Chapter 2053: How to Tame the Rebellious Youth 02

Ji Lai zhi's fists are fast, aimed straight at the eye sockets; if he lands a blow, it either draws blood or blinds that eye.

Jin Chen neither dodges nor avoids; the fist wind strikes his nose, yet he easily catches and deflects it.

After a few retreats, one move subdues the enemy.

Ji Lai zhi has his arms twisted behind his back, his body pressed against the tree, unable to move, and he feels a sudden shock.

He looks frail, yet how can his strength be so great!

"Let go!" Ji Lai zhi twists his neck to glare backward, the vermilion mole at the corner of his eye suddenly flaring bright.

Jin Chen lowers his gaze and sees Ji Lai zhi's neck, as white as jade, hiding a faint vermilion birthmark, like a peach blossom fallen on cold jade.

He grabs Ji Lai zhi with one hand, finds that birthmark through his clothing, and presses it lightly.

"Not much skill," Jin Chen says, then releases the trembling youth, "Just enough to keep you in check."

"You wait for me, young master!"

Perhaps out of anger, Ji Lai zhi rushes at Jin Chen and raises his fist, but this time he doesn't swing fully, just threatens twice before leaping back onto the tree and lightly bounding away.

Like a small beast baring its fangs and claws, Jin Chen thinks, all spikes.

Shan Bo, who had watched the whole scene, again clasped his hands and said, "Sir, you saw it too; the young master is stubborn and hard to change, so I fear you'll have to devote more effort."

Jin Chen withdraws his gaze, his tone aloof: "Steward, you overstate it."

Shan Bo leads Jin Chen past the training grounds and the front courtyard of Sword Manor, then to the long corridor where he summons the Internal Affairs Steward; shortly after, they enter Observing Cloud Pavilion, which is indeed Ji Lai zhi's residence.

Observing Cloud Pavilion is spacious, resembling an independent manor, but observant ones will notice that, though it looks elegant, it is overly empty and far removed from Sword Manor's front courtyard, extremely secluded.

As the Internal Affairs Steward leaves, he says, "Sir, if you are to teach daily, living elsewhere is hardly convenient."

Jin Chen had just set down his bundle in the wing room when he heard a miserable cry from the courtyard.

【Oh dear, someone is in trouble.】 Ling Gun Gun warns.

The plot has now progressed to the first year of Ji Si Yao becoming Young Manor Lord; Ji Lai zhi is already struggling on the edge of depravity and could fall at any moment.

Jin Chen pushes open the window and gazes into the small courtyard through the floating dust.

"Young master, here is what you asked for."

The gray-clad attendant hands the folded oil-paper bag to Ji Lai zhi.

"The amount is quite generous," Ji Lai zhi says, shaking out the powder inside, glancing at the man bound and thrown to the ground; he sneers, the corner of his mouth curling to reveal sharp tiger teeth.

"Chu Lao Si, falling into my hands means you're unlucky today."

The powder is poured into the tea bowl, and Ji Lai zhi grabs Chu Lao Si's hair, intending to force it down his throat.

"Ji Lai zhi!! Let me go! I've already admitted my mistake—what more do you want!" Chu Lao Si struggles, shaking his head desperately, spilling tea everywhere.

"What are you shouting for? Don't you know this place is so remote that even if you died, no one would care?"

Ji Lai zhi tilts his head wickedly, forcing the tea bowl against his teeth and pouring the contents down.

Whoosh—

A tearing sound rings out as a bamboo leaf pierces the tea bowl.

Ji Lai zhi reacts swiftly, glancing backward warily, somewhat bewildered.

"How is it you again!"

Jin Chen approaches, his cold gaze locking onto Ji Lai zhi for a few moments, then shifting to the disheveled Chu Lao Si on the ground.

"What happened?"

His tone is flat and cold; to Chu Lao Si it feels like the last straw, and he begs for mercy in a panic.

"Save me! This great hero, save me…… I merely bumped into Young Master Ji on the street unintentionally, and he wants to flog me with a dozen lashes and pour poison down my gut!"

