The night grew darker, and the mansion was very quiet.
Sheng Ming Yi stood by the window, gazing at the bright moon hanging high.
“Young Master, it’s getting late. You should rest…”
Yan Nian held a bowl of medicinal soup and spoke softly.
“Mhm.”
Sheng Ming Yi responded, but didn’t turn around, nor did he show any intention of drinking the medicine and going to sleep.
He was somewhat afraid of falling asleep.
Because once he fell asleep, he would have strange dreams.
He dreamed that he had entered the body of that girl from the Hai Tang Courtyard.
At first, the frequency of this strange dream wasn’t very high — once every ten days to half a month.
In the dream, he was in that body, constantly working like a beast of burden — extremely exhausting, extremely bitter.
Even prisoners exiled to the frontier probably lived more comfortably than he did in the dream.
So after waking up, Sheng Ming Yi would need a period of time to recover his health.
Later, at some unknown point, he began having the strange dream every night.
The time in the dream also became the same as in real life.
He would sleep for one night, and suffer five or six hours in the dream…
The dream was also very continuous.
In the dream, that girl didn’t return to the mansion until she was twelve, and her name in the dream was Sheng Min Min.
On her first day back at the mansion, she was schemed against and went hungry the whole way. When she got home, she ate too much rich food, and that night she had diarrhea all night long.
Sheng Ming Yi felt it wasn’t Sheng Min Min — it was him who had diarrhea all night.
Abdominal cramps, numb legs, dizziness, exhaustion…
The physical pain was so real, and the mental pain was just the same.
He was furious.
Why didn’t anyone call the family doctor for him?
Why didn’t anyone come to see him?
Then he discovered that everyone in the dream had become especially unfamiliar.
In this dream, except for Sheng Min Min who had it bad, everyone else lived very well.
His father’s official career was flourishing, his mother was an enviable noble lady.
His eldest brother was exceptionally talented in literature, his fifth brother was skilled in martial arts, and Sheng Ming Zhu’s beauty was renowned far and wide.
He also saw himself — in the dream, he was much healthier.
He could go to the academy every day, and his knowledge was excellent too…
Everyone lived well. Only Sheng Min Min…
He witnessed Sheng Ming Zhu’s methods.
From childhood to adulthood, Sheng Ming Yi knew that Sheng Ming Zhu wasn’t so innocent.
But he didn’t want to think too deeply about it. As long as Sheng Ming Zhu didn’t scheme against him, Sheng Ming Zhu was his “good sister.”
But in the dream, he was Sheng Min Min.
Looking at Sheng Ming Zhu from Sheng Min Min’s perspective, he discovered just how despicable, disgusting, and truth-twisting Sheng Ming Zhu was.
Strangely, in the dream, he, his eldest brother, his fifth brother, and his parents were all played around by Sheng Ming Zhu as if they had lost their minds…
They all made things difficult for Sheng Min Min, including Sheng Ming Yi in the dream.
Sheng Ming Zhu gave Sheng Min Min jewelry, deliberately choosing styles that couldn’t be more tacky.
No one notified Sheng Min Min about the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Just before the banquet started, Sheng Ming Zhu sent someone to deliver an extremely outdated set of clothes, telling Sheng Min Min to attend the feast.
And at that banquet table, there was actually no seat for Sheng Min Min.
Sheng Min Min’s status dropped day by day, and no one stood up for her.
Even the maids by her side dared to give Sheng Min Min attitude, mocking and sneering at her.
Last night, he even dreamed that Sheng Ming Zhu falsely accused Sheng Min Min of theft.
Because the night pearl was in Sheng Min Min’s room, the crime was pinned on Sheng Min Min…
How ridiculous!
How absurd!
Sheng Ming Yi felt that the one being falsely accused was him, and murderous intent churned in his heart.
And he could feel Sheng Min Min’s emotions — in Sheng Min Min’s heart, there was only boundless grievance and sadness…
That feeling was too suffocating. When Sheng Ming Yi woke up, his pillow was wet with tears…
He couldn’t tell whether they were Sheng Min Min’s tears or his own.
