Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

Li Si almost swallowed his food whole, hurriedly got up and rushed out, not even having time to wipe the corners of his mouth clean.

He heard it clearly inside the house; Brother Zicheng actually wanted his child to become his disciple on the spot!

How can this be done?

Li Si clearly saw the King of Qin's attitude before his departure and understood that His Majesty had already taken a liking to Zhou Wenqing and his talents. His ambition was not only to make him serve the Qin state, but also to find a good teacher for Prince Fusu!

The position of tutor to Prince Fusu has been vacant for a long time, and His Majesty has been hesitant to make a decision. His concerns are nothing more than that ordinary Confucian scholars are too pedantic, legal officials are too harsh, and the various schools of thought have their own biases, making it difficult to find a well-rounded talent. None of them are the best choice to educate the crown prince.

The King of Qin was always troubled and hesitant. Now, he had the good fortune to meet a man like Zhou Wenqing, who had unique insights, outstanding knowledge, upright character, and effective teaching methods. Moreover, he was kind and principled. Not to mention His Majesty, even Li Si thought that he was the perfect person.

But if, right under Li Si's nose, Zhou Wenqing were to take in such a country boy as his first disciple, then...

hiss--

My life is over.

Li Si's throat tightened; he could hardly believe it, and he could almost hear the faint twang of the string in his heart.

He was in a hurry, so he moved even faster, his voice arriving before he did.

"Brother Zicheng, accepting disciples is no ordinary matter; how can you be so hasty?"

"Hey, Brother Gu'an," Zhou Wenqing turned around and saw Li Si. He frowned helplessly and reached out to push him back. "Don't come out and cause me any more trouble."

He had finally come up with a solution that satisfied both Aunt Liu's wishes and his own principles, so why was this person interfering?

Little did Zhou Wenqing know the immense weight the title of "first disciple" carried in people's minds at that time. It was almost equivalent to the order of seniority in establishing a sect, representing the indisputable order of entry into the sect. It meant that in the possible future lineage and relationships between masters and disciples, he would occupy a unique and priority position, almost like a "direct descendant."

"How can this be considered adding to the trouble?!" Li Si stepped aside to avoid Zhou Wenqing's shoving hand, stood still in front of him, and said solemnly with a serious expression.

"Brother Zicheng, with your talent and knowledge, you are far beyond the reach of ordinary people. If you really want to accept disciples, even if you don't charge tuition or skip formalities, it is appropriate to have a solemn ceremony to show the importance of your learning and the respect of the teacher."

Catching his breath, he quickened his pace, laying out a series of reasoning: "Have you not heard the ancient saying, 'Divination is performed to choose an auspicious day, and gifts are offered to inquire about one's name'? Even if we keep everything simple, we should at least hold a quiet study, burn incense, and inform the sages, so that the disciples clearly understand that they are stepping into the gate of learning and shouldering the responsibility of pursuing the Way."

"To make a hasty decision in this courtyard is far too hasty. Such carelessness is not true care for a disciple, but rather a disregard for learning itself, and... a disregard for this child's future, which should be treated with even greater care."

"this……"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Wenqing thought there was nothing else wrong...

"Warning the child's future? Is it that serious?"

"Of course!" Li Si said decisively, "At the very least, without a single witness, it's easy for people to suspect that this child isn't a direct descendant, which will only cause gossip and bring no benefit whatsoever."

"Oh dear!" Aunt Liu exclaimed anxiously upon hearing this. "That absolutely cannot be done! Young Master Li is right, taking on a master is a serious matter and cannot be done so casually. Young Master Zhou, let's not rush, let's not rush, let's wait until everything is arranged!"

Zhou Wenqing glanced at Aunt Liu, who looked anxious, and then at Li Si, who had a solemn expression. He rubbed his temples, realizing that his method was indeed inappropriate.

"Then, in Brother Gu'an's opinion, what should we do now?"

Zhou Wenqing looked at Li Si and said, "You rejected my idea, so you have to come up with a plan for me, right?"

Li Si had already made up his mind. Upon hearing this, his expression softened and his tone became more peaceful: "Brother Zicheng, don't be anxious. This matter is not difficult."

He turned to Aunt Liu and said gently, "Sister-in-law Liu, Young Master Zhou understands your sincerity, and we see it clearly as well. The ceremony of taking a teacher as an apprentice is indeed a serious matter, and the child's desire to learn should not be neglected."

