"Ah Xun, we should go." Li Mingke leaned against the door frame, watching the palace maid comb He Xun's hair.
"Okay, I'll be right there."
The day after the sacrificial ceremony ended, Wu Xiyu announced to the world that the Yao women would go and save them.
Standing at the city gate, Wu Xiyu was dressed in bright yellow, his cloak billowing in the wind.
"I trust you." He personally handed over the travel permit.
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will do my utmost."
\"good!"
Watching the two depart, Wu Xiyu stood on the city wall for a long time, unwilling to leave.
Xiao Fuzi walked to his side and said, "Your Majesty, it's windy, please go back!"
There was no one else on this trip except Li Mingke and He Xun.
"Starting from Jiangtian, we'll first go to the southeast, where the disaster was most severe, then circle around Daye and return from the northwest. It will be a tough journey," Li Mingke told He Xun about the upcoming plan.
The wind was unusually noisy today. He Xun pulled his cloak tighter and looked ahead. "What's so hard about it? I explored all of Da Ye years ago. At least I have someone to accompany me now."
Li Mingke chuckled softly, "Let's go!"
The first place they went to was Yongchun, where the people were suffering from floods and mudslides for many days.
The prefect of Yongchun saw the two as if they were his lifeline.
"My lords, we've been waiting for you!"
Jiang Tian has already sent a wave of support, but it's too little to do in the short term.
"Take us to the site so we can get a general understanding of the disaster situation."
"Good!" The Prefect of Yongchun personally led his men to take them to see the site.
The people of Yongchun had long known that the Yao woman was coming, and they waited on the street early in the morning. Looking at the beautiful woman at the head of the crowd, whose elegant clothes fluttered and whose demeanor was unlike that of an ordinary person, they were even more convinced that she was a goddess sent down from heaven.
Everyone knelt on the street, hands clasped together, their mouths uttering words of gratitude to the emperor and heaven.
He Xun did not expect the people's reaction to be so enthusiastic. People knelt at her feet, expressing their gratitude for her great kindness and virtue.
She clearly didn't do anything.
He Xun felt a pang of sadness.
"Please take a look, sir."
Standing amidst the ruins, they saw makeshift shelters where people, covered in dust and dirt, gathered with their families, eating the grain distributed by the imperial court, their bowls filled with porridge that was as thin as water could possibly be.
The prefect looked troubled. "Large tracts of farmland weren't flooded, and we don't have much grain left."
Being able to have something to eat is already a blessing.
They walked along the river again to get a feel for the surrounding area.
It was already midnight when we returned to the prefectural government office. Although it was called the prefectural government office, it was actually a temporary but relatively intact building.
Inside his room, Li Mingke meticulously described the terrain he had seen during the day.
The next day, He Xun came to the prefect with a map.
"This is a topographical map of the disaster area; I've marked out where repairs are needed and how."
The prefect received it and was overjoyed.
"But sir, this project is enormous, I'm afraid..."
He Xun said, "We must eat no matter what. The people are idle now, and there's strength in numbers. As long as we unite, we can accomplish anything."
The prefect still hesitated, "But the more you work, the more you eat..."
He Xun waved his hand, "Don't worry about that. I have His Majesty's decree, and grain has already been transferred from other places. Moreover, I am acquainted with the owner of Fengyulou, and I have already asked someone to buy it from Fengyulou at a high price."
The prefect was on the verge of tears.
He Xun then gave another speech to the people, first praising the emperor's boundless grace and the blessings bestowed by heaven, and then saying a lot of inspiring words, which were nothing more than that as long as everyone worked together, they would definitely be able to overcome the hardships.
He Xun's speech was passionate and inspiring. He explained the whole story clearly, letting everyone know that as long as they worked, they could not only rebuild their homes but also have enough to eat. As a result, the local people were full of energy.
At noon, Li Mingke and the others were eating porridge when someone ran in excitedly, shouting.
"My lord! My lord! Lady Yao is truly a goddess! The floodwaters that hadn't receded for days have receded by more than half as soon as Lady Yao arrived! At this rate, the floodwaters will be completely gone by tonight!"
The group looked at each other in bewilderment, and then all ran out.
Sure enough, the water that they saw yesterday, which was above the dam, has receded considerably, and most of the riverbank is now exposed.
The prefect held her hand and cried, "This is all thanks to Lady Yao!"
"Lady Yao Nu!"
"Lady Yao Nu!"
Everyone bowed down to her.
"I……"
He Xun was about to say something, but Li Mingke suddenly opened his arms and shouted, "May Heaven bless Great Ye! Long live the Yao Maiden!"
"May Heaven bless Da Ye!"
"Long live the Yao women!"
People shouted along with Li Mingke, their shouts deafening.
The shock He Xun experienced was no less than that of another flood.
Everyone was as if they had been injected with chicken blood, and they worked even harder. Wherever He Xun went, there were sounds of gratitude and worship.
Li Mingke and He Xun stood on high ground, watching people work hard. He Xun's throat tightened, "I clearly didn't do anything..."
"But in the eyes of the world, this is all your achievement."
"You drew the topographic map, you provided the money and supplies, so what about the water level...?"
Li Mingke smiled slightly, "Don't underestimate Linglong's eyes!"
He Xun suddenly turned his head, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Li Mingke shrugged. "It's just that unbelievable."
Nuwa created humans, and she couldn't bear to let them suffer.
Someone spotted them below and immediately knelt down to worship them.
“Look,” Li Mingke pointed into the distance, “it’s not just them, there are many other people waiting for you.”
He Xun closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened them again. His multicolored eyes were even brighter than before.
They only stayed in Yongchun for five days.
"My lord, are you leaving already?" The prefect was reluctant to see them go.
"Yes, we still have many places to go." He Xun bid farewell to the people present, "Yao Nu will bless you."
Even after walking a long distance, He Xun could still hear voices of thanksgiving and prayer.
They then went to several important surrounding areas. Along the way, the reputation of the Yao women became more and more widespread, and in some places, Yao women temples were even built.
As they traveled to more and more places, He Xun couldn't help but quietly ask, "Ming Ke, how much money and grain did His Majesty actually give us?"
Li Mingke told her not to worry, "Wu Xiyu gave me half of the national treasury."
He Xun's mouth dropped open.
Li Mingke covered her face with a handkerchief, "You are now a Yao woman, you must be dignified and divine. It's fine in front of me, but don't let others see you like this."
He Xun immediately changed his expression.
Li Mingke continued, "The national treasury should have more than enough money; the emperors of Daye over the generations have accumulated a considerable fortune."
The next place they arrived at was called Wencheng, but unexpectedly, the people of Wencheng did not welcome them like they did in other places. On the contrary, Li Mingke even felt some resistance.
What happened?
The disaster that Mingwen City suffered was also considerable.
The city lord of Wencheng received the two and was talking when a bright and beautiful woman entered. Upon seeing He Xun, she was taken aback for a moment, and then warmly stepped forward to take her hand.
"This humble woman has finally welcomed Lady Yao!"
Li Mingke and He Xun were puzzled, but the city lord walked towards the woman, his attitude even more respectful than towards them.
"Lord Yimo, you're finally back!"
Li Mingke observed the "Lord Yimo" without making a sound.
She could sense that this was a cultivator, and one whose cultivation level was not low.
What's with her excessive enthusiasm for He Xun?
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