Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

Once the king finds out, he will surely purge those unclean people around Hu Hai—as for this unfortunate child, he probably won't escape a beating.

Hu Hai didn't hear the whole thing, but he did hear the words "tell your father." His lips trembled, and the tears he had managed to hold back welled up again, threatening to burst forth.

Looking at his aggrieved and frightened expression, Zhou Wenqing sighed inwardly.

This poor kid is so young and naive. He's easily fooled and has no ability to distinguish right from wrong. He's easily instigated and misled by those around him.

Even if all those gossiping palace servants are replaced today, as time goes by, it's hard to guarantee that there won't be others with ulterior motives trying to instigate them. Such suppression is ultimately not a long-term solution.

Only by teaching Hu Hai from a young age to distinguish between good and evil, and to discern right from wrong, can such incidents be eradicated at their root, and this is the only way to ensure long-term stability.

It seems that we need to plan this matter as soon as possible and find a proper solution.

We must never let him go down the same old path again.

Zhou Wenqing was deep in thought when he felt his robe being tugged.

He looked down and saw Yin Man holding his sleeve with one hand and Ji Qing with the other, looking up at him with her dark, bright eyes.

Ji Qing seemed a little shy, her face slightly flushed, while Yin Man was quite composed, her eyebrows curved and her smile radiant.

"Mr. Zhou, could you please buy these materials for me?"

Yin Man gently tugged at his sleeve again, her voice soft and sweet, carrying the unique coquettishness of a child: "I don't have enough money with me... Please, Mr. Zhou, when I return to the palace, I will definitely have my father return it to you. Mr. Zhou is the best~"

She blinked her bright, almond-shaped eyes, her long eyelashes fluttering gently, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. Anyone who saw her would find it hard to resist.

Zhou Wenqing couldn't help but squat down and reach out to rub Yinman's hair.

No wonder the king loves this daughter so much; she's beautiful, speaks softly, and is irresistible when she's being affectionate.

He glanced at Hu Hai out of the corner of his eye—the boy was still immersed in the sadness of being beaten, with snot and tears streaming down his face, his little face scrunched up, squatting pitifully in the corner like a little quail soaked by the rain.

Sigh... no wonder we can't beat them.

"Okay, Mr. Zhou will buy it for you." Zhou Wen gently tapped the tip of her nose, his voice softening unconsciously. "Buy it as a gift for our little Yinman, your father doesn't need to pay it back, okay?"

"Great! Mr. Zhou, I want all of these!" Yin Man cheered and waved her hand excitedly.

Zhou Wenqing followed her finger and his eyelids twitched slightly. There were eight or nine bolts of fabric neatly stacked there, in vermilion, pale yellow, deep indigo, black, light blue, as well as plain white and two bolts of fine linen, all folded squarely. It was a whole pile of fabric.

The middle-aged man selling cloth was grinning from ear to ear, his mouth almost reaching his ears.

So many?!

Zhou Wenqing looked down at Yin Man in shock: "Yin Man, are you... sure you can wear all of these?"

"Of course!" Yin Man nodded repeatedly, like a cheerful little butterfly, fluttering to the crimson fabric. Her small hands gently touched the surface of the cloth. "Sir, look how beautiful this is! I'm going to use it to make a dress to wear when I go out to play. It will definitely be the most beautiful dress I can wear!"

She ran to the piece of pale yellow fabric next to her, stood on tiptoe, and gestured with her fingers, saying, "And this one, this one is for little sister Jiqing!" She counted on her fingers, looking very serious, "The pale yellow one is for an outer garment, the plain white one is for an inner garment, and there's linen for everyday wear—that way, big sister Jiqing will have lots of new clothes!"

Ji Qing stood to the side, her ears burning red, and whispered, "That's too much, I really don't need it..."

"Not much, not much!" Yin Man flew away again, circling among the fabrics. "I also picked out a gray-blue one for Jiming, a blue one for Langwen, a black one for my elder brother, and for Father..."

She paused for a moment, then ran to the last piece of light green fabric, her little face flushed.

"I picked out a horse for Mr. Zhou too! His is the best-looking one, a bluish-green, like spring leaves! He'll definitely look good in this color!"

This child definitely doesn't have decision-making difficulties!

Seeing that the child only picked one horse for himself and gave the rest to others, Zhou Wenqing sighed.

"Ah-yi, wrap it up."

I'm afraid I'll have to give up my salary for the next two weeks.

But looking at Yin Man's carefree appearance and thinking about her tragic end in history, he really couldn't bear to refuse her.

I wonder how long she can maintain this naive and innocent attitude, so ignorant of needlework?

As Zhou Wenqing gazed at Yin Man's cheerful figure, a sense of melancholy quietly welled up in his heart.

The status of women in the Qin Dynasty was actually much more relaxed than in many later dynasties.

They can read and write, go out shopping, and even get divorced and remarried without being criticized.

Even so, needlework remains an essential course they cannot escape; and being virtuous remains their highest and most natural praise.

They had no right to speak, could not enter officialdom, could not attend court to discuss politics, and could not discuss national affairs. Even though they could manage household affairs, the "home" they entrusted with for life was all arranged by their parents, and they had no way to resist it.

Especially noblewomen, who are born like birds in a gilded cage, can never escape the fate of political marriages.

A contradictory phenomenon among the Qin people was that they respected their mothers but looked down on women.

No matter how high a man's official rank, he must greet his mother upon returning home. His mother will admonish him, and he dares not talk back in the slightest.

It is clear that the respect shown to women is always "functional"—if you continue the family line, you are a hero; if you can work, give birth to sons, and manage the household, you are respected; otherwise, you deserve to be despised.

Thinking this, he looked at Yin Man and Ji Qing with a deeper, indescribable pity.

Given the state of the world, even though he, a person who has traveled from another era, can provide women with more opportunities to choose from, teach them to read and write, and give them jobs—how can he help these women, who have been bound by worldly customs and laws since childhood and have grown up immersed in the teachings of etiquette, truly understand their own value?

Zhou Wenqing sighed softly and looked at Yin Man.

The girl was standing with her hands on her hips, holding a bolt of fabric, lecturing Hu Hai with great arrogance, not at all like someone who would be at the mercy of fate.

He then looked at Ji Qing.

She stood beside Yin Man, smiling quietly, her eyes gentle, yet there was always a calm resilience in them, like a leaf that refuses to fall in the depths of winter.

Looking at the two girls with such different personalities yet each with their own sharp edges, the melancholy in Zhou Wenqing's eyes gradually faded, and a gentle smile curved slightly at the corners of his mouth.

He may not be able to shake these thousand-year-old worldly rules, but as long as Yin Man and Ji Qing are willing, he will do everything in his power to protect them, teach them, and help them step by step reach their own high places.

There, perhaps they can have a little more confidence to speak and a little more right to choose, even if it's just a little bit, it would be good.

The road ahead is long and arduous; there's no need to rush. Take it slow.

"Mr. Zhou, why are you lost in thought again?"

Hu Hai, who had been easily appeased by Yin Man, scratched his head in confusion. Following Zhou Wenqing's gaze, he looked over the crowd in the market and suddenly his eyes lit up.

"There are so many people there! What are they doing? Are they selling delicious food?!"