Though he may not have much of a reputation, this is just adding insult to injury. Knowing the tiger is in the mountain but still heading toward the mountain, fully aware of being a lightweight and still choosing to perform crosstalk. They had no idea that this program was orchestrated by Li Jing, who took the initiative to build connections and propose it to the TV station. In fact, given Qi Shejiang’s current status, a solo program for him really lacks weight. The TV station was more inclined to have him collaborate with Xia Yiwei. However, having Meng Jingyuan participate changes everything. Meng Jingyuan and Zeng Wen, this old duo, is the golden combination in the hearts of the audience, appearing on the Spring Festival Gala every year, highly popular among the public. Meng Jingyuan is also the heir of Old Master Meng. Having him collaborate with Qi Shejiang gives immense weight and topicality. The TV station simply could not afford to reject this proposal! Li Jing and Xia Yiwei agreed to let Qi Shejiang perform Xiangsheng, but in Li Jing’s mind, even if you’re doing Xiangsheng, you must do it grandly. They also needed to thank Teachers Zeng and Meng, who graciously accepted Li Jing’s proposal; Zeng Wen directly lent out his good partner. On the other hand, Qi Shejiang had learned about the audience’s reactions through television, newspapers, and other media, so he had a sense of the situation.
For this evening’s event, he and Meng Jingyuan discussed and prepared a script, which was also traditional Xiangsheng, featuring old routines with slight modifications to fit the theme of the evening.
Meng Jingyuan took Qi Shejiang to the tailor, and together they made a matching set of dark blue gowns. The fabric was all one piece with no seams on the shoulders, tailored specifically for him, fitting perfectly.
Qi Shejiang cherished it and carefully folded his gown before putting it away.
Meng Jingyuan chuckled, “You must find it hard to get such a skilled tailor overseas to make you a gown. This should be your first gown; your folding skills aren’t bad; is that something your master taught you?”
“Yes,” Qi Shejiang replied.
