Chapter 263: Laying It All Out

Qin Wan was frozen by the fierceness in his eyes, unable to speak.

"Don’t bring it up again," Lin Ziqi said, his tone indifferent, yet it brought a cold sweat to Qin Wan’s back. "You know what I’m talking about."

Qin Wan nodded woodenly.

What Lin Ziqi forbade her to mention wasn’t the poetry collection, but the poem she had mentioned in her dream.

After all, she had grown up in Qin Jijiu’s family. Though she wasn’t worldly, she had heard many stories; there were indeed cases where people, envying others’ poetic talent, ended up harboring grudges and committing murder.

When she was young in her hometown, there was a young man who had stumbled upon some good verses, only to be killed by his envious maternal uncle, who then took the verses as his own.

At this moment, Qin Wan understood in her heart that Lin Ziqi couldn’t have crafted that poem.

Then... the poems passed down by Chief Minister Lin in a previous life...

Qin Wan didn’t dare to think further.

Seeing her so obedient, Lin Ziqi calmly said, "I originally thought Sixth Master Gu was trying to cling to me for some literary elegance, only to randomly enlist some scholars to copy a few volumes and send them out indiscriminately. But who knew Dingbei Marquis Mansion, with its immense wealth, would create such a spectacle, benefiting your cousin."

Now that they shared a secret, they could speak openly.

Qin Wan put aside her concerns and joined the conversation.

"I’ve heard that Sixth Master Gu doesn’t understand poetry at all. Why is it different this time?"

Lin Ziqi mockingly said, "You have to thank your dear cousin for that. Usually pretending to be upright and honest in front of me, but actually treacherous inside, keeping things from me."

"I painstakingly orchestrated encounters with both esteemed gentlemen, using him and Sixth Master Gu to set the stage. But he took advantage of it, trampling me down to make himself known. He snuck off to the Marquis Mansion several times, becoming friends with Sixth Master Gu, and went to great lengths to teach him poetry."

Qin Wan was astonished: "Si Yuan taught Sixth Master Gu poetry?"

Lin Ziqi sneered several times and said, "Indeed he did, teaching him pairings, from words to phrases, truly putting his heart into it."

A pretentious dandy who suddenly became good friends with the always proper Qin Siyuan? If it weren’t for Qin Siyuan lowering himself intentionally, how could it be possible?

Qin Wan further inquired: "But who came up with the idea of adding paintings to it?"

Truth be told, even if Sixth Master Gu understood poetry, it still didn’t amount to much. But pairing these paintings made him appear not entirely talentless.

Lin Ziqi pondered, "Qin Siyuan probably didn’t come up with it. Ever since he joined the Imperial College, he’s been studying hard, so he likely didn’t think of this."

Qin Wan said, "The whole family in Dingbei Marquis Mansion are coarse people and wouldn’t think of such a method."

In her previous life, she had dealt with the Gu Family for many years and concluded they’d never understand scholarly techniques — surely someone was advising them behind the scenes.

"Why do you say that?" Lin Ziqi asked.

"I...I went to the Marquis Mansion a few times with my mother. Having interacted more, I figured it out."

Qin Wan hedged her way through.

Lin Ziqi’s face turned pale, he gasped and asked somewhat alarmed, "Could it be Father-in-law himself?"

If Qin Jijiu acted, it was to elevate Qin Siyuan’s prestige with Sixth Master Gu as an incidental gainer.

Qin Wan shook her head and said, "No, my parents appeared to meet for the first time today, very delighted."

Lin Ziqi became silent, a fine regret rising in his heart.

Then it could only be Qin Yuan.

With Qin Yuan’s extraordinary talent and usual discretion, although normally not visible, he as her fiancé knew.

Was Dingbei Marquis compliant with her directives?

Did Dingbei Marquis not see the letter he wrote?

Lin Ziqi wondered inwardly, only to hear Qin Wan say again, "My father said cousin has awakened, but how he awakened, I truly don’t understand."

"Who knows if he’s actually awakened. It’s possible he had written a few already, pondering deeply, waiting for a chance to show off publicly."

Lin Ziqi impatiently replied.

Scholars usually accumulate some good phrases and pairings for future use; if someone were to hastily compose on the spot, what kind of good poetry could they create?

Knowing they were going to Yu Yuantang, Qin Siyuan surely prepared in advance.

I was careless and didn’t guard against him.

Before going to Yu Yuantang, Qin Siyuan visited the Marquis Mansion multiple times. Now it seems Qin Yuan offered numerous suggestions; possibly, Qin Siyuan’s poems were also influenced by Qin Yuan.

The more Lin Ziqi thought about it, the more he felt it was so, making him a bit restless.

Qin Wan silently laughed, today’s events made her heart uneasy, and she no longer felt the calm confidence she used to have.

Things seemed to be diverging from what she originally thought.

The couple sat with their own concerns for a while. As evening approached, Lin Ziqi stood up and said, "I need to rush back to the Imperial College to study. Mother, having endured hardships, doesn’t favor luxury, which might cause some incidents, so bear with it. Once my cousin arrives in a few days, Mother will have someone to talk to, and it won’t be so troublesome for you."

Qin Wan nodded in agreement.

Lin Ziqi hurried back to the Imperial College overnight, and it wasn’t until the evening that Qin Wan remembered she hadn’t said what she wanted to.

...

After Qin Yuan finished handling the chores, she prepared gifts, planning to visit Brother Qi’s mother and son in the small courtyard with Gu Jinghui, first sending Gu Shiliu over to let them get ready.

Perhaps happiness brings vitality; Brother Qi was able to slowly move about the courtyard, though his frail body required him to sit and rest after not walking far.

Gu Shiliu entered with a smile and asked, "Is Brother Qi’s health much better?"

Brother Qi shyly replied, "Thanks to Sixteen Brother, I am much better. I wonder why Sixteen Brother has come here?"

Gu Shiliu said, "What command could I have? I’m just running errands for Marquis and his wife. Let me tell you, there’s great good news, wonderful news. Where’s your mother?"

Brother Qi scratched his head and laughed, "My mother is sitting right next to you, sunbathing."

Gu Shiliu was startled and looked over, and indeed, Brother Qi’s blind mother was sitting not far away, smiling in his direction.

Being the most capable personal attendant of Marquis Gu since young, he trained in martial arts and was also somewhat aware.

How could he overlook such an obvious person as Brother Qi’s mother?

Gu Shiliu coughed, hiding his surprise, and laughed, "Aunt Qi, Marquis and his wife will be coming to see you and Brother Qi soon. There’s good news to share. Aunt Qi is blessed; maybe someday you’ll see again."

Brother Qi’s mother chuckled and replied, "Thank you for saying so, Sixteen Brother. I wish to see my son’s appearance properly once in this lifetime."

Brother Qi beamed and asked, "Shouldn’t Marquis and his wife have us mother and son express our thanks instead of visiting?"

Gu Shiliu said seriously, "Your mother has accomplished great deeds; both Marquis and his wife remember that in their hearts, so naturally they want to visit. Besides, Dingbei Marquis Mansion treats people with utmost compassion, unlike those main families filled with harshness and stinginess with many absurd rules."

The two talked for a while, and Gu Shiliu again forgot Brother Qi’s old mother. He didn’t say goodbye when leaving, only remembered after stepping out of the small courtyard and heading back to Marquis Gu.