Ji Lai zhi leans sideways against the stone table, too lazy to lift his eyelids, "Exactly, that's how it is."

Jin Chen plucks two more bamboo leaves, swings his hand to cut the hemp binding Chu Lao Si, and grabs Ji Lai zhi's wrist before he can lash out in anger.

"You may go; from now on, when you travel, don't rush about recklessly."

As Chu Lao Si climbs to his feet, hearing this inexplicably sends a chill through him, as if the white-clad man sees through everything; he flees in disgrace before he can even wipe the blood from his body.

Ji Lai zhi watches the fleeing figure with a deep gaze, then pours the remaining powder into the teapot and sets it with a thud on the stone table before Jin Chen.

"You let him go, so you shall drink this poisoned tea in his place!"

Jin Chen sits beside him, his voice tinged with amusement, "Using croton powder as a gut‑rotting poison, Young Master Ji, what a refined taste."

Ji Lai zhi: "……"

Ji Lai zhi remains composed, but his tone grows more irritable: "Stop meddling!"

He provoked and collided with you on the street; if he had just left then, that would have been enough—why drag him back to torment him, deliberately inviting gossip?

"... I've told you to stop interfering!"

Ji Lai zhi thinks this person must be a fortune‑teller by trade.

He, furious, draws his side sword and slashes at Jin Chen.

Jin Chen sidesteps a few moves, then strikes the sword hilt with a knife hand and presses acupoints.

Ji Lai zhi freezes in fright, his long sword clatters to the ground, and Jin Chen picks it up and slips it back into the sheath.

"Isn't he just an instructor? How does he know bone‑melting acupressure!"

"Behave." Jin Chen presses Ji Lai zhi's nape, lifts his knee to press against his knee, adopting a stance, and says softly, "Today we practice horse stance; the acupoints will be released in half an hour."

Ji Lai zhi is only sealed at the acupoints; he can still speak, cursing one sentence after another.

Jin Chen pretends not to hear, places a porcelain cup on Ji Lai zhi's head, and taps it with his fingers.

"For each extra word, I'll add one; if it falls, I'll add another half‑hour."

Ji Lai zhi: "……"

Just as he was about to speak, he hears a light addition: "I mean what I say."

Ji Lai zhi keeps a wooden face and closes his mouth.

It was the cusp of late spring and early summer; today's sun was hotter than before, and Ji Lai Zhi, who had no sense of the season, still wore spring clothes, and his anger rose.

Half an hour passed, the heat made sweat pour straight down, and the tip of his nose became moist.

Jin Chen, meanwhile, sat under the bamboo shade, and even had the gray-clad servant brew cold tea for him, looking completely at ease.

Ji Lai Zhi was so hot that every strand of his hair seemed to shout with irritability, and he didn't know how many times he had cursed this person in his heart.

After another span of time it took to drink a cup of tea, sweat was about to drip into his eyes; Ji Lai Zhi felt uncomfortable, blinked twice, then simply closed his eyes and endured.

Suddenly his chin was lifted by a cool fingertip; Ji Lai Zhi instinctively opened his eyes, but was stunned by the damp handkerchief that covered him.

The handkerchief had been soaked in well water, and touching the skin that still gave off heat was most comfortable.

But Ji Lai Zhi dared not move; he had never had his face wiped like this before, and he was completely at a loss.

Jin Chen wiped away all the sweat, casually threw the handkerchief back into the basin, and placed his damp fingers on Ji Lai Zhi's nape, saying, "Now I'll unseal your acupoint; you must not move your hands, and from now on such a thing must not happen again—can you do that?"

Ji Lai Zhi tried to ignore the strange subtle feeling at his nape, and retorted sharply, "I can't."

Jin Chen made as if to withdraw his hand, "Then continue."

"... Wait a moment!"

Ji Lai Zhi drew a heavy deep breath, almost as if it were squeezed out from between his teeth.

"Can."