Gu Shiliu forced himself to suppress the anger in his heart, held back his frustration, and asked, "Why can't you take a look at these poems first, sir? They were composed by our Sixth Master and several other scholars. The Assistant Minister of Rites and Lord Academic Administrator both said they were well-written."
The bookshop owner sneered, "Those are just polite but insincere words. Who doesn't know that Sixth Master Gu from Dingbei Marquis Mansion loves to play cultured while consorting with courtesans and boating on the lake? His poems are nothing but drivel. Stop embarrassing yourself here. The Dingbei Marquis may value his brother, but others do not."
Gu Shiliu really wanted to punch someone, but knowing that he still had many matters to handle today and that he wouldn't be able to move about freely once the Marquis Mansion was sealed tomorrow, he stopped pestering and turned to leave.
