Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 108 A Showdown: Farewell My Concubine (10,000 words, please subscribe)
At the same time, Yan Xun's movements were also extremely fast.

On the open ground directly opposite Guangle Tower, a brand-new stage rose up at a speed visible to the naked eye.

With its carved beams and painted rafters, red curtains and gold paint, it possesses a more luxurious and flamboyant style unique to the capital city compared to the simple elegance of Guang Le Lou.

As soon as the stage was set up, a huge banner was hung up: "Yu Fengxian, the number one dan (female role) in Pingjing, together with the Imperial Tongqing Troupe, will give a free three-day performance to entertain the elders of Zhenhaiwei!"

free!

The moment those two words were uttered, even the most oblivious ordinary people could sense the meaning.

This isn't a performance; it's clearly a sabotage.

The atmosphere inside Qingchun Class was heavy.

"Master, what should we do?" Chunyan asked anxiously, her eyes reddening.

Tie Dan kept his head down, squeezing a wooden spear he used for training until it creaked.

Deng Ming, the manager of Guang Le Lou, was so anxious that he paced around the courtyard like an ant on a hot pan.

"Boss Chen, how about... we temporarily avoid the limelight?" Deng Ming rubbed his hands, his face full of worry.

"That Yu Fengxian is backed by Prince Yu, we can't afford to offend him! Why don't you go back to Qingchun Troupe and rest for a while, and talk to us again after things have calmed down?"

Inside the room, Chen Ye was sketching a face painting in front of a mirror, and upon hearing this, his paintbrush did not stop for a moment.

"When soldiers come, we'll meet them head-on; when water comes, we'll dam it." His voice was calm and unwavering, as if the storm outside had nothing to do with him. "They've already set up their stage right at our doorstep. If we just hide, wouldn't that be surrendering without a fight and making us a laughingstock?"

The calmer he was, the more anxious Deng Ming became.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door, and Lu Jinghong rushed in.

She glanced at Chen Ye, her eyes filled with deep worry, but her words were firm and resolute.

"Boss Chen!" Lu Jinghong waved a thick stack of ticket stubs in his hand. "I've mobilized all the women in the city, as well as the ladies who love listening to your operas. We've bought all the tickets for the next few days at Guang Le Lou!"

She puffed out her chest, a hint of pride on her face: "We've already made it clear that we don't care about any famous actresses from Beijing, we only listen to Boss Chen's performances!"

Chen Ye paused slightly as he outlined Lu Jinghong's eyebrows and eyes. Looking at Lu Jinghong's determined face in the mirror, a warm feeling welled up in his heart.

Meanwhile, under Yan Xun's financial offensive, overnight, the streets of Zhenhaiwei were covered with huge posters of Yu Fengxian.

The poster features Yu Fengxian wearing a pearl and jade phoenix crown and a gold-threaded phoenix robe. Her appearance is elegant and noble, her eyes are disdainful, and her aura is powerful. This contrasts sharply with Chen Ye's aloof and otherworldly beauty, which is like that of a banished immortal.

This has made everyone even more excited for the upcoming performance.

Finally, the day arrived for Yu Fengxian to arrive.

The train slowly pulled into the platform with its whistle blaring, and the entire train station square was already packed with people.

Almost all the prominent merchants and gentry of Zhenhaiwei were present to greet him.

Surrounded by a crowd, Yu Fengxian stepped off the train.

Yan Xun had already made all the arrangements, setting up a temporary stage in the train station square specifically for holding a press conference.

Yu Fengxian stood on the stage, facing reporters from all the newspapers in Zhenhaiwei. She didn't even bother with pleasantries and went straight to the point.

"I heard that a fairy named Lingxian came from Zhenhaiwei?"

His voice carried the arrogance unique to Beijing accents, and his gaze swept over everyone in the audience. "A nobody who hasn't even been in the business for a year dares to say that his singing can affect the heavens? This is utterly ridiculous!"

“I, Yu Fengxian, have been singing opera all my life. I’m here today to clean house and eliminate this kind of sensationalism and malpractice in the opera world.”

His voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable air of authority.

"I'm putting my words here today: Chen Ye, if you know what's good for you, then take down that 'Lingxian' signboard yourself and come to me to admit your mistake. If you're still stubborn, then don't blame me, Yu Fengxian, for being impolite."

These words are tantamount to a direct declaration of war.

The reporters below the stage went wild, and the explosions of smoke filled the air. Yan Xun watched all this with a smug smile on his face.

A reporter mustered up the courage to ask, "Mr. Yu, what exactly do you mean by 'not being polite'?"

"It's very simple! Two days later, my stage and his Guang Le Lou will open at the same time and perform for three consecutive days. After three days, the winner will be determined by the number of audience members and the quality of the performance."

Yu Fengxian paused, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in her eyes.

"The loser must offer tea to the winner in front of all the elders of Zhenhaiwei to concede defeat, and personally remove his own nameplate, never to be used again!"

As soon as this statement came out, the whole place was in an uproar.

In the world of Peking Opera, removing someone's name or title is a punishment far more cruel than killing them!

Because this is tantamount to the complete end of one's artistic life, from which one will never be able to hold one's head high in the industry again, and will become a laughing stock for everyone.

In an instant, everyone's eyes turned to the direction of Guang Le Lou.

How will Chen Ye respond to Yu Fengxian's aggressive provocation?
To retreat or to fight?

That afternoon, a group of reporters waited backstage at Guanglelou.

Chen Ye had just finished practicing his skills, wearing only a thin training uniform, with fine beads of sweat on his forehead.

Faced with a barrage of questions from reporters, he simply took the towel handed to him by Tie Dan, wiped his sweat, and remained completely calm.

"Boss Yu said I was just trying to attract attention and demanded that I admit my guilt."

"In that case, there's nothing more to say."

Chen Ye draped the towel over his shoulder, his eyes clear, his voice soft yet clear and soothing.

"Go back and tell Boss Yu that I will be waiting for him at Guang Le Lou in two days. At that time, everything will depend on our abilities."

These words are tantamount to accepting a challenge!
The reporters were instantly excited; after all, this was huge news!

One is a rising star who rose from humble beginnings to become famous throughout the city, and the other is a renowned actress who reigns supreme in the Peking Opera world and is sought after by princes and nobles. The duel between these two is destined to be recorded in the history of Peking Opera!

When the news spread, public opinion in Zhenhaiwei was completely divided into two factions.

One group consists of die-hard fans of Chen Ye, who firmly believe that Boss Chen is unparalleled in the world.

Another faction believes that although Chen Ye is powerful, he is ultimately confined to a small corner of the country and his foundation is still shallow. How can he compare to Yu Fengxian, the number one actress who fought her way out of the dragon's den in the capital?
The two factions argued fiercely in newspapers, teahouses, and restaurants.

Meanwhile, outside the new stage built by Yan Xun, a signboard was hung high.

Four large, elegant characters were written on it in vermilion ink.

"the drunken beauty".

This is Yu Fengxian's most famous work and also his best piece.

He was going to use his strongest skills to crush Chen Ye fair and square.

All eyes were once again focused on Guang Le Lou.

Yu Fengxian has already made her move. How will Chen Ye respond?
"He'll definitely be singing The Peony Pavilion. After all, no one can match Mr. Chen's portrayal of Du Liniang!"

"That's right, I guessed it was Peony Pavilion."

But when the signboard for Guang Le Lou was put up, everyone was dumbfounded.

Because the sign didn't say "The Peony Pavilion," nor any other play they had ever heard of.

It was a completely new name that no one had ever heard of.

Farewell My Concubine!

(End of this chapter)