Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

The journey was long and bumpy, and even if you were in a comfortable carriage, you would feel confined in the carriage all day long, and it would be uncomfortable to feel like your whole body was tied up.

Han Fei was still able to lift the carriage curtain, leap onto the horse, and gallop for a distance, using the wind to stretch his tense muscles. Although he was covered in dust from the journey, and his hair and robes were always covered in dirt, it still invigorated his spirit and relieved some of the tension.

But Zhou Wenqing could only stay quietly in the carriage the whole time, never even touching the reins, let alone the horse's back.

Firstly, Li Yi and Xia Wuqie kept a close watch on him the whole time, taking turns to attack him, making it impossible for him to have the chance to ride a horse.

Li Yi patiently and repeatedly explained that riding a horse was far less safe than staying in the carriage. He acted as if an assassin might suddenly appear out of nowhere or a cold arrow might fly straight off Zhou Wenqing's horse in the middle of this flat, unhilled official road guarded by soldiers. He was so vigilant that Zhou Wenqing was almost tired of hearing it.

Xia Wuqie, on the other hand, started from medical principles, and every sentence he spoke was about conditioning the body. He solemnly instructed again and again: what cold evil enters the body, what cold and heat are intertwined, what are the various risks and consequences, and what are the various possibilities, listing them one by one without getting tired of it.

Zhou Wenqing felt as if the medical system he had erected a monument to and buried had come back to life, and all sorts of medical orders were trying to get into his brain.

What are you doing? He didn't really want to ride a horse... right?

It was just that her eyes showed a hint of longing when she saw Han Fei's dashing figure as he stepped out from behind the curtain.

In fact, Zhou Wenqing himself had some reservations about horseback riding.

The time he chased after Wei Liao, he forced himself to ride at full speed, and almost exhausted himself to the point of collapse. The feeling of soreness all over his body is still vivid in his mind. Now, whenever he thinks of riding a horse, he feels a soreness in his very bones.

All these factors combined led him to completely abandon the idea of ​​going out on horseback, and he obediently stayed in the carriage to rest, only occasionally lifting the curtain to look at the passing scenery to relieve his boredom.

However, Fusu was different.

It must be admitted that Fusu is much healthier than him. Moreover, this teenager is at the age where he is full of energy and can't sit still for a moment. It is undoubtedly a torment to keep this child cooped up in the quiet carriage all day with him.

Seeing that he was also filled with longing and looked restless, Zhou Wenqing couldn't bear it. So he took the initiative to suggest that he ride a horse along with him and follow outside his carriage.

Fusu remembered his father's instructions.

But... if I'm outside the carriage and can see you just by lifting the curtain, then I guess I'm keeping close to you, right?

He was overjoyed and readily agreed.

He will stay by the gentleman's side in the carriage without leaving him for a moment!

Fusu excitedly mounted his horse with swift and decisive movements. Despite his young age, he was already quite dashing on horseback, displaying a heroic bearing. His riding skills were already quite superb, befitting his status.

However, Fusu was still small in stature, while the warhorse beneath him was tall and strong, with his calves barely reaching the horse's belly, making people particularly worried.

Zhou Wenqing was worried, so he kept his eyes on the boy's figure while lifting the carriage curtain, and occasionally said a few words of advice and joked with him.

The wind blew in through the gaps in the carriage curtain, warm for a while and cool for a while. The temperature difference between day and night was large. It was fine during the day, but it got chilly in the evening. Zhou Wenqing tightened his collar but didn't pay much attention to it.

Unexpectedly, the carriage curtain had been lifted all the way, and coupled with the fatigue of days of travel, his resistance had already dropped to rock bottom. When he woke up, he felt heavy all over and his throat tightened.

It is impossible to guard against it!

Inside the tent, Zhou Wenqing lay drowsily, a damp cloth covering his forehead, his face pale, and his lips bloodless.

Xia Wuqie sat to the side, three fingers resting on his wrist, his brows furrowed, before finally relaxing and letting out a sigh.

Li Yi stood outside the tent, his face as black as the bottom of a pot, arms crossed, back ramrod straight, his eyes fixed on the tent flap, looking just like an eagle protecting its young.

But at this moment, the eagle was radiating regret, thinking, "I knew this would happen," and self-reproach, thinking, "It's all my fault for being careless."

Fusu squatted at the tent entrance, his neck hunched, like a little quail that had done something wrong.

Han Fei stood not far away, hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the tent, and sighed helplessly.

Along the way, he had personally witnessed Li Yi's meticulous care and the doctor's dedication—taking his pulse morning and night and tirelessly asking if he had any discomfort. He could recite the doctor's instructions by heart.

Even so, Zhou Wenqing still collapsed, just because he lifted the carriage curtain and felt the wind?

Han Fei stared at the flags planted on the top of the tent, which swayed gently in the wind, and remained silent for a long time.

Having spent time with Zhou Wenqing, he knew he was physically weak, especially suffering from a heart ailment, which left a particularly deep impression on him—after all, it was for this reason that he had been sent to the Qin state in the first place.

However, political exchanges inevitably involve exaggeration. In addition, he already knew Zhou Wenqing to some extent. Upon arriving in Xianyang, he saw that Zhou was feigning illness and not going out. He had also heard many rumors. In reality, Zhou was constantly busy with official duties, handling documents, allocating grain and fodder, and planning academies. He was so busy that his heart disease never flared up.

He doesn't look like a sickly person at all.

Han Fei inevitably retained the impression that "this person may be physically weak, but there is nothing seriously wrong with him; it is mostly just gossip."

until this moment-

The curtain was lifted, and Xia Wuqie stepped out.

His face showed no unusual expression, except that his brows were slightly furrowed, and he was holding a newly written prescription in his hand.

Li Yi immediately went to greet him, lowering his voice: "How is it?"

"Sir has a fever." Xia Wuqie's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached Li Yi's ears.

"His body temperature isn't too high, but high fever is most dangerous for people with weak constitutions. Although I have some medicine prepared here, your health is still quite poor. To be on the safe side, we should leave this desolate area as soon as possible and find a nearby city, preferably one with a decent medical clinic, to settle down safely."

fever!

Upon hearing this, Li Yi's face instantly darkened, and he tensed up.

According to the original plan, they should have traveled for at most half a day to reach the next city, Mianchi, where they could rest, replenish supplies, and continue their journey.

but--

He turned to look in the direction of Hangu Pass. The outline of the pass was faintly visible in the morning mist, like a lurking beast blocking the road ahead.

"The only place we can settle down is probably beyond Hangu Pass."

His voice was low, tinged with barely perceptible anxiety, and his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

The journey had been peaceful for seven or eight days. There had been no assassinations, not even a petty thief blocking the road. Logically, this should have been a relief, but Li Yi became increasingly vigilant.

The calmer it was, the more it resembled the calm before a storm, as if an unseen eye was watching their team intently.

Although government troops frequently traveled through Hangu Pass and patrolled constantly, in theory, bandits would not dare to cause trouble there.

However, the terrain here is treacherous, and the official road is narrow and winding. Once a caravan passes through, it will inevitably have to stretch out, making it difficult to keep an eye on both ends. At that time, if someone wanted to make a move...