Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

Han Fei opened his mouth, then closed it again.

The person has been killed, and there is no possibility of turning things around or delaying the situation. Saying more is pointless.

Just as Zhou Wenqing was about to breathe a sigh of relief and raised his hand to signal everyone to set off immediately for the North Gate, Liu Bang, who had been listening quietly, suddenly spoke up.

His gaze swept heavily over his injured and unconscious brother, then fell upon Zhou Wenqing and Han Fei, whose expressions were tense. He clasped his hands in a fist salute:

"Just head north and break through the encirclement, leaving my brother and me behind. I wish you all the best, and we'll meet again!"

Zhou Wenqing suddenly turned his head, feeling the veins on his forehead throbbing.

Are you all going to keep going like this? Don't you know time is running out?

He swallowed hard, his words coming out rapidly: "Are you worried that your injuries will slow you down? No problem, I'll assign guards to prepare horses and escort you and Xiao He together. Surely..."

"No! Sir, you don't need to bother."

Liu Bang abruptly interrupted, his tone stubborn and unwavering, his eyes filled with a heavy resolve:

"My three remaining brothers are still in the city, their injuries are even more severe, and they are unable to move quickly. I cannot abandon them. Sir, don't worry about us, take the silk scroll and leave quickly!"

There are three more brothers?!

This sentence completely stunned Zhou Wenqing.

It turns out that Liu Bang and Xiao He were not the only ones from Chen Commandery.

Yes, he should have thought of that sooner—Liu Bang's childhood friend, Lu Wan, who was born on the same day, month, and year as him, and the incredibly strong Fan Kuai, would all likely follow Liu Bang. Who was the third one? He didn't have time to think about it further, but…

The injuries are even more serious!

Zhou Wenqing squeezed his eyes shut. Anxiety and sudden pressure instantly overwhelmed his body. Coupled with the increasingly intense pain in his chest, he swayed uncontrollably, his vision blurred, and he almost lost his balance.

This time, his loss of composure could no longer be concealed.

Li Yi reacted swiftly, rushing forward to steady his swaying body, her voice filled with panic and worry: "Sir!"

"Zicheng!"

"What happened? Did your heart condition relapse?"

Han Fei and Yao Jia's expressions changed, and they gathered around.

Zhou Wenqing coughed softly, raised his hand to gently push away the people supporting him, steadied his swaying body, his fingertips trembled slightly, reached into his sleeve, took out the familiar small ceramic bottle, and poured out a pill.

His fingertips paused, his eyes turned cold, then he turned the bottle upside down again and dropped two more drops.

"No, three pills are too many, sir!"

Fusu's pupils contracted sharply, and a chill ran through his body. He gripped Zhou Wenqing's sleeve tightly, his body trembling uncontrollably. "Last time you..."

The near-death nightmare at Hangu Pass crashed down on his mind; the crisp sound of the shattering pottery bottle seemed to still echo in his ears; the person who held him tightly in his arms, unconscious—each scene was etched into his heart and filled with horror.

The rest of his words caught in his throat; he dared not think any further. He could only abruptly turn his head, his eyes bloodshot, staring intently at Physician Lü, and plead urgently for help:

"Physician Lü, please take a look at the doctor!"

Physician Lü stepped forward quickly, precisely grasping Zhou Wenqing's wrist pulse with three fingers. The moment his fingertips touched the disordered and agitated pulse, his brows furrowed tightly. He had already withdrawn the silver needle from his fingers, waiting only to prick the man unconscious and preserve his vital energy.

"Physician Lü, you mustn't!" Zhou Wenqing said urgently.

Meeting his stubbornly defiant gaze, Physician Lü gritted his teeth, finally withdrew the needles, turned his face away, and uttered only a few words in a stiff voice:

Two pills, no more.

He finally backed down.

He knew better than anyone the damage caused by overdosing on medication, but the situation was extremely precarious. If Zhou Wenqing, the backbone and anchor of the entire team, were to faint at this moment, not only would it drag another person down, but it would also inevitably cause unrest among the troops.

