Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

Zhou Wenqing's mind was racing, but he couldn't show it on his face.

Even if he knew the secrets of heaven, he couldn't just say: "You two don't need to be modest. In the future, one of you will be the founding prime minister, and the other will be the successor prime minister who will be remembered in history for 'following the rules of Xiao He and Cao Shen.' Governing a mere prefecture is just a chance for you to practice your skills!"

—If these words were to get out, regardless of the people present, Li Si, who was far away in Xianyang working day and night to manage state affairs, would probably be the first to break down on the spot.

Although this "founding of a country" is not the same as that "founding of a country," Li Si didn't know that!

He worked diligently, day and night, and even at his advanced age, he was still competing with young people, working tirelessly and neglecting sleep and meals to handle official duties. In the end, he found that not only was the prime minister position he had set his sights on suddenly handed over to someone else, but he didn't even make the second place.

Li Si would probably have to write a letter of ten million words overnight to tell Zhou Wenqing his "purification of his heart".

Therefore, Zhou Wenqing could only try a different approach and patiently guide her.

His gaze swept over the two men who were bowing and declining, his tone calm and frank:

"I am fully aware of your concerns. Both Prefect Hu and Magistrate Shen are loyal and brave men who have defended the territory and protected the people, quelled rebellions and suppressed bandits. They have made contributions to Chen County and benefited the people. Their loyalty and righteousness are unmatched, and they should be the most suitable candidates."

"However, both of them were seriously injured in the process of suppressing the traitors and protecting the city. Magistrate Shen is covered in external wounds and exhausted, and needs to rest and recuperate. Assistant Magistrate Hu is seriously injured and still has not woken up."

"Chen County has been devastated for a long time. Although the chaos has been initially brought under control, many problems remain. There are refugees waiting to be cared for, fields need to be managed, officialdom needs to be cleaned up, and remaining traitors need to be apprehended. Everything needs to be rebuilt, and there are countless issues to address. If we allow Hu and Shen, who are still recovering from serious injuries, to force themselves to sit in charge of affairs, I'm afraid..."

Zhou Wenqing didn't finish his sentence, but the implication was crystal clear.

"this……"

Xiao He and Cao Can were clearly hesitant.

The two men had their own pride and could refuse this important task that was beyond their authority and the undeserved credit, but they could not sit idly by and watch Hu and Shen Zhongliang burn their bodies to ashes, nor could they bear to see Chenjun, which had just escaped the catastrophe and regained its vitality, fall back into the quagmire of chaos due to the lack of leadership.

Zhou Wenqing seized the opportunity, changing his tone to one of heartfelt sincerity:

"You two need not be troubled. I am not asking you to overstep your authority. I am simply asking you to temporarily take charge of the county affairs, oversee the transition, and stabilize the situation in Chen County."

"At the same time, I will immediately write to Xianyang, explaining the whole story of this pacification and the achievements of everyone involved, and request His Majesty to issue a formal decree that once Magistrate Hu has recovered from his injuries, he can directly assume the post of Prefect of Chen County and rightfully take charge of the administration of the county."

"Magistrate Shen is young, decisive, intelligent and brave. He has made outstanding contributions in the midst of chaos. He can be promoted to Prefectural Assistant without being promoted to the highest rank. His performance will be evaluated over a three-year period. If he performs his duties without fault and has made contributions to the peace and stability of the people, he can be officially appointed to the position and stabilize the administration of the prefecture."

"As for your achievements in taking on this critical mission and governing to protect the people, I will truthfully report them in my memorial and submit them to the emperor, and reward you accordingly—therefore, you two will have no reason to refuse, will you?"

After speaking, he raised his eyes to look at Xiao and Cao, whose expressions had slightly changed. His gaze was calm and open, no longer trying to conceal his true feelings.

"You have all traveled with me all this way, and you must have already guessed my identity. I, Wenqing, can promise that if I personally recommend someone and deliver the memorial to the court, His Majesty will rarely refuse."

"Wenqing never speaks recklessly."

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

It wasn't a stunned silence, but a sense of "I knew it"—like a boot that had been hanging in mid-air finally landing.

Indeed, they had already guessed it.

After all, the clues were already obvious. When Zhou Wenqing overdosed on medication and suppressed his palpitations, Liu Bang hadn't been knocked unconscious yet.

Who else could be this person who, despite suffering from a mental illness and appearing frail, possessed profound wisdom, cared deeply for the common people, and even commanded the eldest son to perform the rites of a disciple and had the Grand Commandant personally lead troops to meet him? It was none other than the Zhou Neishi who should have been "assassinated."

"As expected, it was Zhou Neishi."

Looking at the gentle and composed young man before him, Xiao He's emotions surged for a long time, making it difficult for him to calm down.

Of the five men from Pei County, only Xiao He and Cao Can were always attentive to the movements of the imperial court. Moreover, this large-scale campaign to suppress bandits throughout the region was rooted in the assassination of Zhou Wenqing, so it would be difficult for the two of them not to know about it.

