Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

Zhou Wenqing leaned against Li Yi's shoulder, his forehead beaded with cold sweat.

The doctor was changing the dressing on his chest. Although he was being extremely careful, each time the gauze was removed to change the dressing, it still caused a stinging and itchy sensation, making him grit his teeth and gasp for breath.

"Young master," the doctor said, taking a step back after bandaging the wound, and bowing. "The external wound has healed, but the damage to the internal meridians will not recover in ten days. You must rest quietly and do not be impatient."

Zhou Wenqing nodded weakly; he was already incredibly lucky to have survived.

He originally thought that in this era of poor medical care, such a serious injury would surely lead to death, but now he was able to survive. Could it be that... this is a bit of luck in the eyes of a transmigrator?

The intense pain in the wound gradually subsided, turning into a dull, lingering ache. Although the thought of dying still lingered in Zhou Wenqing's mind, it was no longer as burning and urgent as it had been at the beginning.

Not long ago, Li Yi volunteered to be a bodyguard, using a rather weak excuse, or even one that wasn't really an excuse at all. But Zhou Wenqing assumed that he and Li Yi were "mutually aware" of each other's intentions and agreed without exposing the truth.

He didn't even ask where he got the money to hire guards, doctors, or for household expenses, since all his money was with the dead servant. King Han was quite generous in this regard and gave him plenty.

During this time, Li Yi took meticulous care of him, even fulfilling his occasional requests that might seem pretentious to people of ancient times without any objection.

For example, he has to wash his face and brush his teeth every day, and wipe his body every two days.

At this time, it was not easy to fetch or boil water, but Zhou Wenqing really had no choice. He was used to it in modern times, and he was also a little bit of a germaphobe. He really couldn't stand not washing.

Although Li Yi's lips twitched slightly upon hearing this, he ultimately did as he was told, which can be described as being quite competent.

So it didn't matter if he died, but Zhou Wenqing couldn't bear to see Li Yi implicated, causing him to lose his life because he couldn't complete the mission.

The doctor packed up his medicine box, but did not leave immediately. Instead, he hesitated, his gaze lingering on Zhou Wenqing's face.

Zhou Wenqing inwardly cried out in alarm and immediately gave Li Yi a wink, signaling him to see the guest out.

Unfortunately, it was still a moment too late.

"Young master," the old doctor finally couldn't hold back, his voice trembling slightly with excitement, "Regarding that ancestral elixir you mentioned earlier... is there truly no further clue? Even a single word would be helpful..."

"I really don't know..." Zhou Wenqing almost groaned, his face filled with despair. If it weren't for the fact that the other person was older and it was too disrespectful, he would have liked to cover his ears tightly.

He'd heard that so many times he was practically sick of it.

To explain how he survived a fatal injury, he fabricated a story about an "ancestral life-saving elixir," claiming that he took the medicine when he was on the verge of death and that it kept him barely alive.

Compared to those mysterious tales of ghosts and gods, this reason finally sounded plausible, and Li Yi, who had always harbored doubts, temporarily accepted this explanation.

But who would have thought that when the old doctor heard that such a miraculous medicine existed in the world, he became obsessed and insisted on seeing it with his own eyes.

Zhou Wenqing couldn't conjure up this nonexistent elixir for him, so he could only claim that it was a family heirloom, and that he only had one, which had already been used up.

Upon hearing this, the old doctor stamped his foot and sighed deeply. His heartbroken expression made it seem as if Zhou Wenqing had swallowed the last elixir of immortality, a terrible waste. Zhou Wenqing secretly grumbled and wanted to roll his eyes.

However, his ordeal had only just begun.

Even though he couldn't see the actual pill, the doctor persisted, repeatedly asking about its shape, color, and smell, and whether his ancestors had left behind any recipe... He kept going on and on, nagging until Zhou Wenqing was thoroughly annoyed.

Zhou Wenqing had no choice but to repeat the fabricated details again, while repeatedly winking at Li Yi: Quickly see the guest out! Send him away!

But Li Yi, who usually seemed to have a tacit understanding with him, was completely blind at this time and couldn't see his impatience at all.

Zhou Wenqing was so angry that his chest heaved, and he couldn't help but cough.

"Don't get agitated, don't get angry, breathe slowly."

Li Yi then stepped forward, speaking as she skillfully patted his back to soothe him, and then carefully fed him warm water.

