Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

Rulan sat next to Hai Chaoyun, and hearing her second brother being praised, a proud smile appeared on her face. She said in a clear voice, "Second brother is naturally the best!"

She was straightforward, and then, remembering something else, she added with a hint of pride, "And there's my sixth brother too!"

"Didn't he just pass the provincial examination with top honors a few days ago? Even my grandfather was a third-place scholar back then! I'm sure my sixth brother will ace the imperial examination this year and bring back another top scholar for our Sheng family!"

Her words attracted even more attention.

Upon hearing this, Old Mrs. Yu smiled and replied, her eyes filled with genuine appreciation: "Miss Rulan is right."

"Sixth son of the Sheng family, at such a young age, has already become the top scholar in the provincial examination, his talent is widely known, and he is so diligent and hardworking that even my old man often praises him, saying that he has the spirit of the third-ranked scholar of yesteryear, and even..."

"It's possible that the student may surpass the teacher. This year's imperial examination is indeed the focus of everyone's attention; the top scholar is truly a talent!"

Her words carried great weight, prompting several women in the hall to nod in agreement, their gazes towards Madam Wang filled with genuine envy.

With such a prodigy in the Sheng family, even with the shame of Mo Lan, the foundation of the family remains unshaken.

Madam Wang finally showed a genuine smile, but she kept saying modestly, "Madam Yu, you flatter me! I'm just a child and still need to be trained. I don't deserve such praise."

However, the joy in his eyes and brows was undeniable. If the Sheng family could produce another top scholar, that would truly be a triumphant moment!

Although he wasn't her biological son, she had raised him since he was a child. Madam Wang had that much magnanimity. After all, Sheng Changquan's birth mother was no longer around, so she was his legal mother.

At this moment, Grandma He also took Minglan's hand, her voice filled with affection and a deeper sense of pity: "Good child, you are blessed, your brothers are all so successful."

“Especially Changquan, his willpower and perseverance are truly rare.”

Her words not only praised Sheng Changquan, but also subtly comforted Minglan's situation—having such a promising younger brother meant she could rely on him even more in the future.

Minglan wore a simple, light blue dress, a plain silver hairpin in her hair reflecting on her serene face. She lowered her head slightly: "Thank you for your concern, Grandmother. My sixth brother... is indeed diligent." Her answer was concise, but the weariness in her eyes could not be completely concealed.

He Hongwen sat slightly behind his grandmother, wearing a slightly worn blue robe, exuding a gentle and refined air.

However, at this moment, the turmoil in his heart was far from the calm he appeared on the surface.

His grandmother's praise for the Sheng family, especially her evaluation of Sheng Changquan's "willpower and perseverance," was like a needle pricking his heart.

He looked at Minglan's calm profile, and the admiration and longing hidden in his heart became clearer—what a blessing it would be to marry such a woman, who was knowledgeable, reasonable, calm and resilient.
Grandmother also favored Minglan, which was almost an unspoken understanding. But at this moment, the contents of Cao Jinxiu's letter, which was full of tears and accused her husband's family of mistreatment and begged her cousin to help her out of consideration for their past relationship, appeared in her mind with unparalleled clarity.

His cousin's pitiful state of being all alone and helpless, and the bond they shared as children, felt like heavy shackles binding him.

Marry Minglan? What about my cousin? Are we just going to watch her suffer in that den of wolves?
But if he interferes with his cousin's affairs... how will Minglan view him? And what will the He family think?
The dilemma was like being tormented by ice and fire, making him restless. In his gaze toward Minglan, beneath the gentle concern lay an overwhelming sense of entanglement, guilt, and helplessness.

He could only lower his head, his fingers unconsciously stroking the cold teacup, trying to suppress the turmoil in his heart.

Just as undercurrents were swirling, the head maid hurried in, bowed her head, and reported: "Madam, the young master of the Qi State Duke's Mansion has arrived, representing the Duke of Qi to present congratulatory gifts."