Therefore, upon guessing Zhou Wenqing's identity, the two instantly understood the painstaking plan of this escape and avoidance of disaster.

Therefore, they did not dare to acknowledge each other rashly, much less make a fuss.

Not only did he keep quiet, but he also repeatedly instructed the careless Liu Bang and Lu Wan to keep the secret, fearing that a careless word might disrupt Zhou Wenqing's entire plan and put him in a dangerous situation.

It's one thing to speculate in secret, but it's a completely different kind of shock to have it confirmed by the person themselves.

Zhou Wenqing's direct approach broke through the unspoken understanding between them, revealing both honesty and domineering confidence.

Only Zhou Neishi had such domineering confidence.

When the news of the Inner Historian's murder reached Xianyang, the entire city was draped in mourning, blood stained the Orchid Pond, and the imperial court was mostly empty.

In Han Fei's opinion, Zhou Wenqing's words were somewhat conservative.

What does it mean that "the king rarely refuses"?

As long as Zhou Wenqing's personal safety is not involved, the Prince of Qin clearly agrees to everything he proposes!

Having said all that, Xiao He and Cao Shen had nothing left to worry about.

Hu, the Prefectural Magistrate, and Shen, the County Magistrate, are loyal and courageous, and will eventually be rewarded in due course. Their appointment to temporarily manage the affairs of the prefecture during a time of crisis is to ensure the safety of the people and to make practical contributions, not to receive rewards without merit or to overstep their authority.

As for whether others will disagree?

There was no one else around!

Those corrupt officials in Chen County who had committed crimes and formed cliques for personal gain had long been wiped out in this turmoil. The remaining opportunists, those with half-clean hands, were all cowering and pretending to be quails, afraid that if they made a sound, they would be treated as accomplices and purged.

The few honest officials who could still keep their integrity in the mud were all brothers who had fought alongside them—their own people. They would only assist and cooperate to quickly restore Chen County, and would not have any objections.

Xiao He took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, took half a step back, clasped his hands deeply, and bowed to the ground.

"Xiao He greets Zhou Neishi."

He straightened up and looked intently at Zhou Wenqing: "Although I had some suspicions before, I dared not admit it. Now that you have entrusted your life to me, treated me with sincerity, and considered us so much, if I still hesitate, I would be ungrateful."

"Regarding the affairs of Chen Commandery, there is no need to exert all one's strength to live up to the trust placed in you by the master."

Cao Shen also sat up straight, leaning on the edge of the couch, his expression solemn, and cupped his hands, saying, "I am the same."

"Alright." Zhou Wenqing also looked solemn and raised his hand in return: "In that case, I'll leave the Chenjun predicament to you two."

"Both of you are pillars of the nation and outstanding talents. When I return to Xianyang, I will certainly commend you for your merits. I hope to see you two standing in the court one day, shining brightly."

This statement is almost an explicit statement.

Local county and prefectural positions are ultimately confined to a corner and have limited scope; while the central imperial court in Xianyang is the lofty platform for ruling the world and realizing one's ambitions.

Xiao He and Cao Shen exchanged a glance, both feeling a profound shock.

"Thank you, Inner Historian, for your recommendation and promotion." The two bowed in unison, their voices barely concealing a hint of excitement.

Xiao He lowered his eyes, using that moment of looking down to conceal the surging emotions within them.

He recalled how, under the candlelight in the Pei County government office, when he read the urgent report of Zhou Wenqing's assassination, he sat there for a long time, reading the document three times before he had to believe it—that the person he had never met but had long admired was truly gone.

He thought to himself, "What a pity."

Unfortunately, just as a glimmer of hope appeared in this chaotic world, the one holding the lamp fell first; unfortunately, those amazing and ingenious designs had not yet had a chance to benefit the world; unfortunately, those who longed for Xiao He, who had been hiding in a corner, would never have the chance to witness his brilliance.

To my utter surprise, not only did I meet him today, but he also rescued me from a desperate situation and personally promised me "in the imperial court".

The gratitude for being recognized and the blessing of being reborn are far more moving than fame and fortune.

"Ah, Brother Xiao must be very happy this time."

After being lightly reprimanded by Xiao He, Liu Bang, whose presence suddenly diminished, had somehow slipped to Lu Wan's side and was whispering in his ear.

"That's great, my wish has finally come true, and I no longer have to sigh at the sight of paper."

Lu Wan was completely confused and leaned in, asking, "Brother Ji, what does 'sighing at the sight of paper' mean?"

Liu Bang immediately adopted a smug look, as if to say, "You're too naive," and explained in a low voice:

"What else could it be? It's just that Brother Xiao can stare at a piece of paper, sighing and groaning for hours on end!"

