Rumor Has It That I’m Pregnant with His Highness’ Child - Chapter 422
Chapter 422: No Way Out
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Yu Niaoniao looked around as she walked and saw many costumes drying in the small courtyard.
Those costumes had been used for a long time and had long been washed out of color. There were obvious signs of mending.
When she walked into the house, she realized that it was filled with old tables and chairs. There was a temporary stage built of wooden planks in the middle of the house.
Liu Qirui took the initiative to introduce the troupe.
“We originally had a theater, but in order to repay our debt, we were forced to give it up. Now we could only live here. The more famous actors in the theater had left.’
“Now that the opera troupe was in danger, I don’t know how long we could last. Even if you’re willing to pay for the opera troupe, it’s very difficult to let it return to its former glory.”
Yu Niaoniao looked at his hard face and asked.
“You don’t seem too willing to let me buy the troupe?”
Liu Qirui admitted frankly, “I really don’t want to sell the opera troupe.”
Yu Niaoniao expressed her understanding. “You have no choice.”
Seeing that her attitude was still polite, Liu Qirui did not put on a high and mighty attitude the way he did with the other buyers.
Hence, Liu Qirui softened his tone and advised pertinently, “I believe that kid from the Zheng family has already told you the reason why our opera troupe declined. If you don’t want to cause trouble, I advise you not to get involved in this mess.”
A crisp woman’s voice suddenly came.
“Father, what are you talking about?!”
Yu Niaoniao looked in the direction of the voice and saw a little girl in an apricot-colored dress with two buns walking over quickly.
The little girl looked to be about fourteen years old. Because she had been malnourished for a long time, her face was a little yellow and her body was even thinner than her peers.
She held the tray with both hands. On it were two teacups.
She walked quickly, but the tray was held firmly. The tea in the teacup was not spilled at all.
Liu Qirui frowned at her. “Sixing, why are you out?”
“I heard that we had a guest, so I came to take a look.”
The little girl placed the tray on the table and took out a cloth from her waist. She wiped the table and chairs quickly and invited Yu Niaoniao to sit down with a smile.
She placed the teacup in front of Yu Niaoniao with a very enthusiastic attitude. “My name is Liu Sixing, and I’m the daughter of the troupe master. May I know your name?”
Yu Niaoniao said, “My surname is Yu.”
Liu Sixing ignored her father’s unhappy expression and sat down opposite Yu Niaoniao.
“Young Master Yu, you’re here to buy our opera troupe, right?”
Yu Niaoniao felt that this little girl was quite interesting and replied with a smile, “Yes.”
Liu Sixing said, “You have such good taste! Our Qirui Opera Troupe used to be a
famous drama troupe in the Imperial Capital. There were countless spectators who came to our opera troupe every day, and the demand for tickets was even greater.”
“The actors nurtured by our opera troupe are all outstanding. Any name you call out can resound with the audience like thunder.”
Liu Qirui scolded angrily, “Enough. That’s all in the past. Don’t mention it again! Go down first. You have nothing to do here.”
Liu Sixing’s butt was still on the stool, as she refused to leave.
“Although those things are in the past, they really happened. I have to tell
Young Master Yu, don’t you think so?” Yu Niaoniao smiled. “Miss Liu is right.” Liu Sixing seemed to have found something to rely on and raised her chin at Liu Qirui.
“See, Young Master Yu supports me.”
“I can’t explain it to you clearly!” Liu Qirui was angry and anxious. He turned to Yu Niaoniao.
“Sixing is young, so she’s inevitably a little rash. Don’t lower yourself to her level. No matter how glorious Qirui Opera Troupe was in the past, it has declined now.”
Liu Sixing panicked when she heard this.
“Father!”
Liu Qirui did not look at her and continued to speak to Yu Niaoniao.
“Our opera troupe has fallen and we still owe a huge debt. Even if the opera troupe was mortgaged, it would not be enough. If you buy our opera troupe, not only will you have to bear the risk of offending the powerful, but you also have to bear a huge debt.”
“You look quite young. Don’t act rashly. I advise you to go back and discuss it with your family. Think carefully before making a decision.”
Seeing that her father had exposed everything, Liu Sixing could not sit still anymore. She jumped up and shouted.
“Father, if you continue like this, we’re really going to starve to death!”
Liu Qirui retorted, “Aren’t we hungry already?”
“That’s because senior brothers go out every day to do manual labor! Do you know how much work they have to do every day and how much disdain they have to suffer to earn enough money to live?”
“They took you as their master back then to learn opera from you. But now I can’t remember how long it has been since they last appeared on stage!” At the end, Liu Sixing’s eyes turned red and her voice became choked.
Liu Qirui’s lips trembled as if he wanted to defend himself, but in the end, he could not say anything.
Liu Sixing wiped her eyes hard.
“If there was any hope, I wouldn’t want to sell the opera troupe, but now we’re really at our wits’ end.”
Liu Qirui lowered his head and remained silent.
Seeing him like this, Liu Sixing felt mentally and physically exhausted.
She had said similar things many times, but every time she reached the end, her father would be as silent as he was now.
The atmosphere between father and daughter gradually stiffened.
Yu Niaoniao spoke on time, “Do you guys want to hear me out?”
The Liu father and daughter turned to look at her.
Yu Niaoniao cleared her throat. “I’ve understood most of your situation. It’s time for you to know my situation. I’m actually not very interested in singing opera. The reason I want to buy a theater is to perform a show.”
She took out the playbook and placed it on the table, indicating for the Liu father and daughter to take a look.
Liu Qirui opened the play and read.
Liu Sixing craned her neck to take a look too.
The playbook expressed the plot in a series of drawings. Even if they did not know many words, they could understand the content.
Yu Niaoniao picked up the teacup and lifted the lid to take a look. Only then did she realize that it was filled with cold water. There was not even a single tea leaf.
After all, tea leaves were quite expensive. With the troupe’s current situation, they definitely could not afford it.
After looking at the script, the expressions of the father and daughter were very solemn.
Liu Sixing asked directly, “Young Master Yu, do you think your life is too comfortable and wish to deliberately cause trouble for yourself?”
Liu Qirui also said, “No one in the entire Imperial Capital dares to film your script.”
Yu Niaoniao smiled.
“That’s why I came to you. Anyway, you’re already in such a sorry state. You can’t be much worse.”
The Liu father and daughter felt as if they had been stabbed in the heart.
