134: Chapter 134 Fan Zeng: We're not interested in money!

Xiang Liang looked at Fan Zeng, truly wanting to give him a thumbs up for his acting skills.

When this old fellow lied, it sounded exactly like the truth.

He had to admire that Fan Zeng's abilities were truly formidable.

It was actually Fan Zeng who had persuaded Xiang Liang to rebel against Qin.

Fan Zeng was a native of Juchao. He had approached Xiang Liang and said: "Of the six states Qin destroyed, Chu is the most innocent. Ever since King Huai of Chu was tricked into entering Qin and never returned, the people of Chu have sympathized with him to this day. If you rise up in the Chu Region, many generals and soldiers will swarm like bees to join you. This is because the Xiang Clan has served as great generals of Chu for generations; you will surely be able to re-establish a descendant of Chu as King."

Xiang Liang had been moved by Fan Zeng's words. Over these years, he had traveled everywhere with Fan Zeng, actively preparing for war.

"Even though we spent a massive price to bribe the Qin Army just to obtain this batch of materials for refining Bronze Swords..."

"To transport this shipment to Fangling, we set out from Xianyang and encountered attacks from multiple groups of bandits along the way, enduring untold hardships."

"We did this absolutely not because we wanted to make money from you, Qian'er."

"We are not interested in money."

"We only want to make the anti-Qin forces even more powerful in order to overthrow the Tyrannical Qin!"

"For revenge!"

Fan Zeng shouted in a deep voice, "Revenge!"

Zhao Qian's old subordinates grit their teeth; too many of their people from the Zhao State had been killed by Qin.

They hated Qin to their very bones.

Fan Zeng continued, "Our purpose in wanting money is so we can go bribe Qin soldiers and get more Bronze Swords from their hands."

"Qian'er, can you understand your Prime Minister Father's painstaking efforts?"

"Yes!"

Zhao Qian nodded vigorously and said, "Prime Minister Father, I understand all your painstaking efforts."

"I want to ask, exactly how much are these Sickles worth?"

As Zhao Qian said this, he couldn't help but feel nervous.

Fan Zeng's batch of materials had been obtained from Qin soldiers through every possible means, and the other party had transported them all the way from Xianyang; the price would definitely not be cheap.

Zhao Qian's old subordinates felt the same way.

They were already prepared to pay one gold, or even two gold, to buy three Sickles from Fan Zeng.

The currency of the Qin Dynasty was primarily the banliang coin.

The banliang coin was a copper coin made of copper and lead, belonging to the lower-grade currency.

Copper coins were also known as Red Gold.

The middle-grade currency was silver, called White Gold.

Gold usually referred to Yellow Gold, which was the high-grade currency.

One gold was equal to 9,216 coins.

In other words, Zhao Qian was mentally prepared to pay more than twenty times the previous price to purchase materials for refining Bronze Swords.

After all, this was a buyer's market where demand far exceeded supply.

Even if they had money, they might not be able to buy it!

"Three Sickles for three thousand coins."

Fan Zeng held up three fingers.

"Hiss!"

Both Xiang Yu and Xiang Liang sucked in a breath of cold air.

Wait!

This old man was truly wicked!

He was selling this batch of already obsolete weapons to Zhao Qian at triple the price.

For every three Sickles, he would make a net profit of two thousand coins!

He wasn't even pretending; he was treating Zhao Qian like a complete sucker!

"So cheap!"

However, after Zhao Qian and his old ministers heard Fan Zeng's quote, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

Originally, they had been prepared to pay two gold to make the purchase.

As it turned out, it only cost three thousand coins. This price was simply too cheap, giving them all the feeling that they had gotten a bargain.

Brother Fan is truly as wise as a demon!

Xiang Liang watched as Zhao Qian bought the obsolete goods from their hands at triple the price while looking like he'd found a bargain; he truly admired Fan Zeng.

"Prime Minister Father, you!"

Xiang Yu also hadn't expected his Prime Minister Father to be so ruthless.

He claimed he and Zhao Qian were family, yet when it came to fleecing family, he wasn't polite at all!

It truly lived up to the saying: once you're called family, prepare to be slaughtered!

"Yuer, say no more."

"Your uncle also knows that we are suffering a great loss by doing this."

Fan Zeng looked at Xiang Yu with a pained expression, then took Zhao Qian's hand and said, "But since Qian'er is your sworn brother, he is my son."

"Don't say anything else; we are all one family."

"For the sake of family, what does it matter if we take a little loss!"

Family!

This was true family!

Zhao Qian's eyes grew hot and his rims moistened.

This was his true family!

If they weren't family, why would they sell him these materials for refining Bronze Swords at such a low price!

"Yuer, your uncle also knows..."

Xiang Liang also pulled Xiang Yu and said, "You can't bear to see us lose so much..."

"But Qian'er and I felt like old friends from the moment we met."

"Whether for an old friend or for family, your uncle is willing to lose a tiny bit."

Xiang Yu opened his mouth, wanting to say more.

Xiang Liang stopped him with a stern look.

Xiang Yu was still somewhat afraid of his uncle, Xiang Liang.

He had been raised by Xiang Liang; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Xiang Liang was his father.

"Uncle..."

"How about we raise the price a little?"

Zhao Qian began to feel a bit embarrassed; he felt a bit guilty for taking such a big advantage of his family!

"Qian'er, say no more."

Xiang Liang said with a straight face, "If you treat me as your uncle, then don't mention raising the price again."

"Alright."

Seeing Xiang Liang say this, Zhao Qian didn't know what else to say.

In this world, family really was the best!

Fan Zeng and Xiang Liang's batch of Sickles sold for a total of 976 gold.

Zhao Qian insisted on giving them one thousand gold no matter what.

Fan Zeng, Xiang Liang, and Xiang Yu couldn't stop him; even Xiang Yu's great strength couldn't block Zhao Qian's enthusiasm.

"Uncle, Prime Minister Father, Yuer, if you don't accept this thousand gold, then you aren't treating me, Zhao Qian, as family!"

"This..."

With no other choice, Fan Zeng, Xiang Liang, and Xiang Yu finally had to agree to Zhao Qian's request. After repeatedly declining, they reluctantly accepted the one thousand gold.

After they were far away from Fangling, Xiang Liang finally burst out laughing.

He had been holding it in all the way, and it had been incredibly uncomfortable.

The reason he hadn't dared to laugh before was for fear that if Zhao Qian found out they were playing him, where else would they find such an easy-to-trick sucker!

"Brother Fan, you are truly amazing!"

Xiang Liang was truly impressed by Fan Zeng.

When Fan Zeng first suggested selling the Sickles to other anti-Qin nobles, he thought it was a brilliant idea.

Now that they had sold the Sickles to an anti-Qin noble at triple the price and made a net profit of double, Fan Zeng felt they had won big.

"What does this old man's skill amount to?"

Fan Zeng shook his head and said, "The one who is truly formidable is His Majesty the Head of State."

"The steel sabers he developed can easily cut through Bronze Swords; it is truly extraordinary!"

Hearing this, Xiang Liang's expression turned solemn.

Fan Zeng was not wrong; those steel sabers were truly powerful.

The Zhao Fusu who could invent such steel sabers was even more terrifyingly powerful!