Chapter 19: Crescent Moon
After the excavation of the Tomb of the King of Chu, Tan Xiao not only kept in touch with Mu Fei, but also added Mr. Ji and Professor Mo on WeChat.
Although both experts were busy with excavations and could not often chat with Tan Xiao, a high school student, there was always a way to get in touch.
The next day, when Tan Xiao woke up, he received a voice message from Ji Lao:
[Tan Xiao, our excavation work is going very smoothly. We plan to hold the first press conference next week to report the situation. It is really thanks to you and the comrades in the 404 Office. We have written a thank-you letter to the 404 Office and prepared a silk banner. We are also going to send a thank-you letter to your unit, uh, your school, and publicly thank you.]
By the way, Mu Fei also applied for a compensation for Tan Xiao at the outsourcing price from the 404 Office for his help twice before. This matter should be treated separately. The financial process takes some time, and the amount is not very high, but it is still a token of my appreciation.
The thanks that Mr. Ji mentioned were from the excavation team. If it weren't inconvenient to say, it would be more than just a thank you letter. I'm afraid the archaeological documentary about the Tomb of the King of Chu that is being filmed would have to be dedicated to a chapter.
This was the first time Tan Xiao and Mr. Ji had communicated after adding each other on WeChat. Mr. Ji got up early, and when Tan Xiao saw him, it was already seven o'clock. He quickly said: "Thank you, Mr. Ji."
He then asked: [Have you decided how to edit it?]
Mr. Ji: [……]
Regarding the issue of "academic fraud", Mr. Ji and his team have been thinking about it for a long time. Now many of their things are deduced based on archaeological conclusions first.
So whether to publish some things, whether to compile them, and how to compile them all need to be considered. These things are much more troublesome than on-site excavation work, and the materials are enough to make people bald.
Even in the thank-you letter I wrote to Tan Xiao, I was not allowed to tell the truth and give no details.
Mr. Ji: […I still need to check your testimony. When you speak to others in the future, please claim that there is an oral tradition in your family.]
Tan Xiao certainly has no objection: [OKOK]
As he spoke, he got up and went downstairs. Tan Chunying hadn't gotten up yet. This was not unusual. As a full-time wizard, Tan Chunying's working hours were always relatively free and lazy. Anyway, she could set the auspicious time by herself. Especially now that there were no tourists to receive and no performance invitations.
Tan Xiao has known how to be independent since he was young, and he went out to buy soup dumplings by himself.
When I came back, Tan Chunying had also gotten up. She sat in the yard, tying her bamboo hat while talking on the phone: "Yes, I'm back, but my concussion hasn't fully healed yet. I'm afraid I can't help."
After hearing what was said over there, Tan Chunying said "Oh" twice, took a bite of the bun that Tan Xiao handed to her, and said, "I don't want to miss this good opportunity either. How about letting my son go alone? Is that okay?"
Tan Xiao: “?”
Where are we going to sell him to work?
Tan Chunying hung up the phone and said to Tan Xiao: "Remember the recent tourism festival?"
Tan Xiao: “Yeah.”
Everyone in Nanchu knows about the Tourism Festival because they see promotions every day. Besides Tan Chunying’s story, what Tan Xiao remembers most is that the opening ceremony of the Tourism Festival is about the same time as the supermoon.
"I wasn't originally asked to perform at the opening ceremony, but as you know I had a concussion, I didn't make it." Tan Chunying stomped her feet with a bit of regret. She was furious at the thought of missing out on a promotional opportunity.
"But there are various other projects coming up. Now I am being asked to perform again because one of the originally scheduled shows is short of people."
In recent years, Nanchu has focused on developing tourism and nighttime economy, and has invested heavily in this tourism festival. As it is the peak tourist season, the government also held a gala at the opening ceremony.
It's not over after the opening. Afterwards, various regular street flash mob performances, street folk performances and other programs are arranged.
This time, an open-air performance and light show will be held in Yueshan Park, which is known as one of the "Ten Scenic Spots of Southern Chu". The purpose is to combine folk culture and popular culture in order to attract tourists of more age groups.
"We can't miss it again. I didn't go to the opening ceremony, so they invited people to perform the Duangong dance." Tan Chunying still feels a little resentful when she mentions her colleagues. Although they didn't deliberately steal the business, the result didn't matter. There is fierce competition in the cultural and tourism industry these days.
