SWDnovel Chapter 16, "The Battle of Changban"
Chapter 16, "The Battle of Changban"
In Beiping at night, the wind whips up snow, which feels like knives seeping into your collar.
It was already past midnight when we got back to Deyun Tea Garden.
The lights were still on backstage, and the dim kerosene lamps shone through the gaps in the heavy cotton curtains, casting warm orange beams of light onto the snow.
No one was sleeping inside.
The troupe leader, Zhou Daikui, was wrapped in an old sheepskin coat, clutching a pipe in his hand. He didn't smoke it, but just smacked his lips dry, the deep lines on his brows deep enough to trap a fly.
Beside them, Feng Sanniang, Lao Guantou, and that group of young apprentices who hadn't even finished their apprenticeships all hunched over, their eyes fixed on the doorway.
This meal was a "Feast at Hongmen".
If the talks break down, it's uncertain whether he can come back.
"They're back! They're back!"
It was one of the sharp-eyed apprentices who shouted it out.
As soon as the curtain was lifted, a blast of cold air, carrying snowflakes, rushed in.
Immediately afterwards, Lu Cheng stepped into the house, his expression calm.
Behind him followed the blind Abing, who still carried his old erhu in his arms, but today his back was straighter than the big flag on the stage.
"Mako!"
Zhou Daikui threw his pipe on the table, jumped up, and strode over to Lu Cheng, patting him all over.
"Are you alright? Did that skinflint Liu make things difficult for you? Are all your arms and legs intact?"
"Master, what are you saying?"
Lu Cheng smiled, casually took off his scarf covered in snowflakes, and handed it to his little apprentice who was already waiting beside him.
"I'm going to eat, not to fight. What could possibly happen?"
"Have a meal?"
Zhou Daikui was taken aback and looked at Lu Cheng suspiciously.
"That Liu the Skinflint is like a greedy pig, only taking in and never giving out, yet he actually invited you to dinner. What about Little Sheng Yun? Didn't he cause any trouble either?"
Lu Cheng walked to the stove, warmed his hands in the heat, and spoke casually.
"The tea is gone, but the cup is broken."
"As for the food... the dishes at 'Tongheju' were too greasy, so I didn't eat any."
"what?"
Everyone backstage was stunned.
What does it mean when a cup is broken?
At this moment, Ah Bing, who had been silent all along, chuckled.
He walked to a corner, carefully hung up his erhu, and then turned around. Although his gray eyes were invisible, they seemed to shine with a sharp light.
"Master, you didn't see it."
"Today, Master Lu was at Tongheju Restaurant, and he truly 'destroyed enemy ships and forts in the blink of an eye'."
"Then Qinghe Troupe brought in Lei Laohu to oversee things."
"Thunder Tiger?"
Old Guan's hand trembled, and he exclaimed in surprise, "That Lei Laohu who practices Iron Palm and can break bricks with his hands?"
"That's him, isn't it?"
Ah Bing curled his lip. "And what happened? Our Master Lu just stretched out a finger and lightly touched the teacup..."
Ah Bing vividly recounted how Lu Cheng used the Tiger and Leopard Thunder Sound to intimidate the entire audience, how he shattered a teacup with a single finger, and even how he embedded a shard of porcelain into a nanmu pillar, embellishing the story with exaggerated details.
Of course, this is also the storytelling skill of a seasoned veteran.
But that core "exhilarating" feeling got everyone backstage excited, their eyes wide with excitement.
"My goodness..."
The young apprentice, Shunzi, was drooling as he listened. "How much force would it take to flick a shard of porcelain into a pillar?"
"That's not skill, that's kung fu."
Ah Bing said with an arrogant expression, "That's the 'bone-penetrating strength' that only masters of internal martial arts can cultivate!"
Zhou Daikui was also terrified, looking at Lu Cheng as if he were a statue of a deity enshrined in a temple.
His Qingyun Troupe has struck gold.
"Alright, stop listening to Ah Bing's nonsense."
Lu Cheng waved his hand, interrupting the crowd's praise.
He didn't want these people to think of him as a mere brute who only knew how to fight and kill.
He was the star, the pillar of the troupe.
"Everyone, stop standing there! It's past midnight. Since you're still awake, let's get down to business."
Lu Cheng's gaze swept over everyone. "The feud between Qinghe Troupe and the troupe is now firmly established. Tomorrow night's performance is crucial. From now on, we must let our performances speak for themselves and not allow anyone to find fault with us."
"Yes, Master Lu!"
The crowd responded in unison, their voices louder than usual, brimming with enthusiasm.
Zhou Daikui immediately had someone bring out the late-night snack that had been prepared in advance—steaming hot noodles with soybean paste, with an irresistible aroma.
"Chengzi, since we're going to see the real test tomorrow, what should we act out?"
While mixing the noodles, Zhou Daikui asked the most crucial question.
