Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

Chapter 362 End, Cousin
"Fortunately, I'm in pretty good health."

Sheng Changquan muttered to himself, "Otherwise, I'm afraid I would have fallen seriously ill too!"

Sheng Changquan clearly lacks self-awareness, actually imagining himself to be so weak. You should know that with his physical condition, how could he be like this?
Is he perhaps at a Super Versailles?
"Sigh! Forget it, I should just pack up my things first!"

Sheng Changquan turned around, looked at his belongings, and thought to himself.

After tidying up his most important writing implements, he turned to tidy up the bed. Then, he took out the sheets and clothes that his elder sister had prepared for him and spread them on the back of the bed. Finally, he took out a large pile of food boxes from his bundle and placed them in a corner.

These snacks and cooked foods were made by Minglan herself, and she made them especially for Sheng Changquan so that he could eat them easily, which also revealed her kind and loving heart.

"Hey, there's a small stove here?"

After Sheng Changquan finished putting everything away, he looked back and discovered that there was a small stove behind the door of the examination number.

"So this is the stove that my second brother was talking about!"

Looking at the stove in front of him, a strange glint flashed in Sheng Changquan's eyes.

In fact, Sheng Changbai had told him everything about the examination number, but he hadn't mentioned the furnace. He only said that the examination number contained a unique heating method that would amaze anyone who saw it.

Seeing it today, it is indeed "extraordinary".

The stove in front of Sheng Changquan had a rather peculiar shape; the stove opening was inside the house, but the fire pit was outside.

It seems that the fire source was arranged by the examination center to ensure the safety of the examinees.

After all, although the ancients did not know the principle behind it, they did know that carbon monoxide could be fatal.

"Hehe, this stove is quite fun!"

Looking at the steamer placed on the stove opening, Sheng Changquan couldn't help but smile: "It seems that the Ministry of Works of the imperial court has quite a few inventions!"

Sheng Changquan lifted the lid of the steamer on the stove with amusement and found that there was a closed space underneath, filled with water. It seemed that the examinees were going to use this to cook.

"Hmm, that's quite thoughtful!"

After Sheng Changquan thoroughly checked everything in the examination number, he returned to the small table and sat down to meditate for a while to prepare his emotions and adjust his state of mind.

Although the provincial examination lasts for three days, no writing is required on the first day. This is because the first day is specifically for candidates to enter the examination hall and familiarize themselves with the environment. The actual examination will take place on the second day.

After all, they had all come from this point, so the officials in the imperial court were still quite humane.

"Now, all that's left is to wait for the final opening!"

Sheng Changquan closed his eyes to rest, but he was secretly pondering in his heart.

……

As the autumn imperial examinations began, the streets and alleys of Bianjing gradually became lively.

Because of the autumn imperial examinations, all the merchants in the capital started their own businesses, and they all worked their best to operate at full capacity.

Their goal was to earn more money during this period to supplement their household income.

Of course, this was during the day. After all, the imperial court imposed a curfew at night, so these small vendors could only start their business in the market areas designated by the prefectural government.

Moreover, it wasn't just ordinary people; even high-ranking officials and dignitaries began to take action one by one.

As mentioned earlier, the provincial examination was a very important stage in the imperial examination system, so most people attached great importance to it. In addition, those students who dared to take the exam in Bianjing City were even more remarkable.

There are only three types of people who dare to do this. One type is those who, because of their family background, are unwilling to go far and only want to take the imperial examinations nearby. Regardless of their academic ability, their family background is definitely not bad.

At the very least, they must be from families with considerable power and deep-rooted wealth, because only such people would not care much about the ranking in the imperial examinations.

The second type of person is the confident student. Generally speaking, these people are quite capable. They are either talented or exceptionally talented. In short, they are all outstanding young talents who are the seeds of future success.

Therefore, they are absolutely no less outstanding than the first type of people; in fact, the second type of students are even more favored by those noble people.

