Li Huyu sighed. Her mother-in-law was cunning in small matters, but clueless when it came to important ones.
“Mother, those are not refugees. The real refugees are still burying their families and settling their food and property. What we have now is a mob, using the pretext of flood to loot!”
The government yamen runners? They're too busy with their own affairs to bother with these dangerous and pointless tasks. You can't count on them at all.
Furthermore, it wasn't just the Wu family on the next street; three households on the two streets in front of us were robbed, and last night five houses were robbed in one night! We don't know what will happen tonight; our Bai family is so large and powerful, we've probably been targeted for a while now.”
With her husband away, she had to protect this home!
Upon hearing this, Madam Bai had long forgotten her previous thought of questioning her daughter-in-law about making the decision to let her in-laws move in. Her voice trembled as she said, "Your parents and your fellow disciples must be properly settled! They must not be neglected."
You can arrange the servants and maids in your household however you like; you don't need to ask me anymore.
"These damned bandits! They have nothing of their own, yet they come to rob others! Huyu, you must protect our home! Our family depends on you!"
Li Huyu nodded, "Don't worry, Mother."
Previously, my mother-in-law held absolute power in the family, but today she seems afraid of getting involved in even the slightest thing.
However, she hadn't planned to rely on her mother-in-law anyway.
This is the first batch. The farmers who lost their families, land, and food later were the real refugees. People are capable of anything when they are starving. I'm afraid that the entire southern capital will be even more miserable than during the rainstorm.
Later, the imperial court's disaster relief efforts were manageable, but if they didn't allocate silver and grain, well, the officials and yamen runners would be even more ruthless than the displaced people and bandits. The days of misery for the entire Southern Capital were yet to come...
In the courtyard, the martial arts students were moving swords and other weapons.
Father is checking the physique and strength of the servants.
Mother is tidying up clothes, bedding, and other household belongings.
She wasn't worried about the Bai family's money, as her husband had already made arrangements before the storm. She wasn't worried about the fields and shops either, as her husband had already made arrangements for those as well. Now, the most valuable and important thing in the Bai family was its people.
Li Huyu tightened his grip on the sword hilt.
She can protect the home, and she will protect it. At this moment, she only cares about where her husband is and whether he is injured.
With more refugees arriving and the journey becoming increasingly long, will my husband be able to reach home safely...?
·
Bai Manshan stood in the mud, his calves almost completely sunk in.
He quietly watched Hong Daniu wailing loudly not far ahead, patiently waiting.
The weather was hot, and the corpse was already emitting a pungent stench.
Behind Hong Daniu stood his eldest son, Hong Mancang, and his second son, Hong Manku, who was also shedding tears.
After crying, the three of them took the broken branches and sticks and started digging a hole.
After carefully burying the last person in the family, the three of them still couldn't stop shedding tears.
Hong Mancang and Hong Manku helped their father up, one on each side, and said with choked sobs, "Father, Master Bai is still waiting for us. Grandpa, Grandma, Mother and Sister have all been laid to rest. We can't let Master Bai keep waiting."
"These days, we are very grateful to Master Bai."
Their house was gone, their food was gone, and they had nothing but the clothes on their bodies.
And this garment is covered in patches; even if it were pawned, the pawnshop wouldn't accept it.
The father and his two sons finally managed to find each other and then searched everywhere for their grandparents, mother, and sisters. However, after the flood, the area was muddy and difficult to traverse, and there were corpses everywhere. Without food or water, they had no strength left to search.
It was thanks to Master Bai who brought them food and drink, and also asked the people of Baijiazhuang to help them inquire everywhere, that they were able to bury all their family members in the shortest possible time.
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