Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

"Good! Excellent! Mr. Zhou is indeed a kindred spirit to me!" Wang Jian was overjoyed at the sight, slapped the table and cheered, and picked up the wine jar to refill his cup.

Li Si, quick-witted and agile, immediately raised his own bowl to separate them: "General, General! Let Brother Zicheng rest a bit, eat some food. Drinking on an empty stomach is bad for your health. I'll drink with you!"

Having said that, he took a big gulp of wine from his bowl, as if facing death, and was immediately choked by the rough taste, his face wrinkling slightly, but he managed to hold it in and not cough.

Heaven knows that Li Si's greatest weakness was this kind of drink; what was so delicious about this awful stuff?!

Ying Zheng also spoke up at the right time: "General, take your time and try this freshly roasted venison."

Wang Jian then temporarily halted his offensive and began chatting and laughing with the others, recounting everything from military drills to interesting anecdotes about Xianyang, displaying great enthusiasm.

Zhou Wenqing listened with great interest, occasionally interjecting a few words. He ate his food and drank his wine in one gulp, appearing quite composed.

Ying Zheng listened with a smile, saying nothing, only occasionally picking up the wine bowl in front of him to symbolically lick his lips, but his eyes were always on Zhou Wenqing's condition, his fingertips rubbing the cold little bottle in his sleeve pocket.

Li Si, on the other hand, was completely focused and alert. While dealing with Wang Jian's occasional "drink together" glances, he kept a close eye on the bowl in Zhou Wenqing's hand. His face became increasingly flushed, and he was inwardly groaning.

This...this isn't what I expected! Brother Zicheng, your alcohol tolerance...is that good?!

After several rounds of toasts and drinks, the scene in the courtyard became clear.

General Wang Jian was already radiant with health, and his voice was still as booming as ever. However, his tongue began to lose its sharpness as he spoke, as if the edges of his words were covered with glue, and his speech was slurred and tinged with the lingering smell of alcohol.

Li Si, on the other hand, was caught in another fierce battle.

The old general was quite tipsy and in high spirits, but what about Brother Zicheng? His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were unfocused. It was hard to tell if he was drunk from the first sip or if he was truly hiding his true abilities, but he showed no restraint whatsoever. No matter how he tried to signal him, his eyes were almost sore from blinking...

They really don't refuse anyone!

...We can't expect the King to personally guard the bar, can we?

This weighty responsibility—who else but me could shoulder it?!

With a gesture of chivalry and righteousness, he rolled up his sleeves to control the situation and "protect a certain national hero who was gradually improving." This person, who disliked the taste of liquor the most and regarded drinking at social events as a chore, almost became the one who drank the most!

Li Si felt the candlelight blur into a hazy ball of light before his eyes, his head felt heavy and his feet felt light, and his head kept nodding uncontrollably, as if he was about to have a close encounter with the stone table at any moment.

In contrast, Zhou Wenqing, who was under special protection, appeared somewhat strangely slow-paced and "composed."

With Li Si leading the way and Ying Zheng watching over him discreetly from the head of the table, he drank quite a lot, though not the most.

It's unclear whether the original owner of this body had a certain alcohol tolerance in life, or whether Zhou Wenqing's soul, from a later era and accustomed to stronger distilled spirits, unconsciously increased his tolerance, or perhaps it was a combination of both...

In short, his current state of mind, compared to that of a fellow sufferer next to him who was stammering and nodding vigorously, could be considered a kind of "slow clarity."

Zhou Wenqing's cheeks flushed crimson, the blush spreading down to her ears and neck. Her usually calm and clear eyes were now misty with a bewildered look. Her body felt light and airy, but her speech was still coherent, though her pace was slower and her reactions were somewhat sluggish.

Wang Jian, hiccuping from the wine, swayed as he raised his bowl again, and slurred, "I praise you!"

"Mr. Zhou! I never expected this! You are not only a great talent for governing the country, but also a hero among drinkers! Come, drink this bowl again! This is a fine wine that I have been saving for many years! Today we must drink it all to our hearts' content!"

