Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

Having become my disciple by default, you still want me to recognize you as a relative by default?

Dream on!

Never mind, my hand hurts.

Qin Ji slammed down the bamboo stick in his hand and said expressionlessly, "Get up."

Shang Jingming understood the uneasy forgiveness beneath the emperor's cold expression, and a warm feeling welled up inside him.

He bowed silently once more, placing all his emotions into this devout bow. As he prepared to rise, remembering His Majesty's emphasis on the "achievements of teaching," he supported his waist and "laboriously" pushed himself up from the ground.

Qin Ji glanced at him sideways and slapped him across the face: "Still pretending?"

Shang Jingming took the blow squarely, unsure if His Majesty truly didn't want any feedback, and tentatively uttered, "Hiss—?"

hiss--

One person's voice revealed the other's innermost thoughts.

Qin Ji clenched his numb and aching hand, and said angrily, "Flat beans!"

The dragon's fart landed on the dragon's leg. Shang Jingming was about to kneel down, but seeing that His Majesty's displeasure was only superficial and did not reach his eyes, he suddenly had an idea and held up two fingers.

"Your Majesty." Upon hearing the voice, Bian Dou rushed out, glanced at His Majesty's expression, then at the small bamboo board on the ground, and then at Commander Shang's actions. He did not act on his own initiative, but waited for His Majesty's instructions as steadily as Mount Tai.

Qin Ji glanced down at the two fingers that Shang Jingming was holding onto his sleeve, and scoffed, "Commander Shang is unable to move easily, help him to Yunqi Courtyard."

Bian Dou looked at Shang Jingming, who had been hit with less than thirty small bamboo sticks, stepped forward, and supported Shang Jingming, acting as a proper crutch.

If Your Majesty says you are unable to move around, then you are unable to move around.

With the help of a "crutch," Shang Jingming was limped into a side room of Yunqi Courtyard.

Qin Ji sat down beside Shang Jingming's couch.

Bian Dou arranged for a servant to bring him ointment and water.

Shang Jingming glanced at His Majesty without saying a word, then glanced at His Majesty again, and then glanced at His Majesty once more.

How could Qin Ji not know what he was implying?

He was about to slap her again when, halfway up his hand, he abruptly turned and picked up the ointment.

Why should I let him get away with this?

This kid practiced Iron Butt Kung Fu; he certainly enjoyed the good fortune, while I injured eight hundred disciples and lost a thousand of my own.

Not even a door! Not even a crack in the window!

He pulled down the lower garment of the cheap second disciple slightly and applied the ointment rather rudimentarily.

The cool ointment suppressed the burning heat, and Qin Ji's hand felt better.

Shang Jingming stopped pretending and didn't even groan. His thoughts seemed to have wandered off somewhere, and he let His Majesty spread the ointment haphazardly.

After Qin Ji condescended to apply the medicine to his cheap apprentice and put the ointment down, he was about to call someone in to help him wash his hands when he caught a glimpse of those two fingers reaching out again.

Shang Jingming has practiced martial arts for many years, so his fingers are long and slender with distinct knuckles. There is a thin layer of calluses on his fingertips, making them feel somewhat rough. He just casually placed them on the back of Shang Jingming's hand.

Originally intending to pull on the sleeve again, Shang Jingming accidentally touched the back of His Majesty's hand and withdrew as if he had caught a cold.

He opened his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing, as if he wanted to say something, but he couldn't utter a sound for a long time.

Qin Ji glanced at him and said unhurriedly, "Say what you want to say."

Shang Jingming couldn't quite pull off his arch-rival's pitiful act. Shaking off goosebumps, he finally gave up and clearly said, "It hurts."

Qin Ji couldn't see how much pain he was acting. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly realized something, raised an eyebrow, and slapped Shang Jingming on the back of the head: "You brat, who do you think you are? You really want me to coax you?"

Shang Jingming remained expressionless, his heart pounding: "You said it, crying out in pain is useful."

Qin Ji raised an eyelid and chuckled, "Did I also say I was going to teach you a lesson? Did I really teach you a lesson?"

Shang Jingming looked around but couldn't find a suitable tool, so he held Qin Ji's dragon claws up to his head as if they were some kind of torture instrument: "Then you can punish me severely first."

After saying that, he lay down straight, looking nonchalant and waiting to be coaxed.

Qin Ji wanted to slap him, but was afraid of hurting himself, and felt that he was missing a suitable accessory at his waist, so he smiled and gave him a crisp flick on the forehead: "Poverty?"

Shang Jingming scratched his head, a little regretful, and said in a joking tone, "Jingming didn't know what was good for him and made you so angry. Now I'm trying to make you laugh, which is my way of making amends."

Looking at his flawless expression, Qin Ji reached out and pressed his second disciple's head back into the pillow. Recalling Jiang Jibai's appearance, he gently patted Shang Jingming's back: "Good boy, it doesn't hurt anymore."

A seven-foot-tall man's eyes stung with tears.

He hoped many times that he would be cherished, and that someone would comfort him when he was hurt.

I had countless dreams, and when I woke up, they had come true.

The person who comforted him was his lord, his teacher, and also his elder brother who was not related to him by blood.

Shang Jingming closed his eyes to process the moisture in them.

A bird suddenly fluttered past the window.

Qin Ji and Shang Jingming looked up together.

Bian Dou suddenly appeared and presented a note: "I have received intelligence that some civilians have seen remnants of the Grand Canal Gang in the suburbs of Beijing."

Qin Ji took the note, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Didn't they run away? They dare to come back?"

"The Ministry of Justice issued a warrant for their arrest, so they went down the river and arrived at Yingnan Port. It was still within the territory of Dayin, so they had nowhere to escape." Shang Jingming said in a deep voice, "The first and second leaders of the Canal Gang have now been executed, and the third leader and the son of the first leader have become homeless dogs and fugitives. With nowhere to turn, who knows what they might do."

"Have you found out their exact whereabouts?" Qin Ji asked.

Lentil replied, "They are very cautious, like startled birds, and they are hiding very well. We haven't been able to track them down yet."

Shang Jingming immediately got up and knelt down: "Your Majesty, this place is no longer safe. It will probably become their primary target. Please return to the palace immediately. I am afraid they will be desperate and take risks."

After forming a bond with the bandits in the entertainment district, the canal gang even sent fighting cocks to his villa. Later, Shang Jingming infiltrated the area to gather evidence, and the imperial court then wiped them out.

Even if those people are slow to realize it, they've probably already figured it out, and might even seek revenge on those "young masters" from back then, hoping for a fight to the death.

Qin Ji remained calm and ordered Bian Dou, "Send more people to secretly protect Bian Yushu, and also send people to Bian's residence."

"Yes."

"Although Shen Jiangliu was not involved, he lives next door, so we cannot be negligent lest we be caught in the crossfire."

"Yes."

Qin Ji looked at Shang Jingming: "Although you are highly skilled in martial arts, you must be careful not to be caught off guard and suffer an unexpected setback."

Shang Jingming felt a warmth in his heart: "I understand, Your Majesty. Thank you for your concern."

Qin Ji straightened his sleeves, stood up, and said meaningfully, "Since the villa is such a big target, let's lay a trap and wait for them to come to us."