Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

The teacher, not wanting to stoop to the level of his junior disciple, reluctantly got up to pour water.

After each punishment, the boy seemed to have an extra lot to do and became a bit clingy. Jiang Jibai could roughly guess his psychology, so he indulged him.

After being ordered around like that, Jiang Jibai couldn't help but wonder if he had hired the servant for nothing. Just as he was about to tell him to shut up, he heard Qin Ji complain in a low voice, "His hands are so ruthless. Teacher doesn't care about me at all."

After complaining for a moment, Jiang Jibai didn't respond. Qin Ji got more and more excited and said, "I cried so hard, and you didn't even give me a drop of water. You're so heartless."

Jiang Jibai raised an eyebrow. "Who said I didn't go easy on them?"

He did hug him to prevent him from hitting the wall, but that was Jiang Jibai's unreasonable demand. He was supposed to beat him to death for every time he hit the wall?

Qin Ji felt guilty for a moment, then immediately changed his tune, saying, "I meant the last 12."

Jiang Jibai glanced at him, lightly kicked the low table with rattan on it, and said indifferently, "It wasn't soaked in water this time."

Qin Ji: "………………"

Poison Master! Poison Master!

After being given a cold compress and carefully treated with medicine, Qin Ji felt a little better and began to chat with Jiang Jibai in a casual manner.

Both of them seemed a little distracted.

Having heard a bit about Shen Jiangliu, Qin Ji couldn't help but pay more attention to the current situation in Ning'an Province.

Anyway, he was caught by Jiang Jibai on the roof. Since Jiang Jibai didn't retaliate against him for eavesdropping, he simply didn't hide the fact that he had overheard Jiang Jibai and Yang Xiuyun's conversation.

"Is the teacher worried about the flooding in Ning'an Province?"

Jiang Jibai was indeed preoccupied with thoughts of Ning'an.

The junior disciple overheard his conversation with Yang Xiuyun from the rooftop, so it wasn't surprising that he asked. Jiang Jibai didn't intend to hide it from him, so he replied, "Yes and no."

"The imperial envoy currently in charge of flood control in Ning'an is your senior brother, Shen Jiangliu. I believe in his abilities, but..."

The reason for saying "yes" is that the floods in Ning'an are related to the lives of countless people. If the problem is not solved for a day, there is a risk of the dikes collapsing, which is indeed a cause for concern.

Jiang Jibai said "no" because he believed in his eldest disciple's abilities and knew that Shen Jiangliu would not stand idly by and watch Lishui flood.

What worries him most is Ning'an, a den of dragons and tigers. Shen Jiangliu is going to dig up the roots of Ning'an's officialdom, and those people will definitely not let him go. Shen Jiangliu's life or death may be just a matter of His Majesty's decision.

Hearing Jiang Jibai's trust in Shen Jiangliu, and guessing that his teacher's "but" implied concern for his cheap senior brother, Qin Ji's eyes flickered, and he felt a pang of jealousy.

He couldn't help but remind him, "Didn't you say he's protected by a mysterious expert sent by His Majesty? With His Majesty's protection, there shouldn't be any problems, right?"

You trust your cheap senior brother to cure the flood, but you don't trust me to protect him, right?

Jiang Jibai is biased!

Qin Ji ignored the fact that Jiang Jibai was completely unaware that his little disciple was the current emperor, and firmly labeled Jiang Jibai as biased in his mind.

Jiang Jibai had no idea about the mess of thoughts swirling in Qin Ji's mind, nor did he intend to hide them from his junior disciple.

Regardless of whether Bian Feibai intends to enter officialdom in the future, he is currently the Emperor's study companion, and he will inevitably come into contact with those bloodless struggles. Letting him catch a glimpse now is to give him a warning, lest he act recklessly and continue to be so audacious.

Jiang Jibai frankly said, "His Majesty intends to clean up the officialdom of Ning'an. What I am worried about is that once the autumn floods are over, your eldest brother will definitely turn the officialdom of Ning'an upside down."

"If His Majesty were to make a wrong decision and try to use the Jiang family's power to deal with the Ning'an officialdom, allowing Jiang Liu's 'knife' to break in Ning'an and inciting conflict between me and the Ning'an officialdom, then Jiang Liu's situation would be dangerous..."

He had actually considered that.

Jiang Jibai's words made Qin Ji increasingly uneasy. "The court is short of talent in water management. If Shen Jiangliu is really as capable as you say, His Majesty would be busy sending more people to protect him. How could he be allowed to perish so easily in Ning'an? Teacher, please don't worry unnecessarily!"

Hearing his junior disciple's "comforting" words, Jiang Jibai felt a little relieved. He slapped Qin Ji's wound and said, "Shen Jiangliu, Shen Jiangliu, that's your senior brother. Calling him by his name like that shows no respect."

Qin Ji was so caught off guard by the slap that he almost burst into tears, and looked up in disbelief.

You actually hit me for that cheap senior brother?

When I returned to the palace, I dismissed the secret guards and broke this broken sword!

Seeing his junior disciple's indignant glare, Jiang Jibai chuckled and reached out to ruffle Qin Ji's hair. "You brat, you still dare to glare at me even when it hurts?"

Qin Ji grunted twice, then reluctantly looked away. "I want some water."

Didn't you just drink it?

Jiang Jibai finally gave in to the pampered wounded soldier, got up and poured him a glass of water.

Qin Ji took a small sip of water from Jiang Jibai's hand, giving himself a way out in his mind.

Since you've served me well, I'll spare Shen Jiangliu's life.

Don't be biased next time!

...

After resting for a while on the small couch in the cubicle, Qin Ji got up and prepared to take his leave.

Jiang Jibai knew that he had little time off and probably wanted to go back to spend more time with his grandmother, so he didn't try to keep him and got up to see him out.

As Qin Ji was about to board the carriage at the door, Jiang Jibai patted his head from behind and said, "Once the flood in Ning'an Province is resolved, your senior brother will definitely return to the capital to report on his duties. At that time, you and your fellow disciples will be able to meet. Although your senior brother has a sharp tongue, he is not a bad person and will protect you, his junior brother."

Qin Ji couldn't care less about protecting anyone else; the only thing ringing in his mind was the thought that "your senior brother will definitely be returning to the capital to report on his duties."

Returning to Beijing to report on my work means I'll be summoned by him, right?

The teacher will definitely introduce Shen Jiangliu to me then.

Hey!

Qin Ji gave Jiang Jibai a casual reply, then darted into the carriage, pulled down the curtain, leaned on the bench, and touched his face, thinking: Maybe... I should just leave this broken sword in Ning'an and never let it come back?

...

Far away in Ning'an, Shen Jiangliu, who was directing operations on the dike while wearing a raincoat, suddenly sneezed. Rainwater flowed down the back of his neck and onto his vest, making him feel a little chilly.

Shen Jiangliu wiped the rain from his face and said to the Fuguang County Magistrate standing beside him, "Why are you following me like this? Don't you know your own responsibility for building the Fuguang section of the river embankment? You don't think you're all set just because Yituo released the floodwaters, do you?"

"Or is it that the dam collapsed, and I was thrown out as a sacrifice to the heavens? You see I'm all alone, and want your whole family to accompany me on my journey?"

Magistrate of Fuguang County: "..."

Can't someone just shut him up?