Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

Even pure glass beads are hard to come by, let alone a complete and pure glass hourglass like this.

If this were outside, it would practically be considered a national treasure!

Even if Meng Yi liked it very much, he dared not accept it easily at this moment. He held the empty box and took half a step back, his heel touching the corner of the wall. Now he really had nowhere to retreat.

"Uncle Zhou, this item is too valuable for me to accept. Please take it back, Uncle Zhou. I will be content as long as you allow me to visit occasionally."

His voice was sincere and his attitude resolute, but his gaze was like silk threads stuck to the glass hourglass, impossible to look away from.

It's not just him.

The people behind him, including General Meng Wu and General Wang Jian, all stared in disbelief.

They instinctively held their breath, not daring to make a sound, for fear of accidentally making a noise that would shatter the shimmering glass hourglass.

This sentence sounds familiar...

Zhou Wenqing couldn't help but laugh when he saw Meng Yi's hesitant expression, as if he wanted it but didn't dare to.

"Alright, according to your father's calculation method, this isn't even as heavy as the chessboard."

Just like he used to give his mentor's children red envelopes, he simply shoved the hourglass into Meng Yi's hand.

"A gift from an elder should not be refused; please accept it!"

"hiss--"

Immediately, a collective gasp of cold air rose from behind.

The movement was so casual! So casual that everyone present felt a sudden tremor in their hearts.

Meng Yi's pupils dilated in shock. He didn't even care that the empty wooden box he was holding fell to the ground with a "thud." He hurriedly and clumsily hugged the glass hourglass tightly to his arms, afraid that if he didn't catch it properly, this treasure more valuable than gold would be broken.

The crowd behind them moved in unison—their hands stretched forward, their heads craning forward, their eyes wide open, as if they wanted to rush up and help catch it.

Time seemed to freeze for a moment.

Only when Meng Yi held the hourglass firmly in his arms did General Wang withdraw his hand. He subconsciously reached out to stroke his beard, and before he could recover from the shock, he accidentally broke off two strands of his beard without even realizing it.

Meng Wu's lips trembled, his hand shakily withdrew, his Adam's apple bobbed, and finally, almost groaning, he squeezed out a few words through clenched teeth:

"Watch out... you little brat, hold on tight..."

The voice was soft and delicate, completely different from his usual gruff voice.

Looking at the tense expressions on everyone's faces, Zhou Wenqing looked down at his own hand that had just handed over the hourglass and awkwardly touched his nose.

I've gotten used to it; it seems I've become a bit too casual about it.

This is a fragile item, so we should be careful.

He coughed lightly and cleared his throat: "Well... actually, it's okay if it breaks, you don't need to be too shocked."

Everyone turned to look at him, their eyes filled with disbelief and silent condemnation.

It's okay if it breaks?!

This is a national treasure! How can you speak of it so lightly?!

Feeling somewhat guilty under their gazes, Zhou Wenqing simply shrugged and made his intentions clear:

"Since I can produce such a complete glass piece, I naturally have a method for making it. Although... it cannot be mass-produced for the time being, and it will not be sold in the Department of All Things, I can still present three or five samples."

He paused, then added, "This matter must be kept secret and must not be disclosed."

Actually, if Zhou Wenqing were given some time to make further improvements, it wouldn't be impossible for him to produce glass windows so that every household could have them.

but……

Zhou Wenqing silently calculated in his mind that he did not want this thing to become rampant in the short term.

This thing still has a great use to it.

You must know that Mr. Wei Liao's strategy of forming alliances with money was extremely expensive, involving real money that made his heart tremble.

Now that's great! With this glass backing us up, when we take it out, the high-ranking officials of the six kingdoms will be green with envy. As for the cost... well...

Zhou Wenqing mentally waved his hand—

Not worth mentioning!

Even the thought of those high-ranking officials from the six kingdoms selling their own countries for a bunch of glass ornaments, clinging to those dazzling treasures with such affection, taking them out from time to time to wipe and touch them, treating them as family heirlooms.

Once the world is unified, they'll look up at the glass windows of their newly built homes, then down at the ornaments in their arms, and their expressions will be...

Wow, that's awesome!

Once Zhou Wenqing said that, everyone understood. General Wang Jian's eyes darted around, and he immediately rubbed his hands together, a fawning smile on his face, and quietly moved forward.

