Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

Li Yi pushed the door open and entered.

Everything in the courtyard was exactly the same as when he left, even the wicker rocking chair was still swaying very slowly and gently in the breeze, the only thing missing was the person sunbathing in the rocking chair.

Only one bamboo scroll was placed neatly on the low table next to the rocking chair.

Li rushed forward, grabbed the bamboo slips from the low table, his knuckles turning white from the force.

He quickly untied the rope, and the moment his gaze swept over the ink stains on the bamboo slip, he was struck dumb, his fingertips trembling violently.

The three Kings of Qin slowly entered the courtyard. Ying Zheng and Li Si were looking around at the simple and clean courtyard, which contained many novel items.

Meng Wu strode forward, took the bamboo slip from Li Yi's hand, carefully examined the bamboo strips and the rope, even sniffed them, and examined the texture of the bamboo strips against the light.

Li Si's gaze was first drawn to the rattan rocking chair in the courtyard. He strolled over, walked around the peculiar object twice, reached out to hold the back of the chair, and gave it a gentle push.

The rocking chair obediently began to sway back and forth, creaking and groaning with a leisurely and pleasant rhythm, and a hint of interest appeared in his eyes:

"Your Majesty, it seems that this Zhou Wenqing is indeed quite ingenious. Take a look at this."

"A rocking chair." Ying Zheng glanced up and said with certainty.

He casually nudged the adorable rocking horse on the ground with his toe, and the thing wobbled along with it.

It's just something to coax kids... Go back and have someone make a set for Hu Hai and Yin Man too, so those two little brats, who aren't even as tall as a horse's leg, won't keep asking to ride horses every day.

A smile flashed across Ying Zheng's eyes. He ignored the wooden horse, strolled slowly to the rocking chair, and reached out to stroke the smooth armrest.

The wood is warm to the touch, clearly indicating that it has been handled and leaned against every day, leaving traces of use.

He couldn't help but smirk: "They certainly know how to enjoy life."

The secret report about the novel items that Zhou Wenqing had come up with had already been presented to him. He not only read it, but also ordered someone to make a set based on the same design, which was then placed in the side hall of Zhangtai Palace.

Having those tall tables and chairs was indeed much more comfortable than kneeling, which improved his work efficiency.

As for the rocking chair... naturally there is one as well.

He had tried sitting on it privately and found it to be quite relaxing and comfortable. However, it was somewhat unbecoming of his dignity, so he kept it in the storeroom and only took a few swings to relieve his boredom when he had some free time.

Just then, a dark figure silently entered the courtyard and knelt on one knee:

"Your Majesty, your subordinates have searched the entire village but have not found any trace of Zhou Wenqing. We have checked the village entrance, the field ridges, and every courtyard, but no one knows where he has gone."

Ying Zheng frowned, and Meng Wu presented him with the bamboo slips with both hands.

"Your Majesty, Zhou Wenqing should have left not long ago, the ink is not yet completely dry. Please take a look."

Ying Zheng quickly unfolded the bamboo slips.

The first thing you see is a line of slender yet graceful handwriting. The tone of the writing is unexpectedly informal, yet it conveys an unspoken intimacy between the lines.

"Ah Yi: "

I have already told you everything about how to make allicin and what is needed to make salt. You can take these to the King of Qin and present them on my behalf to fulfill my wish. This is not stealing credit, but entrusting me with this task—consider it my last wish.

There's something I haven't told you yet: I'm actually not long for this world.

What ancestral elixirs or life-extending medicines are there in this world? So-called divine medicines are mostly illusions.

That day, I was injured and you saved me. Afterwards, you asked me about it and told me about those bizarre guesses. I found it amusing, so I jokingly denied that it was just an ancestral elixir.

No need to dwell on it—the blood on the ground wasn't all my. It was from when I killed the wicked servant, dragged him to bury him, and then encountered a petty thief who attacked me. I scared him away with my sword, and that's when I sustained other injuries.

Of course, if it weren't for your help, I probably wouldn't be alive today.

