Chapter 459: I met a beautiful lady by chance, but I pretended not to know!
"Master, we are a little late. The private rooms upstairs have all been reserved. Now only the lobby has seats left. Do you think I should let them know..."

In the Dongting Theater, Ye Kui, who was sent to buy tickets, reported to Ye Mingsheng truthfully:

Ye Mingsheng was a little surprised. The ticket price of the Dongting Theater was not low. The cheapest seat in the lobby cost ten cents each. As for the private rooms upstairs, they cost one or two taels of silver and did not include any snacks. Has the living standard of ordinary people in Liaoyang become so high now?

Although he was somewhat puzzled, Ye Mingsheng still shook his head and said:

"Forget it, don't make a big fuss just for this one-time trip! Go buy some tickets for the lobby!"

"Yes!"

Ye Kui nodded and left.

After a while, Ye Mingsheng and others came to a position in the middle of the east side of the lobby. They sat on the chairs and looked at the stage in front of them. Then they glanced at the surrounding environment. Ye Mingsheng couldn't help but praise Ye Kui for doing a good job. Although their position was not in the front row, the view of the opera was very good. However, what satisfied Ye Mingsheng the most was that the surrounding area of ​​this position was very secluded, which was very suitable for quietly appreciating the charm of opera...
After finding a good seat, Ye Mingsheng ordered some cakes, tea, and melon seeds for himself and the guards he brought with him. To be honest, for performance venues like theaters, ticket money seems to be their main source of income, but in fact, ticket money is only a part of their income.

The bulk of their income comes from buying tea, cakes and the like. Things in the theater are generally 30% to 50% more expensive than those outside, but a show lasts more than an hour or even two hours, and it is easy to get thirsty or hungry, so many people will be generous and buy a bowl of tea, pear soup, and cakes.

Ye Kui still completed the process of making tea and pastries meticulously. He ate a little of each first, and only allowed Ye Mingsheng to eat after everything was ready.

After staring for about a cup of tea, the show officially began, with the first act being "Yu Tang Chun"

"Su San left Hongdong County and went all the way to Taiyuan. Flowers are blooming in March, but I feel sad when I see them. Having lived in prison for a long time without knowing spring, it is even more sad to see it suddenly. A flock of birds are flying over my head. Bird, can you pass the message for me? It is rumored that the prince of Nanjing has saved Su San from disaster. It is difficult for me to meet you in this life, and there is no chance for us to be reunited..."

Although Dongting Theater had performed a drama at his Governor's Mansion not long ago, because this drama was mainly performed for Ye Cui, in order to satisfy Ye Cui, more dramas like "Bao Gong Compensates" and "Bao Gong Divides the Rear" were performed, while there were very few dramas like "Yu Tangchun" which tells the love story of Su San and Wang Jinglong.

Therefore, Ye Mingsheng was very fascinated when he watched Yu Tangchun for the first time. It has to be said that Dongting Theater can firmly sit on the top spot in Liaoyang opera theater. In addition to the signature Shen Yutong, the level of other small roles is also very good. The performance is vivid and lifelike, which makes people immersed in the play.

After the song was over, Ye Mingsheng was drinking a sip of tea and eating some cakes to relax and prepare for the next performance of "The Legend of White Snake". At this time, he felt footsteps coming towards him. Although he felt it, Ye Mingsheng did not think much about it. Although he was immersed in the opera and relaxed, Ye Kui and the guards around him were sitting around and vigilant, not allowing any suspicious people to get within ten steps of Ye Mingsheng...
From the corner of Ye Mingsheng's eye, he had already seen Ye Kui stepping forward to stop the other person from approaching him. However, what Ye Mingsheng did not expect was that the footsteps of the person were getting closer and closer, and Ye Kui, who had stepped forward to meet the person, did not stop the person and let him approach him.

Thinking of this, Ye Mingsheng couldn't help but feel curious about the identity of the person who came, and he shifted his gaze from the stage to look over there.

The person who came was a young man in a white robe, holding a folding fan, with red lips and white teeth, and a very delicate and exquisite appearance. Although he looked like a man, he looked more beautiful and delicate than a woman!
"My name is Wang Qing. I would like to know your name. Is there anyone else at the table?" The young man who called himself Wang Qing closed his folding fan, bowed to Ye Mingsheng, and asked with a smile:

Looking at Wang Qing's face carefully, Ye Mingsheng understood why Ye Kui let him go...

