Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

Is this the Xia Wuqie I imagined?

The physician Xia Wuqie, who, at the critical moment when Jing Ke attempted to assassinate the King of Qin, bravely threw his medicine bag, stopping Jing Ke for a split second, and was praised by the King of Qin as "Wuqie loves me, for he used his medicine bag to save Jing Ke"?

Zhou Wenqing swallowed a non-existent saliva, feeling his throat become even drier.

He quickly calculated the time in his mind and compared it with Xia Wuqie's status as the personal disciple of the Imperial Physician...

Oh no, it actually matches!

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to calm his racing heart and the slight dizziness that came with it.

I never imagined that such a "famous historical figure" would be hidden in my own mansion.

"The Historian of Zhou".

While Lü Yiling was concentrating on taking Zhou Wenqing's pulse, he suddenly raised his eyelids, glanced at Zhou Wenqing with a hint of doubt, his fingers still resting on Zhou's wrist, his tone carrying the rigor and reproach unique to a physician.

"Why is your pulse suddenly so rapid and your heart beating so violently? This is a case of wind-cold exterior syndrome. It is most important to avoid being agitated and having extreme emotional fluctuations. You should take care of your body and not do this."

So who's to blame?!

Zhou Wenqing looked at Lü Yiling with a hint of resentment, who had a "benevolent doctor's heart" expression on his face and was completely unaware of the shocking revelation he had just made.

He vowed that once he recovered from this cold, the first thing he would do was to thoroughly and meticulously re-examine the backgrounds of every servant, laborer, guard, and even gardener, cook, and gatekeeper in the mansion!

But before that, he must first deal with the more pressing problem at hand.

"Mr. Lü," Zhou Wenqing cleared his still hoarse voice and forced a slightly stiff smile.

"I am deeply grateful for your kindness and humility. However... I believe that there are more than enough doctors in the manor to take care of our daily needs."

He paused briefly, organizing his thoughts, trying to make his reasons sound reasonable rather than a hasty "return."

"Since this Xia Wuqie is your carefully cultivated and outstanding disciple with unlimited potential, it is really a waste of his talents to make such a talent confined to the household as a minor physician to treat Wenqing's minor ailments. It may hinder Xia Jun's progress and future prospects."

He leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming increasingly sincere: "In my humble opinion, it would be better to let Xia Jun return to the Imperial Medical Bureau, serving His Majesty at all times, in case of emergencies. This would allow him to better utilize his talents and would not hinder his future. I wonder if Elder Lü agrees?"

"What are you saying, Zhou Neishi?" Upon hearing this, Physician Lü was not convinced at all. Instead, his brows furrowed even more, and his face showed some disapproval.

"How can you think that you only have a minor ailment?"

Zhou Wenqing: "...Ahem!"

He was so choked by those words that he couldn't catch his breath. His already pale face turned even redder with anger. He leaned against the couch, coughing and glaring at Physician Lü.

Is this the important point?!

"I know, I know. Look at you, so easily angered again. This isn't good!"

Seeing this, Physician Lü quickly softened his tone, patted him on the back to help him catch his breath, then withdrew his fingers from his wrist and resumed his serious expression:

"For a doctor, the most important thing is to have both a benevolent heart and skillful techniques. Saving lives is their duty. If everyone only cares about their so-called bright future and better opportunities, while looking down on the patients in front of them, or even picking and choosing patients, how many true doctors will be left in this world? Where will the dignity of medicine be?"

He raised his voice slightly, and the stubbornness and pride of an old doctor were fully displayed in him:

"The most important thing I teach my disciples is that no patient's illness is minor or serious, and a doctor should do his best to treat them."

"Whether they are royalty or commoners, whether they are seriously ill or suffering from a minor ailment, once they come seeking medical help, they should be treated equally and given the best possible care. How can serving a sick person at the residence of the Prefect Zhou be considered a delay in one's future? Such remarks are not wise and go against the principles of medicine!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Wenqing straightened his expression, gave Lü Yiling a slight bow, and softened his tone:

"What Physician Lü says is true. I was too superficial. A physician should be like this."

"But..." He took a deep breath, then tried to persuade him from a different angle, "This matter concerns personal interests, and it should be done so that your disciples are willing. Forcing them..."

"How did Zhou Neishi know they were unwilling?"

Lu Yiling interrupted him directly, looking straight at Zhou Wenqing with a slightly complicated expression in his eyes.

"Has Zhou, the Secretary, forgotten how you dealt with that 'allicin' back in the countryside?"

Zhou Wenqing was taken aback.

Physician Lü's voice lowered, carrying a sincere and heartfelt respect:

"That is a miraculous item that can save countless lives and is a treasure of medicine! Ordinary families who obtain it will cherish it as a precious gem, keep it hidden and never reveal it, and rely on it as a family heirloom."