"Hehe~ Brother Zicheng, since we still have samples, why don't we..."

"Stop!"

Zhou Wenqing raised his hand and looked at him expressionlessly:

"The remaining items are with the King. Want them? Just ask the King."

"And..." He looked at General Wang speechlessly, "Today is for giving my nephews gifts, General Wang, why are you getting involved?"

"What are you saying!" General Wang reluctantly retreated, thinking to himself, "Isn't it because your 'greeting gift' is really too big? Who wouldn't be envious?"

If it weren't for the fact that it was really unreasonable, he would have called him Uncle Zhou.

Shouting won't hurt you, but you could really get a priceless treasure!

General Meng Wu stared intently at Meng Yi... the hourglass in his hand, his eyes shining brightly.

There are only a few samples, doesn't that mean that besides the one treasured by the king, this is the only one left, and it has fallen into the hands of my own rascal?

Meng Yi felt a chill run down his spine under his father's gaze. He instinctively tightened the hourglass around his chest, shrank further into the corner, and shouted, his voice a mix of bravado and fear:

"Father, why...why are you looking at me like that? Are you going to take something from a child?!"

Meng Wu didn't speak, but continued to stare intently, even slowly taking steps closer.

"Uncle Zhou!" Meng Yi cried out anxiously, "Uncle Zhou, save me!"

He shouted as he hurriedly hid behind Zhou Wenqing.

Helpless, Zhou Wenqing reached out to stop the guy trying to slip behind him, then glanced at Meng Wu, his gaze sweeping over him indifferently:

"General Meng Wu, it's for the children, it's for the children, you wouldn't take it, would you?"

The tone was light and casual, yet it sent a chill down Meng Wu's spine.

He stopped abruptly, waving his hands repeatedly, a smile plastered on his face: "Of course, why would I fight with my own son for something? Do you think I, Meng Wu, am that kind of person?"

That's what they said, but their eyes were glued to the screen.

Zhou Wenqing didn't expose him, but just looked at him with a half-smile.

Feeling guilty under his gaze, Meng Wu coughed awkwardly, then sheepishly looked away, muttering under his breath, "I was just looking, is that so wrong...?"

Meng Yi peeked half his head out from behind Zhou Wenqing, staring warily at his own father.

"Okay, okay, stop fooling around. I haven't finished distributing these yet. Do you guys still want them?"

"What an unreliable adult," Zhou Wenqing sighed, reaching out to pull Meng Yi out from behind him.

"Alright, stop fooling around." He glanced at the people present. "I haven't finished handing out these yet. Do you still want them or not?"

Yes, of course I want to!

For the sake of his two sons, Wang Jian reacted swiftly, grabbing Meng Wu and shielding him behind him. He then stepped forward half a step, his face plastered with an expression of righteous indignation.

"Zicheng, you continue! I'll keep an eye on this shameless old man for you!"

Meng Wu was pulled so hard he stumbled, but after regaining his balance, his eyes widened – Ha! You're saying I'm shameless?

He was about to retort when he suddenly remembered that his son's gift hadn't arrived yet. He swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue, and just stared fiercely at the back of Wang Jian's head, as if he were slowly torturing his hair a hundred times with his eyes.

I refuse to believe that when your son's gift for meeting you comes out, you old bastard will still be able to sit still!

Wang Jian sneezed for no reason, turned around and glared at him. Their eyes clashed in the air, sparks flying everywhere.

Zhou Wenqing ignored the eye-fight between the two old children. He turned his gaze to the remaining people, pondered for a moment, and then beckoned to Zhang Han, who was the second oldest.

While Meng Yi's gift had a practical function, its true beauty lay in its splendor—a shimmering glass hourglass that served as both a timekeeping device and a decorative object on a desk.

The remaining few items were secretly manufactured by Zhou Wenqing in the depths of Sin Mountain, which he controlled completely and kept unknown to the public, by halting some of his profitable projects and freeing up manpower for his own production.

All of them are truly practical items, and not a single one can be leaked out.

His gaze swept over Zhang Han, then landed on Wang Ben and Meng Tian, ​​a barely perceptible hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes.

After all, it won't be long before the war drums of the Great Qin Dynasty sound.

And these young men, too, were about to follow their fathers and teachers to the battlefield...