FID – Chapter 573

Chapter 573: Even If It Costs My Position, I Must Save the Liu Family First!

“I’m just a little better looking than you. Is it my fault for being naturally good-looking?” Liu Zhiqiu fumed.

If he had known he’d end up attracting a lunatic, he would never have gone to watch that opera in the first place!

“Alright, enough fooling around. I don’t think the county office is deliberately neglecting its duty. Based on Magistrate Kang’s character, he wouldn’t do such a thing. Look at the situation down there—I think they simply can’t make it through at the moment. Now that the rain has started to stop, if we wait another two days for the floodwaters to recede a bit, the rescue team should be able to get here,” Liu Yusheng said.

Even if Kang Shiming was playing favorites, there was still her eldest brother.

At this moment, her brother was probably beyond anxious.

“Nannan is right. Let’s wait a little longer. Honestly, our situation is already one of the better ones. Not a single person from our two villages was left behind; we all made it up the mountain,” Liu Dalin said. “Other villages might not be as lucky. Once the flood recedes, I fear there will be many funerals.”

That heavy statement instantly erased the lighthearted atmosphere that Qian Wanjin and Liu Zhiqiu had just stirred up.

Everyone’s expressions turned somber once again.

Natural disasters were the greatest fear of common folk.

“This year has truly been full of misfortunes,” Grandpa Liu sighed. “We barely got through the snow disaster at the start of the year, and now there’s a flood. Half a year of hard work has all gone to waste.”

“Thankfully, Nannan and Young Master Qian expanded the winery this year, so people could work there and save up some extra money. Once the flood is over, it won’t be as hard for us to recover.”

“That’s why we should try to stay positive. At least we’re all still alive, and as long as we are, we’ve preserved our greatest wealth, haven’t we?” Liu Yusheng reassured everyone in a calm and steady tone, soothing their restless hearts bit by bit. “Once the flood passes, we’ll rebuild our homes and continue living our lives prosperously. I refuse to believe that Heaven would continuously torment us common folks!”

“That’s right, everyone, pull yourselves together! It’s not a big deal. What’s done is done—we just have to look forward!” Qian Wanjin clenched his fist and shouted, bringing a few smiles to people’s faces.

Meanwhile, at the Yunzhou Prefectural Office, just as the Liu family feared, Liu Zhixia was in turmoil.

As the prefect, he had been receiving a flood of emergency reports from various counties and towns under his jurisdiction—one after another. Among them was a report from Xiangshan County.

On the list of disaster-stricken villages, Xinghua Village was prominently included.

Liu Zhixia’s face turned pale on the spot, and a wave of panic and fear gripped his heart. It took all his strength to suppress those emotions and force himself to remain calm.

He was the prefect. He had to stay composed in order to issue clear commands, ensuring that the rescue efforts proceeded swiftly and smoothly.

There was no room for him to lose control.

After dispatching a series of urgent orders, Liu Zhixia immediately gathered his men from the office, preparing to leave for Xiangshan County.

“Zhixia!” Fu Yuzheng, cradling her belly, rushed into the inner hall with the help of a maid. She had packed water and dry rations into a bundle, which she handed to him. “Be careful on the way! You must bring Grandfather, Grandmother, Father, and Mother back safely! I’ll be waiting here for you!”

“Don’t worry—I won’t leave anyone behind.” After hugging his wife tightly for a moment, Liu Zhixia then instructed the maid, “Take good care of your Madam.”

“Yes, my lord.”

With the situation urgent, Liu Zhixia hurriedly departed.

Fu Yuzheng stood at the yamen gate, watching as his figure disappeared into the distance. Then, without hesitation, she stepped out of the yamen herself.

“Madam, the city is flooded—Yunzhou has also been affected. The streets are in chaos, filled with dirty water everywhere. Carriages can’t be used. It would be best if you stayed in the residence and waited for Master to return…”

“Come and support me—we’re going to the Ding residence.” Fu Yuzheng ignored the maid’s concerns. The murky water in the streets rose past her shoes, soaking the hem of her dress, but she paid no mind.

