Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

"Your Majesty, there is no time to lose. Please make a decision quickly. Do not worry about Wenqing. Although Wenqing is not talented, his horsemanship is acceptable!"

Zhou Wenqing tried to persuade them, but his actions were faster than his words. He hurriedly reached out to pull on the leather straps of the lasso, attempting to remove the cumbersome carriage on the spot, leaving only the two tall and handsome brown horses at the front.

However, the leather rope was wrapped in a complicated and tight manner, and in his desperation, he could not find a way to fix it. He tried to move it a few times, but it did not budge.

Ying Zheng jumped off the carriage right behind him. Seeing his reckless and impatient manner, struggling with the leather ropes, he was both annoyed and amused. Just as he was about to reach out and pull the man back, Wang Jian, who was bringing up the rear, had already heard the commotion and rode over.

General Wang was leisurely strolling along the back when he suddenly saw the carriage in front of him stop abruptly. Then, the King and Mr. Zhou jumped down one after the other. His heart skipped a beat, thinking that something had happened. He quickly spurred his horse and galloped forward.

"Your Majesty, this is...?"

Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Wenqing grabbed the reins.

"General Wang, you've come at the perfect time! Quick, help me unload this carriage! How do we untie this slipknot? Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

Zhou Wenqing fiddled with the intricate leather ropes for a long time in vain, getting his hands covered in dust. He was so angry that he almost drew the sword from the old general's waist and chopped the annoying leather ropes off.

Unfortunately—General Wang was sitting upright on that tall horse at the moment, out of Zhou Wenqing's reach…

Wang Jian was completely bewildered by his abrupt and urgent request. His thick eyebrows furrowed into a knot, and he subconsciously exclaimed "Huh?" before dismounting.

"Unloading...unloading the truck? Mr. Zhou, this was perfectly fine..."

"General, please help! There's no time to explain!" Zhou Wenqing didn't give the old general a chance to sort out his thoughts, practically pushing and shoving him towards the carriage shaft, complaining, "This thing is in the way!"

"Ah? Oh, alright, alright, I'll take it apart now, let this old man take a look." The old general had no choice but to move closer to the carriage, look at the complicated set of equipment, and start fiddling with it himself: "This... is this how you take this thing apart? Or should we just chop it up?"

"My dear minister! Don't rush, there's no need to dismantle it." Seeing that the two of them were getting more and more into it, almost putting on a show of dismantling the chariot with their bare hands, Ying Zheng finally stepped forward, placed his large hand firmly on Zhou Wenqing's shoulder, and pulled him away slightly, his tone full of amusement and exasperation.

This Minister Zhou is indeed loyal to my great cause. Seeing that talented people are running away, he was even more anxious than I was and lost his composure for a moment. I really don't know what to say about him.

"I agree to your request. Go after them on horseback. Don't be in a hurry." Ying Zheng softened his voice, trying to calm down the hot-headed person in front of him.

"Your Majesty, how can we not be anxious? Wei Liao has fled far away; every second counts!"

Zhou Wenqing was pinned down by Ying Zheng. Although his body was frozen in place, his eyes were still fixed on the lasso, as if it were an insurmountable barrier between them and Wei Liao.

"These carriages are cumbersome and slow us down; we must ride quickly and lightly! We can't afford to waste a single moment!"

"Yes, yes, yes, I will do as you say, my dear minister. Light cavalry, give chase!" Ying Zheng reassured him repeatedly, but held him firmly in his hand to prevent him from moving around. Then he turned his head and his voice deepened.

"Guards, bring me my horses! All guards, immediately change to other horses, unload unnecessary baggage, and travel light!"

"Yes, sir!" The guard leader clasped his hands in a solemn salute and turned to efficiently distribute the orders. The well-trained guards moved at the command, as if their arms were extensions of their own. Some untied the harnesses, some led the spare horses, some unloaded excess luggage... their movements were swift and efficient, busy yet orderly. In a short while, several lightly armed horses were ready and waiting, while the luxurious carriage was temporarily placed by the roadside.

Zhou Wenqing: "..."

I almost forgot, Your Majesty... you have plenty of horses, one more won't make a difference. Concern leads to confusion, and indeed, concern leads to confusion; I've made a fool of myself.

Although he was still in a hurry... at this moment, Zhou Wenqing couldn't help but think to himself:

Your Majesty, couldn't you have said so sooner?! Did you really want to watch me struggle with Piso like a headless fly?!

A hint of realization and embarrassment flashed across his face as he glanced wistfully at Ying Zheng beside him.

Ying Zheng: "..."

Your words were spoken so hastily and impulsively, leaving me no chance to catch my breath. How could I possibly get a word in edgewise?

"Ahem!" Ying Zheng coughed lightly, pressing his fist to his lips. "My dear minister, please rest easy. Since you have decided to pursue them, you will not delay. Once everything is ready, let's set off."

Wang Jian was still standing by the carriage shaft, looking at the magnificent carriage that was quickly unloaded and left idle by the roadside, and then at the guards who had already begun to change horses. He was completely bewildered.

"Your Majesty, Mr. Zhou, are we... not returning to Xianyang? Where are we heading at full speed? Has something terrible happened in Xianyang?"

The old general's thoughts instantly turned to urgent military matters and palace intrigues, and his expression became serious.

"It's not that something has happened in Xianyang, it's that Wei Liao has run away. I must go there myself to 'invite' him back."

