Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

Pei Lian looked at the jade pendant handed to him, and for some reason, a surge of heat welled up in his eyes.

The mockery of his height from the foot of the mountain.

The board was laid down without warning in the Qianzheng Hall.

Gentle guidance as you help him up.

This jade pendant has now been returned to its rightful owner.

Scenes flashed before his eyes, stirring up Pei Lian's complex emotions.

He couldn't tell if this was a tactic used by the monarch to win over the people, but he was clearly moved by it.

For a proud and ambitious person, what could be a greater recognition of his talent and value than having the gaze of the ruler of the world, the supreme sovereign, fixed on him, personally guiding and polishing him, and governing him with the art of emperors?

Now that things have come to this, Pei Lian is no longer worried about her teacher's or her own situation.

If Your Majesty has listened to slander and intends to punish them, why bother coming to this filthy place to see him in person?

Why bother having someone add milk to his meals three times a day, as a subtle hint to him?

Why bother having Commander Shang hold him down while he applies the medicine?

Why bother lowering yourself to say such approachable and consolidating words?

The emperor himself went to such lengths for him…

Pei Lian felt somewhat smug at this thought, but at the same time, he deeply understood how much of the beating he received when he was stripped naked, and his current imprisonment, were meant to be a warning and a wake-up call for him.

His Majesty is not a teacher and will not indulge him unconditionally.

He can unleash either rain or thunder with a flick of his hand.

Pei Lian reached out and took the jade pendant back to its rightful owner, then kowtowed deeply, "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."

After a few breaths, he slightly raised his head, his expression tentative: "Your Majesty, is my teacher... alright?"

This young scholar is quite clever.

Judging from his attitude, Zhao Siye and he himself were not in as bad a situation as they had imagined, and he suspected that Zhao Siye had other motives.

Qin Ji understood what he wanted to ask, and said leisurely, "He's actually more comfortable than you. He's eating well, sleeping well, and he's not injured yet."

When Pei Lian heard His Majesty mention the injury again, he knew it was a deliberate teasing. His face flushed red, but his worry for his teacher eased slightly.

But then I thought, in a prison environment like this, how could I possibly sleep well even with the help of guards?

If a young man like him can't sleep at night, how much more so a teacher in his seventies?

Pei Lian recalled that he hadn't seen his teacher get out of the sedan chair when he went to prison, and a thought suddenly flashed through his mind. He asked, almost as if possessed, "Is Teacher really in prison?"

Qin Ji glanced at Shang Jingming.

Shang Jingming replied on his behalf: "Zhao Siye is a guest in the side room of the rear office of the Wucheng Military Command."

Pei Lian was completely relieved, but she also keenly noticed the word "visiting".

If they were "guests," why did they make such a big fuss about taking people away?

Since His Majesty trusts the master and disciple and has no intention of punishing them, why raise such a high issue?

Filled with doubts, Pei Lian kowtowed to Qin Ji: "Your Majesty, please enlighten me."

Qin Ji leaned back in his chair, gesturing for Shang Jingming to answer for him.

Shang Jingming had no choice but to use the same excuse he had used to fool Zhao Siye to deceive Pei Lian again.

Pei Lian was stunned.

It turns out that His Majesty's intention was to create a peaceful and clear world for Ning'an.

It turns out that His Majesty also wanted to wipe out all those scoundrels who were selling fake exam questions.

The teacher and he were merely a cover; the Five Cities Military Command's high-profile arrest of them was intended to lull those who were following the trend and selling fake exam questions into a false sense of security.

They were like two chess pieces on a chessboard, casually placed in their proper places by the supreme ruler.

Pei Lian felt a chill in his heart, as well as an indescribable sense of awe.

His unfathomable cunning as the supreme ruler, and the far-reaching skills he displayed that far exceeded his expectations.

At this moment, he realized with profound clarity that the provocations and fierce competition at the Mangshan Poetry Gathering and Pingxin Teahouse were nothing more than childish teasing, treating him like a child. The person before him was the Emperor of Dayin, who held the world in the palm of his hand, a mature and powerful ruler who could turn the world upside down.

But he was ignorant of his own limitations and dared to try to compete with the heavens.

Just as his mind was in turmoil, the young emperor's command rang out above him, "Pei Lian, obey my command."

Pei Lian almost instinctively adopted a submissive posture: "Your subject is here."