Zhou Wenqing was in a strange, intoxicated state at the moment, feeling good about himself, and subconsciously thought that the alcohol was not strong enough to make him drunk, so he did not refuse when he heard the suggestion.

"General Wang's wine... is excellent, excellent! Wenqing has drunk the general's fine wine, so it's not a waste."

He blinked, revealing a slightly smug and boastful expression, then turned his head towards General Wang Jian, thinking he was whispering:

"I... know a recipe that can brew some... wine with a different flavor. After I try to brew it, before selling it, I'll send ten jars to the old general to try. If the old general finds it acceptable, he can help Wenqing... promote it."

"Sell, sell? Mr. Zhou wants to sell wine?" Wang Jian repeated with a slurred speech, then let out a loud burp, waved his hand, slapped his knees loudly, and boldly agreed.

"Then this old man... hiccup... definitely has to support them! I'll even drag those old killers along to buy some too! Anyone who dares not buy, this old man... this old man will invite them to the training ground for a duel!"

Li Si, who was forcing himself to maintain his last bit of clarity, keenly caught the keywords "brewing" and "selling," his eyes widening for a moment, but then swallowed up by an even stronger drunkenness, and with a "thud"—

He collapsed completely.

Ying Zheng, who remained clear-headed throughout, sat upright to the side, listening intently to every word Zhou Wenqing said. A glint flashed in his eyes, which then transformed into a deeper smile, flowing in the candlelight.

It's a wine with a unique flavor. I never expected that Minister Zhou would be so fond of it.

Brewing fine wine...

The thought crossed his mind for a moment, but Ying Zheng rationally suppressed it.

No matter how good the wine is, it is ultimately just a matter of satisfying one's appetite, and brewing it requires the consumption of grain. At present, the foundation of the Great Qin lies in agriculture and warfare, in full granaries and well-equipped soldiers. Brewing and selling wine may bring some profit, but it is not a crucial path for the national economy and people's livelihood.

Therefore, although a hint of curiosity crossed his mind, he didn't pay too much attention to it, taking it as just Zhou Wenqing's casual conversation after getting drunk.

However, it seems that tomorrow's "ten-day agreement" will depend on Zhou Aiqing's condition after waking up from his hangover.

Fortunately, Hu Hai hasn't been told about fulfilling the promise tomorrow yet, but... Minister Zhou doesn't know!

Imagine this: Mr. Zhou, usually calm and calculating, only a little thin-skinned... well, perhaps even more so in front of his children, waking up tomorrow and vaguely recalling fragmented images—the boisterous toasts, the astonishing promises, and...

Wait a minute! Didn't you make a bet with a doll?!

Thinking of this, Ying Zheng couldn't suppress the smile on his lips, and a glint of something that could almost be described as a wicked sense of humor flashed in his eyes.

He could almost picture Zhou Wenqing's dramatic expression the next day: a forced calm, shifty eyes, and a look of guilt and regret that emanated from every strand of his hair.

That scene might... be something worth brewing a pot of tea in advance and looking forward to.

But while we have fun, we should also learn some lessons.

Ying Zheng looked at Zhou Wenqing and shook his head inwardly. He had finally understood that this brilliant and composed statesman, who was exceptionally talented in serious matters, lacked self-control when it came to this drink.

No, it should be said that there wasn't one at all!

Seeing how he accepted every drink offered, even seeming eager to try it himself, looking lightheaded yet self-assured, Ying Zheng couldn't help but find it amusing.

That won't do!

Fine wine is good, but it can easily harm the body, especially for a genius like Zhou Aiqing, whose body has never been particularly strong. How can we allow him to drink so heavily?

Ying Zheng gently raised his hand, gesturing to the guards standing not far away.

The guards, well-trained, stepped forward and carefully helped the unconscious Li Si back to his room. They then steadily escorted the old General Wang Jian, who had begun humming an off-key military song, full of heroic spirit but staggering, back to his room.

Finally, Ying Zheng's gaze fell on Zhou Wenqing, who was still sitting "upright" with his eyes gazing blankly at the starry sky, and he lowered his voice.

