Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

Chapter 457 Excitement
In the rear residence of the Sheng family, Linxi Pavilion had been completely reduced to a "ruin" shrouded in gloom and despair.

The once exquisite and luxurious main house is now closed, lifeless, and even the wind chimes on the eaves are silent. The whole air is filled with a stale despair.

In the coldest, darkest corner of the woodshed, Lin Qinshuang was chained to a stone pillar with heavy iron chains.

Each swing of the chain brought with it a harsh scraping sound and her suppressed, beast-like panting.

The smell of moldy straw mixed with dust pierced my nostrils like a knife. Those once carefully maintained slender hands were now covered in grime, cracked with frostbite, and their fingernails were filled with mud as they futilely scratched at the cold, damp straw mat beneath them.

Her once carefully styled hair was now disheveled like withered grass, sticking stickily to her sweaty forehead and neck.

Only a pair of eyes shone terrifyingly bright in the dim light, flashing with a cold light of resentment and unwillingness, staring intently at the faint light seeping through the crack in the door, like a mother beast ready to pounce and devour her prey at any moment.

A few steps away, Zhou Xueniang was curled up like a rag doll, with only the barely perceptible rise and fall of her chest indicating that she was hanging on by a thread.

—Sheng Hong kept this man alive only for the final reckoning.

The main house on the other side became Sheng Molan's magnificent prison.

The heavy courtyard gate was guarded day and night by two fierce-looking old women with short sticks at their waists, their eyes like those of someone watching over a serious criminal.

The windows were nailed shut with rough wooden strips, letting in only a few stingy rays of pale sunlight.

The room, once filled with books, musical scores, and fine silks, is now only filled with cold, heavy furniture and a sense of oppression from the accumulated dust.

The food delivered was coarse and bland, and the rations were so drastically reduced that they were almost nonexistent. Even a decent change of clothes became a luxury.

The servants hurried past the tightly closed courtyard gate, their eyes revealing undisguised contempt, fear, and schadenfreude.

The deliberately suppressed comments came like poisonous needles!

"Linxi Pavilion is completely ruined!"

"Fourth Miss? Her ambitions are higher than the sky, but her fate is as fragile as paper! Her life is over..."

"Serves you right! You're so malicious!"

"..."

Fear, like cold vines, coiled around her heart, tightening ever more, while a flame of resentment burned wildly in the ashes of despair—

She can't! She, Sheng Molan, absolutely cannot rot in the mire like her stepmother!

Suddenly, she remembered someone—Liang Han from the Yongchang Earl's Mansion.

The sixth young master, who once expressed his admiration for her, was the only piece of driftwood she could grasp in her dark abyss, a lifeline to wealth and glory.

But... she was imprisoned in this tiny place, unable to even leave the courtyard, how could she contact anyone?

How can we grasp this lifeline?

While Mo Lan was racking her brains to cope with this desperate imprisonment, she was unaware that another pair of calm, deep eyes were watching steadily from afar.

Minglan, like the most skilled hunter, had already paved a seemingly safe path to survival, but in reality, a straight plunge into the abyss, for this restless and mad prey in the midst of thorny and desperate circumstances.

Unexpectedly, an opportunity quietly arises.

Although the Sheng family has been somewhat turbulent lately, the success of Sheng Changbai and Sheng Changquan's children means that discerning families in the capital will not look down on them.

Sure enough, Madam Wu from the Yongchang Earl's Mansion sent over several bolts of the latest fabric and a few exquisite pieces of jewelry to thank Minglan for taking care of the flowers and trees in the mansion.

Minglan knew that this was because of her younger brother, Sheng Changquan, who was a strong contender for the top scholar title.

Minglan smiled and accepted the gift, but did not make a fuss. However, a day later, when she "happened" to need to go to Madam Weirui Pavilion to discuss household affairs, she deliberately chose the corridor that was next to the wall of Linxi Pavilion.

……

That day, Minglan passed by with a composed and elegant gait, casually twirling a gold hairpin inlaid with kingfisher feathers and rubies, a gift from Madam Wu. The afternoon sunlight shone through the carved window lattice, falling precisely on the hairpin, the dazzling rubies refracting dazzling yet cold points of light, leaping like a silent provocation.

Danju followed closely behind, holding an open brocade box. Inside, soft, pale yellow and light pink gauze shimmered and reflected the exquisitely crafted, lifelike beaded flowers at the bottom of the box.

“Madam Wu is too kind,” Minglan’s voice was not loud, with a touch of just the right amount of languor and unintentional satisfaction, which clearly echoed in the quiet corridor. “These items, she said, are the kind that are fashionable in the capital, and she insisted on stuffing them into my hands.”

"Danju, look at this pale yellow fabric. The color is quite bright, but it's a bit too delicate and flamboyant for my usual attire. I'm afraid it won't suit me."

As she spoke, she lightly raised her slender fingers and compared the exquisite hairpin to her dark temples. She turned slightly to the side, admiring her reflection in the mirror of the gleaming red lacquered pillars under the eaves, a faint smile playing on her lips.

The dazzling golden light, the incomparably luxurious fabric, the casualness on Minglan's face—as if she were used to the Earl's mansion's rewards—and a hint of barely perceptible superiority...

All of this was like a red-hot branding iron, burning fiercely into the heart of Sheng Molan, who was peeking through the window!

