Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

Three days later, it was Zhou Wenqing's turn to take a day off.

He rarely slept until he naturally woke up, catching up on the sleep he had missed the previous day. Only then did he leisurely finish washing up, and reject Xia Wuqie's eager gaze that seemed to ask, "Sir, would you like to take my pulse today?" He then strolled leisurely into the courtyard.

The rocking chair was already set up in its usual spot, covered with soft cushions. The small clay stove next to it was burning brightly, the charcoal glowing red. A small net was placed on top, and a few chestnuts were lying on it, occasionally making a soft "snap" sound.

Zhou Wenqing leaned back in the rocking chair, swayed a bit, and casually picked up a small pair of pliers next to him, using them to pick up a chestnut that had cracked open.

hot.

He quickly tossed the chestnuts between his hands, blew on them, peeled off the shells, and revealed the golden flesh.

One bite reveals its soft, sweet, and savory texture, along with the distinctive aroma of charcoal.

Zhou Wenqing squinted his eyes and sighed contentedly.

This is what life is all about.

Zhou Wenqing has been so busy lately that he has forgotten how long it has been since he sat in his beloved rocking chair.

Fortunately, with the big event approaching, everything has been arranged. The necessary preparations have been made, the necessary arrangements have been made, and the necessary monitoring has been carried out.

Now I can finally relax, recharge, and prepare for the big show to begin the day after tomorrow.

Zhou Wenqing confidently gave himself a genuine vacation.

He squinted, swayed leisurely, and suddenly felt that most of the sunlight in front of him was blocked.

Who's so blind?

Zhou Wenqing opened one eye with displeasure—

But then he saw Zhang Han standing in front of him, rubbing his hands together with a fawning smile on his face.

"Uncle Zhou."

"What's up?" Zhou Wenqing asked irritably.

That's really serious!

Zhang Han's face immediately fell, and without saying a word, he rushed forward and hugged Zhou Wenqing's leg, bursting into tears:

"Uncle Zhou, waaaaaah~ I was wrong! I don't want any gifts anymore, really! Please tell Li Tingwei to let me go, waaaaaah~"

The rocking chair lurched violently as Zhou Wenqing was being held, and the chestnuts in his hand almost flew out of his hand.

"Uncle Zhou, you're my own uncle! Waaaaaah, Li Tingwei went too far! I want to sleep! I want to rest! I want to go home! Waaaaaahh ...

Zhang Han cried louder and louder, sounding just like a large dog that had been bullied terribly.

Zhou Wenqing looked down at him, her lips twitching.

What's going on here now?

"Get up, get up." He gently kicked Zhang Han with his foot. "What kind of behavior is this? People will think I'm bullying you."

It's almost the same.

Zhang Han thought to himself that he was complaining, but he didn't dare to say it out loud. He stood up obediently and wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

"Uncle Zhou, so you agreed?"

"What did I promise?" Zhou Wenqing glared at him. "Look at you, you're so old, crying and whining, aren't you ashamed?"

He watched as Zhang Han put away the dry howl, but his face was completely dry, and his lips twitched.

Good grief, all talk and no action, and his acting skills have definitely declined.

"Look at you," Zhou Wenqing shook his head helplessly, "where did that quick-witted, upright, protective of your old servant, and almost-fighting-with-me person go?"

Zhang Han blinked, speaking with righteous indignation:

"That's because I was young and ignorant. My senior brother said that a real man can bend and stretch, and it's not shameful to cry—that's the kind of man he is."

Zhou Wenqing: "..."

Your senior brother was crying because your master beat him up, and he's trying to save face in front of you!

He silently swallowed his complaint, looking at the young man in front of him who seemed to have changed, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

Is this child going through a rebellious phase?

He simply couldn't believe that a child as clever as him would believe such nonsense.

Perhaps he wanted to learn martial arts and join the army before, but his family forced him to study literature and law. Now that he finally has the opportunity to learn martial arts, he is finding new ways to unleash his true nature and let himself go.

Zhang Han seemed to see through his thoughts, straightened his clothes, and said with a wry smile:

"Uncle Zhou, it's not my fault. It's just that when Li Tingwei is on official business, he treats people like donkeys! In just three days, I've already worn down five brushes. If this keeps up, I'll go bald!"

"If it weren't for him sitting in court presiding over a case, I wouldn't have been able to sneak out!"

Brother Gu'an, you're still as dashing as ever! Zhou Wenqing couldn't help but twitch his eye.

Since Li Si listened to advice and returned home, he found that the work at the Court of Justice had piled up and he was simply too busy to handle it. A couple of days ago, he even summoned Ah Zhu, a child who had just learned to read and hadn't been studying law for very long, and exploited him.

If he hadn't been unable to bear it and remembered that Zhang Han was skilled in both literature and martial arts, and hadn't recommended him, A Zhu probably wouldn't be back by now.

Thinking of this, Zhou Wenqing looked at Zhang Han with a touch of sympathy.

"Actually, you're still young, so it's good for you to gain more experience. Li Tingwei is doing this for you, hoping you can excel in both literary and martial arts, and have a bright future..."

Zhang Han's gaze began to wander.

Zhou Wenqing changed the subject: "However, Li Tingwei did go a bit too far this time. You can't expect a donkey to be pulled by just one thing, can you?"

Zhang Han nodded frantically, his face full of agreement.