"Minister Zhou, the wine is enough, and it's late. It's time to go back."

Zhou Wenqing seemed to need a little time to process the information. He turned his head very slowly, his gaze wandering aimlessly across Ying Zheng's face for a long while. His dazed eyes blinked repeatedly before he finally managed to focus and recognize the person in front of him.

"Oh...it's Your Majesty..." He nodded as if suddenly realizing something. "Alright...I'll do as Your Majesty commands..."

As he spoke, he tried to stand up on his own, but his body swayed uncontrollably and he almost fell forward.

Ying Zheng had anticipated this and immediately grabbed his arm.

"Be careful." He whispered, "Someone, help Zhou Aiqing back to his room. Make sure he drinks the hangover soup. Keep a close watch on him tonight, and don't make any mistakes."

"Yes, sir!" Two guards rushed forward, one on each side, and carefully helped Zhou Wenqing, who was walking unsteadily but still trying to maintain his composure and walk in a straight line.

As Zhou Wenqing was being helped to turn around, he seemed to remember something, abruptly stopped, and turned back abruptly.

He swayed slightly, steadied himself, and then, with an extremely natural boldness characteristic of drunkenness, reached out and patted Ying Zheng on the shoulder twice firmly.

"Slap, slap."

The sound wasn't loud, but in the suddenly deathly silent courtyard, it was eerily clear. The guards supporting him froze instantly, holding their breath.

But he seemed oblivious, and in a tone of earnest concern, sharing profound life lessons, he lowered his voice and spoke cautiously yet somewhat vaguely:

"Your Majesty... this wine... is quite strong... but next time... please drink less... health is our priority..."

Ying Zheng: "..."

He lowered his eyes, looked at the spot on his shoulder where he had been patted, and then looked up at the sincere, drunken face in front of him, which seemed to say, "I'm doing this for your own good."

Who should drink less?

But Zhou Wenqing just stared at him so intently, his eyes hazy yet focused, as if he wouldn't leave until he got a definite answer!

Ying Zheng remained silent for a full two breaths, finally squeezing out a barely audible syllable of compromise from his throat:

"……good."

Zhou Wenqing seemed satisfied with the answer and nodded solemnly. Only then did he feel at ease and continue walking forward with the guards. However, after taking only two steps, he suddenly turned around and stared intently at Ying Zheng.

Ying Zheng looked at him cautiously and asked, "Is there anything else, my dear minister?"

Zhou Wenqing pursed his lips, seemingly struggling to organize extremely important words, then he leaned closer and asked in a serious tone, as if discussing matters of national importance:

"Your Majesty... if I'm really too tired to get up early for court in the future... I might... perhaps take a nap standing up... could you... just pretend you didn't see me and not wake me?"

Ying Zheng: "…………"

Ying Zheng remained silent for a few moments, feeling both annoyed and amused.

"Very well, I won't let you fall asleep standing up. I'll bring your rocking chair to the main hall. Are you satisfied?"

"Well... that's not necessary!" Zhou Wenqing waved his hand casually, a sense of pride and confidence appearing on his face, and his voice even rose a little.

"Your Majesty is unaware! With my years of dedicated study and mastery of the art of stealing sleep, unless someone scrutinizes closely, no one will be able to detect it!"

"..."

Ying Zheng rubbed his forehead, finally unable to suppress a soft chuckle, nodding repeatedly, "Good, good, good, my dear minister, you are indeed... highly skilled. But for now, would you please return to your bed and practice your skill of sleeping while lying down?"

"Huh? Back to bed... for the drill?" Zhou Wenqing tilted his head and thought for a moment, seemingly finding the suggestion quite constructive, and finally nodded, "Okay, back to bed... to sleep."

After that, he was half-supported and half-carried by two guards, his steps unsteady, muttering to himself, as he swayed and disappeared into the shadows of the corridor.

Standing alone in the courtyard, Ying Zheng gazed in that direction for a long while before slowly shaking his head, a sigh that was both funny and sad escaping his lips.

"Minister Zhou, oh Minister Zhou... your drinking manners, just like your extraordinary talents, are... impressive."