Chapter 341 Minglan's Test

Seeing Minglan coming out in a hurry, Xiaotao and Danju, who had been standing at the door to help Minglan keep watch, hurriedly followed her. But after the two got on the carriage, they gossiped non-stop.

"Miss, when did you become so familiar with Master Rong?" Danju asked curiously.

"And, what did you two talk about in there? I just asked Sister Xiaodie, but she didn't tell me anything!" Xiaotao said interestedly.

You know, Lin Hao has been studying in the Sheng family for several years, but in the past two years he only attended half a day of classes every day and then left!
As Minglan's personal maid, she naturally knew that her girl had never had much contact with Lord Rong, and they had not even spoken a few words to each other!
What surprised Xiao Tao the most was that Sister Xiaodie had become Master Rong's maid. She never expected that it was their girl who had a secret meeting with Master Rong in Yuqing Temple today.

You have to know that he is the Duke of Rong!

If their girl could catch the eye of the Duke, she would become a phoenix. Although they knew it was unlikely, they had already had a secret meeting in Yuqing Temple, so who could say what would happen?
"Okay, why are you guys so talkative today!" Minglan blushed and then said solemnly with a straight face:

"Remember, don't tell anyone about what happened today, otherwise the three of us will have a hard time in the future!"

After being reminded by Minglan, the two maids also understood the seriousness of the matter. They knew that their girls would have a hard time in the Sheng family and did not want to cause trouble for Minglan.

Then it finally quieted down!

After returning home, Minglan wrote a letter and asked Danju to deliver the letter to a special letter delivery shop.

After finishing these things, Minglan was still uneasy. Too many things happened today, so many that she didn't know how to deal with them!

Finally, Minglan felt that she should calm down and reorganize her thoughts!

"Xiao Tao, how long will it take for father to come back?

Xiao Tao glanced at the clepsydra and said:

"It will take about another hour!"

Minglan thought about it, then said to Xiaotao: "Come on, follow me to the ancestral hall to burn incense!"

Minglan believes that the ancestral hall is a good place for people to calm down and witness some things in front of their ancestors!
When it was getting dark, Xiao Tao lit the candles in the ancestral hall, but at this time Ming Lan suddenly said:
"You don't have to light all the candles, blow out a few!"

Xiaotao didn't understand what Minglan meant, but she blew out a few candles without hesitation, and then the entire ancestral hall became much darker!

Then Minglan pointed to the windows on both sides and said, "Open those two windows halfway!"

After Xiaotao opened the windows on both sides a little, the wind outside blew in and then went out from the other side, forming a through breeze.

The candles lit in front of the tablets in the ancestral hall began to flicker!

The ancestral hall, which was originally dark, became gloomy and cold!
At this moment, Minglan's mood became calm instead. She then recalled that when she was a child, before her mother passed away, she would leave her cakes for her father Sheng Hong to eat, and she would even pounce on him for a hug...!
Afterwards, Xiaodie was driven away and her mother died of complications during childbirth. At that time, she cried so hard that she fainted, but her father did not seek justice for her.

It was also from that time that Minglan gradually realized that her father Sheng Hong was a timid and cowardly person!

During the years in the Sheng Mansion, she learned to hide her shortcomings and tried her best not to let others cause trouble for her, nor to cause trouble for her grandmother and herself.

She didn't even expect Sheng Hong, her father, to give her justice in such a small matter between sisters.

But the death of my mother is different from the trivial matters between these sisters. It is a major matter involving human life.

When she learned from Lin Hao that her mother's death was indeed caused deliberately by Lin Qinshuang, she wanted to trace the matter back. If she wanted to give her mother justice, she would need to pay with blood or even her life.

But she did not completely believe what Lin Hao said, so she wrote a letter to her aunt, asking her to find out any clues about what happened in the Sheng Mansion back then!

At the same time, we must also test Sheng Hong, this "timid" father!

In the evening, Sheng Hong heard that after Minglan came back today, she had been burning incense to her ancestors in the ancestral hall.

Sheng Hong frowned, not understanding why Minglan, this girl, went to the ancestral temple to burn incense for no apparent reason.

So, curiosity drove Sheng Hong to the ancestral hall, and he saw Minglan kneeling in front of the ancestral tablets in the ancestral hall, so he walked in and asked:
"Why do you suddenly want to worship your ancestors?" Seeing Minglan was about to get up, Sheng Hong stopped her and said, "Well, no need to get up!"

