FID – Chapter 571

Chapter 571: The Flood in Yunzhou

The atmosphere inside the main hall was unbearably heavy and oppressive.

Outside, the sound of the relentless rain poured down like an omen.

A death omen.

Liu Yusheng glanced at the crowd, pressing her lips together. “I think Chief An Cai is right. Instead of waiting for the yamen to provide aid, we should come up with our own solutions. At the very least, we can minimize our losses as much as possible.”

“Nannan, do you have any ideas?” Liu Jinfu asked immediately.

“Before the flood arrives, every village should evacuate its people and food supplies to a safer place. Right now, this is the only thing we can do to ensure everyone’s survival.”

This was the only feasible solution Liu Yusheng could think of at the moment. As for digging channels to divert the water or building embankments, those were simply unrealistic given the villages’ current conditions.

The villages were right next to the Qing River—where could they even divert the water to?

Not to mention, digging trenches and canals would take time. By the time they finished, the flood would have already arrived, making all their efforts futile.

Building embankments was even more out of the question.

No village had the manpower or resources to undertake such a massive project.

Once the flood hit, everything would be submerged. Nothing they did would stop it.

Right now, their only option was to run for their lives. The weight of that realization was suffocating.

The impending flood, the looming threat of death—it pressed down on everyone, making it hard to breathe.

“Then let’s start the evacuation. The Luofu Mountain at the village entrance is high enough, with plenty of rocks and trees, reducing the risk of landslides. There are also many caves on the mountain that can temporarily shelter people.”

“Since we’ve made our decision, we need to act fast. The floodwaters are already creeping into our doorsteps—we can’t afford to wait any longer.”

After finalizing the plan, everyone rushed back to notify the villagers and prepare for the evacuation.

“Grandpa, Grandma, we need to move quickly too. Look outside—the water is already seeping past the doorstep. Gather the most important things, and let’s head up the mountain.”

Liu Zhiqiu, Qian Wanjin, and Xue Qinglian, being the younger and more action-driven ones, immediately turned to pack their belongings.

The elders didn’t waste any time either. Within an hour, they had gathered everything essential for the evacuation.

“If we’re going up the mountain, we should go now. The rain is heavy, and the mountain path will be slippery. It’ll take a lot of effort to climb, and by the time we get there, the village below might already be underwater.” Grandpa Liu sighed.

“Father, Mother, what about the grain stored in the cellar? Should we move all of it up the mountain? The rain is too heavy—if we carry it out now, it’ll get soaked, and in a few days, it’ll start to mold…” Liu Erlin frowned.

“Leave the grain storage to me. Father, Second Uncle, you take Grandpa, Grandma, Mother, and Second Aunt up the mountain first. I’ll follow shortly.” Liu Yusheng said firmly.

“Nannan, how are you going to handle so much grain on your own? How about I stay and help you?”

“No need. You all go up the mountain first. Don’t worry about anything else.” After making sure the elders were properly covered with raincoats and pushing them out the door, Liu Yusheng called Liu Zhiqiu to follow her down into the cellar.

The underground storage was packed with large sacks of rice, along with dried vegetables that Grandma and Mother had prepared over time.

She wrapped a few sacks of rice in oil paper to protect them from water damage and had the three men each carry two sacks up the mountain first.

Looking at the remaining supplies in the cellar, Liu Yusheng pressed her lips together before silently transferring everything into her space.

To cover her tracks, she filled some sacks with random, unusable items from her space and left them in the farthest corner of the cellar. 

After the flood, those items would be soaked and rotted beyond recognition—no one would be able to tell what had been stored there, and at that point, no one would bother checking too closely.

It would be a coverup for her space.

The path to Luofu Mountain was packed with villagers from Xinghua Village and Xiapo Village.

As for the other villages, they each found their own suitable evacuation points.

The heavy rain and slippery mountain paths made the journey extremely difficult. Many people slipped and fell, getting covered in mud along the way.

Qian Wanjin, carrying two sacks of rice, wasn’t moving fast, but he was steady and composed.

Leaning in close to Liu Yusheng, he whispered, “Nannan, do you think we still have time to leave for the capital or another city? Would we make it?”

He really didn’t want to be stuck in a cave.

Who knew how long they’d have to wait for the floodwaters to recede?

By the time they got out, they might as well be wild people.

Liu Yusheng shot him a sideways glance. “Do you think a carriage can still get through? Or perhaps, are you planning to walk out of Yunzhou on foot?”

Qian Wanjin thought for a moment and then said, “Living in a cave doesn’t sound so bad. Some people go their whole lives without getting an experience like this.”

The people nearby: “…”

At a time like this, only their young master could still joke around.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted behind them, followed by a panicked scream.

“Look! Hurry, look! The flood! The flood is coming!”

Everyone still on the mountain path turned their heads, peering down through the heavy rain.

Even from a distance, they could clearly see the murky waters of the Qing River surging forward at an alarming speed. The river rapidly overflowed its banks, swallowing the surrounding fields with unstoppable force.

In the blink of an eye, both sides of the Qing River had turned into a vast expanse of water!

For a long moment, silence fell over the people on the mountain.

Their legs trembled.

It was the weakness that came from narrowly escaping disaster.

They had reached the mountain less than an hour ago!

Just a little later—just a little later, and they wouldn’t have made it out!

The rain continued to pour. The river kept raging, mercilessly swallowing homes, smashing through doors, and sweeping away everything left behind in the courtyards.

The villagers of both Xinghua and Xiapo stood frozen on the mountain path, unable to move for a long time.

They watched with their own eyes as their homeland—the place where their ancestors had lived for generations—was swallowed by the flood and destroyed. Some people broke down in tears.

The heartbreak was indescribable.

Liu Yusheng held tightly onto her grandmother’s hand, supporting her so she wouldn’t collapse to the ground.

Their home, located at the very end of the village yet the most prominent house in the entire area, had also been submerged.

From a distance, only a small portion of the rooftop remained visible above the water.

“Grandma, when the flood recedes, we’ll rebuild the house just like before.” Liu Yusheng gently comforted her, half-embracing the old woman.

“That’s right. It’s not the end of the world. This is a natural disaster—we couldn’t stop it. But as long as we’re alive, nothing else matters.” Grandpa Liu sighed, his voice carrying a slight tremor.

No matter how open-minded or strong-willed he was, the pain of loss was undeniable.

Standing slightly behind, Wei Hong held onto Chen Xiulan with one hand and Du Juan with the other, saying nothing.

Even though she had joined the Liu family midway, she had grown deeply attached to their home.

Watching it be destroyed before her very eyes—it was impossible for her not to feel grief.

In the Capital City, the King ‘s Manor.

Feng Qingbai unfolded the secret letter in his hands. With a single glance, his expression darkened as he abruptly stood up. His handsome face was as cold as frost.

Yunzhou floods!

Countless people have been affected by the disaster, and Xinghua Village is among them!

“Someone, prepare a horse! I’m heading to the palace!”

It was already nearing midnight.

Without even taking a carriage, Feng Qingbai rode straight to the imperial palace, stormed into the emperor’s chambers, and yanked Feng Mohan right off his dragon bed.

“Issue a decree! All surrounding prefectures must fully assist Yunzhou’s governor in disaster relief! Send people to search and rescue in Xinghua Village! I am departing for Yunzhou immediately!”

Feng Mohan thought he was still dreaming.

It wasn’t until he was thrown onto the floor, pain shooting through his backside, that he snapped awake in shock.

“Disaster relief? Imperial Uncle, did you just say Yunzhou is in trouble?!”