Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

Without hesitation, Qin Ji landed in the courtyard in a flash. He accidentally bumped into the grape trellis on his way down, wincing and rubbing his injured arm. Then, he smiled brightly at Jiang Jibai, "Sixty strokes of the cane are all you want, but since you drank my apprenticeship tea, you're my teacher. How can a student visiting a teacher be considered trespassing?"

Is it coming? Is it coming?

Does the teacher have a cane at home? Do you need me to provide one?

Without saying a word, Jiang Jibai directly called to the gatekeeper of the outer courtyard, "Uncle Li, take him to see the officials."

"No!" Qin Ji interrupted with considerable regret.

Trying to scare me? Putting everything else aside, who could your skinny gatekeeper possibly handle?

Thinking this to himself, but still having to play along, Qin Ji feigned panic and explained, "I didn't mean to skip your lectures these past few days. It's just that His Majesty ordered me to enter the palace as a study companion. It all happened so suddenly..."

They were fine before I left last time, but suddenly they turned their backs on me. Could it be that they don't know that "Bian Feibai" was chosen as a study companion and think that I deliberately didn't come to listen to his lectures?

That shouldn't be the case. One's background determines one's knowledge. Judging from the fact that Gu Huaijin immediately recognized Bian Hongzhen's name when he heard it last time, Gu Huaijin must have come from a good family and be very knowledgeable about the information of officials in the court. He should have known about the fact that Bian's youngest son was chosen as a study companion with just a little inquiry.

No matter what, we have to make it clear first. If we finally found someone who can fight, and then they get kicked out of the school after just one fight, wouldn't that be a huge loss?

Seeing that Jiang Jibai's expression hadn't improved much, Qin Ji stammered, "Teacher..."

His heartfelt "Teacher" revealed his deepest sorrow.

"Don't call me that." Jiang Jibai cut off a bunch of grapes, took them to the well to wash them, and placed them on a prepared plate. "I can't accept a disciple who has been a disciple for more than ten days without any news, not even a single word."

Qin Ji then realized where the problem lay.

I forgot to inform Gu Huaijin that I couldn't attend the lectures because I was a study companion.

Qin Ji reigned for eleven years. Whom he wanted to see and when he wanted to see him were entirely at the emperor's mercy. Ministers would submit their petitions requesting an audience, eagerly awaiting their chance, only to have him suddenly say "I can't see you." They were always the ones who felt grateful; who would dare to harbor any resentment?

Gu Huaijin actually got angry.

You, Gu Huaijin, are so spoiled and arrogant!

Despite his inward curses, Qin Ji knew that this was somewhat disrespectful to an ordinary master and disciple, and if not handled properly, he might really be expelled from the sect and disappear from the martial world. He had to give a reasonable explanation.

Qin Ji suddenly had a flash of inspiration, his eyes reddened, and he cried to Jiang Jibai, "It's not that I deliberately didn't send you a message, it's just that I was punished by His Majesty with a rod on my second day in the palace, and I'm living in constant fear, so I'm extremely cautious in everything I do. How could I dare to send a message outside the palace? His Majesty... is very strict with his subordinates."

It was all His Majesty's obstruction that caused this; it had nothing to do with me, Bian Feibai.

That makes sense. A boy spoiled at home will naturally feel like he's walking on thin ice when he's serving the emperor in the palace, and he won't have time to think about anything else. Jiang Jibai looked at the boy crying his heart out in front of him, and then thought of the emperor in the palace who was said to be deep-thinking and dignified despite his young age. He wondered why there could be such a big difference between people.

Jiang Jibai plucked a grape and threw it at him, "His Majesty is a young and brilliant ruler, how dare you speak ill of him?"

Upon hearing the words "young and brilliant ruler," Qin Ji's ears twitched. He then caught the grape, peeled it, and ate it.

You, Gu Huaijin, do have some good judgment.

"Be careful!"

As soon as Qin Ji heard Jiang Jibai's shout, he was pulled hard by him, and the grape trellis behind him collapsed with a crash, scattering grapes all over the ground.

Jiang Jibai raised his hand to block a falling fence frame; if he hadn't stopped it, the fence frame would probably have hit Qin Ji directly.

Qin Ji glanced into the shadows. Bian Dou had almost slipped close to Jiang Jibai and was standing behind him. Seeing that Jiang Jibai had blocked the fence and pulled Qin Ji to safety, he then hid back in the shadows.

"Are you alright?" Qin Ji pushed the fence aside and stepped forward to roll up Jiang Jibai's sleeves.

Fortunately, the fence wasn't too heavy, and Jiang Jibai only suffered a bruise on his forearm. Qin Ji felt a strange unease. "Where's the medicated oil? I'll go get it."

There are many people in the world who are willing to die for the monarch of the Great Yin Dynasty. They may be loyal, seeking fame, or have other desires. Qin Ji grasped this point and rewarded them with what they wanted, which attracted countless people to step forward to protect him.

In Gu Huaijin's eyes, he was just a young man who had only met him four times but had shamelessly become his disciple without even paying him tuition. What was he after for this unreasonable protection?

Was it due to the personal connections of the Sichuan Provincial Governor?

Qin Ji handed him the medicated oil, saying, "Didn't you just say you couldn't handle a student like me? Why did you take this for me?"

"You're already beyond my reach." Jiang Jibai finished applying the ointment to himself, then rolled up Qin Ji's sleeve to the top. The spot where Qin Ji had bumped his arm while jumping off the wall was indeed bruised, so he applied ointment to it as well. "Since you're my disciple, isn't it only natural for a teacher to protect his student?"

Feeling the slightly cool touch on his arm, Qin Ji's eyes darkened slightly. "Is it only natural...?"

Just as Qin Ji was still immersed in that subtle emotion, Jiang Jibai put down the medicinal wine.

He abruptly changed the subject, his sharp gaze piercing Qin Ji, "You were punished with a beating by His Majesty on your second day in the palace. What stupid thing did you do?"

Qin Ji, who had never felt pressure from others before, suddenly felt a dry mouth and sweaty palms.