Only after the rebellion succeeded did they realize that this place was...

Snapped!

The water-and-fire sticks used exclusively by officials were used to whip the flesh, producing a dull thud.

"Fight! Fight them to death!"

Sheng Hong sat in the main seat, his eyes wide like copper bells, his face flushed, and he spoke with the air of about to explode again, "You little beasts have really been spoiled rotten all day long."

"Now they have committed such a terrible disaster, daring to lose His Majesty's precious ink."

"If His Majesty finds out in the future, my entire Sheng family will likely be exiled to the frontier at best, suffering the same fate as the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yong. The men will be executed in the autumn, and the women... will be reduced to the same fate as the former Princess Jiacheng."

"Do you know where she is right now?"

Sheng Hong was truly furious this time, and his voice was heavy as he rebuked everyone.

"They were sent to the brothels, to the Guangyun Terrace. A single red lip tasted by ten thousand, a pair of jade arms slept by a thousand. What? Do you think the daughters of the Sheng family would willingly accept such a fate?!"

Sheng Hong showed no mercy to Sheng Changfeng, who was lying on the bench outside the hall, crying and wailing, and to Mo Lan, who was right in front of him.

"Father, Mo'er knows she was wrong. Mo'er will never dare to do it again."

Mo Lan's cheeks were covered in tears, and her eyes were red and swollen from crying in just a short while.

Just thinking about the fate of Princess Jiacheng, and the Guangyuntai of the Jiaofangsi, how could a proper official's daughter like her go there?

Not to mention the business of entertaining guests that my father just mentioned.

At that moment, just thinking about it made her feel her whole body tremble uncontrollably.

Mo Lan knelt on the ground, crawling forward to Sheng Hong's side. She hugged his leg and continued to plead pitifully, "Father, Mo'er knows she was wrong. From now on, I will abide by the rules of the Sheng family and never do anything excessive again."

bang bang bang! ! !

Mo Lan kowtowed and begged for mercy, each kowtow heavier than the last, truly terrified that her father might do something even more terrible if he hardened his heart.

"If you were a man like that beast, would you really think I, as your father, would let you off so easily today?"

Sheng Hong rebuked her harshly without any mercy, "Mo'er, this time you and that beast were both really too ignorant."

And from beginning to end.

Also seated in the main position were Madam Wang Ruofu and Hua Lan.

The mother and daughter simply observed everything with indifference.

Wang Ruofu gently stroked her eldest daughter's soft hand and whispered reassuringly, "Hua'er, don't worry, this letter will definitely be found."

"That little beast just now spoke recklessly, saying that something was found in the Sheng family's property. Perhaps some servant or maid picked it up. If we ask carefully, we're sure we can get it back."

"Mmm, Mother."

Hua Lan's eyes were red, and it was precisely because of this possibility of making amends that she did not make things more difficult for her or press her too hard.

"Hiro, what are you doing?"

"Stop hitting him, all of you stop hitting him. This is Third Brother, the true Third Young Master of the Sheng family. How dare you all like this?"

"Dongrong, make them all stop!"

Outside the front hall of the Sheng family, Lin Qinshuang's imperious voice could be heard.

"That bitch arrived pretty quickly."

Wang Ruofu sneered inwardly, her gaze subtly shifting to Sheng Hong, and said, "My lord..."

"Don't worry, my wife, I understand."

Sheng Hong's expression was solemn. Even if Lin Qinshuang arrived, it would be difficult to shake his cold and hard heart this time.

Lin Qinshuang shouted for a long time, but when she found that no one obeyed her, she immediately rushed into the front hall.

Just as he was about to continue pleading with Sheng Hong, he suddenly saw his most beloved daughter, Mo Lan, kowtowing repeatedly, which really broke his heart.

She quickly helped Mo Lan up, tears welling up in her eyes, which were filled with a mix of emotions including resentment and grievance.

"Hiro...why is that?"

Lin Qinshuang, with her delicate and affected manner, bit her lower lip, presenting a pitiful and endearing appearance that easily evoked the tenderness of most men. "What on earth did Feng-ge'er and Mo'er do to anger Honglang to this extent? Does he really want to beat them to a pulp?"

Lin Qinshuang was quite clever; she knew that Sheng Hong's anger must be because her two children had done something that would incur divine wrath.

Therefore, she would never push all the responsibility onto Sheng Hong right away. Otherwise, how could she, as a concubine, have held the power to manage the household in Yangzhou?

She does possess some skill in weighing pros and cons, assessing situations, and examining people's hearts.

"The letter in Hua'er's room. The letter was just delivered today, and those two little beasts, one snatched it away and the other threw it away. One did it openly, and the other secretly."

Sheng Hong stood up, his scrutinizing and questioning gaze sweeping over Lin Qinshuang before turning to Mo Lan, who was hiding behind her. His face was full of incomprehension. "Mo'er, in your father's eyes, you have always been the most sensible, the most obedient, and always very clever. How could you come up with such a treacherous plan to manipulate others today?"

"Your father... I really underestimated you."

"Father, Mo'er is innocent."

