Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

Qin Ji cursed inwardly with a blank expression, "Damn Yang Xiuyun, why did you have to bring me up for no reason? Isn't Shen Jiangliu enough for you to discuss?"

Jiang Jibai had originally arranged to meet Bian Feibai today, hoping to introduce his young disciple to his friend. He hoped this would provide Bian Feibai with some connections and support in court once he entered officialdom. However, Bian Feibai went to the outhouse and never returned.

Jiang Jibai had no choice but to call a servant in and whisper a few instructions.

Qin Ji hesitated for a moment, then squatted on the roof without moving.

The servant, having received orders, went to the outhouse to look for the person but found nothing. Upon returning, he whispered the truth to Jiang Jibai.

Knowing full well that he was supposed to be introduced to her friend, she claimed she was going to the outhouse but then disappeared, clearly indicating she didn't want to see him.

He meant well, but his apprentice was so ungrateful and even rude.

Jiang Jibai's eyes darkened slightly. He didn't mention the whereabouts of his youngest disciple, but only gave a brief introduction: "You may have heard that the young man from the Bian family is now His Majesty's study companion."

Yang Xiuyun immediately recognized the person, "Bian Yushu? The one who was fighting in the street a few days ago?"

Jiang Jibai: "..."

Qin Ji almost slipped and tumbled off the roof, but Bian Dou caught him by the arm in time to steady him and prevent the tiles from breaking and alerting the people below.

Yang Xiuyun, you're going to die!

Which pot does not open which pot.

I'll kill you when I get back!

Yang Xiuyun noticed Jiang Jibai's expression.

It seems he's unaware of this... Could he have accidentally badmouthed someone?

Yang Xiuyun and Jiang Jibai were friends for many years. Yang knew Jiang was "full of martial virtue" and that his previous two disciples had both died young. He never expected that his new disciple would be no less remarkable.

Yang Xiuyun looked at Jiang Jibai with a hint of sympathy in her eyes. "Just a few days ago, I ran into the commander of the Five Cities Garrison and overheard him complaining a bit. Maybe he mistook me for someone else..."

Jiang Jibai sneered, "The commander of the Five Cities Garrison is in charge of patrolling the capital. Can't he recognize this notorious playboy on the streets of the capital?"

Infamous, a spoiled brat.

Just by listening to the wording, you can already feel Jiang Jibai's rage.

Qin Ji felt a chill run down his spine and his legs went weak; suddenly, he didn't want to face it.

Why don't we go back to the palace and wait for the teacher to calm down?

No, no.

—Whenever you come, this vine will soak in the water for as long as you stay here.

The fleeting "poisonous words of Jiang Jibai" dispelled Qin Ji's idea of ​​running away, leaving him squatting on the roof, staring at the tiles with a sense of despair.

This drug addict is really capable of doing something like this, what should we do? Help!

Damn Yang Xiuyun, damn Bian Yushu.

When Bean heard this, he realized that the situation was not good. After all, he was a man who had experienced "big storms" and prepared himself mentally in advance.

It's okay, it's not the first time. His neck is still on his head and he's fine.

His Majesty is a wise ruler; he will not execute him.

Damn it, Lord Sheep, why do you always have to cause trouble? Do you think I'm too old to live?

Yang Xiuyun felt something was wrong when Jiang Jibai kept calling him a spoiled brat.

You can't possibly send your friend's little apprentice a "meeting gift" before you've even met him, can you?

He quickly added, "Bian Yushu often serves His Majesty and I've met him in the palace. He's handsome and has a very pleasant appearance; he seems like a good boy. There might be some misunderstanding here."

Jiang Jibai remained silent about Yang Xiujun's claim of a "misunderstanding," only taking a small sip of tea and calmly commenting, "Relying on a bit of cleverness, he acts erratically."

"Very unruly."

"audacious in the extreme."

"Ignorant of manners."

It's over, it's over.

As Qin Ji listened to Jiang Jibai's comments, each word seemingly a separate, unspoken criticism, his heart grew colder with each word, yet he couldn't rush out to defend himself.

Yang Xiuyun was still sitting downstairs. If she were to meet him abruptly, who knew if he would be able to read her mind in his haste?

