Chapter 420 After a Great Drought Comes a Great Flood
What are you looking at?
Looking into the little girl's eyes, Tang Bugui couldn't help but ask.
Xiao Su Bao withdrew her gaze, shook her head slightly, but her brows were tightly furrowed.
Tang Bugui glanced into the shadows and saw several seemingly ordinary people quietly walking out of Lan County.
"Alright, let's go home first!" Tang Bugui gently patted Xiao Su Bao's back, his eyes filled with tenderness.
The little dumpling nodded obediently.
Su Ruanruan and Su Yun, who were standing nearby, had already given the fat boy a good beating.
The latter, with dark circles under his eyes and a face covered in bruises, followed behind them with a limp.
Su Ruanruan's lips twitched at the thought of this, but there was nothing she could do.
This guy has a nice-sounding full name, Luo Ziyu, but his nickname is Erpi!
The main problem is that this guy is shameless!
"Cousin Su Yun, how have you been lately? Have you missed your cousin? I heard you had a little accident, are you alright? I also heard that it seems no one wants to marry you right now, but I don't mind. If you marry me, I'll definitely treat you well. In the end, you and Ruan Ruan will both be my wives, and I'll definitely treat them equally!"
"Cousin Ruan Ruan, you look a bit chubby lately. Did you gain weight for me? I told you, it's not necessary. As long as it's you, I'll love you no matter what! After you and Cousin Su Yun marry me, I..."
Su Ruanruan and Su Yun exchanged a glance, and then casually struck again.
This time, however, Luo Ziyu had the foresight to block the two girls' hands.
"Hehe, you can't hit me, can you!"
He was having a good time when he suddenly felt something was wrong. Two girls, one on each side, kicked him hard in the butt.
Luo Erpi immediately lay down on the ground, his chubby body unable to get up for a while.
Little Su Bao heard the commotion behind her and immediately looked over.
Upon seeing this, the little girl fell silent, because what she saw was truly an eyesore!
"Oh dear, your love for me is a bit too deep..." Luo Erpi rubbed his buttocks, lying on the ground and not wanting to get up.
The servant couldn't bear to watch any longer and came over to help his young master up.
Ling Buqi stood not far away, raising an eyebrow as he watched the discomfitured Su Ruanruan. Although he didn't like this little girl, but...
But this girl and the young general are close; she's the young general's friend, so I still protect her a bit.
We can bully our own people, but others can't...
Ling Buqi kicked a stone at it...
It's just a stone...
It was a rock about the size of his fist.
"Ouch..." Luo Erpi jumped up in pain.
He felt like his buttocks were about to shatter!
"Who hit me? I'll..." he shouted, when he saw a face that seemed to be smiling but not smiling.
not good!
His expression changed, and he immediately took two steps back and hid behind the servant.
This guy can't beat himself, he can't beat the servant, he can't beat the bodyguard...
So, don't mess with them!
but……
He turned to look at Su Ruanruan and said with a pitiful expression, "Ruanruan~"
"roll!"
Su Ruanruan felt that her temper had become much worse since she saw Luo Erpi.
The group returned to Tangjia Village amidst laughter and chatter.
Even from a distance, Luo Erpi sniffed: "Huh, why does it smell like peach blossoms? It's already mid-July, all the peaches are gone, why is there still a peach blossom scent?"
He muttered to himself, sitting in the carriage, but his hand couldn't help but lift the curtain.
From afar, you can see the swaying peach blossoms on that tree.
Are there still peach blossoms here?
He was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped, and he couldn't help but look at the person riding the horse in front of him.
Tang Bugui was riding a horse with Xiao Su Bao, and there were other people too...
He was the only one riding in the carriage...
Okay, he won't admit that he can't ride a horse because his butt hurts.
When they arrived at the village entrance, several women saw that it was Xiao Su Bao and his friends, and their eyes immediately lit up with smiles.
They exchanged a few words with the Qian family and then said nothing more.
"Mother, it's so hot this year!" Tang Cheng frowned slightly, a heavy look in his eyes.
After everyone washed up, they sat in the room, where it wasn't so hot anymore.
