Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

With fortune gone, the lentils on the beam resignedly darted out to call to the servants who had retreated to the distance.

Soon, several servants carried in benches, bamboo planks, and wooden canes.

Bian Yushu and Shang Jingming, like two brothers in misfortune, were escorted to a bench.

Bian Yushu swallowed nervously.

Shang Jingming's gaze swept over the wooden cane, a few unreadable emotions flashing in his eyes.

Although it looks much heavier than a small bamboo cane, it is smaller than a real cane in both width and thickness.

Today won't be easy, but the outcome probably won't be as disastrous as he anticipated.

His Majesty's words of "no leniency" ultimately still showed some mercy.

Shang Jingming slightly raised his gaze and looked at the noble and extraordinary young monarch on the chair.

He was given the opportunity to realize his ambitions under His Majesty, and even when he was punished for dereliction of duty, he received a level of leniency that he had never received at home.

His dreary life took a sudden turn during an unexpected fight with Bian Yushu, amidst the heavy rain that day.

From then on, branches of hope grew in his swampy life.

The future may not be all smooth sailing, but with a vast sky and boundless sea, he can have something to look forward to.

Shang Jingming's intense gaze caused Qin Ji's lips to curve into a barely perceptible smile.

He held two dates in his right palm and twirled them, then gently tapped the wooden table with the fingertips of his left hand.

Upon receiving the instruction, the bamboo clappers and wooden cane fell to the ground.

Bian Yushu's face turned pale, and a cry of pain escaped her lips.

Shang Jingming grunted and gritted his teeth.

The main room was filled with the sound of boards hitting people.

The pain fell like a heavy rain, equally on both of the punished.

Bian Yushu could only endure for less than ten seconds before the water mist gathered into a stream, trickling over her clear black and white doe eyes, tinting the corners of her eyes with a rouge color.

A soft sob escaped from her lips, not a plea for mercy, but even more so.

Qin Ji was used to his irresponsible attitude, and forty strokes of the cane were already an exceptionally lenient punishment; there was no possibility of reversing his decision.

In comparison, Shang Jingming appears to be much more resilient.

Aside from that initial muffled groan, all that could be heard afterward was his slightly rapid breathing.

But this time, he clearly didn't have it as easy as last time.

His back was soaked with sweat, leaving a dark stain, and the veins on his forehead bulged rhythmically with each strike of the cane.

Amidst the whistling sounds of wooden canes and bamboo clappers being raised, Qin Ji rose and walked out of the main hall, summoning the servants tending the flowers, plants, and trees in the detached garden.

The servants bowed and stood at attention.

Qin Ji handed two dates to his servant and instructed him, "Take good care of them and make sure they grow successfully."

The servant took the two dates and asked respectfully, "Young master, where should the date tree be planted?"

Qin Ji casually pointed to both sides of the stone steps in front of the main hall, "One on each side."

The servant accepted the order and was about to leave.

Qin Ji glanced at Bian Yushu, who had finished her punishment and was now kneeling obediently on the side of the bench, supporting her back, before turning his gaze to Shang Jingming, who was suffering terribly.

He slightly raised the corners of his mouth, implying something, "I wonder how long it will take for it to grow into fruit."

"Five to eight..."

Before the servant could finish answering, the young master raised his hand, stopping him and signaling him to leave.

Watching the young master walk back into the main hall.

A thought flashed through the servant's mind: Was the young master waiting for his answer?

Qin Ji walked unhurriedly to the head seat and sat down gracefully.

Bian Yushu's tears had been wiped away, but her eyelashes were still half-dry, and her pale face showed that she was in great pain.

Upon seeing Qin Ji enter, he obediently kowtowed to express his gratitude, saying, "Thank you for your instruction, young master."

With a single glance from Qin Ji, a servant gently helped him up.

Bian Yushu took a soft breath, and when her gaze accidentally fell on Shang Jingming on the other side, she flinched slightly as if startled.

