Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

Chapter 491 Clues

After the imperial examination, the Sheng family mansion seemed to relax as if a bowstring that had been taut for a long time had suddenly been released, and a lazy and comfortable atmosphere permeated the entire mansion.

Even someone like Sheng Changquan, who had trained his body since childhood, slept for two whole days before slowly recovering his depleted mental energy; one can only imagine how much more difficult it was for the other students.

Sometimes, the imperial examinations could really cost people their lives.

……

As dawn broke, dappled light and shadows were cast on the ground through the thin bamboo blinds of Shou'an Hall. Old Madam Sheng was being served a bowl of bird's nest soup with rock sugar by Mama Fang, and the atmosphere was peaceful.

The curtain rustled softly as Minglan entered carrying a plate of freshly pickled, crisp cucumbers, smiling as she said, "Grandmother, try this; it's very appetizing."

Looking up, I saw Sheng Changquan enter, dressed in a simple, light blue robe, his features clear and bright, his weariness gone.

"Greetings, Grandmother." Sheng Changquan greeted her with a clear and melodious voice.

Minglan looked him over, chuckled, and said to the old lady, "Grandmother, look at Xiao Qi's complexion. Yesterday it was as white as the first snow, but today it's as fair as jade. It's so good to be young."

"If it were me, locked up in that pigeonhole-like cell for nine days, I'm afraid I'd need ginseng to keep my soul alive as soon as I got out."

Since there were no outsiders present, she spoke with a teasing tone, appearing intimate and natural.

Grandma Sheng took her grandson's hand and touched it carefully, then looked at his face. Only then did she truly relax her brows: "Hmm, your blood and energy have been replenished."

"Quan-ge'er, be good. You're not allowed to read a single word these next few days. Just stroll around the garden, feed the fish, or invite the Shen and Liu family's sons over for tea and a game of chess. You absolutely mustn't overexert yourself."

"Grandson has remembered, Grandmother, don't worry." Sheng Changquan replied with a smile, taking the green rice porridge that Minglan handed him.

He scooped up a spoonful and asked casually, "Has my sister not gone out for a walk these past two days? Or... has Grandma He come to talk to Grandmother?"

His gaze was fixed on the porridge, but his peripheral vision was sharp.

Minglan was serving the old lady a piece of bamboo shoot with her chopsticks when she heard this, and the tip of her chopsticks paused almost imperceptibly.

Her expression remained unchanged, and she smiled gently, "No. The weather has been nice these past few days, so I took out Grandma's autumn clothes to air out the camphor."

"Grandmother He sent over some top-quality Poria cocos and Astragalus membranaceus the other day, saying it was to calm your nerves and replenish your energy, and also asked if you were feeling well."

Her tone was calm, and there was no hint of anything amiss.

But Sheng Changquan had such keen eyesight that he clearly captured that moment of hesitation and avoidance. He didn't ask any more questions, but the doubt in his heart had already taken root.

After breakfast, he accompanied Minglan out. They walked through the covered corridor and, when no one was around, Sheng Changquan stopped, turned around and looked at Minglan seriously: "Sister."

Minglan looked up, her eyes questioning.

“If you encounter any difficulties or hear anything unpleasant, don’t keep it to yourself.” His voice was not loud, but it was unusually calm and resolute. “Your brother is here for you. If anyone makes you unhappy, I will make them even more unhappy.”

Looking at his face, which still carried the sharpness of youth yet was incredibly earnest, Minglan felt a warmth in her heart, and the slight melancholy caused by the He family seemed to be washed away.

She reached out and straightened his clothes, which weren't actually disheveled, and smiled gently: "I know. Our little Qi has grown up and can protect his older sister now. Go and relax, don't worry about these things, I'm fine."

Sheng Changquan carefully examined her expression and, confirming that there was no forced smile, finally breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as well: "Alright, it's good that you understand, Sister."

As soon as Sheng Changquan left Mu Cangzhai, the gentle smile on his face faded. He whispered to Xu Changqing, who was waiting outside, "Investigate the He family of Baishitan, focusing on He Hongwen. The more detailed the better. Pay attention to who they have been in contact with recently and what they have said."

Xu Changqing accepted the order and disappeared into the corner of the corridor in a flash.

……

The same morning light that Sheng Changquan was using to care for his family at Shou'an Hall was also quietly shining into the various deep mansions and courtyards of Bianjing, stirring up the hidden emotions in different corners of the city.

In the flower hall of the Earl of Loyalty's mansion, a tea party that appears elegant but is actually rife with undercurrents is taking place.

Today, Madam Yuan wore a crimson satin dress embroidered with gold butterflies and flowers, and a kingfisher feather hairpin. She exuded an air of nobility. Unlike common women who boasted wildly, she spoke with restraint and certainty that conveyed more confidence than blatant bragging.

“The children are young, and this experience has been a valuable lesson for them.” She took a sip of fragrant tea, gently dabbed her lips with a handkerchief, and spoke with a deliberately understated tone. “When Wenchang came out, he was a little tired, but he was in good spirits. He only said that he was doing well with his writing and didn’t complain about anything.”

