Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

So, the night before, Sheng Hong found Sheng Changquan in his study.

The atmosphere in Zeyutang was somewhat oppressive due to the flickering candlelight.

Sheng Hong looked at his son, who was tall and upright, and who, despite wearing only ordinary scholar's clothes, possessed a calm and composed demeanor. His eyes held a complex expression.

The candlelight cast flickering shadows on his face.

Among these feelings were expectations for the future of the students, but more than that, there was a heavy, unspeakable sense of indebtedness and embarrassment, like fine needles pricking him, making him restless.

After all, Sheng Changquan was the direct target of Lin Qinshuang's conspiracy and a victim who luckily escaped.

Furthermore, Mo Lan, driven by jealousy and hatred, attempted to stab Ming Lan that day. If Chang Quan hadn't stepped forward to protect her and blocked the scissor with his right hand, the consequences would have been unimaginable!

Sheng Hong had seen that gruesome wound with his own eyes. It hadn't even scabbed over yet, and it might even affect his upcoming provincial examination, and perhaps even the palace examination…

Thinking about what he was about to say, Sheng Hong even felt a strange sense of betrayal rising in his heart.

However, given the current situation, the victim has no choice but to step forward to maintain the Sheng family's last shred of dignity and whitewash this marriage, which was orchestrated by Mo Lan and Lin Qinshuang in a farce...

This is more than just irony; it's like rubbing salt into a wound!
only……

"Quan'er..."

Sheng Hong's voice was hoarse and tired from not having slept all night. He subconsciously avoided looking into his son's eyes, which were so calm that they seemed to reflect the unbearable depths of a person's heart.

"Tomorrow... Mo Lan will be getting married. You know the situation in this mansion."

“Feng’er is seriously injured and has a recurring high fever. The physician said he needs someone to look after him. Changbai… Changbai has to stay by his side to take care of him and really can’t leave… Your father…”

He sighed heavily, the sound particularly heavy in the quiet study, as if a thousand words were stuck in his throat, ultimately turning into a single sentence that carried both pleading and commanding meaning.

"The one welcoming the bride outside is the sixth young master of the Yongchang Earl's Mansion. The Liang family... is, after all, an earl's mansion."

Sheng Hong's voice was as dry as sandpaper: "You...you are also a scholar of the Sheng family with official rank, a proper scholar, who can represent the prestige and civility of the Sheng family."

“Right now… the only man in the manor who can step forward and whose status is sufficient is you.” He paused, as if using all his strength to utter his final request, “Tomorrow, you will… represent the Sheng family to see your fourth sister off. You must… maintain decorum and not let outsiders laugh at the Sheng family.”

The last sentence was spoken with great difficulty by Sheng Hong, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth.

He didn't even dare to look his son in the eye when he spoke, feeling an overwhelming sense of shame that almost overwhelmed him.

Sheng Changquan listened quietly, his face expressionless, without the slightest ripple. He lowered his eyelids, his gaze falling on the policy essays spread out on the desk, the annotations with their ink still wet, written in clear and powerful characters.

After Sheng Hong finally finished delivering his order, which was filled with both guilt and firmness, the study fell into a suffocating silence.

After a moment, he slowly raised his eyes.

In the depths of those eyes, there was a calm, unfathomable depth, like a deep, ancient well, where even a stone thrown in would hardly cause a ripple.

"Father, you are too serious."

There was no anger, no grievance, no resentment at being forced into something by others in Sheng Changquan's words; there was only an indifferent and complete acceptance.

He bowed slightly, his movements precise yet aloof, carrying the reserved air typical of a scholar. His tone was so calm that no emotion could be discerned: "As a son of the Sheng family, I should naturally prioritize the family's reputation. This is my duty, and I understand."

"Father, rest assured, I will handle tomorrow's matter properly and will not bring shame to the Sheng family."

He did not refer to her as "Fourth Sister," but only used the distant and objective expression "saw her off at the door."

His "understanding" was that he understood his responsibilities and the predicament of the Sheng family, but he had no "sibling affection" for Mo Lan whatsoever.

This calm, almost cold "understanding," this attitude of prioritizing the greater good and demonstrating profound righteousness, was like a dull knife, cutting deeper into Sheng Hong's heart, making his sense of indebtedness and unease even heavier, pressing down so heavily that he could hardly breathe. He watched as Chang Quan straightened his already meticulously pressed and wrinkle-free clothes, the movement unhurried, and then turned and left, his back still as upright as a pine tree, yet inexplicably exuding an aloof and cold aura that kept everyone at arm's length.

