Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

Chapter 449 Death with a Rod
"Lin Qinshuang, you paid a lot of money to Zhang Laosi to open the door, and you painstakingly hired thugs to ruin my future. But you never thought that this vicious scheme would be played out in the most cruel and ironic way by the thugs you hired, on your own son!"

Is there any more perfect "retribution" in this world?

A chilling glint flashed in Sheng Changquan's eyes, and a silent mockery welled up inside him like a deep, dark current.

"It seems that my third brother's path to the imperial examinations is now completely cut off, along with his right hand, which was 'accidentally' injured by the hired thugs..."

His fingertips unconsciously traced the smooth surface of the table, as if sensing the invisible threads of fate: "I wonder, right now... how heartbroken and regretful you are..."

He turned his head slightly, his gaze seemingly piercing through the layers of buildings and the darkness of night, precisely landing in the direction of the ancestral hall.

There……

"hehe!"

A very soft, chilling sneer escaped from Sheng Changquan's lips: "Let's wait and see. This play... isn't over yet..."

……

The heavy ancestral hall doors were tightly closed from the outside by Dong Rong, blocking all prying eyes.

In the solemn and oppressive space, only the flickering candlelight illuminated the ancestral tablets, making them appear indistinct and adding to the eeriness.

The air was filled with the scent of incense and candles, mixed with the strong smell of cosmetics on Lin Qinshuang's body and the uncontrollable smell of fear and sweat from Zhou Xueniang.

Sheng Hong dismissed all the servants, leaving only Lin Qinshuang, Zhou Xueniang and her maid, and... Mo Lan, who was kneeling on a prayer mat, her face pale and her body swaying as if she were about to collapse from days of being forced to kneel.

Mo Lan has been confined to the ancestral hall for the past few days to reflect on her mistakes, completely unaware of everything happening in the outside world.

When the ancestral hall door was violently pushed open, she saw her father, Sheng Hong, barge in with a frosty expression, followed by Lin Qinshuang, her hairpins and jewelry scattered, tears streaming down her face, and Zhou Xueniang, pale and trembling like a leaf, who had been dragged in by Dong Rong like a dead dog. She was first shocked, and then a twisted hope welled up in her heart.

"Could it be that Father has softened and is going to let me go?"

Mo Lan thought to herself, "Lin Xiao Niang must have been treated this way because she pleaded for her!"
This thought just occurred to me!
"Father!" Ignoring the excruciating pain in her knees, Mo Lan struggled to get up, her voice trembling with tears and grievance, "Even if I'm wrong, you can punish me alone!"

"My mother is in poor health. I beg Father to have mercy and not implicate her any further..."

Mo Lan tried to move Sheng Hong with her filial piety and gentleness, looking at Lin Qinshuang with sorrow and at Sheng Hong with a hint of "admiration".

"Shut up!"

Sheng Hong suddenly let out a sharp shout, which echoed in the ancestral hall like a thunderclap!

His eyes were bloodshot, and veins bulged on his forehead. His gaze was like a poisoned knife as he glared at Mo Lan, making her tremble. The rest of her words got stuck in her throat, leaving only terrified sobs.

"Kneel properly! You have no right to speak here!"

At this moment, Sheng Hong was like a volcano on the verge of eruption, all his anger and heartache were tightly suppressed in his chest, just waiting for an outlet.

He turned around abruptly, took two steps to Lin Qinshuang, who was slumped on the ground and trembling, his tall figure looming over her with immense pressure. His voice was icy cold, each word like an ice pick hitting the ground!

"Lin Qinshuang! I'm asking you! What exactly happened tonight?!"

"Say!"

He leaned down, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Lin Qinshuang's pale, panicked face, each word carrying the force of thunder: "Why! You! Dare! Not! Report to the authorities?!"

"Ok?"

"Ah... Hiroro..."

Lin Qinshuang was terrified by Sheng Hong's anger, but she forced herself to remain calm. After the journey had passed, she had already prepared her explanation.

She raised her tear-filled face, trying to appear pitiful and devoted to her family, her voice trembling with sobs as she reached for Sheng Hong's clothes: "Hong Lang..."

"...I...I just...I just didn't want the Sheng family's reputation to be damaged!"

"Right now... right now the imperial examinations are just around the corner, and the future of the young men in the manor is of utmost importance..."

"And... there are several other young ladies who are of marriageable age... If... if a scandalous incident like a thief breaking into the manor and seriously injuring the young master gets out... what will people outside think of the Sheng family?"

"Even if my Sheng family is just an innocent victim, I'm afraid it will still implicate several young men in the manor."

