Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

King Ying Zheng's words resonated powerfully across the vast plains, not only persuading Wei Liao but also seemingly proclaiming his ambitions and aspirations to the heavens and earth.

Wei Liao listened quietly, his face expressionless, but his heart was in turmoil.

He had witnessed the majesty of the King of Qin and experienced his courteous treatment, but he had never heard the King of Qin so frankly and powerfully dissect his ambitions and ideals.

This is no longer simply a thirst for talent, but more like a question posed to fellow travelers: "Am I not alone on this path?"

But it was precisely this statement of "stopping war with war, suppressing tyranny and showing benevolence and righteousness" that struck the core answer he had been seeking throughout his life of wandering and studying military strategy.

His original intention in entering Qin was to live up to his learning and realize his ambitions. The vision of the king before him was so grand that it made people tremble, but it also accurately hit the nail on the head regarding his thoughts on "order" and "chaos".

Wei Liao had no doubt that if he stayed in Qin, he would be highly valued. However, the more this was the case, the tighter the string of vigilance in his heart became.

A powerful ruler destined to ascend to the pinnacle through mountains of corpses and seas of blood would tolerate and treat this commoner strategist with such courtesy, truly as he said, that he would not discard him after achieving his goal.

His grip on the reins loosened and tightened, his fingertips icy cold.

All the excuses he had previously considered seemed pale and powerless after the King of Qin's profound analysis. However, his deep fear of his own fate clung to him like a leech, firmly holding back his decision to agree.

Zhou Wenqing sat on the stone, still exhausted, but he listened intently to every word Ying Zheng said.

He secretly praised the king's words, saying that they were insightful and hit the nail on the head, which was more effective than simply showing sincerity in touching someone as far-sighted and self-confident in his strategies as Wei Liao.

He looked up, his gaze sweeping over the struggle, wavering, and hesitation in Wei Liao's eyes...

Zhou Wenqing lowered his gaze slightly, took a deep breath, and suppressed the dryness remaining in his throat.

The time has come; let him add this final spark to the king's fire.

Thinking of this, Zhou Wenqing suddenly raised his hand to his lips and coughed heavily and without any attempt to hide it. The sound was particularly abrupt in the stagnant atmosphere of the wilderness, successfully drawing the tense attention of the people in the room to him.

Zhou Wenqing looked up at Ying Zheng and suddenly pointed at the dark-colored blouse he was wearing to keep warm.

"Your Majesty, Wenqing is frail, and the wind is strong in this wilderness. He is really not able to withstand the cold. Please lend me this robe."

He spoke with such confidence, as if it were nothing more than asking for a glass of water. As soon as he finished speaking, the eyes of the other three people instinctively focused on him.

Can't stand the cold?

Wei Liao's gaze first fell on Zhou Wenqing's body. The thick, warm fur coat was fluffy and soft, wrapping almost his entire body comfortably in a ball of warmth. He looked more comfortable and warm than anyone else standing against the wind. And yet, he was still cold?

It's bad enough that it's cold, but to make matters worse, he's so self-righteous and asks for... the very robe that the King of Qin is wearing.

Wei Liao tightened his grip on the reins.

Wang Jian raised a thick eyebrow, a fleeting look of obvious surprise crossing his face.

He knew that Zhou Wenqing was physically weak, but it was rather impolite to ask the emperor for his robes so directly, especially with so many people around!

He reacted quickly with a laugh, trying to smooth things over: "Ah ha, Mr. Zhou's physique is indeed weaker than our rough men... Fortunately, I'm quite robust, otherwise this old man's..."

His voice stopped abruptly before he could finish speaking.

Because Ying Zheng has already made a move.

Without any pause, or even a hint of surprise or hesitation, Ying Zheng raised his hand and untied the belt of his robe, his movements swift and decisive.

The dark, heavy tunic, still warm from his body, was removed, revealing a thin, coarse cloth garment underneath that stood out starkly against the cold wind of the wilderness.

He stepped forward and personally draped the blouse over Zhou Wenqing's shoulders, then carefully gathered the collar to ensure it was properly wrapped.

"It was my oversight." Ying Zheng's voice was calm and steady, without the slightest hint of reluctance, as if it were nothing more than a trivial matter.

He even glanced down at Zhou Wenqing's still pale face and added softly, "Does my dear minister still feel cold?"

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Wenqing feels much warmer now," Zhou Wenqing replied softly. He then turned to look at Wei Liao, who stood beside him with a bewildered expression, and a gentle smile appeared on his lips. "The autumn wind is biting in the wilderness, and the chill is penetrating. Mr. Wei Liao... do you also feel cold?"

Wei Liao narrowed her eyes slightly, her scrutinizing gaze landing on his face as if it were a physical object. After a moment of silence, she slowly spoke, her voice filled with clear inquiry and wariness: "Who... exactly are you?"

Zhou Wenqing met his gaze, her smile undiminished, even more composed: "Didn't I already tell you, sir? Perhaps you and I are the same kind of people."

He slightly raised his hand, his fingertips lightly touching the thin cloth robe on Ying Zheng's body, and then lightly brushing over the heavy Qin King's robe on his own shoulder.

"Sir, you possess extraordinary talent and are adept at observing people's fortunes and discerning their character. I, Wenqing, am not talented, but I also have some minor insights into this field."

"Therefore, Your Majesty treats me with the same simple clothes and coarse food, consults me on matters of strategy, and trusts me with sincerity—have you not personally experienced such courtesy since you entered Qin?"

He paused, looking at Wei Liao with clear eyes, but then subtly changed the subject, his tone carrying a hint of frankness, or perhaps self-deprecation:

"If there is any difference... then Wenqing is perhaps a bit more arrogant. Not only does Your Majesty need to personally come out of the palace to greet him when summoned, but Your Majesty also has to travel all the way from Xianyang to personally visit his humble abode in the countryside to invite him."

