Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

Seeing the king's reaction, the two, who were already somewhat on edge, immediately thought that Zicheng had gotten into trouble again.

Is he critically injured, suffering a relapse of an old illness, or has he been killed by an assassin again?

Once again, the same anxiety and the same anger swept over me, my heart clenching instantly, almost bursting out of my chest.

"Your Majesty—!"

Li Si stumbled, completely disregarding his composure, and almost fell back to his desk, gripping the edge tightly with both hands. His eyes, which had been calm and collected just moments before, were now filled with overwhelming shock and anger.

His gaze was fixed on the letter that Ying Zheng was clutching tightly, and his voice was trembling with anxiety:

"What happened to Zicheng?! Did he encounter some danger on the road? Or did his old injury flare up, or did his heart condition flare up again?! He's not fully recovered yet, he can't withstand even the slightest shock or disturbance!"

Almost at the same moment, Wei Liao strode back, his body surging with murderous intent. He had already removed his sword when he entered the hall, but he still subconsciously pressed it tightly against his empty waist, his five fingers clenching so hard they cracked, and the anger between his brows and eyes almost overflowed the hall.

"But another assassination attempt? Those bastards! I've already led my men to conduct a bloodbath inside and out, yet there are still some who could have gotten away with it? It seems we haven't killed enough. Who dares to lay a hand on him? Audacious beasts!"

His chest heaved violently, and as soon as he finished speaking, he knelt on one knee, abruptly raising his head to plead for orders:

"Your Majesty! Even with numerous guards, it's impossible to protect Zicheng from a thousand miles away! I beg Your Majesty's permission to depart immediately, traveling day and night to reach his side and ensure his safe return! This entire operation was due to my ineffective suppression; if Zicheng suffers even the slightest mishap, I will truly be condemned to death! Your Majesty!"

"I second that, Your Majesty!" Li Si echoed urgently, his face flushed with anxiety, his voice filled with regret: "I shouldn't have let him leave in the first place! How could his body withstand such torment? Your Majesty, how is Zicheng? Please say something! No matter what, I... I can bear it!"

Then give me a chance to speak!

The two spoke back and forth, their urgent words filling the air. Ying Zheng, clutching the letter, felt his anger somewhat suppressed, and for a moment, he was at a loss for words.

"No, Minister Zhou, calm down! All of you, calm down for me!"

A sharp shout startled the two men. Li Si loosened his grip on the edge of the table slightly, and Wei Liao paused his gesture of clasping his hands in supplication. For a moment, they were completely bewildered, their eyes filled with confusion.

Ying Zheng took a deep breath, and when he spoke again, his tone was filled with renewed anger. He tapped the letter in his hand with his knuckles, his voice cold and deep:

"It was Minister Zhou who, during his inspection along the way, stumbled upon the traitors committing the crime. Their actions were despicable, and their methods cruel. I am furious at these villains! How dare they be so audacious on the very soil of Qin!"

"Was it a case of arbitrarily committing the crime?"

Before Li Si could recover, a look of disgust flashed in his eyes upon hearing this. Human traffickers are people that everyone should kill; they have been extremely hateful from ancient times to the present.

"That Zicheng..."

"It's alright."

"call……"

Li Si finally exhaled completely, almost losing his balance. Wei Liao also breathed a sigh of relief, belatedly realizing that his knee had hit the gold brick, causing his eyes to twitch in pain. He stood up expressionlessly, gazing at Ying Zheng with a deep look in his eyes.

Your Majesty, could you please stop scaring people like this in the future? He's an old man, he can't take it!

Since it wasn't Zhou Wenqing who got into trouble, but rather a major local case that was involved, the tense atmosphere in the hall eased slightly, but was quickly replaced by the solemnity brought about by the case.

Ying Zheng raised his hand and handed over the letter: "Read it yourselves."

Since it involved a case, Li Si stepped forward to take it without hesitation. Unlike the previous letters, this one was more like a memorial written by Zhou Wenqing, with precise wording and meticulous organization.

The memorial detailed the methods used by the perpetrators, the approximate number of children abducted, and the scope of the gang's activities. Further investigation revealed numerous corrupt officials in Luoyang who colluded with the thieves and shielded and condoned their crimes. All the individuals involved and the evidence were listed in detail, awaiting the decision of the Xianyang court and the king's judgment.

In addition, with the assistance of his secret guards, Zhou Wenqing's investigation is progressing very quickly. He has already broken through the key to the ferry crossing document and extended the suspicion to Chen County, suspecting that this place is very likely the source of the case. However, the situation in Chen County is murky, and the specific details cannot be found out yet.

At the end of the memorial, Zhou Wenqing clearly outlined the case-handling plan and patrol route, and earnestly expressed his determination to go to Chen County to conduct a thorough investigation and not let any criminal escape.

Li Si skimmed through the list, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper. When he saw the long list of officials involved in the case, he couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "These beasts."

He handed the memorial to Wei Liao and said angrily, "So many corrupt officials have been found in Luoyang alone. And this is not even the source. According to Zi Cheng's current clues, the situation in Chen County is probably even worse. It is very likely that it has already rotted to the core."

"Li Tingwei means..." Wei Liao's brows furrowed suddenly, a hint of horror flashing in his eyes. He looked up at Li Si, but didn't dare to speak directly.

Li Si's expression was solemn and serious. He slowly nodded, tacitly agreeing with what he had in mind.

The Qin Dynasty's system of prefectures and counties has always been clearly defined. Within a prefecture, the prefect is in charge of civil and military affairs, while the censor is directly under the court and is responsible for supervision and impeachment. The two are designed to check and balance each other, making it impossible for one to control everything and preventing local dominance.

However, it is absolutely impossible for this gang of thieves to operate on such a large scale, with a complete network, unimpeded access to land and water crossings, and reckless and unscrupulous behavior, without the backing and protection of high-ranking local officials.

Therefore... they need to prepare for the worst.

If it is truly the case that the prefect and the censor colluded in secret, covering for each other and concealing the truth from the court in Xianyang, suppressing countless grievances, and treating the vast Chen Commandery as their private domain—

Then Zicheng is in danger!

The breath Li Si had just managed to exhale caught in his throat again. He was both shocked and horrified, and so angry that he jumped up and down in frustration.

"Zhou Wenqing! He's gone mad! He's absolutely insane!"

As the Minister of Justice, he meticulously and thoroughly investigated criminal cases and official matters day and night. Once he grasped the key points, he felt a chill run down his spine, and his back was quietly soaked with cold sweat.

"With Luoyang making such a grand display, Chenjun has probably already alerted them! If he rushes over there, and it really is as we suspect, wouldn't he be walking into the lion's den?! This...this...Zhou Wenqing! How could he be so reckless? He...he..."

Li Si grew increasingly angry, and it looked as if he was about to point his finger at Zhou Wenqing, who was thousands of miles away, and start cursing. Wei Liao quickly stopped him and held his arm down.

"Commander Li, please calm down. Zicheng's letter only stated his determination to go to Chenjun, not that he had already set off. How could he not know something we could deduce from his memorial alone? With the eldest son still by his side, he would never act recklessly!"

Ah, yes, the eldest son is still by his side!

In that instant, Li Si felt that the King's decision to have his eldest son accompany the delegation was absolutely brilliant.

Based on his understanding of Zhou Wenqing, he knew how much Zicheng valued this disciple and placed high hopes on him. He would never take Fusu to danger. Fortunately, the eldest son was there, otherwise he might have really rushed in recklessly!

He rushed forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said urgently, "Your Majesty! I beg you to immediately order men to stop Zhou Wenqing. We must not allow him to take even a single step into Chen County!"