When the Tang family returned, they built a courtyard under this house, so the Tang family didn't get so hot in the summer.
Tang Bugui frowned upon hearing this.
This hot and dry weather is indeed making people a little uneasy.
He asked, "How much has the water level in the river dropped?"
Tang Cheng was slightly taken aback; he had forgotten to look into this matter before.
"I'll go take a look!" Tang Cheng had only been sitting down for two minutes when he took Tang Qi out.
By the time they returned, it was already dark.
Neither of them looked well.
"How is it?" Tang Bugui asked in a low voice, looking at the little Su Bao who had just fallen asleep.
Tang Cheng then whispered, "The situation isn't good. It's a full twenty centimeters! In previous years, even at the hottest times, the river water wouldn't recede this much."
"I think we're going to have a severe drought this year!" Tang Cheng said with worry in his eyes, as their village's geographical location was already somewhat problematic.
Although it is close to the riverbank, it is being swept downstream.
During severe droughts, there is no water here, and during floods, this place is submerged...
Tangjia Village has also considered moving out...
But no matter what they thought, it was no use; they couldn't get out...
If they dare to move, God will surely bring them bad luck.
So at first some people tried, but later everyone gave up, which is one of the reasons why Tangjia Village became poorer and poorer.
Thinking of this, everyone's expressions turned rather unpleasant.
Tang Bugui nodded in agreement; he had actually told them this a long time ago.
“We’ve already made preparations here, and now with those two here… we shouldn’t cause any major problems!” Tang Bugui said after thinking for a moment.
However, not knowing how many places this drought would affect, Tang Bugui still went to find the emperor under the cover of night.
The emperor had just appeased the empress and was now reading a book.
"Master, Young Master Bugui requests your presence!" the eunuch said cautiously as he entered.
"What's he doing here? This kid wouldn't come looking for me unless he had something to say!" The emperor stroked his chin, a hint of wariness in his eyes.
Tang Bugui was blocked at the door by the Second Prince.
The second prince stared at Tang Bugui and muttered something to him.
Tang Bugui's brows were furrowed, and his expression only returned to normal when the emperor came out.
The emperor's lips twitched as he watched the man's face change so quickly, but he ultimately said nothing. After all, this stubborn brat wouldn't give anyone face!
He rubbed his temples, feeling inexplicably irritated.
He had a feeling that there might be something wrong with what happened today.
"What are you doing here?" The emperor sat at a stone table to the side, where a pavilion had been built.
Of course, this was all done by the emperor. Although he was not extravagant or licentious, he still quite liked these kinds of small things.
Tang Bugui stood respectfully beside the emperor, a solemn look in his eyes: "Just now, Tang Cheng sent word that the water level in Tangjia Village has dropped drastically."
"I know about this. Didn't the Imperial Observatory already mention it? I've already sent people to remind everyone involved!" The emperor thought for a moment and then spoke up.
Tang Bugui nodded in agreement, and then said, "Yes, but we don't know the specifics of this drought. Although I have made some arrangements, I'm afraid that if the drought lasts too long and there are too many drought-stricken areas, it may cause some trouble."
The emperor stood up with his hands behind his back, his brows slightly furrowed, and his back slightly hunched.
After a moment, he said, "Second brother, take some men and investigate where else is experiencing drought. The Imperial Observatory only gave a general location, but not a specific time!"
"Also, be careful and bring more people with you. If you encounter corrupt officials, handle it yourself. You're familiar with these kinds of things."
After the emperor finished speaking, he seemed to think of you all again. He paced back and forth, a strange light in his eyes.
"A severe drought is inevitably followed by severe flooding, and there is also the possibility of a locust plague, which will likely cause grain prices to rise!"
How could an emperor who sits on that throne not know anything?
Besides, he used to travel all over the place back then.
"If only we could bring the water from the south to the north!" the emperor murmured, a hint of sorrow in his eyes.
Tang Bugui glanced at him, but didn't say anything, wondering if there was any way...
South-to-North Water Diversion Project...
This probably can't be resolved in the short term!
"Never mind, that's not the most important thing. Let's deal with the sharp-eyed matter first." The emperor rubbed his temples.
