Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

Fang Yanqing paused, a strange look flashing across his eyes.

The teacher wouldn't ask about this without a reason. His initial purpose for tonight's actions was indeed achieved as he had intended. The teacher became suspicious, and His Majesty's pretense wouldn't last much longer.

Amidst a turmoil of complex emotions, he replied with a composed expression, "I have mentioned it."

These two words state a fact without any further explanation.

Jiang Jibai didn't ask any further questions, and nodded slightly: "I understand, go to sleep."

Since the second disciple said he had mentioned it, he must have really mentioned it; Yanqing would not deceive him on such a matter.

The courtyard was small. Fang Yanqing carried the wooden box out of the main room and headed straight for the east wing.

The night breeze gently dispersed the smell of alcohol, but it couldn't dispel the complex emotions in my heart.

Pushing open the door, Shen Jiangliu had already taken off his coat and was wiping his face with a cloth by the washstand.

Fang Yanqing placed the wooden box in his hand on the low table by the window. As soon as he put it down, he seemed to be worried and moved the box and the low table together to the side of the couch, placing it where he could reach it.

Hearing the noise, Shen Jiangliu glanced over, and while re-wetting and washing the used cloth, casually asked, "I was going to ask you what was inside, but judging from how precious it is, is it silver?"

Fang Yanqing patted the box, looked around, and finally placed the teapot and matching porcelain cup on the table on top of the box to ensure he could hear anything if there was any disturbance: "A full one hundred taels of silver. The walls of your house aren't high, and there aren't many servants. If a thief gets in, we'll lose a lot of money. I think it's safer to keep it in your house."

Shen Jiangliu raised an eyebrow: "Why don't you put it next door? The yard is deep and the walls are high, you won't get it."

Fang Yanqing paused slightly, sat down on the edge of the couch, one hand on the box, and looked up to meet Shen Jiangliu's gaze.

He had been staying with Shen Jiangliu for quite some time, so how could he not know who owned the villa next door to his senior brother? He also knew that tonight's topic would likely revolve around that neighbor, and the spittoon spirit was full of venom and wouldn't let him have any peace and quiet.

He said calmly, "What are you trying to say?"

Shen Jiangliu withdrew his gaze, calmly picked up the soaked cloth, wrung it out, and asked in a measured tone, "Who gave this silver?"

He saw His Majesty off, then turned around and brought back a box. It was almost an open secret who gave it to him, so the water bottle spirit's question was not just a superficial answer.

As expected, Shen Jiangliu calmly offered two options: "Your Majesty? Or Junior Brother?"

Fang Yanqing did not want to answer this question, even though he had already given an answer to the teacher earlier.

Shen Jiangliu walked to the bedside, looked him up and down, and then handed him the handkerchief in his hand: "Seeing that you're like this, your teacher didn't hold it against you."

After a slight pause, Shen Jiangliu raised an eyebrow: "What about fellow disciples? Can they protect me?"

Fang Yanqing took the handkerchief, wiped her face, and retorted, "Are you really holding it in tonight? You've got poop stuck in your throat, aren't you going to spit it out?"

Shen Jiangliu continued unhurriedly, "Did your teacher confirm with you whether you mentioned the Mangshan Poetry Gathering to me?"

Fang Yanqing looked at Shen Jiangliu with a hint of displeasure: "What, do you expect me to collude with you and deceive the teacher?"

Shen Jiangliu bent down and leaned forward: "I'm just telling the truth, so how can you say I'm deceiving you?"

Fang Yanqing threw the cloth aside and sneered as he punched her: "If I had known that the teacher would ask this question today, I would never have mentioned a single word about the Mangshan Poetry Gathering to you."

Shen Jiangliu didn't dodge and caught the handkerchief. Fang Yanqing's punch was aimed at his face, but it only hit his shoulder.

Shen Jiangliu hissed and commented, "Reversed Heavenly Gang."

He rubbed his aching shoulder: "Your senior brother was considerate of you, firstly by not asking you to help deceive the teacher, and secondly by pleading for you in front of the teacher. Is this how you repay him? Ingratitude, impotent rage?"

Fang Yanqing retorted sarcastically, "Your teacher has taught you for eleven years, and this is the kind of disciple who colludes with outsiders to deceive him?"

"Outsider?" Shen Jiangliu glanced at the box on the low table, then turned and walked back to the basin stand, putting the handkerchief back in its place. "You accept gifts from outsiders without hesitation, yet they rush to plead for you in front of the teacher after you exposed their identities?"

Fang Yanqing looked choked up, her hand on the edge of the bed clenching the mattress tightly.

Shen Jiangliu thoughtfully picked up a small bamboo stick, about the thickness of an index finger, from the stool next to the basin stand, examined it for a while, then casually waved it twice before walking towards Fang Yanqing: "When I pleaded with the teacher, I promised him that I would talk to you about the principles of brotherhood between fellow disciples."

Fang Yanqing's pupils contracted slightly, his expression somewhat strange. He asked several questions in one breath: "Is this the kind of protective camaraderie you're talking about? Does your teacher know you're so reasonable? Didn't you always criticize this as the dregs of the sect? When did you learn this trick too?"

Shen Jiangliu agreed, saying, "It is indeed rubbish, but I don't think you can understand it with just words; you have to put your words into action."

Fang Yanqing: "..."

Fang Yanqing was speechless: "Why bother pleading with the teacher?"

Shen Jiang twirled the small bamboo stick in his hand and shrugged indifferently: "Just because it's not appropriate for the teacher to discipline you on this issue today doesn't mean you don't deserve a beating. Of course, this is just my suggestion; whether you're willing to listen to my reasoning is up to you."

Fang Yanqing gritted his teeth as he watched the approaching spray bottle spirit: "One tael of silver per spray."

The son of the River Conservancy Governor of Lantai Province generously declared, "Deal."

"Find a comfortable place to lie down."

Fang Yanqing tried to open her mouth several times.

He was prepared to be punished for what he said at the celebration party tonight, but he didn't expect the teacher to be persuaded to stop. Although this is unexpected, it seems that the result is not much different.

He eventually just lay down on the edge of the bed and grabbed a pillow to put under his stomach.

He hesitated for a long time, but finally asked, "Did you also preach the same principle of brotherhood to His Majesty last time?"

Shen Jiangliu almost threw the small bamboo stick in his hand.

Just as Fang Yanqing's eyes were gradually filled with shock, Shen Jiangliu spent an ounce of silver to stop his terrible thoughts: "Shake the water out of your head, the necks of my entire family aren't as tough as your teacher's!"

Caught off guard, Fang Yanqing let out a muffled groan, remained silent for a long while, and then asked in return, "Is this the kind of reasoning you're trying to convey?"

Shen Jiangliu immediately replied, "I lack experience, this doesn't count."

Fang Yanqing disagreed: "Experience cost, a little torture, five taels of silver."