Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

Ying Zheng strode forward, raised his hand and firmly supported Zhou Wenqing's arm as he bowed, stopping him from bowing further.

"If you have something to say, please speak frankly. There's no need for such a grand ceremony!"

He thought to himself that Zhou Aiqing's achievements were all beneficial for generations to come, and although he had the idea of ​​rewarding and honoring him, it had not yet been formally announced to the court.

Right now, let alone one "unreasonable request," even if there were ten, as long as it wouldn't harm the Qin Dynasty, he would agree to anything... uh.

Of course, if it would harm your health, such as if you wish to refuse medication or acupuncture, then that is absolutely unacceptable.

Apart from that, he naturally agreed to everything!

"Wait, Your Majesty."

Zhou Wenqing's arm was supported by him, but instead of straightening up, he took a half step back and insisted on bending his waist even lower to show his sincerity: "Your Majesty, please allow Wenqing to finish speaking. Wenqing wants to make a request..."

Before he could finish speaking, Ying Zheng grabbed him and lifted him up without saying a word.

"When have you ever been denied the right to speak? Go ahead and say what you want."

Ying Zheng disliked Zhou Wenqing's appearance and said with a hint of exasperation, "Bent over like that, doesn't your back hurt? Did you suffer for nothing from Physician Lü's acupuncture earlier?"

Zhou Wenqing, who was suddenly lifted up, was speechless.

No! That was so long ago, he's already... oh wait, is this the right time to bring that up?!

The emotions that had been painstakingly built up were shattered by this sudden interruption.

Zhou Wenqing was speechless for a moment. Seeing Ying Zheng's "get it straight and don't dawdle" expression, he simply abandoned all pretense of etiquette.

"Your Majesty, Li Yi has saved my life and taken care of me meticulously for half a year. Wenqing believes that this kindness is too great to be left unreturned and that this affection is too sincere to be ignored."

He paused, then continued, "Unfortunately, Wenqing's parents passed away early, and his clan has fallen into disarray. Now, I am the only one left in the family. Today, Wenqing would like to earnestly request Your Majesty's grace—"

He looked at Ying Zheng and said earnestly, "I humbly beg Your Majesty to have mercy and remove Li Yi from the slave status, and transfer him to my Zhou family. Wenqing... is willing to regard Li Yi as his elder brother. From now on, we will address each other as brothers, share weal and woe, and support and care for each other."

The moment the words fell, it seemed as if even the wind in the courtyard stopped for a moment, and then an invisible vibration spread through the air.

The servants standing before the steps and under the eaves, though well-trained to keep their heads down and eyes lowered, revealed the turbulent emotions churning within them with the subtle gasps, the brief stiffness, and the uncontrollable upward lift of their astonished gazes.

These words are truly shocking and outrageous in this day and age!

In this world, it is not uncommon for a person to be captured due to war, sold into slavery due to poverty, or implicated in crimes and reduced to slavery.

But once branded with this mark, it's like sinking into the thickest quagmire; to completely wash it away and regain the status of a free citizen is as difficult as climbing to the heavens.

Qin law was strict and included provisions for redeeming relatives with military merit and titles. However, such military merit was extremely rare. Even if one was lucky enough to achieve great merit and successfully remove their family member from the register, the person who was removed from the register was often regarded as having a "criminal record" and was difficult to be fully accepted by the original family or society, let alone be treated with the respect due to a "brother" and invited to enter the household register to share the family's honor.

"this……"

Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng's previously casual expression slowly faded.

Removing Li Yi from slavery was not a difficult task for him.

Li Yi was born into the secret guards, and his past is like a shadow hidden in the night. His identity is inherently malleable. As the Prince of Qin, erasing a hidden past and granting him a clean and free life is as easy as snapping his fingers.

But this last point...

Ying Zheng's gaze fell on Zhou Wenqing's face, which was filled with earnestness and persistence, and then he quickly glanced at Li Yi, who was kneeling on the ground and seemed to have turned to stone.

To allow a former bodyguard, a shadow who should have remained hidden in the shadows and served silently, to leap up and stand shoulder to shoulder with Zhou Aiqing, a man of exceptional talent who was about to enter the court, and become his "elder brother" in the household register.

Zhou Aiqing's heart is still a bit too soft.

He pondered for a moment and said, "I agree to your request regarding Li Yi's release from slavery."

"Let him serve in your household as a person of pure and free character. This way, you can both fulfill your desire to repay your kindness and maintain decorum. What do you think, my dear minister?"

In Ying Zheng's eyes, this was already a great favor, after all, Li Yi had only done his duty.

"Your Majesty!"

Zhou Wenqing couldn't help but raise his voice slightly, interrupting what the king thought was a perfect ending.

