Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

Inside the post station yesterday, Zhou Wenqing and the others stayed up all night to keep track of the news. It wasn't until dawn, when they saw Han Fei and the others carefully escorting all the children back to the post station, that their hearts, which had been hanging in suspense all night, finally settled down a little.

No one dared to be careless and immediately began to arrange for the care of the children. The mission's doctors once again mobilized to bandage the children's wounds and feed them medicine. For a time, the mission was so busy that people didn't have time to rest.

The calming soup was brewed pot after pot and fed to each of the frightened children. Perhaps it was just a habit, but when Physician Lü noticed Zhou Wenqing looking slightly tired, he scooped out a spoonful without saying a word, with perfect precision.

Just one spoonful!

Zhou Wenqing's eyes widened, but before she could even utter a few words of reprimand, an overwhelming drowsiness washed over her, and she collapsed and fell into a deep sleep.

When he woke up again, it was already dark. Looking at the bright moon outside the window, Zhou Wenqing rubbed his throbbing head and thought with a hint of resentment, "Is this a calming potion or a mind-altering potion?"

Since he was wide awake anyway, he simply put on his outer garment, refused Ah Yi's offer to follow him, and got up to visit the children who had survived the ordeal.

He tiptoed to the boys' room, opened the door and looked around. All the children were asleep and seemed to be at peace. No one woke up. Only then did he turn around and walk over here.

As soon as I reached the door, I heard voices coming from inside. I guessed that a child had woken up, but I didn't expect it to be my youngest son.

This little girl is truly resilient.

Perhaps because the other children had personally confirmed their rescue, their tense minds were completely relaxed, and they slept soundly. Only the youngest child, immersed in the fear of falling into the clutches of evil people again, was awakened from the nightmare early.

"You're too kind, Guest Master Yao." A'Ruo looked down at the youngest child in her arms, her voice gentle. "Our master and I couldn't bear to see these children suffer such a calamity. It's only right that we do our part to help them. It's not hard work at all."

Ba Qing was busy for a long time before leaving. She had most of the children's clothes, bedding, food, and medicine delivered by her. She also left behind several reliable maids, who did their best to provide manpower and effort without hesitation.

Just as Zhou Wenqing was about to say something, he felt his cuff being gently tugged.

He looked down and saw his youngest child looking up at him with a clear and earnest gaze: "Sir, did you save me? I want to thank you!"

Her voice was still a little weak, with the innocence unique to children, but she spoke each word with great solemnity.

Zhou Wenqing's heart softened, and he gently stroked his youngest son's soft hair, his voice so gentle it was almost melting:

"Good child, no need to thank sir. You should thank yourself. If it weren't for your bravery and strength, we wouldn't have been able to catch those evildoers. Our little girl is a remarkable and amazing girl!"

The little one blushed with embarrassment at the praise, burying her face in A'Ruo's arms. She couldn't help but peek out, her bright eyes sparkling, and asked, "Really? Is my little one really that amazing?"

"Of course it's true." Zhou Wenqing's eyes crinkled with a gentle and genuine smile as he spoke with a touch of indulgence, then softly asked, "So, such a capable little girl, are you hungry?"

Perhaps it was because of the filter of being a "benefactor", or perhaps it was because she was facing a child, Zhou Wenqing's voice unconsciously became softer as she coaxed the child, and the child visibly relaxed a lot.

Upon hearing this, she instinctively straightened her back, raised her chin slightly, and with a proud little expression, blurted out in a crisp voice, "Little one isn't hungry!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than an untimely "gurgling" sound came clearly from his stomach, reaching the ears of the three people.

The youngest child blushed and shrank back like a punctured balloon, burying his face deep in A'Ruo's arms, only revealing his bright red ear tips.

A'Ruo looked down at her youngest child in her arms, unable to suppress a smile. She held back her laughter and looked up at Zhou Wenqing, saying, "Guest Yao, I'll take the youngest child to get some food first, so please excuse me."

Zhou Wenqing smiled and nodded, watching with tender eyes as A'Ruo left with her well-behaved youngest child. Only when their footsteps were completely lost in the night wind did he slowly composed himself.

