Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

After returning to his study, Qin Ji was still a little uneasy, so he sent Bian Dou to act as a thief and listen to what Jiang Jibai and Bian Hongzhen were saying at the door.

When Biandou returned, he hadn't had a chance to report anything yet.

Just as Qin Ji was about to ask him what Jiang Jibai had said to Bian Hongzhen in a low voice inside the house, Bian Dou immediately pointed to the doorway, quickly slipped out of the window, and went up to the roof.

Qin Ji darted to the desk in a second, and pretended to write a few words with a brush.

Sure enough, a few breaths later, Jiang Jibai pushed open the door.

Qin Ji immediately rushed up to him and "obediently" called him "Teacher".

At this point, they've learned to act innocent.

Jiang Jibai glanced at him, ignored him, and walked straight to the desk.

On the snow-white Xuan paper, three characters were written in a flowing, elegant style: "On the Governance of Officials".

It was the title of the article he had assigned.

Jiang Jibai picked up a sheet of Xuan paper, flicked it in front of his young disciple, and asked casually, "Is this the homework you wrote?"

Qin Ji looked away and whispered in his defense, "Don't you know I was ill a few days ago and busy with His Majesty's affairs?"

Jiang Jibai placed the Xuan paper back on the desk. "If I remember correctly, I gave you time to write today. What did you do with it?"

Just a few days ago, Jiang Jibai gave him a beating for not taking care of his health. How could it have been just a few days?

Qin Ji dared not bring up the topic of the Poison Master, and instead talked about his time squatting on the roof.

He changed the subject, "You just saw my father off, did you say anything to him? Why did it take you so long to come back?"

"I haven't seen you write many words in all this time." Jiang Jibai left his young disciple and walked towards the antique shelf by the wall.

The location was too obvious, and Qin Ji's alarm bells went off. He hurriedly followed, "I was only up there for a short while, and I was wrapped in a blanket. You startled me, and the blanket slid down the roof to the back of the house."

"Look, I even picked it up again, it's right there!" Qin Ji pointed to the thin blanket that was being dried on the back of the sandalwood chair by the stove.

Jiang Jibai put down the rattan he had picked up halfway, rummaged through the vase, and pulled out a small wooden stick.

Qin Ji made a last-ditch effort, "My injuries have only been healing for two days; the marks haven't even faded yet!"

Jiang Jibai ignored him and walked straight to the sandalwood chair by the stove.

Qin Ji followed closely behind.

Jiang Jibai stopped beside the sandalwood chair, reaching out to touch the thin blanket draped over the back of the chair. It felt noticeably damp, warmed by the fire in the stove, with some undried mud stains on the edges.

They picked it up without even shaking it out or having the servants wash it clean. It was as if they deliberately kept it to wait for him to come back and see it, so as to wash away their "crime" of not taking care of their bodies.

That's certainly the style of a junior disciple.

"See, I wasn't lying to you, was I?" Qin Ji muttered to himself, his eyes glancing at the small wooden stick in Jiang Jibai's hand from time to time.

Jiang Jibai smiled faintly, picked up the thin blanket and casually placed it on the stool next to him. He tapped the back of the stool with a small wooden stick, the meaning of which was self-evident.

Qin Ji emphasized, "The New Year is just around the corner!"

Jiang Jibai nodded in agreement and tapped the back of the chair again, "I guarantee you'll have a prosperous and joyous New Year."

Qin Ji: "..."

Which kind of vibrant, bustling atmosphere? Is it serious or proper?

"Lie down on it." Jiang Jibai was sparing with his words.

"You don't believe me!" Qin Ji slapped the back of the chair, turning the tables on Qin Ji.

Jiang Jibai asked calmly, "Have you done your homework?"

"Did you hear me, corner?"

"Do I need to say it a second time?"

Qin Ji's arrogance visibly diminished, and finally, when the third question was casually uttered by Jiang Jibai, he slunk behind the sandalwood chair and bowed down.

With his waist resting on the edge of the chair back and his arms hanging down in front of him, Qin Ji looked at the small patch of land in front of him. His fingers idly pressed the surface of the chair. The wooden surface was not cold to the touch because of the stove fire beside him; on the contrary, it was warm to the touch.

The waistband fell down, the outer trousers were peeled off, leaving only a thin layer of snow-white silk trousers.

The thin wooden stick sliced ​​through the air, and the piercing "shriek" sent chills down Qin Ji's spine. Immediately afterward, it felt as if something had bitten him from behind, first causing a tightness, and then quickly burning pain.

Although it is not as good as a rattan cane, it is not far off.

Aside from the time he became an apprentice, Qin Ji had never experienced the taste of this little wooden stick again, and had almost forgotten its tangy flavor.

His expression went blank for two seconds, then he burst into tears. "It's just homework! Can't I do it? Why make such a fuss? The New Year is almost here, I don't want a festive celebration, I want to be healthy."

Jiang Jibai chuckled, then raised his hand and smacked him again. "Now you know how to say 'healthy'? Why didn't you think of that when you were out in the wind?"

"I brought a blanket!" Qin Ji reiterated.

"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!"

The small wooden stick, like a shooting star, landed precisely where it was meant to, causing Qin Ji to burst into tears and dash forward.

"You don't believe me? How can you not believe me? I've shown you the blanket!" Qin Ji dodged left and right, clutching the dumpling, making a scene.

A smile flickered in Jiang Jibai's eyes. He tapped the dough with a small wooden stick. "It seems you still take my words to heart. How has my teaching been so effective?"

Poison Master! Poison Master!

Unless you have an iron butt, who would want to go through two rounds of processing for a single task?

Do you think everyone is as stubborn as Shen Jiangliu?

"Then why did you hit me?" Qin Ji pouted and turned back to accuse Jiang Jibai with his eyes.

Jiang Jibai pressed the small wooden stick against the boy's dumpling. "Who said I'm punishing him for not taking care of his body?"

As soon as he finished speaking, two quick and sharp slaps came down at an angle, causing Qin Ji to burst into tears.

"Sending you away to talk means I don't want you to listen. Is it gentlemanly to squat on the roof and eavesdrop?"

"I'm just someone who does...serves His Majesty, I'm hardly a gentleman!" Qin Ji argued vehemently.

Jiang Jibai raised his hand and slapped him a few more times, scolding, "Speaking nonsense, is this what you call doing service for His Majesty?"

Qin Ji wiped away his tears. "Anyway, I don't regret it. I'd still eavesdrop if it happened again!"

Qin Ji's words made Jiang Jibai pause with the small wooden stick in his hand, then tapped him lightly on the back. "Reason?"

Although the junior disciple may be stubborn when punished, he is not someone who cannot listen to reason. He will admit his mistakes and will not argue with him in a illogical way.

Qin Ji grumbled and mumbled.

You praised me behind my back.

Praise me if you want, but you won't let me eavesdrop? I'll listen, I'll listen!

"Father told you about my heroic deeds back then, and you didn't even acknowledge it? You're just busy lamenting His Majesty's hardships. Is His Majesty really that good?"

Jiang Jibai was taken aback upon hearing this, then burst into laughter.

This kid is jealous of everything.

"No matter how good you are, you're better than me." Jiang Jibai raised his hand and patted his little disciple's head.

Qin Ji slapped Jiang Jibai's hand away. "Trying to fool me again! I'm not buying it!"

Poison Master, tell me, tell me, what's wrong with me?

Is he not even as good as Bian Feibai?

...

Second update delivered~ Does this count as after 11 PM?

Goal achieved, double update tomorrow.

The event continues, goodnight everyone!