Chapter 561: Predicting Earthquakes by Observing Animal Anomalies

This is a big problem!

Li Xiang fell silent for a moment. "Yes, this is also unrealistic; in the ancient societies he knows they used divination and the stars to forecast, but they wouldn't."

Suddenly, Nan Qinghuan thought of something. "I know a method; it's very effective."

When those words were spoken, Li Xiang and Jiguang looked at her with delight. "What method?"

Nan Qinghuan hurriedly told Jiguang and Li Xiang what she had thought. After listening, they thought the method was quite good.

Hire a person who raises chickens and another who raises fish; these animals stay on the ground. If an earthquake truly were to occur here, they would sense it immediately.

Then it would be easy to predict, allowing people to evacuate early.

"I think this method is good, Nan Qinghuan. Go back and tell Ying to do this, and not only that, also spread knowledge about earthquakes, telling everyone how to stay safe?"

"Alright, I'll leave this to senior brother to handle. I'm going to find Ying."

"Okay, I'll write it, and then post it all over the city."

The three went their separate ways. After night fell, Nan Qinghuan found Ying on the construction site, where he was giving orders; she stood there silently watching him.

Ying is now the City Lord, but the town's development has exceeded her expectations; the population keeps growing, and she can no longer see any trace of the former Ying Tribe.

Everywhere outside is city, brightly lit; of course, the forests have all given way to the people, and there are no forests left here.

It's all houses and streets.

Across Jiuzhou Dadi, this young city is thriving and developing, and the arrival of many people has infused fresh blood into it.

Now, there are shops, taverns, weaving workshops, and even places for men to amuse themselves.

She cannot stop this, nor does she want to; without it, how could the economy develop? The place already has an ancient flavor, yet occasionally some Ancient People wearing Grass Skirts wander the main street, making you feel it's still ancient.

Only, it's a civilized ancient.

"Qinghuan"

A short distance away, after Ying finished his work, he saw Nan Qinghuan waiting for him here; she hurried forward, but because his hands were stained with mud, he didn't reach out to her, fearing to soil her.

"Are you tired?"

She took out a silk handkerchief to wipe Ying's sweat, but Ying shook his head and chuckled, "Not tired. Why did you come?"

"I've been waiting for you, Ying. I have something to discuss with you, about earthquakes."

Ying had been smiling, but upon hearing "earthquake" his expression soured; he had experienced an earthquake a few days earlier while at the Giant Tribe, when the ground shook. The rebels thought it was a punishment from the Heavenly God; many surrendered. Though his people were unharmed, many animals died.

This made Ying truly averse to earthquakes.

Thus, his complexion was not pleasant.

"What's wrong? Could a great earthquake really happen here?"

He misunderstood Nan Qinghuan as saying an earthquake would occur here, thinking all their efforts were in vain. Nan Qinghuan, seeing his fear, quickly denied, "I'm not saying an earthquake will happen here; I'm saying we have a way to predict earthquakes, so people won't panic, and they'll know it's not a punishment from the Heavenly God, just a natural disaster."

Indeed, she has always wanted to popularize science, so people needn't be so frightened; if it does come, as long as lives are protected, other material things can be restored.

Human life is the most precious.

Only once.

It must be cherished.

Having heard Nan Qinghuan, Ying didn't fully understand, but he knew there was no earthquake for now; he exhaled, chuckling, "Good that there's no earthquake. So how do we predict it?"

That night, Nan Qinghuan and her spouse discussed the matter; Ying naturally agreed. The next day, after Li Xiang finished writing the earthquake precautions, Ying had people post them in conspicuous places.

The Common People were afraid of earthquakes yesterday, but today, hearing it wasn't a punishment from the Heavenly God, they all came out to watch the commotion; moreover, Ying, after hearing Nan Qinghuan, hired two people—one who raises fish and one who raises chickens.

If these animals show any movement, they will immediately report to the couple, providing information for earthquake prediction.

The city's residents gradually came to believe Nan Qinghuan's words, thinking they could live peacefully without earthquakes. However, some of the tribe members didn't trust her; they immediately stopped working, spent all the money they had saved, ate whatever they wanted, bought whatever clothes they desired, and within a day completed all the things they wanted to do.

But, that night they acted foolishly.

Because there was no earthquake, life had to go on.

Thus, after a few such upheavals, everyone gradually felt at ease, and no one anymore spread rumors of a great earthquake here.

Early the next morning, Nan Qinghuan was in the house making noodles for Ying to eat; the two children were under his care. Today she prepared scallion noodles—small noodles she made herself, kneading flour until supple, rolling it by hand into tiny strands, then boiling them in a pot.

That day, a torrential rain poured down outside.

Because it rained, Ying didn't continue overseeing the construction of the Great Wall and stayed home to play with the children.

Mengmeng had already gotten to know dad and mom, was very cute, constantly clung to Ying to play, even liked to ride on his neck and urinate; Ying never got angry, instead smiled warmly while washing the little one's bottom.

Everyone in Kuaihuo City knew Ying adored Mengmeng; Beibei was his son, and comparatively had a less fortunate fate, because as his son, Ying never spoiled him.

Moreover, he was very strict.

For example now, he makes Beibei walk back and forth; Beibei dislikes walking and wants Ying to carry him, to be pampered like his sister, but receives Ying's cold stare.

The little one, seeing his father so stern, could only obediently walk.

He walked while crying; the sight was truly comical.

Hearing the child cry, Nan Qinghuan was speechless. "Ying, what's wrong with Beibei?"

"He fell. I let him get up and walk again."

The two also disagreed on child‑rearing; hearing her son cry, Nan Qinghuan became very anxious, abandoning the noodles and rushing to the main hall; when she saw her son lying on the ground crying, she was furious.

"How did he fall, and you don't pick him up?"

"I won't pick him up; he's big enough to learn to stand on his own."

"You…"

Nan Qinghuan was at a loss for words; seeing his solemn demeanor made her angry. Was this man treating the child as a prodigy? A half‑year‑old understands nothing, yet he insists on training him. Irritated, she scooped the child up. After being lifted, Beibei, seeing his mother, cried even more sorrowfully, truly feeling aggrieved.

"Wah‑wah…"

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