Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

After he finished speaking, the room fell silent for a moment.

Liu Bang stepped forward first, with a touch of nonchalant nonchalance, raising an eyebrow:

"Xiao Yuan, what are you talking about? Fine, I'll gamble! It's just a life, what haven't I gambled on, and I've never lost!"

He placed one hand on Fan Kuai's shoulder and pulled Lu Wan over with the other, wrapping his arms around his two brothers. A fierce glint mixed with loyalty burned in his eyes like a raging fire, and his tone became increasingly bold and unrestrained: "Besides, with these two brothers by my side, what is there to fear, even if the journey is fraught with danger!"

Fan Kuai, rarely seen grinning, was slapped by him. His eyes widened, and he slammed his large hand down on the scabbard of his ring-pommel sword at his waist, the metal clashing producing a deep, clear sound.

"Rest assured, Xiao Yuan and Cao Yuan, with me, Fan Kuai, here, whoever dares to block our way, I will use this sword to cut a path through them, ensuring your safe journey to Xianyang and seeking justice for our unjustly killed elders!"

"Yes! Let's bet! Wherever Brother Ji goes, I, Lu Wan, will go." Lu Wan remained steadfast in her support of Liu Bang, without flinching an inch: "I may not have much skill, but in a crucial moment, I might be able to take a blow for Brother Ji and my brothers!"

"What nonsense are you spouting!" Liu Bang gripped his shoulder tightly, making him wince. "We brothers will definitely go together and come back together, not one of us missing. Maybe we can even achieve great merit and get a reward. Think positively, and no one is allowed to say anything discouraging!"

Fan Kuai stood aside, nodding silently. The three of them stood together, their heroic spirit soaring, their blood boiling, that even the air in the room seemed to ignite, let alone Cao Can.

He was a man of courage and righteousness, and had long since made up his mind to fight to the death. Now, seeing that everyone was willing to sacrifice their lives for righteousness and that they shared the same ideals, and with an effective strategy in hand, the last bit of worry in his heart disappeared completely.

Cao Can strode forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said in a clear voice, "Since Lord Xiao is willing to give up his position as the chief clerk of Pei County and die for righteousness, why should I, Cao Can, hesitate to sacrifice my meager body! To be able to risk my life with you all today and gamble on this together is the greatest fortune in my life!"

"Good!" Liu Bang laughed, slapping Cao Can on the shoulder. "Scholars like Cao Can, the prison clerk, always have such pleasant words! Hahaha, that's satisfying!"

The two men looked at each other, their eyes filled with the joy of mutual understanding, without a trace of the awkwardness of having just met.

"good!"

Xiao He also stood up abruptly, glanced at Liu Bang, Cao Can and the others, and then personally poured five bowls of wine.

The wine poured into the bowls, bubbling loudly. He picked up his own bowl, his gaze sweeping over the four faces, and said in a slightly deep voice, "In that case, gentlemen, let us swear an oath with this wine and wager this bet together!"

Liu Bang, Cao Can, Fan Kuai, and Lu Wan exchanged a smile, their eyes brimming with passion. They raised their wine bowls and clashed them together, the sound of the earthenware bowls striking each other clear and loud.

"Let's gamble!"

Five shouts merged into one, splashing wine onto their clothes and mixing into their bowls. The men tilted their heads back and drank the strong liquor in one gulp.

Liu Bang slammed down his wine bowl, wiped his mouth, and laughed heartily, "I knew I was destined for great things! This one time I bought wine, I gained so many loyal brothers—it was worth it! I should have bought more wine a few more times!"

"You!" Xiao He looked at him and couldn't help but shake his head with a laugh.

He put down his wine bowl, composed himself slightly, and said solemnly, "Gentlemen, this matter must be carried out in absolute secrecy; not a single word must be leaked."

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded solemnly. The boldness and enthusiasm they had shown earlier had now faded into their eyes, transforming into a heavy sense of responsibility and pressure.

Cao Can also put down his wine bowl and straightened his robes: "Don't worry, Xiao Yuan, there's no time to lose. I'll go and question those prisoners right away."

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned to leave, but Xiao He raised his hand to stop him: "It's late today, and since we have nothing else to do, I'll go with you."

Liu Bang straightened his robes, cupped his hands in greeting to Xiao He, and said loudly, "Then we will not disturb you any longer and will continue to discuss the matter of suppressing the bandits."

Xiao He nodded, and Cao Can solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Then I entrust this to you all. Please be careful."

"Don't worry, Prison Clerk Cao," Liu Bang said, then turned and left with Fan Kuai and Lu Wan.

