Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

The hall was fairly spacious, but the four people standing in a row were a bit too far from the head seat.

Upon seeing this, Meng Yi and Zhang Han, who were standing at the back of the line, subconsciously took two steps forward. However, with a slight shift in position, the four of them formed a semi-circle, directly encircling Jiang An in the center of the hall.

As the sun rose higher, a beam of sunlight streamed through the carved window and into the hall, bathing everyone in its glow.

Fusu and the others were dressed in brocade robes, which shimmered with a soft luster under the sunlight. The pearls and jade on their crowns swayed gently, and the jade pendants at their waists moved slightly with their movements, with specks of light flowing around them, as if they had been specially illuminated with bronze mirrors. The four of them stood there, and their noble and noble aura almost overflowed from the hall.

His long robe had been repeatedly starched and washed, its white color tinged with a grayish patina. His hair was held back by a simple wooden hairpin, without any ornaments or rings. Even the creases of the fabric patched and sewn on his cuffs were clearly visible in the sunlight.

The contrast is quite stark.

Zhou Wenqing, who was originally leaning back in his chair, ready to watch a wonderful debate, couldn't help but squint his eyes slightly and touch his chin.

Huh! What's with this strange sense of déjà vu about "a group of noble young masters ganging up to make things difficult for a poor and down-on-his-luck student"?

Fusu clearly noticed it too, mainly because his master's somewhat "reproachful" gaze pierced his spine, making him inwardly groan.

I'm innocent! Sir, didn't you yourself instigate this commotion?

His ears burned slightly. Fu Su steadied himself, forced a wry smile, and nodded slightly to Jiang An.

"Fusu has been rude, Lord Jiang, please."

Wang Ben and the others, however, were completely oblivious, casually clasping their hands in a fist salute, their voices growing louder and louder than the last:

"Lord Jiang, we would like to ask for your guidance."

Faced with the four people greeting him and extending an invitation, Jiang An remained calm and composed, showing no sign of nervousness or fear.

His gaze slowly swept over the faces of the four people, his back straight as a pine tree. He slowly returned the greeting with his hands clasped, his voice clear and unhurried.

"Young master, you flatter me. I am honored by your guidance and would never dare to disobey."

It was still that same beam of sunlight, and that same long robe, but the moment he stood up, his wide sleeves billowed as if a gust of wind was blowing, and the dimness around him was swept away, the grayness completely gone.

Jiang An slightly raised his head, his eyebrows and eyes suddenly relaxed, his sharpness suddenly revealed, ready to be unleashed.

This is back on home turf—Zhou Wenqing straightened his posture and looked intently.

As expected, the four surrounded the center of the hall, and a barrage of questions came from all directions, one after another, covering policies, governance, and historical records. The questions came from various tricky angles, and the attacks were more and more fierce than the last, leaving no room for escape.

Despite the sharp edges of all directions locking onto his body, they could not budge the figure in white robes in the center of the hall.

Jiang An never hesitated for a moment, never frowned, never pondered, never paused. He answered any question immediately, every word a gem, every sentence hitting the nail on the head, sharp and insightful to the point of being almost frightening.

That confident and composed demeanor didn't seem like a debate on the spot. Rather, it was as if this dangerous and protracted multi-party argument had been rehearsed a thousand times in his mind, with all the routines, variables, and killer moves all within his expectations.

The atmosphere in the hall was extremely tense, with everyone holding their breath and focused on the questions and answers, each resounding word striking a chord in the hearts of the listeners.

At first, Fusu felt that he was outnumbered and thus restrained his offensive. However, after several exchanges, his composure and humility gradually disappeared, his brows furrowed more and more, and his responses became slower and slower.

He was the youngest and least experienced. When Jiang An's overwhelming aura pressed down on him, his rhythm was disrupted by half a beat. In an instant, he could no longer keep up. He opened his mouth several times but could not speak, his lips turning white. Helpless, he could only stop and retreat, becoming the first to be defeated.

Fusu lowered her head dejectedly, even the strands of hair that had stuck up on her forehead seemed to droop down. Her breathing was still unsteady, and she was panting a little. She turned her head and looked at her husband with a wronged expression.