Li Si nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to Zhou Wenqing: "Since Brother Zicheng is going to begin his studies, why not let Azhu start with the other children? Firstly, it would be better to avoid rushing into a name today, giving both of us time to adjust and preventing other students from feeling anxious. Secondly, Brother Zicheng could also observe this child's character and aptitude during the lessons, to see if he can truly persevere in his studies. This would be both teaching and testing."

"Once further investigation confirms that this young man is indeed a promising talent, even if Brother Zicheng firmly declines the tuition fee, others will only praise your kindness, appreciation of talent, and discerning eye. How could there be a single word of criticism?"

He paused, then continued, "During this time, we can calmly prepare. The necessary etiquette for the apprenticeship ceremony and the required procedures can all be taught to the child, so that he understands the profound meaning. Then, we can choose a safe and auspicious day to burn incense and inform the ancestors, officially establishing his name and status. In this way, we can fulfill the proper etiquette and uphold the dignity of the teacher; we can also give the child time to truly understand the path of learning. Isn't this more appropriate than making a hasty decision today?"

Zhou Wenqing's eyes lit up after hearing this.

This is a good idea! It solves the immediate awkward situation and provides a buffer period.

Moreover, Li Si is right. Teaching and nurturing people is not something that can be accomplished overnight. Letting Azhu learn first and observing more is responsible for both the child and oneself.

"It's all thanks to Brother Gu'an for his brilliant idea!" Zhou Wenqing smiled and gave Li Si a thumbs up. "That's a brilliant plan!"

No wonder he's the future Prime Minister of Qin; he's just so cunning!

Li Si smiled slightly and said no more.

Whether the idea is brilliant or not is another matter, but the key is that this whole process will definitely buy us enough time to get through this hurdle.

Zhou Wenqing looked at Aunt Liu, seeking her opinion: "Aunt Liu, what do you think?"

"This..." Aunt Liu rubbed her hands, her face full of struggle. "Young Master Zhou, Young Master Li's idea is good, I have nothing to say, it's just... I'm just worried that my silly boy won't live up to expectations, what if... what if he doesn't pass that exam..."

Aunt Liu knew this was wrong, too greedy, but... parents love their children and plan far ahead for them, and she couldn't be an exception. After all, this was an opportunity to become an apprentice and learn from a master, a chance to cross an insurmountable barrier!

At this moment, Ah Zhu, who had been standing quietly to the side, suddenly tugged at Aunt Liu's clothes.

"Mother," the little boy looked up, his eyes bright and clear, "I'm not afraid of the exam."

He turned around, faced Zhou Wenqing, and bowed respectfully.

"I remember all the kindness you've shown me, but I can't let you tarnish your reputation because of me. If I fail the exam, it means I need to study even harder. How can I put my mother and teacher in a difficult position just because I'm afraid?"

"Ouch!"

Li Si's eyes widened in surprise, and he couldn't help but slap his thigh.

"This is incredible! This child is extraordinary!"

He turned to Zhou Wenqing, pointed at him with a smile, and said, "You, Zhou Wenqing, really have a good eye! Just from these words, you can see the boy's character. Brother Zicheng, it seems I should congratulate you in advance; you've struck gold!"

Ah Zhu was a little embarrassed by the praise, and quietly shrank behind his mother, his little face turning slightly red.

Seeing this, Li Si laughed even more heartily, stepped forward, and reached out to rub Ah Zhu's head.

"Don't worry, my child. Even if Brother Zicheng doesn't accept you, I will definitely take you in."

"Hey hey hey!" Zhou Wenqing hurriedly "rescued" Azhu from Li Si's clutches and protected him by his side, feigning displeasure.

"Brother Gu'an, that's not fair! I'm still here, how can you snatch someone else's disciple!"

Seeing how promising her son was, attracting two distinguished young men to vie for his hand in marriage, Aunt Liu's worries vanished, and she couldn't stop smiling.

After this commotion, the news did manage to get out a bit, and with Aunt Liu's notification reaching the villagers, their enthusiasm was high, so Zhou Wenqing had no choice but to move up the start date of school.

Anyway, the King of Qin was only there to listen in, so whether it was the "first lecture" or not was irrelevant—Zhou Wenqing thought rather shrewdly, perhaps after the children had attended a few classes and built a solid foundation, His Majesty would be more pleased with what he heard.

Ideally, the emperor would be so pleased that he would send the little dragon cub over immediately!

Others were one thing, but Zhou Wenqing had already planned it out in his mind: he had to bring this young master under his wing no matter what.

Whether it was to avoid the Qin dynasty's demise after only two generations, or to protect themselves and avoid repeating the mistakes of Shang Yang...

Fusu was of paramount importance.