Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

Not to mention that Zhou Wenqing was not inherently wild and unrestrained, but rather exceptionally cautious due to his meticulous nature.

Even if he was truly arrogant, Ying Zheng, with his magnanimity, had the confidence and tolerance to be tolerant.

Unfortunately... Zhou Wenqing at the moment is truly not "wild" in the slightest.

Even moving it is difficult.

The deep, lingering soreness that penetrates to the bone after exhaustion is enough to make one feel depressed, let alone after such a reckless gallop.

The pain that follows will only be doubly intense.

He could only stiffen his back and not dare to move, enduring until the abandoned carriage finally approached. When Ying Zheng and Wang Jian practically carried him to the carriage shaft, even sitting down was extremely difficult for him—his tailbone hurt!

Fortunately... the old doctor also came with the carriage team.

Inside the carriage, Zhou Wenqing lay half-reclined on the thick, soft mattress, his eyes tightly closed. He heard the rustling sound of fabric beside him, as the old doctor opened his medical bag.

Even with his eyes closed, he seemed to be able to "see" the gleaming needle case that was about to be unfolded.

Yes, as soon as the old doctor arrived, he examined her briefly and made a diagnosis: she had overexerted herself and injured her tendons, causing blood and qi to stagnate in the meridians of her waist and back, which could only be cleared by acupuncture and moxibustion!

This was no time to be proud; a strong will to survive made Zhou Wenqing immediately retort and lodge a protest.

However, the protests were ineffective...

Ying Zheng glanced at him sideways, then made a decision without room for argument, saying in a deep voice, "Listen to the doctor's orders. If you act recklessly now and develop a chronic illness, it will become a future problem."

The constant talk of "aftereffects" and "damage to the root" left Ying Zheng feeling somewhat helpless. He was worried and couldn't bear to see Zhou Aiqing's fragile body suffer another illness, so he could only pretend not to see Zhou Aiqing's bright, pleading eyes.

Zhou Wenqing opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but saw that Ying Zheng had already turned to Lü Yiling and nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

With his last hope dashed, he could only resign himself to his fate, and with a heart full of tragic grandeur, he collapsed back onto the mattress, his muscles twitching, his teeth bared, and his eyes tightly shut, as if this would allow him to escape reality.

Hearing the subtle, characteristic sound of the wallet opening, his Adam's apple bobbed. He steeled himself, attempting one last struggle, his voice trembling slightly with weakness and tension: "Sir...is there really no other way? Must...it be a needle?"

"Acupuncture is the only option!" The old doctor's answer was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation.

Zhou Wenqing: "..."

He choked for a moment, but ultimately couldn't resist prying his eyelids open a crack and quickly glancing over.

The old doctor took out a leather wallet from his cloth bag and slowly unfolded it. Inside, dozens of silver needles of varying lengths and as thin as hairs were neatly clipped, gleaming with a cold light in the dim light of the carriage.

"hiss--"

Zhou Wenqing's eyes widened instantly. He seemed to squeeze out the last bit of strength from somewhere, his back jerking backward as he slammed against the carriage wall. Ignoring the pain, he spoke hastily, his words slurred with rapid pauses:

"Wait! I... I suddenly feel... not so bad anymore! Sir, would you like to take my pulse again? Perhaps you could prescribe some bitter... uh, some herbal decoction to gently nourish me and help me recover?"

These needles are too many and too long!

He would rather drink ten bowls of bitter medicine that would make his tongue numb than be pricked into a hedgehog by those thin silver needles!

Upon seeing this, Ying Zheng's brow twitched. He had been watching from the opposite side, but he could only quickly make a move and firmly press down on Zhou Wenqing's shoulder as he tried to pull back.

"My dear minister, there is no need to worry. Physician Lü is highly skilled and will treat you with great care, ensuring that you will not suffer any pain."

Do not believe!

Zhou Wenqing stared at the row of gleaming silver needles. At this moment, he couldn't trust anyone at all.

He shook his head, still trying to lean back, his eyes filled with pleading and last hope as he looked at Ying Zheng, attempting to obtain a "pardon" from the king.

Looking at his wary and alert expression, Ying Zheng felt both sorry for him and amused. He pressed the restless "loach" down even more firmly and slightly raised his chin, signaling to Physician Lü that they could begin.

Physician Lü was already used to such scenes of fear of needles, and his face remained calm and composed. As he carefully wiped his fingers with a clean cloth, he said slowly:

"Young master, please relax. I will first perform a massage to loosen your muscles and improve blood circulation. Once your meridians are somewhat unblocked, the acupuncture will not be too painful or unbearable."

Massage first? Well... that seems okay? It's better than starting with acupuncture right away.

Zhou Wenqing's tense nerves relaxed a little. In fact, he really didn't have the strength to struggle anymore. He could only lie on the soft cushion in despair, letting the old doctor's calloused hands press on his aching back.

The next second, his eyes widened instantly, and he almost cried out in pain!

