Chapter 45: Before the Disaster Strikes
Qi Chengming understood some of it, but he still didn't quite understand these ancient terms. He asked to confirm, "What is 'refining the wind'? Do you mean there's going to be a flood?"
This sounds like a natural disaster is about to occur.
Qi Chengming had lived in both the south and the north in his previous life, and had experienced many disasters, both big and small. This sounds...
“The overflowing river is just a sign, as is the refining wind. Did Your Highness see that? Today’s rain is unusual.” The old man nimbly walked to the door of the main hall and raised his hand to catch the rain outside.
Liuzhou, bordering Lingnan, has a humid and hot climate. Even in September and October, it rains occasionally. The rain comes in all shapes and sizes, from fine as cow's hair to large as broad beans, bringing with it a variety of insects and dampness, much to the delight of the Prince Rui's entourage. Qi Chengming was initially a little unaccustomed to it, but being pampered by hundreds of people and having lived in the south before, he quickly adapted.
Now, Qi Chengming, reminded by the old man, stepped over the threshold to catch the rain: "You just said... the drizzle starts slowly and then gets heavier, is that what you call 'wind refining'?"
The usual light drizzle was nothing like today's. When the rain was gentle, it was soft and weak, but when a gust of wind suddenly blew, it would carry the rain down quickly, pattering against the eaves of the Prince's Mansion.
The weather today is also very cool, completely unlike the previous sweltering heat. The earth is quiet, even the birds that usually chirp are nowhere to be seen, only the rustling of the wind blowing through the leaves is so loud it makes one's heart skip a beat.
"..." Qi Chengming looked around alertly, and after noticing these details, he suddenly felt his heart skip a beat.
Something's not right.
Humans have gradually lost their dulled sixth sense over the long course of evolution, but in this moment they seem to have suddenly sensed some danger. The wind... is getting stronger and stronger.
"Is a typhoon coming?" Qi Chengming blurted out, clenching his fists.
The river was overflowing, and the wind and rain were intensifying. Weren't these signs of an approaching typhoon? But ancient times weren't like modern times; there were no weather forecasts, so people could only rely on certain methods to confirm the arrival of a typhoon.
Perhaps other areas will issue official notifications, but in Liuzhou or Lingnan... Qi Chengming wasn't sure. Right now, he still needed this old man to tip him off.
"Typhoon?" The old man paused for a moment, then replied, "I don't know if Your Highness and I are talking about the same thing, but it is a hurricane."
He pointed to a certain direction on the horizon, his expression solemn: "I came all the way from Yulin. The Lingnan area has already been affected by the hurricane, with heavy casualties. I estimate that it will make landfall in a few days! If it attacks this way, the situation in the entire Liuzhou Prefecture... will be unimaginable. I hope Your Highness will make preparations as soon as possible."
The old man bowed deeply again.
"Go ashore?" Qin Liusong repeated blankly, this touched on a blind spot in his knowledge.
He had never experienced the extreme climate of Liuzhou or Lingnan, and knew nothing about hurricanes. He could hardly imagine how strong the wind was, or how it could be described as "coming ashore." He only understood that it seemed to be a terrifying disaster.
Wen Zhongnan, however, came from a prominent family in Jiangnan. His face darkened slightly, and he gripped his folding fan tightly, his mind in turmoil: "Regarding the situation in Lingnan... has the local government taken any action?"
"It's likely there is some, but this is... a natural disaster, so there's nothing we can do." Doctor Bian sighed and shook his head. "Besides, it's Lingnan..."
His unfinished words caused the few people present who understood them to feel a sinking feeling in their hearts, leaving them speechless.
Lingnan has been a place of exile since ancient times, with many deaths and injuries. So what if there is another hurricane now?
From the perspective of those in power, it probably makes little difference whether they are dead or alive. Sending reinforcements from afar would have been too late anyway, and any subsequent rescue efforts would likely be seen as a waste of manpower and resources. What measures to take in response depends entirely on the capabilities of the local government.
“It’s pretty much the same in Liuzhou,” Qi Chengming said slowly, his face ashen.
Hurricane! It looks like a typhoon is about to make landfall.
It's unpredictable where a typhoon will make landfall each year, but if the Jiangnan region is affected, you'll see if Emperor Hongren sends people to provide disaster relief. Now, if the typhoon really does head towards Liuzhou, Qi Chengming has to prepare for the worst—that they won't receive any disaster relief from the imperial court, and they'll have to rely on themselves for everything from prevention to the aftermath.
"I understand, this person...?" Qi Chengming tried to remain calm, his mind racing as he considered how to deal with this unexpected event.
"Just call me Doctor Bian." The old man waved his hand. "I love observing the stars, but my main profession is actually being a doctor."
Qi Chengming remembered that when the little eunuch came looking for someone earlier, he mentioned that there was a miracle doctor.
