"Yes, yes, we're not just freeloaders either. We're happy to help with anything."
“The county magistrate is indeed a good official. The food we are eating now is all bought by him from the local granary with his own money. He has been working hard these past two days for the people of Cangling County. We can only sit here and wait for news, which is also very uncomfortable. It would be more energizing to do some work.”
They were all hardworking people, and naturally they weren't used to just sitting around doing nothing.
"Let's put other things aside for now. First and foremost, I think the thing we should do is build up our own place to live. It's been raining and damp lately. If we don't have a roof over our heads and have to sleep on the ground, we'll inevitably get sick in the long run. So we need to build ourselves a house. We still need to have the necessary living conditions, such as a kitchen, a drainage ditch for the toilet, a water tank, and drainage ditches..."
Zheng Quchi remembers that after the disaster, epidemics were likely to spread. When people gathered together, it was also related to poor living conditions and lack of personal hygiene. She had to ensure their living order and create a clean and comfortable living environment.
This was clearly not a job that farmers like them could do: "But, but we don't know how to do this."
"That's right. If they ask us to help with moving or lifting, we can do some heavy lifting, but for other things, even if we want to help, we can only watch and worry."
Zheng Quchi knew they couldn't do it, so she reassured them, "It's alright if they can't. I will arrange for someone who knows how to do it. But you are more important. Labor is the primary productive force. Every one of you is useful. But don't rush. You should rest well tonight. I will arrange for someone to come and handle these matters tomorrow. I believe that as long as we are united, even the greatest disaster cannot defeat us."
After a few words of inspirational advice, she rekindled the light in their eyes and showed them the "road" ahead.
She knew that the disaster victims had just experienced a terrifying event and their emotions had not yet calmed down. Most of them would likely fall into a state of depression and confusion. However, as long as she gave them something to do, made them feel needed, and showed them that there was still a way forward, they would cheer up as quickly as possible.
Moreover, the rescue forces are currently severely understaffed, so this would be a win-win situation.
"Young master, I don't know your name yet," an old white man asked politely.
Zheng Quchi smiled and said, "My surname is Zheng. I am an official sent by the court to manage the floods. Don't worry, the disaster relief grain is on its way and should arrive in the next day or two. We can't just eat thin porridge every day. The Imperial Medical Bureau has sent a hundred doctors and medical apprentices to the disaster area to treat the injured. The injured don't need to worry. In addition, you will be paid accordingly for your work. We won't let you work for nothing."
The disaster victims present stared wide-eyed upon hearing this, unsure whether they were surprised that the young man had become a high-ranking official at such a young age, or by the series of delightful surprises in her words.
"Why...why so quickly this time?"
"They even sent some physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau, which sounds like they're there to treat royalty or high-ranking officials. Why would they come to treat us commoners?"
"You get paid for your work? Wow, that's amazing!"
The crowd below erupted in excitement. If Zheng Quchi had previously ignited a spark of hope for them to start anew, then now she had given them an even more positive and uplifting spiritual force.
The country is making such a concerted effort to help and support them, so what reason do they have not to cheer up?
——
Zheng Quchi, who had been worrying about how to submit a report to Yuan Xingzhou to increase the extra manpower budget for disaster relief, was deflated.
She made this decision on her own. If the Ministry of Revenue refuses to approve it because they claim to be poor, then she will have no choice but to solve the problem out of her own pocket, just like the county magistrate.
There's a saying that goes, "What is taken from the people should be used for the people," right? Hopefully, when Zhang Qinan receives this letter asking for money, she will think what she said makes a lot of sense and will promptly and readily transfer the money.
Upon returning to the temporary shantytown, Zheng Quchi was greeted by Liang Tian rushing over anxiously: "Lord Zheng, where have you been? We've been looking for you for ages."
"I went for a stroll up ahead, what happened?"
Ahead?
Isn't that an area where disaster victims are being resettled? What is Lord Zheng doing there? Liang Tian was puzzled, but did not press the matter: "It's the magistrate of Cangling County who is looking for you."
Did they say what it was about?
"It seems they heard that a group of villagers were swept up a hillside by the flood and are now trapped in a ravine, desperately calling for help. Someone outside heard them and rushed back to report, but rescuing them is too dangerous now, as the water level is still rising. They are worried about both the flood and landslides. The magistrate is determined to rescue them, but Lieutenant Wu disagrees with risking the soldiers' lives..."
It seems this has been going on for some time now.
"So, at this point, you suddenly remembered that there's someone like me who's just sitting around?"
Such a big thing happened and she wasn't even notified. It was only when they couldn't reach an agreement that they remembered she existed. It seems her presence is not only low, but practically nonexistent.
Indeed, what good would it do to notify her?
“That’s right. They seem to have tacitly agreed to let things be between us. They do their thing, and we do ours.” Liang Tian also expressed his displeasure.
As they walked and talked, they arrived under the awning. There, two people were standing in front of a table, while the rest of the people stood guard outside the awning. The argument was quite loud, with people going back and forth, and it was very intense.
"...No matter how small the matter is, it is important to the people. There are more than a dozen people trapped, including the elderly and children. If we delay any longer, the hillside where they are located may become a landslide site, which would be terrible."
"It's already dark, and we can't even see the road clearly. There's absolutely no way you'd send my soldiers to risk their lives!"
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