This isn't much better!

Those hands, though seemingly thin, possessed an exceptionally steady and solid strength. They pressed precisely on several key acupoints, and waves of sensations—some sore, some numb, some swollen, some painful—exploded instantly through the skin, flesh, and bones like lit fuses, rushing wildly along the meridians.

The feeling was indescribable; it could not be simply summarized as discomfort.

Zhou Wenqing was held firmly by Ying Zheng's shoulder and could not move. Out of his last bit of pitiful pride, he could only grit his teeth and hold on, suppressing his cries of pain. He was almost in tears.

He never said that the old doctor was too old again!

They both rode horses to get here, though not as fast as I was, but the distance was the same. I was almost broken and falling apart, but this old doctor was completely fine and still had such great strength!

Although he knew the possibility was extremely slim, Zhou Wenqing couldn't help but wonder in his heart: Could this old man be taking revenge?

To get revenge on himself for saying that "his old bones would fall apart before he even got to Xianyang," he decided to "tear" him apart before they even reached Xianyang.

If Physician Lü could know Zhou Wenqing's inner thoughts of "judging others by one's own petty standards," he would probably be so angry that he would lift the boy off the mat and give him a good talking-to!

He, Lü, has practiced medicine for decades; how could he do such a despicable thing? Besides, didn't he see the King watching him intently from the side?!

Revenge? How many heads does he have to act recklessly? You know, even the most skilled doctor in the world doesn't have the ability to put a severed head back on.

Physician Lü was indeed a highly skilled physician, worthy of being the Imperial Physician of Qin. Otherwise, the King of Qin would not have sent him after receiving such important news as the "ancestral life-saving elixir".

Physician Lü's technique was exquisite, with solid and precise force. After the initial soreness and pain, a warm and soothing current slowly dissipated as he massaged the meridians, loosening the stiff muscles and gradually relieving the deep-seated stinging pain.

Zhou Wenqing was already exhausted. With this relief, his willpower to hold on collapsed like a receding tide. He let out a sigh of relief, his eyelids drooped, and he finally fell into a deep sleep. He was extremely lucky to escape the terrifying scene of witnessing himself turn into a "human-shaped pincushion".

After the acupuncture and moxibustion, Zhou Wenqing slept soundly. When he woke up, the stiffness, pain and soreness in his body had indeed dissipated by most. However, Ying Zheng was still worried and ordered the caravan to slow down extremely, turning what was originally a one-day journey into a full three days.

When they finally entered Xianyang, it was already dusk. Ying Zheng did not rush back to the palace, but personally escorted Zhou Wenqing to the residence that had been prepared for him.

The courtyard was more spacious than his previous country yard, and its exquisite furnishings exuded a familiar comfort, all designed according to his habits.

Zhou Wenqing was surprised to find himself owning a house in a "big city" so soon. What pleased him most was that it only took him a quarter of an hour to get to court from here!

This is so satisfying.

The most eye-catching thing was the two rocking chairs placed side by side in the courtyard. Zhou Wenqing subconsciously reached out to touch the armrest of one of them, and his fingertips touched a familiar shallow indentation - that was the mark left when he was secretly pouring medicine and was startled by Li Yi who appeared silently, causing his hand to tremble and the porcelain spoon to hit the wooden handle.

"Your Majesty, this..." He turned his head in astonishment.

Ying Zheng nodded, a knowing smile in his eyes: "As you entrusted me with, this rocking chair is very sturdy, so it will be quick. It has already been settled here."

Zhou Wenqing: "..."

Your Majesty, we've already returned to Xianyang, isn't it inappropriate for you to continue like this?

However, after he took a short stroll around, he discovered that not only the rocking chair, but also his books, trunks, and even the cow were all peacefully grazing under the newly built shed, and even mooed when he approached.

This is no longer just "faster"; the guards responsible for the delivery must be whipping their whips until they're sparking!

After taking a quick look around, the two returned to the courtyard, each taking a chair. Before them, a row of servants stood with their hands at their sides, waiting for orders.

Looking at the scene, Zhou Wenqing's face showed a slight embarrassment. He turned his head and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, I understand the need for guards, but I am not used to having so many people serving me. I don't need such a grand display. It would be better to keep one or two for cleaning and sweeping. Please take back the rest, Your Majesty."

"Keep it for now," Ying Zheng said. "I know you are naturally quiet and dislike noise. However, now that the mansion is built, the gates, cleaning, and meals will eventually need manpower to manage. You can use it for now, and if you find it inconvenient, you can gradually reduce its use later."

He paused, then said, "Furthermore, my dear minister, you still need to recuperate and require someone to take care of your medicine."

There's no need for eight men to be specifically responsible for decocting the medicine!

Zhou Wenqing's repeated refusals were to no avail. Just as he was feeling helpless, his gaze inadvertently shifted, and he was stunned to see a familiar figure stride forward and stand firmly in line with the servants—

It's Li Yi.