Minglan looked at the tablet in the ancestral hall and said calmly:
"I dreamed of my grandfather the other day. He said that no one, as his granddaughters, would burn incense for him, so I came here!"

Sheng Hong wandered around for a few steps, looking at the dim ancestral hall, and then said:

"Among these children, you are the most sensible and obedient. Your father is very pleased!"

At this time, Minglan was still a little hesitant, but asked with expectation:

"Dad, do you still remember what my mother looks like?"

Seeing Sheng Hong frowning and looking unhappy, Minglan said in a gloomy tone:
"She died so tragically back then. I feel so sad just thinking about it now!"

"Dad, you have so many children, why did my mother have to suffer a difficult childbirth and die in childbirth? Is this bad luck? Or is there another reason?"

"Hey~!" Sheng Hong was stunned for a moment, then sighed and said:

"Giving birth to a child is like passing through the gates of hell. Your wife is also unlucky!"

Thinking of the child in Wei Xiaoniang's belly, Sheng Hong sighed and said:

"Ah~! This is also a sad thing for me!"

Then Sheng Hong asked curiously: "You are so strange today, why are you suddenly talking about this!"

Minglan looked at Sheng Hong with cold eyes and said in a deep voice:

"Tomorrow is my mother's death anniversary, but yesterday when I was half asleep and half awake, I seemed to see my mother. At first, she had a big belly and was eating tonics with big mouthfuls!

Minglan's cold voice reminded Sheng Hong of something, and he felt a chill on his back. At this time, Minglan stretched out her hand and said:

"Then she suddenly reached out her hand and pulled me, as if she wanted to say something!"

At this time, the ancestral hall outside was very quiet, and the draft outside made the candlelight flicker, and the ancestral hall was also a little bright and dim. Coupled with Minglan's narration, Sheng Hong's heart trembled, and he felt that the whole ancestral hall was a little gloomy!
At this time, Minglan pointed at the flickering candlelight and looked at Sheng Hong in a daze!

"look!"

Sheng Hong swallowed and said, "She, what did she say?"

"I didn't hear it clearly, it seemed like she said~!"

"What did she say?" Sheng Hong asked anxiously.

Minglan said in a low voice: "She seemed to say that she was murdered by someone, and she was not at peace in the underworld, lonely and cold!"

Sheng Hong felt a little flustered, especially in the ancestral hall, which made him feel uncomfortable. Sheng Hong could only try his best to calm down, and then whispered:
"You are young and don't understand the seriousness of the matter. Don't mention these things again in the future, lest you hurt the harmony of the family!"

When Minglan heard this, she understood in her heart that her father was not deceived. He knew that his mother was murdered, otherwise he would not have said such words as "hurting the harmony of the family".

Then Minglan continued to test:
"Father wants to ask for your permission for something!"

"you say!"

Minglan said, "I heard someone say that in a situation like this, we need to perform a ritual to help the soul to be reborn!"

Sheng Hong felt relieved when he heard this:

"That's right. Now your wife is the boss. If you need any money, just ask her for the money!"

Minglan said, "But we still need someone with the strongest Yang energy to use a few drops of fingertip blood, drip it into the cinnabar, and redraw the tablet to appease the dead soul!"

"I think that you are a disciple of the emperor, and your Yang energy is the strongest. I would like to ask you to drip some blood from your fingertips so that I can redraw my painting~!"

However, at this time Sheng Hong scolded:
"The saints said, respect ghosts and gods but keep them at a distance. Our family is a pure and honest family. We must not say these weird and superstitious words anymore!"

"You also shouldn't ask for your body to be damaged!"

However, Minglan did not give up, but continued:

"Father, you are right. It is my daughter who is at fault!"

"Then when my daughter performs the ritual tomorrow, please come and light three incense sticks for me to strengthen my mother's soul and make her life easier in the underworld!"

However, at this moment, Sheng Hong did not want to stay in this gloomy ancestral hall. It made him feel uneasy, and he did not want to go to the Taoist temple to perform any rituals tomorrow.

So Sheng Hong evaded the question:
"My father will be busy with official business tomorrow, so you should make the ceremony more grand!"

Then Sheng Hong turned away, leaving Minglan still kneeling on the mat with tears in her eyes!
During today's test, Sheng Hong never said from beginning to end that your mother was not murdered. Instead, he told himself to shut up so as not to hurt the harmony of the family.