As for the third type of people, they are "tourists" who lack self-awareness or only want to visit the place without any hope for the provincial examination. The former will not be mentioned, but the latter are definitely from wealthy families and are quite interesting to see.

Therefore, in conclusion, it is only natural that those dignitaries would make some unusual moves as a result.

Their unusual activity was nothing more than a search for a husband under the list of successful candidates in the imperial examinations. Their goal was to marry off their daughters in order to attract the most outstanding talents in the world to bolster their own strength.

Of course, since it was only a provincial examination, they were just observing and getting a feel for the situation before taking any action.

At the same time, if they find someone they like at this time, they will let their daughter meet him secretly so that she can be prepared in advance.

After all, they are their own daughters, so how could they, as elders, not take care of them at all?

therefore.

"Flying Swallow!"

In the Rong family mansion, where Consort Rong was born, the patriarch of the Rong family looked at his youngest daughter with a bitter expression.

"Feiyan, you're not young anymore!"

"Stop thinking about your benefactor all day long. You should go out more often and see the young men in the capital!"

Master Rong has always been troubled by Rong Feiyan's obsession with the man who saved her years ago, neglecting her own marriage.
At this point, Master Rong could no longer bear it and had no choice but to repeat the same old story, preparing to give her a final notice.

"No~"

"Father, I don't want to get married!"

Upon hearing her father's words, Rong Feiyan immediately shook her head!
She grabbed Master Rong's wrist and shook it repeatedly, trying to escape this calamity.

"Hmph! Don't you want to get married?"

No one knows a daughter better than her father. As Rong Feiyan's father, Master Rong naturally understood her thoughts. However, for the sake of his daughter, he could only put on a stern face and abandon his usual kindness.

"Feiyan, your father can't let you act recklessly like this!"

Master Rong said with a serious expression, "Feiyan, you really can't delay any longer!"

"I don't care what you do, but you must get married this year!"

"Otherwise, I'll do it myself and find you a good family!"

Seeing Rong Feiyan's resistant expression, Master Rong threatened, "But if the husband I choose for you doesn't suit your taste, then don't blame me!"

"what?!"

"Father, I..."

"Alright, let's do it this way!"

For once, Master Rong adopted a stern fatherly stance. Looking at his aggrieved and unwilling daughter, he advised, "Feiyan, the provincial examination has just begun this year. Why don't you go over there and take a look?"

"I've heard that quite a few talented young people have participated in this year's provincial examination!"

"..."

Seeing her father "selling" her products like this, Rong Feiyan could only roll her eyes inwardly, while also feeling deep disdain in her heart.

"Humph!"

"How can these ugly and deformed people compare to my benefactor?" Recalling the masked benefactor she had once met, Rong Feiyan gradually became lost in thought...

……

In fact, this scene was not only seen in emerging families like the Rong family, which lacked a deep foundation; it also occurred in the Duke of Ying's mansion, which was as prosperous as the nation itself.

"Crack! Crack!"

"..."

On the training ground of the Duke of England's mansion, a slender figure dressed in crimson armor was constantly wielding a long whip, striking horizontally in the air and eliciting dangerous cracks from the whip!

The long whip in her hands seemed to come alive, like a serpent burrowing into the earth, or a dragon reaching out with its claws. Amidst the dazzling flurry of whip shadows, it struck its target with precision and wildness, causing considerable damage!

"boom!"

With a horizontal slash from the woman in red, countless finger-sized pebbles flew in all directions, creating ripples in the air!
"Whoosh!"

A piece of gravel, like an arrow, traversed the void and shot towards the muddy ground not far away!

"Cough cough!"

Before anyone knew it, the old Duke of England had appeared in the room.

"Alright, Guifang!"

"Go and check on it in three days!"

The old Duke looked solemn and said to the woman in red, "Let's see if there are any outstanding young men at the provincial examination. If there are, you can come back and tell your father. That way, we can arrange your marriage!"

