Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

Chapter 146 Gift
"I was planning to come and see Xiao Qi earlier to congratulate him on passing the preliminary examination, but I didn't expect you to arrive so early, Second Brother?"

Today, Sheng Changfeng was dressed in a magnificent cyan-gold robe and a purple gauze headscarf, looking very formal.

At this moment, he walked in cheerfully, carrying a red wooden box, and said to Sheng Changquan, "Hey! Xiao Qi, congratulations!"

Handing over the wooden box, Sheng Changfeng looked at Sheng Changquan and congratulated him with a tone that was slightly envious and mixed with unspoken feelings: "I really didn't expect that you would be so amazing this time, Xiao Qi!"

"He passed the imperial examination with top honors and became famous throughout Bianliang City!"

As a scholar, Sheng Changfeng naturally understood the implications and what Sheng Changquan's achievements represented.

"So, Xiao Qi, does that mean you already have the title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations)?"

"Am I eligible to participate in the next provincial examination?"

The scene of his mother scolding him for being useless flashed through Sheng Changfeng's mind, and the expression in his eyes became more and more complicated.

"hehe!"

Sheng Changquan chuckled foolishly, but didn't reply.

He sensed a hint of malice in some of Sheng Changfeng's actions.

Although the malice was not very strong, Sheng Changquan still kept his distance from Sheng Changfeng immediately to avoid being hurt by him!
We must never let our guard down when facing danger!
Moreover, compared to his elder brother Sheng Changbai's sincerity, Sheng Changfeng's attitude was naturally even more unbearable!
Not to mention, Lin Qinshuang is standing in their way...

"Changfeng, are you going out?"

Sensing that the atmosphere between the two brothers was a bit off, Sheng Changbai quickly interrupted.

"You forgot? Yesterday, Mr. Lizhuang asked you to write another article, and he wanted you to properly address the topic!"

Upon seeing Sheng Changfeng's attire, Sheng Changbai frowned and warned, "Why are you..."

"Oh dear, second brother!"

Before Sheng Changbai could finish speaking, Sheng Changfeng quickly interrupted him!

Sure enough, after being lectured by his second brother, Sheng Changfeng immediately forgot what he had just wanted to say. He quickly turned around and stammered, "Second brother, this... this matter, I remember it all!"

"However, second brother, I really have something to do today!"

Sheng Changfeng cupped his hands, pleading for forgiveness: "Young Master Qiu of Xihua Garden invited many renowned scholars and experts over today, saying they were here to guide everyone's writing. They thought I was exceptionally talented, so they invited me to write some articles to be the grand finale, and also to have these famous scholars comment on them!"

"Do you think I should pass up this opportunity to learn from you?"

A string of words kept popping out of Sheng Changfeng's mouth, clearly showing that he was very familiar with his speech.

"Changfeng, you..."

"Alright, second brother, I don't have much time left, so I'll leave now!"

Without waiting for his second brother to speak, Sheng Changfeng quickly ran out.

"This……"

Behind him, Sheng Changbai frowned, his face full of disappointment!

……

Following the brothers Sheng Changbai and Sheng Changfeng, Rulan, Molan, and Minglan arrived one after another, each presenting a congratulatory gift to express their best wishes.

However, among the gifts from these five people, the most practical was the collection of handwritten notes given by the eldest brother, Changbai, which contained his own notes from his provincial and ministerial examinations. These notes were full of insightful arguments and were of great significance, especially for Sheng Changquan's subsequent examinations.

As for the most valuable item, it was the jade pen given by my third brother, Changfeng. It was beautiful and elegant, and quite valuable. However, although it was expensive, it lacked sincerity and was only good for playing with, without any practical use.

After all, this jade pen, from its handle to its tip, was made entirely of green jade, making it impossible to write with.

Of the remaining gifts, the most elegant was the painting "Spring River and Autumn Moon" by Fourth Sister Molan. Its beautiful imagery and serene atmosphere made it a delight to behold in one's leisure time. However, among all the gifts, Sheng Changquan still found the gift from Fifth Sister Rulan the most delightful, as it was a cute and exquisitely crafted inkstone shaped like a child.

This adorable stone inkstone was made from a piece of pure white Tianshan jade.

Tianshan Cold Jade, despite its name, is actually a type of pebble found in the glaciers of the Tianshan Mountains. However, this stone is formed by the workings of nature, with a fine texture and a snow-white appearance. It is an extremely precious stone and can be considered a top-grade stone.

The inkstone given by Rulan is adorable, shaped like a big-headed doll with its head on top, dragging the inkstone body, making it quite charming.

"Hehe, Fifth Sister's hobbies are still so interesting!"

Sheng Changquan carefully put away the inkstone and casually made a joke.

"Who says it isn't?"

While tidying up the gifts that everyone had given Sheng Changquan, Cui Ming added, "If you ask me, among all your brothers and sisters, the Fifth Miss is the one who lives the most comfortable life!"

"I'm happy all the time, and I don't have any worries at all!"

"Unlike the Fourth and Sixth Misses, one of them is always thinking of ways to stand out, while the other is single-mindedly thinking of hiding herself away, blending in with the world, and never standing out, hoping that people will forget about her!"

"Hmm? Sister Cuiming, you really have a good eye for people!"

Sheng Changquan was taken aback by Cui Ming's words. It turned out that the person who judged people most accurately was actually in his own house.

"Oh no, there isn't!"

Feeling embarrassed and annoyed by Sheng Changquan's gaze, Cui Ming blushed instantly!

"Actually, I heard the old lady and Aunt Fang talking about this a while ago and I wrote it down!"

"hehe!"

Sheng Changquan shook his head: "Alright, Sister Cuiming, you really are honest!"

"..."

Cui Ming was speechless, so she simply turned around and left the house, muttering to herself, "She comes back and immediately starts making fun of people. It would have been better if she hadn't come back at all..."

"hehe!"

Watching Cui Ming storm off, Sheng Changquan smiled slightly, then took out the things his sister Minglan had given him and began to look at them.

"Boom!"

A very high-quality sound came into the room.

"This is?"

Feeling the somewhat familiar long object in his hand, Sheng Changquan's expression became much more serious.

"bass!"

Sheng Changquan carefully opened Minglan's gift, only to be met with a picture of an iron lady who was no less than any man, commanding the armies of the world.

"Is this 'Lady Li Guards Niangziguan'?"

As expected, Sheng Changquan guessed correctly. The congratulatory gift from his sister Minglan was one of the only two relics left by Wei Shuyi—an embroidered painting titled "Lady Li Guarding Niangziguan Pass".

Although this world does not have the Tang Dynasty, it still has something similar to the Qian Dynasty. The daughter of the founding emperor of the Qian Dynasty, Lady Li, fought for the world as a woman, led the army into battle, and made great achievements in unifying the world for her father and brothers. She is truly a woman of unparalleled talent!
To this day, Li Niangzi remains the only legendary woman to be buried with a military funeral after her death.

Many thanks to the generous donations from the following users: Xuanfeng Gongzi, Chizhi Zhenhong, Xiaoxiaoshuchong Ai Chiwenmi, Gu Zai Zai Du, hu Fei, Shuyou 120***284, and Jianying 2015!
I'll try my best to release it on May Day... (Let's see how much I can update that day!)

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(End of this chapter)