"Alright, I understand." Zhou Wenqing waved his hand. "You can rest at my residence for a while. Don't worry, with Xia here... with me here, he won't dare to come here."

Despite saying that, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Ultimately, the problem is that there are too few talented people, which is why people are being overworked. There will be a period of time between the establishment of the university and the selection of talent, and we must find a solution in the meantime!

Are there any other readily available people like Zhang Han? Forgive me for trying to persuade him again, cough! Let's invite some more...

Zhou Wenqing stroked his chin, frowning slightly in distress.

The famous figures in his mind were either too young or not in Qin, making them beyond his reach...

Wait, Pei County!

Liu Bang's team was full of talented people, how could we forget about this place?

Although Pei County was located on the eastern border of the State of Wei, the State of Wei was already in a precarious state, with Qin laws already in effect and Chu customs still lingering...

It's time to send someone to check. It's hard to say whether Liu Bang, this wandering knight from the streets, is still around, but surely Xiao He, the chief clerk of Pei County, is?

Zhou Wenqing was just thinking about how to retrieve this "hidden gem" and hadn't had time to think about it in detail...

"Uncle Zhou!"

Zhang Han lunged forward again, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, and almost wanted to hug his leg and cry again.

Zhou Wenqing quickly dodged away in disgust: "Go away! Don't smear your snot on me!"

Zhang Han awkwardly steadied himself, wiped his face, and chuckled.

"Ah Yi!" Zhou Wenqing called out to the side, "Take him away and let him catch up on his sleep. Don't let him get in the way."

No one answered.

Zhou Wenqing turned his head and looked around, somewhat puzzled: "Where's A-Yi? He was just here a moment ago."

Zhang Han also looked around: "Hey? They were just here a moment ago."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Yi hurried over from the corridor, his steps a little faster than usual, his brows slightly furrowed, his expression somewhat... subtle.

Zhou Wenqing's heart skipped a beat. He put away his laziness and sat up straight.

"What happened?"

"Sir," Li Yi stepped forward, lowering his voice, "the South Korean envoy has requested a private audience. Shall we let them in?"

Zhou Wenqing frowned slightly.

"A South Korean envoy?"

Li nodded: "Yes, I only brought two attendants, traveling light and simply. I didn't go through the main gate; the invitation was delivered from a side alley."

Zhou Wenqing was silent for a moment.

The South Korean envoy requested a private audience.

At this critical juncture, with the King's birthday banquet approaching and envoys from six countries gathering in Xianyang, any private contact could be used against them.

Moreover, it was South Korea—his nominal homeland.

Where are they?

"They're still waiting at the side gate." Li paused, then said in a low voice, "The person who came was very cautious. They said they had long admired your name, sir, and wanted to present a gift from their hometown. They had no other intentions."

"The etiquette of one's homeland".

Zhou Wenqing repeated the four words, a slight smile playing on his lips, a smile that didn't reach his eyes, but instead revealed a hint of something indescribable.

Zhang Han, who was about to turn around and slip away to the backyard, stopped in his tracks upon hearing this.

"The Korean envoy? So Mr. Zhou is Korean?"

He frowned slightly, as if recalling something, and said thoughtfully:

"I think I heard that the Korean envoy only arrived at the guesthouse today. Logically, after such a long journey, they should have rested first. Why did they rush here before they even had a chance to sit down?"

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Han's expression changed drastically.

He turned around abruptly, strode over to Zhou Wenqing, and lowered his voice, speaking urgently:

"Mr. Zhou, you mustn't see them! At this time, don't think about any camaraderie between our two countries. South Korea will... In short, they definitely have ill intentions!"

Zhou Wenqing's expression remained unchanged; he simply said, "I understand. I know what I'm doing. Go back and catch up on your sleep."

He turned to Li Yi, his tone so calm it betrayed no emotion:

"If you decline, just say that you have been overworked lately and are not feeling well, so you will not see guests."

Li Yi clasped his hands in acceptance, then turned and left.

Zhang Han stood there, his gaze sweeping over Zhou Wenqing's face. He hesitated, then bowed and obediently went to the backyard.

Zhou Wenqing leaned back in the rocking chair and swayed gently.

The sun was still shining brightly, and the aroma of chestnuts still lingered in the air.

But as he gazed at the branches of those old trees in the distance, his eyes grew deeper.

South Korean envoy...

A faint smile curved his lips.

I will definitely see him/her.

Unfortunately, not now.

Let them wait.

Wait a little longer; the more eager you are to finish, the better the results.

------

Two days later.

The main hall of Zhangtai Palace was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers.

Before dawn, the eunuchs began to busy themselves, some sweeping, some setting up tables, some hanging lanterns. Their steps were quick, yet orderly, without the slightest disorder.

As dawn broke, sunlight streamed through the high windows, illuminating the brocades, goldware, and jade vessels laid out, reflecting a dazzling halo.

The hall was prepared with seats arranged according to the rank of each country. At the head of the table was the throne of the King of Qin, followed by the ministers of Qin, and then the seats for the envoys of the six other countries.

Waiters moved back and forth, placing the last batch of wine vessels on the table.

Everything was in perfect order, just waiting for the guests to take their seats.

Under the palace corridor, Li Si stood with his hands behind his back, gazing intently at the carriages that were approaching one after another in the distance.