Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

Zhou Wenqing felt a sudden tightness in his back from being stared at, and subconsciously turned his head away. He then saw a person huddled in the corner of the room—his presence was extremely low, forming a stark contrast with Liu Bang, who was sitting back with his legs spread wide.

Lu Wan leaned against the corner of the wall, looking dejected with her hands hanging down. She looked like a wilted cabbage. Although her expression was not visible, she exuded an aura of "I am very frustrated but I dare not say it".

Noticing the person approaching, he slowly raised his head.

Zhou Wenqing then noticed that Lu Wan had a bruise around her eye, giving her a panda eye.

Seeing that it was them returning, they looked at him as if he had seen a judge, their eyes instantly lighting up. They straightened up abruptly and gave him a pitiful, accusing look.

It's like a cat that's been kicked by a passerby for no reason and is finally waiting for its parents to come home.

Zhou Wenqing: "???"

All those who went out to the banquet and dealt with the situation were unharmed, but Lu Wan, who stayed behind and guarded the rear, was actually injured.

Fusu clearly noticed the glaring bruise immediately, took a half step forward, frowned, and asked in a deep voice:

"Brave Warrior Lu, what happened to your injury?"

Before setting off, this person was still being persuaded and encouraged by the gentleman, who patted his chest and guaranteed that he would guard the gate well and not let anyone else peek in.

At that time, Lu Wan's face was full of high spirits, as if she were shouldering a heavy responsibility. How could she have become like this in just half a day?

Which foreign envoy is so blind, or are the dogs at the foreign mission sentient?

Did they think their Qin delegation was completely deserted?!

He narrowed his eyes slightly. He knew that this outlying residence was a melting pot of people from Zhao, Yan, and other states… Could it be…?

Before he could shake off the several exchanges during the banquet, his mind was instantly flooded with the grudges and conflicts of interest between the various countries that Yao Jia had tutored him on the day before, as well as all sorts of open and covert attacks and undercurrents.

Could it be that foreign envoys, seeing that Fusu was leading a delegation and was inexperienced and naive, guessed that he would not dare to cause trouble and deliberately provoked a disturbance to test the strength of the Qin state?

The envoy from Zhao, in particular, was the most suspicious.

At this thought, a sharp glint, strikingly similar to that of the King of Qin, flashed across Fusu's eyes, and his tone grew even colder and more somber:

"But it was the actions of foreign envoys inside the embassy. Speak freely, Sir Lu, but how dare they be so insolent! I, this young master, will surely seek justice for you!"

His gaze was firm, signaling Lu Wan to boldly plead her case, clearly indicating that he was going to stand up for his subordinate and fight back.

Unexpectedly, Lu Wan didn't hesitate at all. With a "whoosh," she turned her head and accurately threw all her grievances and accusations at Liu Bang, who was standing next to her with a resentful look on his face.

Fusu: "...?"

The murderous intent in his heart instantly froze, and Fusu's eyes became clear as ever, even slightly bewildered.

He followed Lu Wan's gaze and looked at Liu Bang, who sat quietly in his seat, looking uncomfortable. He hesitated before speaking:

"Liu... Liu, the village head? This injury... you inflicted it?"

Lu Wan nodded emphatically, her grievances almost overflowing.

Fusu's eyes became "clearer".

He really didn't understand.

Although these two often bickered before, their relationship was clearly very close, almost like they were inseparable. How did they suddenly start fighting?

Fusu's gaze swept between the two of them.

Oh, to be precise, it was Lu Wan who was unilaterally attacked.

Wait a minute... Shouldn't Liu Tingzhang have gone to the banquet with them?

They had barely made their way back when it was only the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. I'm afraid they started the fight as soon as they got back to the house.

Yao Jia, standing to the side, also looked puzzled, his tone unconsciously rising slightly, tinged with disbelief:

"Brave Lu, are you sure it was really Liu Tingzhang who injured you?"

Lu Wan sensed his suspicion and immediately exploded.

Being beaten up for no reason is already unfair enough. Judging from Brother Ji's mood, he seems a bit off. He didn't even dare to fight back, and now he's being questioned.

That's not fair!

He rushed up to Liu Bang, pointed at his nose, and raised his voice several octaves:

"That's him! Don't believe me? Ask Brother Ji!"

"I diligently guarded the door, bored for most of the day, counting every single ant on the ground. Finally, someone came back, and I excitedly went to greet them, only to almost get my nose slapped off by a door panel!"

"That wasn't all. I continued to wait at the door for quite a while before it finally opened. I had just smiled and hadn't even had a chance to ask what happened when I was punched in the face!"

Lu Wan became increasingly heartbroken and aggrieved as she spoke, her eyes welling up with tears.

"I'm so wronged! I didn't attend such a grand banquet, didn't get a single bite of the good wine and food, and just stayed home guarding the house, only to be beaten for no reason! How can anyone be so bullied! Young Master, I..."

"Shut up!"

As Liu Bang listened to his accusations, which were pointed directly at his nose, a vein throbbed on his forehead.

"Enough, stop talking!"

