Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

Chapter 467 Taking Action
Sure enough, when the old lady arrived, the head of the Yongchang Marquis's mansion was already waiting for her.

The flower hall of the Yongchang Marquis's mansion, which was used to entertain guests and was extremely luxurious, was brightly lit at this moment, but it was even more gloomy than during the day.

The enormous candlesticks illuminated the gold and jade treasures with dazzling light, yet they could not dispel the invisible, suffocating oppression.

The rosewood furniture gleamed with a cool, eerie luster under the flickering candlelight, as if it were carrying some unspoken meaning.

Because the Earl of Yongchang was highly favored by the emperor, Madam Wu still held the status of a first-rank imperial consort. At this moment, she was maintaining the airs of a first-rank imperial consort, sitting upright in the main seat of the grand chair with her back straight. Her ochre-red brocade robe with gold butterflies and flowers looked particularly dazzling in the candlelight.

Even surrounded by jewels, Madam Wu could not conceal the complexity in her heart. The tense lines on her face and the slightly downturned corners of her mouth revealed her suppressed impatience and guilty conscience.

The Earl of Yongchang, however, sat at the lower end of the table, his face ashen and his eyes scanning the hall with a complex expression, revealing a deep weariness and worry.

As for Liang Han, she huddled in the darkest corner, head down, face ashen, wishing she could bury herself in the cracks between the floor tiles.

The hall door opened silently, bringing in a chilly night air.

With the steady support of Madam Fang, Old Mrs. Sheng slowly stepped inside.

She wore only a dark blue plain brocade jacket, her white hair was neatly combed, and she wore only a warm white jade hairpin.

However, the moment this elderly woman, who had weathered the storms of three reigns, was once a close confidante of the late Empress Xiaoyi, and escaped unscathed from the palace intrigues, stepped inside, a heavy aura of wisdom accumulated over the years and the intangible majesty of the palace spread out like a tide.

All the splendor and jewels in the hall paled in comparison to the solemnity that had witnessed the passage of time.

Even the expensive incense floating in the air seemed to freeze.

Old Madam Sheng's face showed neither joy nor anger, only a deep, solemn expression. Her gaze slowly swept over everyone in the hall, and finally, like a frozen lake, settled on the face of Madam Wu, who was trying to remain calm in the main seat.

When Madam Wu saw that calm, almost indifferent gaze, her heart clenched, and a chill ran up her spine.

Especially considering the unfathomable palace connections behind this old feudal lord—a background so profound that even the current empress has to give him some face and remember some old friendships!
Her forced arrogance deflated like a punctured ball, losing most of her confidence. However, her years of pride as a noblewoman prevented her from getting up. She merely raised her chin slightly and spoke in a deliberately exaggerated yet undeniably pretentious tone, her voice sounding particularly sharp and abrupt in the excessively quiet flower hall.

"The arrival of Elder Sheng, the Prefect, in the dead of night, is truly an honor for the Liang family. However..."

She paused deliberately, trying to force a welcoming smile, but it didn't look natural and appeared somewhat stiff.

"Old Master Feng is of advanced age and high moral character, and is most well-versed in the principles of propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame. Your fourth daughter has done such a thing... lacking self-control, seducing my son, and disgracing both our families, causing a great uproar in the city. My Liang family has not yet pursued the Sheng family for the crime of 'poor upbringing' and 'disrespectful family conduct,' yet Old Master Feng has come tonight to stir up trouble?"

She tried to emphasize the words "seduction," "disgrace to the family," and "poor upbringing" to salvage her reputation.

The four words "poor upbringing" were like a spark igniting a fuse, emitting a piercing shriek in the deathly silence.

The sharp, piercing tone of Madam Wu still echoed among the carved beams and painted rafters, carrying a hint of feigned bravado as she ran out of steam—

"Crack—!!!" A heart-stopping, ear-tearing crack suddenly rang out!

It was like a thunderclap exploding from the ground!
As soon as Old Madam Sheng sat down, she heard this and simply swept away the official kiln white porcelain covered bowl with jade-like body and lustrous glaze on the high table next to her!
The covered bowl, with the force of a thunderbolt, crashed heavily onto the smooth, mirror-like gold brick floor!