"Wenxian also said that he was currently reviewing the questions about the scriptures."

Sitting opposite, Madam Wang half-covered her face with a round fan, a hint of amusement flashing in her eyes, but she chimed in, "Oh, that's wonderful news! Your two young masters are indeed exceptionally talented."

Meanwhile, another lady, Madam Li, asked with feigned concern, "But why did my coachman say that when he saw the two young masters come out that day, their faces were deathly pale and they could barely walk? Did they suffer inside?" Madam Yuan, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, immediately became somewhat agitated. However, as the eldest daughter of an earl's family, she still possessed some composure.

"Don't even mention those corrupt clerks and those snobbish scoundrels!"

She paused subtly, then raised her voice slightly to explain, "They just saw that our child was dressed nicely, so they treated her terribly! They touched her roughly during the search and ruined all the delicate snacks she brought! The child was just angry!"

"This has nothing to do with scholarship and literature. True gold fears no fire!" she said confidently, as if she had personally witnessed how her nephews' "exquisite writings" were destroyed by jealous clerks.

She cleverly attributed her embarrassment that day to "exhaustion" and "difficulty from the clerks," never mentioning the possible shallowness of her own son.

The ladies opposite him all smiled and said nothing.

However, one of them, waving a round fan, replied with a smile: "That's natural. Young Master Dong and Young Master Yuan come from families with a long history of learning, so they naturally have a deep understanding of the subject. Unlike our son, who comes out shouting that he'll fight again next year."

This sounds like a humble remark, but it actually carries a subtle sharpness.

Madam Yuan's expression remained unchanged; she merely smiled slightly and said, "In matters of the imperial examinations, seven parts ability and three parts luck are all that's needed. Who can say for sure? Just do your best, children."

She gently changed the subject, maintaining the composure befitting a noblewoman, but her slightly raised chin and the unwavering certainty in her eyes betrayed her true preconceived notions.

Meanwhile, in the study in the backyard, the real "Sleeping Dragon," Dong Wenchang, was scratching his head and whispering to the "Young Phoenix," Yuan Wenxian, "Wenxian, the more I think about it, the more something seems off. Was the ending of my policy essay too rushed? It seems like it didn't quite address the main point..."

Yuan Wenxian himself was also flustered, but he forced himself to remain calm: "Don't...don't worry! Brother Wenchang! Your article will surely be a masterpiece!"

"I...I think I quoted the wrong annotation in my book..."

The two looked at each other and saw panic in each other's eyes, so they could only try to reassure each other.

"It's definitely going to work! My aunt said so!"

"Yes! Our articles are a hundred times better than those of students from poor families!"

"..."

Their conversation was overheard by Hualan, who was passing by behind the artificial hill.

A slight smile played on her lips as she whispered to Cuiwei beside her, "Did you hear that? Still being stubborn even when you're about to die."

Cuiwei nodded, suppressing a laugh.

Hua Lan looked up at the blue sky above the courtyard wall and silently thought: Quan Ge'er, your sister is waiting for your good news.

……

The turmoil in Bianjing (Kaifeng) is always such that if a wave rises in one place, ripples will spread elsewhere.

After returning from a small gathering, Madam Wu of the Yongchang Earl's Mansion sneered at her trusted mother, "That Yuan family woman is still putting on airs and boasting! Everyone knows what kind of idiots those two are."

"But the seventh young master of the Sheng family is really calm and collected. He seems like someone who will have good fortune in the future."

Although Madam Wu raised Liang Han to be somewhat unruly, she was indeed quite good at judging people. Otherwise, she wouldn't have taken a liking to Minglan at first glance and wanted her to be her daughter-in-law.

Coincidentally, Madam Wu's words reached Mo Lan's ears like a gust of wind as she sulked over the account books in her room.

Her current situation in the Liang family is delicate. Her mother-in-law dislikes her, and her husband is indifferent to her. Hearing these contrasting opinions only adds fuel to the fire.

She slammed the account book on the table, her chest tightening with anxiety: "Sheng Minglan! What right does she have! A concubine's son, what right does she have such a younger brother who brings her honor!"

The more she thought about it, the more she hated it. Her nails dug deep into her palms. The sense of superiority she still had from marrying into the Earl's family seemed so ridiculous and pathetic in the face of the Sheng family's potential glory, like the pale background revealed after carefully applied makeup was peeled off.

As luck would have it, that afternoon, in the warm pavilion of Grand Secretary Yu's residence, people were also discussing the imperial examinations.

Grand Secretary Yu, having removed his official robes and wearing only a casual Taoist robe, was playing chess with his wife when he suddenly picked up a black piece and said, "That little seventh son of Sheng Hong is probably going to really show his talent this time."

"I happened to see him make his entrance that day. He was calm and composed, with a steady gait, much like his grandfather, the third-ranked scholar Sheng. He didn't seem like someone who only knew how to study."

Grand Secretary Yu had witnessed the demeanor of Old Master Sheng and held him in high esteem, though only in matters of the imperial examinations.

As for its "family traditions in the inner quarters," I'd rather not comment on that.