Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

Actually, Sheng Changquan sought out Lüliang Mountain because of Yu Zhenghao's smuggling. He felt there was something more to it, since Lüliang Mountain was located in Yuzhou, and it would be more convenient for him to investigate the matter thoroughly.

"I'm not sure about that."

Xu Changqing suppressed his amused expression, thought for a moment, and honestly said, "Young Master, they didn't say it explicitly, they just said they received a big deal and their boss needs to come over in person to handle it."

"Big business?"

"How big can it be?"

Sheng Changquan said speechlessly, "This is utterly ridiculous!"

"Doesn't she know her own identity? How important is she to the people on the mountain?"

Sheng Changquan frowned deeply, his face showing a hint of urgency.

Seeing Sheng Changquan angry, Xu Changqing pursed his lips, as if trying to hold back something.

However, after enduring it for a while, he finally couldn't hold back.

He cautiously observed Sheng Changquan's expression, and carefully said, "Young Master, actually, you shouldn't be too angry..."

Xu Changqing glanced tentatively at Sheng Changquan. When he saw that Sheng Changquan had turned his gaze towards him, Xu Changqing felt a little uneasy. Thinking about what he was about to say, Xu Changqing thought to himself, "If I say what's on my mind, will the young master punish me again?"

However, being a true man, Xu Changqing finally spoke his mind.

"hey-hey……"

“Young Master, actually, I also think that big deal might be an excuse… but… Young Master… cough cough…”

"...Ahem!"

Xu Changqing cleared his throat: "Perhaps... the head of the People's Congress... actually came here... to find you..."

He tentatively said, "Don't you think about how long we've been away from there? Isn't it natural for the chief to want to come and see you? Back then, you and..."

"All right!"

Sheng Changquan glared at Xu Changqing, annoyed, and stopped him, saying, "Stop making wild guesses!"

“I told you before, things between her and me aren’t what you think!”

There was a barely perceptible hint of irritation in his voice, as if his carefully concealed past had been exposed.

Outside the window, the twilight of Bianjing pressed heavily on the rows of rooftops, and also heavily on his heart.

Grand Secretary Yu had lived a glorious life, but he never expected to be so miserable in his later years. Although he had not yet left the capital, the gloom and misery that shrouded his entire household cast a huge shadow over Sheng Changquan's nascent career.

He originally thought he could handle things perfectly, but he never expected that others would interfere, and the result was...

Sheng Changquan shook his head, feeling somewhat discouraged. However, since he was only a minor figure in this matter, it didn't matter much.

However, this must never happen again in the future!
Sheng Changquan snapped out of his reverie and thought of the imperial examinations.

This spring imperial examination is just around the corner. It is the only legitimate path for Sheng Changquan to break free from the shackles of being a son of a concubine and truly stand in the imperial court. There is no room for the slightest mistake, and even less room for the entanglements involving the snow and wind of the border and the bloodshed of the martial world.

Xu Changqing shrank back. As a personal attendant of Old Master Xu, a former soldier of the Marquis of Yiyong's mansion, personally selected by Old Madam Sheng, he knew his young master's shrewdness well. He sincerely admired his young master's ability to create the "Quan Ti" script, which shook the literary world, and to remain calm and composed amidst the decline of the Yu family.

But whenever Lu Hongti, the decisive and ruthless female leader of the Lüliang Mountains, is involved, the awkwardness and hidden concern that the young master tries so hard to suppress, almost like that of a teenager, always quietly emerges.

He was about to mutter something more when he suddenly noticed that the young master's expression wasn't one of emotional turmoil, but rather a chilling calm that seemed to hold a knife's edge, as if a storm was brewing, and an all-knowing coldness.

Xu Changqing immediately fell silent and stood respectfully with his hands at his sides.

“Big business…” Sheng Changquan’s slender fingers unconsciously tapped on the cold rosewood window frame. The tapping sound was exceptionally clear in the quiet study, carrying a heart-pounding rhythm.