Mo Lan lowered her head and whispered her defense.

But it would have been better if she hadn't said those words. Once she did, she completely shattered the last bit of composure in Sheng Hong's heart.

"He's still unrepentant even now. That little beast outside, he confessed it himself."

Sheng Hong said a few harsh words to Mo Lan, then slightly raised his eyes to look at Lin Qinshuang, and questioned her sternly, "How do you usually teach your child?"

"The older brother is irresponsible, and the younger sister is scheming and backstabbing."

"With such wicked thoughts, and still unmarried, if she were to marry into another family in the future, wouldn't she cause chaos and upheaval? She would truly disgrace the Sheng family."

Sheng Hong was now on a killing spree.

Mo Lan and Lin Qinshuang were not spared; they were verbally abused mercilessly until they could no longer lift their heads.

Lin Qinshuang is quite shrewd; she managed to get things to this point.

She neither made a fuss nor shouted; she simply endured Sheng Hong's rage wave after wave.

The humble and submissive demeanor prevented the impact of today's event from escalating further, keeping it under control to the present level.

It's clear that she's quite cunning.

Wang Ruofu led Hua Lan closer, his tone neither too loud nor too soft.

The majesty of the Assistant Minister's wife was brought back to the Sheng family from the palace, giving it a fresh and unique feel, and even her words carried a touch of authority and dignity.

It must be said that this is the demeanor and style that the true matriarch of the Sheng family should have.

"This letter is no small matter; it has a very significant origin."

Wang Ruofu spoke slowly, "If this letter can be found, it's just a minor domestic matter, a false alarm; but if it can't be found..."

Wang Ruofu changed the subject, no longer targeting Lin Qinshuang, a mere concubine.

As the principal wife, her confrontation with a concubine only lowered her own status.

Wang Ruofu turned to look at Sheng Hong, then at her husband, before continuing her eloquent speech, further explaining the seriousness of the matter: "This is a very serious matter. Not only will it implicate your newly promoted official position, but the entire Sheng family will likely face disaster."

"We will find it. Honglang, we will find it."

Lin Qinshuang hurriedly said, her voice trembling slightly.

Sheng Hong felt annoyed again, thinking about the possible consequences.

At this moment, he couldn't help but feel a bit of fear.

Seeing that Sheng Hong was about to get angry again, Lin Qinshuang actually came up with an idea at this crucial moment.

Sheng Hong had not yet spoken.

She preemptively shouted, "Honglang, it's still uncertain whether this letter truly belongs to His Majesty. If it does, even if you, Honglang, were to drive us, mother and children, out of the Sheng family and sell us, I would have no complaints. But if it doesn't belong to His Majesty?"

"Honglang, don't panic."

Seeing Sheng Hong hesitate, Lin Qinshuang dared not delay for a moment and pressed her advantage, speaking again: "Moreover, this matter is completely fabricated, and no one knows whether it is true or false at the moment."

"If it is proven in the future that it is not His Majesty's, and my Sheng family has to use this to make a big fuss and spread the word, it would be extremely detrimental to Honglang's reputation and career."

"Please, Honglang, see the truth!"

At this moment, Lin Qinshuang spoke with all her might, each word seemingly poured out of her heart and soul. She had actually managed to carve out a way out of that desperate situation.

Upon hearing this, Sheng Hong hesitated even more.

"Yes, yes."

Seeing that her mother had broken the deadlock and her father was no longer as furious as before, Mo Lan felt a little more confident and quickly chimed in, "Brother also read the letter before it was lost."

"Father, Mother, Madam, and Elder Sister had already told us about the origin of this letter. Even if my brother is stupid, he wouldn't be so foolish as to throw it away like this. He also said that the letter was full of utter nonsense, which is why he threw it away without a second thought."

"Furthermore, who knows exactly how many letters my elder sister wrote to those young men outside? And who knows which letter is from His Majesty and which is from one of the other young men?"

"Or rather, whether His Majesty has sent a letter or not, we do not yet know."

Mo Lan then changed the subject and turned her attention to Wang Ruofu, "Also, the reason why Madam was able to obtain the title of Assistant Madam must have been because of her elder sister's influence, not because of Father's influence, right?"

My father is currently the Vice Minister of War, a third-rank official. Moreover, after the Emperor abolished most officials of the sixth rank and above, he is the only one among the many officials in the capital city, apart from a few prime ministers, to be promoted.

Therefore, by extension, why not include Madam Wang as one of the three assistant wives?

Mo Lan was just like Lin Qinshuang, quick-witted and sharp-tongued.

In just a few words, the mother and son managed to completely distort the truth.

Instantly, the atmosphere in the front hall of the Sheng family changed. Even the servants and maids in the front hall had their gazes subtly altered, carrying a strange undertone.

"this……"

Sheng Hong also began to have doubts, and the look in his eyes when he looked at Hua Lan was no longer as firm as before.

"Mo girl, you really have a sharp tongue."

Wang Ruofu stood in front of Hua Lan and sneered repeatedly, "But if that's the case, why did the palace eunuch mention the inner affairs of my Sheng family again and again when he came to deliver the imperial decree, and even specifically mentioned Hua Lan?"

