Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

The three board marks were less neat than the ones on my body.

Without changing his expression, Qin Ji dissolved the ointment in his palm and rubbed it onto Shang Jingming's wounds.

Lack of experience and poor technique.

After a few breaths, Shang Jingming was still able to endure it, though he seemed a little nervous. Qin Ji, expressionless, switched to his left hand.

After pushing the lump apart, Qin Ji pulled up Shang Jingming's pants and slapped him on the back to indicate that he was done.

Shang Jingming snapped out of his daze, his ears burning red, and got up from the couch, saying gratefully, "Thank you, teacher."

Fu Lu hurriedly brought over a copper basin to serve His Majesty as he washed his hands. Qin Ji remembered that his eldest disciple was still waiting outside, and calmly instructed, "Let Bian Yushu in."

The palace servants in Qianzheng Hall were all dismissed, and Fulu was busy serving His Majesty by washing his hands. Shang Jingming took on this task voluntarily.

He bowed slightly and said "Yes," then left the inner room and walked towards the outside of the hall.

...

Bian Yushu waited outside the Qianzheng Hall, unable to hear clearly what was happening inside, only occasionally hearing a faint voice giving instructions.

The more this happened, the more panicked Bian Yushu became, wondering if his nemesis had been punished and whether he would be implicated.

Later, there was no sound at all. Bian Yushu didn't dare to peer through the door, so she anxiously pricked up her ears.

With a creak, the palace door opened.

Bian Yushu was startled and took a step back.

Upon seeing that it was Shang Jingming, he couldn't help but scrutinize his nemesis from head to toe.

Shang Jingming let him look him over without any hesitation. "What kind of look is that?"

Bian Yushu stammered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "You...were you punished by His Majesty?"

Shang Jingming raised an eyebrow and said provocatively, "What's it to you?"

How can it be none of his business?

As the senior disciple, he would be implicated!

"Just tell me, isn't that right?"

Shang Jingming casually dusted off his sleeves, avoiding the question, "His Majesty summons you in."

No response means you agree.

Bian Yushu was heartbroken. "You've disappointed your senior brother so much!"

Shang Jingming: "?"

Shang Jingming was quite surprised. "I'm being punished, why are you crying like that? Are you really putting on airs as the senior brother?"

Bian Yushu, unusually, didn't get angry. Instead, he patted Bian Yushu on the shoulder and sighed, "You, as a junior brother, would never understand."

Shang Jingming: "..."

This guy's acting all old-fashioned, is he possessed by a ghost today?

Before he could say anything, Bian Yushu had already stepped into the Qianzheng Hall with a look of resignation.

...

Inside the Qianzheng Hall.

Fu Lu wiped His Majesty's hands with a cloth in the copper basin, and specks of ointment floated to the surface.

The fair, even-toned palms gradually faded under the warm water, revealing alarming redness and swelling.

Fu Lu paused in his wiping motion, his pupils trembling.

The redness and swelling were unusual; it was clearly not from a bump or knock, especially since something seemed to have been used to cover it up.

Given that His Majesty has been resting outside the palace for the past few days, Fu Lu couldn't help but speculate that it was a certain great Confucian scholar.

He moved gently, kept his head down, and continued to serve without looking to the side.

Qin Ji was very satisfied with his reaction. He lifted his hand from the bronze basin and let Fu Lu wipe the water droplets off with a clean cloth.

He took out the Jade Complexion Cream from his sleeve, applied a piece to his right palm, and when he heard the footsteps of two people approaching from outside, he threw the cream back into his sleeve, rubbed his hands together, spread it haphazardly, and then whispered a few instructions to Fu Lu.

Fu Lu bowed and withdrew from the inner room.

When Bian Yushu saw His Majesty sitting by the couch, he respectfully performed a grand salute.

Qin Ji glanced at him indifferently. "Get up."

