Chapter 132 My Charming Ancestor 6
Ying Zheng's voice was very soft, so soft that it seemed as if he were just asking a casual question.
But this seemingly casual question carried a hidden threat.
It gave the emperor hope, only to shatter that hope.
The consequences are clearly recorded in history books: torn apart by chariots, cut in half at the waist, exterminated along with three generations of the family... The wrath of an emperor is never something an ordinary person can bear.
On the mountain path, Li Si and the others, who had just felt relieved, were once again on edge, their hearts pounding higher than ever before.
It’s over!
His Majesty... is still the same suspicious and ruthless First Emperor!
The tear he just shed wasn't from gratitude, but from lingering fear! He feared this miracle was just a mirage, he feared this hope was a deadly poison!
How should she answer this immortal?
To say you can stay forever? That's unrealistic; even gods have to return to heaven.
To say you can't? That's tantamount to telling His Majesty directly: Yes, I've given you hope, but I might take it back at any time.
This is a complete dead end!
Zhou Jue's heart sank as well.
Good heavens, you truly are something else, ancestor. Your mood swings are faster than turning the pages of a book; anyone who rides this emotional rollercoaster will be completely bewildered.
She looked at Ying Zheng, at his eyes that were slightly red with longing and fear, at him holding a string of potatoes, unwilling to let go even though his clothes were dirty.
Zhou Jue suddenly realized that he was not threatening him.
He was afraid.
I'm afraid this is just a mirage.
So he roared, "Are you real or not! If you're fake, I...I'll kill you first!"
This roar wasn't fierce; it was fragile.
Zhou Jue's most vulnerable spot was deeply pierced by this vulnerability.
She did not answer the question.
Because any answer about "her" is wrong.
She simply looked at Ying Zheng and suddenly asked a completely unrelated question.
"Your Majesty, do you know the difference between giving a man a fish and teaching him how to fish?"
Her voice was calm, as if she were talking about something trivial.
Ying Zheng was stunned.
The string of suspicion that had been taut in his mind loosened for a moment because of this seemingly unrelated question.
What kind of fish? What kind of fishing method?
He didn't answer, he just looked at her, waiting for her to continue.
Zhou Jue gently took another potato from his arms.
She held the potato in her palm and spoke slowly to Ying Zheng.
“If I simply conjure up food and fill your treasury, that’s called ‘giving a man a fish.’ Once it’s all gone today, there won’t be any left tomorrow. What you’re relying on is me, my ability to create things out of thin air. Once I’m gone, all your hopes will vanish instantly.”
Ying Zheng's pupils contracted slightly.
Zhou Jue's words accurately depicted his deepest fears.
“But,” Zhou Jue changed the subject, her gaze bright and clear, as if she could see into the darkest corners of a person’s heart.
What I'm giving you isn't fish, but 'fishing'.
She held up the potato in her hand, her voice carrying a hint of solemnity.
"What I give you is the seed. It is the method. It is so that you, and your people, can cultivate this miraculous crop that yields a hundred bushels per acre—the source of hope!"
"Your Majesty, you have made a mistake."
Zhou Jue looked at him and spoke clearly, word by word.
“I am not hope itself. I am merely a messenger, someone who delivers the seed of hope from the other side of the river of time into your hands.”
"This hope, in my hands, is nothing. It's just a seed, which might even wither because it can't adapt to the environment."
"But it's different when it's in your hands."
Her voice possessed a strange, compelling power.
“You are the king of this world. You have the most expansive land, the most diligent people, and the most knowledgeable officials in agriculture. You can find the best soil for it and draw the sweetest spring water. You can teach everyone in the world how to plant it and how to harvest it.”
"Let it grow from a seed into a vine, and from a vine into mountains of gold filling barns!"
"Therefore, Your Majesty."
Zhou Jue took a step forward and gently placed the potato back into Ying Zheng's hand.
"What keeps this hope alive is never me, a passerby who will eventually leave."
"It's you."
"It was you, the First Emperor, who created immortal achievements."
boom!
That last sentence exploded in Ying Zheng's mind.
Was it him?
Is it himself who can keep hope alive?
