Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

Chapter 508 The Earl of Yongchang's Mansion

Seeing that everyone understood her good intentions, the old lady nodded slightly, her eyes showing relief.

The Sheng family's current prosperity, with its successful descendants and harmonious family, is exactly what she has wished for for many years.

"correct!"

A subtle, mischievous glint flashed in Old Madam Sheng's eyes. She turned her head and whispered a few words to the maid beside her: "Go, send two loud-voiced servants, one to the Marquis of Zhongqin's residence and the other to the Marquis of Yongchang's residence to deliver the good news."

"Especially the Marquis of Zhongqin's residence; make sure everyone in the household hears it clearly."

"Ok?"

Mrs. Fang was slightly taken aback at first, but then she understood and smiled knowingly.

Her mistress was usually very protective of her own, and now that the Seventh Young Master was so promising, she naturally wanted to let those who had looked down on the Sheng family, especially those who had mistreated the eldest daughter, know what was going on.

"Yes, madam!" Mrs. Fang replied with a smile and quietly retreated.

Although everyone was curious, they dared not ask too many questions. Only Minglan, who knew the old lady's temperament well, vaguely guessed that her grandmother was probably going to "give advice" to some families, especially Madam Yuan, who often made things difficult for her eldest sister.

Thinking of this, Minglan's lips curled up slightly, revealing a knowing smile.

After receiving the old lady's instructions, Madam Fang quickly found a clever and quick-witted servant with a particularly loud voice and whispered carefully, "Go! Go to the Earl Zhongqin's mansion and tell the eldest young lady the good news. Tell her it's the master and mistress's wish, so that the eldest young lady can share in the joy."

"When you get there, announce the good news loudly at the second gate. Make sure everyone in the manor who needs to hear it hears clearly that our Seventh Young Master has achieved the highest rank in the imperial examination! Especially those in the main courtyard, understand?"

The servant nodded shrewdly: "Don't worry, Madam, I know what's important. I'll teach those snobbish scoundrels a lesson they should learn!"

Then, Madam Fang personally wrote another letter and sent a capable servant to deliver it to the Liang family of the Yongchang Earl's Mansion, to Liang Han, the sixth son-in-law.

The letter was written to announce good news, but it also revealed the Sheng family's current confidence and strength: "...Seventh Young Master is fortunate to have won the imperial examination, which is a great blessing for the family. We hope that Sixth Young Master can return to the mansion with Fourth Young Lady to celebrate and share the joy when he has time."

Although Mo Lan's marriage was not entirely satisfactory, she was still related to the Sheng family by marriage, so the news should be sent out; otherwise, it would be a breach of etiquette by the Sheng family. However, the timing and manner of sending the message were quite significant.

The good news from the Sheng family spread like wildfire through the city of Tokyo, where the waters were just beginning to ripple.

……

When the news reached the Yongchang Earl's Mansion, Mo Lan was in her room putting on makeup in front of the mirror.

In front of the dressing table, she was holding a gold and kingfisher feather hairpin with pearls, carefully drawing her eyebrows and eyes in front of the mirror, striving for perfection in every stroke to show her best side.

Since marrying into the Liang family, her life has not been as smooth as she had imagined.

Mother-in-law Wu already harbored resentment towards Liang Han for scheming to marry into the Liang family. After the marriage, she deliberately arranged for Liang Han to have a beautiful and obedient maid named Chun Ke. Chun Ke was also cunning and became pregnant before Liang Han, which angered Mo Lan so much that she secretly caused her to miscarry.

Although the matter was handled discreetly, Liang Han, being naive, only harbored suspicions, but the shrewd Madam Wu knew the truth perfectly well. From then on, she became even colder towards her, and Liang Han also distanced himself from her considerably.

Mo Lan's position in the household has been rather awkward lately. Today, she dressed up carefully, hoping to win back her husband's heart.

However, the maids serving her now are not the same ones as before. After the scandal that happened before she married into the Liang family, her personal maids, such as Yun Zai and Lu Zhong, were all sold off by Sheng Hong with ruthless methods. The maids she has now are those who were promoted later. Although they are clever, they lack the deep understanding and connection that she has with them.

A trusted maid named Qiu Gui quietly entered, dismissed the others, and then leaned close to her ear to quickly and quietly report the news she had just heard: "Madam, someone from the Sheng family has come to announce good news. They say... they say that the Seventh Young Master has passed the imperial examination with top honors!"

Upon hearing this, Mo Lan's hand, which was holding the hairpin, froze in mid-air.

A heavy cloud of gloom and intense jealousy flashed across the beautiful, delicate, and deliberately made-up face in the mirror, before quickly settling into calm.

However, in the mirror... her slender fingers, gripping the hairpin, were slightly white from the force, almost breaking the delicate hairpin.

Sheng Changquan...

Minglan's younger brother!

This wretched child, whom her mother once regarded as a thorn in her side and even went so far as to drug and scheme against, ultimately ruined her brother Changfeng's future and caused her mother to pass away in sorrow!

He actually topped the college entrance exam?!
What about her brother? Her talented older brother, Changfeng, was trapped in a dark room, forever cut off from books and fame, spending his days with a wine jug, living a life of utter destitution!
Why? !

How unfair is God!
A sharp pang of bitterness and hatred almost burst through her chest. Mo Lan wished she could tear something apart immediately to vent this overwhelming jealousy.

But in just a moment, the jealousy and resentment that almost consumed her were forcefully suppressed by a more powerful, extremely realistic shrewdness and calculation.

Her life in the Liang family is now extremely difficult; if she could use this matter…

Mo Lan took a deep breath and slowly inserted the hairpin into her carefully styled hair. She even looked at herself in the mirror from side to side, managing to force a subtle and complex smile. Her tone was deliberately calm: "Seventh Brother has really made something of himself. He quietly won the top prize."

She paused, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the smooth surface of the dressing table: "That's right, at home he loved reading the most, and he would often come to me to ask for advice on poetry and prose."

These words made Qiu Gui, who was standing to the side, lower her head and not dare to reply.

Everyone knows that the seventh young master of the Sheng family was raised by the old lady since childhood and is not close to the fourth young lady.

“Qiu Gui,” Mo Lan instructed, her voice returning to its usual tone, “go open my private treasury and select that fine purple Duan inkstone that my maternal uncle sent over last time, which I have kept. Also, pair it with a set of Li Tinggui ink and a Huzhou purple-haired brush. Remember, the packaging must be exquisite, to appear solemn and sincere. We cannot lose face for the Yongchang Earl’s Mansion and for me.”

"Later, I will personally write a congratulatory letter to congratulate my seventh brother on passing the imperial examination with top honors." Mo Lan touched her temples and smiled even more "sincerely." "After all, I am now the elder sister of the top scholar! It is a very respectable thing to say."

Just then, footsteps came from outside the door, and Liang Han walked in.

He returned home early today, his face bearing a complex expression, seemingly a mixture of disappointment and curiosity.

"I heard the Sheng family came to announce good news? Your seventh brother passed the imperial examination with top honors? Is it true?"

Liang Han asked, his tone carrying a seriousness he himself was unaware of.

Although he was a nobleman's son, he usually spent his time eating, drinking and having fun and did not care much about the imperial examinations, but he was well aware of the weight of the title "Huiyuan".

It's funny, he had boasted to his mother before that he was no less than Sheng Changquan, but... he was slapped in the face like this!

Fortunately, Liang Han is a fairly open-minded person. Although he made some boastful remarks before, it was just something a young person would say in the heat of the moment to save face. In fact, he knows his own limitations.