"Pantao ripens once every three thousand years,
Turquoise Pool feast gathers immortal kin."
Today the Queen Mother celebrates her birthday,
Here I, Ma Gu, come to present longevity wishes!"
Bang clang clang~
On stage, the woman playing Ma Gu moves gracefully, her Water Sleeves flutter lightly.
Indeed, the troupe famed in the Capital has a unique flair in posture and singing.
Elsewhere, even low-tier actors would have admirers aplenty.
But here at the Prince Ying Mansion, they haven't even had a hot meal.
Of course, none of the troupe members dare to complain.
Back in the day, Prince Ying came from military ranks. Though a valiant fighter, he followed the Emperor to wage wars across lands, earning much merit. But in his youth, he was poor, and by parental matchmaking, wed a renowned shrew from his village.
As Prince Ying climbed higher, the shrew became Princess Consort, growing even more domineering.