Sheng Hong opened his mouth, but the words "Don't delay your studies... just go through the motions..." stuck in his throat. In the end, he couldn't say them. Instead, he let out a deep sigh, full of complex emotions, which dissipated in the candlelight-slicked study.

This son... is so sensible, so sensible that it makes his heart race.

Ultimately, as mentioned earlier, Sheng Changquan stepped forward to greet his "fourth brother-in-law".

……

Having said that.

The atmosphere in the front yard was not good, and the atmosphere in the Shou'an Hall in the back was also rather bleak.

Inside Shou'an Hall, the scent of sandalwood mingled with the slightly chilly air of early spring, attempting to mask the awkward undertones of Mo Lan's marriage.

Old Madam Sheng and Old Madam Yu sat at the head of the table, their expressions calm, yet their eyes held a deep understanding of the world and a hint of weariness that was not easily detected.

Below the hall, Madam Wang forced a smile as she socialized, while Hua Lan and Ming Lan accompanied several women of noble birth who were on good terms with the Sheng family, trying their best to maintain a facade of harmony.

Hua Lan struggled to return from the Earl of Zhongqin's mansion.

After several months apart, she was emaciated, her once plump cheeks were sunken, and the dark circles under her eyes were like indelible ink stains. Even with rouge, her face looked even paler.

The luxurious brocade jacket and skirt looked empty on her body. Only when she looked at her grandmother and sister did her once bright and cheerful eyes manage to ignite a faint light, which was then swallowed up by deeper weariness and despair.

Hua Lan sat beside Ming Lan, her back ramrod straight, maintaining her composure, but her slightly trembling fingers and overly stiff smile betrayed the torment in her heart.

"Hua'er," Old Madam Sheng's gaze locked onto her eldest granddaughter like a searchlight, her voice not loud, but carrying a penetrating power, "Your complexion is very weak. That old ginseng, you have to stew it into soup every day, and drink every last drop. Health is capital, the capital to turn things around!"

These words were not only expressions of concern, but also a reminder of the crucial importance of her "recovery" strategy.

Hua Lan choked up, suppressing the surging bitterness, and lowered her head, saying, "Grandmother, rest assured, your granddaughter... will not dare to slack off."

She thought of Shige'er, who was forcibly kept by her mother-in-law and whom she rarely saw, and she thought of her husband's cowardice; her internal organs clenched in pain.

Grandma Sheng took her granddaughter's hand, tenderly stroking her withered palm, and said in a low, steady voice, "Remember what your mother said before!"

"The sky won't fall down!"

"You yourself must stand firm! Protecting yourself is the key!"

"Moreover!" Old Madam Sheng looked up towards the front yard, seemingly seeing Yuan Wenshao, and continued, "I don't think Yuan Wenshao is a weak person. Hua'er, you must remember, in the future, when you suffer injustice, you must let your husband see it! Don't swallow your bitterness alone!"

Hua Lan looked up abruptly, meeting her grandmother's eyes, which were weathered yet full of strength. A stubborn fire blazed in her eyes, and she nodded vigorously, her nails almost digging into her palms: "Yes, Grandmother! Your granddaughter... remembers! I will never fall!"

The old lady nodded. At her age, she was usually quite good at judging people. She believed that Yuan Wenshao was not a heartless or weak person. He probably thought that Hualan was too strong-willed and that she could handle it.

Minglan silently reached out and gently covered Hualan's cold, trembling hand. Hualan felt her sister's slight warmth, and grasped her hand tightly, feeling incredibly comforted.

At this moment, the small talk below also revolved around the Sheng family's "hope".

Madam Li, who was on good terms with the Wang family, smiled and said to Madam Wang, "Madam, you are truly blessed. Changbai has a bright future in the Hanlin Academy. I heard that even His Majesty praised him as 'upright and prudent'? This is truly bringing glory to the family. The Sheng family has a worthy successor!"

The compliments were tinged with sincerity; Sheng Changbai's career was the most secure and respectable aspect of the Sheng family at that moment.

Another woman, Zhao Niangzi, chimed in, turning her gaze to the serene Hai Chaoyun, and praised, "Indeed! Changbai'er's success today is also inseparable from the help of his virtuous wife, Hai Da Niangzi, who manages the household perfectly. This is the true style of a scholarly family."

Hai Chaoyun slightly curtsied, her smile polite and humble: "Madam is too kind. It is all thanks to my mother and grandmother's excellent guidance; Chaoyun dares not take credit." (End of Chapter)