Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

They rushed as fast as they could, their hands practically breaking from waving, and finally arrived at East Street at dusk.

After randomly choosing a lantern shop and getting a lotus lantern, the carriage stopped in front of a pastry shop.

Bian Dou jumped off the carriage with a lotus lantern on his orders. "Boss, give me a serving of unsweetened cloud cake."

The pastry shop owner glanced at the lotus lantern in his hand, then deftly wrapped the cloud cake in paper: "Alright, piping hot cloud cake, the last batch for today, we're closing up shop when it's sold out!"

Bian Dou touched the overly thickly wrapped paper seal of the cloud cake and casually asked, "I've heard that the cloud cakes on East Street are the best, a time-honored craft passed down through generations. What's your surname, sir?"

The pastry shop owner, without looking up as he packed up, replied, "My surname is Xie."

After verifying that everything was correct, Biandou nodded, jumped onto the carriage, sat on the carriage shaft, and turned to hand the cloud cake in his hand into the carriage.

The wind blew the curtains of the car window, and the tall figure kneeling in the car came into the view of the two people who came out of the restaurant. Along with the figure, a slender and well-proportioned hand also came into view.

Fang Yanqing's heart skipped a beat as he looked at the somewhat familiar coachman. Although he didn't know the person kneeling on the carriage, his teacher's slightly furrowed brows quickly made him realize something. His throat tightened, and he asked, "What's wrong? Is it someone you know?"

Before Jiang Jibai could speak, the carriage in sight sped away, raising a cloud of dust.

Fang Yanqing heard the calm voice of the person beside him reply: "Shang Jingming, Commander of the Five Cities Garrison."

...

Shang Jingming was unaware that his kneeling figure on the carriage had caught the eye of Jiang Daru.

He stood upright, kneeling properly, not daring to relax even slightly.

The atmosphere in the carriage was heavy. His Majesty remained silent, stroking the paper envelope of the cloud cake in his hand, and just looked at him indifferently.

Under the combined pressure of the ruler and the teacher, the air in the carriage seemed to be sucked out, leaving a suffocating feeling that made it hard to breathe.

Shang Jingming's hands, which were hanging down at his sides, tightened slightly, and sweat slid down his back and soaked into his waistband.

After an unknown amount of time, the carriage paused forward and stopped at the entrance of the villa.

Qin Ji glanced at him lightly, then slipped out of the carriage with a cloud-shaped cake in one hand and a lotus lantern in the other.

Shang Jingming didn't dare to hesitate and followed two steps behind.

Walking along the long corridor through the garden, the two remained silent as they entered the main hall one after the other.

Bian Dou took the lotus lantern, and Qin Ji sat down in the main seat with ease, casually placing the cloud-shaped cake on the wooden table.

Before Qin Ji could speak, Shang Jingming lifted his robe and knelt properly in front of Qin Ji.

As the last rays of the setting sun disappeared on the horizon, the lights in the courtyard were lit one by one, and the main room was so quiet that only the rustling of clothes and the soft sounds of maids serving tea could be heard.

Soon, as the servants were dismissed, the slight noise disappeared, and the slightly tense heartbeats and breathing sounds were amplified at this moment.

Ironically, the emperor in the main seat began tapping the wooden table lightly with his fingers, as if he were considering how to deal with him. The rhythmic sound brought him a great sense of oppression.

It wasn't that I was afraid of punishment, but rather that I feared that even after being punished, I still wouldn't be able to give His Majesty the result he wanted.

One remained silent for a long time, while the other knelt motionless. It was like a tug-of-war between master and disciple, both of them managing to keep their composure.

Finally, Qin Ji looked at his second disciple, who was kneeling upright with a resolute expression, leaned back in his chair, and said respectfully, "Go and get a pot."

Bian Dou was about to grab the board when he took two steps and realized what he had just heard. He thought he had misheard. He paused, glanced at Shang Jingming, and then at His Majesty.

Shang Jingming wasn't much better off; a rare look of bewilderment appeared on his resolute and handsome face.

Qin Ji glanced at Bian Dou expressionlessly: "Don't you understand what I'm saying? You want to go with him?"

When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer as well.

His Majesty, having nowhere else to vent his anger at Commander Shang, took it out on the food.

Without a second's hesitation, the lentil obeyed the order and left as if it were on fire.

Soon, Biandou returned carrying an iron pot covered in stove ash, afraid that if he was a step too slow, he would have to "risk his life to accompany the gentleman."

Qin Ji gave Biandou a look, signaling him to place the pot in front of Shang Jingming, and said only two words: "Carry it on your back."

Without the slightest hesitation, Biandou placed the pot on the floor tiles in front of Shang Jingming.

Shang Jingming stared at the blackened pot in front of him: "..."

The emperor calmly took a sip of tea, his voice indifferent: "Don't you like to take the blame for me?"

He gave a forced smile and said six words: "Then memorize it properly."

Shang Jingming: "..."

He briefly imagined himself carrying the pot on his back like a giant turtle, and immediately banished the horrible image from his mind.

He bowed deeply and kowtowed: "Please calm your anger."

Having said that, he exerted his muscle strength and silently lifted the pot upright, his arm stretched straight out without moving an inch.

As Qin Ji watched this scene, a feeling he couldn't quite describe welled up inside him.

She sacrificed her own reputation to take the blame for him, and she's still so stubborn.

They're all stubborn.

Qin Ji looked away, tapped his knuckles on the wooden table, and said in a voice devoid of any emotion, "Give him thirty lashes."

There were only three people in the main room, so it was obvious who the order was for. Bean resignedly took the board.

Qin Ji looked at him expressionlessly.

The lentil, covered in fur, sensed the Emperor's displeasure beneath his expressionless face and hesitantly received a small bamboo stick in return.

Qin Ji remained noncommittal.

The lentils are relieved.

Throughout, Shang Jingming remained resigned to his fate, never uttering a word in his own defense or showing any sign of grievance.

Even after the wooden board was replaced with a small bamboo board, a subtle, indescribable emotion stirred in his eyes.

Qin Ji, as ruthless as a poison master, carried forward the fine traditions of his sect: "Memorize it well, don't let it slip. If you slip it once, you have to do it all over again."

...

The second update from yesterday is here, and the first update today should be around the same time as yesterday.

I'm still 500 short of generating electricity with love, yay!