The pursuing troops are closing in, and the encirclement will be completed in an instant. Even a moment of chaos and disorder could lead to the annihilation of the entire army.

Anxiety surged within him, and Physician Lü cursed inwardly.

I must have owed this brat something in my past life!

As he grew older, he had long been preparing to resign from his official post and return to his hometown to enjoy his later years. However, he was now spending his days and nights reading ancient books and racking his brains to find a cure for this person's incurable heart disease. That was bad enough, but this person was simply the most troublesome patient in his life!

Despite his inner grumbling, a fleeting look of reluctance and shame crossed his eyes, but his hands moved swiftly.

He turned around, quickly picked up the medicine box, opened it, and his eyes swept across the medicine cabinet in the store. He accurately grabbed several herbs that could harmonize the heart, relieve stress, and strengthen the body, and threw them all into the box for later emergency use.

"Alright, Fusu, listen to me, let go quickly."

Zhou Wenqing raised his hand and gently placed his palm on Fu Su's tense and trembling hand.

The boy's palms were icy cold and covered in fine beads of sweat. His eyes were fixed on him, filled with a mixture of fear and worry, which was plain and undisguised.

"Listen to what you say, sir. Fusu and Physician Lü have both said I'll be fine," Zhou Wenqing advised helplessly.

Looking into his calm eyes, Fusu's misty eyes finally condensed into tears, which fell onto Zhou Wenqing's sleeve with a soft thud, but he still obediently let go.

Everyone watched as Zhou Wenqing raised his head, his Adam's apple bobbed, and swallowed the medicine, their hearts filled with mixed emotions.

Li Yi's face was filled with anxiety and self-reproach. His fists were clenched so tightly they cracked, his teeth were clenched, and a slight metallic taste rose in his mouth.

He had been protecting Zhou Wenqing for so long, watching his master's health deteriorate day by day, but he could only watch helplessly as he swallowed medicine and forced himself to stay healthy. Apart from feeling guilty, there was nothing he could do.

Guilt and helplessness piled up, making his chest feel tight and his throat feel dry. His eyes were dark and red. He wished he could rush out right now, even if it meant risking his life, rather than see his husband suffer from this illness and struggle to stay afloat.

But no, Li Yi knew in his heart that even if he risked his entire team, he couldn't protect Mr. [the master].

"Sir...it's all my fault for being incompetent." His voice was low and hoarse, as if it were squeezed out from deep in his throat.

Zhou Wenqing swallowed the pill, suppressing the surging bitterness. When he opened his eyes again, they were clear and sharp again. He looked at Li Yi, reached out and patted his shoulder.

"This has nothing to do with you; the responsibility lies with me."

Seeing this, Liu Bang was at a loss, instinctively feeling that he might have said something that offended the man. He could only watch cautiously and remain silent.

But Liu Bang still refused to abandon his brothers and escape on his own. He was determined to find a chance to sneak away from the group on the way and go back to find Lu Wan and the others.

Then the next second—

With a single glance from Zhou Wenqing, the guard beside him raised his hand, and Liu Bang fainted.

"Let's go, carry them both on our backs, and set off immediately to leave the city."

Zhou Wenqing leaned half his weight on Li Yi's shoulder, his gaze sweeping heavily over the two unconscious figures. He took a deep breath, his voice low but exceptionally cold and resolute:

"Send a few more elite guards to stay in the city and rendezvous with the men you sent out earlier. Tell them not to pursue us any further, to protect the wounded, and to find a place to hide."

"But sir..."

"No buts."

Zhou Wenqing interrupted coldly, his tone resolute and leaving no room for negotiation: "Execute my orders!"

Li Yi gritted his teeth, nodded vigorously, turned around and pointed to a few guards, whispering a few instructions. The guards obeyed and silently disappeared into the night.

Zhou Wenqing sighed silently in his heart, his eyes as deep and cold as a pool.