"I asked about this performance. It's on Saturday night, and you don't have to study that day. They seem to have invited a band, and Granny Mi's square dance team will come to dance with us. We can just rehearse a few times in advance."
Tan Chunying remembered that Tan Xiao was already a sophomore in high school, and she hesitated again, "Do you have a lot of homework now? If you can't finish it, I'll go by myself. I should be able to hold on for half an hour."
"No, no, next Saturday? I'll go." Tan Xiao thought it would be better to let Tan Chunying rest more. Although he had a talisman on him, he was still a little worried. His mother was very reckless. Homework was not a problem, and it was not the first time he helped his mother with similar performances. It was just the first time for him to carry the burden by himself.
But it's just drum accompaniment, no big problem.
As soon as Tan Chunying agreed, Tan Xiao's name was immediately added to the poster.
Tan Xiao took a look and saw that their program was sandwiched between a children's Kunqu opera program and a song medley program. There were parentheses behind his name, which read "Inheritor of Nanchu Intangible Cultural Heritage".
He didn't take it seriously at first, but when he got to school, two classmates he didn't know came up to him and he was hesitant to talk to them.
After standing for a long time, Tan Xiao waited patiently for them to speak, staring at each other. How would he know who the other person was if they didn't speak?
After a long while, the two classmates finally called him: "Tan Xiao?"
"Huh?" Because they were not at their seats, Tan Xiao couldn't call out their names.
"Well, we saw a poster. Are you going to collaborate with the Zhurong band? I really like them. Can you help me get an autograph?"
"Excuse me for interrupting you."
"It doesn't matter if you don't have time..."
The two of them looked at Tan Xiao nervously, afraid of being rejected. Didn't they see how cold Tan Xiao was to Kong Xuan?
The Zhurong Band was the band invited by Nanchu City to perform together with the spiritual master.
"Okay, if they are free, I'll get an autograph. Just write your names." Tan Xiao was quite easy to talk to. They were all classmates, so it was easy for him to help get an autograph.
The two classmates wrote their names on his notebook and wanted to wipe away their tears. They were in the same class with Tan Xiao since the first year of high school, but he didn't have us in his eyes after all!
…
Tan Xiao usually doesn't pay much attention to bands. After chatting with his classmates for a few sentences, he found out that the Zhurong band is a local band in Chu Province. They perform in the provincial capital all year round and are quite famous among fans both locally and nationwide.
In addition, most of their creative content is drawn from local culture, so we invited them this time.
This time the band will perform three songs, and Tan Xiao and the square dance team will assist them with one of the songs called "Li Huo".
Tan Xiao only needed to play the drums during the prelude, interlude and at the end to add a little folk atmosphere, so the rehearsal was actually not difficult.
On Saturday, Tan Xiao cleaned up the drums at home and polished them.
The Peacock God seemed to be living on earth now. Seeing him packing up the drum, he walked down from the altar and asked leisurely, "Where are you going to perform the ritual?"
"It's not about how to do it, it's about performing it." Tan Xiao said while holding the drum.
When the Peacock God heard this, he felt a little uncomfortable. He walked around the drum and said with his hands behind his back, "All witch music is to entertain the gods."
What the Peacock God meant was that during sacrifices, wizards used singing and dancing to please the gods, and the birth of music and dance are inseparable from primitive religion.
"Yes, yes, now it is the culmination of human art." Tan Xiao dragged the drum out, "God bless me to have a smooth performance."
The Peacock God snorted loudly behind him, but Tan Xiao couldn't help but laugh.
Tan Xiao followed Tan Chunying. Although Tan Chunying was not performing, she had to go to the scene to maintain order and communicate with the organizers.
The two went to the performance site for rehearsal half a day in advance. The venue, Yueshan Park, is very large, with mountains and water. It is open to the public free of charge and has always been a good place for Nanchu citizens to go on picnics, strolls, and cool off.
The stage has been set up, and there is a mobile cabin at the back that serves as a temporary lounge and dressing room.
It was not until this time that they saw the four real members of the Zhurong band, consisting of the lead singer and keyboardist, bassist, guitarist, and drummer.
The lead singer first shook hands with Tan Chunying, and then looked at Tan Xiao with interest.