Xiao He watched their backs disappear from sight before turning his gaze away, nodding to Cao Can, and leaving with him.

------

"This is it."

In a secluded and inconspicuous courtyard, Cao Can and Xiao He stood in front of the door, nodded to the trusted officials and soldiers guarding both sides, and pushed the door open to enter.

The room was only a few feet in size and extremely sparsely furnished, with only a few tattered mats and a wooden table. Dim sunlight shone through the narrow window, causing the dust inside to swirl.

The room was deathly silent, with several figures huddled in the shadows. Hearing the noise, they immediately looked up in alarm.

Upon recognizing Cao Can as the newcomer, an elderly man at the head of the group struggled to his feet and, trembling, led the way by kneeling down. Several men, women, and children behind him followed suit, kneeling on the ground.

"My lord, thank you so much for saving my life. I have no way to repay you, please accept my bow."

"Oh, old man, you mustn't do that! Please get up quickly!" Cao Can stepped forward and firmly supported the old man's arms with both hands, helping him to his feet.

Xiao He glanced at the five or six survivors out of the corner of his eye. Each of them was emaciated and pale, their robes stained with dust and blood. The sight weighed heavily on his heart. He bent down and helped the kneeling men to their feet, speaking in a deep voice:

"There's no need for such formalities. It was our duty to rescue you from danger, so there's no need for such a grand gesture."

"Alas~" The old man sighed deeply, shook his head slightly, and said in a hoarse and sorrowful voice, "There is no such thing as duty or duty. It is already a great kindness that you, sir, do not mind that we are a burden and are willing to take us in. I am grateful to you for the rest of my life. It is just a pity that my family business has been completely destroyed. I am afraid that I will not be able to repay you in this life. I can only repay you in the next life."

Xiao He felt a pang of sorrow in his heart. His gaze lingered for a moment on the old man's gray hair and deeply lined face before he gently comforted him:

"Sir, you flatter me. You must not say that. Judging from your words and manners, you must be well-educated and polite. It is truly unfair to you all that you are living in this humble abode."

The old man smiled bitterly and waved his hand: "I only know a few words, I can't be called a scholar. In the past, my family had a meager fortune and lived a stable life. Now everything is destroyed. Being able to survive and have a place to stay is already a blessing from heaven. There is no grievance to speak of. It's just that..."

He hesitated for a moment, his eyes filled with fear and trepidation, and cautiously asked, "How long do you two gentlemen intend for us to remain in hiding like this?"

Seemingly fearing that Xiao He and the other man might misunderstand, he hurriedly explained, "It's not that I dislike this place because it's simple, it's just that... it's just that I have a young grandson who has gone missing and his whereabouts are unknown. All my other blood relatives have..."

His throat tightened, tears welled in his cloudy eyes, and his voice trembled. "I must find him as soon as possible. I only hope that I can find my grandson before I die, to see that he is still alive, to ensure that my family bloodline continues. That way, when I go to the afterlife, I can face my ancestors with a clear conscience!"

"Don't be anxious, sir. We've come here today for this very reason."

Seeing the old man overcome with grief, Cao Jian quickly reached out to support his trembling body. Turning to all the survivors in the room, his expression solemn and dignified, he spoke in a clear voice:

"Gentlemen, I know that most of you have lost family members or relatives. If you have any clues, please let me and Xiao Yuan know them. We will do our best to help you find your family."

Upon hearing this, the old man was first taken aback, then his eyes widened in disbelief, and his lips trembled as he spoke, "Sir... are you telling the truth? Are you really willing to help us find our relatives? But... but I'm afraid it will implicate you and bring disaster upon you, I..."

"My benefactor!"

Before the old man could finish speaking, a small, thin figure suddenly rushed out from the corner.

It was a boy. Before anyone could react, he knelt down before Cao Can with a thud, kowtowed heavily, and when he raised his head, a red mark appeared on his forehead. His face was full of pleading as he said:

"My benefactors, I beg you! Please, both of you, help me find my sister! Please help me find my little sister, her name is Yao'er! Please help me find her, please!"

As he spoke, he slammed his head heavily against the ground again. When he looked up, his eyes were red-rimmed, but he stubbornly refused to shed a tear. He just stared intently at Cao Can, his face full of self-reproach and regret, his voice trembling:

"Please, my two benefactors, it's all my fault. It's all my fault for not holding my sister's hand properly, that's why she got lost. Please, my two benefactors, I'll do anything to find her."

------

Note: "Ming Gong" roughly means "Great Man" and is a respectful title for officials, scholars, elders, etc. of a certain status.