Chapter 104 Refugees
A round-faced, broad-backed, tall, and slightly dark-skinned woman came back from outside. She locked the door and said, "It's all right for now. It's just that a few of our brothers have been drafted. They say they're good swimmers, so they're going to dredge the canals."
"Fortunately, no one is hurt, otherwise..." Yunniang gritted her teeth.
"What else are you going to do!" The old man came out of the room, "Trouble comes from the mouth, don't talk nonsense."
Yunniang quickly supported him and asked, "Dad, why did you get up?"
The old man coughed twice and said, "This is an old problem of mine. If I can get better by lying down, that's fine. But if I can't, I might as well get up and see if there's anything I can do to help."
"Your man is a careless person. That's why he hurt himself and made you take care of us two useless old guys."
Yunniang shook her head. "He treats me well, and you treat me well too. I have no parents, and I look like this, but it's because you didn't despise me that you married me and gave me a family."
The old lady said, "As long as a person is good and kind-hearted, what does appearance matter? Besides, my Yunniang is not ugly, she's just a little thick-boned and tall."
Yunniang's face flushed. "Don't say anything, don't say anything. What's the point of saying this? I came back to see you and let you know I'm safe. I have to go out again later."
The old man said, "Go ahead, go ahead. We two old men have nothing to worry about."
Yunniang said, "When I leave, lock the door and don't open it to others easily."
"Many people have been affected by this disaster, and I'm afraid some people will take advantage of it to cause chaos."
The old man snorted, "I'm also a seasoned veteran, having been through many hardships. How could I not know this?"
Yunniang laughed proudly: "Dad is right."
She rushed into the rain again, with a straw hat and raincoat draped over her, and she looked more muscular than an average man.
"Sister Yu, are you still going out in the rain?"
A neighbor saw it and said hello.
Yunniang said, "Go and see my brothers."
She rushed into the rain and brought some silver and money to the brothers who were conscripted.
Originally, the government should have paid for it, but the county magistrate, who was only interested in taking advantage of others, didn't care about the lives of these common people. It was obvious that they had worked in vain all night and even caught a cold.
Yunniang runs a fish business, and her brothers are all trustworthy old people. This is the foundation laid by her father-in-law when he was young. Later, it was passed on to her husband, and then to her after her husband's death. Several generations of people are connected by the same blood, and they cannot suffer losses because of this matter.
After leaving her brothers' house, she walked to the corner of the ditch in the city, looked around furtively, and when she saw that there was no one around, she took out a pearl with a string, dipped it in the water, and shook it.
After a long time without any response, she felt a little dejected. Just as she was about to leave, she saw bubbles suddenly appearing in the ditch.
A translucent red carp formed by rainwater condensation was swaying its tail in the water.
Yunniang was surprised and asked, "Shiyi Niang, you can get into the city too?"
The red carp puckered its eyes and said, "I can't get in. I'm blocked outside. The ditches in the city can only go in but not out. Otherwise, the water will flow back and flood everything."
Yunniang said, "Eleventh Lady, I have something to ask you."
Red Carp asked, "What's the matter?"
"When will this rain stop? Is it a big deal?"
Eleventh Lady looked up at the sky and said, "It won't stop anytime soon. I'm not in charge of this and don't know the inside story. Remember to hide in the city and don't come out. It's quite chaotic outside now. The water has risen and flooded the shore. My father asked me to restrain the water monster. I can't enter the city, so it's hard for me to protect you."
Yunniang was worried: "I'm afraid if the rain continues, the city won't be able to withstand it."
Eleventh Lady wagged her tail and said, "Don't be afraid. Prepare the boat. If the city is flooded, sail out and I will come to pick you up."
"Don't be afraid of drowning. I can take you into the water to be my advisor and help me govern the area."
Yunniang sighed: "But I don't want to die yet."
Eleventh Lady spit out a few blisters: "Okay, then you better be careful."
"I'm leaving first. I need to control the water monsters and prevent them from coming ashore."
Yunniang urged, "Go quickly! What if it comes up and eats people?"
Eleventh Lady laughed and said, "Then I've messed up the job. I'm sure I'll be scolded by the old man."
Eleventh Lady wagged her tail, and the transparent red carp dispersed and turned into rain.
Yunniang sighed heavily. She wanted to get some information from Shiyi Niang, but this stupid fish knew nothing, which made her even more worried.
There was a heavy storm overnight, and the villages and communities suffered heavy damage.
Along with the flood came water monsters.
Entire villages were flooded, and entire populations abandoned their homes and fled, leaving even the ancestral spirits and village gods stranded. If offerings could continue after the water receded, that would be fine.
If they fail, it will be a major blow to them.
In order to avoid the flood, more and more people gathered outside the county town, hoping to get shelter in the city.
The county magistrate had been alarmed long ago, but when he saw the large crowds of villagers gathered outside the city, cold sweat immediately broke out on his forehead.
He gritted his teeth and said, "Don't open the city gates. If they are opened, these refugees will rush in and cause chaos."
"Guard the city gates to the death and don't let anyone in."
The limited military forces were all surrounded at the city gate, not only to guard against attacks from outside, but also to prevent people inside from opening the city gate.
The reaction on the city wall quickly revealed the attitude. The miserable and desperate cries could be heard immediately from across the wall, making people tremble with fear.
Liu Sheng coldly watched the county magistrate retreat from the city wall and the soldiers surrounding the city gate. He asked, "Sir, why don't you open the granaries and distribute grain? Even if you offer work in exchange for relief?"
The county magistrate said, "How can I open the granary just because I want to? I'll report this to the court and wait for their approval. Besides, how much grain is in the county granary? When will the rain stop? If it doesn't, what will happen if the grain runs out?"
"This is a natural disaster. What can we do?"
The county magistrate walked away from Liu Sheng. Liu Sheng looked at his back and sighed heavily.
After a night of wind and rain, Gong Mengbi's wandering soul suffered severe damage to its ears and eyes. This was partly due to the thunder, and partly because birds themselves were not immune to such natural disasters.
Gong Mengbi was helpless in the face of such a loss.
Even if Gong Mengbi didn't drive them, they wouldn't be able to survive such storms and thunder.
However, when the fleeing foxes gathered at Fox Hill and the Five Ghost Gods went in the rain to guide the wandering souls, Gong Mengbi finally received good news.
General Ban Yin's henchmen have been found.
He was not found in person, but his minions possessed the refugees. As more and more refugees gathered, they continued to gather among the crowds.
Gong Mengbi frowned. "He didn't take advantage of the flood to kill people, but instead released a large number of ghosts to possess the refugees?"
What a big ambition and what a courage.
Gong Mengbi had to admit that General Ban Yin was indeed not comparable to ordinary demons.
With such ambition and ability, it has to be said that Elder Qixiu and Granny Shi really taught him how to be a human being.
But what he learned was how to be a bad person.
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