Looking at his own daughter who loved martial arts, the Duke of England couldn't help but feel a headache: "With my daughter's appearance, can she really find a suitable husband?"

"what?"

Zhang Guifang, the daughter of the Duke of England, who was practicing with a soft whip that made a "crackling" sound, was stunned when she heard her father's words!
However, unlike Rong Feiyan, Zhang Guifang did not have any aversion to this.

"Yes, Father, I understand!"

Zhang Guifang put away the long whip in her hand, turned around and clasped her hands in a fist salute to the old Duke of Ying, saying, "After my daughter changes her clothes, she will go and take a look!"

Compared to Rong Feiyan's rejection, Zhang Guifang was extremely bold and wanted to go immediately, not even waiting three days.

When the old Duke saw his daughter's "bold words," his face immediately twitched.

At the same time, for some unknown reason, his hands suddenly felt a restless urge to move.

It seems he wanted to give his daughter a deep fatherly love!

"Ok?"

Zhang Guifang keenly sensed a trace of murderous aura inexplicably emanating from her body. She quickly looked up to see what was happening nearby, but in that instant, she realized the source of the murderous aura.

"what!"

Zhang Guifang's mind raced, and she immediately understood where the problem lay. So she trembled, changed her posture, and bowed to the old Duke, giving a curtsy.

"Since Father has given such instructions, then I will take my leave now!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhang Guifang immediately turned and ran away.

That movement was as if some ferocious beast was lurking behind her!
Seeing this, the old Duke could only sigh!
"Sigh, this girl!"

……

Time flies like an arrow; three days have passed in the blink of an eye.

Shengfu.

Shou'an Hall.

At this moment, the sun shines brightly, the autumn air is crisp and clear, and the sky is like a pool of azure jade, sparkling and inlaid above the world.

Inside the antique pear blossom cabinet, Minglan sat at a nearby table, holding needle and thread, lost in thought.

Beside her, Minglan's good friends Xiaotao and Danju felt a pang of worry when they saw Minglan in this state, wondering what was wrong with their young lady.

"Xiao Tao, what's wrong with the young lady?"

Although Danju is also trusted by Minglan, she is not as close as she is to Xiaotao. Moreover, Danju is now gradually becoming familiar with everything around Minglan under Cuiwei's conscious guidance.

In other words, Danju is slowly growing up, just like Madam Fang and Old Madam Sheng. In the future, she will also become Minglan's most capable maid. Therefore, Danju is quite busy on weekdays. She is not as busy as Xiaotao when she is with Minglan, which is why she has such a question.

"Could it be that the young lady is worried about Young Master Quan?"

Danju had some doubts: "But, can't Young Master Quan come back today?"

"Young lady, you don't seem to be suffering from that."

"Xiao Tao, do you know?"

Danju looked at Xiaotao with some worry on her face.

"this?"

Xiaotao didn't know what to say about the question regarding the tangerine.

"Sister Danju, I don't know what's wrong with the girl's appearance!"

"It seems... the young lady has been acting strangely since yesterday!"

Xiao Tao blinked her big eyes and said hesitantly.

"correct!"

After racking her brains for a while, Xiao Tao suddenly said, "I remember, it seems that the young lady became like this after seeing a letter!"

"letter?"

Danju frowned her delicate eyebrows and asked, puzzled, "Xiaotao, whose letter is this?"

Because both of them were Minglan's most trusted and closest confidants, Xiaotao didn't think about hiding anything. She said directly, "That letter seems to have been sent by my cousin from the Jiang family. He said it was sent by my aunt from the Wei family."

"Aunt Wei?"

Danju was surprised, feeling that something was strange.

"Could it be that something has happened to the Jiang family?"

In Danju's opinion, the reason that Minglan was acting so strangely was probably the letter sent by the Jiang family. But what was written in that letter?

After thinking it over, she felt that the most likely possibility was that the letter was a plea for help.

Change tomorrow!

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(End of this chapter)