"You're really a little brother. Hello, I'm A-Mao, you can also call me Sister Maomao." The female lead singer wanted to pinch Tan Xiao's face, and said with a smile, "We are half-fellow villagers. My grandmother's home is in Nanchu, and many of my relatives still live here. Which school are you from?"
"Nanchu No. 1 Middle School." Tan Xiao quietly memorized the appearance features of these people. Fortunately, they were all wearing performance costumes, so they were very obvious and easy to remember.
"I have a cousin who is also in the first year of high school at Nanchu No. 1 Middle School. Maybe you have met him." Maomao said with a smile.
Unfortunately, Tan Xiao knew very few people at school. He was not familiar with many of his classmates, not to mention those in different grades. On the one hand, it was because of face blindness, but more likely it was because he spent all his spare time at home working and studying. A person only has so much energy.
"By the way, brother, do you know why we have to cooperate?" Maomao took off his jacket, revealing his tattooed arms.
Isn't it because the previous partner didn't have time? So they asked my family to be the replacement. Tan Xiao wanted to say this, but after thinking about it, he said:
"The ancestor of the Chu people, Chongli, was the chief of fire and was named 'Zhurong'. Zhu means witch, and belongs to the same witch culture as spiritual master. This song also writes about many ancient fire myths. The witch drum music can add to the atmosphere."
Four members of the band: “…”
"Oh my god, now that you explain it like that, I almost think we're a match made in heaven." Maomao said in shock, "Hahahaha, but what I actually wanted to say is that before I came here, I watched a video of Ms. Tan's performance, and I thought they were a good match."
Tan Chunying smiled and nodded beside him, indeed she had the style of a folk artist.
Hi, she has been performing for so many years, her traces are all over the Internet, and she even has her own account.
"Let's do it together." Maomao took the opportunity to lead Tan Xiao and Ge to try out the sound system.
The drum that Tan Xiao brought was also upright, with a pattern of a phoenix capturing a snake carved on the edge of the drum, which was in the same vein as the "Phoenix Drum" in the tomb of the King of Chu, and had a very Chu-style atmosphere. This was why Tan Xiao could recognize the Phoenix Drum at a glance.
"Is this an antique? It looks very old." Maomao couldn't help but touch the drum.
"It's a replica. The original is indeed many years old. My mother donated it to the museum." Tan Xiao explained that their family actually had quite a few antiques passed down, especially the necessary instruments for spiritualists, such as drums and bows. "But the production method is still handmade, and it has been used for about ten years."
"No wonder, it took a long time to use." Maomao liked the phoenix pattern very much and took a picture of it with his mobile phone.
There were already a lot of actors on the scene, and everyone had to come in advance to put on makeup and rehearse. Tan Xiao also saw a group of elementary school children running around, probably the children's Kunqu opera program they had earlier.
Kunqu originated in Kunshan, but this art has long been spread to other places. Chu Province can be regarded as a major opera province, with dozens of local operas. Because Kunqu is popular, there is also a Kunqu Opera Troupe in Southern Chu, which has absorbed some characteristics of local operas. It performs and holds classes on weekdays and is also famous among local opera fans.
This time the kids are going to perform a Bao Gong play, that is, a play with Bao Zheng as the protagonist. Plays like "Qin Xianglian" and "Chisang Town" are all Bao Gong plays.
What they were going to perform was the Kunqu opera "Bao Gong Pays for Love" segment from the Bao Gong play.
Tan Xiao reached out and held a child who had bumped into his legs while running and jumping, then picked him up and handed him to his parents.
"I'm sorry." The parent took it over smoothly, "Come on, come on, it's time to draw the face."
The child was chubby and quite cute. He turned around and winked at Tan Xiao mischievously.
Tan Xiao found it funny to see him being grabbed and pressed on a stool. The makeup artist quickly drew a yin-yang face on him with oil paint and also drew a slanted crescent moon between his eyebrows.
Bao Gong's facial makeup has always been a black and white yin-yang face with a crescent moon, corresponding to the legend that Bao Qingtian judges the yang during the day and the yin at night.
After the makeup artist finished applying the makeup, he rushed to his next shift elsewhere in the venue. However, just as he left, the person in charge of the stage came to inspect.
"I wonder if this face is painted crookedly." The person in charge didn't know much about opera masks, he just knew that this crooked one looked very uncomfortable, and it made him almost suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The child's parent said hesitantly: "The makeup artist has left. It seems that it is a little crooked..."
