No one knows how Wei Chengzong has been enduring these past few days.
Seven days ago, in the evening, when he rushed back from outside in the rain, he learned that Jiang Qinyu, Liu Shuli, and others had gone out and had not yet returned, which was like a bolt from the blue.
He immediately led a group of people out of Hongtongya to search for the missing person, but just looking at the unstoppable mudslides and the floodwaters pouring out of the reservoir from afar, he almost fainted.
The rain was too heavy, giving him no chance to search for people in the surrounding area; he had no choice but to go back.
For the past seven days, his wife has been praying in the small Buddhist shrine, hoping that Jiang Qinyu will return safely.
He was also constantly blaming himself for not taking good care of the general's wife.
"I'm sorry to have troubled Lord Wei these past few days." Jiang Qinyu bowed, feeling genuinely apologetic.
After all, Wei Chengzong had indeed told her before not to go out easily.
Lu Yanzheng also said, "Everyone has seen Lord Wei's efforts for the people of Yongshan County, so there is no need for you to blame yourself so much."
Seeing Wei Chengzhong's expression, he had a rough idea of why Jiang Qinyu was at the county government office and why she had just been there.
"General?" Wei Chengzhong only then noticed Lu Yanzheng, looking at him in surprise, "What are you doing here..."
"Let's go inside and talk about it," Lu Yanzheng interrupted him, and stepped inside.
The group quickly followed and soon arrived at Wei Chengzong's study in the front yard.
After dismissing everyone else, Wei Chengzhong knelt directly in front of Lu Yanzheng, "General, I have failed you and have no face to see you again!"
"What are you doing, Lord Wei?" Lu Yanzheng immediately helped him up. "This is a natural disaster, Lord Wei, there is no need to blame yourself."
Wei Chengzhong's eyes were truly filled with tears. After getting up, he reported on the disaster, "The rain subsided in the latter half of last night, so I sent people to check the situation in various places. About 15 minutes ago, people started returning to report on the disaster situation in various places..."
Jiang Qinyu frowned as she listened. Apart from Dingshui Village, which suffered no damage, all the villages and towns under the jurisdiction of Yongshan County were affected by the disaster to varying degrees. Among them, Hongya Village and Qiaojia Village suffered the most severe losses, with both villages almost completely submerged.
However, Hongya Village was covered by mudslides, while most of the houses in Qiaojia Village were washed away by the waters of Hongtongya Reservoir and Qionghe River, and the entire area was not spared.
Putting aside everything else, the post-disaster reconstruction alone is a massive undertaking.
However, the situation in Yongshan County is really not optimistic. The imperial court is indifferent to the situation, the army from outside the pass is eyeing the area covetously, and Prince Yong is waiting to pounce and take a bite from the side.
Originally, the sweet potatoes, winter wheat, and high-yield rice that Jiang Qinyu had cultivated gave the people of Yongshan County hope. However, fate dealt them a cruel blow, shattering all their hopes.
After listening to Wei Chengzong's words, Lu Yanzheng's expression also became serious. "The border army's pay cannot be touched. We should continue to submit memorials to the court. No matter how the court reacts, we must act quickly. As for the money... I'll figure something out."
Upon hearing this, Wei Chengzhong's eyes lit up. "General, what brilliant plan do you have?"
Lu Yanzheng pursed his lips and did not reply.
What brilliant plan could he possibly have? If the imperial court truly couldn't afford to let the people of this place live or die, he would have no choice but to lead a small number of elite troops to rob the rich and help the poor.
At this moment, Jiang Qinyu tugged at his sleeve and winked at him.
Lu Yanzheng's eyes suddenly flickered. She... was willing to help?
He had always known that Jiang Qinyu had a big secret, and that secret was related to supplies, like the cotton and cotton-padded clothes she had taken out in the border town before.
But when she offered to help, he hesitated.
Will her helping this cause her any harm?
Jiang Qinyu noticed his hesitation, but since Wei Chengzhong was still there, she had no choice but to take his hand again, squeeze it in his palm, and let him know it was okay.
“In any case, the general is right. We must settle the disaster-stricken people first,” Wei Chengzhong said thoughtfully.
Jiang Qinyu suddenly spoke up, "Lord Wei, the general has brought a batch of tents for military use, which can be used to settle the disaster victims first."
"Military tents?" Wei Chengzong immediately perked up. "That's great!"
Tents are military tents, but military tents are different from ordinary ones; they are thicker and can shield people from wind and rain. Since winter has not yet arrived, these tents will be able to help settle down the people who have lost their homes.
Lu Yanzheng glanced at Jiang Qinyu and nodded, saying, "I will send the tent to the county government office later. Lord Wei can handle it as he sees fit."
"Thank you, General!" Wei Chengzhong was overjoyed.
As long as the people can be settled, the subsequent reconstruction work can be slowed down without causing unrest.
After talking with Wei Chengzong, Lu Yanzheng followed Jiang Qinyu back to her small courtyard in the backyard of the county government office.
After sending away the two maids, Jin Suo and Ru Yi, they were finally left alone in the room.
"Qinqin, the tent you mentioned..." Lu Yanzheng looked at her helplessly.
Their border troops' tents, while not numerous, were probably not of much quality either.
Jiang Qinyu smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'll show it to you and you'll see."
As she spoke, she took out the military tent she had drawn earlier, right in front of Lu Yanzheng.
"Is this the tent you were talking about?" Looking at the tofu-sized object in Jiang Qinyu's hand, Lu Yanzheng's lips twitched, and he couldn't help but ask.
Jiang Qinyu smiled mysteriously, "Then you'd better watch carefully!"
She threw the military-style, easily foldable tent onto the ground, and the entire living room was suddenly filled with the tent that had grown so large.
Lu Yanzheng stared at the scene in disbelief, resisting the urge to rub his eyes. "What... is the principle behind this?"
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
