Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

Chapter 445 Going out
—The source of that "rumor" was Lei Jing, the commander of the Imperial City Guard!

The irrefutable evidence that Xiao Qinyan had plotted against Yu Zhenghao and schemed against Yu Songnian had already been secretly presented to the Emperor.

However, the Emperor still had a lot of affection for Grand Secretary Yu, so he specially arranged the scene before him.

Xiao Qinyan, suppressing the pounding of his heart, stepped forward and knelt down, his voice trembling with barely suppressed indignation: "Your Majesty! My loyalty is as clear as the sun and moon! This is a frame-up!"

"Your Majesty, I implore you to investigate thoroughly and clear my name! My petition to reorganize the Arsenal is solely for the purpose of eliminating long-standing abuses and strengthening our national defense; I have absolutely no selfish motives! I beseech Your Majesty..."

"Alright." The Emperor spoke calmly, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable authority that instantly silenced Xiao Qinyan's defense. "It is the duty of the Censor to report on matters based on hearsay, to serve as the eyes and ears of the court. Since Minister Xiao says that the innocent are innocent, why rush to defend yourself?"

The officials just wanted to give him a warning.

Of course, it wasn't just him.

The official paused, then glanced at Han Zhang, Qian Muzhi, and the others: "This matter can be investigated discreetly by the relevant authorities."

Then he turned his gaze back to Xiao Qinyan, with an indifferent expression: "As for the matter of the Military Equipment Bureau that Minister Xiao reported, it is a sensitive matter, so we will put it aside for now and discuss it later."

Understatement!

This not only led the sudden impeachment storm into the abyss of "secret investigation," but also directly banished his painstakingly prepared memorial on the Military Equipment Bureau to the dark and obscure palace!

The government appeared to be fair, but in reality, it had tacitly approved the corrupt clique's hunting down and strangling of this poor scholar with no connections.

As the court bell rang to signal the end of the session, Xiao Qinyan walked alone along the long and empty palace road.

The biting autumn wind was as sharp as a knife, whipping up the hem of his scarlet official robe, making it flutter loudly. The red, a symbol of power, looked so glaring and flimsy against the gray sky.

Those officials who used to be respectful and even flattering to him now avoided him as if he were a plague, their eyes filled with undisguised schadenfreude, deep fear, and mostly cold indifference and aloofness.

Xiao Qinyan felt like a lamb stripped naked and thrown into a pack of wolves, each step treading on an invisible blade. Surrounding him were Han Zhang's unfathomable orthodox lineage, Qian Muzhi's vast network spanning Jiangnan, Shen Duan's deeply entrenched noble roots, and the aloof, ruthless imperial schemes.

Back in the study of the Xiao residence, a symbol of the core of power, the moment the door closed, Xiao Qinyan could no longer support his sturdy body and slumped into the cold rosewood armchair, as if all his strength had been drained away.

The table was piled high with rejected petitions, indefinitely delayed official documents, and several letters from local protégés and former officials—the letters no longer conveyed congratulations, but rather anxious probing, and even hinted at drawing a line between them.

Outside the window, the cold rain began to fall again, and the chill seeped into my bones through the window frame.

Xiao Qinyan locked himself in his room, his face instantly turning old and ashen, as if he had lost all vitality.

He closed his eyes wearily, his hands gripping the handrails tightly, veins bulging.

After a long pause, a hoarse, bitter laugh, filled with self-mockery and despair, was squeezed out from deep within his throat: "Ha... a poor family... always a poor family..."

"So-called instant ascension? Ha... it's nothing more than... stepping into a deeper quagmire, a colder ice cave..."

He suddenly opened his eyes, and a fierce, almost insane, desperate flame suddenly ignited in those bloodshot eyes, burning away all his despair: "This capital, this Zichen Palace... cannot accommodate me, Xiao Qinyan... then... I will change the world!"

That vague thought, which was originally just a last resort buried deep in my heart, suddenly became incredibly clear, incredibly fervent, and incredibly urgent under the pressure of this desperate situation.

Leaving Beijing... going into hiding...

Looking for a new, stronger backer...

But... who should I turn to?
Xiao Qinyan's mind raced.

He has the opportunity to join any of the existing factions, but it would be difficult for him to become the first player to take control of the game, or...

suddenly!

Xiao Qinyan's gaze fell upon that noble figure, secluded within the palace, of high status, yet childless. Perhaps...

Xiao Qinyan's expression hardened!
This may be his only way out, and his only bargaining chip to rise again in the future, make a comeback, and completely turn this corrupt court upside down!

