Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

Chapter 470 Big Stick and Jujube
The Earl of Yongchang glanced furtively at Madam Wu beside him, and his eyes darkened as he thought of the power struggle between legitimate and illegitimate children in his household.

"Ugh……"

He sighed secretly in his mind.

However, it must be said that this "sweet date" was thrown out in a practical, layered, and far-sighted way!
Sheng Hong, a senior official in the Ministry of Works, is responsible for resolving the practical difficulties the Liang family may encounter in engineering, construction, and procurement, which are crucial to their financial future.

Sheng Changbai of the Hanlin Academy represents the next generation of the Sheng family as a solid, reliable, and potentially powerful political force within the upright officialdom!

This is the kind of "connection of upright officials" that noble families like the Liang family most desire to curry favor with, and it has immeasurable hidden value for future career advancement.

Sheng Changquan, a young scholar who passed the imperial examinations, represents a rising star in the next generation of the Sheng family and is an important figure that the Liang family's unworthy descendants can leverage in the future of the scholarly world and the imperial examinations.

This old woman, after being subjected to overwhelming coercion, offered such a sincere, substantial, and forward-looking "reconciliation plan"!
These are more than just steps.

This has paved a path for the Liang family to explore even more possibilities!
The premise is that they must swallow the bitter pill before them—marry Mo Lan.

The tense nerves of the Earl of Yongchang finally loosened a little because of the promise of tangible benefits.

The ashen look on his face faded slightly, and a complex light flashed in his eyes, a mixture of lingering fear, apprehension about the "soft and hard" tactics employed, and a hint of... a calculated assessment after being awakened.

Yes, they fell out, and the Liang family suffered heavy losses.

Although the marriage was frustrating, it brought some benefits and silenced the gossip.

This debt seems... to be worthwhile.

Uncle Yongchang took a deep breath, forcing a stiff, yet slightly more sincere, "grateful" smile onto his face. He bowed deeply to Old Madam Sheng: "Old Madam is truly wise and understanding! Every word is heartfelt and to the point! I, Liang... have learned a great deal! The Liang family... will forever remember the kindness of the Sheng family!"

Yongchang Earl's statement at this moment, compared to his previous forced agreement, clearly showed a greater degree of "acknowledgment" based on self-interest.

As Madam Wu listened, her heart was still in turmoil.

What benefits would the Ministry of Works bring? What about Sheng Changquan's future? These are all too far off!

A distant solution can't quench a nearby fire!
What hurts the most right now is that the illegitimate daughter is about to marry into the family, bearing the title of "Liang family woman" and stepping on her dignity!
Looking at her husband's seemingly convinced appearance, the resentment in her heart not only did not subside, but instead burned even more fiercely, like a wildfire doused with oil!
Grandma Sheng glanced at him but didn't care. She simply took in the subtle changes in Yongchang's expression and understood.

Everything that needed to be done and could be done has been done.

As Mo Lan's grandmother, this is all she can do for her. As for what Mo Lan's mother-in-law thinks, all Old Madam Sheng can say is that it's Mo Lan's own choice!

With this in mind, Old Madam Sheng said no more, but bid farewell to Uncle Yongchang and the others, and then, with the steady support of Mama Fang, slowly got up.

Under the bright and luxurious candlelight, the dark blue plain jacket appeared particularly slender and frail, yet it seemed to contain the unshakable resilience and wisdom that supported the entire Sheng family.

The Earl of Yongchang personally stepped forward and respectfully escorted her to the entrance of the flower hall. His posture was extremely humble, and his words were genuinely polite: "It is late at night and the dew is heavy. Please take good care of yourself, Madam. As for the matters of the three letters and six rites, I, Liang, will send a capable person to the Sheng residence tomorrow to discuss the procedures. I will not dare to be negligent in the slightest."

Grandma Sheng nodded slightly, said nothing more, and, holding Fang Mama's hand, slowly disappeared into the shadows of the corridor.