Zhou Wenqing tilted his head slightly and raised his voice a few decibels: "It was on this way, when you asked me to come back... that I unexpectedly met you, sir. Now, sir, do you think that you and I... are truly the same kind of people?"

"You really mean it..."

Wei Liao asked almost instinctively, but as soon as the words left his mouth, his gaze involuntarily fell on Ying Zheng again—on the simple coarse cloth short coat that the king was wearing at the moment.

The questioning fell silent.

This outfit... Wei Liao could see clearly that it was even rougher than the cloth clothes that the King of Qin wore when he received him in the Xianyang Palace to signify "sharing the same clothes and food".

After all, although Wei Liao was a commoner, he was knowledgeable and had some wealth. Even if he did not seek luxury, he wore comfortable clothes. So did the King of Qin.

When it came to Zhou Wenqing's side, he was a traveling merchant, so he was naturally more modest.

So... what exactly is this young man's background? Wei Liao wondered.

For King Zheng of Qin to be so humble and respectful, he absolutely did not believe that the other party was merely a figurehead or a charlatan. Judging from his demeanor and eyes, he was by no means an ordinary person.

Yet his words and actions were so flamboyant and unrestrained, almost wanton... Facing the monarch, he showed none of the vigilance and restraint that ordinary people should have. This is by no means the way for a wise man to protect himself.

Is he really not afraid of difficulties? Is he not afraid of the unpredictability of the emperor's heart, or of the decline that follows the rise and fall of a dynasty?

Wei Liao's eyes flickered uncertainly, various speculations and doubts churning in his mind, and he couldn't find a suitable response for a moment.

"Why is the gentleman so hesitant to answer?" Zhou Wenqing's voice rang out again, tinged with feigned confusion. "Could it be that... Wenqing and the gentleman are ultimately not of the same kind?"

He suddenly clapped his hands lightly, feigning realization: "That's it! Hahahaha! Look at my memory, it's really different. Wenqing himself just said that I'm an even more arrogant and daring madman than you, sir!"

Zhou Wenqing laughed heartily, then suddenly propped himself up on his fur coat and slowly stood up, his movements slightly sluggish due to exhaustion.

He slowly took two steps forward, stopping just a few steps away from Wei Liao. He softened his tone, lowered his voice, and kept his gaze clear as he looked directly into Wei Liao's hesitant and turbulent eyes.

"But... sir, think carefully. Since a young man as arrogant and audacious as myself is standing at the forefront without any sense of awe, why should someone as cautious as you remain alone in your worries, repeatedly speculating about the fortunes yet to come?"

"Perhaps... you should return to Xianyang with Wenqing. With this madman leading the way, you can stay safely behind, calmly observe, and carefully analyze—is the courtesy bestowed by the King merely a superficial expedient, or a heartfelt sincerity? Is it a fleeting moment of fervor, or a lasting and enduring commitment?"

He leaned forward slightly, getting closer, and lowered his voice before continuing in a calm and soft tone:

"To put it another way... if in the future Wenqing truly does follow the saying 'the bow is put away after the birds are gone,' and suffers a terrible end, wouldn't it be more reassuring and without regret for you to witness his downfall firsthand and then decide to withdraw, rather than leaving prematurely out of fear of the unknown, as you are doing today?"

His gaze was fixed on Wei Liao, and his tone carried a hint of regret and sigh.

"It's better than now, when we hesitate and falter because of unfounded speculations, wasting our talents and ambitions, and letting our life's pursuits go to waste... Sir, don't you think that's a pity?"

Wei Liao's pupils contracted sharply, and the fingers hanging at his sides curled up slightly. He stared intently at Zhou Wenqing, who was so close to him, trying to find even a trace of darkness in those clear and open eyes, but he only saw an almost transparent calm and... a kind of indescribable confidence.

Unconsciously, he glanced again out of the corner of his eye at Ying Zheng, who remained silent to the side.

However, just a few steps away, with the wind rustling, Ying Zheng clearly did not hear the content of their hushed, almost whispered conversation.

The king's gaze fell only slightly with concern on Zhou Wenqing's thin and straight back. His brows furrowed, and his eyes darted between Zhou Wenqing and the fur coat not far away. He seemed unaware of what they were talking about and did not attempt to interfere.

The wind in the wilderness made people's clothes flutter, and the cold was biting.

The large Qin King's robe on Zhou Wenqing's shoulders billowed in the wind, making him appear even thinner. His face had turned pale again due to standing for a long time and weakness. Only his eyes remained astonishingly bright, steadily meeting Wei Liao's scrutinizing gaze.

Wei Liao's Adam's apple bobbed up and down. He closed his eyes slightly, took a slow breath, and then exhaled slowly, his straight and tense shoulders and back relaxing.

After a few breaths, he looked at Zhou Wenqing again.

"...Mr. Zhou, what a scathing critique." He paused, a faint, almost bitter smile curving his lips.

"Liao has always prided himself on his ability to observe people and assess situations, but today... he has to admit that Lord Zhou's insight into people is no less than Liao's. Since Lord Zhou is not foolish or mad, how dare Liao regard him as a madman?"

Wei Liao suddenly chuckled softly, her tone slightly raised: "In that case, what harm is there in trusting Lord Zhou this time?"

"If a mere junior dares to be so arrogant before the King, and so utterly convinced of his authority, then let Liao be arrogant just like that today. What's wrong with that?"

He watched as Zhou Wenqing deliberately emphasized the word "arrogant," his tone tinged with a sense of composure, as if mocking himself, or perhaps teasing him in a joking manner.