"But what about you? You were completely selfless, not only offering it to the King, but also frankly sharing the method of preparation, so that my Imperial Medical Bureau could study it, benefiting the soldiers and civilians, saving countless lives!"

"What a tremendous merit and contribution this is for doctors everywhere and for people who desperately need good medicine!"

He paused, then spoke with even greater earnestness: "Please do not underestimate your importance in the hearts of my disciples. They may be young, but they understand right and wrong, know gratitude, and are even more aware of righteousness. It is precisely because they are grateful for your actions that day and admire your magnanimity that they voluntarily, even actively, beg this old man to serve in your household."

Lu Yiling looked at Zhou Wenqing, a hint of barely perceptible guilt flashing in his eyes.

As the chief physician of the Qin state, when he was ordered by the king to inquire about other people's secret techniques and actually learned the method of making garlic extract, he was not without turmoil in his heart.

Although Zhou Wenqing later gave it up voluntarily, he always felt that the doctor, or rather, he himself, owed him something.

This sense of guilt also prompted him to be extra diligent when the king asked him to recommend a doctor for the Zhou family. He nominated almost all of his most outstanding, reliable, and age-appropriate disciples, allowing the king to choose the most suitable one to be sent to the Zhou family for care.

But the King of Qin... didn't choose; he waved his hand and sent them all away.

However, Lu Yiling didn't have any objections, after all, what he said earlier was not an empty promise. Those eight disciples did indeed have respect for Zhou Wenqing and came voluntarily.

No, Zhou Wenqing was a little confused. Sending someone back had already escalated to this level?!

He opened his mouth, but couldn't find any reason to persuade him again, so he could only lean back dejectedly and let out a long sigh.

It seems that trying to send Xia Wuqie back by getting involved with Physician Lü is completely out of the question. When this old man gets stubborn, he's probably even more troublesome than the difficult Confucian scholars in the academy.

"Ugh, my head hurts!" He resignedly raised his hand and pressed hard on his throbbing temples.

"Don't worry, Minister Zhou. It's just a slight cold, which has caused stagnation in your body's defenses and prevents your vital energy from rising, hence the headache. Let me prepare some medicine for you, and after a good night's sleep and some sweating, the pain will naturally go away."

"I have to take medicine again?" Zhou Wenqing felt his head hurt even more.

"Good medicine tastes bitter, but it is good for the disease. The Imperial Physician should prioritize his health and must not act recklessly," Physician Lü said earnestly.

"But I really feel like I don't need to take any medicine. Just keep it warm, get some sleep, and maybe I'll be fine by tomorrow morning!"

"You're mistaken," Physician Lü said firmly.

"But……"

"No buts."

Zhou Wenqing: "..."

Forget it, if I can't afford to offend them, I can at least avoid them, right?

He took a deep breath and said in a somewhat conciliatory tone, "Physician Lü, it's getting late. Why don't you go back to the palace first? The Xia family physician is here."

Upon hearing this, Physician Lü immediately turned his gaze to Xia Wuqie, who was standing respectfully to the side, his eyes filled with a hint of disappointment.

"He still has much to learn. I will watch over Secretary Zhou after he has administered the medicine before I leave."

That kid... he's really hopeless!

He even praised it in front of Zhou Neishi, but you should know that this was his first consultation as the prefectural physician!

If it were Zhou Neishi suddenly suffering from a serious heart ailment, or if his pulse were dangerous and difficult to read, it would be understandable if this young man hurriedly dragged the old man from the Imperial Medical Bureau. One could even praise him for being cautious and responsible.

But this pulse is clearly a classic case of a common cold. If you can't even be sure about this, why do you need to consult your master?!

Physician Lü glared at his apprentice with annoyance, then picked up his pen and quickly wrote down the prescription.

Xia Wuqie stole a glance at the prescription, then shrank his neck even further.

Master... the prescription you gave is exactly what I expected, so what exactly did you pay extra attention to?

Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside, and a servant's voice came through the curtain:

"The King has arrived!"

The curtains of the inner room were respectfully lifted, and Ying Zheng's tall figure, carrying with him the lingering chill and dampness of the outside air, strode in.

He immediately spotted Zhou Wenqing, who was leaning against the couch, looking pale and sickly, and his brows furrowed imperceptibly.

Startled that the king had been disturbed again, Zhou Wenqing quickly tried to sit up, supporting himself on the edge of the couch. "Your Majesty..."

"Lie down, no need to get up." Ying Zheng had already walked to the bedside, raised his hand and pressed down, stopping him from moving.

His voice was slightly deeper than usual. His gaze lingered on Zhou Wenqing's face for a moment, and only after confirming that he was still conscious and unharmed did he turn to Lü Yiling, who was bowing respectfully to the side.

"How is Zhou Aiqing's condition?"