Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

At the head of the table, Ying Zheng's gaze lingered on the officials kneeling on the ground, repeatedly proclaiming "for the Great Qin," his eyes filled with an unyielding frost.

He felt that what was happening before him was nothing but a clumsy farce, boring to watch, annoyingly noisy, and utterly ridiculous.

They all put on a high-sounding facade, claiming to be selfless and altruistic, but beneath that hypocritical exterior lies nothing but self-serving scheming. Despite their feigned concern, they dared to unite and try to coerce him!

I have gone to great lengths, treating scholars with respect and courtesy, to finally keep Minister Zhou by my side, only to be dismissed with a few casual words from these people?!

Moreover, Qi is thousands of miles away, and the journey is long. Along the way, these people must have sent countless assassins and bribed countless accomplices to lay a trap so that his beloved Zhou would never return.

Ha! How ridiculous.

Do you really believe that "the law does not apply to the masses, and punishment does not apply to groups"?!

I, the ruler, will spare no one!

Ying Zheng suddenly raised his eyes, a murderous glint flashing within them, about to unleash his fury—

It was interrupted by Zhou Wenqing's sudden action.

He almost laughed in anger when he saw Zhou Wenqing bowing and inviting him.

It seems we didn't hire enough doctors last time; we haven't learned our lesson!

Ying Zheng pressed his fingertip firmly against the jade thumb ring, gazing at the prince's slender, upright figure. After a long while, he squeezed out a sentence through clenched teeth:

"Minister Zhou is quite magnanimous."

You're so generous as to offer yourself up and let them do whatever they want to you, you're really something!

Sigh, he's been demoted to Zhou Qing now. It seems the King is truly enraged this time.

Zhou Wenqing sighed inwardly, but slowly raised his head and met Ying Zheng's deep gaze with determination.

In that gaze, there seemed to be surging anger, but hidden deeper within was worry and helplessness, as if to say:

With your wisdom, how could you not understand? How could you be so reckless?!

Zhou Wenqing understood perfectly well. He slightly curved the corners of his lips, met that gaze, and spoke each word clearly and firmly, with an undeniable certainty:

"Your Majesty, I beg your permission, and I will certainly live up to your trust and return safely..."

He emphasized the word "return" with extra force, as if he were making a promise.

The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Changping Jun and the others felt a little relieved, but they dared not show any joy. They lowered their heads and lowered their eyes, their faces respectful, but their eyes concealed all sorts of thoughts.

Li Si was so anxious that he wanted to jump out and drag his intermittently "bold" brother Zicheng back.

He stared, his fists clenching and unclenching repeatedly, but given Zhou Wenqing's stance, the solemn atmosphere before the emperor, and the deathly silence in the hall, he couldn't act rashly for the time being. He could only anxiously wait, secretly resenting the absence of General Wang and Wei Liao at this moment.

If they were here, how could this group of people be jumping around like this?

Kui Zhuang also frowned, his eyes fixed on Zhou Wenqing, seemingly worried, yet hesitant to speak.

Although the Inner Historian is young, his health is not as robust as that of the old man. If he were to encounter any mishap on the journey, it would be a tremendous loss for the Great Qin.

Unfortunately, I was just a step too slow, and it was too late.

Ying Zheng remained silent for a long time, the jade thumb ring on his fingertips clenched until it was icy cold, his eyes fixed on Zhou Wenqing.

Zhou Wenqing remained upright like a pine tree, his gaze unwavering, calmly meeting his eyes without the slightest intention of backing down.

Zhou Wenqing knew what he was doing.

The Qin Dynasty was at a critical juncture, and the conflict between it and those hereditary nobles had become irreconcilable.

If they continue to stay in Xianyang, they will only obstruct us from the shadows and launch attacks from both the front and the rear, not only disrupting the peace of the court but also delaying the important task of strengthening the Qin Dynasty.

Unfortunately... these people cannot be killed yet.

It's not that we can't kill them, it's just that the time hasn't come yet.

This group of people has a complex web of relationships, with their protégés and former officials spread throughout the court and the country. If they were to confront them head-on now, it would only tear the court apart and distract the army at the front. What the Qin state needs is a stable rear, not infighting and internal strife among its own people.

