When the decree to reduce taxes was issued throughout the country, the people, who were already overwhelmed by the high yield of sweet potatoes, were even more ecstatic.
Farmers wept as they caressed the saplings that symbolized hope; women wept with joy as they gazed at the overflowing grain in their cellars; and children cheered as they held their hands of sweet roasted sweet potatoes...
Everywhere in Daqin was a scene of prosperity, and the river of fate turned in a new direction.
In the city of Xiaxiang County, Sishui County.
A burly young man with sharp eyebrows and fierce eyes stared at the official newspaper in a daze.
It was a long time before he left in a daze.
Hearing the excited discussions and singing of the people, Xiang Yu stopped going home and began to wander around.
When he came to his senses, he was standing at a familiar village entrance.
"Eh? Brother Yu, is that you? Why are you in our village?"
Xiang An had just heard about tax reductions from the county town.
Overjoyed, he hurried back to the village to tell everyone the good news.
Then he met Xiang Yu, who looked frustrated.
"Xiao An, I...I just came to see you."
Xiang Yu made a lame excuse.
The people of this village were originally a branch of the Xiang clan.
However, since the King of Qin unified the world, they were unwilling to risk their lives and join the main branch in recovering the State of Chu.
So they led their tribesmen who also did not want to get involved in the disputes to settle here and live a simple life working from sunrise to sunset.
"Our village has a bumper harvest this year, so I'm going to take you, Brother Yu, to see it!"
Others were very afraid of this brother who was strong enough to lift a tripod, but Xiang An admired him very much and loved to stick to him since he was a child.
Therefore, the relationship between the two can be described as like that of brothers. Even though they later separated, they still often visited each other.
"Okay, I haven't seen Uncle Yuan for a long time."
Xiang Yu recalled the old man who had made him so angry when he was a child, and his mood suddenly turned from gloomy to cheerful.
When I entered the village, I didn't see anyone.
Because it is the autumn harvest season now, men, women, young and old all go to the fields to help with the work.
"Hey! You little brat, you're always lazy. Come over here and help your dad dig sweet potatoes."
"Father, look who I brought with me!"
Xiang An's eyes rolled around and he quickly changed the subject to quell his father's anger.
"Hey, Xiang Yu boy, why are you here?"
Father Xiang put down his hoe, wiped the sweat off his forehead, and looked surprised.
Old man Xiang Liang strictly forbade him to come here.
"I came to see everyone."
The rebellious young man rarely showed shyness.
His uncle always forbade him to have too much contact with those who were content with mediocrity, for fear that it would dampen his ambition.
"Brother Yu, come and try this sweet potato, it's delicious!"
Xiang An washed a big sweet potato in the canal, broke it in half, and handed it to the strong young man.
The boy took it and took a big bite. It was sweet and soft, and tasted better than some fruits.
"Can this sweet potato really yield 10,000 kilograms per mu?"
"That's more than 10,000 catties! It's a pity that my family only planted two acres this year. If I hadn't persuaded my father during the spring plowing, he probably wouldn't have planted even half an acre."
"You're itching, little brat, aren't you?"
Listening to his son's complaints, Xiang's father felt embarrassed.
He had no idea at that time that the yield of sweet potatoes was so high. Even now that he saw it with his own eyes, he still felt it was unreal.
Xiang Yu silently looked around at his tribesmen whose faces were filled with joy, his heart filled with confusion.
Before leaving, he visited the village chief, who was also his childhood teacher.
"Hyu-chan, listen to the teacher's advice and let it go."
"Now that the Qin Dynasty has become a powerful force, with tax reductions and distribution of divine seeds, the people are living and working in peace and contentment. Why are you doing useless work?"
"Besides, is your main branch's restoration of Chu for the sake of the people of the world, or for your own selfish desires?"
These wise words of advice echoed in Xiang Yu's mind.
His eyes began to become confused, and his determination to restore his country began to waver.
Shouldn't he really continue?
At the same time, the exact news of the high yield of sweet potatoes shocked the nobles of the six countries, and the reactions from all parties were different.
Some resigned themselves to their fate, some were indignant, and some were furious...
In Handan County, in an inconspicuous house in the city.
"How abominable! How abominable!"
"In the past, you, the Qin State, slaughtered 300,000 of my Zhao soldiers and destroyed my state. Now, you are bribing my people with such a small profit!"
"My fellow Zhao people, have you forgotten the hatred for our nation's destruction at the hands of the tyrannical Qin?!"
Zhao Quan sat on the ground and cried loudly, tears streaming down his face.
He slapped his thighs with both hands and groaned, and the secret report rolled to the ground.
It was inscribed: "The sweet potato harvest is abundant. The people of Handan are all rushing to tell each other, raising their arms and shouting "Long live the emperor."
The retainer Zhao Xiu listened to the wailing and cursing in the room and paced back and forth anxiously in the yard.
But the master did not allow him to enter the house, for fear of seeing him lose his composure.
Finally, a quarter of an hour later, the noise in the room subsided and Zhao Xiu immediately pushed the door open and walked in.
I saw Zhao Quan had tidied his appearance and was leaning back in his chair with a dejected look on his face.
"Sir, are you alright?"
Zhao Xiu carefully avoided the mess on the ground and sat opposite Zhao Quan.
"A Xiu, do you think we should still seek revenge now?"
Since the fall of the State of Zhao, the person Zhao Quan trusted most was the man in front of him.
It was he who took him to hide in Handan, the most dangerous yet safest capital of Zhao State, with him disguising himself and hiding his identity.
All other royal descendants who fled to other places died one by one.
"Whatever the young master wants, Xiu will go."
Zhao Xiu promised sincerely with his eyes.
The moment the young master rescued him from the quagmire, his life belonged to him.
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