Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

He just said who he was?

Zhang...Han?

Zhou Wenqing paused for a moment, blinked, and stared intently at the young man's face as if rooted to the spot, trying to discern from his still-childish brows a heroic spirit that overlapped with the name in later history books.

The boy felt uneasy under his gaze and subconsciously took half a step back, his apology and earnestness quickly replaced by surprise and doubt.

"You said... your name is Zhang Han?" Zhou Wenqing asked again to confirm.

Zhang Han nodded cautiously, his body tensing up almost imperceptibly, and his heels subtly shifting backward.

"Exactly."

"Is there any family tradition of studying military strategy, or legal matters?"

Zhou Wenqing asked again, his tone calm, but his questioning was somewhat urgent.

In this place, there is a young man surnamed Zhang who has the opportunity to study military law and regulations, and is also called Zhang Han...

That must be Zhang Han, who would later become the Minister of the Imperial Household, then be appointed to a critical mission, and lead the army of convicts to save the Qin Dynasty from disaster on multiple occasions, and be known in later generations as "the last war god of the Qin Dynasty".

Zhang Han, unaware of Zhou Wenqing's inner thoughts, frowned, his hand subtly resting on the hilt of his sword, his eyes turning completely wary: "I know a little bit, why are you asking such questions?"

That's true!

Zhou Wenqing was overjoyed. He never expected that a trip would yield such an unexpected gain.

However, his gaze swept over the boy's tense expression... The most important thing right now was to keep him calm.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his turbulent emotions, and his expression quickly turned into a serious one with a hint of sympathy and understanding.

"Don't misunderstand." Zhou Wenqing softened his tone and gestured to the slave owner not far away.

"I vaguely overheard your argument with that man. If you have studied Qin law, you should know that even with contracts, one cannot arbitrarily inflate prices or extort excessive amounts in trade. You have already paid double the ransom, yet he is still greedy and demands prices far beyond what is reasonable..."

He paused slightly, then clearly uttered the second half of the sentence: "According to the city magistrate, you can sue him, and the city officials and legal officers will handle it. Arguing with him here is futile and will only give others ammunition against you."

Zhang Han was taken aback, only then realizing that he had been so engrossed in arguing about the amount of money that he had forgotten about this point.

His initial wariness of Zhou Wenqing was instantly replaced by gratitude. He immediately turned to the slave owner, his voice rising abruptly: "Did you hear me? If you dare to ask for an exorbitant price again, I will immediately go and find the market officials and legal officers! Let's see if your backbone is tougher, or if the laws of my Great Qin are more just!"

The slave owner, who had already taken advantage of Zhou Wenqing's youth and eagerness, saw that Zhou Wenqing and his entourage were well-dressed and spoke fluent legal jargon. He knew he had encountered some sensible people, and probably ones he couldn't afford to offend. His arrogance vanished instantly, his face twitched, and he forced a fawning smile, repeatedly saying, "This, this... I was confused for a moment. The price is negotiable, negotiable..."

Zhang Han felt a great weight lifted from his heart. He thanked Zhou Wenqing again and then pulled the old servant, who was called "Uncle Zhang," to complete the formalities.

How could Zhou Wenqing let him leave like this? This future star, delivered right before his eyes, might turn around and disappear into the crowd, making it difficult to find him again.

He immediately stepped forward and said in a gentle tone, "This man is cunning and is taking advantage of your youth. You must go to the market official to settle things clearly to avoid further complications. We happen to have nothing else to do, so how about we accompany you?"

How could Zhang Han possibly disagree? Of course, he repeatedly expressed his gratitude and approval.

Zhou Wenqing thought to himself that this time he was in luck. His favorability rating had increased significantly. It would be much easier to bring the person back.

Go back? Didn't you just say to hurry up and leave? Fusu and Azhu exchanged a glance, both seeing the confusion in each other's eyes. But since the master had spoken, they silently followed.

The group returned to the oppressive market, until they watched as Zhang Han and the slave owner, under the supervision of the market officials, re-verified the prices and re-established the contracts.

After everything was settled and they left the market town to see the light of day again, Zhang Han helped the battered but now freed Zhang Bo from the straw ropes and solemnly bowed deeply to Zhou Wenqing: "This time, I am deeply grateful to you for your righteous words and your help in resolving my difficulties. If it weren't for your guidance, I fear I would still be entangled with that scoundrel, and perhaps... I might not have been able to redeem Zhang Bo successfully. I will remember this kindness forever."

Zhou Wenqing offered a slight helping hand, his gaze falling on the haggard-looking old man who was trying his best to straighten his back. He asked gently, "No need for formalities. However, I see that you and this... Uncle Zhang seem to have a special relationship. How did you let him fall to this state?"

Although historical records don't mention much about Zhang Han before he was appointed as the Minister of the Imperial Household in the Qin Dynasty, it can be inferred that his family was probably not ordinary commoners. The fact that he could call a slave "Uncle Zhang" clearly indicates that they had a deep relationship.

"Alas!" Upon hearing this, the gratitude on Zhang Han's face faded slightly, replaced by deep guilt and dejection. He looked at the silent old servant beside him, then at Zhou Wenqing, and the young man's eyes even turned a little red.