"In that case, what about the future of Changbai and Changquan? What about Hualan, Rulan, Minglan... and my Mo'er? What about their reputations?"

Lin Qinshuang covered her face with her sleeve, tears falling like pearls: "I...I was only thinking of the Sheng family, Honglang!"

"You have to believe me... I... how could I possibly have any bad intentions? I..."

"Shut up!" Sheng Hong suddenly flicked his sleeve, forcefully shaking off Lin Qinshuang's hand that was trying to cling to him!
The force was so great that Lin Qinshuang stumbled and almost fell to the ground.

Sheng Hong trembled with rage, pointing at Lin Qinshuang's nose. His voice trembled slightly with extreme anger, and he roared with a furious sense of being fooled: "Lin Qinshuang! Do you really think I'm a fool?! Huh?!"

He reached out and slapped him hard across the face!
"Snapped!"

"what!!"

Lin Qinshuang slammed her head hard onto the ground in front of her!
"For the sake of the Sheng family's reputation? What a high-sounding excuse!"

"If you really cared about the Sheng family's reputation, you wouldn't have done something like this!"

"You think I can't find evidence if you don't tell me?!"

Sheng Hong took a deep breath, struggling to suppress his anger: "I'm asking you! What's going on with Zhang Laosi?!"

“The other day, I saw Zhou Xueniang, who works by your side, looking for the gatekeeper Zhang Laosi! As a result, he was 'silenced' by thieves while he was on duty today! He died without any explanation!”

"At first I thought it was just a coincidence? But I'm wondering why these thieves are fighting like this at the Sheng family mansion?!"

"Huh? Tell me, is this a coincidence?! Huh?!"

"And 'unjustified disaster'?"

Sheng Hong's voice grew louder and louder, until it was almost a roar: "You keep saying it's for the Sheng family! For the reputation and future of our young men and women!"

"Then let me ask you, Feng'er's hands! What about Feng'er's future?! He's your own son! Tell me, where is his future now?! Huh?!"

"Where?!!"

Sheng Hong's questioning struck Lin Qinshuang's heart like a heavy hammer.

Her face was deathly pale, her lips trembled, and her eyes darted away from Sheng Hong's fiery gaze, still making a last-ditch effort: "Hong... Honglang... I... I don't know..."

“…I don’t know anything…Zhang Laosi…he…he was killed by thieves…it has nothing to do with me, Honglang…Feng’er…my Feng’er…he was also killed by thieves…someone…someone wanted to harm our Linxi Pavilion…”

She was incoherent, even starting to make wild accusations, trying to divert attention: "It must be... it must be Ze Yutang! It must be Sheng Changquan! He holds a grudge against Mo'er for hurting him, and deliberately lured the thieves to harm Feng'er..."

"enough!"

Sheng Hong's patience has finally reached its limit!
Lin Qinshuang's sophistry and accusations were like adding fuel to the fire, completely igniting the last shred of reason in his heart!
"Incorrigible! Stubborn to the end!" He whirled around, no longer watching Lin Qinshuang's repulsive performance, and shouted sternly at Dong Rong, who was guarding outside the door, "Dong Rong! Come in here! Take this insolent servant—"

He pointed at Zhou Xueniang, who was trembling on the ground: "Drag her out! Beat her to death!"

"Right here in front of the ancestral hall! Beat her hard! Beat her until she tells the truth!!"

"Master, spare me! Master, spare me!"

"Young lady! Young lady, save me!"

Zhou Xueniang was terrified and cried out in a pitiful voice, kowtowing desperately until her forehead turned bruised and purple.

Lin Qinshuang screamed in shock, "Honglang! No! Xueniang is innocent! You can't..."

"Drag him out! Beat him!!"

Sheng Hong's voice was resolute, carrying an undeniable cruelty!

For Feng'er's sake, for the sake of the Sheng family, he must know the truth!
Even if the methods are ruthless!
Dong Rong, accompanied by two burly old women, rushed in and, without any mercy, lifted the limp Zhou Xueniang and dragged her out.

Zhou Xueniang's cries for mercy were shrill and piercing, echoing inside and outside the silent ancestral hall, sending chills down one's spine.

"Honglang! You can't do this! Xueniang has been with me for decades! Honglang—"

Lin Qinshuang lunged forward to stop him, but Sheng Hong shoved her away forcefully, causing her to fall to the ground.

The heavy wooden door of the ancestral hall was opened and then closed again.

But the chilling sound from outside the door could be heard clearly!

"Snapped!"

"what--!"

"Crack! Crack!"

The dull thud of the cane striking, accompanied by Zhou Xueniang's heart-wrenching, gradually fading screams, was like a death knell from hell, striking the hearts of everyone in the ancestral hall.