Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 1592 - 811: Unruly

The Case of the Beheading of Chen Shimei is a story of an ordinary woman seeking justice against a heartless man, widely circulated. Lian Manman knew about it in her previous life, and she also knew that in history, there indeed was a person named Chen Shimei, but unlike how he was portrayed in the play, Chen Shimei was actually quite a good person. This play was written by someone who had a grudge against him to taint his reputation.

From this, it’s clear that scholars kill without using a blade.

However, the play Juantong is one Lian Manman had neither heard of nor seen. Just a moment ago, she was inwardly ridiculing the taste of Lady Zhang and others, but not only was it The Case of the Beheading of Chen Shimei, even Juantong held her attention with equal enthusiasm.

This theatrical troupe being able to perform to such acclaim in Jinyang County naturally has its reasons. The artists’ singing, dialogue, acting, and stage fighting are all quite captivating. The plot of Juantong isn’t complicated either.

The play tells the story of a stepmother who mistreats the son left by the first wife, but the son born of the stepmother, Cang Wa, is very affectionate with his brother and sister-in-law, always lending a hand. Cang Wa secretly supports his brother’s journey to the capital for examinations and later assists his sister-in-law and nephew in their living. Afterwards, the stepmother poisons her husband to death, frames the daughter-in-law as the murderer, and bribes the Yamen to imprison the daughter-in-law. Cang Wa, in order to save his sister-in-law, confesses at the Yamen, taking the blame upon himself and is sentenced to be executed after autumn.

The sister-in-law was saved, but Cang Wa’s mother panicked, and despite spending all her wealth, she couldn’t save Cang Wa, who eventually died as well.

Cang Wa died in prison, his body thrown out, and his sister-in-law, remembering his kindness, went to collect his body. Because the sister-in-law had little money, she could not afford a coffin and just brought a mat.

Wrapping the corpse in a mat, naturally, requires rolling it. But as the sister-in-law rolled up the mat, it automatically opened. This happened thrice, scaring the sister-in-law to think that Cang Wa’s restless spirit was haunting, creating a ghostly disturbance. Hence, the play’s name ’Juantong.’

The sister-in-law prayed earnestly, and just as she was about to roll the mat again, Cang Wa suddenly sprang up from the mat.

It turned out Cang Wa was not dead, and the one who saved him was his brother, whom he had supported to take the examinations in the capital.

The brother became an official, reviewed the case files, discovered the oddities in Cang Wa’s case, and upon re-investigation, cleared Cang Wa of charges, leading to his release. Cang Wa, feeling playful, wanted to prank his sister-in-law, which is how the later mat-rolling scene occurred.

An eventual happy reunion.

The audience laughed through their tears.

Lady Zhang and Lady Li were especially absorbed. Lian Manman sat next to Lady Zhang, with a stack of handkerchiefs on her lap. Whenever Lady Zhang cried through one, Lian Manman quickly handed her a clean one. By the end of the two plays, the mother and daughter pair’s tears hadn’t dried. Lian Manman roughly estimated that Lady Zhang cried a basin full of tears, and Lady Li was not far behind.

An affectionate and tearfully generous mother and daughter duo.

Lian Manman busied herself getting maids to pour tea for Lady Zhang and Lady Li to replenish the water they lost from crying.

Just as Lian Manman handed another clean handkerchief to Lady Zhang, she felt a gentle tap on her back. Slightly turning her head, she saw Lian Yeye sitting behind her.

"Sister Manman, look... over there..." As Lian Yeye saw Lian Manman turn around, she leaned closer, directing Lian Manman to look outside the tent.

Lian Manman followed the direction of Lian Yeye’s gaze and looked outside the tent. There, Lian Jizu had arrived at some point, cautiously peeking inside the tent with a face full of hesitation, as if he wasn’t there to watch the play, but for something else.

"Why did he come?" Lian Yeye pursed her lips and whispered softly.

Lian Manman shook her head.

At this time, seated in the back row, Lian Shouxin also noticed Lian Jizu. Without getting up, Lian Shouxin gestured to Steward Han Zhong, who was serving at the side. Steward Han Zhong caught on and left the tent to approach Lian Jizu.

Steward Han Zhong spoke with Lian Jizu for a while before returning.

Lian Manman quickly learned what was happening. Lian Jizu had been sent by Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou to find Lian Shouxin. Lian Lanlan and her husband Luo Baocai had arrived, and Old Master and Lady Zhou wanted Lian Shouxin to go over.

"...Master Jizu didn’t elaborate, just said it would be best if Master could go quickly..." Steward Han Zhong reported to Lian Shouxin.

Lian Lanlan and her husband came; what did they want Lian Shouxin for? In recent visits, the old residence had shown discretion and hadn’t sought out Lian Shouxin. So what was different this time?