He stared blankly at the potato in his hand, then looked up at Zhou Jue, his deep eyes churning with turmoil.
He always thought that hope was brought by immortals, that it was something ethereal and could be taken away at any time as a "miracle".
So he was afraid; he was anxious about gains and losses.
But now, the immortal told him that she was merely a messenger delivering a "seed." This "seed" of hope was now his. How he used it, whether he could use it well, whether he could make it benefit all people and pass it down through generations, depended on the ability of him, the "recipient"!
This completely changed the situation!
From a passive recipient to an active controller!
A surge of joy and exhilaration, a hundred times stronger than when he saw the potatoes sprouting out of thin air, instantly overwhelmed all his unease and fear!
yes!
What is he afraid of!
He, Ying Zheng, could even conquer the six states that had been divided for eight hundred years. How could he not be able to plant this small "seed" well?
He can even standardize writing, cart tracks, and weights and measures. How can he not promote the cultivation method of this divine object throughout the world?
Who is he?
He was the First Emperor!
He is the one and only ruler of this land!
"Hahaha...hahahaha!"
Ying Zheng laughed again, but this time, there was no trace of gloom or desolation in his laughter; only the pride and confidence of ruling the world remained.
He carefully handed the string of potatoes in his arms to Li Si, who was so excited he was almost dumbfounded, and solemnly instructed him.
"Prime Minister! This is the foundation of our Great Qin Dynasty for all eternity! It is more important than the Imperial Seal of the State! You, personally hold it for me! If there is even the slightest mishap, I will hold you solely responsible!"
"Yes...yes!" Li Si stretched out his hands, trembling, and with all his strength, he steadily accepted the heavy string of hopes.
He felt that he was holding not just a few fruits, but the fate of the entire Qin Dynasty!
After doing all this, Ying Zheng turned to Zhou Jue again.
At this moment, when he looked at Zhou Jue again, his gaze had completely changed.
There was no more scrutiny, no more testing, and no more of the awe that mortals had for the gods.
It's an appreciation of meeting a worthy opponent, a joy of finding a kindred spirit amidst great challenges.
"The immortal's words have enlightened me, clearing away the clouds and revealing the sun!" He raised his head, his eyes shining brightly.
"I have learned a lot."
He paused, looked at the two types of "seeds," pondered for a moment, and then announced loudly:
"This thing, since it is obtained from the soil and its shape resembles a taro, can relieve the hunger of the people. Today, I hereby bestow upon it the name—'Soil Taro'!"
"Another thing, with its red skin and sweet taste, is also a rare and precious fruit, so it was named 'sweet potato'!"
"Issue my decree!" He turned abruptly to face the dark mass of civil and military officials below the mountain, his voice booming like a bell, echoing throughout the entire Mount Tai.
"From this moment forward, a forbidden garden spanning a hundred li will be established outside Xianyang City, with the establishment of the 'Shennong Bureau'! It will be specifically responsible for the cultivation and promotion of 'sweet potatoes' and 'yam'! I will personally oversee this! I want all the people of the world to see that my Great Qin will no longer suffer from famine!"
Down the mountain, thunderous shouts echoed.
"Your Majesty is wise!!"
"May the Qin Dynasty last ten thousand years!!"
Everyone was so excited that tears welled up in their eyes. They knew that a brand new era had begun today, from the summit of Mount Tai!
Amidst the enthusiastic cheers of everyone, Ying Zheng turned around again and looked at Zhou Jue.
A rare, slightly... sly smile appeared on his face.
"Immortal, you have refused my position as 'Imperial Preceptor,' and I hereby grant it."
"But for this 'Shennong Bureau,' I must invite an immortal to serve. You must condescend to accept this position."
Zhou Jue raised an eyebrow, waiting for what would happen next.
Ying Zheng spoke slowly, his voice carrying an undeniable domineering yet sincere tone:
"The Shennong Division does not have a chief official, but only left and right 'Directors' of equal rank. I will personally assume the position of Left Director."
He looked at Zhou Jue, his deep eyes seeming to hold a vast ocean of stars.
"I wonder if the immortal would be willing to serve as my... Right Assistant Minister?"
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