Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

Although the boy lowered his eyes and voluntarily asked for punishment, there was not a trace of remorse on his face. It was as if he knew it was wrong and had expected the boy to be angry, but he still did it anyway.

Jiang Jibai suppressed the rising anger in his heart and said calmly, "His Majesty is being reckless and not following the way of the king. Instead, he is using underhanded tricks to test people's hearts. It would be fine if you didn't try to advise him, but you even came up with a plan and set up a trap for him, using Zhao Siye and Pei Lian as bait."

"Zhao Siye, the former Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, has retired after spending most of his life cultivating talent for the court and enjoying a stellar reputation. Now, in his seventies, he is pushed into the limelight, used as a pawn and bait, and exploited to the fullest. How can you bear to do this?"

"At that time, this old minister will be disheartened, and the entire court will be silenced by this incident, fearing that the emperor is setting a trap to test people's hearts. Everyone will hold back and dare not serve wholeheartedly anymore, leading to mutual suspicion between the emperor and his ministers. Will you be worthy of His Majesty's trust and reliance?"

Jiang Jibai's words struck Qin Ji like a heavy hammer blow to the chest, his cheeks burning as if slapped.

Since ascending the throne, he has been cautious and diligent, never daring to slack off for a single day. He believes that he has worked tirelessly day and night, devoting himself to public service, and has lived up to the expectations of his officials and the people.

This one incident made him realize that he had acted on emotion and was overly selfish.

Even if he maximizes the benefits and minimizes the impact, killing three, four, or even five birds with one stone cannot cover up his overly "childish" original intention.

From the moment he made the decision, he knew that Jiang Jibai would not approve of it.

He knew it wasn't rational or calm, but he still did it.

He wanted Xie Wumian to return to his sect, wanted to see Xie Wumian and Zhao Siye reconcile, wanted to prove that a broken mirror can be pieced back together and remain as good as new, and wanted to tell himself that spilled water can be gathered up again, and that a wrong beginning can lead to a perfect ending.

If he had the chance to do it again, he might do it again.

But he was always fully aware that what he was doing was wrong.

Holding the rattan cane with both hands, Qin Ji knelt on the ground, closed his eyes, and said in a low voice, "This disciple knows his mistake."

This kneeling was not directed at anyone, but rather a clear-headed remorse for admitting one's mistakes, a reminder that one should not repeat them.

The young disciple's clear-headedness and calmness, along with his apology without uttering a single word in defense, slightly softened Jiang Jibai's icy expression, yet a deep sense of powerlessness welled up within him.

A person may not be afraid of making mistakes, but if someone knows it's wrong, admits it, and still makes such a choice, it's not something that can be changed by a few words or a lecture.

But why did the young disciple do this?

He had witnessed his junior disciple's sharp confrontation with Pei Lian at the Mangshan Poetry Gathering, and he had also seen his junior disciple speak up for Xie Wumian, pushing Zhao Siye into a corner, and he had even admonished him for it.

However, he did not think there was any reason for his junior disciple to risk crossing the line and pinning such a thankless task on Zhao Siye and his apprentice, especially since his junior disciple knew that Zhao Siye had been kind to him.

"Why did you recommend Zhao Siye?" Jiang Jibai asked coldly.

He had no connection with Xie Wumian whatsoever. If he told Jiang Jibai the truth, saying that he wanted Xie Wumian and Zhao Siye to reconcile, it would only arouse Jiang Jibai's suspicion.

He couldn't explain why he was so overly concerned about the master-disciple relationship between Xie Wumian and Zhao Siye.

Qin Ji moved his lips, his expression calm: "Pei Lian has repeatedly provoked me, and I am indignant. I want to make them, master and disciple, suffer a bit."

As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Ji felt Jiang Jibai's gaze fall on his face.

Qin Ji lowered his eyes, the flickering candlelight mirroring his dark and troubled state of mind.

After a long silence, Jiang Jibai's voice rang out: "If you don't want to talk, you can shut up."

Qin Ji sensed the suppressed anger beneath the calm surface, lowered his eyes and remained silent, only silently raising the rattan cane in his hand above his head.

Jiang Jibai did not reach out, but stood a step away and quietly watched him.

The flickering candlelight reflected the similar silence between the master and his disciple.

Jiang Jibai picked up the rattan cane, and Qin Ji knelt down, turned around, and held his breath.

The rattan cane was placed on the desk, and the sound of the wooden objects clattering together echoed in the overly quiet study, accompanied by Jiang Jibai's slightly tired voice: "It's getting late, go back and rest."

Qin Ji turned around in a daze, only to see Jiang Jibai bending down to pick up the scattered brushes and brush holders on the ground and put them back on the desk.

"I believe my disciple is not a narrow-minded, petty person seeking personal revenge, nor would he act recklessly in such a matter without considering the seriousness of the situation."

