Qin Siyuan was already feeling emotional after returning from Mr. Songshan's visit. Seeing Lin Ziqi like this, he couldn't help but recall Mr. Songshan's evaluation of scholars, and felt even more ashamed.

He sighed and patiently explained, "Mr. Songshan was invited into the Marquis's residence by the Marquis, and I have met him a few times because of the Sixth Master. The day we composed poems was also at a banquet held at the Marquis's residence, and my uncle's family and I stayed overnight. We all spontaneously composed a few poems. The Sixth Master set up a competition at the Imperial Academy, hoping to collect more good poems in an unconventional way. If Brother Ziqi is interested, why not compose a few more? It would be the same thing."

Seeing that he had dismissed the matter with just a few words, Lin Ziqi suppressed his anger and asked, "Since you were also present that day, do you know who Young Master Nantang is? I admire Young Master Nantang's poems for their profound imagery and vivid word choice. Could you please introduce me to him?"

Qin Siyuan paused for a moment, then lowered his head and said, "I also greatly admire Young Master Nantang's poems, but she is unwilling to show them to others, so I cannot say more. I can only tell you that she is someone valued by Mr. Songshan, and when the time is right, Brother Ziqi will surely be able to meet her."

Lin Ziqi was repeatedly refused and became furious, saying, "We are related by marriage and were classmates. Why are you making excuses and refusing to introduce me to your distinguished guests? We are all scholars, how can you be so narrow-minded? I only invited you to come along when I learned that the two gentlemen were going to visit Yuyuantan Park. Otherwise, how would you have had the opportunity to become famous? Now that you have some fame, do you look down on your old friends from your humble beginnings?"

Qin Siyuan opened his mouth to argue, but Lin Ziqi had already stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

The hidden rift was thus exposed.

In the evening, Qin Yuan had little appetite as she sat alone facing a table full of food.

Hongye and Cuiming were so busy they didn't even have time to eat, so Qin Yuan simply set aside some food for them and ate slowly by herself for a while.

Dinner should not be too much, so after a quick meal, he ordered the table to be cleared away. Mo Zhu helped him rinse his mouth, and just as he picked up his teacup, Gu Shiliu delivered a message: "The Marquis will be accompanying the Sixth Master and will not be returning to rest for the next few days. If there is anything difficult to handle, just send someone to ask him."

Qin Yuan concealed her displeasure and asked, "Is Sixth Master too heartbroken?"

That's quite an interesting question.

Everyone knew that Sixth Master Gu wasn't particularly heartbroken.

It was really unnecessary for Lord Gu to stay in the outer courtyard to accompany Sixth Master Gu.

Gu Shiliu chuckled awkwardly, "No, I just noticed that the Marquis seems to be troubled by something and is in a bad mood. Perhaps he wants to stay in the outer courtyard and chat with Sixth Master to relieve his worries."

Qin Yuan nodded and ordered Hongmian to collect a few sets of clothes and accessories for Gu Shiliu to take back.

"These were rushed out by Cuiming and her team. We'll wear them for the next few days to entertain guests, and we'll rush out more later."

Gu Shiliu nodded repeatedly and thoughtfully offered a suggestion.

"Don't worry, Madam. If there isn't enough time, the Marquis has a lot of old clothes stored in his old trunk. They can be taken out, ironed, and worn."

Qin Yuan said, "That's right, I almost forgot, there's a lion on the Marquis's old shirt, and it's even more elaborate."

Hearing her unpleasant tone, Gu Shiliu didn't dare to say anything. He hurriedly took the rattan box containing the red cotton clothes and left.

Back in the brightly lit outer courtyard, he saw Lord Gu walking along the corridor with his hands behind his back, wearing wooden clogs. When he saw him, he stopped and didn't move.

Gu Shiliu hurriedly went up to her and said, "I have reported to Madam. She said she understands and even packed some clothes for me to bring back. She said they are for me to wear when receiving guests in the next few days. They were all made by Cuiming and the sewing room."

Gu Jinghui responded and then asked, "What else did Madam say?"

Gu Shiliu frowned and said, "Madam knows that the Marquis has not returned to Wutong Garden to rest these past few days, and asked me if the Sixth Master is too heartbroken."

Gu Jinghui's brow twitched slightly. "Hmm, what did you reply?"

Gu Shiliu then simply repeated what Qin Yuan and the two of them had said.

Gu Jinghui remained silent for a while before asking in a panic, "What's wrong with Madam now?"

Gu Shiliu lowered his head, his brows furrowing slightly involuntarily.

The Marquis suddenly avoided his wife, which naturally displeased her. Wasn't the Marquis just asking a question he already knew the answer to?

Before he could even speak, Gu Jinghui hurriedly instructed, "Wait a moment."

Then, like a gust of wind, he swept into the study.

Gu Shiliu stood under the corridor waiting anxiously. After a while, Lord Gu finally came out, holding a scroll of paper in his hand. He handed it to him and said, "Go and give this to Madam. Tell her that we will have to trouble her from now on."

Gu Shiliu: "..."

Although he didn't understand why, Gu Shiliu still took it, and then heard Lord Gu sigh, "How can I treat my wife like this?"

The sigh was filled with deep sorrow, which made Gu Shiliu shiver involuntarily.

Gu Shiliu didn't know how to start a conversation, so he could only clutch the drawing paper tightly in his hand and rush towards Wutong Garden. On the path outside the courtyard gate, he bumped into Hongye, who was preparing to go back to rest.

Hongye was so hungry that her stomach was practically sticking to her back, and she didn't have the energy to scold him. She could only weakly ask, "What are you doing all this fuss about? Have you caught Zhao Shi?"

Gu Shiliu was surprised and asked, "Why do you ask that?"

Hongye said, "Now that everything is prepared, what else could it be? We're busy preparing for the funeral here, so the neighbors must be lax. Isn't this the perfect opportunity for them to make their move? Did you receive some news and come here specifically to inform Miss?"

Gu Shiliu shook his head.

"You are quite right, but I was ordered by the Marquis to deliver something to the Madam."

Hongye perked up and asked, "Have you found out what's troubling you, Lord Marquis?"

Gu Shiliu shook his head in frustration.

"I don't know. Your Excellency seems to be preoccupied. You look much more dejected than usual. When we were in the northern frontier, even when the enemy attacked the city and the gates were about to fall, I never saw Your Excellency like this. But these days, apart from the matter of the Sixth Madam, nothing else has happened."

Hongye had nothing more to say.

Gu Shiliu took Hongye's words to heart. After returning to Qin Yuan from Wutong Garden with Hongye, he hurriedly went out to find Gu Shiba and the others, determined to lay a trap and capture Zhao Shi.

If Lady Zhao breaks free, the Marquis will be in even worse shape; we must not make a mistake.

By the time Cuiming returned to Wutong Garden, it was already time for her to go to bed.

After a long day, her eyes were sunken and her lips were chapped. Seeing Qin Yuan staring blankly at a piece of paper under the lamp, she asked softly, "Why aren't you asleep yet, Miss? The monks and Taoists will be coming to the manor tomorrow, and we'll be busy."

Qin Yuan snapped out of her daze and said, "Yes, it's time to sleep. There are things to do tomorrow."

He then got up and ordered Mozhu to come in and help him to bed.

Hongye removed the lampshade and, while adjusting the wick, asked Cuiming, "Why are you so busy at this hour?"

Cuiming said, "Sixth Master donated his official position, so the banners and curtains hanging outside need to be changed, which caused some delay."

He glanced at the paper Qin Yuan had tossed on the table and asked, "What's this?"