If it was just to get Qi Shejiang a platform for performing, that could be easily arranged without him having to call Meng Jingyuan his senior. That wouldn’t be possible. In the end, Meng Jingyuan officially responded on behalf of the Meng family, alongside representatives from the production team. Indeed, Qi Shejiang was the long-lost disciple of Old Master Meng’s senior, and that was how they recognized him, which was truly legendary; the entire process was documented by the crew. Now everyone could be reintroduced: Qi Shejiang, sharing the same lineage with the Meng family, was Meng Jingyuan’s little senior uncle. 【What… the hell…?】 【This is too legendary, what kind of plot is this? Qi Shejiang is actually Meng Jingyuan’s senior uncle??】 【Long-lost disciple?! Wait, so Qi Shejiang actually belongs to a sect and is quite impressive?】 【What do you think? Even Teacher Lin Yang, who used to hold onto him, has to call Meng Jingyuan senior uncle now!】 【Wait, let me calculate, does that mean Lin Yang now has to call him grandpa!】 【www yeah, Qi Shejiang is now in the same generation as Lin Yang’s master.】 【I’m done! These people were emphasizing tradition and hierarchy before, and now if we calculate according to tradition, everyone counts as Qi Shejiang’s junior.
It’s not that simple though; just watch, people in the crosstalk community won’t easily recognize this. Now it’s not just about Hai Qing anymore, the boundaries aren’t as clear as before. The question is, how many people can accept suddenly having a new elder?
Exactly, even Qi Shejiang’s two apprentices, still studying in the quyi school, are now on the same level as Meng Jingyuan. If this isn’t clarified, and Qi Shejiang keeps taking apprentices, the generations will be terrifying.
It wasn’t just the netizens; the entire crosstalk community and even the quyi world became lively. This isn’t something that Lin Yang and the likes can decide; he could only cry at home and pray that Qi Shejiang’s seniority didn’t get established.
For several days, new gossip emerged daily; today this big shot responded, and tomorrow that big shot supported. There was no way around it; a young elder suddenly coming onto the scene had many people picking holes.
This was something Meng Jingyuan had anticipated the day they recognized each other, knowing a verbal confrontation was inevitable, but the Meng family would firmly stand their ground. Qi Laoshi only had this one disciple; no one could treat him as an outsider!
Those opposing said that while they recognized the lineage, Qi Shejiang was merely an informal disciple without a proper ceremony. You’re still Hai Qing; you’re still Hai Qing; you’re just Hai Qing.
According to crosstalk customs, just like when Qi Shejiang accepted Mo Sheng and Qi Leyang, they are informal disciples, without an official initiation ceremony.
With obstacles met head-on, on one side, Liu Quanhai, Zeng Wen, and people from the Meng family have started to voice their opinions under Meng Jingyuan’s hint. “The circumstances and environment back then were completely different; you can’t make a blanket statement. Mr. Qi only has one disciple, and has imparted everything to him. Since the person is willing to pursue this art, the ceremony can be made up!” “From what I understand, this person really has no conditions to hold a branch ceremony. They are abroad; how can they invite three masters? Their head has been bowed, and they have also paid respects to their ancestral master. Why does it seem like you’re all denying it just because you speak?” — According to the old traditions, the branch ceremony requires the presence of three master witnesses, as well as witnesses from among relatives and friends. However, if Qi Shejiang’s master is overseas, it indeed would be difficult to hold a formal branch ceremony. Yet the opposing side, clinging to this point, refuses to acknowledge Qi Shejiang’s identity, even going so far as to quote classics to prove that this matter does not conform to traditional rules.
The verbal sparring between the two sides is heated, causing quite a stir in the crosstalk community. Netizens are also watching the excitement, each choosing a side. When it mattered most, it was still the elders who had seen the world. Old Master Meng learned that there was still controversy over this matter, and he stepped in to end the noisy argument. Since falling ill, he had largely refrained from involving himself in various matters. But for Qi Shejiang, he spoke up.
“You all want rules, traditions, and ceremonies, do you? I’m not dead yet. Years ago, someone told me that I was getting old, and with my seniority, I shouldn’t take in another young disciple. So I decided to only guide and not accept disciples. To this day, I have not gone back on that promise. But if there are still people insisting that disciples recognized by oral agreement don’t count, then I will accept disciples in place of my deceased master, making Jieli my junior apprentice. This is a matter of record and rule; from now on, he is half a generation lower than me, okay?”
Everyone was dumbfounded.
Old Master, you are… being unreasonable!! A “substitute junior apprentice” simply means to accept a disciple in place of the master.
For instance, if someone is young but has a high status and no older generations are alive, they must find a successor to take on disciples in place of the master. Similarly, if an inappropriate person wishes to become a disciple, it’s also more suitable to accept them in place of the master. This way, it resolves the issues of seniority and lineage.
Because the acceptance is not directly from the master, it is usually considered that “substitute junior apprentices” are half a generation lower than a formal successor.
Old Master Meng stating he wants to accept Qi Shejiang as a substitute junior apprentice is clearly a threat to everyone!
— What do you think? If you don’t let me acknowledge my master’s disciple, I’ll accept him as a disciple in place of my master; the paperwork will be handled correctly, and the traditions and rules will be arranged thoroughly.
Even if it’s half a generation lower, that’s still an elder!
If this becomes reality, then no one in the crosstalk circle will be able to hold Qi Shejiang’s status down, except for Old Master Meng.
Of course, this is just a cheeky threat…
But who would dare to confront Old Master Meng? He’s one of the few remaining elders from the “Meng” generation. Those who could rival him have long passed away.
To put it bluntly, if you insist on going against him, and he gets agitated and falls ill, can you bear the consequences?
Now what about it? One substitute junior master from the “Meng” generation can only reluctantly acknowledge that Qi Shejiang shouldn’t be allowed to take on disciples casually in the future.
【Wow, acknowledged! The official Weibo of the Beijing Crosstalk Association announced that Qi Shejiang has joined the association under the recommendation of XXX and XX! It won’t be long before the Crosstalk Committee also accepts him!】
【Wasn’t XXX and XX the ones who previously publicly opposed recognizing Qi Shejiang’s lineage? So this means they’ve backed down, they’ve genuinely acknowledged it!】
【Did you not see? Reports say Old Master Meng personally stepped in, threatening everyone that if they didn’t recognize Qi Shejiang, he would take on Qi Shejiang as a substitute junior apprentice and raise his status even higher…】
【What?? Is the old artist really this straightforward (and unreasonable)?】
Seeing the dust settle, everyone converged under Xia Yiwei’s Weibo, after all, Qi Shejiang rarely speaks on Weibo. And when people counted, wow, this person has truly risen high.