In fact, the children have only performed in full makeup a few times. They usually sing without makeup. Parents have never observed the details of the facial makeup, such as whether the crescent is crooked. It would be fine if they didn't say anything. Once they did, it was really crooked and a bit awkward.
"It makes me sad to see this. Why did the person just leave? Can you please fix it for him?" The person in charge gave the order hurriedly and ran to the next group.
The parent was scratching his head, as there was no oil paint available. Fortunately, his wife had a white eyeliner, and he borrowed some eyeliner cream and started painting on his own.
The young actor dressed as Bao Gong pouted and said, "Our teacher always draws us like this."
"That's your teacher." The child's father tried hard to control his shaking hands and corrected the crescent.
…
At 7:30 in the evening, the show officially began, starting with the landscape light show in Yueshan Park, which immediately attracted a large crowd, including tourists and citizens.
While waiting, Tan Xiao did not stay in the mobile home, but went outside with Tan Chunying to watch the light show and performances.
About half an hour later, Tan Xiao saw a group of little kids in costume running onto the stage. When the little Baolu passed by, he touched the little guy's head.
They were all made up, so it was rare for him to recognize them. Oh, if only everyone had a different face makeup.
Little Bao Gong turned around and recognized Tan Xiao, and stuck out his tongue at him.
"Hey, this kid." Tan Chunying glanced at it inadvertently and called out, "Why is the crescent moon drawn crooked?"
"Huh?" Tan Xiao watched him put on makeup and knew the reason, but he was a little confused. "No, it turned out that it was crooked, and then the person in charge asked his parents to correct it."
"No, it's an old custom in Nanchu. No matter what troupe it is, the crescent moon on Bao Gong's face is painted upside down." Tan Chunying said with a smile, "Legend has it that there was a painter in the troupe in the past, but the ghosts thought it was the real Bao Gong and came to complain."
"Is there such a requirement?" Only then did Tan Xiao understand why Tan Chunying pointed at the straight facial makeup and said it was crooked. It turned out that the crescent should have been drawn at an angle.
"Yeah, but their children are fine." Tan Chunying took two steps forward indifferently, "You said that this child singing is really cute."
With the dense beating of gongs and drums, the young actor has already come on stage, still with the microphone on, walking in a serious manner, staring with eyes wide open and reciting the lines: "The awe-inspiring righteousness shakes the heaven and earth, the glittering bronze guillotine frightens the gods and ghosts!"
The audience cheered in approval: "Good!"
This young actor was not at all stage-frightened. With the applause from the audience, he performed more steadily, singing, reciting, acting and fighting meticulously.
Little Bao Gong took circular steps, turned around and faced the stage again. He caught a glimpse of two people coming almost close to the stage entrance, a man and a woman. They were relatively short and both wore Hanfu.
Nowadays, many people wear Hanfu as casual clothes, especially in Nanchu, where many tourist attractions have opened Hanfu photo studios. Tourists walk around in Hanfu, and it is not uncommon to see young men and ladies on the streets.
Even in Xiao Bao Gong's class, there were many little girls who wore modified Hanfu skirts, so he didn't feel anything was wrong with the two audience members' attire. He just felt a little weird that they were staring at him straight at the stage.
Normally the audience shouldn't get so close, and there were security guards downstairs, but the security guards ignored these two people.
While performing, little Bao Gong felt strange and confused.
At this moment, he slammed the gavel and ordered the guillotine to be used, closing the case. The two people in the audience heard this, their eyes lit up, and they actually climbed onto the stage: "It's our turn, it's our turn!"
Tan Xiao also noticed that there were two people in front of the stage, but the security guard didn't say anything, so he thought they were also actors.
But when the two of them were climbing onto the stage, Tan Xiao felt something was wrong because no one was trying to stop them.
——As the two of them climbed, their entire bodies were exposed, including the soles of their shoes with peony paper-cuts on them.
Upon closer inspection, I found that all the ribbons of the "Hanfu" they were wearing were not tied. In the hot autumn weather, they were wearing five sets of tops. Their lower body could not be seen clearly, but it was obvious that they were wearing more than one piece. The color was blue on the outside and red on the inside.
Five collars, three bodies, and decals on the soles. It would be strange if Tan Xiao didn't recognize him.
What these two are wearing are shrouds.
