Pre-Qin Mythology: Starting with the River God

autumn harvest?

"I am unaware, please enlighten me, Uncle."

The recent events have made him more mature, and the young man has long since suppressed any impulsiveness he should have had. He waits expectantly for Quan Ming's arrangements.

Quan Ming was very satisfied with this.

He already intended to train his nephew to be his successor in the world.

Only with such a mindset can one go further.

Quan Ming said directly, "I made arrangements in advance during the sacrificial ceremony for taking over 'Zhishui' a few days ago, and bestowed a bountiful harvest blessing with a large amount of Chu will. If Qu Wan has some ambition and the desire to revitalize the Quan land and gain political achievements, then... our Quan people will definitely be able to obtain a lot of grain after the autumn harvest to engage in production, without having to worry about next year, and there will even be a surplus."

"you……"

"Yes, I love fine wine. This grain, nourished by the fortune of the land and blessed by the will of Chu, produces wine that has the effects of nourishing the skin and body, bringing good health and longevity. After the autumn harvest, you must use this wine to offer sacrifices to me."

"...I can also send them to the immortals and gods of Chu during the New Year festivals, as well as to my friends in the mortal world for them to appreciate."

"If you brew more wine, go to Qu Wan and rent the Quan Palace's cellar to store it temporarily... Let it settle over time, and next year's brew will be even more extraordinary."

Quan Ming's nephew originally thought his uncle was just a heavy drinker.

But the more I listened, the more I felt that there was a deeper meaning behind Quan Ming's words.

Quan Ming continued, "When sending wine to immortals and friends, I can't just send a clay wine jar. Our Quan region has abundant lacquer trees, and our lacquer craftsmanship is comparable to that of the Sui Kingdom. You can have someone make an exquisite lacquer box, so that I can present it in a more presentable way."

"And then..."

"The silk spun by the silkworms cultivated on my own land is woven into exquisite satin and placed in the box to accompany the wine jar... This is the most elegant way to present a gift."

"..."

The more the boy listened, the more suspicious he became, his eyes fixed on Quan Ming.

Quan Ming finished speaking.

Looking at her nephew's somewhat foolish gaze, she felt a headache coming on. His older sister was so shrewd, how could she have given birth to such a child?

The rogue can only explain one by one.

"In the name of the ancestors of the Quanren people, I have used earth as a mold and the fortune of the Quanren people as a medium to erect this statue in the city gates, river channels, mountains, forests, and lakes."

"Those who have the power to kowtow and offer sacrifices will receive blessings from the people of Chu!"

"May this land prosper, its inhabitants live in peace and stability, and be free from calamity!"

"The wine I am referring to is brewed by the Quan people using grain from the Quan land. Because of the rules I established during the sacrificial ceremony a few days ago, this wine naturally carries the fortune of the Quan people and the blessing of the Chu land's will... Drinking it is like sharing food during a sacrifice, which has a beneficial effect on people. For the nobles of Chu, this is something they flock to."

"And along with this wine..."

"Even lacquerware and silk fabrics from Quan could catch the eye of the Chu nobles. This special privilege enjoyed by immortals and gods would become a noble gift... At that time, the value of Quan's local products would rise steadily, and the people of Quan would also rise in status."

"The rise of a powerful person requires sincerity."

"These rules are only owned by those in power, and are created and led by those in power."

"In this way... I, Quan, can finally have a place in Chu and truly integrate into Chu... Aju, you were also a nobleman of Quan back then, you should know: only useful people can exist in the eyes of nobles."

—A useful person—

—Only then can it exist—

Ah Ju, or rather Yang Youju, finally understood what his uncle was trying to do.

At the same time, I finally understood what my uncle meant by that incredible "sacrifice" that even the gods and immortals couldn't comprehend when he set the rules a few days ago!

In order to ensure that the powerful man was a useful person in the eyes of the Chu nobles!

--people--

Yang Youju was deeply moved. He could not forget the time he spent under the surveillance of the Chu soldiers, when he was no longer a nobleman of the Quan Kingdom, but merely there to maintain the existence of "Quan Xian"—his uncle.

And those in power...

They were dispensable. If it weren't for Quan Ming's existence, they would have been crippled or killed, tortured and abused, and turned into slaves under the power of the Chu Kingdom.

Of course, they are not called slaves now, but they are slaves in practice.

They have no freedom.

They are far from being human.

Today, Quanming has brought him a way out for Quanren, and this autumn harvest is indeed an opportunity for Quanren.

Upon realizing this, Yang Youju bowed deeply and said, "Your Excellency has devoted yourself wholeheartedly to my cause, and I, Yang Youju, will never forget it. I, Yang Youju, guarantee with my life that I will definitely complete the task assigned by Your Excellency."

Gongzi Ming... At this moment, Yang Youju is no longer Quan Ming's nephew, and Quan Ming is no longer his uncle.

They were more like a ruler and his subjects.

From some point onward, Quan Ming had become the leader recognized by the Quan people. There was no need for succession; as long as Quan Ming gave the order, the Quan people would naturally do what Quan Ming did.

"Um……"

Quan Ming shook his head: "You should call me Immortal Quan. I am already an immortal god of Chu. Protecting people is my duty, but assisting the Dao Heaven of Chu is also my obligation."

"Quan Chu is all Chinese."

"The prosperity of the land and the integration of the people into the state of Chu is a win-win situation, and I should certainly promote it."

"Get up."

Quan Ming raised his hand, and a wisp of water vapor lifted it up.

Yang Youju slowly straightened his body, and Quan Ming looked at him and continued, "The brewing process will definitely consume a lot of resources. If the wine becomes famous, those Chu nobles will surely come like wolves. Therefore... the required amount will be considerable."

hum!

The water splashed, and a huge fish emerged.

The fish swam to the shore, gently spit out gold and silver objects, as well as bronze cowrie shells used in various countries, and then swallowed them back into its belly.

Yang Youju was stunned.

He asked in a low voice, "Uncle, is this the hidden treasure of the Quan Kingdom that Dou Bo searched the entire kingdom for but couldn't find?"

Quan Ming smiled and nodded; he himself was a man of vision.

Money is indispensable in any dynasty. As someone who aspires to use his divine status to manipulate the world and fulfill his political will, he naturally made all the necessary arrangements for any eventuality.

Quan Ming took off the jade ring that Yang Youju had given him when he prayed at Quan Shui, wishing "everything goes well for my uncle."

Yu Huan was lifted by the water vapor and came to Yang Youju's side.

He said to Yang Youju, "Put the jade ring into the water to summon fish. With the jade ring, you can make them spit out treasures for your use... Naturally, I will have some unused treasures exchanged for cowrie shells from the State of Chu so that you can purchase grain from powerful people... With cowrie shells in hand, powerful people will have some confidence. Of course, wealth must not be revealed... Everything must be done with caution."

At this point, a hint of sadness flashed in Quan Ming's eyes.

He didn't hide it from his nephew, nor did he want to deceive himself.

He said, "This is a scheme. I will then deal with the trivial matters of the powerful man, including his livelihood. Apart from providing him with a way out and the privileged treatment he deserves, I will provide for his basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, and medical care. I have ordered that no money be leaked, but if the powerful man disobeys this order and tries to use money to buy a way out by betraying the powerful man, then don't blame me..."

"Not all people in power are necessarily good people."

After Quan Ming finished speaking, he silently looked at Yang Youju.

As his guide in the world, he also spoke these words to Yang Youju, lest this naive young man be led astray or be deceived by those with ulterior motives.

He didn't want to go through trial and error.

The powerful can't wait, and he can't get it either... Yang Youju must grow up quickly so that he can be of use.