1978 Synthetic Writers

Chapter 69 Teacher Chen's New Work

After dinner, Jiang Xian went out to digest his food.

"Hey, go!"

At this time in the capital, horse-drawn carriages are allowed to enter the city after 7pm.

Most of the carriages came in from Guang'anmen, Guangqumen and Yongdingmen, and the roads were covered with horse manure, which was a spectacular sight.

The coachmen were a little more particular and would put a dung bag under the horse's butt and pick up the horse dung they came across. After all, chemical fertilizers had not yet been produced on a large scale and dung was an important raw material for production. Dung and urine had to be supplied with tickets.

Of course, being allowed after 7 o'clock does not mean that people will really wait until after 7 o'clock to enter. There are many lawless criminals and thieves, and some of them often engage in "guerrilla warfare", causing legends such as "Horse-drawn carriages causing trouble in Shuangyushu" and "Horse-drawn carriages causing trouble in Panjiayuan".

Horse-drawn carriages in the capital have always been a difficult problem to control. Everyone is afraid of being whipped by the coachman. Even if the carriages are confiscated, feeding the horses is a big problem. It was not until the Olympics that horse-drawn carriages in the capital were finally banned.

"Are your watermelons ripe?" Jiang Xian found a cart parked along the road, which was covered with unsold watermelons.

It is the season when watermelons are on the market. There is an endless stream of horse-drawn carriages delivering watermelons to the city on the old Beijing road, forming a long queue with no end in sight.

"Ripe! These are all Daxing watermelons, with thin skin and fresh flesh. Please try some."

Jiang Xian tasted a piece and it was good, crispy and sandy.

Daxing watermelons are well-known in Beijing, and watermelon festivals and various watermelon competitions are often held. Later, a watermelon king named Song Baosen emerged. One of his watermelons was auctioned for a high price of 1.32 yuan, and was immediately entered into the Guinness World Records, making him the "world-class watermelon king."

Watermelons were 5 cents a pound, Jiang Xian picked up two, more than 20 pounds, and spent a little more than one yuan. He also picked up some grapes, apples, pears, and gourd-shaped dates.
I went back to buy the watermelon and ate a pear, but there was no sign of inspiration [fruit]. It seems that the progress of 100 has nothing to do with eating.

If it’s not eating, then what is it?

He tried to sell a pear to Jiang Ke as if he was doing an experiment, but after forcing the sale, there was still no progress.

That's hard enough.

I washed up and went to bed feeling depressed.

The next morning, Jiang Xian carried the prepared fruits and went straight to Guan Xuezeng's house.

Some people in later generations said that Guan Xiaotong was a princess, but that’s not true.

Although Guan Xueceng was a bannerman, by the time of his father's generation, his family had fallen into poverty like many other Eight Banners descendants. His father pulled a cart and his mother mended clothes for others, and the family of four was so poor that they only had two quilts left.

Moreover, his family was from the Bordered Blue Banner. In the Qing Dynasty, the Eight Banners were divided into the "Upper Three Banners" and the "Lower Five Banners", and the Bordered Blue Banner had the lowest status among the "Lower Five Banners".

The first thing Cixi did when she became the Empress Dowager was to raise her natal family from the Bordered Blue Banner to the Bordered Yellow Banner.

However, the old man made great contributions to art. He even risked his life to visit the battlefield of the Volunteer Army to express his condolences, which earned him a place in the folk art world.

Before I parked the car, I could faintly hear the sounds of humming, singing, and beating drums and boards in the yard.

"The mountains are high and the ravines are deep, the journey is dangerous, and there are many hardships on the road to the West. The master and his disciples set out on the journey together, vowing to wipe out the monsters and obtain the scriptures."

He stood under the willow tree at the door and listened carefully for a while.

As soon as the drums stopped beating, Guan Xuezeng looked up and saw the boy, "Writer Jiang?"

"Mr. Guan, how are you?" Jiang Xian bowed.

"What are you doing standing outside? Come inside, come inside."

"Does the old man have guests at home?"

"I just happen to have an old friend from the south. I'd like to introduce you to him." Guan Xuezeng led him into the main room, where two men, one old and one young, were sitting. They were both a little thin and looked somewhat familiar.