The day before yesterday was "Lin Chong's Night Flight," which was filled with grief and resentment.
Yesterday's show was "Wu Song Fights the Tiger," which depicts wildness and ferocity.
Tomorrow, we need to put on a performance that exudes righteousness and showcases the skills of a master martial arts actor.
Lu Cheng put down his chopsticks and pondered for a moment.
"Master, bring out that white robe."
Lu Cheng raised his head, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.
"Tomorrow night, we'll be performing 'The Battle of Changban'."
"Zhao Zilong?!"
Zhou Daikui's eyes lit up, but then he hesitated.
"Chengzi, Changbanpo is a major production, also known as the 'Great Martial Arts' play."
"This play emphasizes 'combining literary and martial arts skills,' requiring not only physical martial arts skills, such as being able to fight one's way through thousands of troops, but also being proficient in singing, recitation, acting, and fighting."
"Especially that 'Qiba' section and the 'Yanxinjia' technique, if you're even slightly off, you'll be exposed as weak."
The play "Changbanpo" is a touchstone for martial arts actors.
If you perform well, then you're a true star.
If they mess it up, it'll be a joke.
"It's okay, I know what I'm doing."
Lu Cheng said calmly.
Shunzi, who was slurping his noodles next to him, suddenly chimed in with a grin.
"If Cheng Ye is playing Zhao Yun, then who will play Liu Shan (A Dou)?"
"How about... Mr. Cheng, you play A Dou too? After all, you're a 'child prodigy' descended to earth, you can do everything."
Upon hearing this, everyone backstage burst into laughter.
The tense atmosphere eased slightly.
Lu Cheng smiled, picked up a chopstick, and gently tapped Shunzi's head.
"loquacious."
"Don't even think about it, Adou. That's just a prop doll."
"However, if you want to act, I can put you in that swaddling clothes and carry you around the stage twice."
"No, no, no!"
Shunzi was so frightened that he waved his hands repeatedly, almost choking.
"With your skills, you run like the wind, I'm afraid I'll throw up all over you."
Everyone burst into laughter.
Laughs aside, once it's decided, it's a big deal.
Zhou Daikui immediately got to work, rummaging through his trunks under the cover of night to find his new clothes.
In the story of "The Battle of Changban," Zhao Yun wears a white armor, adorned with white feathers, and carries a bright silver spear.
The emphasis is on being "handsome" and having the demeanor of a "scholarly general".
It was completely different from Lin Chong's rough and unruly nature and the tiger's wild nature.
This places extremely high demands on the actors.
……
The night was deeper.
After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, they found places to nap, preparing themselves for tomorrow night's grand performance.
Lu Cheng was not asleep.
He asked Old Guan to open the door leading from the backstage area to the open-air courtyard.
The snow in the courtyard was ankle-deep, and the moon peeked out from behind the clouds, illuminating the snow-covered ground.
Lu Cheng took off his long robe, leaving him in only a tight-fitting white training suit.
In his hand, he still carried that heavy white wax spear.
This gun is the Lin Family Gun in "Lin Chong's Night Flight".
In the story of "Changbanpo", it is Zhao Zilong's Yajiao Spear.
"call……"
Lu Cheng took a deep breath, and the cold air entered his lungs through his nasal cavity, instantly clearing his feverish mind.
The initial reward from the system was [Lin Family Spear Technique - Minor Mastery].
These past few days, he's been pondering this marksmanship.
Lin Chong's gun is "sinking".
That's the foundation of an instructor from the 800,000 Imperial Guards—a style characterized by sweeping, powerful movements and unparalleled footwork in combat.
Every thrust carries the grief and indignation of someone forced into a corner, emphasizing "blocking, seizing, and thrusting"—defense and counter-attack, advancing step by step.
But Zhao Yun's spear is different.
Zhao Yun was a general who could ride a horse.
In the midst of a million-strong army at Changbanpo, he had no choice but to attack, as he had no option to defend!
Only by being faster, more ruthless, and more cunning than the enemy can one carve out a bloody path.
Therefore, Zhao Yun's spear had to be "alive," "fast," and like a silver dragon weaving through the clouds.
"Change."
Lu Cheng silently recited in his heart.
He did not completely abandon the style of the Lin family spear, but tried to transform that "sinking force" into "drilling force".
Swish!
Lu Cheng made a move.
Instead of the steady, muddy steps, the light and agile "Bagua steps" are used.
Its body moved swiftly, like a dragon or snake rising from the land.
The large spear in his hand transformed into a silvery blur under the moonlight.
At this moment, he no longer thought about any moves or routines.
What he was thinking about was that young general on a white horse with a silver spear, carrying his young lord, facing Cao Cao's 830,000-strong army without any fear.
That's the kind of heroic spirit of "I will go even if there are thousands of people against me!"