Once that deep blue color completely disappeared from sight, the feigned respect and "gratitude" on Yongchang Earl's face instantly receded like a tide, replaced by violent rage!
He turned around abruptly, rushed to Liang Han who was still slumped on the ground like a lump of mud, and kicked him hard with all his might!
"You beast!! The Liang family's century-old legacy was almost destroyed by your hands!!" "Ah—!"

Liang Han screamed as she was kicked and rolled a long way before crashing into a cold pillar.

"Master Hou!"

Madam Wu cried out and rushed over to shield her son with her body. Tears finally streamed down her face, a mixture of heartache and unbearable humiliation.

"A doting mother spoils her son! It's all because of your foolish pampering that you've raised such an arrogant and ignorant brat!"

Yongchang Bo pointed at Madam Wu, so angry that he trembled all over, and his spittle almost sprayed onto her face!

"Get out! All of you, get back to the courtyard! Confined! If this beast dares to step out of the courtyard again before the imperial examination, I'll break his legs with my own hands! You better behave yourselves! If you dare to make even the slightest mistake, ruin this marriage, and make me lose face in front of the officials, I... I'll divorce you!"

He roared like thunder, his voice booming and echoing in the empty, luxurious flower hall, filled with the lingering fear of surviving a disaster and an unvented rage.

Madam Wu held her son, who was writhing and groaning in pain, tears mingling with her makeup as they streamed down her face, leaving behind a disheveled look.

My heart aches terribly, and I feel so suffocated!
Watching her husband storm off in anger, and then thinking of Sheng Molan, who was about to marry into the family in such a hasty and "dignified" manner, and the seemingly gentle but actually more cunning "approach of kindness and severity" by Old Madam Sheng, an intense, intense resentment mixed with jealousy, hatred, and malice clung to her heart like a poisonous vine!
'Fine! Afraid that the lowly maid's pregnancy will bring shame? You want to hastily arrange a marriage before the imperial examinations?'
A glint of venomous coldness flashed in her eyes, like a poisonous snake lurking in the shadows. She subtly beckoned to her trusted old woman, Zheng Mama, who had been standing silently in the shadows, head bowed.

Zheng's mother immediately approached silently like a ghost and leaned close to listen.

Madam Wu covered her mouth with a handkerchief, her voice extremely low, yet each word was like an ice pick, carrying a chilling ruthlessness and urgency: "Go! Tell that little hussy Chun Ke to make her do it now!"

"immediately!"

“Go to Han’er’s study and ‘serve’ her! Tell her that… Madam is considerate of Sixth Master’s hard work studying! Bring her that ‘Ten-Ingredient Tonic Ginseng Soup’ that the small kitchen specially brewed a few days ago! Watch her serve Sixth Master the soup with her own eyes!”

"You absolutely must... make sure she's carrying the Liang family's child safely in her belly before the 'new young mistress' is carried into the house in her bridal sedan chair! Do you understand? Be quick! Make sure it's foolproof!"

She deliberately emphasized the words "new young mistress," making them sound sarcastic and viciously cursed.

A knowing glint flashed in Madam Zheng's cloudy old eyes, and a similarly wicked smile curved her lips. She gave a silent bow, then turned and disappeared swiftly and eerily like a shadow at the end of the deeper corridor leading to the inner courtyard.

That direction leads directly to Liang Han's secluded courtyard.

Inside the flower hall, the huge candlesticks still illuminated everything as bright as day, reflecting the scattered shards of porcelain and the dark brown tea stains that had been spilled on the floor, now cold and resembling bloodstains.

The air was filled with the aroma of expensive agarwood, mixed with the scent of spilled tea and the lingering smell of gunpowder, creating a complex and cloyingly sweet fragrance.

A hasty marriage, which began with a scandal, was forced by intimidation, and involved an exchange of interests, was thus finalized.

However, a seed, sweet on the outside but deadly poison on the inside, has been quietly planted, waiting to take root, sprout, and bear new, devastating fruit before the "new young mistress," Sheng Molan, steps into the magnificent yet cold Earl's mansion.

Beneath the imposing gates of the Yongchang Earl's Mansion, a new storm was quietly brewing in the cold night before the spring imperial examinations.

Thank you so much for your support, Yu Manhuangliang and Haber Yeye!