The so-called gathering point was a large drying ground in the town.
The drying area is so large that it can accommodate a thousand people.
At the command of the Ninth Prince, the quiet town of Wushui suddenly became lively.
People who had kept their doors closed for a long time opened their courtyard gates one after another.
Many people carried hoes and headed towards the new graves in town...
In Wushui Town, burial is the traditional practice. When someone dies, wealthy families buy a coffin to put the body in and then choose an auspicious burial site. Those who are poor can only be wrapped in a straw mat and buried haphazardly.
A flood a few days ago washed away many buried bodies.
It was only buried a few days ago, and now it has to be dug up again...
"What a terrible thing!"
Someone couldn't help but cry.
Tables and chairs were set up on the drying ground.
The Ninth Prince held Yuan Yao in his arms and sat down in a chair.
Li Tingfeng poured himself a cup of tea and drank it, then said, "Your Majesty, I will keep watch here. Your Majesty, why don't you take the Princess back to the manor to rest?"
"No need," the Ninth Prince said coldly.
Upon hearing this, Li Tingfeng said nothing more.
Several hundred people died in the entire town of Wushui.
In one afternoon, coffins and straw mats were laid out in a huge throng on the drying ground.
Outside the drying ground, the imperial guards and strong civilians had already piled up many small mountains of dry pine branches and firewood, and prepared kerosene.
Outside the drying ground, in the field not far away, a deep pit had been dug, and a thick layer of quicklime had been spread inside...
As dusk fell.
Outside the drying ground, there was a great commotion and deafening cries.
A crow perches on a branch, cawing every now and then; its cry can be heard for miles.
A stray dog passing by was skin and bones, walking unsteadily, its canine teeth dripping with sticky saliva, stretching its neck to sniff the smell of rotting flesh in the air...
The scene was exceptionally desolate.
Yuan Yao felt a chill run down her spine, but also a pang of pity.
Such is the general state of human tragedy...
Every time a body was brought in, someone would cover their mouth and nose to register it.
After an entire afternoon, the person registering the documents took a book and walked up to Li Tingfeng: "Sir, it's all here."
Li Tingfeng nodded, walked to the Ninth Prince's side, and asked, "Your Highness, shall we prepare to light the fire?"
The Ninth Prince glanced at the people outside the drying ground, pursed his lips, and said coldly, "Burn it."
At a command, hundreds of bodies were all carried onto the bonfire, doused with kerosene, and set ablaze with torches.
Hundreds of bonfires rose up, their flames roaring.
Half the sky seemed to be illuminated by the firelight...
As the fire raged to its zenith, a deafening cry finally erupted across the drying ground—
"Mother! Your son will miss you so much..."
"My son, my poor son... how could you bear to leave your father like this?"
"My love... in the next life, I'll still be your wife, so don't forget me..."
"..."
In this scene, many people secretly wiped away tears.
Even Li Tingfeng's eyes reddened, and he turned away to wipe his face.
Yuan Yao nestled in the arms of the Ninth Prince, blinking her eyes repeatedly until her eyelashes became wet.
The separation of life and death in this world always easily evokes empathy...
When she died in that world, were her parents also so sad?
well……
But she could never go back.
Fortunately, she is now nine thousand years old...
Fortunately, her father was by her side...
Fortunately, she was happier than anyone else...
"Why do you cry so much?" A warm, large hand covered her head.
Yuan Yao looked up, her eyes sparkling: "Father."
"Good boy, Daddy's here." The Ninth Prince's voice was exceptionally gentle.
The firelight reflected in his eyes.
The frost on his body seemed to have melted away considerably.
Yuan Yao buried her head in the Ninth Prince's arms and nuzzled him: "Yao'er only has Father. Father must always stay with Yao'er."
The Ninth Prince chuckled: "I grant your request."
The bodies in Wushui Town were burned until midnight before they were finally finished.
At midnight, the drying ground was brightly lit by fire.
The Imperial Guards swept up the ashes and bones and buried them in a large pit sprinkled with lime.
Someone cried and asked, "Sir, can't I take these ashes home for burial?"
My wife has only been married to me for three months, yet she cannot be buried in my family's ancestral graveyard...
She is a kind person; what should she do if those wandering ghosts bully her?
“Yes, sir!” an old man said sadly, “I promised my wife that I would be buried with her when I die, and I have already prepared the grave.”
Li Tingfeng was in a dilemma and turned to the Ninth Prince for help: "Your Highness, what do you think..."
The Ninth Prince frowned and said coldly, "The rules cannot be broken. The safety of hundreds of thousands of people in Huaishui City is on our hands."
If you insist on erecting a monument, then build a cenotaph for your family members.
A cenotaph?
Those who were crying wiped away their tears and pondered the words of the Ninth Prince.
At this moment, the village chief's son was the first to stand up: "I agree with what the Ninth Prince said! If my father were alive, he would surely agree as well!"
My father is the village head, so he would certainly be willing to be buried with the people of Wushui Town!
On an auspicious day, I will build a cenotaph for him!
Seeing that even the village chief's son had stepped forward, the others hesitated.
In the firelight, two more people stepped forward: "My family also has a cenotaph!"
"My family is the same!"
The chatter rose in waves across the drying ground.
Li Tingfeng was overjoyed: "Li Tingfeng thanks my fellow villagers!"
The big problem that had been dragging on for so long has finally been resolved!
Wushui Town has made a good start.
Other places followed suit...
After a busy night, just before dawn, the group finally returned to the Li residence.
Madam Li had already prepared congee and side dishes, as well as hot water.
Before the bath, the Ninth Prince said to Danqing, "Go and fetch some herbs, boil them, let them cool, and then give them to the princess to bathe in."
This will be the case every day, until the plague ends.
Danqing nodded: "This servant has remembered."
After taking a medicinal bath, drinking porridge, and being forced to drink a bowl of herbal medicine to prevent the plague, Yuan Yao finally drifted off to sleep in the arms of the Ninth Prince...
The next day.
Li Tingfeng arrived in the courtyard very early.
Yuan Yao, still half asleep, grabbed the Ninth Prince's sleeve: "Father, where are we going today?"
The Ninth Prince had already put on his outer robe and gently coaxed, "I'm going to another town to supervise the cremation of corpses. You go to sleep first."
Yuan Yao tried to open her eyes, but found herself extremely sleepy.
She let go of his hand and mumbled, "Daddy, remember to come back soon..."
The Ninth Prince's expression softened considerably. After placing a light, feather-like kiss on her forehead, he stepped out the door.
Yuan Yao slept until the sun was high in the sky.
Danqing brought over the porridge and water, rolled up the curtain, and said gently, "Princess, it's time to get up."
Yuan Yao opened her eyes groggily: "Hungry."
Danqing found it somewhat amusing: "This servant will now serve the princess her meal..."
Yuan Yao was like a little wooden puppet, letting Danqing do whatever he wanted, dressing her, washing her, and feeding her porridge.
After drinking the porridge and letting out a satisfied burp, she finally woke up.
Danqing smiled and said, "Princess, Dashan has arrived. He asked me to convey that what you said to him earlier still stands."
Mountains?
Yuan Yao was somewhat surprised: "What did you say?"
Danqing found it somewhat amusing and reminded her, "That's right, they work for the princess, and the princess provides them with food and lodging."
ah……
Yuan Yao slapped her forehead: "Look at my memory!"
With her father busy dealing with the plague, she, as his little helper, had to get moving too!
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