Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

As usual, Zhou Wenqing was half-reclined in the rocking chair in the yard, swaying back and forth idly.

The only difference was that Li Yi stood firmly to the side like a pillar.

"Ah Yi," Zhou Wenqing said slowly, squinting, "go do what you need to do, you don't need to always be watching over me."

Five days have passed since the heart attack, and he felt that he was fully recovered. But Li Yi didn't think so. She stayed by his side even more closely, watching him closely even if he took a few extra steps.

"Young master, don't worry about me," Li Yi said, arms crossed, his eyes scanning the corner of the courtyard and the treetops warily, as if some unexpected event might fall from the sky at any moment. "I'm fine."

"You're okay, but I'm in trouble!"

Zhou Wenqing stopped wandering around and pointed to the courtyard gate. Two little children, clutching wooden toys, were timidly looking in his direction, wanting to approach but too afraid to.

"If you just stand here like this, the children won't dare to come to me."

Li Yi looked in the direction he pointed and saw that the two little ones quickly shrank back, leaving only a small piece of their clothes fluttering by the door.

He doesn't look fierce at all. He's never intimidated these kids when he sees them. He's even helped fix broken bamboo kites twice. What's there to be afraid of?

Li Yi felt wronged, remained silent for two seconds, and then slumped slightly: "Then...then I'll go to the backyard to feed the horses."

"Go ahead, go ahead."

Li Yi turned around and slowly walked towards the backyard. His back view revealed a strange sense of loneliness, and even his steps seemed heavier than usual.

Seeing his expression, Zhou Wenqing almost couldn't help but laugh. She waved her hand and called out towards the door, "Little Stone, Ah Hua, come here."

The two little heads cautiously peeked out again, pushing and shoving each other as they moved into the yard.

"You two little rascals, are you afraid of Guard Li?" Zhou Wenqing asked softly.

Little Stone shook his head, then nodded, clutching the hem of his clothes and whispering, "It's not that I'm scared... it's just that I feel like he looks a bit like my father."

The slightly younger Ahua nodded timidly in agreement, "Hmm...like Father."

Zhou Wenqing was slightly taken aback: "Isn't it good to look like Father?"

"My father..." Little Stone lowered his head and rubbed his toes on the ground. "He... he always had a stern face. If I was naughty or broke a bowl, he... he would spank my bottom."

Ahua shrank back, her voice even softer: "My father is also... not fond of smiling."

Does Li Yi not like to smile? Zhou Wenqing thought for a moment, then said, "No!"

Perhaps my illness these past two days has stressed him out. He's been standing by me like a wooden stake, his eyes scanning for any non-existent danger like copper bells, which is why he seems so cold, hard, and unapproachable.

"Guard Li is different from your father." He pulled himself out of his thoughts and said gently to the two children, "He never hits children, and he even helped you fix your kites, didn't he?"

The two children looked at each other and slowly nodded.

"Next time you see him," Zhou Wenqing said with a smile, pinching Ahua's nose, "say hello first. He might even give you some candied fruit; he has plenty hidden away!"

"Really?!"

Candied fruit! The two children's eyes lit up instantly, and their initial timidity was completely washed away by the sweet anticipation.

"Then we'll definitely say hello next time we meet!"

"That's right, next time..."

Zhou Wenqing was about to give another instruction when he heard familiar, deliberately soft footsteps behind him.

He looked up, a smile flickering in his eyes: "No need to wait until next time."

He pointed to Li Yi, who was walking out of the backyard.

The two children followed his finger and saw the tall figure. They instinctively shrank back and took a half step back.

But then they thought of the candied fruit, looked at each other, mustered their courage, and whispered tentatively:

"Hello, Li, guard."

Li Yi paused in his steps.

He stood a few steps away, looking at the two children with their little faces upturned, both nervous and expectant, and then at Zhou Wenqing in the rocking chair, who was silently and repeatedly mouthing: Honey-soaked fruit.

