Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

Zhou Wenqing released his arms from theirs and instead gently grasped Fusu's shoulders, making him raise his head and look directly into his eyes.

"Fusu, keep an eye on the master."

Fusu raised his eyes, his eyes slightly red.

"Sir, is the heated kang (traditional brick bed) beneficial to the people?"

Fusu paused for a moment, then nodded, his voice low but firm: "For the benefit of the people."

"Very well, then let me ask you another question, sir: are those families who built kang (heated brick beds) still suffering from the cold?"

"No... I won't accept it." Fusu pursed his lips, his expression finally softening with a hint of relief. "Their house is very warm; they can easily get through this harsh winter."

"Alright, one last question, Fusu." Zhou Wenqing looked at him, his gaze gentle yet earnest.

"If you could do it all over again, and it were still snowing heavily with no time to explain, would you still force everyone to build the kang (heated brick bed) even if they didn't want to?"

Fusu's lips moved, but he did not answer immediately.

The candlelight flickered in his eyes, as if something was churning and struggling within them. He lowered his eyes and remained silent for a long time, so long that Ah Zhu beside him couldn't help but quietly clench his sleeves.

Then, he finally nodded slowly.

"meeting……"

The word was squeezed out of his throat, somewhat difficult, yet clear and distinct.

"But... sir..." He suddenly raised his head, his eyes even redder.

"This was a choice Fusu had no other option with, but if you, sir, were to handle it, perhaps it would be easier to convince the people and save a lot of trouble; or perhaps you would be more perceptive and notice those people's odd behavior sooner... In that case, wouldn't... wouldn't it be possible to avoid..."

"This is a meaningless assumption."

Zhou Wenqing interrupted him, her voice steady and calm, like a hand gently supporting Fusu's surging emotions.

"Fusu, listen to what your teacher has to say."

He leaned forward, getting closer to Fusu.

"You have to understand, that group of people never came for the 'heated bed' from the beginning; they came for me, sir."

"So no matter how well you do or how clearly you explain, they will find other reasons or excuses to make the innocent kneel, make a scene, or even... die, because their goal is never firewood or a heated kang (heated brick bed), but to pull the master off his horse and trample him into the mud."

Fusu's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but Zhou Wenqing stopped him by raising his hand.

"Do you think that if you had been gentler and had offered more persuasive advice, they wouldn't have knelt in front of the Neishi Temple?"

"Do you think they would have stopped if you had noticed their unusual behavior beforehand?"

Zhou Wenqing shook his head, a faint hint of coldness flashing in his eyes, gone in an instant.

"No, as long as there are evil people, they will just change their rhetoric and methods to continue doing what they want, because those who froze to death were never human beings in their eyes—just tools."

He paused, looked into Fusu's eyes, and said, word by word:

"How can we criticize ourselves for the despicable nature of such people?"

"Fusu, you want to do your best, you want everyone to be satisfied, you want things to be flawless—I understand your heart."

"But in this world, some things won't happen just because you do them well, and some people won't stop just because you're perceptive enough."

He gently patted Fusu's shoulder: "If we punish ourselves for not being good enough because of their evil deeds, then we are being too hard on ourselves."

Fusu lowered his head and remained silent for a long time.

The darkness in those eyes was still there, but it no longer seemed so heavy, like a thin mist that had finally been gently parted by something.

"Sir...I actually understand."

His voice was still a little hoarse, but much steadyer than before.

Zhou Wenqing looked at him, but didn't speak immediately; she just waited quietly.

"But sir... I really, really want to avoid making a mistake."

His voice lowered, carrying an indescribable heaviness:

"I just feel that... someone of my status shouldn't make mistakes."

Zhou Wenqing sighed softly to himself and reached out to pull Fusu closer.

"Fusu, no one is perfect."

"The gentleman has said this many times, and I will say it again today—no one is infallible."

"Admittedly, given your position, the consequences of making mistakes are greater, but that doesn't mean you have to be overly cautious, walking on thin ice, afraid of taking a single wrong step."

He paused, then looked down into Fusu's eyes:

"This means that you need to be more careful and thoughtful when making decisions; it means that when things go wrong, you need to be able to stand up and take responsibility for the consequences, instead of hiding in a corner and blaming yourself."

"Just like..."

Zhou Wenqing paused slightly, a very faint smile appearing on his lips:

"Just like your father."

Fusu's body trembled slightly.

