Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

If it were based on his usual style, it would be good enough if he didn't try to sabotage things, let alone plead for mercy, which would be too unusual. And his unusual behavior today has already exceeded expectations.

Qin Ji looked away, then guiltily turned the tables: "Fine, you're not even trying to hide your favoritism now. I think you just want me to plead for him, right? What I clearly said was that this perfect day is the best time to deal with this traitor! Is that how you've twisted my words?"

Jiang Jibai smiled upon hearing this, remaining silent about his junior disciple's hypocritical statement.

Qin Ji knew that Jiang Jibai was not so easy to fool, but his disguise was already full of holes, so he didn't care about one or two more. As long as it was passable on the surface, that was good enough.

With a "whoosh" from the coachman, the carriage came to a sudden stop. The two people inside leaned slightly forward due to inertia. Qin Ji was the first to lift the curtain and climb out of the carriage. As always, Jiang Jibai ignored the obvious opening and did not pursue the unusual behavior of his junior disciple speaking up for his second disciple. He stepped out of the carriage as his junior disciple lifted the curtain.

Soon, the carriage carrying Shen Jiangliu and Fang Yanqing also caught up, and the four of them gathered at the entrance of the Jiang residence.

Fang Yanqing asked Shen Jiangliu to take the packed dinner to the kitchen, while Qin Ji followed Jiang Jibai into the main room.

Before Qin Ji even sat down, Jiang Jibai poured him a cup of tea and handed it to him: "Why didn't you order yourself a bowl of hangover soup?"

Qin Ji took the teacup and slowly took a sip: "I can hold my liquor well, a few cups won't make me drunk."

Jiang Jibai casually asked, "Are you going back tonight?"

Qin Ji wanted to stay with his teacher, but recently, with Jiang Jibai's birthday approaching, Qin Ji cherished the remaining days and visited Jiang's residence every few days, staying for most of the day. This left him with very little time to handle official business. He also had to go back to review some memorials in the evening and attend the morning court session early the next day. So, he had to put down his teacup and reluctantly decline, saying, "I have to go now. I have business to attend to tomorrow."

Jiang Jibai knew his junior disciple's work ethic, working day and night. Hearing this, he nodded slightly and said, "Then I'll see you out. It's getting late, so get some rest when you get back."

Qin Ji glanced around and saw his two junior brothers stepping into the main hall. To everyone's surprise, he said, "Don't bother seeing me off. Let my second senior brother see me off."

This was already the umpteenth time Jiang Jibai had been surprised tonight, and he paused in his tracks.

The junior disciple always addressed Fang Yanqing as "Fang Yanqing," and even when he occasionally called him "Second Senior Brother," it was always in a sarcastic tone, let alone offering to have Yanqing escort him out.

There was clearly some discord between the two disciples tonight that he was unaware of. The fact that the junior disciple suggested that his second senior brother see him off suggested that the two brothers had something to say to each other.

Jiang Jibai's gaze swept back and forth between the second disciple and the junior disciple, but he didn't say anything more, only saying, "Very well."

Shen Jiangliu took in the different expressions of his teacher and two junior brothers, and calmly poured himself a cup of tea.

After a moment of surprise, Fang Yanqing quickly accepted the arrangement and gestured for Qin Ji to go first.

Qin Ji glanced at him and walked out of the main room first.

Fang Yanqing followed closely behind.

The two walked one after the other through the courtyard, around the screen wall, until they stepped out of the Jiang residence's gate.

The wooden door creaked shut behind us.

Fang Yanqing looked at the Emperor, who stood three steps away with an exceptionally deep gaze, and clenched his fist slightly under his sleeve.

He knew that what he had done tonight would inevitably displease His Majesty, and that he was dancing on the edge of a knife, with his career and even his life in the other's hands, but he did not regret it.

At least on this huge stage, while everyone was tacitly performing a play of deception for the teacher, there was still one person who overestimated himself and stood on the teacher's side, trying to convey the truth to him.

Teachers are never alone, nor are they fools who are deceived by everyone working together.

As for the emperor's boundless rage...

Since he did such a thing, he was already prepared to face the consequences.

Anyway, he's a bachelor with no family ties whatsoever. If he really can't deny it, he can simply stretch out his neck and be his teacher's disciple again in eighteen years!

Fang Yanqing bent his knees, his expression utterly sincere: "Your Majesty, you are wise. When I said 'not as good as my junior brother,' it was truly my heart, without any ulterior motive. I never imagined the conversation would develop like that..."

With his arm supported and his knees not yet touching the ground, Fang Yanqing suddenly looked up and met the unfathomable eyes of the Emperor.

The emperor's voice, devoid of emotion, rang out: "Whether there's any ulterior motive or not, you and I both know perfectly well."

Fang Yanqing's heart skipped a beat. His mind raced, and he was about to continue his sophistry when the Emperor released him, looking somewhat disinterested: "I have no interest in questioning you."

Before Fang Yanqing could even feel relieved to have survived, Qin Ji said calmly, "Flat beans."

A figure emerged from the darkness, holding a wooden box in its hands.

With a single glance from Qin Ji, the wooden box was handed to Fang Yanqing.

The wooden box was heavy, and Fang Yanqing wondered what was inside. He wanted to ask what it meant.

"A congratulatory gift."

After casually uttering two words, the emperor boarded the carriage without looking back.

Fang Yanqing was stunned by those two words for a long time. Only when the carriage disappeared into the night did he open the box in his hand as if waking from a dream.

A full 100 taels of silver, so bright it dazzled Fang Yanqing's eyes.

Fang Yanqing slammed the box shut, and it took her a while to calm her wildly beating heart before opening it again.

Soon, he noticed a folded note attached to the side of the box.

Fang Yanqing unfolded the note, and the contents and handwriting were very familiar to him. It was the note he had been forced to sign in the Qianzheng Hall.

—The criminal Fang Yanqing, audacious and insatiable, has extorted 105 taels of silver from the Emperor of Dayin, a crime deserving of the death penalty. Knowing he is beyond redemption, he voluntarily conceals his identity and pretends to be deaf and dumb before his teacher Jiang Jibai, thus sharing the Emperor's burdens and atoning for his sins.

His fingers tightened slightly as he held the note.

When this note was in His Majesty's hand, it was evidence of his crimes; but in his own hands, it could become a knife used to stab His Majesty in front of his teacher.

Fang Yanqing raised his head and looked in the direction where the carriage had disappeared. He stood there for a long time, lost in thought.