Bian Yushu stood there trembling, not daring to move. She glanced at Shang Jingming several times, then said dejectedly, "Yushu knows she was wrong, please punish me, teacher."

In the dead of winter, instead of rushing back inside after being spanked, he lay on the bench in the wind.

Although he had tugged at his sleeve and acted coquettishly at the time, Qin Ji didn't hold it against him because it was the first time he had been punished so severely. But afterwards, he still felt a little resentful.

Even he, the dignified ruler of a nation, received forty lashes for this matter. He had just punished his second disciple for the same reason.

If everyone in the sect is blessed but Bian Yushu cannot share in the good fortune, wouldn't that be favoring one over the other?

But Bian Yushu is still limping, and if he is punished again today, it would seem that he, as a teacher, is heartless.

Qin Ji remained noncommittal, "Tell me where you went wrong."

Bian Yushu was a little embarrassed. "As the senior brother, I failed to restrain my junior brother. If he makes a mistake, I will be held accountable."

Qin Ji: "..."

He would have forgotten about Bian Yushu if she hadn't mentioned it.

To be able to take his casual remark so seriously truly shows he's his first disciple; he's incredibly clever.

Shang Jingming glanced in Bian Yushu's direction several times, and pinched his thigh to barely keep his expression from bursting out laughing.

He was a few days older than Bian Yushu and was obviously more intelligent. How could His Majesty possibly expect Bian Yushu to restrain him?

It was probably just to tease him.

Even though Shang Jingming didn't laugh out loud, Bian Yushu knew that his mortal enemy was definitely gloating. After glaring at him fiercely, he noticed the Emperor's gaze and immediately knelt down like a quail.

The lively atmosphere of the two teenagers arguing seemed to dispel the somber mood in the Qianzheng Hall, and Qin Ji's nerves, which had been tense all morning while receiving his ministers, relaxed a little.

He raised his hand to cover the corner of his mouth that he couldn't help but curl up, and said in a serious tone, "Considering that you took the initiative to admit your mistake, which shows you have a sense of responsibility, and that you are still injured, I'll let it go this time."

Hearing that His Majesty did not intend to punish those involved this time, Bian Yushu looked over with sparkling eyes.

Qin Ji changed his tone, "But..."

Bian Yushu's heart suddenly jumped, and she felt a little nervous.

"You were punished and you're still out in the wind, don't you know how to take care of yourself? Do you want to catch a cold and come keep me company?"

Isn't this all in the past?

Bian Yushu never expected His Majesty to settle scores after the fact. His injuries still ached, and although he could walk around, the thought of another meal sent chills down his spine.

Bian Yushu stammered, "How much...how much is the fine?"

"forty."

Bian Yushu shuddered upon hearing this and placed his hand on his buttocks.

If this pampered boy gets another forty strokes, he'll probably be spending the whole New Year in bed.

Seeing Bian Yushu's pitiful state, Shang Jingming was pondering whether to say a few good words for him when His Majesty stopped him with a look.

Qin Ji remained calm and composed. "Don't you still have three exemption dice in your hand?"

"A penalty-free dice?" Upon hearing this unfamiliar term, Shang Jingming lowered his eyes and focused on his inner thoughts.

Not taking care of one's body is a punishment given by the "teacher" rather than His Majesty, and it is indeed within the scope of the use of dice.

Bian Yushu gritted his teeth and, enduring the pain, took out a jade die from his bosom.

One throw, and a six.

Bian Yushu was overjoyed and looked at His Majesty.

Qin Ji glanced at the dice, reached out, and Bian Yushu eagerly picked them up.

Qin Ji reached out and pinched his cheek. "You got off easy."

Bian Yushu hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

"Say what you want to say." Qin Ji glanced at him indifferently.

Bian Yushu stammered, "Could the extra twenty...could it be deducted next time?"

...

I missed the deadline, so as compensation, I'll update tomorrow at noon.

Love you all, GG～～～～(chanting)