Zhou Wenqing is the main protagonist of the story. Originally a 21st-century history graduate student who just passed his thesis defense, he transmigrates into the body of a Han state retainer who was fatally stabbed. He awakens in a thatched hut with a deep chest wound, feeling intense pain and hopelessness. Using modern knowledge, he instructs Li Yi to extract allicin from garlic to treat his wound. He is highly observant, quickly deducing that Li Yi's peasant disguise is flawed. Despite his injury, he repeatedly attempts to escape Li Yi's custody to avoid being presented to the King of Qin, though he is always caught. He also shows kindness to the villagers, making furniture for his own use and toys for children. His internal struggle between the desire to die and the will to survive makes him a complex protagonist. He later offers the allicin formula to gain merit, hoping to protect Li Yi.
