Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

Chapter 227 Fang Zi's Scheme
Shen Li's sachet is made of high-quality materials.

That was made by the Shen family embroiderers from the most precious fabric in Jiangnan, known as "gold among fabrics"—star-patterned silk.

Star-patterned silk gets its name from the fact that it naturally has various star-shaped patterns all over it when it is made, resembling the stars in the sky.

This silk requires a special type of green silkworm, whose cocoons are used to make it.

The raw materials are hard to come by, and the production process is even more difficult, taking both time and effort. It often takes a master weaver several months to produce just one piece.

The preciousness of star-patterned silk is self-evident. As a result, it was directly designated as a tribute to the royal family, accounting for the vast majority of the annual production. Nowadays, the finished star-patterned silk available on the market is extremely rare, making it incredibly valuable.

Looking at the star-patterned sachet in his hand, Sheng Changquan raised an eyebrow and said with some surprise, "Shen Du, is this star-patterned silk a gift from the Emperor?"

"of course!"

Shen Li sat in his chair and replied with a smile, "My family would never buy those available on the market!"

Although it wouldn't be difficult for the Shen family, with their wealth and status, to purchase those star-patterned silks on the market, given Lord Shen's humble and cautious nature, he would naturally not do such a thing.

Because the Shen family originally lived in the outer city of Bianliang, and the Shen family had lived the life of ordinary people for a period of time, even though their lord is now a high-ranking official, apart from necessary social activities, the family is not fond of extravagance.

The luxurious carriage in his family was the exclusive property of the head of the Shen family, not something that Lord Shen himself had acquired. It was because Shen Li was unaware of the secrets of his family's carriage that he chose it for his travels at will.

Otherwise, the Shen family would never use this "luxury car" except for large celebrations!

Otherwise, the carriage wouldn't have broken down when Shen Li took the preliminary examination.

After listening, Sheng Changquan nodded, and at the same time, he felt even more that the Shen family was excellent. Both the family traditions and the character of the head of the family were top-notch.

As expected of a long-established and prestigious family, they possess a unique and refined demeanor!
After sighing, Sheng Changquan squeezed the sachet with his hand, carefully feeling its texture. He found it smooth to the touch, without any sense of unevenness.

"Hmm, the embroidery is quite good!"

Sheng Changquan nodded to himself.

However, he was unaware that the embroidery was done by the most professional embroiderer in the Shen family, and the result was naturally extremely excellent.

After all, while the Shen family did not advocate extravagance, they were not without manners.

In Lord Shen's position, one must maintain a certain demeanor. If he were to appear impoverished, it would not only be a slap in the face to the Emperor but also an embarrassment to officials of lower rank than him.

After all, if the superior is like this, how can you, whose official rank is not as high as his, be more dashing than him?

Not to mention the reputation of a powerful and prestigious family like the Shen family!

Sheng Changquan gently sniffed the sachet, examining its most important component, the main body of the sachet—the combination of spices.

"Ok?"

Sheng Changquan took a closer sniff and immediately detected a delicate fragrance.

Vague and ethereal, like floating clouds in the sky, it gives people a sense of tranquility and joy; smoky and gentle, it is like being surrounded by boundless fragrance in a sea of ​​flowers, which can intoxicate the mind and spirit.

"However, while the aroma here is pleasant, it's still a little lacking."

"The clove grass in it is a bit problematic. Although it can repel mosquitoes, it can easily attract wasps to feed on it. If you are not careful, you can easily get a wasp's sting!"

Dingzi grass is good at repelling mosquitoes, but it easily attracts bees. The latter is the knowledge about the properties of herbs that Sheng Changquan has summarized over the years.

Sheng Changquan thought to himself, but did not show it on his face.

He planned to bring it up at a later opportunity. After all, Shen Li had given him a gift out of good intentions, and even if it had some flaws, how could he bring it up?

As the saying goes, "A gift of a goose feather from a thousand miles away is a small gift but carries great meaning," not to mention the considerable cost of this sachet!
"Hehe, Shen Du, this sachet is indeed very good, much better than the one I lost!"

Sheng Changquan smiled as he put the sachet on his body, and said happily, "Not only does it feel comfortable to the touch, but the fragrance is also so fresh and elegant!"

"This sachet is truly a rare and precious item!"

"I really have to thank you!"

Sheng Changquan looked at Shen Li and expressed his gratitude.

"Hehe, really?"

