything for such a long time, which made Cheng Heng very dissatisfied. "Since you are here to recruit people, you should at least make these things clear to my students."

"Otherwise everyone will think it's just a joke, and their lives will be ruined, and you will have provided them with food and drink for nothing for so long."

Cheng Heng didn't want to tell the kids some great truths that were hard for them to understand. Instead, he turned around and looked at the class owner: "I heard that you and my student are related? Since you are a relative, you should explain the pros and cons to my student, right?"

"Yes, yes, sir, you are right. I was negligent." The class owner did not give himself too much explanation, obviously not wanting to suffer any loss. "Sir, I came here to look for his father, but I didn't expect that this child would hear it."

"Besides, you should also know that Sanqing and Sixi both showed their faces in front of the emperor. Even if they can't be said to bring honor to their ancestors, at least they can't be said to be so shameful... Think about it, you are also a scholar, but you have never even seen the emperor, right?"

"The class leader shouldn't compare like this, but my group of students don't know the pros and cons, so it's better to make some things clear."

"Sir, you're joking. This is just a matter of children from poor families working harder to earn a living." Seeing that Cheng Heng was a reasonable person, the class owner responded to Cheng Heng's words with a wry smile.