Lu Guan, Fan Kuai, and one other person—he longed to turn his horse around and take them all with him, but given the current situation, he had no choice but to make a decision and take the gamble.

Gambling on Song Yun and the censor's gaze, they locked onto the main force of the delegation, converging in one place and using the entire city's forces to pursue them relentlessly, leaving no time to leave a single person behind to thoroughly clean up the hidden areas within the city.

They were betting that these two hundred soldiers could hold out for the breakout and successfully break through the encirclement and blockade of Chen County.

They were betting that the reinforcements from afar were fast enough and could arrive in time to meet them before the pursuers could finish them off, thus cutting off their escape route.

Mr. Wei Liao, Mr. Wei Liao, I've placed all my bets on you, please come and save my life!

Zhou Wenqing took a deep breath and, with Li Yi's help, mounted his horse. He was still riding with Physician Lü, but this time he sat in front of him.

The biting wind howled past their ears, whipping their clothes and making a rustling sound. The horses' hooves shattered the silence of the streets and alleys. The entire force of two hundred armored soldiers followed closely behind, charging towards the north gate like thunder.

In the short time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the atmosphere inside the Song family mansion hall had become ferocious and terrifying.

Song Yun's face turned a purplish-red, liver-like color, and a fierce anger surged within him.

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!"

He had just received news that the arson attempt in the west of the city had completely failed. He kicked the servant who was delivering the message to the ground and roared angrily:

"If you can't even handle this small matter, what use are you to me!"

Just then, another servant stumbled in, his face ashen, and knelt down to report urgently:

"Prefect! Something terrible has happened! The delegation has suddenly departed and has already left the pharmacy!"

"What?!"

Song Yun suddenly turned around, grabbed a teacup from the table, and smashed it on the ground. Broken porcelain splattered everywhere, splashing onto the kneeling officials and soldiers along with the scalding tea, but no one dared to move an inch.

"Mobilize all available manpower and give chase! Leave no one alive!"

He completely lost control of his emotions, his voice became shrill and cracked, and his eyes were bloodshot and terrifyingly red, like a mad dog that had reached the end of its rope and was ready to devour anyone it could.

"They must all be killed! No one can be allowed to leave here alive!"

Xu Kun, who was forcibly made to sit down to the side, was already terrified.

His face was deathly pale, his whole body was trembling violently, and his lips were quivering so badly that he couldn't even utter a complete sentence:

"You...you really want to kill me..."

Song Yun whirled around, grabbed his collar, and practically lifted him off the ground, his eyes filled with a vicious, ruthless glint.

"Of course I'll kill you! Did you think you could absolve yourself of any responsibility by hiding from me before?"

He gave a cold laugh and abruptly released his grip.

Xu Kun lost his balance and fell to the ground in a sorry state, coughing violently and looking up with a terrified expression.

Song Yun looked down at him, his eyes devoid of any feigned kindness, only cold coercion and madness remaining:

"If I fall today, you will also die; we are already bound together."

"So, you must chase after them with me, kill them with me. There is no way out, not even half a way. Otherwise, I'll kill you right now, do you understand?!"

"I understand...cough cough! I understand...I understand, I'll go with you!"

Xu Kun collapsed onto the cold ground, clutching his throat and coughing violently. His head trembled as he responded repeatedly, his teeth chattering, and his entire body was already soaked in cold sweat.

He knew all too well Song Yun's ruthless nature. This man was at his wit's end and had gone completely mad. If he dared to hesitate even a little or disobey even a single word, the other party would not hesitate to take his life as well.

He's just a prison inspector; how could he possibly be more noble than the eldest son?

Kill him if you want, drag it out for a while, wait until the opportune moment passes, then report it again and have the higher-ups send another one. It'll just take a little more effort, and dragging the new censor down with him won't be too difficult.

He didn't want to die!

Seeing that Xu Kun had completely given in and compromised, the fierceness in Song Yun's eyes lessened slightly.