"What your father did, wasn't of paramount importance? What mistake didn't shake the very foundation of the kingdom?"

"But when has he ever hesitated to move forward for fear of making a mistake?"

"I think Your Majesty simply considered everything before making a decision; and after making the decision, you took full responsibility for it."

"This is how a ruler should be."

Fusu's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he swallowed it back.

Zhou Wenqing looked at him and gently patted his shoulder:

"Good boy, I believe in you."

"You are kind enough, that is your foundation; these days, I have also seen you become more decisive. I think your father has also seen your progress. The gentleness in your bones is your advantage, it makes you more tolerant and more convincing."

He paused for a moment: "But it is also your weakness, making you too gentle, which makes you prone to hesitation and lack of confidence and decisiveness."

Fusu nervously clenched his fingers, then looked up, his eyes filled with longing:

"So, sir, how can I...?"

"You can look more at your father and see how he acts."

"For example... how to deal with the bad guys this time."

"After watching it, you may have a new understanding."

"Sir! I understand!" Fusu's eyes brightened, and he nodded vigorously. "I will definitely study hard like my father—"

He was interrupted gently by Zhou Wenqing halfway through his sentence.

"I'm just saying this in terms of dealing with bad people."

He spoke up, his tone carrying a deeper meaning, and then gave Fusu's head a good whack.

He knew that Fusu's recognition and respect for his father was absolutely unmatched by anyone else.

Unfortunately, he never witnessed that period of history firsthand, and he couldn't help but feel curious. Zhou Wenqing often made some rather unreliable guesses.

Perhaps Fusu, who in history books seems to oppose the king at every turn and incur his father's dislike, was actually the most obedient one.

Perhaps because he listened too much, when the king showed favoritism towards Huhai, he truly believed that his father's choice was not for him; when the edict ordering his execution was delivered to him, he truly believed it was his father's decision.

Zhou Wenqing sometimes wondered why Fusu had so obediently accepted his death.

Besides not wanting to start another war, could there be another reason? He trusted his father's judgment, believing that Huhai was the successor personally chosen by his father, and that that person could bring a better future to the Qin Dynasty. Therefore, he took the initiative to abdicate and did not want to fight for the throne anymore.

It's a pity that there are villains like Zhao Gao in this world, and Hu Hai... well, it's hard to describe him.

Zhou Wenqing concealed the somber look in his eyes and turned his gaze back to the young boy in front of him.

A prosperous era and a chaotic era require different rulers. How the king will deal with the villains who hinder the Qin Dynasty, and what methods he will use—he doesn't even need to think about it to know. But such a ruthless and decisive approach may not be suitable for Fusu, who will surely live in a prosperous era in the future.

He looked at the young boy in front of him, whose hair was disheveled but who was still trying to keep it neat, and softened his voice:

"The rest is up to you to decide, but I don't recommend that you completely eliminate your advantages."

Yes, it still feels great!

"Understood, sir!"

Fusu's head wobbled from being pulled, and after finally managing to break free, he shrank back, his messy hair sticking up in a few tufts, making his feigned serious face look particularly funny. He covered his head, protesting.

"Sir, I'm not a child anymore! You can rub Ah-zhu, but you can't rub me anymore!"

"Ah-Zhu isn't a child anymore!"

Not to be outdone, Ah Zhu stood on tiptoe, eager to prove himself. His face flushed red, and he puffed out his chest, shouting:

"Father said that when he was my age, he was already able to help raise his younger siblings! In a few more years, Ah-Zhu will be the head of the family, and he'll be very close to that position. Ah-Zhu isn't a child anymore!"

Looking at these two little adults with "I've grown up" expressions, one covering his head with a face full of accusation, and the other standing on tiptoe trying to defend himself, Zhou Wenqing finally couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Indeed, in ancient times, fourteen or fifteen-year-old children, especially poor commoners, might have already started a family and were supporting their families.

But so what?

The pressure of survival forces them to mature prematurely, but that doesn't mean they are mentally sound.

Otherwise, why would the coming-of-age ceremony for men be set at the age of twenty?

Of course, great men like the First Emperor are exceptions; geniuses like Gan Luo are not uncommon, but extreme intelligence often leads to harm, and they are ultimately few and far between.

Fusu... he still has time.

It is necessary.

He will not allow anyone to have another chance to harm the king.

Absolutely not!

So at least with you, sir—

They're still just kids.