Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

Pei Lian has always been concerned about his reputation. He had an embarrassing injury on his body, and if it were before, he would have made all sorts of excuses.

Mr. Jiang, disregarding his status as a great Confucian scholar, came to visit him, a junior, in such a desolate place. He also showed great integrity by helping his fellow disciples in their time of crisis and promising to do everything in his power to rescue their teacher, which filled him with respect. Now, Mr. Jiang was showing him even more concern, and his words were reasonable. If he were to refuse him again, it would seem rather ungrateful.

Moreover, he already felt guilty for not being able to tell his senior brother the truth, which caused his senior brother great worry. If he were to make his senior brother worry about him even more, he would feel even more reluctant.

Pei Lian's Adam's apple bobbed, and he said softly, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Senior Brother."

Seeing that his proud and arrogant junior brother had been persuaded by Mr. Jiang, Xie Wumian gratefully bowed to Jiang Jibai.

He looked around and quickly found the package of clothes that the servant had brought on the simple table. He took out a clean undergarment and a handkerchief.

Pei Lian took the handkerchief from his senior brother and wiped the water off his face. When his senior brother handed him clean clothes, his body stiffened slightly.

This place is surrounded by fences on three sides, with no cover. If you want to remove your wet clothes, you will have to expose your body and even your wounds. But you are already trapped here, so why bother with such things?

My senior brother is one thing, but Mr. Jiang is still here...

Pei Lian suppressed his shame and prepared to change his clothes, but the man in coarse clothes in front of him turned around naturally, strolled out of the cell, and left the space alone for him and his senior brother.

While feeling admiration, Pei Lian also breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Xie Wumian swiftly reached out to help Pei Lian remove his clothes, helped him lie down, and planned to re-treat his injuries. Fearing that his junior brother would be embarrassed, he took the initiative to make small talk: "It's my fault for being negligent. I didn't explain your preferences to the constables. If you didn't want to drink milk, just tell them. I've already taken care of it. For such a small matter, I think the constables would be willing to make an exception for the sake of the money."

If it were anything else, it would be fine, but this matter is hard to say.

Pei Lian knew that her senior brother must have seen the untouched bowl of milk on the table when he took the clothes, so she said, "Senior brother has been busy taking care of things for me and the teacher, so there's no need to worry about such a small matter. Besides... I'm not that annoying."

"Didn't you say this is something only children like to drink?" Xie Wumian was slightly surprised and reached out to remove his junior brother's lower garment.

Pei Lian pursed his lips, his voice somewhat muffled: "Milk is expensive; many people want to drink it but can't."

As soon as he said those words, Pei Lian felt his wound exposed to the air. His muscles tensed, and the cell fell silent. After a moment, his senior brother picked up the porcelain bottle by the bed and said from behind, whether with emotion or heaviness, "Junior brother has grown up."

For some reason, Pei Lian's eyes suddenly stung with tears. "I've already achieved third place in the imperial examination, does my senior brother still think I'm a child?"

Seeing that Xie Wumian did not respond for a long time, Pei Lian reached out and pulled at her lower garment to cover herself, and said in a hoarse voice, "Shang Jingming is hesitant. He's all bark and no bite. He just wants to scare me and see if he can pry something out of me. It's just a minor injury, not serious. Besides, it's already been treated, so it doesn't hurt."

Although my junior brother comes from a farming family, he came to the teacher's side at a very young age and is even younger than the teacher's grandchildren. He has never suffered such hardships before.

Those bruised and swollen areas must have been incredibly painful. This usually proud and arrogant junior brother, now imprisoned and suffering such torment, must have felt utterly terrified and helpless. Xie Wumian's voice was deep: "What did you do wrong this time to deserve this undeserved calamity?"

Pei Lian felt a pang of sadness.

The teacher was indeed caught in an undeserved disaster, but his injuries were not caused by this incident. It would be inaccurate to say that he was entirely innocent or without fault.