Li Yi paused for a moment, then smiled.

He crouched down to be at eye level with the two children, and took out a box from his pocket. Inside were five or six amber-colored candied apricots.

"Here, take this and eat it. Don't forget to share some with your friends!"

"Wow, thank you, Guard Li!"

The two children took the fruit, thanked the vendor sincerely, and then skipped off to share it with their friends.

Li Yi stood up, patted the hem of his clothes, and turned his head to meet Zhou Wenqing's smiling gaze from the rocking chair.

"Why are you back again?"

Li paused, walked to his side, and lowered his voice: "Young Master, I have something to attend to and need to go out for a while. You..."

"Go on, go on!" Zhou Wenqing waved his hand to interrupt him, his tone relaxed.

"I'm perfectly fine, just sunbathing here. What are you worried about?"

After hesitating for a moment, Li Yi finally nodded: "Well... okay, I'll be back as soon as possible."

"No rush." ​​Zhou Wenqing leaned back, closed his eyes, and smiled. "Just go about your business."

Li Yi stood there for two more seconds before turning and walking out of the courtyard. As he reached the gate, he subconsciously glanced back—

Zhou Wenqing was still lying in the rocking chair, bathed in warm sunlight that even gilded the ends of his hair with a light gold. He looked peaceful and content, as if he were just an ordinary scholar taking a break from his illness in the spring.

Li Yi withdrew his gaze and stepped out of the courtyard gate.

The footsteps faded into the distance.

On the rocking chair, Zhou Wenqing slowly opened his eyes, gazing at the empty courtyard gate, the smile on his lips gradually fading.

He certainly knew what Li Yi was going to do.

Those bamboo slips will eventually have to be sent out, won't they?

Returning every five days, having long wanted to escape, how could Zhou Wenqing not have figured out the pattern early on?

He closed his eyes briefly, then quickly opened them again, got up, and walked straight to the kitchen.

Since that disastrous "cooking demonstration," Zhou Wenqing had never returned to this place of heartbreak. Fortunately, the kitchens of this era were not as elaborate as those of later generations, and there were not many utensils. He immediately spotted the salt shaker placed next to the stove.

Zhou Wenqing first picked it up and tossed it around, then lifted the lid and looked inside—

In just a few days, nearly half of the snow-white fine salt in the jar had disappeared.

This amount... far exceeds what the two of them need daily.

really……

"Sigh, it's come to this...it's come to this."

Zhou Wenqing leaned against the stove, shook his head, and sighed softly.

Although he could understand Li Yi's responsibilities, he really couldn't stay in this village or this house any longer.

It seems that Li Yi has already presented the method for making "garlic extract". Well, this way Li Yi has finally earned some credit.

In addition, there's the refined salt—although the specific method of its production is unknown, Li Yi personally witnessed and prepared all the ingredients and utensils, so he must remember them clearly. Therefore, it shouldn't be difficult to earn another credit for this.

Perhaps those craftsmen could figure out how to make "snowflake salt" by thinking about it.

In this way, even if he disappears, Li Yi won't be too harshly criticized for "incompetence".

Zhou Wenqing raised his hand and looked at his palm. The lines were clear, the body temperature was normal, and his breathing was warm and full of life.

Since he did not "turn into a wisp of smoke" by disrupting history, it seems that allicin and refined salt did not cause too uncontrollable butterfly effects.

That way, he can leave with a little more peace of mind.

Zhou Wenqing raised his head, his eyes calm.

He never denied the cowardice, even... indifference, that was in his bones.

He feared that his selfishness and momentary passion might push the future into an even worse abyss; this responsibility was too heavy for him to bear.

It's time. Although I'm a little reluctant, it will be too late if things really turn out badly.

It's time to go now.

If you keep walking along the west end of the village, there is a cliff in the dense forest behind the mountain. Because wild animals roam there and ominous things often happen, it is rarely visited by people. That was a place he had already found out about.