Meanwhile.
In Xinghua Village, which was in the same county as Zhaojiazhuang.
The village got its name because there were apricot trees all over the mountains and fields.
Every year around Qingming Festival.
The apricot trees would bloom, their fragrance filling the air for miles around.
During this time, the villagers of Xinghua Village would pick the apricot blossoms to make wine.
Therefore, Xinghua wine was quite famous in Changshan County.
However, since the drought began.
The apricot trees in and around Xinghua Village, which were once lush and vibrant, had become withered and withered.
When it was time for the apricot blossoms to bloom.
Only a few scattered apricot blossoms remained on the branches.
It was no longer the Xinghua Village of the past, where the fragrance of the apricot blossoms carried for miles.
June and July were the months when the apricot trees bore fruit.
In previous years, the apricot trees were laden with sweet and sour apricots, a favorite of young and old alike.
The apricots that couldn't be eaten were used to make wine.
Apricot wine was also a major feature of Xinghua Village.
But this year, the apricot blossoms were fewer, and the apricots were also fewer.
Not to mention making wine.
Even for the villagers themselves, there wasn't enough to eat.
Moreover, Xinghua Village was not like Zhaojiazhuang, where everyone belonged to the same clan.
Xinghua Village had two major surnames.
One was Xiahou, descendants of Xiahou Ying, a founding hero of the Western Han Dynasty.
However, the main branch was located in Qiao County, Peiguo, Xuzhou, which was present day Xuzhou.
They, as a declining branch, had to travel far away to Zhen Ding County, Changshan County, Jizhou.
The other surname was Chu, and they were also not originally from Zhen Ding County.
In the past, the ancestor of the Xiahou family and the ancestor of the Chu family met and became friends.
They swore an oath of brotherhood, becoming sworn brothers despite being from different families.
Then they hit it off immediately.
They brought their wives and children to this place covered in apricot trees and founded Xinghua Village.
Over a hundred years later.
The Xiahou family and the Chu family had grown increasingly prosperous, both becoming large families of several hundred people.
In the Chu family ancestral hall.
Chu Ji, the head of the Chu family, held three incense sticks, bowed three times, and then slowly inserted the incense into the bronze incense burner.
“Ancestors, the drought is severe, and life is becoming increasingly difficult.”
“The water in the Hutuo River is almost dry, without water for irrigation, this year's crops will be ruined.”
“We have already run out of grain, and if the crops fail again, we will be truly desperate.”
“Ancestors, if you are in heaven, please protect the family, and hopefully, there will be a great rain.”
“The world is suffering from a severe drought for a long time.”
After saying this, Chu Ji sighed.
Since the drought began, he had been coming to the ancestral hall to burn incense every day.
But over the past few years.
The drought had become more and more severe.
He even began to wonder if someone had offended the gods in heaven and the dragons in the sea.
So the heavens had punished them with several years of drought.
At this moment, a young boy with nimble movements rushed into the ancestral hall.
“Dad, I've discovered something big.”
Chu Ji frowned slightly and reprimanded him softly:
“In front of the ancestors, you should be more respectful. Besides, this is not our home, you should call me Clan Chief.”
The boy nodded, his head lowered:
“Clan Chief, I've discovered something big.”
Chu Ji's expression eased slightly, and he asked slowly:
“What big thing?”
The boy took a deep breath and said:
“Clan Chief, the Hutuo River might not have dried up, but rather, its water flow was diverted.”
“What! Are you sure of what you're saying?” Chu Ji's eyes narrowed.
With a severe drought, everyone needs water, both for food and for life.
Therefore, to cut off someone's water supply is to cut off their livelihood.
This is a greater hatred than killing one's parents.
The boy nodded and quickly said:
“I went to the area around Zhaojiazhuang today, and I saw that their fields were all irrigated with water.”
“Clan Chief, you also know, with the flow of the Hutuo River as it passes through our village, how could there be so much water to irrigate their crops?”
“So I suspect they diverted all the water from the Hutuo River to their place.”
“They only left a little for us.”
Upon hearing this, Chu Ji's face flushed red.
Take it back!
We must take it back!
Only by taking it back can the crops of the clan have water for irrigation, and only then will everyone have a chance to survive.
This was how it was in ancient times.
It wasn't narrow-mindedness due to a small-farmer mentality.
But rather, resources were scarce, and if they didn't fight, others would eat them up.
Therefore, to survive.
They had to fight for every acre of land, every inch of housing, every drop of water.
Especially the water source.
That was something almost every household fought over.
Even in the modern era with abundant resources, there were frequent cases of villagers from two villages fighting over water resources.
Let alone in the late Eastern Han Dynasty.
Fortunately, reason ultimately overcame anger.
Chu Ji took a deep breath and suppressed the excitement in his heart.
After all, this was just Chu Yan's one-sided account.
Even if Chu Yan was his own son.
He still needed to investigate and confirm if the matter was true.
Before deciding whether to attack Zhaojiazhuang.
Of course, another reason was that Zhaojiazhuang had considerable military might.
Although they didn't provoke trouble.
But if anyone provoked them, they never got away with it.
It could be said that Zhaojiazhuang's military might was no less famous than their village's apricot wine, which was known for its fragrance for miles.
Otherwise, how could Zhaojiazhuang occupy the advantageous location by the Hutuo River?
Didn't they fight for it?
“No, if this is true, just relying on our Chu family alone might not be enough to win against Zhaojiazhuang, we need to discuss it with the Xiahou family.”
Chu Ji thought to himself.
Then, he patted Chu Yan on the shoulder:
“Yan, you did well, wait here for a while, I'm going to the Xiahou family to discuss this with Clan Chief Xiahou Xing.”
“After we've discussed it, I'll probably send a few more people to investigate.”
“You take them there together.”
Chu Yan nodded:
“Yes, Clan Chief.”
“Just call me Dad,” Chu Ji patted Chu Yan on the shoulder.
Chu Yan pouted:
“Okay, Dad.”
.........
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