Heavy snow had fallen for seven days, leaving Su Rong utterly exasperated.
She summoned Zhang Yun and gave him an ultimatum, "Think of something. The Ministry of War must quickly develop a snow plow roller or else you’ll be the one to shovel the snow and clear the paths."
Zhang Yun’s mouth twitched, "Princess, ah, Your Highness, please don’t fixate on your servant. The Observatory Bureau has already said that this winter would see heavy snow, a very heavy snow, a rarity in a century. This is not something your servant can predict, and in such a short time, your servant also can’t make the Ministry of War produce this kind of vehicle for the purpose you mentioned."
Su Rong looked at him, "I don’t care, just figure something out. As long as you create snow-clearing equipment, that will suffice."
Zhang Yun immediately said, "Isn’t this a job for the Ministry of Works?"
"No, the Ministry of War is in charge of metal tools, while the Ministry of Works mostly oversees wooden tools which aren’t very useful right now. Anyway, you go figure it out." Su Rong did not want to hear him say it couldn’t be done; she wanted something usable and results, "With the heavy snow sealing the mountains now, the roads to the Royal Capital are completely blocked. It’s difficult for carts and horses to get through, and even more so for people. Besides the areas around the Royal Capital, the extent of the disaster in other states and counties is still unknown. This can’t go on, we must clear the roads quickly so that the Imperial Court’s forces can travel to inspect and provide disaster relief."
Zhang Yun felt overwhelmed, but he also knew that Su Rong was right. Still, believing that more hands make light work, he immediately said, "Let the Ministry of Works join in, too. Wooden tools, when sharpened, might still be useful."
"Fine," Su Rong nodded, "you have five days."
Zhang Yun’s brow twitched fiercely, and he turned and hurried away.
Su Rong then summoned the officials from the Ministry of Works and instructed them as well.
Therefore, both departments worked day and night, exhausting all methods, thinking and experimenting because Su Rong urged them three times a day, pressing them hard, and they indeed jointly came up with a simple snow plow roller, mixing wood and metal, shoving the snow on the roads to both sides. Although the speed was slow, they produced four to five rollers at once, and when they worked together, the effect was quite significant.
After creating the snow plow roller, Zhang Yun was so tired he slept for a whole day, then went to the Palace to find Su Rong and claim credit.
Su Rong rewarded him very generously, precious medicinal materials, silk fabrics, gold, silver, and jewelry. She gave him a carriage full.
Zhang Yun felt it was worth it, "Your Highness, you are so generous. I swear my loyalty unto death and will be at your service for any future commands."
Having said that, he left with his rewards without any objections, completely forgetting that when Su Rong had led a 300,000-strong army from Daliang to Nanchu, the military expenses along the way had all come from deducting from the Zhang Family’s gold mine that he had managed. Compared to what he had spent, the carriage full of treasures now was a mere drop in the ocean.
However, although he had forgotten, Su Rong remembered and thought that as long as he made contributions in the future, she would reward him more. She couldn’t let him suffer too much of a loss.
Zhou Gu and Ye Guixue were also stranded in the Southern three states because of the extensive snowfall in Nanchu.
Zhou Gu, looking at the outside where the snow had stopped but passage was difficult with roads sealed, feared it would be difficult for them to return to the capital. He furrowed his brow, asking Ziye, "How is the disaster situation outside?"
Ziye shook his head, "People have been sent to investigate, but no news has been sent back yet. With such heavy snow, poor people’s simple thatched houses are unlikely to withstand it and probably have already collapsed under the snow."
Zhou Gu rubbed his brow and turned to Ye Guixue, "Now that the snow has stopped, let’s have the army clear the roads and start arranging for disaster relief in the Southern three states first?"
Ye Guixue also sighed, "It seems we won’t be able to return for a while."
It was easy for him to say, at most it was a matter for the Ministry of Personnel, which he could leave for others to handle, but besides the affairs of the Ministry of Revenue, there were also people in the Royal Capital waiting for Zhou Gu.
He suggested, "Brother Zhou, why don’t you return to the Royal Capital first?"
Zhou Gu shook his head, "Leave you alone to deal with everything? No, how can I leave all these matters to you alone?"
Ye Guixue sincerely said, "I can handle it."
Zhou Gu still shook his head, "I know you can handle it, but alone, things will always be slower. After the Hidden Guard gathers information, you and I will lead our people and act separately."
Seeing that Guixue was about to persuade him further, he sealed his lips with one sentence, "Even if I’m in a hurry, I can’t leave you alone, lest we can’t finish everything before the end of the year. After all, if I am to have the Great Wedding with Su Rong, you’ll have to rush back to join the celebration."
Ye Guixue chuckled, left speechless, "Alright then!"
The next day, the Hidden Guard sent back news, reporting that the disaster situation outside was extremely serious. Long before the heavy snow arrived, the Observatory Bureau had predicted a heavy snowfall, and people like the Princess and Ye Xiang hurriedly made preparations, but they only had time to arrange for areas within five hundred miles of the Royal Capital. The remaining vast areas of Nanchu were unprepared; after all, the fact that the Observatory Bureau was able to make a prediction two days in advance was already quite an achievement.
Ziye muttered, "Dawei had torrential rains this summer, Nanchu has heavy snow this winter, what’s with the weather, why doesn’t it all fall over Dawei?"
Zhou Gu glanced at Ziye, "Although the heavy snow means loss to the Imperial Court, it’s the common people who suffer. Whether it’s heavy rain or heavy snow, wherever it falls, it’s not good news. Such natural disasters are better off less frequent."
Ziye sighed, "Young Master is so compassionate, even feeling pity for the citizens of Dawei."
Zhou Gu flicked his forehead, "When my Princess swallows Dawei, those citizens will also become the citizens of Nanchu. Why not feel compassion for them?"
Ziye covered his head, "At the very least it will be ten years, Young Master, you’re thinking too far ahead."
"Not far," just ten years.
After the heavy snow, the top priority for officials both civil and military in the Royal Capital was to dispatch manpower to arrange for snow removal and open roads for disaster relief in various places.
Nearly half of the officials in the Imperial Court were deployed, with the young and strong either going alone or leading a group of people to take charge of relief in one area.
Nangong Ya and Cui Yanjin together went to Baochang County, which was six hundred miles away from the outskirts of the Royal Capital.
On the road, he observed Nangong Ya, a frail-looking woman braving the cold wind and riding horseback all day without collapsing, a feat considered remarkable among women. After all, most women are delicate, like his mother and cousin-in-law, who were few and far between. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶
He asked Nangong Ya, "Sister Ya, have you practiced martial arts?"
Otherwise, ordinary people wouldn’t last.
Nangong Ya shook her head, "My father was afraid I would be bullied, so he had someone teach me some boxing and kicking skills, just for the sake of strengthening the body, not really learning martial arts."
Cui Yanjin nodded, "That’s enough. You are truly amazing, riding a horse all day without falling."
Nangong Ya showed a weary smile, "Still, I’m very tired. If I were to continue riding for another half day, I definitely wouldn’t be able to withstand it."
"That’s impressive enough, I’ve already arranged for someone to scout the situation ahead. We can travel a bit slower, the road is near. Once the guard has a clear picture of the situation, we will have reached our destination by then," Cui Yanjin said.
Nangong Ya nodded, thinking to herself that although Magistrate Cui was young, his actions were well organized, making her, a few years his senior, seem less mature in comparison. She needs to grow up quickly.
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