Was it merely a matter of being freed from slavery? Yes, it was certainly a huge step, a blessing that countless people dreamed of but could not obtain. But then what?

Under this strict household registration system and survival rules, how is a person who suddenly regains his freedom but has no permanent property, no clan ties, and no formal social identity any different from a piece of duckweed?

In the end, won't they still have to rely on Zhou Wenqing's name? How different is that from the previous "gift"?

If it were someone else, Zhou Wenqing might not have insisted so much. He knew that the worldly order was as solid as a rock and could not be shaken by one person or one moment. He could only wait for the right opportunity and make his move slowly.

But Li Yi was no ordinary person...

What he wanted to fight for for Li Yi was not just a piece of paper granting her freedom, but a starting point where she could truly stand tall and possess an independent social personality and dignity.

This idea might be naive, or it might be presumptuous, but he just wanted to try it. After all, he was currently enjoying the emperor's favor, so maybe... what if it worked?

"Young Master!"

Just as Zhou Wenqing took a deep breath and tried to plead again, a slightly hoarse and urgent voice cut off his unspoken words.

It's Li Yi.

He finally broke free from the immense shock and regained control of his voice and body.

He suddenly turned towards Ying Zheng, his forehead slamming heavily against the blue brick.

"Li Yi kowtows in gratitude for the King's grace!"

This bow was an expression of gratitude to the king for his mercy in removing him from slavery.

Immediately, without changing his kneeling posture, he almost hastily turned to Zhou Wenqing and kowtowed again, his voice filled with an unmistakable urgency and pleading:

"Young Master! What virtue or ability does Li Yi possess to dare to claim kinship with you as his elder brother? I can never repay your great kindness, and to continue protecting you is already an immense favor, and it is Li Yi's heartfelt wish! I beg you... to grant my request!"

A king is a king after all, and he would never want to cause any possible rift between the prince and the king because of his own actions, not even the slightest tendency. Li Yi was unwilling to do so.

Moreover… to become the young master's elder brother? This very thought was already too presumptuous and too burning a favor for him, making him flustered and even more unwilling to accept it.

For him, being able to break free of his shackles and continue to protect the young master as a free man was a surprise he wouldn't even dare to dream of.

"Hey, A-Yi, get up quickly!" Zhou Wenqing's heart tightened at the sight, and he reached out to pull Li Yi's arm. He really couldn't stand Li Yi kneeling to him like this.

"I will get up as long as you agree, young master!" Li Yi remained unmoved, his voice stubborn.

"You..." Zhou Wenqing was both annoyed and helpless, and said in a low voice, "I've never seen you talk so much before. Can't you see I was just... almost there? Why do you have to make things worse at this time!"

Ying Zheng took in the subtle tugging and whispering between the two, glanced at Li Yi, and spoke at the opportune moment: "You are quite sensible, Minister Zhou. Since this matter was originally for him, and he has already pleaded so earnestly, why not... grant his wish?"

"Ugh!"

Zhou Wenqing finally gave up, glancing at Li, who was still lying on the ground, with a look of disappointment and frustration.

This guy is usually so quiet in front of the king, how come he reacted so quickly at this crucial moment?

He could only wave his hand helplessly, unwilling but forced to compromise.

"Alright, alright, get up... whatever you want, whatever you want."

It was Li Yi's identity that caused all this trouble, and Zhou Wenqing was also a little tired. As a result, he lost the mind and energy to continue to fuss over the arrangement of servants in this courtyard.

Never mind, we'll take it slow later.

Ying Zheng had been away from the palace for several days. The accumulated political affairs and urgent national matters in Xianyang Palace needed him, so he nodded slightly to Zhou Wenqing.

"My dear minister, you have worked hard today, so please rest well." His gaze lingered for a moment on Zhou Wenqing's slightly pale face. "Tomorrow is the grand court assembly. Please make sure you are well-rested and attend on time."

Having said that, he didn't linger and turned to walk away.

------

To ensure that the grand court assembly would not be delayed, Zhou Wenqing prepared a basin of cool water with a towel soaking in it on the low table beside his bed before going to sleep.

The next day, when the sky was still a deep, dark blue, he heard a knock at the door. Reluctantly, he got up, closed his eyes, groped his way into the basin of cold water, grabbed a towel, and slapped it on his face.

"hiss--!"

Ji Lingling shuddered, fully awake, and slowly took off the handkerchief, her face filled with utter despair.

"Ah-yi... what time is it?"

"It's already a quarter past dawn. The heat is ready. Would you like to wash up now, young master? I've prepared some pastries. You can have some to tide you over before you set off. The carriage is already waiting outside the gate."