Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

Wei Liao felt a chill run down his spine, and his fingers paused lightly on the edge of the table.

broken.

Because he, the King, and Li Si all knew about Zhou Wenqing's feigned death and escape, their minds were entirely focused on his safety, and they only thought about bringing him back to Xianyang. In doing so, they overlooked the most crucial and fatal detail—

This delegation sent to the east was no longer under the name of Zhou Wenqing, but under the dignified name of Fusu, the eldest son of the Qin Dynasty!

Zhou Wenqing took in the instantaneous change in his expression and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

There is a play.

He was secretly delighted, but his face showed no sign of relief. He maintained a composed and respectful demeanor, as if considering only the greater good of the nation. He leaned forward slightly and spoke earnestly and logically:

"Brother, you should know this clearly. Since birth, the eldest son, Fusu, has been favored by the King and is the focus of attention in the court and the country. His reputation for benevolence and filial piety has spread throughout the Qin Dynasty. Although he was appointed to the east this time with imperial credentials, it can be considered the first imperial mission in his life."

He deliberately emphasized the words "eldest son" and "first thing" and "imperial appointment," pronouncing them with exceptional clarity.

Sure enough, although Wei Liao didn't reply, his brows furrowed even more.

Seeing this, Zhou Wenqing continued to elaborate at a leisurely pace:

"If this trip can be completed smoothly and he returns to court in a dignified manner, it will be a real achievement and a valuable experience for the eldest son. Even if my identity is restored, the court and the public will still praise him for being polite at a young age, fulfilling his responsibilities to his teacher, and living up to the emperor's orders. He will firmly establish his reputation as a virtuous man who is steady, loyal, filial, and capable of shouldering heavy responsibilities."

He paused, then changed the subject: "But what if we turn back halfway and achieve nothing?"

Wei Liao's face darkened completely, and his lips tightened even more.

"Now Your Majesty is a man of great talent and ambition, and the Qin Dynasty is making its eastward advance with great momentum. The court and the people are of one mind and are determined to unify the country. The whole country is full of vigor for expanding its territory. However, the eldest son is still young and has returned empty-handed this time. Perhaps no one will immediately criticize him. They will only say that he is young and inexperienced."

"But what about the future, brother?"

Zhou Wenqing deliberately slowed down his speech, his tone becoming almost gentle.

He lowered his head slightly, his long eyelashes concealing all the sharpness in his eyes. His voice was extremely low and deep, neither passionate nor sharp, yet every word pierced the heart:

"When the world is unified and the country is at peace, all the princes of Qin will have come of age. The struggle for the throne and the power struggle will inevitably arise. At that time, the old grievance of 'failing to fulfill the emperor's mission halfway' will be dug up from the old archives, brought up again, and magnified infinitely."

Upon hearing this, Wei Liao was greatly shocked.

His brows furrowed into a tight knot, his fingers gripped the edge of the table so tightly that his knuckles turned slightly white, and a storm raged in his heart.

The selection of an heir apparent, the vying for power among the princes...

This is the most taboo and sensitive topic in the history of the imperial court and the public!

How could Zicheng dare to speak so frankly and openly?

He subconsciously glanced around, quickly sweeping across the empty sides of the main hall, secretly relieved that he had managed to dismiss everyone earlier, so there was no worry about his secret conversation being leaked.

In contrast, Zhou Wenqing, who made the startling remarks, appeared calm and composed, without the slightest hint of evasion or fear.

Just kidding, he's already discussed disrespectful topics like "a hundred years from now" and "vicious dog theory" in front of the king, so what else can't he say?

Moreover, he believed in the king's wisdom and that he would not be bothered by honest but unpleasant advice.

Therefore, Zhou Wenqing not only did not restrain himself, but instead leaned forward slightly, his gaze settling more steadily on Wei Liao's face, his scrutiny becoming even more pronounced, and he further stated:

"At that time, some people deliberately instigated and attacked him on some pretext. With just one sentence, 'Fusu returned in fear of difficulties after receiving the imperial order, he was indecisive and unfit for great responsibility,' it was enough to tarnish his reputation and damage his foundation, and become a handle for others to frame and attack him and shake the eldest son's hopes for succession."