"Dr. Bian, you can rest at the Prince's residence for a while. We need to go and arrange things now." Qi Chengming saw that the old man's eyes were bloodshot, his hair was disheveled, and he looked travel-worn, having traveled for days to come and report. He was very grateful and quickly made these arrangements.
"The guest rooms are ready, and the two apprentice doctors are settled in," said Steward Song at the opportune moment. He was always meticulous in his work. "Please come, Physician Bian—"
"Excuse me." Doctor Bian was also exhausted, staggering from the long journey, and was at his last gasp. He didn't refuse and followed the young eunuch who was leading the way.
A silence fell over the main hall as everyone pondered something, their expressions grim.
Qin Liusong broke the silence first: "...I have to go and summon all the officials of the government office. Your Highness, instead of us thinking here, why don't we find these locals who are more experienced?"
"I'll go," Chief Steward Song replied succinctly, then went out to fetch someone. Several eunuchs, including the idle imperial guards in the mansion, took off running.
“So, we have to go and find out more.” Qi Chengming’s mind was in a mess, his thoughts racing. He gradually came up with an idea and said, “Father… Father Emperor left me the secret contact information for the messengers in Liuzhou. Perhaps we can send them on horseback to the official road to find out the current situation of the hurricane and where it will pass through—we need to notify all the towns along the way.”
Although Qi Chengming had men left behind by his maternal grandfather to gather intelligence, nothing, whether it was transportation, experience, or anything else, could compare to the speed of official channels in this situation. Eunuch Fuman had once said that those men, under Qi Chengming's orders, were responsible for relaying secret reports to the court, so their transition from a clandestine to an overt operation meant they were temporarily under his control.
In such a critical situation, they should be able to be commanded.
Qi Chengming hadn't forgotten that the Liuzhou he was in charge of wasn't just the city of Liuzhou, but the entire Liuzhou Prefecture, encompassing several towns. He also needed to be aware of the surrounding areas of Liuzhou Prefecture, so that he could send people there in advance to warn of potential casualties should the hurricane pass.
"Your Highness, if a hurricane is really coming, we must prepare money, food and supplies in advance," Chief Steward Song reminded him. He was in charge of internal affairs and was most sensitive to this matter. His brows were furrowed and he didn't relax. "I just don't know... whether the city walls can hold? What about the land and houses?"
“There are too many people.” Qi Chengming clenched his fists, preparing for the worst. “But if the situation gets too serious, we have to evacuate in advance, no matter how much we regret losing the land and houses…”
In modern times, when encountering a typhoon, if the situation is too severe, evacuation is necessary.
Ancient houses weren't made of reinforced concrete, so they couldn't withstand the elements, and people couldn't stay inside to hide. In times of crisis, they had to find another place to take refuge... but mountainous areas with lots of trees weren't a good option either; life was truly difficult in ancient times.
"I've summoned the guards from the inn and sent a messenger home with a letter. We need to find a way to help with the disaster." Wen Zhongnan's gaze was sharp, and he no longer bothered to hide it.
In his previous life, he never imagined that the environment where Wuyou lived could be so harsh. You must know that hurricanes are something that people fear. There are records of times when entire villages and towns within a radius of ten miles were wiped out overnight, leaving no survivors.
Although I don't know how Wuyou survived this disaster...
Wen Zhongnan was only glad that he had come this time; the thought of it filled him with dread.
Two quarters of an hour later, the county magistrate, registrar, clerk, and other minor officials that Chief Steward Song had sent to fetch arrived. The large group of people, though seemingly disrespectful, all trusted Qin Liusong, their advisor, and stood in the main hall, barely daring to breathe, respectfully bowing to Qi Chengming.
"...Greetings, Your Highness."
"Stop with the formalities, let's get started." Qi Chengming waved his hand and eagerly inquired about how local officials in Liuzhou had handled hurricanes in previous years.
To everyone's surprise, after a long exchange of bewildered glances and some hesitation, the oldest registrar stepped forward to speak: "In recent years... hurricanes haven't passed through here, at most they've only had some impact, and the water level rise hasn't been as severe as the adults have described this year. Our city gate has drainage ditches and floodgates built in the previous dynasty... perhaps that can prevent some damage."
"The previous dynasty?" Qin Liusong couldn't help but repeat it, his expression somewhat incredulous.
Good heavens, are the drainage ditches from the previous dynasty still usable? They're probably all abandoned now.
"Steward Song, summon the Imperial Guards in charge of the palace today and have them lead a team to inspect the drainage ditches and sluice gates at the city gate. If they are in disrepair, go directly to Mr. Huang and have them repair them as quickly as possible." Qi Chengming's expression remained unchanged; he had already guessed this.
Among the local officials in Liuzhou, an old clerk volunteered to step forward and accept the order: "Your Highness... I know a little about water conservancy and can go and help."
Qi Chengming agreed.
The old clerk carefully observed Master Qin's expression and racked his brains to begin recounting what he remembered hearing from people in the surrounding villages about hurricanes: "It is said that if a southeast wind blows before winter and the sky has strange colors, it means a hurricane is about to hit, along with some terrifying roars."
