Another Kind of Hope

Queen Lily of Qin's peasant origins instantly drew her closer to the common folk.

She simply perched herself atop a bag of fertilizer and began to regale everyone with stories from her childhood in the countryside.

Everyone listened with rapt attention, completely enthralled. The crowd at her stall grew larger and larger.

After talking for a while, Queen Lily sighed emotionally, "...I’ve survived my share of hard times, so I truly understand your struggles. Because I know firsthand how tough it is for farmers, I’m desperate to solve our grain problem. These products will make your land more productive, yielding at least five times more grain than before. With more food, you won’t be stuck working in the fields day and night. You’ll have extra energy and time to earn more silver and give your families a better life."

Queen Lily of Qin’s words moved many of the common folk to tears. They wiped their eyes with their sleeves and murmured, "Her Majesty understands us—she truly gets what we’re going through! Someone so kind would never harm us!"

The crowd’s emotions were stirred. Many wanted to give it a try, but the farmers near Charleston were simply too poor. Most could barely afford to eat half a meal, let alone buy anything extra.

Seeing everyone eager but short on money, Queen Lily of Qin said, "How about this? I know it’s hard to come up with extra cash right now. We can let you buy these products on credit; pay us after the harvest, or even settle the debt with grain if you prefer. But I suggest you start small—buy a little, set aside a plot at home to experiment and gain experience. Next year, when the harvest comes in, compare the old and new methods, and you’ll know what works best."

Everyone praised her idea: "Her Majesty really thinks things through. Let’s buy on credit, take some home, and give it a try. If the harvest is as good as promised, we’ll switch all our land to the new method next year!"

"Alright then! If you want to buy, line up and register your name, address, what you’re buying on credit, and how much. Sign an IOU." Queen Lily of Qin grinned, "Good thing everyone can read now! These IOUs are clear as day—no one can trick you!"

Her playful remark made everyone laugh. "Her Majesty, if we can read now, it’s all thanks to you! Back then, when we didn’t know our letters, we got cheated so badly. Landlords tricked us with contracts full of sneaky terms because we couldn’t read. Now we’re literate—no one can fool us anymore!"

The common folk truly recognized the value of literacy; now even the seventy- and eighty-year-olds in Charleston could read and were no longer easily deceived.

Queen Lily of Qin laughed heartily, "Good, as long as everyone understands the benefits of literacy. Once our Clearwater Literacy Workshops open, there will be even more advantages!"

"Wonderful, we’re all looking forward to it! I heard the new schools the government is building will let our children attend for free, with three meals a day, lodging, and clothes for all seasons. This is a great thing the court is doing for us, and we’ll definitely send our kids to study." The people in line smiled, their faces full of hope for a better future.

Life for the people of Charleston, both past and present, was bitter—they never had enough to eat or wear, and suffered endless oppression from officials, with no hope in sight.

But that’s all in the past now.

With the arrival of the new King and Queen Lily of Qin, the people saw a different kind of hope.