Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

Chapter 435 Injured
Minglan felt as if she had been struck hard in the chest by an invisible hammer!

She suddenly knelt down beside Sheng Changquan, her gaze fixed on the back of his right hand—the hideous wound resembled a gaping, scarlet mouth, gushing out glaring blood!

The warm liquid quickly soaked through the makeshift bandages, trickling down his blue sleeves and dripping onto the cold, polished floor tiles, blooming into shocking flowers of blood!
Minglan's face drained of all color in an instant, turning as pale as the gold paper used for funeral offerings!
A tremendous sense of lingering fear overwhelmed her like a cold tide, followed by an overwhelming wave of self-blame that nearly tore her apart!
My heart felt like it was being gripped tightly by an invisible, icy hand, each beat bringing a suffocating pain!

She had foreseen that Mo Lan's malice would bite like a viper, that her father's wrath would descend like thunder, and even that she would use the insignificant pain on her own cheek to bring her enemy to utter ruin...

But despite all her calculations, she hadn't anticipated this!
Her little seven!

Her younger brother, whom she most wanted to protect and who she hoped would always live in the sunlight, suffered such a terrible backlash because of the trap she had carefully designed!

The golden scissors that should have slashed her cheek instead tore deeply into Xiao Qi's flesh, as if gouging out her heart!

He used the hand that held the pen to write a bright future to shield her from this fatal blow!
"Xiao Qi! Xiao Qi—!!"

Minglan's voice was broken and shattered, filled with uncontrollable violent trembling and a deep, choked sob.

Almost instinctively, she tore off the cleanest and softest section of the hem of her inner skirt!
Those hands, which were usually so skillful at threading needles, were now trembling like leaves in the autumn wind, almost uncontrollable!

With all her might, she pressed the strip of cloth tightly and heavily onto Sheng Changquan's gaping wound!

Trying to block out that scarlet red that symbolizes the passing of life!

Warm, rusty-smelling blood instantly soaked through the fine cotton cloth, and the sticky, scalding touch traveled from her fingertips straight to her heart, burning her soul!

"How are you? Does it hurt? Don't be afraid... Xiao Qi, don't be afraid... The physician is coming soon! Quickly go and fetch the old lady! Quickly go and fetch the master!"

She screamed, her voice filled with fear of her brother's injuries, anger at Mo Lan's brutality, and an overwhelming, agonizing sense of self-reproach that threatened to consume her!
Tears streamed down his face like beads from a broken string, mingling with the blood on his fingers.

Sheng Changquan's forehead was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat, and the dizziness from blood loss made his face appear almost transparently pale.

However, those deep eyes remained as calm as a cold, ancient well, with a sharp light flowing within them, their calmness bordering on coldness.

He first used his uninjured left hand to gently pat Minglan's back, which was trembling violently and as tense as a stone due to extreme tension and self-blame, with an extremely natural and unquestionable calmness.

The warmth and steady pressure from that palm acted like an invisible barrier, trying to dispel her fear: "Sister, I'm alright... don't panic."

His voice was deep, yet it possessed a strange power that could penetrate chaos and reach the heart, like a stabilizing force thrown into a raging storm.

Immediately, he raised his cold gaze, swept it over Mo Lan, who was slumped on the ground and pale-faced, and then looked around at the servants who were panicked and confused like headless flies. An invisible pressure suddenly spread out and actually suppressed the chaos on the scene!
"Quiet!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it had a penetrating power like metal striking stone, clearly reaching everyone's eardrums, like ice falling to the ground, shattering all noise.

"What's the panic! It's just a minor injury, it won't kill you!"

He deliberately ignored the glaring red stains still seeping through the strips of cloth, a clear indication of the severity of his injuries, and spoke in a flat tone as if he were discussing the weather.

However, his next words, a chilling warning, put everyone on alert: "Who dares to utter a single word about what happened today, or leak even a whisper of it..." His gaze, sharp as lightning, slowly swept over every pale, terrified face, his eyes so keen they seemed to pierce through to the heart: "Watch your skin, watch your families' livelihoods! All of you—understand?!"

"Yes! Yes! Seventh Young Master! This servant understands!!"

The servants were terrified by the coldness in his gaze and the threat in his words that threatened to destroy their livelihoods. They fell to their knees or bowed their heads deeply, their voices trembling uncontrollably.

The scene fell into a deathly silence, with only suppressed gasps and Rulan's intermittent sobs from the corner, which she desperately covered her mouth with but could not suppress.

Only after stabilizing the chaotic situation did Sheng Changquan turn his attention back to those around him.

Minglan knelt beside him, tears mixed with blood leaving a disheveled mark on her pale face. Her eyes, which were always filled with intelligence and composure, were now filled with shock and unfathomable self-blame. Her hands, which were pressed on his wound, were still trembling slightly and stained with his blood.

He looked at her intently, his gaze complex and unspoken, but he quickly concealed it.

"Sister...you still ended up on this path."

Sheng Changquan sighed silently in his heart. He had already guessed Minglan's desire for revenge from the slightest clues, but since she chose to bear it alone, he pretended not to know.

He could understand the deep-seated hatred in his older sister's heart, and he also respected her desire to protect his "innocence".

But Sheng Changquan would never sit idly by and watch his sister walk on the edge of a knife alone!

In this world that is almost cruelly demanding of women, even the slightest risk of damaging her appearance could completely destroy the peaceful life she could have had!
Even if the plan succeeds and the enemy is killed, what is the point of the so-called "success" if the elder sister's appearance is ruined as a result?

However, it's just another way of pushing my sister into the abyss!

His gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, silently taking in everything around him.

Mo Lan, who was standing in front of him, was already limp and exhausted, with only overwhelming fear in her eyes. All traces of her previous madness were gone. Ru Lan, on the other hand, was huddled in a corner not far away, her face pale and filled with terror.

The servants around him knelt on the ground, silent and trembling. Only a few head maids who had rushed over from a distance after hearing the commotion had faces full of shock and disbelief.

In a flash, a clear and ruthless decision took shape in Sheng Changquan's mind.

He decided to use his own blood to achieve three outcomes.

First and foremost, we must ensure my elder sister is unharmed and eliminate any thought she might have of taking such a risk. Secondly, we must expose Mo Lan's venomous malice to the light of day and condemn her to the pillory of shame.

Finally, he positioned himself on the undeniable high ground of being a "victim," wielding the dual blades of morality and pathos, paving the way for a swift and decisive counterattack!
The infighting and backstabbing within the Sheng family were but a tiny, insignificant part of the grand scheme he envisioned, a scheme concerning the affairs of the court and the fate of the world.

However, protecting the peace and happiness of his closest loved ones will always be the unshakable and inviolable core of his strategy!

However, the deathly silence and oppressive atmosphere in the courtyard, like the calm before a storm, was destined to be short-lived!