Qin Heng suddenly realized what kind of formidable person he had provoked and sighed: "I really concede defeat to you. Wouldn’t it be better to just be the lofty Seventh Miss of Dingbei Marquis Mansion? Why do you insist on getting involved?"

"Then why don’t you just be a good elementary student at the Imperial College?" Gu Baoshu snorted coldly, "I’m clearly better than you in martial arts and older than you. Why can you get involved and I can’t?"

Qin Heng opened his mouth to speak but found himself rendered speechless.

The typical teachings for women were useless against Gu Baoshu, and saying them might just earn a beating.

But not saying anything would be truly frustrating.

Qin Heng angrily thought, a good man doesn’t fight with a woman.

It’s not that he couldn’t win, he just chose not to fight.

Gu Baoshu, of course, didn’t know what he was thinking and continued shaking her fist, reasoning: "If you agree, you’ll gain an ally. If you don’t agree, you’ll gain an enemy. So, will you agree or not? Just say it, don’t dawdle."

Qin Heng was on the verge of tears and choked up: "Auntie, do I have a choice? Of course, I agree."

Gu Baoshu tilted her head, her sharp brows slightly raised: "That’s not right what you just said. I’m not someone who forces others against their will; I gave you the choice beforehand."

"Alright, whatever you say goes. You lead by virtue; I get it."

Qin Heng had lost the strength to argue.

Exerting energy to bicker with Gu Baoshu was less productive than taking a few breaths.

Gu Baoshu was satisfied: "Good, it’s settled then. Tomorrow I’ll visit you at the Imperial College. Think about how to introduce me tonight."

"Tomorrow?"

Qin Heng couldn’t help but jump.

"Of course, swift action is crucial, don’t you know?"

Gu Baoshu looked at Qin Heng indifferently, "No wonder you’ve been hanging around Xu Tang for so long without figuring anything out, making your sister worry for no reason."

Stung by this comment, Qin Heng lowered his head, feeling indignant but powerless to retort, with a low voice: "Fine, tomorrow I’ll look for them to play ball. Before Mid-Autumn Festival, each neighborhood holds a cuju game, and I’ll use this excuse to hang out with them."

Gu Baoshu nodded with satisfaction and encouragingly patted his left shoulder: "See you tomorrow. Just follow my lead. Rest assured, with me around, you and Brother Qin will be fine. Also, cheer up; otherwise, your third sister-in-law might notice."

Qin Heng’s leg softened, nearly kneeling, and he winced: "...Alright..."

Seeing the two walk in with broad smiles, Qin Yuan said to Xiao Dong: "Your two major patrons are here."

Xiao Dong laughed: "Speaking of which, it reminds me, Master was talking about the stick injury ointment today; told me to ask when I came, almost forgot."

Qin Yuan snorted lightly: "Why doesn’t he ask himself?"

Xiao Dong shook his head lightly with a laugh: "I don’t know. Today Master saw people from the Marquis Mansion delivering things, asked me to ride over, and said the Marquis Mansion is really troublesome. Master has been restless lately; when I asked him, he scolded me for fretting over things that aren’t my concern. So, let him worry by himself; it’s not that I’m not a considerate disciple."

Qin Yuan secretly laughed, knowing Doctor Li was struggling, but she remained calm, saying: "How should I know what he’s thinking? Perhaps he’s hesitating about whether to say certain things."

Xiao Dong wondered: "What kind of words would make Master like this? Adult concerns are really complicated."

Qin Yuan replied: "Maybe Master is overthinking it."

Xiao Dong blinked his eyes: "I’ll tell Master to think simply when I go back."

Qin Yuan chuckled: "Tell Master that the Marquis is currently busy with the Capital Inspection, and there’s other business at the Mansion, which can’t be dealt with for now. Once the Marquis decides, no one can change it."

Xiao Dong exclaimed with joy: "Master said if it gets decided, he’ll give me sugar-coated pork elbow to eat. I’ve really been craving it."

Before Qin Yuan could speak, Brother Kang on the side chimed in: "You should’ve said so earlier; the dishes made by Xiuxiang in the upstairs room are delicious. If you’d mentioned it when you arrived, you could’ve eaten by now."

Qin Yuan then instructed Hong Mian: "Go, ask the cook to make several Suzhou dishes, and another pot of sugar-coated pork elbow. And prepare five-spice pig trotters to send to Renhe Hall. If there are lamb trotters, boil a spicy lamb trotter pot; it’s really tasty."

Xiao Dong couldn’t help but laugh, nodding repeatedly.

Hong Mian also went down with a cheerful grin.

Qin Heng hurriedly approached: "Big sister, make sure I get some too. Riding makes me uncomfortable all over, and I can barely walk."

Gu Baoshu added from the side: "Right, Third Sister-in-law. Brother Heng’s legs got rubbed from riding today; he needs a supplement for his legs, especially since he plays cuju every day."

Xiao Dong had felt sympathetic initially, intending to share remedies to relieve pain, but couldn’t resist laughing at that comment.

Ignoring him, Qin Heng fixated on Qin Yuan, pleading: "Big sister, please take care of me too."

Qin Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly, smiled: "Alright, it’s just a few dishes. It’s nothing. Cui Ming, go tell the kitchen to make another portion, and include wine, melons, and vegetables, and prepare two feasts to send to Renhe Hall and Jiujie Mansion."

Of course, when sending a feast, everything is complete.

Qin Heng laughed: "Big sister still cares for me. It’s been ages since I had a feast at home. Mother keeps fighting with Father about Second Sister’s and her husband’s matters."

Qin Yuan simply responded with; "Oh," not engaging further.

Qin Heng continued chatting on his own: "I say Second Brother-in-law is never satisfied. Choosing two poems for the Firefly Collection should have been enough, but he wasn’t content. He asked Second Sister to come home and plead, wanting to include more. You know Father’s personality; he can’t stand such things. He broke the rule for Second Sister and refused on the spot. Second Sister was crying and making a fuss at home, making everyone unhappy."

Qin Yuan sneered: "I knew it, you talk so much with Xu Tang. It seems like a fly doesn’t bite a seamless egg. You need to be cautious with your Second Brother-in-law in the future."

The gaze intentionally or unintentionally shifted toward Qin Siyuan.

Qin Heng sighed: "Mother said Second Sister married Second Brother-in-law to torment her."

Qin Yuan said nothing, lightly sipping her tea.

This marriage was something Qin Wan schemed to have.

Qin Heng thought of this fact, realizing he had supported Qin Wan, thus falling silent, feeling constrained.

Thankfully, this moment of awkwardness was soon broken by Qin Siyuan.

Qin Siyuan asked: "Why haven’t I seen Sixth Master today?"

Qin Yuan also found it strange.

Logically, upon hearing Qin Siyuan arrived, Sixth Master Gu should’ve made an appearance.

Listening to the bustling talk for a while, Gu Baoshu said: "My Sixth Brother has been busy these two days creating illustrations for the women’s volume of Firefly Collection, mingling with a group of painters. He’s likely exhausted and still sleeping now."