Was everything in the dream really just a dream?
He didn’t know…
“Young Master, your health isn’t good. You should still rest as early as possible…”
Yan Nian’s voice.
But Sheng Ming Yi didn’t want to sleep. The dream was too suffocating…
But not sleeping, his body couldn’t hold out even more.
He let out a long sigh, drank the medicine, rinsed his mouth, and lay down on the bed.
Without a doubt, that night Sheng Ming Yi dreamed again.
Yan Nian kept watch by the bedside, and seeing the Young Master’s brow furrow tighter and tighter, his heart ached terribly.
The Young Master’s strange illness had been seen by countless doctors, all with no solution…
The Young Master was already frail, and suffering such torment every day — what could be done…
Why didn’t the Master and Madam come to see the Young Master?
The Young Master was truly too pitiful…
Actually, Sheng Ming Yi was fortunate — at least he still had servants by his side who genuinely cared for him.
In the Sheng family’s main hall, the masters of every courtyard were present.
Because the results of the “Grand Examination” would be out today.
And this time, both Sheng Ming Li and Sheng Ming Shu had participated in the “Grand Examination.”
Sheng Yong had sent servants early to check the results. Of course, he had placed all his hopes on the fourth son, Sheng Ming Shu.
Sheng Yong valued this so much because after the exam, Sheng Ming Shu had written out his essay from memory for the tutor to see, and the tutor had nodded repeatedly after reading it.
He had privately gone to ask the tutor, and the tutor smiled and said Sheng Ming Shu might have a chance at first place —
The tutor’s words made Sheng Yong’s heart surge with excitement.
Top of the provincial exam!
If his son could win first place in the “Grand Examination,” then at the year-end metropolitan exam, at worst he could still become a metropolitan graduate!
He had never placed his hopes on a concubine’s son before. In recent years, his legitimate son either was too ill to leave the courtyard, or was so dispirited he didn’t want to leave the courtyard.
Only the eldest, Sheng Ming Jian, was barely presentable, but the eldest’s habits and health…
He didn’t dare put all his bets on Sheng Ming Jian either. Sheng Ming Shu’s rise gave him another option.
He hoped Sheng Ming Shu wouldn’t disappoint him.
Because Sheng Yong valued this exam so much, the other members of the Sheng family who originally didn’t care also began to take it seriously.
At the very least, they had to put on a show, so today quite a few people were present.
Sheng Yong picked up his teacup, brought it to his lips, then put it down again.
It was clear he was waiting anxiously, and no one else dared to speak carelessly.
The room was very quiet.
Suddenly, from outside, Dong Sheng’s shouting came from far to near.
“Congratulations, Master —
“Congratulations, Madam —
“The Fourth Young Master has won first place in the provincial exam —”
“The Fourth Young Master has won first place in the provincial exam —
“Congratulations, Fourth Young Master —”
By the time Dong Sheng ran in, his expression excited, Sheng Yong had already stood up straight with joy.
Sheng Yong confirmed with Dong Sheng again and received an affirmative answer.
“Good! Good! Worthy of being my good son!”
Sheng Yong praised greatly, looking at Sheng Ming Shu with pride.
Sheng Min Min, Huang Ya Ning, Huang Xian Jing, Sheng Ming Li, and several concubines all genuinely felt happy for Sheng Ming Shu and offered their congratulations.
And Sheng Ming Jian and his brothers, as well as Sheng Ming Zhu, also offered congratulations, but their eyes were complicated.
Sheng Ming Shu was excited, but he remained composed, and even asked Dong Sheng.
“Where’s my second brother?”
Sheng Ming Shu had read the essay Sheng Ming Li wrote from memory.
He thought it was good and should have a chance at passing the provincial exam.
Dong Sheng slapped his forehead, looking at Sheng Ming Li with an apologetic and ingratiating expression.
“Look at this old servant’s memory — this old servant deserves death.
“Congratulations, Second Young Master — the Second Young Master also passed the provincial exam!
“Congratulations, Master, congratulations, Madam — the Sheng family has a double blessing!”