"I order you to pretend you are unaware of the truth, infiltrate the prison, and assist Shang Jingming, the commander of the Five Cities Garrison, in misleading those who follow the trend and sell fake exam questions, so as to wipe them out in one fell swoop."

This means that he must continue to pretend to be unaware of the inside story and act as if he has been wrongfully imprisoned. If the real person selling the exam questions is arrested and imprisoned, he can use this to dispel the other party's suspicions and become the eyes and ears planted in the prison to collect more clues.

This was the first job he received after passing the imperial examination with flying colors.

Pei Lian stood tall, his voice firm and resolute, and declared without hesitation, "Your subject obeys the decree!"

Seeing the young man's energetic appearance, a barely perceptible smile flashed across Qin Ji's eyes.

Pei Lian suddenly remembered something and asked, "Your Majesty, could you please tell my senior brother the details of this matter?"

"He is unaware of the details and is very anxious. He is probably worried sick about me and the teacher and is running around trying to find a solution."

Shang Jingming met His Majesty's gaze and promptly stepped in to object: "No."

He bowed to Qin Ji and said, "Your Majesty, things are accomplished in secrecy and ruined by leaks. If too many people know about this, the news may get out."

Pei Lian argued, "Senior brother knows the importance of this matter and will definitely keep it a secret. It concerns me and our teacher, so he will never reveal a single word."

"The fear of leaks is only one factor," Shang Jingming explained meticulously. "Xie Wumian is unaware of your situation. If he were running around anxiously, the act would be more convincing. But if he knew the truth, could he still maintain such a natural facade? There are countless eyes watching him from the shadows."

Shang Jingming concluded, "If Xie Wumian finds out, it will only do more harm than good."

"But..." Pei Lian couldn't bear to see his senior brother being kept in the dark and anxious. "Even if he knew, he could pretend not to know and continue to run around deceiving others."

Shang Jingming raised an eyebrow, revealing some of the carefree attitude of a former playboy: "Young Master Pei, I heard that your senior brother was expelled from the sect by Zhao Siye, but later returned to Zhao Siye's sect by some unknown means, but he has never been favored by your teacher."

This was a hidden pain for their sect, and Pei Lian was furious: "What does this have to do with you? What does it have to do with this?"

"Then why are you telling him all this? Wouldn't it be better to let your teacher see the sincerity of your disciple in working for you?" Shang Jingming tempted, "Don't you want to see your teacher and senior brother reconcile?"

Pei Lian was taken aback, her eyes widening slightly.

Shang Jingming pressed his advantage: "Why can't you see the bigger picture when it's a win-win situation? If you insist on doing things your own way and ruin His Majesty's mission, can you bear the responsibility?"

Seeing that it was about time, Qin Ji coughed to stop Shang Jingming from speaking: "Alright."

He looked at Pei Lian: "Jingming's words make sense, but it's understandable that you're worried about Xie Wumian so much. If you really don't want him to be kept in the dark and to prevent him from doing something wrong, I can arrange for Jingming to 'imprison' him as well. Then you can tell him the truth and have him cooperate with you in prison."

Pei Lian's face was a mix of emotions.

Qin Ji pretended not to see it: "Jingming."

Shang Jingming glanced at Pei Lian: "Your subject is here."

"Go to the Ministry of Justice to get the approval..."

"Your Majesty!" Pei Lian's face turned red, and he stammered in his hoarse voice, "Commander Shang's words are not without reason. It's best not to tell my senior brother about this."

Qin Ji put on a stern face: "You're the one who says yes, and you're the one who says no, why are you so fickle?"

Pei Lian quickly kowtowed, "I was just being stubborn for a moment, please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Qin Ji asked, "So, do we want it or not?"

Pei Lian replied firmly, "No, no more!"

A hint of a smile flashed across Qin Ji's eyes, but his voice carried a subtle but threatening tone, "Words spoken before the Emperor should be carefully considered before uttering. If there is a next time, does Young Scholar Pei wish to relive the events of the Qianzheng Hall?"

Pei Lian's face turned pale, and her chin almost disappeared into her neck.

Shang Jingming gracefully withdrew after achieving his goal, gave Pei Xiaoshengtong a sympathetic look, and continued to retreat behind His Majesty as a background figure.

...

The update is a bit late, but it's long!

Goal achieved! Double update tomorrow! Everyone, please read with love!