"Since he is a male guest, it is inconvenient for him to enter the inner courtyard. The gifts have been accepted. Young Master, please sit in the front hall for a while before taking your leave."

She paused, then added, "The young master specifically inquired about the old lady's well-being, and also... extended his greetings to Miss Rulan and Miss Minglan."

The two characters “Qi Heng” were like a pebble thrown into a still lake, instantly silencing the entire hall.

The guests' eyes lit up immediately—the Sheng family and the Duke of Qi's mansion had a connection?
The Sheng family, whether intentionally or unintentionally, all seemed to drift towards Minglan.

The young master who once studied at the Sheng family mansion is now the husband of the Princess of Jiacheng County. His status has become increasingly noble. His arrival was a courtesy of "acknowledgment." He came in person and left in a hurry, making a point of "greeting" her. He even brought Rulan along as a cover. How could anyone present not understand the subtlety of this gesture?

As for the Princess of Jiacheng herself, she naturally "disdained" to set foot in this place.

When Rulan heard that she was mentioned, her eyes lit up and she blurted out, "Brother Yuanruo is here? Why don't you come in and sit down?"

Her voice was clear and crisp, carrying a naive and straightforward quality.

Minglan's hand holding the teacup paused almost imperceptibly, her fingertips turning slightly white. Then, she lowered her eyelashes, as if she were only focused on watching the tea leaves unfurling in the tea soup. Her posture remained elegant as ever. She gently blew away the foam and took a small sip.

That moment of stillness was so fast it felt like an illusion.

When Qi Heng paused briefly in the front hall, his gaze involuntarily swept over the curtain leading to the backyard.

How could he not want to see her? He wanted to confirm her well-being and to wipe away the weariness from her eyes.

But he can't.

Princess Jiacheng's eyes and ears were everywhere, and any extra attention could become a sharp blade piercing her. That "greeting" was the limit, hidden under the most thorough etiquette, after all, Rulan had been specially brought along.

Qi Heng conveyed a barely perceptible concern and protection in the most ordinary tone. He had to leave decisively and cleanly, and dared not and could not have the slightest lingering attachment.

Grandma Sheng glanced at Minglan, who was pretending to be unaffected, and a silent sigh lingered in her eyes.

Hua Lan's heart tightened, and she looked at her sister with concern, increasing the pressure on her hand.

Minglan sensed her sister's nervousness, raised her eyes, and returned a very faint, faint smile to indicate that she was alright. That smile was as faint as a wisp of mist.

So much time has passed that she has forgotten that the current stirrings of emotion are merely the afterglow of the past, ripples rather than waves.

Yu Yanran, who was standing next to Old Madam Yu, kept twisting the handkerchief in her hand. At this moment, her gaze lingered on Minglan for a moment, then drifted towards the door, and finally landed on He Hongwen, who had a complicated expression and was obviously absent-minded. She asked softly, "Brother He, I heard... that your third brother is seriously injured? I wonder... is he alright?"

Although she wanted to ask someone else, she was also somewhat interested in Sheng Changfeng, after all, they had known each other, and he was also related to her best friend and... brothers and sisters.

However, Yu Yanran's voice pulled He Hongwen back to reality.

Suddenly regaining his senses, He Hongwen quickly composed himself and said seriously, "Miss Yu is very kind. Young Master Sheng's injuries... are indeed troublesome."

“Not only has it damaged the bones and muscles, but it has also caused great emotional turmoil and severe deficiency of qi and blood, which cannot be cured overnight. It requires calm recuperation, supplemented by herbal medicine and acupuncture to strengthen the body and replenish the vital energy. As for…” He paused, then shook his head heavily, “The most important thing right now is to calm your mind and not add any more worries and depression.”

These words made the atmosphere in the hall even more solemn. Old Madam He spoke up at the right time, with pity: "Yes, even a broken bone needs a hundred days to recover, let alone something like this... Young Master Sheng, what a pity." She turned to Old Madam Sheng, "Elder sister, if there is anything needed at home, please call Hongwen to come and take a look."