"The Lüliang Mountains are located far on the border of Yuzhou, adjacent to the Great Liang Kingdom, a major threat to the imperial court. Grand Secretary Yu has already requested to retire because his only son, Yu Zhenghao, is involved in the heinous case of 'smuggling ironware and colluding with the enemy, Great Liang,' sacrificing his lifelong reputation and achievements to save his son's life... At such a critical juncture, the imperial court's eyes are probably fixed on the direction of Yuzhou. What kind of immense wealth would be worth Lu Hongti risking her life at this time to step into the dragon's den and tiger's lair of Bianjing?"

He turned abruptly, his gaze like a quenched blade, piercing straight at Xu Changqing: "Changqing, when Lu Hongti's messenger sent the message, besides saying there was a big business deal that she needed to handle personally, was there anything else? What did the messenger look like? Were there any unusual details about the token?"

Sheng Changquan knew very well how strict Lu Hongti was under his rule; he would never easily use emergency communication channels unless it was something extremely important and fundamental.

Xu Changqing thought carefully, his expression solemn: "Young Master, the messenger was an unfamiliar peddler, but his accent was definitely from Yuzhou. The token was just an ordinary mountain walnut, but there was a tiny 'seven' engraved on the bottom of the walnut. This was the highest warning mark that you and the chief agreed upon back then. The man just stuffed the walnut into my hand and said, 'A tricky big deal has come up the mountain. The chief is going down the mountain to handle it personally and visit an old friend along the way.' After saying that, he disappeared into the crowd without saying another word."

“The secret mark of the number 'seven'...a tricky big deal...and by the way, visit some old friends…” Sheng Changquan chewed on these words, his fingertips suddenly stopped tapping, and a chilling killing intent, like a venomous snake, instantly coiled around his heart.

"Troublesome? For Lu Hongti to find it troublesome, even to the point of using his highest secret code to personally descend the mountain... the target of this deal is probably not just some ordinary merchant rival!"

An extremely ominous thought flashed through my mind like lightning: "Could the target of this 'deal' be me?!"

“Yuzhou…big business…a tricky deal…” He quickly connected the rumors Xu Changqing had heard with Lu Hongti’s unusual warning.

In the martial arts world, when it comes to the most unruly and ruthless mountain stronghold, Lüliang Mountain is undoubtedly the best!

"Visiting old friends along the way..."

Sheng Changquan narrowed his eyes: "Really just...on the way?"

Sheng Changquan didn't believe it, fearing it was related to him.

Could it be?

Is someone trying to harm him?

If something is detrimental to oneself, the most direct way is to ruin their chances of passing the imperial examination and cut off their foundation for officialdom!
And those with this motive are probably only...

"Lin Qinshuang!"

The name, imbued with deep-seated hatred and icy certainty, burst forth from Sheng Changquan's clenched teeth.

His nominal stepmother was a vicious woman whose hands were stained with the blood of his birth mother, Wei Xiaoniang!
She viewed her siblings as thorns in her side, especially Sheng Changquan, who was the top scorer in the provincial examination and famous for his calligraphy style. His brilliance had long overshadowed her good-for-nothing son, Sheng Changfeng, making him the biggest threat to her enjoyment of the Sheng family's interests!
Of course, the most crucial factor is the deep-seated hatred between them—they are mortal enemies!

At this crucial juncture of the imperial examinations, what could be more effective and permanent than hiring someone to eliminate this major threat?
This perfectly matches Lin Qinshuang's sinister, vicious, and ruthless style of doing things!

Although she was just a concubine, she had the favor of her father, Sheng Hong, and the power to manage some of the inner affairs of the household. She also had the wealth and confidants she had accumulated over the years. She was fully capable of spending a lot of money through secret black market channels to buy Sheng Changquan's life!

“It’s definitely her!” Sheng Changquan asserted.

Moreover, even if he guessed wrong, Sheng Changquan wouldn't care; but if there was even the slightest possibility of danger, he would never let it go! (End of Chapter)