Liu Zedong, a stalwart son of the old Qin dynasty, trudged wearily towards his beloved village.
His heart swelling with longing for his charming home, his devoted wife, and the daughter he cherished above all else.
He had toiled for almost tow years on the Great Wall, contributing to the grandiose endeavor that sought to fortify the borders and safeguard his people.
Yet, thanks to the eldest son apparent's decree, his arduous tenure had come to an end.
As he crested a small hill, the familiar visage of his village greeted him—an oasis of comfort amidst the hardships he had endured.
Elation surged within him as he spied a familiar face, an elderly man known as Uncle Shi.
"Uncle Shi, I've returned!" he called out loudly anticipation coloring his voice.
Uncle Shi who look at the direction of the voice froze, his eyes widening in shock as they fell upon the eerie, white skeleton that trailed Liu Zedong like a grotesque shadow.
Terror seized him, and he stumbled backwards, desperate to distance himself from the unholy apparition.
Liu Zedong could only watch in dismay as Uncle Shi fled, consumed by fear.
He recalled his own initial reaction upon laying eyes on the skeleton—a wave of revulsion giving way to a fainting spell.
In time, however, he had come to accept the specter as an ally, a strange yet steadfast companion in a world fraught with peril.
The commotion drew the attention of the villagers, who congregated at the village gate, brandishing wooden spears and knives.
At their helm stood the village chief, a robust man wielding a sword that seemed to shimmer with unspoken authority.
Curiosity and trepidation warred on their faces as they beheld the eerie skeleton.
Liu Zedong strove for calm as he addressed the village chief. "Greetings, village chief. I beseech you; do not be alarmed. This skeleton means us no harm."
The village chief, his voice unwavering, replied, "Liu Zedong, I cannot fathom from whence this creature came, but it cannot be permitted to enter our village."
Murmurs of assent rippled through the assembled crowd.
"It's a demon, a blight upon our tranquil existence," one villager cried out.
"We must bar its entry," another echoed, fear and determination melding in his voice.
As Liu Zedong prepared to offer further explanation, a cacophony of hoofbeats and jangling armor sundered the tense silence.
All eyes turned to witness the arrival of a contingent of cavalry, their steeds kicking up clouds of dust in their wake.
"The soldiers have come to vanquish the demon!" a villager exclaimed, relief flooding his countenance.
The commander of the cavalry fixed his gaze upon Liu Zedong. "Identify yourself, I seek Liu Zedong," he commanded, his tone brooking no disobedience.
Liu Zedong stepped forward, trepidation coiling in his gut. "I am Liu Zedong, How can i help you sir?"
The commander's eyes flitted between Liu Zedong and the skeleton,
a grim expression etched upon his features. "You possess a immortal slave."
" I offer you a choice: retain ownership and bear responsibility for its actions, or relinquish it to the custody of the state in exchange for 10 miles of Fertile land ."
" Should you choose the former, any transgression it commits will fall under your purview, and you are hereby forbidden from selling it. "
"Any contravention of these terms shall be met with the full force of the law. Do you comprehend these conditions?"
Liu Zedong, his voice subdued yet resolute, acquiesced.
"Yes, I comprehend and accept these terms. I shall retain ownership and ensure its compliance with the laws of our land."
Relief and uncertainty entwined within him as he was afraid that the soldiers would take the skeleton away from him.
The law of great Qin is very strict.
Curiosity and apprehension warred within the villagers as they observed the exchange between Liu Zedong and the soldiers.
Their faces, illuminated by the flickering torches, were etched with concern, their minds grappling with the implications of the scene unfolding before them.
The village chief, emboldened by the villagers' unease, ventured forth to address the soldiers.
"Honorable sirs, do you not intend to vanquish this monstrous creature?" His voice rang with a mixture of fear and conviction.
The commanding soldier cast a sidelong glance at the skeleton, his expression betraying a hint of disdain.
"The'monster' you speak of is no monster at all. This is an immortal slave, a gift from the Emperor's eldest son to those who toiled upon the Great Wall. "
" As we speak, countless immortal slaves do labor through the Qin lands , and soon every citizen of Qin shall be spared the burden of menial labor."
A murmur rippled through the gathered crowd, a palpable sense of awe mingling with their confusion.
"Long live His Majesty! Long live Qin!" The villagers' voices rose in unison,
their concerns momentarily overshadowed by the prospect of a life unburdened by the yoke of manual labor.
As the soldiers vanished into the encroaching darkness, the villagers turned their attention to Liu Zedong and the Immortal Slave at his side.
A barrage of questions assailed him from all directions, their eagerness to understand the enigmatic being both earnest and relentless.
"Liu Zedong, what tasks can this immortal slave perform?"
"What of my son? Why did he not return with you?"
"Uncle Liu Zedong, can this slave soar through the skies?"
Liu Zedong raised his hands in a placating gesture, his voice ringing with authority as he attempted to appease the restless crowd.
"Please, my friends, allow me to speak. Each of your loved ones shall soon return, bearing their own immortal slaves."
" These beings, though their visage may be unsettling, require neither sleep nor sustenance and can endure the rigors of labor without faltering. Despite appearances, their strength surpasses that of a man."
As Liu Zedong regaled the villagers with detailed accounts of the Immortal Slave's attributes
the gratitude and foresight of the royal family became increasingly apparent.
Across the expanse of Qin, similar scenes unfolded as laborers returned to their homes, accompanied by their unearthly companions.
Fear gave way to wonder as the enigmatic power of the immortal slaves was revealed.
Emperor Ying Zheng, evermindful of the empire's needs, recognized the potential of these tireless beings.
Though Long Su had left a million immortal slaves to toil upon the Great Wall, the emperor knew that this number was a mere fraction of what was required.
He could not simply seize these creatures from his subjects, but he could offer a fair exchange.
As the night wore on and the villagers dispersed, their minds were alight with newfound hope.
The prospect of a life unburdened by the demands of labor and the promise of prosperity that the immortal slaves represented heralded the dawn of a new era
—an era where the boundaries of the impossible and possible were redrawn.