"Have all those traitors been captured?" he suddenly asked, his voice cold and hard.

He was so busy settling the children that he didn't even have time to ask about the aftermath of those scumbags before he was knocked out by a bowl of calming soup from Physician Lü. Just now, seeing the abrasions on his youngest son's face made his heart clench, and he could no longer suppress his emotions. Not wanting to wait until the next day to see Han Fei and the others, he immediately spoke in a deep voice to the empty corridor.

As soon as he finished speaking, a slight movement occurred in the shadows beside the pillar, and the guard appeared in a flash, silently kneeling on one knee.

"Sir, all the henchmen responsible for abducting and harboring children in the city have been apprehended. After the first interrogation, Mr. Bai Rihan and Guest Master Yao went out again and personally led men to raid several hidden hideouts in the suburbs. None of the thieves escaped, and all the trapped children were rescued. However..."

The guard paused, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, his tone filled with shame and resentment: "I am incompetent. When we intercepted them at the ferry, the thieves on the boat took advantage of the chaos to jump into the river and escape. Several of them got away, including the leader of this group of human traffickers. I have now assigned men to search along the river and the road day and night, but they have not yet found their whereabouts."

Zhou Wenqing's eyes darkened slightly.

Are there actually several more dens?

No wonder there seemed to be many more children than in the morning. This small city of Luoyang, with its sunny side blooming with vibrant flowers, yet its shady side harbors such filth and grime—it's truly astonishing!

A night breeze swept through the corridor, causing the lanterns to sway gently. The light and shadow flickered on Zhou Wenqing's face, obscuring his expression.

After a moment of silence, he parted his thin lips slightly and uttered only one word:

"check."

Each word was spoken in a low, calm tone, yet carried an undeniable resolve.

Zhou Wenqing lowered his eyes, his mind replaying the images of the children he had just looked at—the bruises and wounds on their bodies, their curled-up figures, their anxious murmurs in their dreams…

A chill began to creep into my heart.

He will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly and thoroughly.

He will pursue and bring to justice all the escaped ringleaders and accomplices, no matter where they hide. Those human traffickers already apprehended will not be tolerated in the slightest; they must be severely punished as a warning to others.

After a long silence, he slowly raised his eyes, his tone still calm and even, yet his words carried an oppressive force: "What did Prefect Wang say?"

The case occurred in Luoyang. The children were kidnapped and hidden for many days, causing such a big incident. As the prefect of a prefecture, Wang Wu was already responsible. Moreover, with so many children disappearing and being trafficked without reason, how could he, as the highest-ranking official in charge of the area, not have noticed anything?

It's impossible that no one reported it!

"Upon learning of this matter, Prefect Wang was filled with shock and anger. Realizing his inadequate supervision and dereliction of duty, he immediately arrested several officials and soldiers in his jurisdiction who had neglected their duties and failed to report the matter, and imprisoned them in the prefectural jail to await trial. He also ordered a thorough investigation of all villages and towns in Luoyang and its suburbs, and that anyone found to be negligent or derelict in their duties would be severely punished without exception."

"Knowing that he was deeply guilty of this matter, he dared not cover it up or shirk responsibility. He first led people with Mr. Han and Mr. Yao to investigate all the city gates and ferry crossings in Luoyang to prevent the remaining thieves from escaping. He also ordered people to retrieve all the case files of missing children reported recently and to check them one by one."

"According to the interrogation, this group of thieves abducted children from various places in batches and hid them in several dens on the outskirts of Luoyang as temporary places of residence. Once they had gathered enough children, they would transport them out by waterway at night and resell them to other places or even other countries."

"Wang Wu has now compiled all the clues in the case into a book and submitted it all. He has requested to be dismissed from his post as prefect and await punishment from the eldest son."

The guard paused, lowered his head slightly, and continued:

"My subordinates have conducted a secret investigation and have not yet found any evidence that he has colluded with or protected human trafficking gangs. However, as a local official, he has neglected his duties and mismanaged the area, resulting in rampant human trafficking within his jurisdiction. His dereliction of duty is irrefutable, and he cannot shirk his responsibility."