Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

The clerk responded and, holding the wine pot, pushed open the door, just as he bumped into Liu Bang and his entourage who were almost at the door.

"Is your chief official inside?" Liu Bang glanced at the wine pot in his hand, raised an eyebrow, and spoke in a very familiar tone, without the slightest hint of the restraint that ordinary commoners would show when meeting county officials.

The clerk was used to his overly familiar manner, so he nodded, stepped aside, and smiled helplessly:

"Xiao Yuan was reviewing official documents in the back hall and instructed me to go to Aunt Wu's place to get some wine. I just ran into you guys when I was about to leave."

"Perfect, saves us the trouble of announcing it again. We can just go in ourselves." Liu Bang grinned, revealing a touch of casual roguishness. He tugged at Lu Wan behind him, gestured to Fan Kuai who was holding the meat, and then stepped inside.

"Xiao Yuan... are you busy?"

Xiao He slowly put down his pen and laid down the official document in his hand.

The documents piled on his desk were messy yet orderly, a reflection of the current state of Pei County in Sishui Prefecture.

After years of war between Qin and Chu, the Chu court was already extremely weak. The royal decrees from Shouchun could not reach this remote county. This place became an awkward territory that was half autonomous and half invaded by Qin. On the table, Chu-made bamboo slips and Qin-style paper scrolls were piled up haphazardly, with ink stains of varying shades, which was a headache to look at.

Xiao He raised his eyes to look at the group, his brows showing the weariness of someone who had been hunched over their desk for a long time:

"Why are you here at this hour? There are still several volumes of household registration and corvée documents on the table that haven't been approved. They are all urgent matters and cannot be delayed."

"No matter how busy you are, you still have to fill your stomach. There's no reason to ask someone to stay up without eating." Liu Bang chuckled and shook the lotus leaf bag in his hand.

"Freshly killed dog meat, quickly have someone cook it and let us taste it. Paired with wine, the flavor is amazing! Hurry, hurry, let's rest for a moment before we get busy."

Seeing his expression, Xiao He knew he couldn't refuse, and had expected it. With lunchtime approaching, he finally shook his head helplessly and called out towards the door:

"Someone, take this meat to the back kitchen, chop it up, and stew it until cooked. Go quickly and return immediately."

Upon hearing the noise, the servant outside hurried in, respectfully took the lotus leaf package, and then turned and left.

Xiao He then slowly stood up and led the three to the table for guests on the side, gesturing for them to sit down.

Liu Bang didn't stand on ceremony and sat down, with Lu Wan and Fan Kuai sitting next to him.

"Speak, why are you here again? What's the matter?" Xiao He picked up his water cup and slowly took a sip.

"What are you talking about? Do I have to have something to do before I come to you? I'm just inviting you to eat meat, aren't I?" Liu Bang said with a grin.

Xiao He looked at Fan Kuai and nodded slightly: "Fan Kuai, thank you."

Fan Kuai simply nodded, without saying a word.

Liu Bang wasn't embarrassed by being exposed. He coughed lightly, his smile fading, and he became unusually serious: "Xiao Yuan, thank you for what happened with Zhao Laizi today. If it weren't for you, I would have definitely gotten a beating. I will definitely repay you in the future."

Xiao He waved his hand, his tone indifferent: "That Zhao family brat is no better than any other family member. It's good to teach them a lesson. No need to thank me."

Liu Bang chuckled, picked up the water cup on the table, took a sip, put it down, and smacked his lips: "Water has no taste. When the wine comes, I'll have a proper drink with you."

Xiao He didn't reply, but leaned back in his chair, his gaze lingering for a moment on the bruise on Liu Bang's face, before suddenly speaking:

"But Liu Ji, if you beat up Zhao Laizi today, you'll probably get into a fight with someone else tomorrow. The situation is chaotic right now, with many people who are hard to talk about. If you mess with someone you shouldn't one day, even if I wanted to protect you, I might not be able to handle it."

When Liu Bang heard these words, the playful smile on his face faded a little, and his fingertips unconsciously tapped the table.

He had always harbored a strong ambition, believing himself to be no ordinary person destined for greatness, and that he was destined to accomplish something extraordinary, unlike this mediocre person who drifted aimlessly through the countryside.