"Didn't you notice? Back in the Pei County government office, Brother Xiao was incredibly efficient and decisive when it came to approving official documents. His pen flew across the paper, sweeping away documents like autumn leaves in the wind. There was never a pile of documents on his desk, and the table was always spotless. There was nothing that could stump him."

Lu Wan nodded repeatedly, her eyes filled with genuine admiration: "Indeed! Clerk Xiao is always efficient and thorough in his work; no one in the entire county can match him."

"Ever since that edict to suppress bandits was issued in Xianyang, Brother Xiao has become a completely different person," Liu Bang said with a serious and mysterious expression.

"Every few days, he would stare blankly at the scrolls of paper on his desk, sometimes for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea. He would sigh and shake his head. His desk, which was usually spotless, would be piled high with papers from time to time. He would stay up until it was almost dark and everyone in the county office had left before he would finish reviewing the papers and go home."

Lu Wan blinked, pondering for a moment, and said, "Isn't it because our bandit suppression efforts have been too costly, putting a strain on the county's finances, and making Clerk Xiao worried?"

He paused, then added in a low voice, "During that time, I was too embarrassed to go to Brother Xiao's room for meals. Every time, I would just find a corner to squat in and eat a few bites of rice, afraid of disturbing his thoughts."

"That's what I thought at first too!" Liu Bang slapped his thigh.

This time I used too much force, but luckily the bulging bandage cushioned the impact, so it didn't hurt at all. It just made a muffled "plop" sound, which was quite comical.

"At the time, I secretly planned that after the bandits were wiped out, I would search carefully and confiscate the stolen money and grain from the bandits' den, so as to give the county some subsidies and share Brother Xiao's burden."

Lu Wan nodded repeatedly, agreeing wholeheartedly. He had done the same thing back then, stripping and shaking off all the bandits' clothes.

"But then I realized something was wrong!"

Liu Bang moved even closer, almost touching Lu Wan's ear, his eyes darting around.

"Once I came out of the restroom and bumped into him holding toilet paper, you know, the soft, non-irritating kind, used for wiping... cough, you know."

"He could stare at that for ages, his brow furrowing and relaxing, just like when he's reading official documents!"

Lu Wan's eyes widened instantly, her face filled with disbelief: "Huh? Then... what's so interesting about that? You can't write on it!"

"I was puzzled at the time too!"

Liu Bang spread his hands, his face full of excited gossip, and vividly described:

"I even wondered to myself, could it be that Brother Xiao is so overworked at his desk every day that he's become mentally unstable and almost go crazy, that he can even read words on a piece of toilet paper?"

"But after observing for several days, I finally figured it out—when Brother Xiao reads old bamboo slips, as long as it's not an official document written on paper, he can write fluently and clearly, without the slightest hesitation or loss of focus."

"I only get lost in thought when I look at this new thing that has only been around for a short time—paper."

"Paper?!"

He may not be very knowledgeable about precious inkstones and elegant folding fans, but who in the world today doesn't know about everyday items like paper and salt, which are widely used and benefit all people?

"Isn't that Zhou—"

"What are you two doing, huddled there whispering to each other?!"

A slightly embarrassed, cold shout suddenly rang out, directly cutting off Lu Wan's words.

Xiao He's ears had already turned slightly red, he was both angry and embarrassed, and his eyes darted back and forth between Liu Bang and Lu Wan.

Can't you guys keep it down?!

The two of them had been whispering in each other's ears, thinking they were being discreet, but since no one else in the room made a sound, their whispers naturally reached everyone's ears.

—Was his lost and bewildered look when he stared at the scroll of paper really that obvious?

He subconsciously looked up at Cao Can beside him, his gaze carrying a hint of seeking confirmation.

Cao Shen met his gaze, a faint smile in his eyes, and a rare hint of knowing teasing appeared in his usually calm and restrained expression.

So that's how it is. No wonder Brother Xiao was going home later than me every day during that period. I wondered if there was some kind of difficult unsolved case. I even went to the prison to check several times, but I found nothing. I just thought it was because the county government was busy with administrative matters and didn't think about it anymore. Later, when the bandits were arrested one after another and I got busy, I put the matter out of my mind.

A faint smile appeared in Han Fei's eyes as he looked at the embarrassed Xiao He with great interest.

Even Fan Kuai seemed to suddenly realize something, his gaze lingering on Xiao He's face for a long time.

Xiao He: "..."

He glared at Liu Bang and Lu Wan with a look of grief and indignation.

My lifelong reputation has been ruined by these two things!

Liu Bang clearly realized that his "whisper" had some oversight. When he met Xiao He's gaze, he awkwardly touched his nose and coughed lightly.

"Well, this paper is truly a magical object. How do you think Zhou Neishi made it? It's amazing! No wonder Xiao Yuan was so engrossed in studying it, right? Hahaha..."

"Yes," Cao Can nodded in agreement earnestly, but his eyes secretly glanced at Xiao He: "This paper has been used for so long, it's really amazing. It's normal for Xiao Yuan to suddenly be interested."