She was six months pregnant now. When trouble struck her family, she couldn’t go with them to help. In her current condition, she would only add to Zhixia’s burden if she went. But she could stay in the prefecture capital and do what was within her power.

They say heaven favors those who do good. As long as she tried her best to help more people and do more good deeds, the heavens would surely protect her grandparents and parents-in-law.

They would be safe!

What was usually a journey of just over an hour on horseback took Liu Zhixia and his guards more than twice as long this time.

The road conditions slowed the horses’ speed, and the closer they got to the county town, the worse the situation became. Toward the end, they barely dared to proceed—murky floodwaters were everywhere, growing deeper and deeper. With each step, they couldn’t tell whether they’d suddenly plunge into a ditch or pond, horse and rider alike.

On the streets, the water reached the waists of grown men. The flood had ravaged the town, toppling many weaker houses and courtyard walls. Scattered everywhere were stools, chairs, bamboo baskets, broken wooden planks, and clothing that the townspeople hadn’t had time to save before the waters rushed in.

The murky floodwaters, along with the debris floating on the surface, made the scene look filthy and chaotic.

Inside the county yamen, Kang Shiming stood atop a courtroom table, his soaked official robes clinging to him as he directed the constables in their rescue efforts. He had never been in such a wretched state

As Liu Zhixia waded through the water into the hall, he happened to witness Kang Shiming nearly throwing his official hat to the ground in frustration.

“This subordinate greets the Prefect!” Seeing Liu Zhixia arrive in person was both unexpected and expected for Kang Shiming.

Xinghua Village was the governor’s hometown—his most important people were all there. There was no way he wouldn’t be deeply concerned.

“Lord Kang, you’ve worked hard. What’s the current situation in the villages?” Liu Zhixia skipped any pleasantries and got straight to the point, noting the exhaustion and bloodshot eyes of the man before him.

“I’ve been coordinating the rescue efforts, but the full extent of the damage is still unknown. Cangwu Town is especially difficult to reach—it’s completely submerged, and we can’t get in at all!” Kang Shiming reported.

In the past few days, he had been prioritizing the rescue of the villagers from Xinghua Village. He hadn’t slept in two days and was burning with anxiety just the same.

Of all the villages in the prefecture, Xinghua Village was the one he valued the most—it was the hope of the entire Xiangshan County!

However, the Qing River had flooded, its waters raging and spreading uncontrollably. Attempting to navigate a boat upstream was incredibly difficult, as the current kept pushing them back. Several boats had been swept away, causing the loss of both equipment and personnel.

“Pass down my orders! I’ve brought reinforcements—prepare a few wooden boats for me. I will personally lead the rescue mission!”

“My lord!”

“Follow my orders!”

“Yes, my lord!”

The wooden boats, carrying government soldiers and Liu Zhixia’s personal guards, set off under his command, heading straight for Xinghua Village.

Liu Zhixia knew every inch of Xinghua Village, allowing him to skillfully avoid the Qing River’s deeper currents even amidst the vast floodwaters, significantly speeding up their journey.

Along the way, they managed to rescue many people, all of whom were handed over to Kang Shiming for safe relocation. Liu Zhixia, however, had no time to concern himself with anything else—his only focus was reaching Xinghua Village as quickly as possible.

He was an official, but he was also a child of the Liu family. In times like these, he couldn’t afford to treat all the people as his own children!

Even if it cost him his position, he would save his family first!

At the top of Luofu Mountain, Wei Hong took the lead, striding ahead. Behind him, more than a dozen villagers from both villages worked together, heaving and chanting as they carried a massive creature. Their faces were filled with excitement.

When they finally threw the thing down at the entrance of the cave, gasps of astonishment erupted from within.

A few children, after recovering from their shock, broke free from their parents’ grasp and ran up to take a closer look.

“A black bear! It’s a black bear!”

“Yes! A black bear! Dahong took it down—one strike, instant kill! She’s incredible!”

“We’re having meat tonight!”