Sure enough, being an emperor is no job for a human being!
Looking at the luxurious clothes and sumptuous food, it's not as enjoyable as being an ordinary person.
For a moment, he even felt a little envious of those incompetent rulers.
After all, a tyrannical ruler doesn't need to consider these things; he only cares about his own happiness!
Tang Bugui glanced at the emperor's expression and immediately guessed what he was thinking.
Tang Bugui was speechless. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly heard the little dumpling's voice from behind him.
"Daddy...Daddy..." Little Su Bao was panting heavily because she had run too fast.
Tang Bugui turned and left, not even allowing the emperor to glance at him again...
The emperor was actually waiting for Tang Bugui to speak about him, but that brat actually ran away!
The emperor is very angry!
Why does it feel like ever since I came here, the Empress, the Second Prince, and Tang Bugui don't seem to care about me anymore?
Ah, him!
The Emperor!
The leader of the Great Shang Kingdom!
"Your Majesty, Zhao Ziyun, the village chief of Jixiang Village, requests an audience!" came the voice of a guard at the door.
The emperor paused, and then he remembered that brat Zhao Ziyun.
He's quite a cunning fellow!
The emperor thought for a moment, then decided not to get up and simply sat down to wait.
At this moment, he exuded a more dignified aura, completely different from the little old man he had been before.
The emperor was drinking tea when Zhao Ziyun strode in from outside.
Although he is young, he has a calm and composed demeanor.
Zhao Ziyun knelt down directly before the emperor.
"This humble subject, Zhao Ziyun, pays his respects to Your Majesty!" Zhao Ziyun bowed his head low, his voice filled with utmost respect.
The emperor glanced at him, his eyes filled with scrutiny.
"Well, you're a son of the Zhao family, so there's no need for so much formality... Just kneel for a quarter of an hour!"
The emperor said very seriously.
Zhao Ziyun...
"Yes!" Fortunately, although Zhao Ziyun was a little depressed, he knew the emperor's temperament and that the emperor really disliked the Zhao family.
If it weren't for the fact that he also had disagreements with the Zhao family, the emperor probably wouldn't have even seen him.
Zhao Ziyun, recalling what he had seen in his dream, finally spoke up.
"Your Majesty, Anxian, Lanxian, and several other counties have not seen rain for a long time this year. I also heard from a wandering Taoist priest that it's not just the drought in the north, but it seems that the south has also had two months of heavy rain..."
The emperor, who had been in good spirits, now had a furrowed brow.
Before he came out, everything was fine in the south, and he hadn't heard of any heavy rain!
The emperor's expression turned serious, and he stopped Zhao Ziyun from kneeling.
"Get up and tell me, what exactly is going on here!"
Zhao Ziyun then told the emperor about the disaster he had dreamed about.
As the emperor listened, his expression grew increasingly grim.
After a long while, the emperor finally let out a breath.
He looked up at the sky, where even the stars and moon seemed to have dimmed.
After a moment of silence, the emperor said, "Since you've come all this way, it's probably not just to tell me this!"
The emperor turned his gaze to Zhao Ziyun, who had his hands folded together and bowed slightly, looking very humble.
For a fleeting moment, the emperor felt as if he were facing not a young boy, but a cunning and treacherous minister…
"I previously sent the people of Jixiang Village to the south to set up a small caravan there, so that they could transport water back from the south to relieve our urgent need!" Zhao Ziyun said to the emperor.
The emperor was slightly taken aback. Would such a clumsy method work?
Moreover, if contaminants get into the water during the transportation process, it would be counterproductive!
This method is a bit foolish!
"This method... won't work!"
The emperor shook his head, showing little anger at Zhao Ziyun's stupidity.
After all, the little guy in front of us is just a child!
After a pause, the emperor said, "Do you have any other ideas?"
The emperor looked at Zhao Ziyun and asked in a slightly gentle voice.
Zhao Ziyun shook his head, pursed his lips, and lowered his head.
The emperor looked at him without speaking, but still said, "It's alright, you can think about it more, you're still young..."