It is precisely because Shen Li cares so much about his friend Sheng Changquan that he pays such close attention to every word Sheng Changquan says.

When Shen Li heard Sheng Changquan's praise, a smile appeared on his face.

"By the way, Shen Du, since you gave me a sachet, I'll give you one too!"

Seeing the sincere smile on Shen Li's face, Sheng Changquan couldn't help but be moved!
If we're talking about the two of them, it's undeniable that Shen Li's mind is pure and innocent, while Sheng Changquan has more selfish motives. Although he doesn't have any bad intentions, he just wants to befriend the Shen family and hopes to use their power to gain some benefits for himself.

But in the end, Sheng Changquan still felt somewhat guilty towards Shen Li, feeling that he was taking advantage of this pure-hearted child.

Of course, that's true.

However, if Sheng Changquan were to be as open and honest with people as Shen Li, it would be difficult for him to do so. Therefore, at certain times, when Sheng Changquan had a change of heart, he would still want to make amends to the other party.

However, it's hard to tell whether the intention is more about making amends or about taking the opportunity to deepen the bond between the two.

Or perhaps it's a combination of both.

Sheng Changquan stood up, walked to the desk, and took out a sachet with blue tassels from a box on it.

"Be cautious when alone; this sachet contains my own unique blend of spices."

Sheng Changquan turned around, handed over the sachet, and introduced it to Shen Li: "Not only does it have a pleasant fragrance, but it also has the effect of calming the mind and spirit. If you wear it for a long time, it will be very beneficial to your health!"

What Sheng Changquan said wasn't entirely wrong, but that last sentence—"extremely beneficial"—should be taken with a grain of salt.

After all, this sachet isn't some kind of magic pill, so how could it possibly be of great benefit?
It simply emits some substances that are beneficial to the human body, at most it can repel some mosquitoes and make the wearer feel calm and relaxed.

"is it?"

Although Shen Li expressed his doubts, a look of joy appeared on his face, indicating that he truly believed Sheng Changquan's explanation.

really.

His next sentence was: "Since you've said so, Changquan, then I'll wear this sachet from now on and never take it off again!"

Sheng Changquan could only smile wryly at this.

"No, be mindful of your actions even when you're alone!"

"This sachet isn't your wife's; how could it possibly last a lifetime?"

Sheng Changquan said with a wry smile, "This stuff can only last for a month at most. After that, its fragrance and effects will be gone, and it will need to be reconstituted." "Hmph, I don't care!"

Shen Li smiled and accepted the sachet from Sheng Changquan, then put it on his waist. After taking a few steps, he said with a smile, "If this thing becomes useless or something happens to it, then I'll come to your house to find you!"

"Anyway, you have to make sure I can always use it!"

Shen Li looked at Sheng Changquan with a shameless grin, displaying a scoundrel-like demeanor.

"have to!"

Sheng Changquan shook his head and said, "In a little while, I'll give you a copy of the spice recipe inside, so you won't come here to beg for money in the future!"

"Haha! That's good!"

"So that I won't have to keep running to your house every few days to chase after you to exchange this thing!"

Shen Li looked at Sheng Changquan with a smile, but secretly thought to himself, "With this formula, my sister should be satisfied!"

Actually, Shen Li said this for Shen Jun's sake, because he knew that his older sister liked this kind of thing.

Although Shen Jun had not explicitly expressed her desire for Sheng Changquan's sachet and spices, Shen Li, as her younger brother, was certainly aware of his sister's thoughts.
Therefore, he said it that way on purpose. Moreover, even if Sheng Changquan hadn't offered to give him a sachet, Shen Li would have found a way to bring up the topic and take the opportunity to get the recipe.

"You!"

Sheng Changquan shook his head helplessly, and then, under Shen Li's expectant gaze, sat back down at the table, picked up his pen and ink, and wrote it down.

In fact, Sheng Changquan's recipe for spices is extremely precious. In the hands of ordinary people, it can be considered an important item that can be passed down from generation to generation. It is a family heirloom that can be relied upon by future generations and a guarantee that an ordinary family can pass on its legacy.

Of course, it's not that Shen Li was deliberately taking advantage of Sheng Changquan, but rather that he was naive and didn't understand their value, thinking they were just trinket.

In his mind, the only important thing was studying for the imperial examinations; everything else was trivial.

"All right!"

