Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

There are reasons, of course, but saying them would be disastrous.

Fang Yanqing had no idea that at this moment, there might be His Majesty's secret guards watching him from a place he was unaware of.

Just thinking about it makes my skin crawl.

Fang Yanqing's throat moved slightly, and his hands clenched uncomfortably under his sleeves.

So... is there a way to make sure the teacher notices something is wrong, and the explanation is something His Majesty can't find fault with?

As soon as the idea popped into Fang Yanqing's head, he immediately rejected it.

No, His Majesty is a man of deep cunning; how could he not see through his tricks?

Regardless of the situation he would face if His Majesty's stage were destroyed.

It remains to be seen how out of control things will become under the king's thunderous wrath.

At that time, the teacher will be furious at His Majesty's deception and manipulation, but will also have to be careful not to harm him because of his predicament.

Doesn't this put the teacher in a dilemma?

Even if you're going to run away, you have to get rid of His Majesty's surveillance and run away unnoticed.

Fang Yanqing gathered her chaotic thoughts and looked at Jiang Jibai.

The teacher's eyes are sharp; you can't fool them with just a few words.

We need to find a reasonable and plausible reason.

As his thoughts raced, a strange expression appeared on Fang Yanqing's face.

He opened his mouth several times, but hesitated and closed it again, looking as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.

Upon seeing this, Jiang Jibai frowned slightly: "Speak your mind."

"So, should I really tell him?" Fang Yanqing observed his teacher's expression. "Didn't I stay at my senior brother's residence for a few days?"

He paused briefly, then pointed in the direction the two people had just left, saying, "One who stays near vermilion gets stained red, and one who stays near ink gets stained black."

As soon as he finished speaking, Fang Yanqing took several steps back, trying to get out of the range of the feather duster's attack.

Just as he expected, the sound of something cutting through the air rang out, and the pursuers arrived immediately.

Fang Yanqing groaned, bit her lower lip, bent her knees, and barely managed to stand firm.

Jiang Jibai, both amused and exasperated, whispered rebuke, "You hid at your senior brother's place for a few days, and now you're blaming him?"

"Didn't you used to complain about your senior brother being a 'spraying pot' when you were joking around?"

"What? Suddenly you two seem to have the same taste?"

"One who stays near vermilion gets stained red, and one who stays near ink gets stained black?" Jiang Jibai scoffed coldly, sizing him up. "I think that's not entirely wrong."

The feather duster came crashing down, "So you're starting to tattle, just like your junior brother, huh?"

Fang Yanqing's arm was grabbed by the teacher, and he didn't dare to struggle, enduring it passively. A layer of fine sweat appeared on his forehead, but he still grinned and said, "I confess, I confess. Actually..."

Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Jibai released him and said calmly, "If you keep joking around and talking nonsense without any seriousness, I won't ask anymore."

Fang Yanqing's heart skipped a beat.

Not asking doesn't necessarily mean "let it go."

Instead, they decided to win him over with virtue and "influence" him into opening his mouth.

Fang Yanqing weighed his own capabilities and decided that a wise man doesn't fight a losing battle.

Anyway, it's almost ready.

He sighed dramatically, straightened his expression, and said with a hint of helplessness, "I said, please don't be upset."

Seeing his reaction, Jiang Jibai raised an eyebrow and gestured for him to speak.

"Regarding the matter of that grandfather and grandson in Ning'an, my eldest brother impeached several important officials in court, and even His Majesty could not escape punishment."

His Majesty not only did not punish him, but also promoted the eldest brother by three ranks…

Fang Yanqing glanced at his teacher's expression, put his knees down, and slowly said, "If my writing were to be as meticulous as before, it would certainly not make any mistakes. But being secretive and timid is definitely not what His Majesty would like to see."

"I believe that since His Majesty has already made a clear stance and is determined to eradicate deep-seated problems and cleanse the court, he will not easily punish someone for a few 'unpleasant truths' in the article."

"Since that's the case, why don't I take a gamble? I'll cater to his desires, scratching what His Majesty finds most appealing..." Fang Yanqing paused slightly, then suddenly raised his eyes, his ambition gleaming brightly: "To vie for a bright future?"

The words of speculation are spoken so frankly, revealing an undisguised desire for power.

After listening, Jiang Jibai remained silent for a long while, then looked into his second disciple's eyes and said, "You really dare to say that."

Fang Yanqing's gaze swept over Jiang Jibai's hand holding the feather duster: "You didn't give me a chance not to tell, did you..."

If Fang Yanqing really didn't want to talk about it, would he have given up just because of these few words?

Jiang Jibai did not utter a single word.

Under the teacher's discerning gaze, Fang Yanqing surrendered: "Alright, alright, the reason I dare to be so frank in front of you is because I'm sure you won't completely reject me just because of my desire for fame and fortune."

"A gentleman seeks harmony but not uniformity. Although I am not as upright and virtuous as that senior brother, and I have my own ulterior motives, I am no less than him in terms of your teachings."

"After all, you yourself said, teacher—though I have flaws in character, I am upright in principle." Fang Yanqing smiled warmly. "You believe me, don't you?"

Looking at his disciple's open and honest smile, and listening to his candid words, Jiang Jibai's anger silently dissipated.

After a long pause, he smiled helplessly: "You do remember what I said clearly."

"What if you mess things up and His Majesty dismisses you and banishes you from the capital?"

I've completely messed things up; I've thoroughly offended His Majesty!

All I want to do right now is get you away as fast as I can, as far as I can go.

Fang Yanqing grinned and said, "Then I'll follow you around, freeloading on your food and drinks, traveling with you, and serving you tea and water!"

Jiang Jibai glanced at him sideways: "I'm an unemployed bum, I'm afraid I can't afford to be taken advantage of by you."

Fang Yanqing said with a shameless smile, "It's alright, it's alright. The Jiang family has plenty of mouths to feed. You can live off your parents, and I'll live off you."

"..."

With a flick of his feather duster, Jiang Jibai pointed at the desk and uttered two words: "Set it up properly."

Fang Yanqing immediately caught the displeasure in the teacher's tone and wisely did as instructed.

A lukewarm voice sounded from behind.

"Fang Huiyuan, you're incredibly skilled and daring. You're willing to endure any hardship just to save a pittance!"

"Aren't you ambitious and power-hungry? If you fail the exam over a few pennies, who do you want to laugh at?"

Fang Yanqing pursed her lips: "Do you want to hear the truth?"

Jiang Jibai sneered: "Don't tell me you trust me. I know I don't trust you and will check what you bring into the exam room."

Fang Yanqing gave a thumbs-up: "As expected of you!"

Jiang Jibai: "..."

The feather duster flew around.