Chapter Twelve: The Difficulty of Being a Peacock
The next day, the weather suddenly changed, and torrential rain poured down. Before long, the low-lying areas along the riverbank were flooded, with turbid waves carrying away withered trees, fallen leaves, sand, and mud, surging away with a deafening roar.
Despite his illness, Deputy Commander Sun stood before his tent, gazing into the distance. Having weathered decades of trials and tribulations, he had never been confined to bed by a single acute illness. Not wanting to become the sickly man he so despised, he forced himself to rise as soon as he felt slightly better.
"My lord, the wind and rain are fierce outside. You should go inside the tent to take shelter..." The imperial guards, seeing their master's already somewhat ashen face, couldn't help but advise him again.
Was I really wrong? If it weren't for Chief Mu's insistence on changing the resting place, my Imperial Guards would probably have been swept away by the flood by now.
Wiping the mud off his face, Deputy Commander Sun loudly ordered, "Have all soldiers put on their raincoats and be on standby, following Chief Mu's orders..."
"Yes." The Imperial Guards did not hesitate for a moment. Chief Mu was indeed prepared, and their master should have done so long ago.
This time, we set up camp on a high hill. There weren't many trees on the hill, but their roots were deep. We made sure to compact the loose soil before setting up camp, so even though it was raining heavily and the branches and leaves were swaying, the ground was still solid and we didn't have to worry about landslides.
Wearing a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, Mu Lian led the soldiers of the Judicial Office along the hillside to scout the situation and reinforce the dikes, accompanied by a squad of imperial guards. It was the Yellow River's rainy season, and the river was swollen with rising waters; whether the existing dikes could withstand the raging flood was uncertain. Looking at the increasingly gloomy sky through the thick rain, Mu Lian's heart sank further. If the rain continued for a few more hours, the riverbank below the hill would likely breach immediately. Then, those behind him, without even needing the military governor's intervention, would all become water ghosts feeding the fish.
"Attendant Meng, Attendant Meng..." A broken, indistinct voice suddenly came from behind.
Mu Lian turned around and saw Ye Tanhua struggling to walk, one foot high and one foot low, protected by his attendant Ye Xun. Through the misty rain, Ye Tanhua's face seemed anxious.
"A mere civil official trying to act tough?" Mu Lian thought to herself with a sneer. However, since she was currently using Meng Yuan's identity, she still stepped forward and asked, "Lord Ye, what brings you here?"
Ye Yiqing was slightly out of breath after chasing after them. The torrential rain soaked his black hair, and his once elegant robes and wide sleeves now clung tightly to his body. His shoes were also completely soaked, making him look rather disheveled.
After catching her breath, Ye Yiqing pointed to the riverbank, her fingertips trembling slightly: "According to my estimation, the riverbank there will breach in about an hour, and we need to relocate as soon as possible..."
An hour? That's even shorter than I expected? Mu Lian's expression shifted slightly, and she immediately asked, "Lord Ye, is there any basis for your statement?"
"Yes..." Ye Yuqing had come prepared to showcase his knowledge as a third-ranked scholar in front of the true head of the academy, so he had indeed done his homework. Pointing to the Yellow River, Ye Yuqing said, "According to the local county records, three years ago the river god was enraged, causing a great flood that killed many. Afterwards, the emperor ordered the Ministry of Works to work with the military governor of Henan Province to reinforce the dikes and build dams. However, in recent years, Henan Province has not been peaceful and has frequently suffered from floods. Furthermore, along the way, although there are military farms along the riverbanks, the trees are sparse, making it impossible to cultivate the native land. With the torrential rains today, and given that this river is prone to silting up, judging by the speed of the water flow, I'm afraid that the river will soon rise above the height of the dikes, and then the flood will immediately breach the banks..." This analysis was reasonable and well-founded, and indeed convincing.
Judging the speed of the water by the wave crest? I didn't expect Ye Tanhua to have such a skill? Mu Lian couldn't help but take another look at the man in front of her.
The wind and rain raged, and the man's disheveled hair clung to his face. His once sky-blue clothes were now soaked with mud, making him look quite wretched. Yet, when answering my question just now, his eyes were bright and piercing, and his analysis was eloquent and logical. His every move exuded a natural elegance that impressed me.
Yu Guangzhong caught a glimpse of the woman's actions, and Ye Yiqing couldn't help but feel smug. Sure enough, her elder sister was right; women still prefer men who can surprise and delight them. Lost in thought, Ye Tanhua unconsciously moved slowly closer to the woman before him.
With a sharp look, Mu Lian moved gracefully to the side and instructed the soldiers, "Lord Ye is absolutely right. Everyone, hurry up and finish so we can leave..."
With a flash, the beauty suddenly disappeared. Caught off guard, Ye Yuqing slipped and fell straight down into the muddy water before Ye Xun, who was serving as her attendant, could not protect her.
"Young Master..." Ye Xun, the attendant, exclaimed in a short, startled voice. With a "bang," mud and water splashed everywhere. Ye Xun, who had previously maintained a somewhat dashing demeanor, was now completely soaked in the mud and looked far more disheveled than usual.
"Ouch, that sounds painful." Mu Lian subtly curved her lips into a smile, taking in the man's momentary embarrassment. So, being a peacock isn't so easy.
However, Ye Tanhua was used to big occasions. With Ye Xun's self-reproachful help, he struggled to his feet, and in an instant, he regained his composure. He took out a silk handkerchief from his bosom and slowly wiped the mud off his face. Then, with a flick of his sleeve, he shook off the mud and water from his clothes, straightened his attire, and was once again the incomparably handsome Ye Tanhua.
The Ye family motto is: never lose your composure. Even the most valiant person will step in dog poop; just consider it as something done to amuse a beautiful lady. Besides, a true man can bend and stretch; let the mud and water rage, I remain calm and composed. This time, even Mu Lian had to sigh that Ye Tanhua was truly a remarkable person; his composure in the face of both honor and disgrace was truly admirable.
The envoy braved the rain to personally arrive, which inspired the officials of the Judicial Office and the Imperial Guards below, who worked even harder. Soon, the reinforcement of the riverbank embankment was completed, and Mu Lian directed the retreat.
"Let the soldiers evacuate first..." Standing under the umbrella, with the surging river not far away, Ye Tanhua remained calm, showing no fear or panic.
Mu Lian felt a surge of admiration and turned to instruct A Zhe, "Keep an eye on Lord Ye; he doesn't know martial arts..."
A Zhe glanced quickly at Ye Yuqing, who still looked like an immortal despite the torrential rain, and said in a muffled voice, "Yes."
The rain intensified, and the soldiers trudged through the muddy puddles, the last squad preparing for battle. Suddenly, they felt the ground shake violently beneath their feet and looked at each other in alarm. Not far away, a huge breach had appeared in the dam, and the rushing river was crashing against the last obstacle.
"Oh no, run! The dam is about to burst!" someone shouted in panic.
There was a moment of panic in the group. Faced with the power of nature, human strength is truly insignificant.
"All soldiers, listen to my command! Two teams become four teams, and quickly retreat to the post..." In this critical moment, Mu Lian gave the urgent order.
"Yes." The crowd quickened their pace, and their panic was instantly replaced by tense order.
Through the rain curtain, Mu Lian looked in Ye Yiqing's direction and found that the man was also looking at her. Their eyes met, and they thought the same thing: the dam had been reinforced beforehand, so why did it breach prematurely? Was it a misjudgment on their part, or was someone sabotaging them?
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