The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 57: Awe
The inspection for the imperial examination was extremely strict, and the examination environment was terrible. In order to prevent smuggling, even the steamed buns and pancakes had to be broken apart.

The examination room provided raw water from the well, which could easily cause diarrhea in drinkers. Candidates had to bring their own cans of drinking water. Things like lotus root powder that could be brewed were easy to contain smuggled items, so no one would be allowed to pass through the examination room to avoid adding difficulty and time to the search.

Shang Mingshu used white sesame seeds, peanuts, flour, honey and other ingredients to make a thin, translucent cake, baked some paper-thin meat jerky, and cut the purchased preserved fruits into translucent thin slices.

After packing the three things, it was almost time for the meeting with Cheng She.

"This is some food I made for Third Brother Cheng." Shang Mingshu handed the food to Cheng She. "I don't know how the imperial examinations search the belongings of candidates. Second Brother Cheng, please see if it can be used."

Cheng She opened it in front of Shang Mingshu, and after looking at each item, he couldn't help but admire Shang Mingshu's ingenuity: "It should be portable."

"That's good." Shang Mingshu smiled faintly. She felt guilty about Cheng Mian getting hurt because of her. If she could do something for him, it would seem that her guilt would be alleviated a little. "I'll have another copy delivered to your house in three days."

The provincial examination is divided into three sessions, each lasting three days and two nights. After each session, the candidates can leave and rest for one night.

"Thank you." Cheng She did not refuse.

He might have someone make something this delicate, but he couldn't do it as meticulously and perfectly as Shang Mingshu in such a short time. He could see that letting Shang Mingshu contribute would not only make her feel good, but he was also afraid that his silly brother would be more inspired in the exam with the food Shang Mingshu had made for him.

"No one in the Shi family made any unusual movements yesterday." Putting the food box aside, Cheng She started talking about business.

"It's not the Shi family? Who leaked the information?" Shang Mingshu asked.

The Fang family was able to receive the news so early and eliminate the trouble in advance, there must have been someone who tipped off the family.

"It's someone from the government office." Cheng She's face was solemn.

Shang Mingshu accepted this result calmly. Shi Houqiong had been scheming in Huizhou Prefecture for decades, so it was understandable that he bribed someone in a government office.

It was the people from the yamen who tipped off Fang Chaofeng that made him realize the seriousness of the matter. He committed suicide without even struggling.

"I have something I don't understand. Could you please ask Brother Cheng to help me solve it?" Shang Mingshu didn't ask who it was from the yamen. It would be useless to ask. Since Cheng She had set his eyes on her, he would definitely find a way to attract the attention of Prefect He.

"You ask."

"Yesterday was a gathering of literati, such a great opportunity, why were they... a little sloppy?" Shang Mingshu felt that the strength of yesterday's thugs was far different from that of the one she faced off against Cheng She in the suburbs.

"The imperial court has been vigorously cracking down on the Japanese pirates, but they are no longer as powerful as they were ten years ago." Cheng She considered his words carefully. "Their numbers have increased, but their hearts are increasingly divided, and there is a tendency for division.

"They were coming for me from the suburbs, intending to kill me. Yesterday... their forces hadn't yet penetrated the city on a large scale. Only a few of them were pirates, and the rest were hired assassins."

Shang Mingshu noticed this. There were some people with good skills, but most of them were just a motley crowd.

Therefore, at the literary gathering yesterday, they did not intend to actually assassinate the imperial officials. They simply wanted to frame her family and kill a few officials, or even their wives, to make the matter bigger.

"Shi Houqiong spared no expense." Shang Mingshu's eyes grew colder.

She would not ask whether Shi Houqiong should give an explanation to the Japanese pirates for the number of casualties. These Japanese pirates were after money, and Shi Houqiong was not short of money. He could easily buy the lives of a few Japanese pirates.

"Don't act rashly these days," Cheng She advised. "Last night, the Shi Mansion added over twenty guards. They were all hired at a high price, and they are no ordinary people."

It seemed that Shi Houqiong had taken her words to heart that day. Was she afraid that she would actually break into the Shi residence at night and take his head? If it weren't for Cheng She's reminder, she might have really wanted to try. Naturally, she would have checked the situation of the Shi family before taking any action.

"It would be best if his family never left the house." Shang Mingshu lowered her eyes.

The Shi Mansion is an iron wall. If she doesn't try to break in, getting caught would be a trap. If she leaves the Shi Mansion, she will see if Shi Houqiong can still give her any loopholes.

Shi Houqiong wanted her to confiscate her property and exterminate her family, and this account would never be settled amicably.

"A gentleman's revenge is never too late."

"Ten years?" Shang Mingshu chuckled. "Too late. I can't even wait ten days."

She eats everything and won't suffer any loss!

If she didn't fight back, yesterday's incident would be like a thorn in her throat. She was unharmed and even received the kindness of Magistrate He and his wife. This was due to her ability to adapt to changing circumstances, not the kindness of the Shi family!
"Third Lady!" Cheng She was very anxious. "Third Lady, you are a rat from the gutter, it's not worth getting your hands dirty."

"What did Second Brother Cheng think I would do?" Cheng She's reaction was a bit extreme, and Shang Mingshu understood instantly, "Second Brother Cheng thought I would do anything to vent my anger?"

Realizing that he seemed to have misunderstood, Cheng She felt a little uncomfortable: "Mrs. San has her own calculations. I was judging her by my own standards."

not at all.

Shang Mingshu had countless vicious plans in her mind to destroy the Shi family, but each one would inevitably involve innocent people, so she rejected them one by one.

Sometimes she asked herself, why should she be a person with perseverance?
How good is it to be a bad person? They act recklessly, they ignore the innocent, they trample on all life!
As long as she is smart enough and does it cleanly and neatly, who would know it was her who did it?
Look at Shi Houqiong, even though he did all kinds of evil things, isn't he still an upright and kind-hearted person in the eyes of the world?

Whenever she wanted to cross that line, she would remember a calligraphy left by her mother: Only with awe in your heart can you know when to stop.

Never mind, she still has relatives and friends such as her aunt, as well as the wealth and splendor of the Shang family. She, Shang Mingshu, will always stand under the scorching sun and enjoy the beauty of the world openly.

The Shi family is just a mere family, not worthy of her sacrificing all this.

Even if she gives up using any means necessary, she will still be able to find an opportunity to make Shi Houqiong suffer!
"Madam, Madam Liu has agreed to have breakfast with you tomorrow." Shang Mingshu said goodbye to Cheng She, and He Sui, who was sent by her to invite Zhao Wan'er, hurried to report.

She already had a plan to obtain the scenting method of the Zhulan flower, and everything just had to wait until she met Zhao Wan'er to discuss it.

Shang Mingshu returned home in the afterglow of the setting sun and found that the whole family was waiting for her. After what happened yesterday, no one in the family knew how to face Shang Mingshu. Except for Xiao Yu, they had all gotten into trouble.

The one who suffered the least was Shang Zishu. Anyone who was deliberately stopped when they were in a hurry would feel uncomfortable afterwards. Shang Zishu's behavior was quite understandable.

She spoke first: "Third sister, can we have dinner together? After dinner, can we have a chat as a family?"

Shang Jinliang and Shang Wenshu looked at Shang Mingshu eagerly. Thinking of Shang Mingshu's indifference yesterday, they were afraid that Shang Mingshu would refuse.

"Okay." Shang Mingshu returned to being the gentle and well-behaved girl she used to be.

(End of this chapter)