Chapter 259: Good-for-Nothing

Mrs. Cui also leaned over to have a look.

The paper was snow-white, the printing neat, and it included illustrations with small portraits of people and flowers.

She couldn’t help feeling surprised and asked, "Is this the poetry collection printed by Sixth Master Gu?"

As Qin Jijiu flipped through it, he said, "Yes, this is the new edition, including poems by the Lord Minister of Rites and Lord Academic Administrator, as well as paintings by Sixth Master Gu. It looks much more refined and elegant than before."

Mrs. Cui was even more surprised, "Are the two Lords’ poems included as well?"

Wasn’t Sixth Master Gu just a useless person?

How could he publish a poetry collection, and include the two Lords’ poems as well?

Qin Jijiu nodded, "Yes, there’s also my nephew’s and Ziqi’s. Sixth Master Gu went to Jade Spring Pond with them, composed poems, and then paid to have a poetry collection printed."

Mrs. Cui happily said, "This is a good thing, Ziqi and Si Yuan’s reputations will rise along with it."

After flipping through, Qin Jijiu nodded repeatedly, "The poems by the two Lords indeed add a lot of weight, and I see that Si Yuan’s poetry is wonderfully done this time. Once this poetry collection spreads, their literary talent will surely become known, which will be somewhat beneficial for next year’s imperial examination."

Mrs. Cui exclaimed with delight, "Could it be true what my son said? Mr. Lin could indeed have a meteoric rise."

Qin Jijiu’s eyes flickered, wanting to say something but hesitated.

The letter from Qin Yuan revealed Lin Ziqi’s malicious intentions, making him despise him, but he couldn’t speak of it.

Mrs. Cui couldn’t hold her tongue and would tell Qin Wan.

Qin Wan would never believe it and who knows what trouble might arise.

Qin Jijiu decided to keep it to himself, but he was not willing to put much effort into this son-in-law’s future.

His own connections should naturally be used for his own family.

Qin Jijiu asked the servant who delivered the books, "Did Shen Peifang or the Marchioness send this over?"

The servant said, "Shen Peifang arranged for Sixth Master Gu’s printing, and as soon as the new draft was fixed, the poetry collection was sent to the Marquis Mansion and several Lords’ residences."

Qin Jijiu nodded, "Were the poet-scholars also given copies?"

The servant said, "They were delivered today. Copies for Mr. Qin and Lin Junren were sent to the Imperial College."

Qin Jijiu felt Shen Peifang handled things very thoughtfully, and he smiled, "Good, you may leave, let the long-term follower get you a reward."

The servant smiled and thanked him, then retreated.

Mrs. Cui held the poetry collection, reluctant to part with it, and even when the meal was served, she laughed, "Ziqi and Si Yuan’s starting point couldn’t be any better."

Qin Jijiu said, "Indeed."

Mrs. Cui added, "How could such good news not include inviting our daughter over?"

Qin Jijiu frowned, asking, "Didn’t we agree to have her visit her parental home less frequently?"

Mrs. Cui said, "This time it’s different, I’ve already sent someone to fetch her."

Qin Jijiu put down his chopsticks, resigned, "Since that’s the case, let’s wait for her. But... frequent visits back home are not good. Didn’t her mother-in-law make a fuss about this? Why can’t she learn from Yuan’er?"

Had it been Qin Yuan, she wouldn’t have had such disputes with Mrs. Lin.

Thinking about this gave Qin Jijiu a headache.

Mrs. Cui wasn’t pleased either, but she had to admit, compared to Qin Yuan, Qin Wan indeed fell short.

Mrs. Cui waved the poetry collection in her hand, "If Wan’er takes this poetry collection back, how could his mother not be pleased?"

Both mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were relying on Lin Ziqi’s success in ranking to become an official. With this, disputes would naturally settle down.

Qin Jijiu frowned but said nothing.

Not long after, Qin Wan arrived, smiling as she entered, "Father, Mother, what’s the good news?"

Qin Jijiu gestured, "The food’s gone cold. It’s hot today, it spoils easily, so let’s eat first and talk later."

Qin Wan hurriedly sat down and looked at the dishes on the table, smiling, "It’s been a while since I had a good meal, I should eat more."

Mrs. Cui felt sorry, "Why have you grown thinner again?"

Qin Jijiu looked at Qin Wan, noticing she seemed somewhat thinner.

Busy with her food, Qin Wan murmured complaints, "Oh, don’t mention it. Lin Ziqi’s old mother said since it’s just the two of us at home, we can only have meat every three days, porridge in the morning and evening, and the cooking has to cater to her tastes. I really don’t know when Lin Ziqi will get selected for an official post so that I can enjoy a better life."

Qin Jijiu: "..."

This life was her own choice.

Mrs. Cui asked, "Didn’t you use to buy some things for yourself privately?"

Qin Wan said, "After the last argument, Ziqi told me to endure it for now, not to quarrel with his old mother over this. Besides, his mother enjoys badmouthing me in front of the neighbors, and everyone’s watching. If we argue again, I wouldn’t look good."

Qin Jijiu was displeased, asking Mrs. Cui, "She married into the Lin family and became part of it. How could she buy food behind her mother-in-law’s back? Even if she used her dowry, it wouldn’t sound good if it got out. What kind of teaching is that?"

Mrs. Cui actually understood this principle but couldn’t help retorting, "My daughter already married down, her whole family relies on her dowry for food and drink, and they’re still so harsh. Shouldn’t my daughter at least live a bit more freely?"

Qin Jijiu sighed, "Is there any sense in doing things this way? Unless Lin Ziqi doesn’t achieve success, if he does..."

Before finishing, Qin Wan put down her chopsticks and said, "Ziqi said he’d always remember my goodness, promising that when he succeeds, he won’t let me down."

"Ha," Qin Jijiu chuckled coldly.

He increasingly felt his second daughter was a fool, though he didn’t want to say anything.

Almost done with her meal, Qin Wan asked, "What was it that Mother wanted to say?"

Mrs. Cui quickly handed over the poetry collection.

"The poetry collection from your husband’s and Si Yuan’s trip to Jade Spring Pond is printed, and it includes poems from the Minister of Rites and Lord Academic Administrator, with a postscript by the Lord Minister."

Qin Wan, pleased, took it and flipped through.

"It’s quite exquisitely made. I’ll take it back for my mother-in-law to see."

Mrs. Cui said, "Your mother-in-law will be pleased to see this and won’t say anything. This poetry collection was funded and printed by Sixth Master Gu for sale."

"Sixth Master Gu?"

Qin Wan flipped through it again carefully, astonished, "Is this really a poem by Sixth Master Gu?"

Qin Jijiu said, "Yes, while Sixth Master Gu’s poems are somewhat simple, they are logical, well-matched in couplet, and the rhyme is not mistaken."

Qin Wan puzzled, "That dimwit actually managed to write such poems? It’s extraordinary."

Although she wasn’t talented in literature, she could still appreciate the quality of poetry.

In a past life, her brother-in-law’s poems were utterly nonsensical. She hadn’t expected that in this life, he could produce coherent poetry.

Qin Wan was utterly bewildered.

Mrs. Cui rebuked, "Speak properly, how does it sound to others when you speak like this? You haven’t even met Sixth Master Gu. After all, you’re related by marriage, how can you just speak nonsense?"

Qin Jijiu said, "Indeed, speaking like that is quite inappropriate. Sixth Master Gu not only wrote poems but also did some paintings."

Qin Wan couldn’t counter, quickly flipping through and indeed finding that the supplementary play and miniature portraits, and floral pictures were marked by Gu Jingjun.

"How could this be possible?"