Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

Sure enough, the next second——

"Zhou Neishi, where will you run off to now that you've seen this old man?"

The voice was neither too loud nor too soft, steady and clear, yet it was like an invisible thread that precisely wrapped around Zhou Wenqing's ankle.

It was too late; Zhou Wenqing was seen. He squeezed his eyes shut.

Kui Zhuang, Doctor Kui has come again.

Since the academy was established, the Zhou residence has gained another important official who can enter directly without needing a formal visiting card.

Unlike General Wang Jian, who forced his way in through "strength," and unlike Li Si, who deliberately used a side entrance, this Physician Wei was politely welcomed in by himself.

When he first presented his visiting card, Zhou Wenqing respected his uprightness and integrity, and not only personally came out to greet him, but also sincerely invited him to come directly to him on official business in the future, without having to stand on ceremony.

Who would have thought?

Not long after, Zhou Wenqing went from initially greeting him with admiration to now avoiding him like the plague, and even developed a new skill—identifying people by their footsteps.

Kui Zhuang's footsteps were steady, regular, and unhurried, each step perfectly in time, just like him—meticulous, leaving no room for criticism, and impossible to ignore.

Zhou Wenqing took a deep breath, then another, finally swallowing it back and resignedly pulling back the foot that had stepped out.

When he turned around, the expression on his face had already switched from "frantic escape" to "calm and composed," faster than a face change.

"So it's Doctor Kui." He cupped his hands in greeting, his smile gentle and courteous. "My apologies, Wenqing was just about to greet you."

Kui Zhuang stood at the courtyard gate, dressed in a dark blue official robe, with a thin face and calm eyes, seemingly unaware of the "escape" act he had just performed.

He simply nodded slightly and stepped inside.

"No need for formalities, Zhou Neishi. I have come today to discuss official business."

Zhou Wenqing's smile remained unchanged, but he sighed silently in his heart.

Well, my leisurely days are completely ruined. My rare day off is gone!

He groaned inwardly, but remained outwardly calm. He stepped aside and gestured for him to enter: "Doctor Kui, please come into the study quickly. Let's talk slowly. Ah Zhu, pour some tea."

We need to get him away quickly, otherwise it will be troublesome if he sees this pile of chestnut and pine nut shells in the yard.

Ah Zhu responded and quickly got up to make tea. As he passed Zhou Wenqing, he glanced at him with a pity in his eyes.

Sir, I didn't say anything.

Zhou Wenqing glared at him: You do want to say something.

Their eyes met for a moment, then looked away.

Kui Zhuang had already strode confidently toward the study, and Zhou Wenqing quickly followed.

In the study, the two took their seats as host and guest. Ah Zhu brought in tea, placed it down quietly, and then tactfully retreated to the door, closing it behind him.

Kui Zhuang ignored the teacup and said, "Minister Zhou, I have something to say, but I don't know if I should."

Zhou Wenqing's heart skipped a beat, but he forced a smile and said, "Doctor Kui, please speak freely."

After a moment of contemplation, Wei Zhuang slowly said, "The Prefect of Zhou is young and promising, deeply trusted by the King, and holds important positions such as the Director of All Things and the Prefect of Grain. His future is bright, but..."

He paused, his gaze falling on the old tree outside the window, his tone becoming more earnest:

"Young people should aspire to travel far and wide, especially someone as young as the Inner Historian who has such a mindset and achievements. It is truly rare. He must not let playthings distract him from his ambition and easily wear down his spirit. He must know that the people of the world are eagerly awaiting his return. The sooner the academy is built, the sooner skilled craftsmen and doctors can be trained. Matters that benefit the country and the people cannot be neglected for even a moment."

Zhou Wenqing's smile stiffened slightly.

Help! I really just took a break on my day off; I'm not idle at all during the week!

Kui Zhuang seemed to have seen through his thoughts and waved his hand.

"I am not saying that Zhou, the Minister of the Interior, should not rest. After all, the Minister of the Interior is a little weak and it is only natural for him to rest more. But the harsh winter has passed and spring plowing is imminent, so we must not delay."

"Moreover, there are matters concerning the academy, which are numerous and complex and cannot be delayed. Zhou, the Minister of the Interior, must take these matters seriously and not let down the King's expectations or the people who trust you."

Zhou Wenqing nodded repeatedly, looking like he had learned something: "Doctor Wei is right, Wenqing will remember it."

Kui Zhuang nodded in satisfaction, took out the scroll from his sleeve, and spread it out on the table.

"In that case, I will speak frankly."

His finger tapped on the drawing, and his voice regained its businesslike seriousness.

