Chen Tongzhi's words were intended to divert these people's attention.
Unexpectedly, Lin Yan'an glared at him with a displeased expression, clutching his injured arm and saying irritably, "Since you're so adept at it, then tell me how many people are injured and how many are missing outside the city?"
If someone can't even answer these two simple questions, yet dares to say they're good at it, it's laughable.
Judging from their attitude towards them yesterday, it's clear that they would certainly be even more disdainful of the disaster victims.
Not to mention making every effort to settle them down.
Chen Tongzhi was taken aback, lowered his head for a while, and then stammered, "Your subordinate, I didn't ask. Those people didn't let us get close at all, so there was no chance to ask."
They were all commoners, not worth pitying. If it weren't for the annual disaster relief funds from the imperial court, why would Lord Zhou have spared them?
We should be grateful if we can save their lives.
After saying that, he felt that the atmosphere in the room was not right. He felt that Lu Cijian's gaze had become colder, which frightened him so much that he quickly cried out, "My lord, I am not talking nonsense. Those unruly people are really going too far. Not only do they not obey the government's arrangements, but they even dare to attack us. Such behavior is really despicable."
If it weren't for Lord Zhou's kind heart, these troublemakers would probably have been imprisoned long ago.
"If you don't believe me, sir, you can come with me to the village and see for yourself."
Lu Cijian simply put down the cup in his hand, nodded, and said, "Lord Chen, please lead the way."
Prefect Chen was taken aback, somewhat unable to react.
Lu Cijian had already stood up from the main seat, staring at the person on the ground, and said calmly, "What, Lord Chen is unwilling to lead the way? Or is there some problem?"
They were not very familiar with the Qingnan area, and it would take even longer to find those villages and people on their own.
Having this person lead the way will save a lot of trouble.
Chen Tongzhi chuckled twice, and after a while nodded, "Yes, Your Excellency, I will take you there immediately."
He thought these people were just like the officials from Beijing who came to Qingnan before, and that they could leave after making a show of it. But it seems they really want to go!
He'd go then. He didn't believe those troublemakers would tolerate him once they met him.
If he could just drive these people away, he wouldn't have to worry about what happened next.
Jiang Yimian and her group, along with some supplies and a troop of men, followed Chen Tongzhi out of the city.
Last night's heavy rain filled the narrow river channel with water, and the already breached riverbanks were completely covered by floodwaters. The official road in the distance was also flooded, and there were even secondary collapses in some places.
There was standing water everywhere, but thankfully the heavy dark clouds in the gloomy sky had thinned out.
It looks much brighter than it did this morning.
Looking at the sky, Zhang Duyun smiled and said, "I think the sky will clear up in a few days, and the water in the river will recede a bit, so the disaster shouldn't get any worse."
Chen Tongzhi quickly smiled and agreed, "That seems to be the case. Gentlemen, there is no need to worry. I have said before that Lord Zhou is very experienced in handling floods. Even if this flood is severe, nothing serious will happen."
Zhang Duyun glanced at him, snorted, and showed no intention of replying.
Chen Tongzhi touched his face somewhat awkwardly, deciding not to make a fool of himself any further.
He sneered inwardly, thinking that these ignorant people actually dared to dream of meeting with those unruly commoners.
We'll see in a moment. These people won't get any useful information from those troublemakers.
The group walked for almost half an hour before they could fully see how severe the flood outside the city was.
Not far away, on the hillside below, there was a scene of devastation, with collapsed houses everywhere, leaving only some ruins washed away by muddy water.
Near the river, the gurgling water continued to flow towards the village, merging into the murky water.
Jiang Yimian asked Chen Tongzhi, "Where are those villagers now?"
If this place were a village, she really couldn't understand how those people survived.
This place is low-lying and very close to a narrow river. Once the rainy season comes, this place becomes a natural reservoir. Water from the mountains and the river will flow back into this place, and it will be only a matter of time before the village is flooded.
If the river problem isn't solved, this place is completely uninhabitable.
Chen Tongzhi looked around and pointed to a mountain not far away before saying, "It should be on that mountain. This place has been flooded and is uninhabitable. The villagers of Baiyun Village should all be on the mountain now."
There's only one hill nearby that can barely protect you from the flood.
Those villagers, unless they're stupid, will stay there; they just don't know how many people have died this year.
It would be best if they all died, then he could say that those unruly people were unreasonable and dissatisfied with the government's arrangements, and insisted on hiding in the mountains, which led to the current situation.
This would be perfect, as there would be no way to prove anything, which would be even more beneficial to them.
"Should?" Lu Cijian narrowed his eyes, a sharp killing intent rising within them.
Chen Tongzhi shrank back and quickly said, "Sir, those unruly people are ungrateful, and there's nothing the yamen can do."
Lu Cijian gave him a cold look and said nothing more, only ordering someone to push the raft they had brought into the water.
The flood in Qingnan was more serious than he had imagined, especially since Zhou Shiwen had done nothing for more than half a month after the flood.
This has resulted in these villagers still gathering on the mountain, possibly without even a place to shelter from the rain.
Jiang Yimian's expression also turned serious, and she followed him onto the raft.
Just as the rafts reached the edge of the highest mountain and the group was about to climb up, they heard a shout coming from halfway up the mountain.
Who are you, and what do you want?
The man who was speaking was hidden in the bushes, his clothes covered in yellow mud, making it impossible to discern their original color.
He held a thick stick in his hand, raising it high towards the crowd, as if he would attack them if they dared to approach.
Upon seeing this scene, Chen Tongzhi immediately shouted, "How dare you! These are officials from the capital. How can you be so insolent here? Quickly take us upstairs!"
These troublemakers are getting more and more arrogant.
Upon hearing this, the young man in the bushes immediately shouted up the mountain, "Brother Shanzi, those bastards from the yamen are here again."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Chen Tongzhi was struck head-on.
The young man struck Chen Tongzhi in the face with a stick, causing him to cry out in pain. Just as he was about to curse, the stick swung towards him again.
The immense force caused him to slip and fall into the mud on the bank.
The muddy soil on the bank was already slippery due to erosion from the turbid water.
Prefect Chen fell into the yellow mud, his lower body still in the water. He tried to get up, but the slippery yellow soil caused him to fall into the mud again, covering his entire body in mud. He looked extremely disheveled.
He was so angry that he gritted his teeth, lifted his head out of the mud and cursed, "Are you crazy? How dare you lay a hand on me? Do you know who I am? I am the Assistant Magistrate of the Yamen. I will definitely arrest you all and bring you back to the Yamen to be flogged."
After saying that, he tried to get up from the ground and reached out his hand to Zhang Duyun and the others on the bamboo raft, hoping that they would lend him a hand.
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