In an instant, the snow-white porcelain shards shattered and scattered like broken stars!
The scalding hot tea soup mixed with the bright green tea leaves spilled out in a shocking mess!

The scorching steam, carrying the refreshing aroma of tea, suddenly rose up, and a few sharp pieces of porcelain, still carrying some force, clattered and splashed onto the edge of Madam Wu's incomparably luxurious brocade skirt!
Dead!

The entire flower hall fell into an absolute, suffocating silence!

Even the sound of the candle flame bursting open could be clearly heard!
Yongchang was so startled that he jumped up from his seat, his body stiffening.

Huddled in the shadows, Liang Han let out a short scream of fright, jerked back, and slammed her back against the cold pillar, her face turning deathly pale.

The forced arrogance on Madam Wu's face froze completely, like a clumsy mask instantly frozen in time. She stared wide-eyed in disbelief at the mess of tea stains and broken porcelain on the ground, as if she didn't recognize it.

Immediately, she looked up at Old Madam Sheng with a start, her lips trembling violently. Her lips, painted with bright lip rouge, moved a few times, but she couldn't utter a single word, only her eyes filled with horror.

Grandma Sheng slowly, very slowly, raised her eyelids.

The deep-sea-like calm vanished in an instant!

Those eyes, which had seen the vicissitudes of life, were now as sharp as an ancient sword just drawn from ten thousand years of ice, their cold light piercing straight at Madam Wu in the main seat!
That gaze was cold and heavy, carrying a sense of oppression that pierced through the lungs and reached the soul. This made Wu Da Niangzi, who had long been in a position of power and was used to giving orders, feel a sudden chill run down her spine and her back was instantly soaked with cold sweat!
“Lady Yongchang,” the old lady’s voice was not loud, but rather exceptionally clear and steady. Each word was like an ice bead that had been hammered a thousand times, striking the polished gold brick floor with precision, producing a heavy and cold echo, carrying immense force. “What a magnificent display!”

She leaned forward slightly, and the invisible, mountain-like pressure suddenly intensified several times. Her gaze, like a tangible blade, swept across Madam Wu's face, which was slightly distorted by shock: "I came to your door in the dead of night because I still remembered the past ties between our two families and had a good intention of settling things peacefully and leaving each other a way out."

"I never imagined your esteemed household would treat its guests in such a way! Such blatant lies, distortion of the truth, and slander!"

The old woman's voice suddenly rose an octave, like the sharp, resolute clang of a bowstring stretched to its limit: "In that case, I need not consider any more sentimentality!"

"Although my Sheng family may not be as prestigious as your Yongchang Earl's Mansion, we are still a family of scholars and upright officials for generations! We will not tolerate such slander and framing from you!"

"The actions of Liang Han, the sixth young master of your family, at the back mountain of Yuqing Temple are supported by both witnesses and physical evidence! The evidence is irrefutable! He took advantage of his drunkenness to commit a beastly act, forcibly abducting and defiling my Sheng family's innocent daughter! This is an unforgivable crime! The bloodstains on Sheng Hong's official robes are proof of his heart-wrenching grief as a father!"

Her gaze was like lightning, sharp as a judgment, sweeping over the pale, bloodless face of the Earl of Yongchang, over Liang Han who was trembling like a leaf in the corner and almost collapsed, and finally, like two red-hot iron nails, she fixed her gaze on the face of Madam Wu, who was suddenly bleeding and in a state of panic!

Every word was firm and resolute, carrying a devastating, all-or-nothing determination: "Tomorrow at 3:45 AM, before the vermilion gates of the Censorate, the whole story, every single detail, the irrefutable evidence, and the impeachment memorial will be presented!"

"A sacred Taoist temple, a place of pure cultivation, has been subjected to such a beastly act by the legitimate son of the Earl's family! It is an outrage against both gods and men! It is intolerable to Heaven! I want to see if the heavens of this glorious Bianjing City can tolerate such a horrifying disgrace!"

"Today, my Sheng family is willing to risk everything, even death and the destruction of our entire clan, to demand justice from the Emperor, the court, and all the millions of people under Heaven! To prove our innocence and fairness!"