"The construction of the academy is proceeding according to the regulations. Five hundred and forty-seven commoners have been registered and seven thousand three hundred and twenty slaves have been conscripted. All of them have been organized into teams and registered, and are under the supervision of special personnel. The day before yesterday, I personally went to the site to inspect it. The foundation has been leveled and the main hall's beams and pillars have been erected. At this rate, it will take less than three months to reach the level that the Inner Historian mentioned before, where there is a place for teaching first."

Zhou Wenqing nodded, inwardly grumbling.

The number of slaves is many times greater than that of the common people, tsk tsk! He had long known the allure of the Bureau of Hundreds of Things, but he never expected there to be so many hidden tycoons!

Although he listened patiently, he was already well aware of the progress.

These days, I've been dragged by Wei Zhuang to the site many times to check things in person. Even when it comes to the screening and registration of the common people, he keeps a close eye on it and checks each item one by one, for fear of missing or making a mistake. Fortunately, everything went smoothly and there were no major problems.

Speaking of which, Doctor Wei was probably a representative of the hands-on approach.

Perhaps having seen too many corrupt officials, he always personally supervised every detail. Zhou Wenqing saw this thin old man roll up his sleeves and go down to level the ground more than once, his hands covered in mud, but his face meticulous.

He was always afraid that petty officials would mistreat the common people, so he personally went to supervise them; fearing that the common people would make mistakes in their operations, he personally instructed them again and again.

After finishing his work, he returned to his desk, picked up his pen, and began to write. His strokes were so neat and precise that they resembled carvings on stone.

Zhou Wenqing felt deep admiration.

He thought that all conscientious censors probably had this problem: they couldn't tolerate any wrongdoing and couldn't put down their work. Others were "devoted to their duties," but he was "hands-on in everything," even personally stepping on the foundation to test its hardness.

only……

Zhou Wenqing looked at Wei Zhuang's serious, almost rigid face and sighed silently in his heart.

When the silkworm is dead, the silk will be exhausted, and the torch will turn into gray and tears will begin to dry.

Doctor Kui, how can you possibly support this precarious Qin Dynasty by burning yourself out like this?

Fearing that the thin, frail old man had "burned out" too much, Zhou Wenqing stayed with him for several days, intending to take care of him. However, he didn't expect that the other man was still full of energy, while he was almost burnt out.

But perhaps because of his attitude, and because Wei Zhuang had thoroughly investigated his background, he was treated more kindly and warmly than Li Si.

Although, if he had known beforehand that Wei Zhuang's "closeness" would be like this, he would have preferred to keep his distance as before—

After explaining the current situation, Wei Zhuang did not pause and turned to another page of the file:

"Then we can begin construction and teaching simultaneously. Next, we should recruit students. What are your plans for teaching the crafts and medicine departments, Zhou Neishi?"

Zhou Wenqing's lips twitched slightly: "Doctor Wei is right. Wenqing will discuss it with all parties as soon as possible..."

"And then there's the teaching staff." Wei Zhuang turned another page. "The crafts department can draw skilled workers from the Crafts Bureau, and the medical department can have the Imperial Medical Bureau, but these people each have their own duties. How much time can they spare for teaching? After students enroll, will classes be held every day or every other day? Will they be full-time teachers or on a rotating basis? All of these things need to be regulated."

Zhou Wenqing opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Wei Zhuang continued:

"And what about their future after graduation? Will artisan apprentices go directly to the Bureau of Hundreds of Items, or will they first undergo a trial period in various government offices? Will medical apprentices stay in the Imperial Medical Bureau, or will they be assigned to various prefectures and counties?"

"How should we screen students to determine their suitability, and where should unqualified students be assigned? Has Secretary Zhou considered this?"

Zhou Wenqing took a deep breath, trying to keep his smile appropriate: "Dr. Wei is very thoughtful; these things certainly need to be planned in advance..."

"And another thing." Wei Zhuang turned another page without looking up. "The academy is vast in scale, and it will take another six months to be fully completed. But since it's named 'Great Qin Academy,' preparations should begin in advance. Will there be an inauguration ceremony? Should we ask His Majesty to personally inscribe the name? These things need to be requested in advance. And also..."

Zhou Wenqing's smile was starting to freeze.

The pillars of this academy have only just been erected; it's too early to be thinking about these things!

He felt like crying but had no tears. These things weren't entirely his responsibility. Where had Li Si gone?

I should have sent him to keep me company from the start; it would have been so much better if the two of them were together.

Just as Zhou Wenqing was getting a headache from all the talking, there was a soft knock at the door.

"Sir, the King has summoned you to the palace; it seems an envoy from Han has arrived."