Although Ye Mingsheng knew that this little lamb was always by his side due to his busy schedule, he never found the time to see it. However, he never expected that this world was so small and the little lamb actually came to his door on its own initiative!
Looking at Ye Mingsheng in front of her, Murong Qingwu pretended to be calm, but she was still a little nervous in her heart. She had heard that Shen Yutong would appear today, so she deliberately disguised herself as a man to see Shen Yutong. However, she did not expect to see Ye Mingsheng sitting in the lobby in casual clothes in the private room upstairs.

Because of some previous things, Murong Qingwu was particularly curious about Ye Mingsheng. She wanted to know what kind of person Ye Mingsheng was...
So when she saw Ye Mingsheng sitting in the lobby, she had an urge to find Ye Mingsheng and talk to him, even though Murong Qingwu knew very well that as an unmarried girl, it was against etiquette for her to dress up as a woman to watch a play. If she went to find Ye Mingsheng again, it would damage her reputation even more once people knew about it.

But the idea of ​​looking for Ye Mingsheng was like a seed that was deeply rooted in Murong Qingwu's heart. Born in a top family like the Murong family, she was regarded as the apple of the eye by the whole family since she was a child, and was loved and protected by her family. Therefore, Murong Qingwu, who was known as the most talented woman in the world, always acted boldly and rarely looked ahead and behind. This was also the fundamental reason why she dared to disguise herself as a man and quietly followed her father's team to Liaoyang.

Therefore, Murong Qingwu hesitated for at least a moment before she started to act. She felt that although she had met Ye Mingsheng once before in Fengzhou, she was wearing a white veil at that time and was pretending to be her cousin Murong Lianyun. Now she was dressed as a man, so Ye Mingsheng would definitely not recognize her...

However, no matter how much Murong Qingwu planned, she would never have imagined that a former officer of the Imperial Guards would be so madly in love with her!
Seeing that Murong Qingwu, who called herself Wang Qing, wanted to act with him, Ye Mingsheng was happy to cooperate with her and said:

"I am Ye Dong, and I am the only one at this table. Please take a seat, brother Wang!"

Seeing that Ye Mingsheng really didn't recognize her, Murong Qingwu felt secretly delighted and immediately bowed and said:

"This is disturbing Brother Ye!"

After the two exchanged a few pleasantries, Murong Qingwu looked at Ye Mingsheng who was close at hand, and seemed to have thought of something before changing the subject and asking:
"Brother Ye, are you here to see Shen Yutong as well?"

Hearing the name 'Shen Yutong', Ye Mingsheng asked in surprise:
"Shen Yutong will be on stage soon?"

In response to Ye Mingsheng's question, Murong Qingwu's eyes were full of disbelief. She thought Ye Mingsheng was pretending to be ignorant, but she still explained:

"Shen Yutong only performs on stage at the Dongting Theater on the first and fifteenth days of every month. Today is the fifteenth..."

Ye Mingsheng suddenly realized what was going on after hearing this. No wonder all the private rooms upstairs in Dongting Theater were snapped up today. It turned out that everyone came here to see Shen Yutong. Sensing the surprise in Ye Mingsheng's expression, Murong Qingwu didn't believe that Ye Mingsheng didn't know. She just thought that Ye Mingsheng was pretending. She secretly complained in her heart that no wonder he could become the governor of Liaoyang. His acting skills were really good.

In Murong Qingwu's heart, she had already determined that Ye Mingsheng must have come for Shen Yutong. She had heard a lot about Ye Mingsheng's romantic affairs, such as marrying An Miaoyi home and marrying a widow as a concubine. Therefore, in her eyes, Ye Mingsheng was a man who was greedy for beauty!
Since it is such a self-evident thing what a man who is so greedy for beauty wants to do by disguising himself and coming to Dongting Theater, isn't it?

Thinking of this, Murong Qingwu didn't know why, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed with Ye Mingsheng. As expected, all men are bad and they are all lustful.

As the saying goes, a woman's heart is as unfathomable as the sea. Although Murong Qingwu was very close, Ye Mingsheng still knew nothing about her thoughts. Ye Mingsheng, who had no idea of ​​Murong Qingwu's thoughts, asked Murong Qingwu with great interest:

"Brother Wang, I see that you are very handsome and have an extraordinary appearance. I wonder where you are working?"