At this moment, a terrifying flame suddenly burst forth in Xiao Qinyan's eyes.

……

At the same time, the flickering candlelight in Shengfuzhe Hall reflected Sheng Changquan's calm profile on the window lattice.

He tapped the edge of the chessboard lightly with his fingertips, making an almost inaudible "tap-tap" sound. The black and white pieces had already laid out a killing move on the chessboard in front of him.

Xu Changqing stood by like a shadow.

“It’s time,” Sheng Changquan said calmly, his gaze as deep as the night. “The manor… needs some peace and quiet.”

His plan had already begun.

Yesterday, a seemingly casual message, through Xu Changqing's skillful manipulation, was precisely delivered to the ear of Liu Kun's wife, the most trusted confidante of Madam Wang Ruofu.

This news was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a tidal wave in Wang Ruofu's heart: her eldest daughter, Hualan, who had married into the Zhongqin Earl's mansion, had her dowry estate seized by her mother-in-law, Madam Yuan, who also forcibly took away her one-year-old son, Shige'er, under the pretext of "being weak" to "raise" him herself. Hualan was filled with grief and indignation, to the point that she "fell ill from worry and could not sleep at night" and had already fallen ill!
"what?!"

Upon hearing Liu Kun's report, Madam Wang was so angry that she trembled all over. She smashed the official kiln teacup she was holding on the ground with a "crack," shattering it into pieces!

"The Yuan family is going too far! They dare to steal my daughter's dowry? They even dare to snatch my own grandson?! Do they really think the Sheng family has no one left?!" Her eyebrows furrowed, wishing she could storm the Earl's mansion to confront them immediately.

"Madam, please calm down!" Liu Kun's wife quickly supported her mistress, who was swaying with anger, and whispered, "The Yuan family is, after all, an earl's mansion. If we rashly storm their door, it will only make us look guilty, and it might be even more detrimental to the young lady! Perhaps..."

"...Why not invite the old lady to go with us? The old lady is highly respected and holds an imperial title. With her presence to back her up, I doubt that Madam Yuan would dare to be too presumptuous! It would also give the young lady some support!"

Although Madam Wang was angry, she knew that what Liu Mama said made sense.

She took a few deep breaths, suppressing her anger, and rushed to Shou'an Hall with a heart full of anxiety and heartache.

Grandma Sheng was resting with her eyes closed, fiddling with her prayer beads. After listening to Madam Wang's tearful account, her worldly-wise eyes slowly opened, a sharp glint flashing in them.

"Hua Lan is a very resilient and strong-willed child. She would never let such news reach her family unless she was truly at her breaking point." The old lady's voice was steady, yet carried an undeniable authority.

Her gaze swept over Minglan, who stood to the side with a similarly worried expression, and Rulan, who had rushed over to see what was going on. She had already made up her mind.

“Ming is thoughtful, so come with me to take care of Hua Lan. Ru Lan should come too, just to relax; it’s not good to stay cooped up at home all day.”

Minglan immediately responded obediently. She knew perfectly well that her grandmother was taking her along because she valued her meticulousness. But more importantly, her grandmother probably sensed the strange atmosphere in the mansion recently and wanted to take her away from the possible center of the vortex. After all, although Sheng Changquan was injured, he had stabilized. Old Madam Sheng did not want Minglan to keep dwelling on this, so she simply took her away.

Rulan, standing beside her, was simply happy to be able to go out.

Therefore, just as dawn broke today, the carriages and horses in front of the Sheng Mansion were already prepared.

Sitting in the lead carriage, Madam Wang Ruofu was still gritting her teeth as she recounted the Yuan family's faults: "They were so respectful when they were asking for my hand in marriage, but now they're putting on airs like they're from a noble family! They're even greedy for their daughter-in-law's dowry, aren't they afraid of choking on their own filth!"

Rulan sat beside her, excitedly lifting a corner of the carriage curtain and curiously gazing at the streets of Bianjing City gradually awakening in the early morning.

In a slightly larger carriage behind, Old Madam Sheng closed her eyes to rest, but unconsciously stroked a warm jade clasp in her hand—a peace charm that Hua Lan had made by hand for her grandmother when she was a child.

Minglan sat quietly beside her grandmother, gently massaging her knees. Her gaze occasionally swept across the carriage window, where dark clouds were piling up in the leaden sky, pressing heavily on the earth as if foreshadowing some ominous sign.

All the key figures in the mansion have left, leaving behind only an empty and subtle stage.