Becoming a literary master starting from the story of Minglan

Chapter 539 Family Banquet
At this moment, Zhuo Jie'er, who was standing next to Hai Chaoyun, opened her big, bright eyes and first looked at Sheng Changquan curiously. Then, as if she suddenly remembered something important, she pointed at him with her chubby little finger and said in a childish voice, "Seventh Uncle! You...you became the top scholar in the imperial examination?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, the little one tensed up, her face scrunched up, and she timidly added, "But...but Zhuo-jie'er...the gift...isn't ready yet..."

Her guilty and worried expression clearly showed that she was thinking about the "top scholar's gift" she had promised to give to her seventh uncle.

"Hahaha!"

Sheng Changquan was amused by his niece's innocent and naive words, and his tense mood of the past few days immediately relaxed.

Hai Chaoyun, standing to the side, was both amused and exasperated. She gently pinched her daughter's soft cheek and softly corrected her, "Zhuo'er, don't talk nonsense. The results of the palace examination have not yet been announced. You can't say such things outside." She then looked up at Sheng Changquan and gave him an apologetic smile. "This child must have heard her grandmother talking about it a lot yesterday, and she's taken it to heart."

Sheng Changquan felt a surge of tenderness in his heart. He leaned down slightly, reached out and gently touched Zhuo Jie'er's small hand, and coaxed her softly, "Zhuo Jie'er, don't worry, the results of the palace examination haven't been released yet, you still have time to prepare."

"However, Uncle Seven, take advantage of Zhuo'er's auspicious words and try your best to bring back the top scholar. We'll also see what kind of good gift Zhuo'er has prepared for Uncle Seven."

When Zhuo Jie'er saw his response, her worries immediately turned to joy. She giggled happily and waved her little hands, wanting him to hold her. Her innocent and carefree demeanor made Sheng Changquan feel very warm.

He chatted with his sister-in-law and niece for a while, enjoying the simple joys of family life, before taking his leave and returning to Zeyutang to change and rest.

……

When it was time for dinner, the Wei Rui Xuan was brightly lit, and Sheng Hong and Sheng Changbai returned to their residences one after the other after court.

Because it was a special day, Grandma Sheng was also invited over, and the whole family rarely gathered together for a meal.

Apart from Hua Lan and Mo Lan, who were already married, and Sheng Changfeng, who felt hopeless about passing the imperial examinations and was disheartened, hiding in his room and refusing to show himself, everyone else was present.

Inside the dining room, a large round pear wood table was laden with exquisite dishes. To bring good luck, Madam Wang had specially instructed the kitchen to prepare auspicious dishes such as "Top Scholar's Congee" and "Exquisite Jade Heart".

However, it was clear that no one was really thinking about the food.

Sheng Hongqiang tried to remain calm while holding his rice bowl, but the lingering anxiety between his brows was impossible to hide. His gaze kept drifting towards Sheng Changquan, and his lips moved as if he wanted to ask something, such as, "How is the policy essay coming along?" But the words caught in his throat due to the rules of officialdom and his father's authority, so he swallowed them back, only managing a few forced coughs and a dry "Eat more, you've worked hard today."

Sheng Changbai remained calm and composed, his demeanor and speech perfectly in control. He first carefully inquired about Sheng Changquan's approach to the essay and how he structured the argument. After receiving a clear and logical reply, he simply nodded and said, "Your approach to the essay is precise and your vision is lofty. Even in my current view, your approach to the essay is no better than this. Since you have done your best, you can be at peace with yourself."

Afterwards, he no longer inquired too much about the details of the palace examination, fully demonstrating his trust in his younger brother's abilities and his composure as an elder brother.

Even so, Sheng Changbai could still spare a moment to take care of his wife Hai Chaoyun and his curious daughter Zhuojie, blowing on a spoonful of tender steamed egg to cool it down before feeding it to his daughter.

Grandma Sheng sat at the head of the table, slowly and methodically eating her congee and side dishes. Her expression was the most serene. Occasionally, she would glance at her children and grandchildren, her gaze lingering on Sheng Changquan for a moment, her expression indifferent.