Only by retreating in order to advance, and temporarily leaving the quagmire of right and wrong in Xianyang, can we avoid their sharp edge and prevent a premature showdown.

Therefore, he had to leave.

With the King presiding over the throne and Brother Gu'an overseeing the Bureau of All Things and the Academy, the situation he has laid out will not fall apart because of his departure. In fact, it may even operate more smoothly because of the absence of those open and covert attacks.

As for his trip to Qi, although he was forced into it, these parasites did indeed inadvertently choose a good place for him, which was not necessarily a bad move.

The Jixia Academy was teeming with talented people!

Although the journey is long, it will take no more than three months to travel back and forth. By the time he returns, the war on the front lines will have settled down, and the King will be able to focus on reforming the court. He will bring back a group of talented individuals to support the long-term rule of the Qin Dynasty.

Then we can seize the opportunity to settle old scores with these parasites, eliminate them one by one, and replace them, thus achieving a permanent solution!

not to mention……

Zhou Wenqing looked at the figure of the king sitting high on the throne.

How can a subject keep saying that he is willing to devote himself to the king and die for him, yet he cowers under the king's wings and dares not even take the slightest risk to share the country's burdens or sacrifice himself for the country?

He trusted the king and believed he would be safe.

I hope Your Majesty... will also believe in him.

The hall remained quiet.

Ying Zheng stared at him for a long time, so long that the candle wax in the hall accumulated and flickered, stretching the figures of the two men, one sitting and one standing, silently facing each other, into a long, drawn-out line.

He slowly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, all the turmoil in his eyes was suppressed, leaving only a bottomless coldness, revealing nothing.

Only the barely perceptible hoarseness in his voice betrayed his unsettled emotions.

"allow."

A single word, as light as a sigh, yet as heavy as a boulder falling to the ground.

Zhou Wenqing's tense nerves were slightly relieved by the deep bow.

He bowed deeply, the hem of his robes brushing lightly against the cold ground, making a faint rustling sound that was exceptionally clear in the deathly silent hall.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your kind permission."

Ying Zheng didn't look at him again, but simply leaned back in his chair and waved his hand.

The attendant understood, stepped forward, and loudly announced, "Court adjourned—"

------

Zhou Wenqing tried to slip away as soon as court was over, but Li Si was too quick and grabbed him by the back of the neck.

"Why are you running?"

Li Si's voice was extremely low, yet it carried a hint of gritted teeth.

"You're quite bold, aren't you? What makes you think you can run away?"

With his shoulder pinned down, Zhou Wenqing could only stiffly turn his head and give a dry laugh: "Brother Gu'an, let's talk this out, let's talk this out... Could you please let go of my hand?"

"No." Li Si said expressionlessly, his grip remaining firm. "I'm afraid if I loosen my hold, you'll run away, and then where will I find you?"

"Where can I run to? I'll go back to the manor, okay?"

"Back to the manor?" Li Si sneered. "Back to pack your bags? Preparing to go to the State of Qi?"

Zhou Wenqing touched his nose guiltily.

"Well... it won't be that quick. It'll take at least a few days to prepare..."

"How many days to prepare?" Li Si's voice suddenly rose, then he abruptly suppressed it. "Is this something that can be done in just a few days?!"

"Zhou Wenqing, Zhou Wenqing, I could understand and cooperate with your past actions of not informing me beforehand, but now you're taking such a risk, disregarding the consequences. How can I be at ease if something unexpected happens?!"

"Calm down! Stay calm!" Zhou Wenqing shrugged, broke free from Li Si's hand, took half a step back, and raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"Brother Gu'an, please don't get agitated. We'll talk about this when we get back. Let me explain. There aren't even any people leaving the main hall yet. This pulling and tugging is unbecoming. Let's talk about it when we get back."

As he spoke, he turned and ran away!

Are you kidding me? He's in a fit of rage, what's the point of talking? Running away is the best thing to do!

Unfortunately, he had only run a few steps when his path was blocked.

A eunuch had appeared before him at some point, bowing respectfully and saying:

"Zhou Neishi, Li Tingwei, His Majesty requests your presence."

Oh no, there's no escaping it now. This scene feels so familiar.

Behind him, Li Si's sinister voice followed, and he placed another hand on his shoulder.

"Zhou Neishi, please."