Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

Meanwhile, inside the He family residence in Baishitan, there was indeed an atmosphere different from usual.

The spring scenery was bright and beautiful, yet it seemed to be blocked by an invisible curtain outside the He family mansion.

The courtyard was filled with the fragrance of herbs, even stronger than usual, pressing down on the air with an indescribable sense of oppression flowing silently through the corridors.

From the direction of the west wing, intermittent, low sobs, as if tightly covered with a silk handkerchief, drifted in, lingering in my heart, impossible to shake off.

A series of slightly hurried footsteps broke the silence in the courtyard as they approached. He Hongwen had just returned from outside. His plain-colored long robe made his face look even more tired, and his brows were furrowed with deep worry.

At that moment, he was about to go to the main room to pay his respects to his grandmother.

"Boom boom boom!"

A series of heavy footsteps approached, and Grandma He's eyelids twitched involuntarily.

"Ugh!"

Grandma He sighed inwardly. Her eldest grandson, who was usually so steady in his steps, was now so flustered. It seemed that his heart... was still unsettled.

The old lady pondered in her heart, but on the surface, she closed her eyes again, sat upright on the warm couch under the window, and twirled a string of smooth sandalwood prayer beads.

"You're back?" Before He Hongwen could even greet her, Old Madam He spoke first.

She slowly lifted her eyelids, her gaze calm and unwavering: "The Cao family... are they causing trouble again today?"

The old lady spoke indifferently, yet seemed to know everything, carrying a sense of worldly wisdom.

He Hongwen's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his voice was a little dry: "My aunt's old chest pain has flared up again, and she's crying a lot... Cousin Jinxiu, she..." He paused, as if he was having difficulty speaking, "is still unable to eat or drink, and most of the medicine she's given has been vomited up... Her emotions are also extremely unstable."

Grandma He continued holding her prayer beads, only letting out a soft "hmm" through her nose, and then said nothing more.

This attitude is exactly as Xu Changqing discovered—not entirely kept in the dark, but certainly not forcefully intervening or restraining; rather, it's more like watching from the sidelines, pushing this thorny problem entirely onto the soft-hearted and thin-skinned grandson, while they themselves sit back and observe the situation.

She had her own plans: the Sheng family was of noble birth, and Minglan was a gentle and sensible girl, a good match; but Cao Jinxiu, the niece of He's mother, was now in such a state of wanting to die and was all alone. If the He family dealt with it too harshly, they would inevitably be accused by outsiders of being mean and ungrateful, ruining the reputation of kindness accumulated over generations.

Moreover, deep down, she also harbored a desire to have the Sheng family take the lead and even show some toughness, so as to force her indecisive grandson to fully recognize reality and make a swift and decisive decision.

Seeing his grandmother's attitude, He Hongwen felt increasingly heavy-hearted, as if a waterlogged boulder was pressing down on him.

After a long while, he silently took his leave, and his steps involuntarily turned towards the east courtyard where his mother lived.

Madam He, He Hongwen's birth mother, was reclining on the couch, gazing absently at a camellia in full bloom outside the window, her face filled with sorrow and dilemma. She was gentle by nature and deeply valued her family ties.

The Cao family, her own sister's family, is now destitute and dependent on the He family for survival. Her sister cries to her every day about her misfortunes, and her niece Jinxiu is so thin that she is just skin and bones. With tears in her eyes, she grabs her sleeve and sobs, saying, "I don't want to be a burden to my cousin. I only ask for a bowl of thin porridge to keep me alive. I wish to spend the rest of my life with the ancient Buddha and the lamp." Every word is like a needle piercing her heart.

"Hong'er," Madam He sighed before speaking as her son entered, and touched the corner of her eye with a handkerchief. "Look at this, what are we going to do?"

“Jinxiu, that child… today she refused to take her medicine again, ruining her body like this. If something really happens to her… I… how will I face your deceased aunt when I get to the underworld?” Her voice choked with sobs. “She kept saying she didn’t fight or fight, only asking for a place to live, even if it meant being a slave… but hearing those words, doesn’t it make one’s heart ache even more?”

He Hongwen was already in a state of turmoil, and seeing his mother so grief-stricken, he felt a mix of emotions.

He felt sorry for his cousin's lonely and sickly life, and knew that if he vaguely agreed to any unreasonable request from the Cao family, he would not only be betraying Minglan, but also completely ruining the good marriage with the Sheng family.

He rubbed his temples in frustration: "Mother, this is absolutely unacceptable! My cousin is my cousin. Our He family will support her for life and treat her well, but don't even mention anything about her being a slave or servant. It's utterly absurd! If the Sheng family finds out..."

Mentioning the Sheng family, Madam He's eyes darted around. She glanced at her son, her voice lowering slightly, "The Sheng family... is naturally excellent. I like Minglan too. But..."

"...Hong'er, Jinxiu is still your own cousin, sharing half of your blood. If we harden our hearts and ignore her current miserable state, wouldn't that be too cold-blooded and heartless?"

“If outsiders find out, what will they say about the He family? Besides… what your grandmother meant…”

She subconsciously pushed the problem onto the ambiguous old lady He, as if that would relieve the pressure on her mind.

Just then, a maidservant outside whispered that Xu, the bodyguard of the seventh young master of the Sheng family, had arrived with generous gifts. He had come to express his gratitude to the old lady for her care and the medicine she had given him the other day, and his words were extremely humble and considerate.

Upon hearing this, He Hongwen felt a sudden tightness in his heart, and Madam He also stopped crying. She quickly had someone lead Xu Changqing to the old lady's room.

Looking at the generous and impeccably presented thank-you gift, and listening to Xu Changqing's impeccable and respectful words, Old Madam He's fingers, which were holding Buddhist prayer beads, paused almost imperceptibly, and a knowing glint flashed in her eyes.

The Sheng family's etiquette was perfectly appropriate, and it just so happened that at this crucial moment, it was delivered by Sheng Qilang, who was at the height of his power and was said to be extremely decisive, through his trusted confidant... The implications of this are quite worth pondering.

After Xu Changqing politely took his leave, Old Madam He remained silent for a moment before looking up at her restless grandson and saying calmly, "The Sheng family is indeed a family that knows proper etiquette. It is evident that their family education is strict and their family traditions are upright."

Her words were loaded with meaning, and her gaze swept over He Hongwen seemingly unintentionally.

He Hongwen's heart tightened even more instantly.

He was not a dull person; how could he not understand his grandmother's implied meaning?
On the surface, the Sheng family's actions were expressions of gratitude, but in reality, they were perhaps a subtle reminder and a silent observation, waiting to see how the He family would handle this trouble. As for Minglan... he flashed before his eyes that beautiful, intelligent girl with clear eyes. If such a bright and insightful person knew about his family's messy and complicated affairs, knew about his hesitation and his cousin's persistent entanglement...

An indescribable sense of unease and shame suddenly gripped him. (End of Chapter)