Wang Jian was taken aback at first, then his eyes widened, and he blurted out, "What?! That old sour... cough, Mr. Wei Liao has run away again?!"

Upon hearing the details, General Wang raised a thick eyebrow, his expression instantly shifting from vigilance to a look of realization and helplessness that said, "As expected, it was him again."

Wei Liao's bad temper was no secret among the high-ranking officers in the army. He was arrogant and unruly, and his mind was as nimble as an eel in the water. He had repeatedly tried to escape. General Wang himself had been ordered to "accidentally" meet him and "gently advise" him several times.

However, putting aside his bad temper, Wei Liao was truly knowledgeable. Whenever he talked about the state of the nation and the military, he always impressed people. Even veterans like Wang Jian nodded in agreement.

Therefore, although those "chance encounters" were a bit troublesome, General Wang didn't complain at all; he just treated them as topics of conversation.

But that old rascal actually managed to escape while he was away, which is really annoying.

"General Wang, we can discuss the details later. Right now, the priority is to pursue them!"

As Zhou Wenqing spoke, his movements were anything but slow. He took the reins from the guard, and with a powerful flip, he landed steadily on the back of the black steed.

But... the moment he sat down, a dull pain in his lower back made him slightly breathless. He subconsciously adjusted his posture, and a helpless, bitter smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.

Wei Liao, Wei Liao, he thought to himself, you better run slowly, or we'll catch up. I'm going all out this time with my "brittle bones"!

"Minister Zhou," Ying Zheng's gaze had been fixed on him, taking in his subtle stiffness and wry smile. Seeing that he was now seated, he spoke in a deep, concerned, and solemn voice:

"If there is any discomfort, you must speak up immediately. The territory of Qin is vast. Even if there is a delay, as long as he is still on Qin soil, there will always be a way to find his whereabouts."

If pursuing Wei Liao leads to the downfall of Minister Zhou, then it would be a great loss.

Zhou Wenqing nodded emphatically, taking a deep breath: "Your Majesty, rest assured, Wenqing knows what he's doing and will not hinder the journey!"

"It's not that I'm afraid you'll be a burden..."

Ying Zheng looked at him, whose attention was completely focused on bringing back Wei Liao, and whose face was full of bitterness and hatred. He sighed inwardly and swallowed back the second half of his sentence, "I am worried that you are weak and frail."

Very well, it's probably not easy to expect you to speak up yourself, so I'll have more people keep an eye on things. He said no more, and just as cleanly and neatly mounted his horse, his movements steady and fluid.

After settling in, he turned his horse around to face Wang Jian: "Things have come up suddenly, and I must change my route. General Wang, would you be willing to accompany me on this journey?"

"Since Your Majesty commands, I shall naturally follow!" Wang Jian immediately mounted his horse, waving his hand with boundless pride, "Since Your Majesty is personally pursuing someone, how could I not go? It's a good opportunity to stretch my muscles. That Wei Liao... Hmph, last time I argued with him until my throat was dry. This time, watch me 'invite' him back for Your Majesty!"

"General!" Zhou Wenqing, listening from the side, felt his eyelids twitch and couldn't help but spur his horse forward half a step. "A wise and resourceful person should be treated with courtesy and invited with sincerity!"

As he spoke, he turned to look at Ying Zheng behind him, his gaze earnest: "Your Majesty, do not forget what Wenqing said before: to acquire great talent, one must treat the virtuous with respect and be sincere in one's heart; this is the best policy. As for the inferior policy..."

He paused briefly, then glanced quickly at Wang Jian, who was listening intently beside him, and added in a lower voice, even faster, "The best course of action is to act first."

It seems that Minister Zhou is quite adaptable!

Ying Zheng's lips curved slightly, but he quickly composed himself: "I know, my dear minister, hold the reins tight and do not look back again."

"Yes, yes, Mr. Zhou, please be seated. I understand, I will do as you say." General Wang patted his chest and assured him, "Rest assured, we will treat you with courtesy, we will definitely treat you with courtesy. Your Majesty, please treat us with courtesy first!"

He paused, his eyes darting around, and his voice lowered slightly: "If all the formalities have been performed, it is still not enough... This old man shall properly 'cover the rear' for Your Majesty."

Without further ado, the three of them set off with guards clearing the way. Ying Zheng led the way, followed closely by Zhou Wenqing and Wang Jian, with elite light cavalry following closely behind.

They reacted extremely quickly, and once they determined the direction, they sped off. Moreover, they were encircling from the outside of Xianyang City from the opposite direction, taking full advantage of the terrain—guards who had received the signal were already patrolling ahead, while hidden guards inside Xianyang City were tracking their movements.

Such a comprehensive and coordinated approach proved remarkably effective. The horses' hooves pounded the dust on the official road, and the wind whistled past their ears. In less than half an hour, the guards who had scouted ahead turned back and reported in hushed tones.

At the end of the winding dirt road not far away, a slightly flustered figure was riding alone, head down, hurrying on his way.

The man carried a small bundle on his back. Although his clothes were neat, his movements as he rode his horse revealed a hurried eagerness to get away from trouble. He kept looking back. Who else could it be but Wei Liao?

Wang Jian squinted and took the lead, laughing heartily as he went to greet them.

"Hahaha, Mr. Wei Liao, where are you rushing off to in such a hurry?"