Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

"Regarding Han Zi's matter, I can have someone make further arrangements. His importance in Han is different from yours in Qin. Protecting his life will not be difficult."

Wei Liao changed the subject, his gaze sharpening: "But you must come with me when you are ready, only then can I feel at ease."

"That won't do!"

Zhou Wenqing blurted it out almost without thinking, his voice filled with barely suppressed urgency.

Seeing Wei Liao's expression, and fearing he would be interrupted, he immediately leaned forward, bracing his hands on the edge of the table, and spoke urgently:

"Brother, you should understand the gravity of the situation better than I do. In a few months, we will reach the critical juncture of Qin's conquest of Han. No matter how small Han is, it is still a country. Unlike conquering cities and seizing territory, it is a matter of life and death. The court needs someone to hold the central position, and the army needs someone to command the troops. Brother, as the Grand Commandant and a pillar of the court, how can you leave Qin at this time?"

He stared intently at Wei Liao, his eyes devoid of the cunning from before, replaced only by genuine anxiety.

Wei Liao's eyes darkened slightly, his brows furrowed, yet he remained unyielding.

"With General Wang and his generals overseeing the pacification of Han, and with His Majesty and his officials coordinating the Qin court, the absence of me is not a major problem. However, you are going to Qi alone. The local troops are not as good as the elite troops His Majesty has selected from Xianyang. Without anyone to protect you, I absolutely cannot agree to this."

Zhou Wenqing opened his mouth, about to speak, but Wei Liao didn't give him the chance, her tone cold and unyielding:

"Compared to South Korea, where accidents are almost impossible, you are clearly more worrying."

Once the words were spoken, the two locked eyes, each holding their ground and refusing to yield.

The steam from the teacup on the table gradually dissipated, just like the gradually cooling atmosphere in the room, making it so stuffy that it was hard to breathe.

This is not the way to go.

Zhou Wenqing felt secretly anxious.

If this stalemate continues, it will either delay the overall plan to destroy Han, or force us to turn back and abandon our plans in Qi, resulting in losses on both sides, which is definitely not the best strategy.

His mind raced, rapidly weighing the pros and cons, when suddenly a brilliant idea struck him:

"Brother!"

"Stop talking! I will never agree. Otherwise, you will come back to Xianyang with me!" Wei Liao interrupted coldly, his tone as hard as a rock, without even lifting his eyelids.

"No, brother, let me finish!" Zhou Wenqing said urgently, raising his voice by half an octave and leaning forward. "I've thought of a way to satisfy both sides."

Wei Liao finally raised his eyes and looked at him.

Zhou Wenqing took a deep breath, steadied himself, and slowed his speech: "Since you're worried about who will protect me, why not send someone else?"

Wei Liao was taken aback, her brows furrowing slightly: "What do you mean?"

Zhou Wenqing steeled his resolve and took a step back, his tone earnest:

"My journey has already been delayed by a few days. A further delay of two or three days will not affect the overall situation. Brother, there is no need for you to abandon Han and accompany me."

Wei Liao didn't understand what he meant for the time being and didn't respond.

Zhou Wenqing continued, "Now that the war with Zhao is nearing its end, General Wang Jian's army is advancing towards Han. There is plenty of manpower at the front, so there is no need for all the famous generals to be stationed there. Brother, you only need to send an urgent order to request the King to order the old general to send a few people over."

"If you are still worried, brother, you can go to Korea and make a detour to select suitable men—Wang Ben, Zhang Han, and Meng Tian. They have all accompanied the army on this expedition. Any one of them has personally experienced the baptism of battle and has a family background in scholarship. In terms of courage, resourcefulness, and on-the-spot decision-making, they are all outstanding. You can choose from among them and have a small guard accompany you. They will surely be able to protect me well. There is no need to worry."

"I will also set off a few days later than my brother. The distance is not far. As long as the people I send are lightly equipped and travel at high speed, they will catch up in a few days. It's only a few days' time difference, so there will be no accidents."

"this……"

After listening, Wei Liao pursed his lips slightly, his eyes deep and unsettled, hesitating for a moment, his fingers tapping lightly on the edge of the table, making a slow and steady "tap-tap" sound.

Zhou Wenqing knew that the scales in his heart were already wavering, so he softened his voice, speaking with a mix of sincerity and flattery:

"Brother, even if I hold this nominal position for a few days, I certainly won't be able to travel far from Chen County. You have already led your troops to clear the surrounding area once, so there is no danger to speak of. Brother, don't you trust the land you've 'plown'?"

Wei Liao's knocking stopped.

He glanced at Zhou Wenqing with annoyance: "You speak so eloquently, so persuasive, and every word you say makes sense, leaving me with no way to refute you."

He let out a long sigh, slowly nodded, and finally relented, the matter settled: "Alright, we'll proceed according to your plan."

Having made her decision, Wei Liao no longer hesitated and set the tone directly:

"There's no need for me to rush to Han and personally select someone. I will immediately draft a memorial to Your Majesty and directly dispatch Wang Ben, Zhang Han, and Meng Tian to Qi to protect you."

"what……"

Zhou Wenqing was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and his eyes unconsciously darted around for a moment.

"Well, you don't necessarily have to send all of them, do you?"

They are all the most elite generals of the new generation, and this is the perfect opportunity for them to accumulate military experience in conquering a country and build their careers. It would be a waste for them not to make contributions and instead come to escort him.

Moreover, he had already faked his death and escaped, washing away the many entanglements in the court before his death. He would soon leave Qin territory and would not get involved in any extra troubles along the way, so he was already safe and sound. If it weren't for Wei Liao's worries, Zhou Wenqing felt that with Li Yi and Fan Kuai by his side, protecting him was more than enough.

But Wei Liao clearly didn't think so.

Wei Liao glanced at him sideways, and for some reason, Zhou Wenqing sensed a hint of disdain.

"I have never seen anyone undertake such a perilous and perilous mission as you, with so many near-death experiences. I heard that when you came from Han to Qin, you also encountered bandits and almost lost your life..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Zhou Wenqing's face, his tone carrying a hint of deeper meaning:

"Now it seems that you are perhaps... destined for this kind of fate. Anyone who travels far away is prone to attracting trouble. It's always good to take precautions. This matter will proceed as I have arranged, and there is no need to discuss it further."

Disgrace! This is utter disgrace!

Zhou Wenqing felt as if an invisible needle had pierced his spine. He touched his nose but ultimately didn't dare to refute it again.

In the blink of an eye, he saw Wei Liao move to the desk, spread out the bamboo slips, dip them in ink, and immediately draft a memorial to the King of Qin about the dispatch of three young generals. He quickly stepped forward.

Zhou Wenqing picked up the inkstone and diligently ground the ink. The inkstone spun gently on the inkstone. After a moment's thought, he whispered:

"Brother, there is one more thing I would like to ask you to do me a favor after you arrive in Han."

"speak."

Wei Liao kept writing, his brush moving like dragons and snakes, his gaze fixed on the paper, never raising his head, only uttering a single word in a low voice.

Keep an eye out for someone.

"This person's surname is Zhang, given name Liang, and he is about fourteen or fifteen years old. He is from a prominent family in Korea and should be easy to find."