But Xiao He was right. Spending one's days idly and arguing with others is not a long-term solution. One may have a lot of ambition, but without a place to stand, how can one talk about great things?

Seeing that his expression relaxed, Xiao He knew that he had taken it to heart, so he pondered for a moment and then said, "I just remembered that there seems to be a need for a pavilion chief in Sishui. Let each county recommend a candidate. If you are interested, you can give it a try."

"A pavilion chief?" Liu Bang raised an eyebrow.

"In charge of the security, litigation, and corvée conscription of the surrounding villages..." Xiao He roughly explained what a pavilion chief was, and then looked at Liu Bang.

"The salary isn't much, but it's a respectable job. Didn't you complain to me the other day that your father was nagging you about not doing your job properly? With this position, he'll nag you less."

It has to be said that these words hit Liu Bang's weak spot.

To say that his father was nagging him was putting it nicely; in reality, he was so disgusted with him that he wanted to kick him out. The way his father looked at him was like looking at a pile of useless mud. He felt frustrated, but he had nowhere to vent his anger or argue back.

"Brother Ji, this position of village head is a great job!" Lu Wan, being impatient, was the first to jump up, his face full of enthusiasm for Liu Bang.

"If you become the head of Sishui Pavilion, you'll be part of the county government. Who would dare to criticize you then? Don't worry, Brother Ji, I'll follow you wherever you go!"

Liu Bang didn't reply, but drew circles on the table with his finger, still somewhat hesitant.

The village head, isn't that just a minor official?

Managing a ten-mile radius, delivering documents, and catching petty thieves sounds impressive, but in reality, it's still just running errands for others.

"Brother Ji," Fan Kuai suddenly spoke up, "If you become the village head, I'll set up my meat stall next to your yamen. If anyone causes trouble, I'll take care of them for you."

Liu Bang paused for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter, patted Fan Kuai on the shoulder, and said loudly:

"Okay, with both of my brothers supporting me so much, it would seem pretentious for me to say no. I have to give it a try."

He turned to Xiao He, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Officer Xiao, then I'll trouble you to report my name."

Xiao He smiled and nodded, "Okay, no problem, don't worry, I'll talk to the magistrate."

Just then, the food and drinks arrived, and the group ate and chatted until they heard unhurried footsteps outside the door. They all turned to look—

The newcomer was dressed in a blue county clerk's uniform. He was tall and upright with a square face and a capable and composed demeanor. He was Cao Can, who had just been promoted from prison clerk to prison officer in Pei County.

He carried several bound scrolls of legal documents, his steps unhurried. Upon entering and seeing Liu Bang, Fan Kuai, and others seated in the hall, he was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting guests. He quickly composed himself, cupped his hands in greeting to Xiao He, and said:

"Clerk Xiao, the legal documents for several cases in prison have been prepared and require your review and signature. I was unaware that you had guests here. Sorry to disturb you."

"It's alright, it's alright."

Xiao He quickly stood up, stepped forward, and introduced the two parties with a smile: "Let me introduce you all. This is Cao Can, who has just been promoted to the position of prison clerk in my county government. He is in charge of all matters related to prisons and is known for his fairness and competence."

After saying that, he turned to Cao Can, pointed at Liu Bang and the others and said with a smile, "These are all my close friends. This is Liu Ji, this is Lu Wan, and that is Fan Kuai. They are all righteous and kind-hearted."

Liu Bang and the others quickly stood up, cupped their hands in greeting, and said, "Cao Yuan, it's an honor to meet you."

Cao Can nodded in return, his expression remaining calm: "Since Clerk Xiao has guests, I won't disturb you any longer. These official documents..."

"Ah, just give it to me." Xiao He quickly took it.

Cao Shen cupped his hands in greeting, said nothing more, turned and left, his footsteps fading into the distance.

Seeing this, Liu Bang, having almost finished eating, simply stood up:

"Clerk Xiao still has official duties to attend to, so we won't disturb you any longer. It's perfect timing, I also need to hurry back and pack my luggage to prepare for departure."

------

In Pei County, the small gathering of Xiao He and Liu Bang had long since ended, and they were all full of food and drink. However, Zhou Wenqing and his group had only just settled down at the post station.

The delegation of over three hundred people was a grand procession, complete with carriages, guards, and soldiers. While this ensured their safety, it also brought a great deal of trouble and inconvenience.