Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

That damn lentil! He only reminded him when the person was already at the door. Why didn't he just wait until the person came in before reminding him?

That damn Shen Jiangliu, if you're going to talk, just talk. Why are you kneeling by your own bed? Are you afraid the teacher won't notice?

Cursing under his breath, Qin Ji moved even faster, grabbing Shen Jiangliu's arm.

Jiang Jibai, carrying snacks and hot tea, hadn't even reached the door of the private room when he heard a clear and distinct "Shen Jiangliu" in a rather unfriendly tone.

Previously, his junior apprentice kept calling him "Shen Jiangliu," but today when they met, he obediently called him "Senior Brother" twice. He thought the kid had changed his ways, but behind his back, he showed his true colors.

Upon opening the door, he saw his two disciples rolling around on the bed. The younger disciple shoved the older one, saying menacingly, "So what if I accidentally glimpsed your injury?"

"You didn't say a word in front of the teacher, but as soon as the teacher left, you climbed onto my bed. Are you trying to threaten me, or even beat me up?"

"Don't push your luck!"

Shen Jiangliu had just recovered from the chaos of being dragged onto the bed and rolling around in a mess by His Majesty when he heard His Majesty slap a blame on him.

He suddenly realized something, his body trembled, and he slowly looked up. Sure enough, he saw Jiang Jibai standing at the door with snacks in his hand, looking at him with an unfriendly expression.

Shen Jiangliu: "..."

This honeycomb briquette is clearly just asking for trouble!

No, this is not just a honeycomb briquette, it's a honeycomb briquette with small holes.

He's cunning, ruthless, and very young.

Nine times out of ten, it's because he's holding a grudge against him for saying something hurtful.

But he's still a powerful figure you can't afford to offend.

Shen Jiangliu forced a smile, desperately trying to salvage the situation, "Junior brother, you've misunderstood. The teacher left us here alone so that we, as fellow disciples, could get to know each other better."

"Lie over a little more and make some room for me so we brothers can get together and chat."

Qin Ji raised his head, "saw" Jiang Jibai, and unceremoniously pressed the blame even further, "Pah, the way you were acting just now, you didn't look like you wanted to talk at all, you were clearly here to cause trouble."

"Besides, I'm not deaf. If you're lying on your own bed and saying it, do you think I won't hear you? Why do you have to come to my bed so aggressively?"

"If the teacher hadn't arrived at the right time, you would have already attacked me."

Is this guy with the small hole really not afraid that I'll lose my temper and expose his secrets?

He really didn't dare to reveal it.

Shen Jiangliu was deeply depressed.

Qin Ji choked back tears and looked at Jiang Jibai: "Teacher, you must stand up for me!"

These tiny honeycomb briquettes are truly outrageous. Shen Jiangliu endured it for a long time, but finally could not bear it any longer.

"I'm injured like this, and the teacher isn't gone forever, why would he want to fight you at a time like this?"

"Besides, I heard from my teacher that you spoke highly of me to His Majesty and gave me some pointers before the Emperor."

Shen Jiangliu sighed deeply and said, "I wanted to get closer and thank you properly, but I didn't expect my junior brother to misunderstand me like this."

"If you have a problem with me, just say so. There's really no need to do it in front of the teacher, sigh..."

The aroma of tea wafted towards him. Qin Ji hadn't expected that his cheap senior brother, who was so careless with his words, would have such tea-making skills. He glared at him angrily.

What's with the 'hey hey'? Are you trying to frame me, Yin Yang Emperor?

You bastard, Shen Jiangliu.

You dare to overturn the blame I set for you?

Not only did they refuse to accept the challenge, they even dared to retaliate against me.

You just wait!

Shen Jiangliu looked back "sincerely".

Your Majesty, this was all to cover for you. You have truly misunderstood my loyalty.

Jiang Jibai took in the intense, almost explosive, exchange between his two disciples.

The eldest disciple has a sharp tongue, but he usually snaps back on the spot rather than pretending nothing happened to someone's face and then beating them up behind their back.

The junior disciple was indeed suspected of repeatedly making false accusations, but it was a fact that the senior disciple had inexplicably gone to his bed, and it was also a fact that his last words stirred up trouble.

One or two of them are not behaving themselves.

Jiang Jibai found it somewhat amusing that he wondered if the two disciples were simply incompatible.

He placed the things he was holding on the table and said casually, "Are you hungry? Get up and eat something."

Shouldn't we bring the food to his bedside and serve it to him?

Qin Ji sensed something was wrong and glanced at Shen Jiangliu. He saw that Shen Jiangliu was faster than him, quickly slipping on his shoes and limping to the table. Jiang Jibai's indifferent gaze then fell on him.

Qin Ji: "..."

You, Shen Jiangliu, always trying to show off.

You just wait!

Qin Ji pouted, nimbly got up, and was the second to reach the table.

Jiang Jibai slowly poured two cups of tea and pushed them in front of the two of them, saying, "Sit down."

Shen Jiangliu: I knew I should avoid the teacher; staying behind always brings no good.

Qin Ji: This is the fourth time I've been punished because of this cheap senior brother. I should really have him executed.

Jiang Jibai lightly touched the teacup with his lips, causing the amber tea to ripple slightly. "Wait for your master to invite me three or four times?"

The fellow disciples all took their seats.

Shen Jiangliu's face turned pale.

Qin Ji trembled.

The three of them, master and disciples, ate some snacks.

The teacher ate with relish and sluggishness, while his two apprentices ate with a gusto, their faces ashen.

Jiang Jibai took a leisurely sip of tea. "Are you willing to explain what happened properly now?"

The two disciples nodded weakly in unison and said, "We are willing."

This step cannot wait for His Majesty to find it first.

So Shen Jiangliu, as the "senior brother", was the first to bow his head and admit his mistake with practiced ease. "Although I did want to connect with my junior brother, it was too abrupt of me to squeeze into his bed without his consent. I was in the wrong first."

Shen Jiangliu poured a cup of tea and handed it to Qin Ji, saying, "I hope you will forgive me, Junior Brother."

As the ruler of a country, you shouldn't bother with a nobody like me.

Qin Ji didn't really want to forgive Shen Jiangliu, and even wanted to kill him, but the injury from being pressed down on the stool prevented him from doing so.

So the sneer was swallowed down, and Qin Ji, "deeply moved," took the teacup and gulped it down in one go. "You flatter me. You meant well; I misunderstood you."

"This hibiscus cake tastes quite good, junior brother, would you like to try it?"

"Not bad, not bad at all. You should try this chestnut cake too."

The two brothers reconciled and laughed together, showing brotherly affection.

Jiang Jibai glanced at the two men, who were sweating profusely but still forcing a smile, and couldn't help but sigh: "They are both outstanding individuals, very sensible."

"Why did you come today without telling me beforehand?"

Jiang Jibai thought that Shen Jiangliu had been hiding from him for so many days, and that the kid would only come to him when he had no other choice at the end of the year.

Shen Jiangliu awkwardly touched his nose under the teacher's chilly gaze.

He felt that Jiang Jibai, as a teacher, should reflect on his own behavior for dawdling and not daring to go to the door.

Shen Jiangliu instructed his servants to bring the books over.

"I ran into Uncle Yang while shopping at the market. He's going to be sent to a post outside the city after the New Year, and he wanted to come and return the box of books he borrowed from you in person, but unfortunately his youngest daughter suddenly fell ill, so he entrusted the books to me..."

Yang Xiuyun, it's you again!

Even after being transferred to a public institution, it still haunts us.

Stay in Ning'an and never come back in this lifetime!

Qin Ji added another mark against Yang Xiuyun in his heart.