The eldest daughter of the Sheng family is described as having bright eyes and white teeth, and possessing unparalleled beauty. Isn't this also a subtle way of conveying the Emperor's wishes?

"Or perhaps you, Mo girl, can make this story sound even more elaborate?"

Sheng Hong was caught in a dilemma again. After all, he also felt that Wang Ruofu's words made a lot of sense, and he couldn't make a judgment for the time being.

"What's wrong with that?"

Mo Lan raised her chin, a hint of smugness on her face. "If you can love the house and its crows and make the eldest lady the assistant manager, why can't you love the house and its crows as well?"

The current emperor is still young, yet he has established such a vast empire. Although he has a powerful clan, he has no wives or concubines, and no children.

Now that you have made up your mind, the best course of action is to ensure the continuation of your lineage and the stability of the nation.

My father has already caught the Emperor's eye and gained his favor; his position is truly auspicious. The Emperor intends to select someone from among the daughters of my Sheng family to stabilize the court and produce a son; what is wrong with that?

However, since my eldest sister is the eldest daughter of the Sheng family, the palace eunuch asked her a few more questions for the sake of the emperor!

"Could it be that, now that Madam has become the Assistant Madam, she no longer respects even Father? Those who don't know the inside story of the Sheng family would probably think that Madam is the true mistress, even more powerful than Father."

Mo Lan muttered softly.

But in this front hall, there's probably no one who can't hear these words.

"Madam, the child is talking nonsense, it's just childish talk. Please don't take offense at Mo'er."

Lin Qinshuang quickly pulled Mo Lan behind her, adopting a protective stance, and hurriedly said.

The mother and son worked together flawlessly, effectively silencing Wang Ruofu.

then……

A scholarly family, but all the action scenes!

"You little jerk who just talks trash."

"Today, as the wife of the head of the household and the assistant manager, I'm going to tear your mouth apart! Do you think I'll let you bully me? Otherwise, wouldn't my position as the assistant manager be meaningless?"

Wang Ruofu shouted and charged straight at Lin Qinshuang and Mo Lan.

next moment!

In the front hall, the women started fighting, creating complete chaos.

"Mother, Mother..."

"Lin Qinshuang, you little bitch! And now you've given birth to an even smaller bitch. You two are practically trying to drive my Hua'er to her death. If you two succeed in your evil scheme today, how will my Hua'er ever have the face to stay in the Sheng family again? You two are so heartless!"

"Madam, Madam, please stop hitting her. It's Mo'er's fault. It's all Mo'er's fault."

"Please, madam, spare my mother and me!"

Seeing that things were getting out of hand and the entire Sheng family was in chaos, Sheng Hong, who was furious, was unwilling to continue arguing.

He flicked his sleeve to the side, and a loud "smack" was heard.

On the rosewood tea table, a fine porcelain teacup with a blue-and-white porcelain pattern shattered into several pieces with a crisp, clear sound.

In an instant, the noise from the fight in the front hall was silenced.

"Haven't you caused enough trouble already?"

Sheng Hong's eyes were bloodshot as he shouted angrily, "Are you going to add another scandal to the Sheng family's list today?"

"Let them make a scene! Let them make a scene so that the whole of Tokyo knows, so that it reaches His Majesty in the capital, so that it reaches the ears of all the ministers in the court. When they all know, I will lose my position as Vice Minister of War. The entire Sheng family will be wiped out by His Majesty, and just like the Yong Prince's Mansion and the Yan Prince's Mansion before, they will all be reduced to nothingness."

"Are you all just going to accept this?"

"Make a scene, why aren't you making a scene!"

At this moment, apart from Sheng Hong's loud roar, the front hall was completely silent, and no one dared to continue to provoke the patriarch of the family.

……

The courtyard to the east of Shou'an Hall is called Mucangzhai.

The farce in the front hall of the Sheng family did not disturb the old lady of Shou'an Hall, so at this moment, the place was also peaceful and undisturbed.

"girl."

Xiao Tao called out to Minglan, holding in her hand a freshly baked osmanthus pastry that had been specially delivered to Shou'an Hall.

She nibbled on the food, skipping and hopping along with her daughter, clearly a little foodie.

"Could it be that the young lady has truly caught the eye of His Majesty in this palace?"

Xiao Tao said vaguely, "Right now, everyone in the Sheng family is saying that the eldest young lady's letter was personally transcribed by His Majesty."

"They even said that the young man outside has the same name, and even the time and place match up. And..."

As she spoke, Xiao Tao took out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth, and then reluctantly placed the remaining osmanthus pastries on the plate to the tea table.

We can't let her eat all these osmanthus pastries by herself.

Madam Fang came specifically to give this to her daughter, following the old lady's instructions.

She's perfectly content with just one, two, or three bites.

After thinking for a moment, Xiao Tao continued with an innocent and naive expression, "Doesn't His Majesty find it tiring? If he really likes the young lady, why doesn't he just go to the Sheng family and propose marriage to the master and the eldest lady?"

"There are so many words in this letter..."