Qin Ji knew which matter was more critical, so he remained squatting motionless on the roof.

A proper introduction, but the main character is nowhere to be seen, how can the process continue?

Yang Xiuyun had already stayed long enough, and after sitting for a while longer, he realized that Jiang Jibai's junior disciple was unlikely to show up, so he got up to leave and said, "I originally came to ask about Jiang Liu's situation. He is currently in deep trouble. If there is anything I can do to help, please feel free to ask."

"Although he has survived several assassination attempts, he wrote that he is protected by a mysterious expert, who must be His Majesty's man." Jiang Jibai stood up to see him off. "Don't worry."

Hearing this, Yang Xiuyun felt much relieved and exclaimed, "Although His Majesty is young, he has the bearing of a wise ruler. To be frank, he is far superior to the late Emperor."

"Back then, the royal bloodline was dwindling, a young emperor had ascended the throne, the empress dowager held absolute power, Wang Jing was causing chaos in the government, the court was in turmoil, and the country was on the verge of collapse. Who could have imagined that things would turn around like this?"

"Truly, Heaven blesses our Great Yin Dynasty..."

Jiang Jibai never believed it was divine intervention; all the twists and turns were simply the result of someone struggling to survive and taking precautions step by step in places unseen by the world.

But recalling the corner of his robe at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, and Bian Feibai's flustered state behind the screen, he could only sigh in the end, "I hope so."

After seeing Yang Xiuyun off, Jiang Jibai turned back. As soon as he stepped into the garden, he saw Qin Ji, who had been missing for a long time, sitting on the eaves of the main hall, peeking down.

Jiang Jibai didn't even glance at him before turning and leaving.

Qin Ji, who was about to jump off the roof, immediately pulled back his leg, which was halfway down, and, sitting on the roof, shouted in "terror," "Teacher, I can't get down! Help!"

Upon hearing Qin Ji's plea for help, Jiang Jibai paused, turned around to look at Qin Ji, who was perched pitifully on the roof, and asked indifferently, "You can get up, but can't get down?"

At least she's still willing to communicate with him and hasn't ignored him. In other words, she hasn't completely lost her rationality due to anger, and there's still room for maneuver.

Qin Ji pointed to the courtyard wall and gestured, "I climbed up from over there and hid on the roof. I heard a noise, and it sounded like Lord Yang had left. I wanted to come out and take a look, but when I sat on the eaves and looked back, I found that I couldn't climb back up."

He deliberately created this little incident because he saw Jiang Jibai was furious and wanted to ease the atmosphere between master and disciple, and gain a chance to speak, so he naturally had to take the initiative.

Qin Ji lowered his body, stretched out one hand, and called out timidly, "Teacher..."

Jiang Jibai did not grab Qin Ji's hand, but instead ordered Uncle Li to bring a ladder and place it on the eaves, then stepped back and looked at him.

Clearly, although Jiang Jibai was still rational, he was still burning with anger and had no interest in accepting his disciple's advances.

Qin Ji's heart skipped a beat, and he changed his conclusion that "there is still room for maneuver" to "there is room for maneuver, but not much."

Qin Ji looked at the wooden ladder. Uncle Li held the ladder steady as a mountain, seemingly making it impossible for him to pretend to be unstable and fall towards Jiang Jibai. Qin Ji was somewhat disappointed.

I've condescended to show you goodwill, so why can't you calm down?

Jiang Jibai is incorruptible and does not know good from bad.

What you think in your heart is one thing, what you do is another.

Under Jiang Jibai's gaze, Qin Ji dared not act rashly. He obediently climbed down the ladder and followed Jiang Jibai step by step to the study.

Uncle Li thoughtfully closed the door for the master and apprentice from the outside.

With his view blocked, Qin Ji nervously looked at Jiang Jibai.

As expected, Jiang Jibai's "poison master nature" was revealed. Qin Ji was grabbed by the wrist and slammed against the wall of the study. He staggered a few steps and only stopped when he braced himself against the wall.

A cushion was thrown next to Qin Ji's legs. "Kneel down."

And there it is again, the two-word mantra.