Damn it, why is Lu Wan so long-winded? Can't we just get this over with? He never wants to mention it again in his life!

Lu Wan, unaware of his thoughts, felt even more aggrieved and poured out her grievances:

"They won't let me speak, but I'll speak anyway! Young Master, you must stand up for me!"

He turned his head and looked at Fusu.

"Huh? This, I... I..."

Fusu was speechless for a moment, and looked at Zhou Wenqing at a loss.

Zhou Wenqing: Strange, why do I feel inexplicably guilty?

Before he could speak, Liu Bang abruptly interrupted him, his ears turning red as he glared at the persistent Lu Wan:

"You've already started hitting me, is this ever going to end? Didn't I already apologize to you?"

"At worst, I'll let you fight back. What kind of skill is it to complain to the eldest son? You're just making a fool of yourself in front of others!"

"Ah, that's not quite right," Yao Jia interrupted upon hearing this.

He was unaware of the prior events, but seeing Liu Bang's appearance piqued his interest. He didn't show it on his face, but instead calmly smoothed things over, offering words of advice:

"Liu Tingzhang's words are biased. We are all colleagues and brothers, so how can you talk about outsiders, let alone make fun of us?"

"Besides, Chief Liu is not the kind of person who would beat his brothers without reason. If there is a misunderstanding, it can be cleared up. I, Yao, would be happy to discuss with you two what exactly happened."

"That's right, Brother Ji," Lu Wan asked, looking aggrieved, "Why did you hit me?"

All eyes were focused on Liu Bang.

"I...I..."

Liu Bang stammered, and now not only his ears, but his entire face and neck turned bright red.

How so?

How can he explain that?

Could he possibly tell them that he almost... almost... met the heavens and earth in broad daylight, scaring them half to death, and that he had fled back to his house in a disheveled state, quickly changed his clothes, and as soon as he opened the door, he was met with Lu Wan's cheerful smiling face?

How could he not be provoked?

Before my brain could even process it, my fist had already been thrown!

Fortunately, the simpleton was just grinning foolishly and didn't see anything at all, but how could he possibly bring himself to say such a thing?

I can't say it, I absolutely can't say it. It's too embarrassing. I can't let a second person know about it in my entire life.

He would rather be beaten back twice by Lu Wan than utter a single word!

Looking at Liu Bang's embarrassed yet resolute expression, Zhou Wenqing had a vague idea of ​​the truth.

He suppressed the upward curve of his lips, coughed lightly, and spoke in a deliberately serious tone:

"Alright, I think it's probably a misunderstanding. It's best if you two talk it out in private. We shouldn't get involved."

Liu Bang immediately cast a grateful glance his way.

However, as soon as Zhou Wenqing's eyes met his, his lips trembled again, and he quickly turned his head to look at Lu Wan.

"I suppose Lu Zhuangshi is a young hero who values ​​loyalty above all else. As long as Liu Tingzhang sincerely apologizes, he certainly won't make things difficult for him over such a trivial matter."

With this label of "young hero" bestowed upon him, Lu Wan not only didn't feel flattered, but actually quite pleased, her eyes crinkling with laughter. Even as the injury aggravated her wounds, causing her to grimace in pain, she remained completely unperturbed, grinning happily.

"Hahahaha! Young hero, oh dear~ young hero, hahahahahaha!"

"Mr. Zhou is right. I, Lu Wan, am a man of great loyalty and would never hold a grudge against my brothers!"

As he spoke, he generously raised his hand and patted Liu Bang's shoulder heavily, slightly raising his chin and striking a magnanimous pose:

"Alright, Brother Ji, we're brothers, right? You treat me to a drink later, and I won't hold it against you!"

Liu Bang looked like he'd swallowed a fly, feeling a hand still pretending to massage his shoulder. His back teeth itched with rage, but he didn't shake it off, only gritting his teeth as he forced out a single sentence:

"...Okay, you wait, I'll definitely treat you to 'wine'."

Yao Jia looked left and then right.

Tsk! I was just getting interested, and now the show's over?

A glint flashed in his eyes. Unable to contain his curiosity, he was about to ask a few more questions when Zhou Wenqing caught him in the act.

Zhou Wenqing raised an eyebrow slightly.

Was the pressure from the palace banquet just now too great? Why is Yao Keqing acting so childish?

Tsk tsk tsk! As the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat!

Be careful in three days. When you're arguing with the scholars and your words are flowing freely, you won't even have anyone to hide behind. Let's see what you do then!

Despite his inner grumbling, he still very considerately cleared his throat and decisively spoke first:

"Guest Yao, now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, let's get down to business. After all, time is of the essence, and we'll be relying on you again in three days."

"Cough cough cough cough cough cough cough!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yao Jia suddenly coughed violently.

He choked on his own saliva and coughed, glancing out of the corner of his eye at Zhou Wenqing, whose face was full of trust and approval.

Although... but, that's what I thought before too.

Three days from now, I'll be relying on you even more—Zicheng!

Oh no, what should he say?

While coughing to buy time, Yao Jia's mind raced as he considered a solution.

What goes around comes around, and this time it was his turn to stammer and find it hard to speak.