In just a few breaths, Sheng Changquan quickly finished writing all the materials and handed the prescription to Shen Li.

"The prescription is right here. You can prepare it yourself from now on!"

"hehe!"

"Changquan, thank you so much!"

Shen Li happily accepted the prescription, his face beaming with pride.

"Wow, Changquan, your handwriting is truly excellent!"

Shen Li was immediately awestruck after just one glance!

"Changquan, is this handwriting style something you created yourself?"

Sheng Changquan raised his head, narrowed his eyes slightly, and said with utmost hypocrisy, "Not at all, not at all. It's just a casual piece of writing that I jotted down. It doesn't deserve such praise!"

"No!"

Shen Li had not yet discovered Sheng Changquan's "despicable" mentality and was still keeping his eyes firmly fixed on that thin piece of paper.

"I thought all those rumors were false, but I never imagined you actually had such a high level of skill in calligraphy!"

Shen Li was referring to the Dragon Turtle Inkstone incident. He shook his head and exclaimed in amazement, "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I really wouldn't have believed that this was written by you!"

"You really..."

Shen Li racked his brains and said a lot of praise, which made Sheng Changquan feel very comfortable!
"hehe!"

Faced with the praise, Sheng Changquan smiled slightly and accepted all the accolades with equanimity. In fact, he silently kept repeating the word "continue" in his heart!

Clearly, Shen Li had scratched his itch.

……

Wei Ruixuan.

"Hmm, it should be about time now!"

Sheng Hong counted on his fingers, calculating the current time, and guessed, "Shouldn't the young master of the Shen family be heading back by now?"

"If I were to go out now as Feng'er's father, I'm afraid I would run into him right away!"

Sheng Hong still believes that Shen Li's visit was for Sheng Changfeng's sake. The reason he is thinking about this now is actually to take advantage of this opportunity to have a chance encounter with Shen Li and then get in touch with Shen Shouzhen.

Sheng Hong doesn't expect to gain the other party's support, but at the very least, he doesn't want to incur Shen Shouzhen's dislike!
Of course, it would be ideal if we could get some clues about the results of this imperial examination from Shen Li.

However, Sheng Hong also knew that this was impossible, because with Shen Shouzhen's cultivation level, how could he possibly make a mistake in such an important matter?

So let alone his sons, even if his father, Shen Li's grandfather, came, Shen Shouzhen would definitely keep his mouth shut and not reveal a single word!
"No matter what, it's never a bad thing to give it a try!"

After making a decision in his heart, Sheng Hong immediately stood up, ready to go and "coincidentally" meet her.

"Somebody come!"

"Take me to Feng'er's courtyard quickly, I want to test his studies."

Sheng Hong made a perfunctory call, seemingly explaining to the servants the reason for his visit.

Fortunately, Madam Wang had gone to kowtow and burn incense in front of the statue in the side hall and was not in front of him. Otherwise, if she had heard Sheng Hong's words, she would probably have exploded immediately!
He complained about his favoritism, saying he only cared about Lin Qinshuang's child and didn't care about Sheng Changbai.

To be honest, Sheng Hong does want to show concern for Sheng Changbai, but that requires Sheng Changbai to give him the opportunity to be a father!

Regardless of Sheng Changbai's academic performance, his almost abnormal self-discipline alone left his strict Confucian father, Sheng Hong, speechless!

Sometimes, when he saw Sheng Changbai studying extremely hard, Sheng Hong almost wanted to tell him to take a break!

If it weren't for maintaining his strict fatherly demeanor, Sheng Hong would genuinely want Sheng Changbai to be like Sheng Changfeng, going out to participate in poetry gatherings and other activities to relax, instead of always studying like an ascetic.

As a father who loves his children dearly, Sheng Hong still has a soft spot in his heart.

However, children like Sheng Changfeng, who are full of flaws, need Sheng Hong's "kind guidance".

Whether it's reprimanding or punishing, he always finds a reason to target Sheng Changfeng. It is precisely because of this that people feel that Sheng Hong prefers Sheng Changfeng and ignores Sheng Changbai.

But in reality, reasonable people, such as Old Madam Sheng, Sheng Changbai himself, as well as Minglan, Sheng Changquan and others, all understand that among these children, Sheng Hong actually values ​​Sheng Changbai the most.

After all, he is the eldest son and grandson of the Sheng family, and the future pillar of the Sheng family!

There's not enough time, I'll revise it later!
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(End of this chapter)