"Brother, have you considered that with the world newly settled, the old roots of the six states not yet eradicated and the hearts of the people not yet settled, the foundation of the Great Qin is still shaky and shallow? If the eldest son is tainted with such a stain, the hearts of the people in the court will be unsettled, and the royal family will take the opportunity to cause trouble?"

"How should the Great Qin Dynasty conduct itself?"

Zhou Wenqing slightly raised his eyes, his gaze deep and unfathomable. His voice was extremely soft, yet his words struck the room like a thunderclap:

"At that time, the storm will rage, and the building will collapse—"

"That's enough!"

Wei Liao finally couldn't listen anymore and abruptly stood up to interrupt.

He first strode to the window and looked out. Seeing that the corridor was empty except for Li Yi standing firmly to his side, his figure as straight as a pine tree, he breathed a slight sigh of relief, and his tense shoulder line relaxed by half an inch.

He then turned around, strode up to Zhou Wenqing, stared at him intently, lowered his voice but his tone was anything but gentle, and he spoke through gritted teeth, each word striking its mark:

Do you even know what you're saying?

Zhou Wenqing tilted her head slightly, looked at him, blinked innocently, her expression frank yet revealing a sly and self-righteous air.

"I know, there's a reason we have to use Qi! Didn't my brother tell me to say it?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Liao choked on his words.

These words left him speechless, a lump forming in his throat, unable to escape, causing the veins on his forehead to throb twice.

Unfortunately, he couldn't refute it.

He was so uncomfortable that a hard line appeared on his cheek, and his fists clenched tightly.

Seeing this, Zhou Wenqing quickly and attentively picked up the teacup, presented it with both hands, and put on a flattering smile, speaking to soothe him.

"Brother, don't be angry, calm down and have some tea."

Whether he can successfully persuade Qi depends entirely on Wei Liao's attitude; he dares not offend him.

Wei Liao glanced at him sideways, let out a heavy snort, took the teacup with his hand, but did not touch his lips. Instead, he slammed it back onto the table with a "thud".

Zhou Wenqing's eyelid twitched, but his smile remained unchanged, and he quickly added:

"Brother, please don't be angry. It's only because you're here that I dare to be so disrespectful and speak frankly with you. If it were anyone else, how could I dare to be so presumptuous?"

"really?"

Wei Liao's gaze sharpened slightly as she looked down at him, her eyes filled with a scrutinizing suspicion.

"Of course it's fake," Zhou Wenqing said, but he didn't dare to say it and just nodded repeatedly.

Wei Liao stared at his overly solicitous face, her gaze lingering for a moment on the dark circles under his eyes. Her brows furrowed slightly before slowly relaxing.

"Fine, I'll trust you this once."

"Thank you, brother!"

Zhou Wenqing seized the opportunity, his eyes darting around before he subconsciously leaned forward slightly, his tone tentative and cautious: "Then, brother, about my use of Qi..."

Wei Liao glanced at him: "The eldest son's mission to Qi is perfectly legitimate, what does it have to do with you?"

"Brother!"

Zhou Wenqing immediately straightened up. This time, he couldn't sit still and almost jumped up from his seat. His obedient and docile appearance just now was instantly ruined.

Wei Liao had anticipated this, so he reached out and gently pressed down on his shoulder, steadily pulling him back into the chair to prevent him from aggravating his old knee injury by getting too agitated.

"Alright, alright, don't rush me, I'm not joking with you anymore."

"A joke?" Zhou Wenqing frowned, looking at him with a deep, accusing gaze.

"What?" Wei Liao raised an eyebrow, saying matter-of-factly, "You're allowed to frighten me like this, but I'm not allowed to joke with you even once?"

Zhou Wen felt guilty, silently withdrew his gaze, and pursed his lips.

"Ugh!"

Wei Liao looked at him helplessly and sighed deeply.

"You've gone to such lengths and used such astonishing words to convince me. If I were to simply send you back like this, I'm afraid you'd be constantly thinking about it and wouldn't be able to accept it. This prolonged resentment would only worsen your condition and be a greater loss than a gain."

"I won't stop you from going to Qi."

Zhou Wenqing suddenly raised his head, his eyes lighting up instantly.

"but--!"