Guan Xuezeng introduced with a smile, "This is writer Jiang Xian."

Then he turned around and said, "This is Zhang Zongyi, a Shaoxing opera actor, also known as the 'Southern Monkey King'.

That’s his youngest son, Zhang Jinlai.”

Ok?
Jiang Xian glanced at Zhang Zongyi, then at the short and thin kid behind him, and was extremely happy. Isn't this Teacher Liu?
Teacher Liu is the "fourth generation monkey". The Zhang family is a family of monkey kings, and has produced four generations of monkey kings. His father Zhang Zongyi's stage name is Liu Lingtong, and he is a Shaoju artist.

The teacher wrote the poem "Today we cheer for the Great Sage, because the evil fog has come again" after watching his performance of "The Monkey King 3 Defeats the White Bone Demon".

Zhang Zongyi had 11 sons, and the sixth teacher who later became a household name was the youngest.

What is not well known is that when filming the 86 version of "Journey to the West", the Monkey King Yang Jie wanted was Zhang Zongyi's disciple - "Jiangnan Monkey King" Liu Jianyang.

As a result, due to Zhang Zongyi's interference, Yang Jie didn't even see Liu Jianyang, and was directly intercepted by Zhang Zongyi and his son Zhang Jinlai.

"No wonder I was listening to the lyrics outside the courtyard just now. It turns out that you two were practicing inside."

"Excuse me, excuse me." Zhang Zongyi bowed politely. When he was young, he had a bad voice and was not good at singing, so he focused on acting.

"How old is this child this year?" Jiang Xian looked at Teacher Liu with the attitude of an elder senior.

Zhang Jinlai raised his head and said shyly, "Just 20."

He looked very serious at that time, and didn't have the cleverness of a monkey. Later, he started to perform well while filming "Journey to the West".

"Where do you work?"

“I studied opera at the Kunqu Opera School in Hangzhou.”

Guan Xuezeng introduced Zhang Zongyi with a smile, "Don't underestimate writer Jiang because he is young. He was invited to the National Congress of Writers."

The Writers' Congress invited me?

Jiang Xian's ears twitched.

Guan Xuezeng continued, "The Federation of Literary and Art Circles gave three representative quotas to young writers in Beijing, and writer Jiang got one. I know him and paid special attention to him at the discussion meeting."

"Really? I haven't received the letter yet." Jiang Xian was happy and relieved.

Zhang Jinlai was also listening and was filled with admiration. This guy clearly didn't look very old, at most four or five years older than him, and yet he could already attend the National Congress of Writers?
Moreover, when this man sat there, his temperament was just like his father's generation. His every move was relaxed and comfortable, not restrained at all. Zhang Jinlai especially admired this kind of people.

"Little brat, practice your acting skills so that we can invite you next time," said Zhang Zongyi.

"Yes." Jiang Xian also encouraged: "Listen to your father and study opera well. I am a writer and you are an opera singer. Let's strive to flourish in different fields."

"Thank you, writer Jiang."

After returning to the Beijing Film Studio, Jiang Xian went back to his room and revised "Furong Town" for a while. Ge You came over and said that a Hong Kong movie was showing in the auditorium today, so the two of them went to watch it together.

The movie is "Fist of Fury" starring Bruce Lee, which was released in 72. He passed away the second year after its release, and his whereabouts remain a mystery to this day.

But this movie is still pretty cool. Bruce Lee plays Chen Zhen, who kicks the sign that says "Chinese and dogs are not allowed" and then beats up the Japanese.

There is a scene in the movie where the Japanese Suzuki Hiroshi is kicked far away by Bruce Lee. In fact, the one who was kicked was his stunt double, whose name was Jackie Chan.

"It's so inappropriate. China and Japan are enjoying friendly relations right now. How can we show this kind of movie?" After the movie ended, Ge You sighed.

"Just tell me whether you feel good or not?"

"It's so fucking cool!" Ge You grinned, "It's a pity that Chen Zhen died in the end. I cried when I saw it."

Jiang Xian ignored him.

Chen Zhen, Chen Zhen. Who is his master?

Walking alone.

Suddenly I thought of what Teacher Chen Qi should write.

(End of this chapter)