It's like a poor little cub that's accidentally wandered into a high-level game.

Zhou Wenqing's eyes held a hint of sympathy and amusement as he sent a comforting look from afar. However, with the battle raging, he had no time to say more, and simply raised his hand to beckon to his aggrieved little disciple.

Fusu immediately nodded obediently, silently moved over and sat down. His teacher casually rubbed his head, and most of his frustration dissipated instantly.

He immediately looked up and returned to the battle, his eyes sparkling, his hopes pinned on Wang Ben, who was loudly arguing back.

Wang Ben, true to his character, was bold and unstoppable. He and his junior brother Zhang Han worked together seamlessly, one bold and the other cautious, complementing each other in offense and defense. They subtly suppressed the momentum and seemed poised to break the deadlock.

But to everyone's surprise, after only a few exchanges, their fierce and rapid offensive suddenly stalled, and they were abruptly stopped on the spot.

—Unbeknownst to them, they had stumbled into a logical trap that Jiang An had laid in advance.

"color!"

Yao Jia could no longer hold back and finally let out a breath, clapping his hands in admiration, his eyes filled with amazement.

The situation on the field reversed instantly.

Wang Ben and Zhang Han's initial momentum completely dissipated, and their subsequent attacks were met with setbacks and constraints. Their previous unstoppable advance came to an abrupt halt, and they were reduced to a passive defensive posture.

Despite their struggles and attempts to salvage the situation, they were no match for Jiang An's sharp tongue and could only retreat step by step, suffering defeat after defeat, and ultimately both were eliminated.

Fusu clenched his fists tightly, nervously turning his gaze to Meng Yi. His breathing, which had finally calmed down a bit, became rapid again.

Meng Yi was the only one left on the field to defend the game.

He is the most composed and restrained, always taking steady and cautious steps, and will not easily fall into a trap.

Unfortunately, Jiang An's responses were astonishingly fast, fluent and effortless, without the slightest hesitation, as if he didn't need to think. Under the rapid and sharp exchanges, Meng Yi's brows furrowed, and he became increasingly strained.

Seeing this, Ba Qing finally breathed a sigh of relief, a confident smile curving his lips. He calmly picked up his teacup and took a leisurely sip.

A crisp "snap" sounded.

The teacup fell onto the table, and the dust settled.

Meng Yi ultimately couldn't keep up with his thoughts. He got stuck for a moment, and then he lost everything. He had no choice but to sigh, shake his head, and admit his mistake.

"Brother Jiang is indeed very skilled; Meng Yi is completely outmatched."

With the outcome decided, Jiang An breathed a sigh of relief, gently shook his head, and returned the greeting with clasped hands:

"General Meng is too kind; Jiang An is unworthy of such praise."

The moment the words fell, the long-standing tension in the room suddenly eased.

"Phew~"

The sounds of exhaling rose and fell, and only then did everyone realize that they had been holding their breath and clenching their fists the whole time, even forgetting to breathe.

After a moment of silence, Yao Jia was the first to slam his fist on the table and stand up, his voice filled with fervor:

"A genius! A once-in-a-lifetime genius!"

His eyes shone brightly, unblinking, fixed intently on Jiang An:

"Such eloquence, such strategic acumen, such ability to control the situation—if Ziliangyu cannot be used by our Great Qin, it would be a utter waste of talent, an utterly unreasonable act!"

"Three days from now, at the Jixia Academy meeting, if you are not used, I, Yao Jia, will be the first to object!"

No one in the room disagreed; everyone shared the same sentiment.

Even Zhou Wenqing's eyes were brimming with undisguised surprise.

This is the first time he's ever had a talented person delivered to his doorstep without him doing anything!

Zhou Wenqing's joy was no less than Yao Jia's, who slapped the table until his hand was swollen.

Fortunately, he usually kept his composure and did not lose his composure like Yao Jia. He remembered that Ba Qing had brought this person to his door not only to prove his strength, but also for another purpose.

He first nodded slightly to Ba Qing, then turned his gaze to Jiang An and spoke gently:

"Jiang An, the outcome is decided, and your ability is beyond doubt. Now, it's time to address the next issue."

"Madam Qing once said that you have something special about you. Could you elaborate?"