Hearing Ye Mingsheng's question, Murong Qingwu, who was somewhat angry with Ye Mingsheng, said unhappily:
"What does it have to do with you?"

Ye Mingsheng was startled when he heard this, not knowing how he had offended Murong Qingwu. At this moment, Murong Qingwu also realized that her tone was wrong, and then her attitude softened and she continued:

"My family runs a bookstore. I see that you have a majestic demeanor and a dignified appearance, so I guess you are working in the government, right?"

Murong Qingwu's attitude changed so quickly that Ye Mingsheng was caught off guard. He could only sigh silently in his heart that women are fickle.

"Brother Wang, you have a good eye! Ye is a man who makes a living in the government!"

Although he didn't know what Murong Qingwu wanted to do this time, Ye Mingsheng was still looking forward to what she would do...
Hearing that Ye Mingsheng did not deny it, Murong Qingwu was delighted and continued her performance, pretending to be mysterious and said to Ye Mingsheng:
"Brother Ye, your last name is Ye! The Liaoyang Governor Ye Mingsheng also has the last name Ye. Could it be that the two of you are related?"

Ye Mingsheng became more interested in Murong Qingwu after hearing this, so he took over the conversation and said with some regret:

"Brother Wang, you are not the first person to ask me this question, but I don't have the blessing to be related to the governor!"

After hearing these words, Murong Qingwu complained about Ye Mingsheng in her heart, and then she also pretended to preach:
"That's a pity indeed. But since you work in the government, you must have met the governor, right? What kind of person is he? Are the reforms he promoted really for the people?"

Seeing that Murong Qingwu was beginning to show her true colors, Ye Mingsheng laughed inwardly, but pretended to be somewhat alert on the surface and asked:
"Brother Wang, why are you asking this?"

Feeling Ye Mingsheng's vigilance, Murong Qingwu suppressed her inner discomfort and said:
“Brother Ye, don’t misunderstand! I’m just an ordinary citizen. I have admired the Governor-General for a long time, so I want to know more about him…”

Listening to Murong Qingwu pretending to say that she had "admired him for a long time", Ye Mingsheng would have almost laughed out loud if he hadn't been good at controlling his facial expressions.

Just as Ye Mingsheng was considering his words and thinking about how to answer Murong Qingwu's question asking him to evaluate himself, suddenly applause and exclamations broke out in the theater.

Ye Mingsheng looked up and found a thin, white, pitiful woman walking onto the stage playing a pipa. Although it was the first time he saw her, seeing that her appearance was no less than that of his wife An Miaoyi and Murong Qingwu beside him, a name immediately emerged in Ye Mingsheng's mind - Shen Yutong!

Seeing Ye Mingsheng staring at Shen Yutong, Murong Qingwu became even more angry. She suddenly had the urge to change back into women's clothes to show Ye Mingsheng...

However, as soon as this impulse appeared, Murong Qingwu immediately rejected it. She, Murong Qingwu, was a pure and innocent woman, and she did not want to see her true face to see Ye Mingsheng, such a treacherous man!
Although she was angry, seeing that Ye Mingsheng had not withdrawn his gaze for a long time, Murong Qingwu pretended to be calm and said
"Brother Ye, isn't Shen Yutong pretty good?"

Although Murong Qingwu felt that she acted very calmly, Ye Mingsheng sensed a hint of sourness in her words.

“Ahem…”

Ye Mingsheng coughed twice to hide his embarrassment, then said to Murong Qingwu frankly:

"The best actress in Liaoyang must be excellent!"

Seeing Ye Mingsheng's proud look instead of shame, Murong Qingwu suddenly became a little angry. Just when she didn't know what to say, Shen Yutong on the stage bowed to the people in the audience and said softly:
"I am deeply grateful for your presence at the theater. I will dedicate a song of spring to you all!"

As soon as the words fell, the beautiful woman began to play the music with her delicate hands, and fresh, smooth, lively and cheerful voices suddenly rang out in the theater.

Murong Qingwu's expression moved when she heard the tune, and the green years of her and Shen Yutong when they were young suddenly emerged in her mind. A trace of nostalgia appeared in her beautiful eyes. At that time, she and Shen Yutong were carefree under the protection of their family and elders, and they didn't know what worry felt like. Unfortunately, things often don't go as planned, and the good times are only temporary...
(End of this chapter)