"I dare not hide it from you, Uncle Zhang... watched me grow up and we are quite close."

His voice lowered, "He was once a valiant soldier, but because his family committed crimes, he was forced to become a servant. I often pestered him to tell me about his experiences on the battlefield. After hearing so much, I couldn't help but admire his bravery, and I developed the idea of ​​joining the army in the future and earning a title for myself."

He paused, his tone becoming strained: "My father... disliked this very much, believing that war is dangerous and not the right path for us. He was convinced that Zhang Bo had bewitched me with those stories of reckless courage and corrupted my mind. A few days ago, while I was out visiting friends, he actually... actually sold Zhang Bo out in a fit of anger."

Zhang Han clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white: "If it weren't for an old servant secretly informing me, and me rushing here day and night... I really don't know where Zhang Bo would have been sold to, or how much suffering he would have endured. If that's true, then it's all my fault, I... ruined him!"

Zhou Wenqing listened quietly, understanding the situation.

"I see." He nodded slowly, looking at Zhang Han: "Different ambitions can cause rifts even among family members, which is regrettable. However, it's fortunate that Uncle Zhang has escaped. What are your plans now?"

Zhang Han held Zhang Bo's arm tightly, shook his head, and looked at him with a mixture of lingering fear and stubbornness: "We have already received a lot of kindness from you. Zhang Bo's injuries need to be treated as soon as possible. At home right now... I'm afraid it's not a good place. I need to find a safe place for him to receive medical treatment."

He raised his head, looked at Zhou Wenqing with sincere eyes, and spoke clearly and firmly: "Please grant me a name and residence, sir. Once everything is settled, Zhang Han will definitely come to express his gratitude. I will never forget this kindness."

Here comes the opportunity.

Zhou Wenqing's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained calm and gentle as he said, "Why go through all this trouble? To be honest, I suffer from a chronic illness and have a doctor at home who is always there to take care of me. We also have a full range of medicines. If you don't mind the simplicity of my humble abode, why don't you bring Uncle Zhang along for treatment? That would be much more convenient and save you the trouble of finding another place to stay and going through all that trouble."

However, Zhang Han was not an ignorant child. In this chaotic place, when faced with the sudden and enthusiastic invitation from a distinguished but completely unfamiliar nobleman, he immediately became wary.

The kindness shown to us is genuine, but the instinct to be wary of others is also a basic survival instinct in this era.

Zhang Han's grateful smile remained unchanged, but he subtly took a half step back, bowed slightly, and spoke politely yet distantly.

"We deeply appreciate your kindness, but in our disheveled state, we dare not disturb your peace any further, and besides..."

He paused, glanced at the haggard-looking Uncle Zhang beside him, and explained, "My servants have already arrived, but I was so eager to save people that I rode ahead. Once they arrive, I will make arrangements for them and dare not trouble you any further."

These words were reasonable and well-founded. They expressed gratitude, politely declined the invitation, and implied that he was not a lone teenager without any support. He handled the situation perfectly.

Zhou Wenqing secretly praised him, thinking that he was indeed a future general. Even though he was young, he was extremely vigilant and had a stable temperament. He was not someone who could be easily swayed by words.

But while I admired it, I also had a slight headache.

Sure enough, he then found several other pretexts, from the proximity of the doctor to the advice that rest was advisable, his words earnest and almost heartfelt.

As the conversation progressed, even she felt her lips getting dry, but Zhang Han's attitude remained as firm as a rock, his refusals becoming more and more resolute each time. The distance and wariness in his eyes became more and more obvious with each of Zhang Han's repeated invitations.

That does not work.

Zhou Wenqing's mind raced. Zhang Han's willpower was far stronger than he had anticipated, and he was clearly not going to be persuaded. Moreover, he was unsure whether his appearance had changed history.

What should Zhang Han have done at this moment according to history? Did he successfully save this Zhang Bo?

If he had not been saved, would he have been disheartened, returned home, and continued to follow the path his father had hoped for, studying law and arithmetic, until the crisis that threatened the nation, when he was entrusted with a critical mission, turning from a scholar to a warrior, and shining as a general?

But now that he has saved someone, he clearly has no intention of returning home anytime soon. Once he leaves this place with his old servant, he will have to hide back home and conceal himself in the vast territory of Qin. Finding him again would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. If something unexpected happens because of this...

The consequences would be unimaginable!

Thinking of this, Zhou Wenqing felt even more anxious about encountering such a talented person, yet possibly missing out on the opportunity.

We can't let such a promising future talent slip through our fingers!

It's not that we can't use our bodyguards to track them, but if there's a more convenient way, why go through all this trouble?

Hearing Zhang Han's polite yet firm refusal once again, Zhou Wenqing's eyes suddenly darkened. He finally stopped trying to persuade him and instead turned away abruptly.

With his back to the crowd, he slightly closed his eyes, waved his hand, and raised his voice:

"Someone, please have Mr. Zhang and this old man get into the car. Make sure... they are treated with the utmost courtesy!"

He emphasized the words "perfect etiquette" with particular force...