However, Madam Wang couldn't hold back any longer.

As she served food to Sheng Changquan, she chattered on about the "information" she had gathered through various channels that day: "I heard that the young master of the Yuan family looked quite calm when he came out; I wonder how he did on the exam."

"And that kid from the Wang family, I hear his writing is incredibly eloquent. Oh dear, you wouldn't believe it, many teahouses and taverns in the capital have opened betting odds on the top three this time! Our Quan-ge's name is on the list too, but the odds..."

She stopped herself mid-sentence, realizing her slip of the tongue, but the worry and expectation on her face were clear. Rulan, listening nearby, frowned and couldn't help but interject, "Mother! Why are you asking about these things? You're just worrying Seventh Brother!"

"Besides, how can you accurately interpret those idle gossips from the streets?"

She has a straightforward personality and is extremely impatient with all these roundabout ways.

Minglan sat quietly to the left of the old lady, eating her food in small bites. When she heard this, she only glanced at Sheng Changquan and saw that his face was calm and even had a faint smile. She knew that he was confident and felt more at ease. So she said softly to Madam Wang, "Mother, what Fifth Sister said is right."

"Seventh Brother has his own plans, so let's just wait patiently. This porridge is cooked to perfection, so please have some."

As he spoke, he personally served Madam Wang a bowl of porridge.

Sheng Hong was already in a bad mood, and hearing the opinions of Wang Da Niangzi and her ilk only made him angrier. He couldn't help but slam his chopsticks down on the table with a loud thud, and scolded, "Ignorant woman! What nonsense are you spouting!"

"The imperial court's selection of officials is a solemn affair, not something that commoners in the marketplace can presume to understand. Just wait patiently for the results!"

Madam Wang shrank back after being scolded, pouting aggrievedly. But seeing that the old lady also frowned slightly, she dared not say anything more, only silently eating her rice with her head down. In her heart, she was a hundred times resentful, cursing Sheng Hong for always showing off his official power in front of her.

Sheng Changquan saw all this and couldn't help but find it a little funny. However, for the sake of family harmony, he quickly put down his chopsticks, glanced at the family members at the table, and said in a gentle but reassuring tone: "Father, Mother, Grandmother, elder brother and sister-in-law, elder sister, please don't worry."

He smiled and spoke in a clear voice: "The palace examination is over, and the essay is finished. I feel that I have done my best, and I also have some humble opinions on national policies and current affairs to present to Your Majesty."

"Regardless of the outcome, the sons of the Sheng family stand tall between heaven and earth, seeking only to have a clear conscience. As for their ranking, that is a matter for the Emperor to decide, and it is not for us to presume to speculate. For now, let us simply enjoy our meal and await good news."

His words not only soothed the elders' anxiety but also demonstrated his confidence and composure, and steered the conversation back to everyday matters.

Immediately, the tense atmosphere at the dinner table gradually eased with his gentle words.

……

Inside the side hall of Wenhua Hall, the blue smoke from agarwood rose straight up, yet it could not dispel the invisible tension that permeated the eight examiners.

The examination lasted for two days. After repeated evaluation and discussion, the eight examiners finally reached a consensus to select the top ten best candidates, rank them in order, and present the original papers of the top ten candidates along with the remaining transcribed papers in red ink to the emperor. The emperor then made the final order of the top three candidates and the top seven candidates in the second rank.

These ten essays were selected by the examiners and will be carefully reviewed by the emperor. However, the emperor will also conduct random checks on the essays of the other candidates to prevent cheating in the imperial examinations, and to prevent people from forming cliques and deceiving the emperor.

……

As night fell, the Imperial Study was brightly lit, as bright as day.

The emperor sat alone behind his desk, intently reviewing the top ten examination papers presented by the examiners. Beside him lay a large pile of essays written by the other candidates.

The first thing he looked at was naturally the scroll by Wang Youchen, which was listed first.