Farm Tough Girl
Chapter 359 - 359 360 Appeasing the Noble Lady_1

Chapter 359: Chapter 360 Appeasing the Noble Lady_1 Chapter 359: Chapter 360 Appeasing the Noble Lady_1 “Mu, are we going to talk about business? Is it very exciting?” Tianniu asked with an excited face.

Muniang patted her on the head and smiled, “What’s so exciting about it? But, Tianniu, if you become capable in the future, I’ll let you go and negotiate yourself, alright?”

“Yes!” Tianniu cheered.

Soon, they arrived at Mei Garden, the place where the Mei Team performed operas. When Muniang brought Tianniu in, a servant immediately came up eagerly, “Are you two here to book a private box to watch the opera? I’ll prepare it right away.”

Most opera-goers were men; it was not decent for women to show their faces in such public spaces. However, bored ladies from noble families would also come to watch operas and would book a private box, thus keeping themselves separated from others.

The servant was very observant, and seeing Muniang’s dignified appearance, he naturally treated her as a distinguished lady.

“A private box, please.”

“All right, right away!”

The private box that the servant arranged for Muniang was quite good. It was on the second floor; the first floor had a hall with many tables and chairs where most people sat to watch the opera. Those who could go to the second floor were either rich or noble. The private boxes on the second floor had wide-open doors for the convenience of the audience watching the opera from above. If one got tired of watching and wanted to rest inside, they could just pull down the bamboo curtains or close the doors for some peace and quiet.

As for ancient operas, Muniang, who was a science student, found them quite difficult to understand. She had never studied these before, and now listening to the opera was making her sleepy; her elbow on the table, her head kept nodding off.

A row of black lines appeared on Tianniu’s forehead. Mu, can you really do business with the opera house?

Then, a round of applause erupted, and Tianniu had to push Muniang hard. Muniang snapped back to attention, rubbing her bleary eyes, “Is it over?”

“It’s finished, they’re about to leave the stage.”

Muniang hurriedly started clapping, “Good! Well sung!”

But just as she began to clap, the people below had already quieted down. Her solitary voice of praise echoed in the silent hall, and the actors on the stage looked at her with strange eyes, clearly displeased. Muniang gave an awkward laugh and touched her nose.

Great, she had not been paying attention, but what was with those actors? Their looks were as if they’d seen a wolf. Even if she hadn’t listened, she was still going to pay them. Did they really disdain her for sullying their art? Was her sleeping such a grave offense? Especially that one in the center, who even glared at her!

The servant at her side was eager, immediately coming up to say, “Lady, if you like the opera, it wouldn’t be amiss to give a tip. If there’s an actor you favor, I can have them come up to receive it personally.”

The servant kept his voice low but kept winking and making faces at Muniang, who found his gestures quite baffling. However, considering she was sitting in their VIP seats, she agreed, thinking it wouldn’t be generous of her not to tip well, which might leave them feeling unappreciated.

“Alright, who’s your leader? Have him come up.” This was a good opportunity to talk about a collaboration.

“It’s that one in the center; he’s the most outstanding in our troupe.”

Muniang followed the little page’s hand and saw that he was directly pointing at the actor in the middle who was glaring at her. Muniang frowned, finding the actor’s attitude to be extremely rude.

She couldn’t stand such rudeness and took this opportunity to reprimand him, otherwise he would never learn that the customer is king!

“Enough, call him up here,” she said.

The little page cheerfully acknowledged and quickly disappeared downstairs.

After the actors had finished their performance, they retreated backstage. Far from any sense of joy at the end of their work, they felt an agonizing tension instead.

“Yue Guan’er, the esteemed Lady from the Elegant Pavilion upstairs has summoned you to receive your reward. Clean off your makeup and get up there quickly. Hustle, don’t dawdle,” the little page’s face suddenly changed, and he unleashed a torrent of scolding towards the backstage area.

Zhong Yulang’s expression turned ugly at once, but he heard the little page warning him by his ear: “Don’t you dare try any tricks. If you’ve been asked to go, then hurry up. The Lady seems to be quite lavish, and if you dare hide any Silver away, the master will not spare you!”

The little page then softened his tone: “Butter up the Lady real good, and if she’s pleased, she might reward you with more Silver Coin. The master will naturally give you a bigger share of the profits. Won’t your life be better off then? Don’t be unaware of the good fortune you’re in. It’s rare to have a woman looking as fine as you. If someone handed you over to me, I’d be over the moon; aren’t you satisfied with what you’ve got?”

This was a classic case of offering a carrot after a stick, but to Zhong Yulang, it was a matter of being nauseated or even more nauseated.

No sooner had the little page left than a boy also gathered around, a worried expression on his face as he said, “Big brother.”

Zhong Yulang, however, was quietly removing his makeup, speaking indifferently, “Fortunately, they didn’t pick you. Go back and rest early; don’t worry about me.”

“I knew that woman was no good. She hoards the best seat in the theater for napping instead of watching the play. Then, after we finish, she’s more alert than anyone else. I bet she came with this in mind from the start. Indeed, as soon as we leave the stage, she’s immediately demanding people,” Shen Dong grumbled angrily.

Because of Muniang’s conspicuous seating position, they had noticed a woman napping upstairs early on. Such people were all too common. They weren’t there just to watch the play; rather, they were looking to toy with them, the actors. Though usually, it was men who came for such purposes, which was even more humiliating for the actors.

If women came, typically they would be ravenous women in their thirties or forties—some had lost their husbands, some had husbands so ugly that their spouses didn’t even want a second glance. With their own husbands gallivanting elsewhere, these women, unable to stand being lonely, would bring some Silver to the theater.

The Mei Team’s reputation had risen decades ago, originally known as an honorable troupe. But later, rogues targeted them, murdered their leading master, and seized their acting troupe. Now they used the actors to engage in such unsavory business to make money.

On the surface, they performed plays, but in secrecy, they had been reduced to selling themselves body and soul, an idea that made Zhong Yulang grind his teeth in hatred.

“Kind page, I need to use the privy; I think I’ve had something bad to eat,” he pleaded.

The door-guarding page seemed to understand perfectly and praised Tianniu, “You’re so considerate! I’ll take you to the privy right away.”

Tianniu’s face was a picture of astonishment. Could it be that even visiting the privy was considered considerate?

Muniang was leisurely sipping her tea in the private room, waiting until she noticed someone arriving. Only then did she lift her head to look.