Later, she used a ritual to ask for a few drops of his blood to test how much Sheng Hong really felt for her!
However, Minglan was disappointed again, and she was even unwilling to go in person tomorrow to burn three incense sticks for her mother!

Minglan thought she understood her father, who was a cautious official and a timid and cowardly person.

However, it was not until today that Minglan finally saw through Sheng Hong. Hypocrisy, selfishness, and indifference are his true nature.

Apart from himself, the thing that matters to him most is probably the prosperity of his family!

Tears fell from Minglan's eyes, and then Minglan gently wiped away the tears, along with the family affection contained in the tears!
At this time, Xiao Tao came over to help Ming Lan up, and then said:

"Miss, since the master is unwilling to shed blood, should we find a strong man to draw a tablet for me?"

"No need to look for it, it was all made up!" Minglan then wiped away her tears, looked at Xiaotao and asked:

"Xiao Tao, if you have a strong destiny, are you willing to shed blood for my little mother?"

Xiao Tao said without thinking, "Of course I will! My dear mother treats me very well and even gives me some cakes and pastries if she has any!"

Looking at the innocent Xiaotao, Minglan said with a sigh:
"Even you are willing, but my wife's bedmate is not willing. You are trustworthy, but he is not trustworthy!"

Xiao Tao said ignorantly: "What should we do now?"

"The dead in the underground are not sleeping well, so how can the living people on the ground sleep well!" After saying that, Minglan stood up and left the ancestral hall with Xiaotao!

On the other side, Lin Hao was at home, being questioned by his mother!
"Tell me honestly, are you interested in Yu Yanran, the eldest daughter of Grand Tutor Yu?"

Lin Hao neither confirmed nor denied it, but changed the subject:
"I can only say that she is within my consideration, but not necessarily her!"

"Don't worry, mom. You will know next year. Don't worry!"

The Duchess of England said, "Why aren't you anxious? Your sister has already been found, what are you saying as a brother?"

Lin Hao cooperated and said, "Mother, do you already know?"

"Humph! Of course, today she and Sheng Changbai were flirting with each other across the stands, so it's not hard to guess!" Then he whispered, "Besides, she was having a secret meeting with someone in the grove!"

"Mother is wise!" Lin Hao flattered.

Then he felt something was wrong, Lin Hao reacted instantly, and then asked:
"Even the mother knows about this?"

"What do you think?"

Lin Hao thought it was over, but at this moment his mother suddenly said:

"You are also a troublemaker. You actually went to Yuqing Temple to have a secret meeting with someone. You are not much smarter than your sister. There are many people in the place!"

Lin Hao paused when he heard this, and then he realized that he had underestimated the mother. He thought he had done it secretly enough, but in the end, the mother still caught him!
"She's only fourteen years old, and you dare to do that to her!" Lady Yingguo said angrily, "Have you ever considered the girl from the Sheng family?"

"And Yu Yanran, are you planning to use someone else as a shield? Aren't you afraid of damaging their reputation?"

Since his mother had pointed it out to him, Lin Hao no longer hid it and said:

"Mother, you misunderstood. My real target is the Sixth Daughter of the Sheng Family. However, she is indeed a little young, so I said I would wait until she reaches the age of marriage next year!"

"As for Yu Yanran, I am simply helping her to win back her mother's belongings!"

Then Lin Hao continued: "Of course, I do have some ideas about Yu Yanran. Not only her, I also want to find a few more and give birth to a lot of children for you in the future, okay!"

The Duchess of England shook her head and said:
"You're grown up now. It's your own business. You should handle it properly and don't leave any sequelae!"

"Yes, sir!" Lin Hao said quickly.

After Lin Hao left, he saw Zhang Guifen coming in, so he gave her a look that said "May you be lucky!"

Zhang Guifen tried desperately to pull Lin Hao back with her eyes, but Lin Hao remained indifferent!

When it was night, Lin Hao connected with Minglan again through mental marking, and just found out that Minglan was testing Sheng Hong!

Lin Hao even helped her out and created a little tension!
When Minglan fell asleep late at night, Lin Hao connected again, but this time Lin Hao did not weave dreams in Minglan's consciousness.

Instead, he slightly edited the content of his conversation with his mother today and presented it to Minglan's dream, making her think that she had entered his dream.

(End of this chapter)