"Are you the troupe leader here?"
"Yes, yes," Troupe Leader Zhang immediately replied from the side.
"I have some business to discuss with you. Come with me."
Upon hearing Ye Qingcheng say this, Troupe Leader Zhang was overjoyed and followed Ye Qingcheng to a nearby pavilion for their discussion.
"Sister Ziyan, why did you come with the Princess Consort?" Er Ya walked over, puzzled as to why Sister Ziyan had brought the Princess Consort.
"Ziyan, what's going on?" Qiang Zi walked over and asked worriedly, "It wouldn't be..."
After all, there had been similar situations before. When they performed for wealthy families, the rich merchants would take a fancy to Ziyan. They had pestered her for a long time, but Troupe Leader Wan had never agreed.
But now it was the profit-driven Troupe Leader Zhang, and this was the Prince's estate.
Qiang Zi's heart couldn't help but feel anxious for Ziyan.
"Brother Qiang Zi, I'm fine. The Princess Consort is a very good person. She heard that our troupe was being oppressed by Troupe Leader Zhang and wants to help us," Ziyan said.
"Is that really true?" Qiang Zi asked, half-believing.
"You'll know in a moment."
Before long, the troupe leader returned with a somewhat pale complexion.
"Everyone, you will have a new troupe leader now," Ye Qingcheng took out a piece of paper.
"Princess Consort, what does this mean?" everyone asked, confused.
"It means I've bought your troupe. I am your troupe leader now," Ye Qingcheng said with a smile, looking at the people before her.
"However, I cannot go on tour with you. So now, you must choose a troupe leader yourselves."
"Princess Consort," Ziyan stepped forward, "You don't have to go this far."
"I find all your performances very wonderful, and I believe you will all shine brightly in the future. Consider this my investment in you."
Ye Qingcheng continued, "You have your own freedom to manage your troupe's affairs. As for my commission, you can give me three percent of your earnings from each performance."
"Really?"
"Then we won't have to put up with Troupe Leader Zhang's temper anymore."
Troupe Leader Zhang had no words to express his bitterness. Although Ye Qingcheng had given him a generous sum of money, he was still reluctant to lose the troupe. After all, as long as the troupe existed, he would have opportunities for profit.
Everyone was overjoyed and eventually unanimously chose Qiang Zi as their new troupe leader.
Qiang Zi stepped forward. He received his letter of appointment from Ye Qingcheng and signed his name and handprint.
"Thank you, Princess Consort," Qiang Zi said, deeply moved. "We will definitely perform well and become a renowned troupe throughout the land."
"You must also take good care of your younger brothers and sisters," Ye Qingcheng said, looking at the troupe members behind him, who were crying in a group.
"I will. If they are part of the troupe, they are my brothers and sisters. As long as I have food, they will never go hungry."
"That's good," Ye Qingcheng handed him a bag of money. "You will lead this troupe well from now on."
Ye Qingcheng also had her own thoughts. She considered Qiang Zi to be an honest and dependable person. There were also several children with Xiao Hua, and she wondered if they would be willing to join the troupe.
She would discuss it with Xiao Hua another day.
"Princess Consort, these troupe members truly have a difficult life," Bi Xi remarked sincerely on the way back.
"Indeed, they travel and toil every day." Thinking of Ziyan, such a beautiful girl had to endure wind and rain with the troupe.
"What do you think of Ziyan?" Ye Qingcheng asked in the evening as she sat by the tea table.
"Miss Ziyan," Bi Xi sat beside Ye Qingcheng, "is a good girl. She is beautiful and quite courageous."
Yes, so, paired with Xiao Wang Ye, it seemed not bad either.
If Bi Xi knew, she would surely be astonished. She never expected her own thoughts to lead her mistress to such a conclusion.
Xiao Wang Ye knew that Ye Qingcheng had invited the troupe to the estate today. Hearing the liveliness from that direction, Xiao Wang Ye quietly stayed in his study.
The next day, Ye Qingcheng, pushing her wheelchair, was about to go out to find the troupe. Unexpectedly, she met Xiao Wang Ye at the entrance.
Two people in wheelchairs met like this.
Ye Qingcheng remembered that Xiao Wang Ye had told her not to go out and immediately said guiltily, "The Prince is back. I'm just sitting here to enjoy the scenery, enjoying the scenery."
Xiao Wang Ye stared at her for a moment, then sighed.
Ye Qingcheng thought for a moment and followed Xiao Wang Ye back to the estate.
On the way, Ye Qingcheng asked, "Your Highness, you have so many concubines in your backyard. What type do you prefer?"
"I don't like them."
"You don't like them?" Xiao Wang Ye doesn't like women? Then why did he do that kind of thing with her before?
Without looking back, she knew Ye Qingcheng had misunderstood. "I meant I don't like those concubines."
"Oh, I see," Ye Qingcheng smiled, masking her embarrassment. "Then Your Highness, what kind of woman do you think is suitable for you?"
"I don't know," Xiao Wang Ye glanced sideways at Ye Qingcheng.
"Your Highness, don't say that. Why don't you try interacting with different types of girls?" she said, bringing up Ziyan from the troupe.
"Yesterday, I saw a very beautiful qingyi in the troupe. She also had a very elegant demeanor."
As she spoke, she didn't forget to describe how beautiful she was. "A small oval face, exquisite features. Especially her eyes..."
Xiao Si looked at the Prince's increasingly dark expression and sighed, "Princess Consort, please stop talking."
Didn't he see that his Prince's complexion had worsened?
"Enough," Xiao Wang Ye said sternly. "Since the Princess Consort is so interested in my choice of women, why don't I entrust the imperial selection to the Princess Consort?"
"What? That's not what I meant," Ye Qingcheng quickly said. What selection? Facing those consorts was worse than dying.
Xiao Wang Ye glared at her and turned his wheelchair to leave.
"What a shame, he just left like that," she called out to Xiao Wang Ye's retreating back.
"Miss," Bi Xi's faint voice came from the side.
"How dare you introduce women to the Prince?" Bi Xi was shocked and bewildered. "And Ziyan, no less."
"Ziyan is so wonderful. Don't you think she and Xiao Wang Ye are quite a good match?"
"But Miss Ziyan is an actress. Do you think nobles or officials would marry an actress? Especially a Prince, your own husband."
What husband? It was just a nominal title.
"I forgot, this isn't the modern era of free love. Feudal hierarchy is deadly."
Forget it, she wouldn't mention it again. The Prince's estate wasn't a good place either.
"Let's go, to the troupe. Don't mention what just happened," Ye Qingcheng said with annoyance. "It was my oversight."
The troupe was located in the outskirts of the capital. Although Xiao Wang Ye had instructed Ye Qingcheng not to go out again, he allowed her to leave upon hearing that she would be using a carriage.
It seemed Xiao Wang Ye's anger dissipated easily.
In a secluded courtyard in the capital's outskirts lived dozens of people from the troupe, young and old.
Although the place was cramped, they lived harmoniously and were getting by.
"Taozi, come, sing with me." In the small open space of the courtyard, Ziyan patiently taught the group of young girls to sing opera.
Taozi had a good voice, but she rarely spoke normally. She stroked the head of the quiet little girl in front of her.
"What's wrong with her?" Ye Qingcheng observed for a while from the side.
This little girl really didn't like to talk, except when she was singing.