He had long been accustomed to the pampered manner and habits of this "frail scholar," and if he were not certain that the information was correct, he would almost doubt whether he had found the wrong person and set off to find another "Zhou Wenqing."

Of course, that's impossible, because whether or not the right person was found is no longer important. The King of Qin has already set his sights on Zhou Wenqing—from the moment he mentioned the life-saving elixir.

Even his failure to stop the doctor from asking about the elixir time and time again was at the behest of the King of Qin. Therefore, even when Zhou Wenqing's gaze swept over him like a knife, he could only pretend not to know.

Li turned his head to the side and subtly gave the doctor a look.

The doctor understood, and although he was unwilling and felt like a hundred claws were scratching at his heart, he had no choice but to suppress the urge to ask further questions. Instead, he stroked his beard and smiled, saying:

"Although the young master has received a miraculous medicine to protect his heart meridian, the damage to his internal organs is extraordinary. He must remain calm and avoid extreme joy or sorrow in order to proceed slowly."

Zhou Wenqing handed the cup back to Li Yi, his tone carrying a hint of dismissal: "Thank you for the reminder, Doctor. I'll remember it. Is there anything else you need to tell me?"

If you have nothing else to do, hurry up and leave. Don't torture my ears anymore!

The doctor understood his meaning, but instead of being annoyed, he smiled, his eyes flashing with genuine admiration: "Young master is indeed straightforward, but I do have something I need to tell you in person."

"What is it?"

"I've come especially to congratulate you, young master!"

The doctor's voice rose a few decibels, filled with barely concealed excitement.

"The method for preparing 'garlic extract' that you taught me, young master, has proven remarkably effective for many patients suffering from festering sores and persistent fever! This is truly a merit that has saved countless lives!"

Zhou Wenqing nodded with relief, his heart finally at ease: "It's good that it worked; at least all this effort wasn't in vain."

"It's not just useful! It's incredibly useful!"

Before the doctor could reply, Li Yi spoke first, his voice trembling slightly with excitement.

As a secret guard and a former soldier of the Qin army, he had spent years walking on the edge of life and death, and he knew better than anyone what "garlic extract" meant—wounds no longer festering and burning, which was equivalent to giving them, who licked blood from the edge of a knife, an extra half of their lives!

He could almost see the scene of thousands of troops and horses before his eyes. After a great battle, many of Qin's strong and brave men did not die on the spot, but struggled in pain with high fever after their injuries and eventually succumbed to their wounds.

If this item could be widely used in the military, countless families could be spared the pain of losing a child, and countless elite troops could be preserved for the Qin state!

Thinking of this, his breathing became rapid, and his gaze toward Zhou Wenqing was no longer just cautious as if he were on orders to monitor him, but also held an indescribable burning intensity.

Although I don't understand why the young master named Little Garlic "Garlic," it's just so amazing!

Zhou Wenqing was already leaning against him when he was startled by his sudden excitement, causing a sharp pain in his chest. He quickly raised his hand and patted his arm.

"Calm down, don't get agitated!"

Li Yi then realized his lapse in composure, hurriedly steadied himself, and carefully supported Zhou Wenqing, speaking apologetically:

"Excuse me, is the young master alright?"

"It's alright, it didn't aggravate the wound."

"Young Master Zhou—"

Seeing this, the old doctor suddenly straightened his robes, bowed deeply to Zhou Wenqing, and then bowed completely.

"Now that this remedy has been proven to be remarkably effective, I humbly request that you, my lord, present this excellent prescription to the King. Only by leveraging the power of the court to promote it throughout the land can it benefit the common people and save more people from illness!"

Zhou Wenqing was startled by his serious demeanor. Seeing that the old man's arms and legs were bent badly, he was afraid that he might accidentally injure his bones, which would be a huge mistake on his part.

"Why do you perform such a grand gesture, sir? Please rise!"

He quickly gave Li Yi a look, and seeing that the other man had steadily helped the old doctor up, he then said in a low voice:

"To be honest, sir, I made this 'garlic extract' to present to the King of Qin so that it could benefit the people. You need not worry about it, and there is no need for you to do so."

Upon hearing this, the old doctor was so moved that he repeatedly clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, exclaiming, "Young master, you are so virtuous! You are truly virtuous!"

It's no wonder he was so excited. In this era where unique medical skills are often kept secret, especially for doctors, secret recipes are often regarded as life itself, and those who are willing to make them public are extremely rare.