Shang Jingming's punishment was nearing its end. Even though he used a small cane, the last few blows left a few shallow bloodstains on his snow-white silk trousers.

It may not be completely torn open, but skin breakage is almost inevitable.

Bian Yushu then realized that what she had suffered in the past were all minor setbacks.

Perhaps because he was merely a companion to the emperor, His Majesty mostly taught him but never truly disciplined him.

Under Bian Yushu's startled gaze, Shang Jingming's punishment ended.

He slowly exhaled a hot breath, supported himself on the bench with one hand to stand up, declined the servant's help, and limped over to Qin Ji, bowing his head and saying, "Jingming thanks you for your leniency, young master."

This kid's got guts.

He didn't utter a sound even after being hit with sixty lashes.

I didn't hear him cry...

If it weren't for the faint bloodstains on his silk trousers and the cold sweat on his forehead, Qin Ji would have suspected that the servant in charge of the punishment had gone easy on him.

"Remember the lesson and don't repeat it."

Qin Ji gave the two a deep reminder, then instructed his servants to help them into the bedroom.

Dr. Liang was already waiting here.

Seeing the two being helped in, Doctor Liang stepped forward carrying his medicine box.

The injuries were of different degrees, one minor and one severe. Without hesitation, Doctor Liang examined the more severe injury first.

The silk trousers were pulled down, revealing crisscrossing welts from the caning; some areas were even broken, oozing tiny beads of blood. It was much better than last time, not as severe as I had anticipated.

Doctor Liang breathed a sigh of relief, cleaned Shang Jingming's broken skin, and applied medicinal powder.

The body under his hand trembled slightly from the pain. Doctor Liang glanced at Shang Jingming, who was biting the corner of the blanket, and muttered, "If it hurts, just shout it out. Enduring it all isn't a good thing. Be careful not to upset your liver."

Shang Jingming breathed a sigh of relief, glanced at Bian Yushu lying on the other bed, and replied indifferently, "Fortunately, I'm not as delicate as some people who cry from beginning to end."

"you!"

Hearing Shang Jingming mock him, Bian Yushu got so angry that he picked up a shoe from the bedside and threw it at him, but Shang Jingming blocked it with his hand.

Seeing the two wounded men still playing around with such energy, Dr. Liang couldn't help but chuckle.

He shook his head as he picked up his medicine box and walked over to Bian Yushu. He pulled down his silk trousers to examine the injury, and sure enough, it wasn't serious. The bruises would probably fade in a few days.

Doctor Liang skillfully took out ointment from his medicine box, applied it to Bian Yushu, and said to Shang Jingming opposite him, "You should learn more from young master Bian."

"Don't be so tough in front of your older brother. Be cute when you need to be cute, beg for forgiveness when you need to beg for forgiveness, and cry when you need to cry."

"What if your elder brother softens and can't bring himself to punish you severely?"

Before Shang Jingming could say anything, Bian Yushu was already blushing. "Nonsense, who was begging for mercy? I was just in so much pain..."

Shang Jingming sized up Bian Yushu and sneered, "Learning from him?"

"Oh."

That "heh" sound was quite sarcastic.

Bian Yushu was enraged by his mockery and wanted to pounce on him, but Doctor Liang held her down, saying, "I'm applying medicine for you, don't move around."

Bian Yushu had no choice but to lie there obediently, glaring at Shang Jingming.

"Don't take this lightly." Doctor Liang carefully put away the ointment.

"If you two are in the same boat, why is it that you always seem to suffer more?"

Shang Jingming: "..."

Qin Ji happened to step through the door at that moment. Without listening to their conversation, he casually asked Doctor Liang, "How are their injuries?"

With a complicated expression, Dr. Liang pulled him aside and said in a low voice, "You have to treat them both equally. They are both good children. As their older brother, you shouldn't be too biased."

Qin Ji: "..."

Nonsense! I'll chop you up!