"You have your unspeakable difficulties, and I don't want to punish you without knowing the reason."

"I don't want to go through the trouble of figuring out which of my disciple's words are true and which are false; I don't want to endlessly guess what your reasons are for doing this; and I don't want my probing to put you in a difficult position."

"Go back now. We'll talk about this again when you're free of your inhibitions and can tell me the truth."

Jiang Jibai's voice, unlike before when it concealed his anger, was even gentle, yet it was like nails hammering into Qin Ji's heart, causing him an unprecedented heartache.

Qin Ji would rather Jiang Jibai give him a beating to ease his guilt, than have him feel as if a heavy weight is pressing on his chest with gentle words and a considerate attitude, making it feel like a giant hand is choking him, preventing him from breathing even the air he needs to survive.

He used to enjoy Jiang Jibai's indulgence and helplessness towards him, but now he felt that this indulgence and helplessness were like the gentlest knife, precisely stabbing into the place where he had once laid out layers of defenses and where no one could reach.

"Teacher, I..."

Wanting to set aside their concerns and reveal their identity without hesitation.

I want to be honest and expose all my deception and pretense.

I want to apologize to my teacher frankly and ask for his forgiveness.

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't utter a single one.

Is this a good time?

He suddenly told him, and at such a critical juncture where Jiang Jibai's benefactor was being used as bait, could his teacher still forgive him?

"Testing people's hearts with underhanded tricks..."

"At the age of seventy, he is still pushed to the forefront, used as a pawn in a game, as bait on a fishing rod, and exploited to the fullest extent..."

Jiang Jibai's words of judgment resounded like thunder in my ears. Qin Ji had lived for eighteen years, and he was decisive and ruthless. He had risked his life countless times to achieve the great situation where the country was under his control. But I never knew that he could be so hesitant and indecisive on one matter.

Qin Ji disliked this version of himself.

He gave up in despair: "Teacher, actually I..."

Jiang Jibai's gaze fell upon him, as light as a feather, not wanting to exert any pressure on him.

Qin Ji almost instinctively pulled the broken pot back from the ground in a second, put it back in his pocket, and said in a muffled voice, "I am not wronged at all. No matter how harsh your punishment is, it is not an unjust punishment."

Go ahead and fall! Why don't you fall?

Is it really that hard for me to say the words "I am the current emperor"?

I am such a useless piece of trash!!!

Jiang Jibai looked at his junior disciple, who had a gloomy expression, and reached out to help him up: "I didn't mean to force you. It's getting late. Tomorrow isn't a day off, and you still have to be on duty. Go back and rest, don't miss your job."

Qin Ji felt increasingly ashamed and blurted out, "Didn't you say you'd beat me senseless if you kept lying? How can you go back on your word? Poison Master, let me tell you, you won't build any authority like this. Be careful your apprentices don't climb all over you!"

"call out!"

Jiang Jibai grabbed a rattan cane and struck without holding back.

Qin Ji staggered, a sharp buzzing in his head. He opened his mouth silently, but couldn't even shout. He managed to stand firm, took a step back, and stood still, letting Jiang Jibai do as he pleased.

Jiang Jibai was all too familiar with his junior disciple's restrained demeanor, and he wondered why the boy was so preoccupied, putting on a guilty look.

He asked, "Can you still find north?"

Qin Ji's Adam's apple bobbed, and his lips touched his lips: "That's...that's it?"

"call out!"

Qin Ji bent his knees, large beads of sweat sliding down his forehead. He almost knelt heavily on the ground. He took a deep breath and it took him a long time to straighten up.

Jiang Jibai sized up his junior disciple, who had straightened up again, and placed the rattan cane on the desk: "I think what you said makes some sense. You have a day off in three days, so I might as well use you to establish my authority. I'll call your two senior brothers here and make an example of you in front of them, whipping you until you can't find your way back, so that you won't all get too cocky. What do you say?"

Qin Ji: "..."

"Not good!"

Jiang Jibai looked at him indifferently: "If you don't leave, I'll take that as a promise. You'll keep your word."

Qin Ji, seeing that his expression didn't seem feigned, walked away quickly, muttering curses under his breath: "How dare you threaten people like that? Poison Master!"

After stepping out of the door, he poked his head back into the study, confirming again and again: "You won't interfere in Zhao Siye's affairs anymore, will you?"

Jiang Jibai simply looked at him.

"I assure you, they, master and disciple, are absolutely safe and sound!"

"three."

"two."

When did Poison Master start using countdown timers?

Qin Ji dared not linger; gritting his teeth, he turned and left.

...

First update delivered. Yesterday's second update was shorter, so this chapter makes up for it.

The second update will probably be quite late.

We're still 500 short of generating this energy with love! Let's all keep going!