I am the champion of palace intrigue, and even the proud prince bows his head in submission.

Chapter 507 Xie Jingchun's Storyline: Cleaning Up

"A fight? You really want to fight?" Wang Qichang was so surprised that he took a step back.

"Aren't you a deputy general in the army? This little bit of training won't be difficult for you." The young general smiled meaningfully.

"start!"

As soon as the gong sounded, the warrior pounced on him without any mercy.

In less than a quarter of an hour, Wang Qichang was beaten so badly he was rolling on the ground.

He braced himself on the ground, coughing and roaring.

"Are you all insane?! This is a military camp, not your Xie family's territory! How dare you treat me like this—"

"Why wouldn't General Xie dare?" The young general beside him raised his eyes and spoke leisurely.

"He single-handedly governs a region, and half of the officers and soldiers in the Beijing Garrison were trained by him. You are just a nominal deputy general; in his eyes, you are not even a weapon."

The young general stood with his hands behind his back, looked at Wang Qichang, whose mouth was stained with blood, and sneered.

"Try another one."

"Today, General Xie gave the order to properly hone Vice General Wang's skills. Anyone who dares to slack off will be punished by General Xie later, and I will not admit it."

"Yes!" Several guards responded in unison, and immediately replaced them with a burly soldier.

Upon hearing this, Wang Qichang turned pale. He was about to shout when the man was dragged into the field.

He stumbled and steadied himself, and before he could react, another heavy punch came flying at him!

"boom!"

He staggered and flew out, crashing into the dust.

Before they could even struggle, they were lifted up again.

"Next person!"

"Come on!"

From Chen Shi (7-9 AM) to Wei Shi (1-3 PM), soldiers changed from fists and feet to short weapons.

Wang Qichang was beaten so badly that he saw stars, and his face was swollen like a steamed bun.

The young general sat on the steps, glancing up every now and then.

"Deputy General Wang, grit your teeth and hold on a little longer."

Wang Qichang was almost in tears. As he was being pressed to the ground, he weakly cried out, "I...I was wrong...I won't do it again, I really won't...Let me go back..."

But he was ignored.

Wang Qichang was beaten repeatedly for a whole day, until he was too exhausted to even groan and lay on the ground like a dead fish.

The next morning, before dawn.

Wang Qichang was forcibly dragged out of bed.

He was led to the drill ground, staggering as he stepped across the threshold, when he suddenly knelt down.

His knees slammed heavily against the hard blue brick floor, making him wince in pain.

"Stop hitting me, I really can't take it anymore..."

Before he could finish shouting, a familiar voice came from behind him.

"Deputy General Wang, you are honored this time." The young general stood with his hands behind his back. "Yesterday, your brothers in the army took turns to train you, and today General Xie is here to teach you personally."

"Didn't you say the military camp wasn't Xie family territory? Here, perfect timing, General Xie is over there, say it again to his face?"

Wang Qichang shuddered and turned his head in horror.

Not far away, a figure in a silver-gray battle robe stood with his hands behind his back, his killing intent restrained, and his aura so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

Upon seeing that figure's back, Wang Qichang's knees buckled, and he knelt down with a thud.

He crawled forward a few steps and began to speak incoherently.

"General Xie! I have no idea what I have done to offend you! I beg you to give me some clarification and a way out!"

He kowtowed repeatedly, his heart filled with surging fear.

The figure slowly turned around.

Wang Qichang looked up abruptly and recognized him at a glance!

It's him! How could it be him!

The color drained from Wang Qichang's face in an instant, his pupils dilated sharply, and his body trembled.

The person he wanted to kill the day before yesterday was actually General Xie!

At this moment, he finally understood what kind of evil spirit he had provoked.

Xie Jingchun stood with his hands behind his back, staring at Wang Qichang silently, as if looking at a dull puddle of mud.

Wang Qichang was completely panicked. "Thank you, General... It's a misunderstanding! It's truly a misunderstanding! I was blind and didn't recognize your greatness, General—"

"To ambush a high-ranking military officer in such a strategically important area as the capital, you have quite the nerve," Xie Jingchun said coldly.

"General, spare my life... I was confused for a moment, I absolutely did not mean to offend you..."

Xie Jingchun's eyes flickered slightly, and he casually waved his hand: "Men, drag him away and give him fifty lashes."

The crowd below responded immediately, and several training soldiers rushed forward like the wind and lifted Wang Qichang up from the ground.

He was pressed down on the sandbag rack in the training ground, his arms pressed tightly together, and his knees and feet locked.

"General Xie, please spare my life! I truly know I was wrong! Please don't hit me—"

"Shut up," a guard said coldly.

"Snapped--!"

With the first lash, Wang Qichang screamed in agony, the sound piercing the morning mist.

After ten lashes, Wang Qichang had already fainted, his back torn and bleeding.

Xie Jingchun slowly stepped down from the stage and walked up to him. "Send him back to the Pingnan Marquis's residence. There's no need to say anything else; the Pingnan Marquis will understand."

Evening, at Prince Jing's residence.

Nan Nan was tending to the flowers and plants in the backyard when she suddenly heard light footsteps behind her. She turned around and looked.

"Young Master Chun?" She was slightly taken aback.

Xie Jingchun walked up to her and placed a small porcelain bottle in her hand.

"This is a new medicine for injuries prescribed by the imperial physician. It's milder than the previous medicine. I've had it brewed and am bringing it to you."

Nan Nan said softly, "Thank you, Young Master Chun, but I'm already better, so it's alright."

"Really? You fell pretty badly that day, and it was cold in the woods..."

As he spoke, he raised his hand to check her injury, saying, "Let me see."

Before he could finish speaking, Nan Nan subconsciously took a step back, a slight but obvious movement.

A moment of silence fell over the surroundings.

Xie Jingchun's hand froze in mid-air, his expression changing slightly as he finally realized what was happening.

He slowly withdrew his fingers, letting them hang down at his sides.

He looked at her, his gaze slightly lowered, and his voice became a little hoarse.

"……sorry."

“I forgot again, you’re not the little girl who used to follow me around and cry every time she fell down anymore.”

Nan Nan's voice was gentle yet measured.

"Young Master Chun, you mean well, I know you didn't mean anything by it."

Xie Jingchun didn't say anything more, "Keep the medicine, remember to apply it tonight..."

After he finished speaking, he turned to leave, but then he heard a soft, gentle call behind him:

"Young Master Chun."

He paused, turned around, and saw Nan Nan standing in the lamplight, her eyes gentle.

"Young Master Chun, are your injuries still painful?"

Xie Jingchun chuckled casually, "It's nothing, just a scratch, not much blood."

“But I remember the physician said your shoulder injury needs to be dressed every day,” Nan Nan said, taking a step forward. “Did you forget today?”

She had just smelled blood on Xie Jingchun.

Xie Jingchun looked away slightly. "I did forget, but it wasn't intentional."

"I was just thinking..." He paused, then added softly, "You're the gentlest when you apply the medicine; other people always hurt me."

"So, I'd like you to apply the medicine for me, is that alright?"

Xie Jingchun looked up, her bright eyes meeting hers.