Hearing his senior brother's caring words and his words of sympathy on his behalf, for some reason, he felt a pang of sadness in his heart, and his eyes welled up with tears.

Pei Lian said in a hoarse voice as if nothing had happened: "When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on someone, it first tests their will, strains their muscles and bones, and starves their body. Your junior brother and I passed the imperial examination at a young age, achieving the third-highest rank. If not unprecedented, then certainly one of the rarest and most exceptional individuals. What are these minor setbacks compared to that?"

Hearing his junior brother's feignedly relaxed tone, Xie Wumian felt even more depressed.

If he hadn't abandoned his studies for business and had instead passed the imperial examinations and entered officialdom, why would he now be sitting idly by while his teacher and junior fellow students are unjustly imprisoned, unable to even plead their case, and forced to run around trying to find a way out, hoping that his teacher's old friends could lend a helping hand and provide timely assistance?

Not wanting to upset his junior brother, Xie Wumian simply went along with him, saying, "Yes, yes, Pei Xiaoyuan is the smartest person in history. Who knows if he will become a marquis or prime minister in the future? This little storm is nothing to worry about."

Pei Lian slightly raised his chin: "Of course."

After applying the medicine, Xie Wumian pulled up Pei Lian's lower garment and placed the medicine bottle within Pei Lian's reach: "The weather is getting warmer, and the prison is stuffy and damp. I'll have someone send some lighter clothing tomorrow. If you feel unwell or anything seems wrong, don't suffer in silence. Tell the guards immediately and have them fetch a doctor."

Pei Lian hummed in agreement, without refusing.

"Do you have any news about the teacher? Do you know where he's being held?"

Pei Lian could only shake his head.

Xie Wumian was somewhat disappointed, but he didn't show it in front of his junior brother, which put even more pressure on him: "Take good care of yourself. Senior brother... will definitely find a way to rescue you and teacher."

Pei Lian looked at her senior brother trying his best to comfort her, pursed her lips tightly, lowered her gaze, and nodded slightly.

Xie Wumian patted Pei Lian's head, silently got up, packed his things, picked up the food box, and sullenly stepped out of the cell. He bowed deeply to Jiang Jibai, who was standing at the door, and said, "Sir, let's go back."

Jiang Jibai turned around and glanced at the half-grown boy in the prison, then nodded slightly to him.

At this moment, Constable Chai also rushed over and locked the prison door again: "Stop looking, let's go. Although you've bribed the higher-ups and the brothers have turned a blind eye, it's still too late. If Commander Shang returns, we might not be so lucky as before, and we'll all be in deep trouble."

...

Leaving the prison of the Five Cities Military Command, a carriage drove into the night.

Although a curfew had been imposed, Xie Wumian, having been in business for many years, could still manage to obtain a pass.

The sound of wheels rolling echoed through the quiet streets and alleys, finally stopping in front of the Jiang residence.

Jiang Jibai alighted from the carriage, and Xie Wumian disembarked to see him off. He bowed deeply and said, "Sir, please rest early. I have some trivial matters to attend to, so I will not visit you tonight. I will come again tomorrow to apologize."

Jiang Jibai knew that he was too busy with Mr. Zhao's affairs to stop him, but only instructed him: "Mr. Zhao and Pei Lian were wrongfully imprisoned, you can't fall down again."

Xie Wumian was slightly taken aback, then bowed silently: "I understand, thank you for your concern, sir."

After Xie Wumian left, Jiang Jibai knocked on the door, and soon the sound of the bolt being pulled came from inside.

With the creaking sound of the wooden door opening and closing, the candlelight shone through the door and onto Jiang Jibai's face.

The boy holding the candlestick raised an eyebrow at him. "Where did this cook come from?"

...

We're still 645 words short of updating this thread, everyone keep going! I said I'd update earlier yesterday, but I was a little late, so today's count will be delayed until 1 PM. It's up to you all!

Goal achieved! Double update tomorrow! You guys are amazing!