At the same time, Fusu, standing to the side, smiled knowingly and raised his eyebrows, his expression exactly the same as Yao Jia's earlier, and silently took half a step back.

This is going to be interesting!

When Zhou Wenqing saw that the person was coughing so violently and uncontrollably, he couldn't help but feel worried.

"What's wrong? Why did you suddenly start coughing? Is it serious?"

Just as he was about to step forward to inquire, Li Yi, with a wary look in his eyes, blocked his way.

Li Yi looked at Yao Jia warily, then hid Zhou Wenqing behind his back, completely blocking his view.

This looks like a sudden illness. The gentleman is weak, and it would be bad if he caught the illness.

Since it involves you, sir, we can't be too careful. Let me handle it!

Therefore, before Zhou Wenqing could get close, Li Yi stepped forward and spoke first.

"Guest Yao, are you alright? I'll go and fetch Physician Lü for you right away."

"No, no, no need for that!"

Yao Jia immediately stopped coughing, and his voice became even louder than before. He waved his hands repeatedly.

"I just choked for a moment, it's nothing serious."

As he spoke, he straightened his back, as if the cough he had just experienced was some kind of hallucination.

Physician Lü's medical skills were renowned throughout the land, but the "brutal" potency of his herbal decoctions was equally well-known among his group.

—The fragrance wafts for miles, leaving a lingering aftertaste; those who have tasted it are deeply impressed.

Let Zicheng have this good fortune; he can't accept it anyway. Yao Jia quickly said that he was fine.

Li Yi carefully looked him up and down to make sure that it was really just an accident and not an acute illness before he breathed a sigh of relief and gave up his seat.

"Sir, please continue. It's alright now."

Zhou Wenqing: "..."

He glanced at Li Yi with a slightly speechless expression.

Your interruption almost made me forget what I was going to say!

He took a deep breath, gathered his thoughts, straightened his expression, and spoke solemnly again:

"Your response this time, Yao Keqing, was truly brilliant, killing two birds with one stone. In three days, at Jixia Academy, we can truly showcase the prestige of our Great Qin. This matter is of great importance, and we cannot afford to make any mistakes. As the main debater, you will bear a heavy responsibility. Do not be shy. If there is anything that requires Wenqing's cooperation, please speak frankly, and Wenqing will do his best to assist you."

Upon hearing this, Yao Jia muttered something under his breath, his voice barely audible, "Would you really cooperate if I asked you to replace me as the main debater?"

"What?"

Zhou Wenqing didn't hear him clearly and frowned slightly as she looked at him.

"No, it's nothing."

Yao Jia quickly waved his hand to cover up his thoughts, not daring to repeat what he had just said. His mind raced, searching for the right words, and he stammered:

"Uh... well, cooperation is definitely necessary, and it might go beyond just cooperation. We need to think of a way... well..."

His eyes darted around, almost avoiding Zhou Wenqing's gaze. After a long while, he finally mustered the courage to speak, using the most tactful possible words:

"Hey Zicheng, actually, you're a young hero, a dragon among men, unparalleled in talent and strategy, far surpassing me, Yao Jia, by several times!"

"To be honest, I'm ashamed to say that I've wasted many years of my life, and I'm actually much older than you. If I were to shamelessly call myself your elder brother, I don't think it would be considered impolite."

He became increasingly uneasy as he spoke, his voice growing softer and softer. Before Zhou Wenqing could reply, he blurted out:

"Of course, it's fine if you don't want to call me brother, but we've been through thick and thin together so many times, calling me brother isn't too much to ask, is it?"

"Zicheng, please don't call me Yao Keqing anymore. It sounds too formal. Just call me Zhongmou. That's much better."

"From now on, we brothers will be of one mind, supporting and looking out for each other in times of trouble, so... so..."

Zhou Wenqing was initially flattered and a little shy, but the more he listened, the more something seemed off.

They're praising him and calling him brother... This routine seems a bit familiar.

A strange sense of unease crept into his heart, and he pressed for an answer: "So?"

"so……"

Yao Jia gritted his teeth and decided to go all out.

"So if I am careless and make a mistake, as long as I sincerely apologize, you will surely forgive me, won't you?"

Zhou Wenqing: "...?"

He immediately took a half-step back warily, covering his face with one hand, and called out loudly, "Ah Yi!"

Li Yi stepped forward instantly, shielding him behind him. His gaze was sharp as a knife, and he scrutinized Yao Jia's body twice, as if he would dare to pin Yao Jia to the ground if he took even half a step forward.

Yao Jia was taken aback at first, then realized what was happening and was left speechless, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"No, that's not what I meant. How could I possibly lay a hand on you? It's just......"

Seeing Yao Jia hesitate and dare not speak, the misunderstanding deepened, and even the guard Li's eyes changed. Finally, Fusu could no longer stand it.

He stepped forward, his voice clear and crisp:

"Sir, actually, Guest Minister Yao has made a mistake! He thought you were skilled in debate, so he placed his hopes for the Jixia debate in three days on you. Guest Minister Yao is actually not good at this!"