After a pause, the emperor looked at him and his tone softened slightly: "Your father and brother are both intelligent, and you are not stupid either. However, sometimes you don't need to hide your abilities like this. After all, I am not the kind of person who is petty!"
The emperor looked at Zhao Ziyun, who was startled and raised his head in surprise.
This scene, witnessed by the emperor, truly pleased him.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I was not pretending to be stupid. I just couldn't think of a better way, so I could only come up with this clumsy method. Previously, Jixiang Village had encountered some bad people and made a mistake, but the boy is innocent. I just want to give them a chance!"
If anyone were to look into Zhao Ziyun's eyes as he lay on the ground, they would realize that this guy wasn't actually that afraid.
He was testing the waters, and also surrendering to the emperor.
I am different from the rest of the Zhao family. If one day the emperor wants to deal with the Zhao family, he will not include me.
"Grandpa, would you like some steamed buns... My mother's steamed buns are so delicious..." A soft voice came from the doorway.
It's Xiao Su Bao here, carrying a plate of steamed buns.
Upon hearing Xiao Su Bao's voice, the emperor's lips curled slightly, and a hint of amusement appeared in his eyes.
Zhao Ziyun secretly glanced at the emperor and breathed a slight sigh of relief.
The emperor still liked Xiao Su Bao very much; otherwise, given his usual temperament, he would have executed such a disrespectful child long ago…
wrong……
Zhao Ziyun suddenly thought of something, and his brows furrowed.
No, in the dream, the emperor's personality changed drastically, and even Little Su Bao couldn't change him at that time!
The Crown Prince died of a serious illness, the Second Prince was killed while suppressing bandits, the Third Prince was framed and went blind, and Princess Chang'an suffered an even worse fate, being sent to the Xiongnu by a kidnapper...
By then, the emperor had become ruthless and disregarded even his own family, and the Shang Dynasty was teetering on the brink of collapse...
However, everything in the dream seemed a little unreal.
As Zhao Ziyun was thinking about these things, a soft, gentle voice reached his ears.
"Brother Zhao Yun, here you go..." The little dumpling carefully handed a plump bun to Zhao Ziyun.
The emperor was eating a steamed bun when he heard the little dumpling's voice and let out a soft hum.
"Alright, get up! People might think I'm bullying you!" the emperor muttered.
Zhao Ziyun quickly got up and carefully took the steamed bun that Xiao Su Bao handed him.
When the little dumpling saw Zhao Ziyun get up and take the steamed buns, she immediately smiled happily, her round dimples making her look exceptionally endearing.
"Grandpa, may I go see Grandma?" The little dumpling breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Zhao Ziyun was alright, and looked towards the house.
The emperor suddenly found even steamed buns unappetizing!
Although he still missed the Empress, the old man was also a little hurt...
Little Su Bao is most sensitive to emotions. Sensing the emperor's unusual behavior, the little dumpling carefully grasped the emperor's hand.
"Whoever made Grandpa Emperor unhappy, Su Bao will beat him up!" the little dumpling said to the Emperor in a sweet, adorable voice.
The emperor's heart melted instantly upon seeing such an adorable little girl, and he couldn't help but think of his own little daughter...
The emperor's mood worsened...
But she still had a faint smile on her face: "Your father bullied me. You don't know, he always bullies me. Su Bao, you should help Grandpa beat him up, beat him up hard!"
As if to show that he was going to exert force, the emperor clenched his fists.
Little Su Bao looked at his father, then at the emperor. The little guy took a deep breath and said to the emperor, "Little Su Bao is tough. Why don't you give Little Su Bao a couple of slaps to vent your anger?"
"Father is not well, he's sick...Grandpa, please don't be angry with Father, okay?" Little Su Bao stood at the Emperor's feet, looking pitiful.
Inside the room, the Empress was momentarily at a loss for words regarding the Emperor's behavior.
She coughed irritably.
"Cough cough..."
The emperor's face instantly became very obedient, and he even reached out and picked up the little guy.
"Wife, why are you coughing? Are you feeling unwell? Wang Mingtian, Wang Mingtian, come here..." the emperor shouted instantly.
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