He bent down and casually brushed away the dust and wrinkles from Xu Kun's robes. His tone seemed gentle, but it was actually full of icy pressure, brooking no resistance whatsoever.

"I understand, Imperial Censor Xu, please proceed."

Xu Kun struggled to his feet, his body aching and weak. Not daring to delay for even a moment, he could only follow Song Yun with his head down, numbly.

The bugle sounded urgently outside the mansion, and all the armored soldiers in the city were assembled.

Torches stretched like a sea across the streets and alleys, the noise of men and horses filled the air, and the clanging of armor echoed continuously. Countless pursuing soldiers were fully prepared and ready to go, waiting only for Song Yun's order.

Song Yun mounted his horse, his expression sinister and cold, and raised his voice to give the order:

"A fake envoy has entered Chen Commandery with ulterior motives. I hereby order the entire army to set out immediately and pursue them relentlessly. Once caught, kill them without mercy!"

The thunderous sound of horses' hooves echoed through the long street.

A massive, dark mass of people surged forth, relentlessly pursuing the delegation in the direction they had gone, raising clouds of dust and filling the air with murderous intent, relentlessly chasing after them.

Xu Kun was forced to mount a horse and follow in the middle of the procession. Looking at the long line of people rushing forward recklessly, he felt a deep sense of despair and coldness.

I regret it so much!

------

On the other side, Zhou Wenqing and his group galloped away on horseback, and the north gate was already in sight, with the lights on the city tower clearly visible.

Li Yi, riding alongside Zhou Wenqing, called out, "Sir, we'll be out of the city soon, let's—"

"Go up and shout to them to open the door!" Zhou Wenqing ordered in a deep voice.

Li Yi responded to the order, spurred his horse and charged out of the formation, holding his guard's token high in one hand, and shouted:

"The Qin delegation is passing through the territory. Open the city gates immediately and let them pass. Anyone who delays will be killed without exception!"

The guards below the city gate were all taken aback by the sound, their hearts filled with doubt and unease.

Another delegation? Weren't they just let into the city?

Just as Zhou Wenqing had predicted, the gatekeeper here had been killed by Song Yun in a fit of rage not long ago. His body was still lying under the battlements, and blood was flowing down the cracks in the bricks. No one dared to collect it.

The soldiers on duty were all ordinary soldiers. They looked at each other, none of them able to make a decision or give orders. They were at a loss for what to do.

Seeing this, Yao Jia pulled on his reins, stepped forward, raised his token high, and announced loudly:

"Open the city gates! The eldest young master is critically ill. We are escorting him out of the city to seek medical help. If you delay his treatment, you will all lose your heads!"

Yao Jia and the others recognized each other. The familiar person, the familiar token, and the familiar words instantly sent a chill down the spines of the city gate guards.

The lessons of the past are still fresh in our minds; the gatekeeper was beheaded for the same reason!

Without further hesitation, he quickly went down and opened the door latch.

The heavy city gate slowly opened inward, its heavy creaking echoing through the archway. The crack widened, gradually expanding from a sliver of light, and the main road outside the city became faintly visible. But just then—

"Close the city gates! Close the city gates now! Don't let them leave the city!"

Suddenly, the deafening sound of horses' hooves and the roar of voices came from behind. It was Song Yun leading a large army of pursuers who had arrived at full speed. When he saw the city gate about to open in the distance, his eyes widened in fury and he roared loudly.

------

This is a two-in-one update. I know you've all been waiting anxiously, but don't worry, there's still an extra update today! (*＾-＾*)

But as usual, it might be late at night, so everyone can get some rest and watch it together tomorrow (＞v＜)

Additionally, regarding "队正" and "门尉", ​​I initially assumed that the leader of the soldiers guarding the city gates should be "队正". However, after checking, I found that "队正" is a term that appeared after the Tang Dynasty and has now been changed to "门尉". Just to clarify! (´；ω；`)