In his panic, he mistakenly believed the pill and was poisoned. Now he is forcing himself to hold on for a while, which only further depletes his vital energy. Now his life force is exhausted and he is like a lamp that has run out of oil.

Rather than lingering on in misery, it is better to depart peacefully.

I'm going home now, don't bother looking for me. If you were to see me looking so haggard and disheveled... I simply couldn't bear it.

Zhou Wenqing left his last words

Li Si also peeked out to look, and when his eyes fell on the words "final words," his pupils suddenly contracted.

"Snapped!"

Ying Zheng slammed the bamboo slip shut and flung it away forcefully.

"Find them! Go find them all!"

The king's voice was not loud, but it sounded like cold iron striking each other. Li Si had already knelt down, and Meng Wu and the others beside him also knelt on one knee, not daring to raise their heads.

"Search this place high and low, dig three feet into the ground—find him for me!"

"Your Majesty!" Li Yi's forehead was covered in cold sweat, but he still withstood the almost tangible pressure and said urgently, forcing himself to speak.

"West of the village...the dense forest behind the mountain! Young Master didn't leave the village entrance, it's highly likely...highly likely he went there!"

Ying Zheng stared at him, his gaze as deep as a cold pool. After a moment, the sharp aura around him eased slightly.

The king turned around, his dark sleeves tracing a serene arc in the air:

"Go find it."

He paused briefly, then glanced at Li Yi: "Go and inform the local people that your young master has gone missing by accident, and offer them a large sum of money to help search for him."

"promise!"

…………

Zhou Wenqing has no way of knowing what happened here.

He was squatting on a large, protruding rock at the edge of the cliff, resting his chin on his hand, gazing at the rushing water dozens of feet away, its surface frothy in the twilight, his brows furrowed tightly.

"What a miscalculation..."

He muttered to himself, his tone full of frustration.

"I'd only heard there was a 'Turning Back Cliff' here, a rather auspicious name, and the location was high enough, with a deep enough bottom... but nobody told me there was actually a river at the bottom!"

The mountain wind was biting, making his robes flutter. Zhou Wenqing shrank his neck and leaned down again, carefully estimating the height and the speed of the water flow.

If you jump in and land directly on the rocks, that's the end of it. But if you fall into the water...

"If he didn't fall to his death but instead drowned..." He shuddered and muttered to himself, "That would be too painful."

He imagined himself struggling and thrashing in the icy torrent, his belly filled with water, slowly sinking, and suddenly felt a tightness in his chest.

"No, no, we need to think about this differently."

Zhou Wenqing stood up from the rock, dusted off his clothes, and began pacing back and forth along the cliff edge, his eyes searching around.

Perhaps... there are protruding branches on the cliff face? Or vines? Hang them up there and...

He was lost in thought when his foot suddenly slipped!

He kicked a loose pebble, which rolled down the cliff face with a gurgling sound. Several breaths later, a very faint "plop" was heard, which was then swallowed by the sound of water.

Zhou Wenqing was so frightened that he grabbed the crooked pine tree next to him, his heart pounding.

After catching his breath, he looked at the bottomless abyss and then at his slightly trembling hands, and suddenly found it a little funny.

Even if you're prepared to die, your body's instinct... still makes you afraid!

He squatted back down on the boulder, let out a long sigh, and recalled his experiences in this world—warmth, weariness, but mostly confusion and helplessness.

The mountain wind whipped up the night air, bringing wave after wave of chill. Zhou Wenqing rubbed his numb hands and finally made up his mind.

He stood up, finally making up his mind. He took one last look in the direction of the village that had given him so much warmth, then closed his eyes, preparing to take a step forward—

[Ding ding, the Strongest King's Advisor System 007 has returned. Hello, host, I am...]

The previously calm, mechanical electronic voice in my mind suddenly rose, distorted, and transformed into a series of sharp, explosive sounds—

【Aaaaaaaahh ...

Zhou Wenqing was so startled that he slipped and cried out, "!!!"