She was currently locked inside the house, peeking out through a small hole in the window, looking as pathetic as a mouse desperately trying to escape.

Filled with resentment, she saw Minglan swaggering around in front of her door, and a fierce, insane jealousy surged up to her head!
She rushed to the nailed-together window frame, her sharp and sarcastic voice like a poisoned dagger piercing through the gaps in the wooden strips!
"Sheng Minglan! What are you so smug about?!"

"You dare to swagger in front of my Linxi Pavilion after only picking up scraps from the Earl's mansion! Have you forgotten your origins?!"

Minglan seemed startled by the sudden shriek, her hand trembled, and the hairpin almost slipped from her grasp and fell to the ground.

She clutched her chest, turned to look at the source of the voice, her delicate brows furrowed slightly, her clear eyes filled with just the right amount of confusion and a hint of offended grievance: "Fourth sister? What... what do you mean? I was just passing through and was on my way to find Madam."

"Fourth Sister, you are still under house arrest and reflecting on your mistakes. You should calm down and not get so angry that you will harm your health."

Sheng Minglan spoke earnestly, seemingly only to comfort her sister, but the words "confinement" and "reflection" were like the most potent oil, poured onto Mo Lan's burning jealousy.

"Repent?! What have I done wrong?! It's all your fault! You're the ones who ruined my mother! You ruined my third brother! You ruined me!"

Mo Lan went completely mad, her sharp nails scratching frantically at the cracks in the window frame, the wood scraping with a piercing sound, her voice as shrill as a vengeful ghost: "Get out! Take your junk and get out! Don't dirty my place!"

The heated argument immediately attracted the attention of the old woman guarding the house and Liu Mama and others who rushed over upon hearing the news.

Minglan lowered her head at the right moment, her long eyelashes concealing her eyes. Just as Liu Mama and the others arrived, she turned her face slightly, allowing everyone to clearly see her reddened eyes and the glistening tears that were about to fall but were still clinging to her thick eyelashes.

She swayed slightly, and supported by Danju Xiaotao's exclamations, she was hurriedly escorted away like a delicate white lotus in the wind.
Upon returning to Mucangzhai, Minglan immediately instructed Xiaotao to fetch a doctor under the pretext of being "frightened and worried by her fourth sister's stern words," while she herself "fell ill" in bed. At the same time, she naturally handed over the power of housekeeping to Madam Wang, who hated Linxige to the bone and was decisive but careless.

Mu Cang Zhai then closed its doors to visitors, seemingly falling into silence.

However, an invisible giant net is being quietly woven and tightened on this "sickbed" by an extremely calm hand.

Minglan knew Wang Da Niangzi's temperament well. Sure enough, not long after, Liu Mama came to visit the "sick" Sixth Miss on Wang Da Niangzi's orders.

Minglan leaned against the headboard, her face slightly pale, which made her eyes appear even clearer.

Her voice was slightly hoarse from illness, but clear and articulate: "Thank you for your trouble, Mother. I am so ashamed that I cannot help you with my poor health."

She looked out the window, a worried look on her face: "These past few days have been bitterly cold, and the nights are extremely chilly. I've heard that the old women, like Mama Li and Mama Zhang, who are on duty in the back garden, are all senior members of the household. I'm afraid their health won't be able to withstand working on such cold nights."

Her tone was earnest, and every word revealed her concern for the well-being of the household: "Mother manages the household affairs, and with so many things to attend to, it's inevitable that there will be areas she can't oversee. I think it would be better if we were more considerate and allowed these elderly women to take turns resting for a couple more hours during the day, so they can be more alert at night and guard the gates without any mishaps. After all..."

She lowered her voice, with a hint of lingering fear: "The manor has just suffered such a terrible calamity, and people's hearts are still unsettled. The tight security and diligent patrols tonight are the most important foundation... If any further mishap occurs, Mother will be overwhelmed with worry, Father will look even worse, and the Sheng family's reputation cannot withstand any further damage."

These words were all reasonable and apt, like warm and lustrous pearls falling into Liu Mama's ears. She felt that the Sixth Miss was truly kind and considerate, always thinking of the mansion and the servants, and maintaining the dignity of the First Madam and the Master. After returning home, she naturally added some good words and reported everything to Wang Ruofu.

At this moment, Madam Wang was busy settling old scores with Lin Qinshuang, investigating deficits, and dealing with her cronies. She wished she had three heads and six arms. Upon hearing this, she wholeheartedly agreed, feeling that Minglan's idea was both benevolent and could strengthen nighttime security. It was exactly what she wanted to hear, so she immediately wrote down the order.

"Do as Sixth Miss says! Pass on my message: have the old women on night duty in the back garden take turns resting for two extra hours during the day! They must be well-rested and keep their eyes wide open at night! Anyone who dares to slack off or makes even the slightest mistake will be severely punished!"

As a result, the guards in the back garden during the day, especially those guarding the secluded corners leading to the rockery, became much more lax.

The old women who benefited were happy to shirk their duties. During the day, they either stayed in the side room, warming themselves by the fire and taking naps, or they would sneak over to their familiar servants to gossip and chatter. The number of patrols and the time spent on patrols were greatly reduced.

This seemingly insignificant oversight quietly opened a breach for certain clandestine operations.