"When the hurricane comes... it will sweep everything into the sky. When I was young, I heard that a married woman from another region returned to her hometown to visit relatives, only to find that several neighboring villages had disappeared! There was only floodwater left. She wandered around searching for days, and when the floodwaters receded, all that was left were ruins and fallen trees..."
"So the direct harm of hurricanes lies in two things: floods and the fact that strong winds can sweep people away or cause fatal blows from various objects in the wind. How do we deal with these? After the hurricane passes, the land will be devastated, and we will have to make plans in advance... How will the people eat and live? How will we deal with epidemics and diseases after a major disaster?"
Qi Chengming slowly listed out what everyone should do now.
After listening blankly for a while, Qin Liusong finally had a clear framework in his mind. This was another occasion where he excelled.
He calmed himself down, took over the work, and reported, "Your Highness, please inform us as soon as possible if the people who went to scout out the hurricane have any news. Our government office will first take stock of supplies and medicines, inspect the city walls and houses, and then send people to find suitable places to evacuate."
If the hurricane is at its mildest, everyone can just tough it out and only need to worry about the damage to people's fields and homes afterward, and plan how to provide disaster relief.
If a hurricane brings floods, try to defend against them with the drainage ditches and city walls that have been built.
If the hurricane is fierce and the situation is critical, they will have to evacuate the people in advance, which is the most troublesome situation... Post-disaster reconstruction will also be severely damaged, but if it really becomes that critical, Qin Liusong has no more expectations, he only prays that as many people as possible can survive.
“…Alright, I’ll get the Imperial Guards to help too.” Qi Chengming’s heart bled as he thought of the potato seeds he had just planted on the mountain.
Let alone the importance of potato seeds, the Bai family restaurant, the soap factory, the piglets, the reclaimed land—each of these has just been a month of hard work, embodying everyone's efforts. One slip and it's all gone.
Qi Chengming felt so heartbroken that he couldn't breathe just thinking about it.
But he's everyone's pillar now. Haven't you noticed how everyone's eyes are glued to him? And since he arrived, the eunuchs and maids aren't as afraid anymore? Qi Chengming's expression softened. He pinched his thigh, his hand hidden in his sleeve, and continued speaking calmly…
Even if he's pretending, he has to pretend to be confident and prepared!
...
Two hours later.
After finally finishing the meeting and returning to the main courtyard exhausted, Qi Chengming collapsed onto the bed and remained motionless.
Xiao Dezi and Xiao Chengzi, who had rushed back and were keeping watch, exchanged a worried glance and quietly closed the door. Xiao Dezi gave a signal, gesturing: 'Put your ears covered.'
Xiao Chengzi: "?"
The round-faced eunuch didn't understand, but he did as he was told without thinking.
Xiao Dezi was somewhat worried, but he quickly and nimbly stuffed his fingers into his ears as well. Then, maintaining this comical posture, he stared straight ahead without changing his expression and stood motionless at the door of the main room.
"Waaaaah, typhoon!" Qi Chengming buried himself under the covers, not daring to scream loudly, only able to roll around like a mosquito humming.
Leaving aside the sheer threat of a typhoon in ancient times, Qi Chengming at least had some medicine in his backpack; he could survive even in extreme conditions. But… would he really escape? What about the others? The typhoon hadn't even hit yet, and many people were already suffering. Thinking about how many places were within Liuzhou Prefecture, Qi Chengming felt a deep sense of worry.
The pressure is immense.
His heart was heavy; he was just as fearful and bewildered as everyone else.
However, since he couldn't show it to outsiders, Qi Chengming could only go mad in secret.
Sigh... It feels so lonely to be unable to talk to anyone.
Qi Chengming's face turned red before he finally lifted his head from under the covers and let out a long sigh.
"Why are you sighing like an old man?" A familiar voice whispered in a breathy tone, the voice sounding very close by.
Qi Chengming: "!"
He turned his head sharply and saw that the window behind him had been opened a crack. Young Master Wen was there, beckoning to him furtively, "Come out quickly—don't keep your bad mood to yourself, let's go to the city gate to see the repairs!"
The way he greeted people was exactly like a modern student who was about to skip class, looking guilty and suspicious.
Qi Chengming: "..."
After a brief two-second silence, he suddenly jumped out of bed.
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Author's note: First update, 4,000 words!
But I'm sorry everyone, I'm not sure if I can reach 10,000 words today. Everything was fine this morning, but when I came to write after lunch, my computer said I wasn't an author and didn't have permission to access the backend. I laughed in exasperation.
I write slowly on my phone, so I just write as much as I can.
(By the way, I also want to lament about my collections and subscriptions. Ahhhhh, my earnings have been cut by two-thirds, and my clicks are only one percent. If my collections hadn't increased so quickly, my growth rate would have turned negative today.)
I cried so hard I almost blew snot bubbles qwq, Jinjiang, you've really hit a nerve... Fix it now!!!
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