Grandma Sheng nodded wearily: "Thank you for your trouble, Sister He. Feng'er... is his calamity."

She mustered her spirits and chatted with Mrs. He and Mrs. Yu for a few more minutes about health preservation and the ways of raising children and grandchildren, trying to dispel the gloom.

a long time.

As the noise in the front hall gradually subsided and most of the guests in the back courtyard also dispersed, Old Madam Yu, seeing the deep weariness between Old Madam Sheng's brows and glancing at the sky, took the lead in standing up and said, "Little sister, it's getting late, so we'll take our leave now. Please rest well and take care of yourself."

Hua Lan, Ming Lan, and Hai Chaoyun quickly got up to see them off.

Yu Yanran then personally handed the brocade box that had been held in the hands of the maid to Mama Fang. Her voice was soft but carried a hint of nervousness and anticipation: "Please pass this on to my younger brother Sheng, um, my younger brother Changquan. This... this is a fine purple brush that my grandfather specially found to help him... pass the imperial examination with flying colors, after hearing that he was working hard to prepare for the exam."

Yu Yanran spoke haltingly, but she pronounced the phrase "passing the imperial examination with flying colors" with remarkable clarity.

Madam Fang smiled knowingly and respectfully accepted the gift: "Yes, Miss Yanran, I will certainly hand it over to Young Master Changquan!"

She knew that this writing brush was probably a blessing personally chosen by Miss Yanran.

Yu Yanran blushed and couldn't say anything. She simply bowed and left with her grandmother.

After seeing off the Yu family, Grandma He did not get up immediately.

She and Old Madam Sheng had been close friends for decades, sharing a deep bond. Seeing the weariness in her old friend's eyes and her forced spirit, she felt even more pity for her.

She moved to sit on the embroidered stool next to Old Madam Sheng, took her hand, and whispered more intimate words, mostly about Hua Lan's recovery, the current situation in the mansion, and whether the servants were capable, etc.

He Hongwen stood quietly behind his grandmother, but his gaze involuntarily drifted to Minglan again. She was standing quietly on the other side of Old Madam Sheng, with her eyes lowered and her expression calm as still water.

Looking at her serene profile, He Hongwen's heart was in turmoil: on one side was Minglan, whom his grandmother had hoped for and whom he longed for, gentle, intelligent, and a perfect wife; on the other side was his cousin Cao Jinxiu, who was related to him by blood, in a miserable situation, and pleading with tears in her eyes.

Marry Minglan? My cousin might not survive. Marry my cousin? It would inevitably implicate the He family, and I might even lose the chance to be close to Minglan forever.

This agonizing indecisiveness was like a dull knife cutting into his flesh, making it almost impossible for him to breathe. He longed to obey his grandmother's arrangements, marry Minglan, and live a peaceful and stable life, but his cousin's tearful, pleading eyes lingered like a nightmare.

While Old Madam He and Old Madam Sheng were whispering to each other, He Hongwen finally found a very short gap. When Minglan saw them off to the corridor, and as his grandmother and Old Madam Sheng were saying their final goodbyes, he lagged behind a step, lowered his voice, and asked quickly with barely concealed concern and a hint of inexplicable panic, "Sixth Sister... how have you been these days?"

The question was abrupt, yet it was full of emotion.

Minglan paused slightly and looked up at him.

The light and shadow under the corridor danced in her clear eyes, and she clearly saw the struggle, concern, and that complex emotion that was almost pleading in his eyes.

She paused for a moment, then regained her composure, nodded gently, and said in a soft, unassuming voice, "Thank you for your concern, Brother He. Minglan is doing well."

Her reply was simple and detached, as if she were merely responding to a greeting from an old family friend. Her eyes were clear and calm, gently keeping the deeper emotions and potential entanglements outside the door.

This calm only deepened He Hongwen's sense of bitterness and helplessness. (End of Chapter)