Chapter 180: 187. Those Who Advocate Abandoning the City Can Be Beheaded!

187. Those Who Advocate Abandoning the City Can Be Beheaded!

"Bad, hurry up and notify Magistrate Ouyang. Upstream of Butterfly Creek, from Peng Lang Ferry to Yue Nu Gorge, all eleven water level monuments have broken the highest water level line since they were set up..."

"Something big is bad, hurry up and find Magistrate Ouyang to dispatch manpower. The water level is too high, the thick wall blocking the water in the second phase of the Zhe Yi Canal is in jeopardy, and river water has already leaked into the Zhe Yi Canal..."

"It's over, it's over! Near Yue Nu Gorge, which is close to Yunmeng Marsh, two villages have already been washed away by mudslides. When the subordinates came, they saw that the people upstream were all fleeing to the county town downstream..."

"Magistrate, Magistrate! The water level at Digong Sluice is too high. The people left behind asked you whether to stay or withdraw... Some people on duty at the sluice have already started to flee..."

From Digong Sluice in the south to Peng Lang Ferry in the north, urgent messages from the upper and lower reaches of Butterfly Creek were rapidly gathering at the ancient county government on Luming Street in Longcheng County.

Like shock waves, they were challenging the nerves of the county officials, which were as tight as strings. Some people had already lost their composure.

Ouyang Rong rushed into the messy county government hall alone.

Assistant Magistrate Diao, Yan Liulang, the six-department officials, government office runners, and messengers... the crowd gathered here had lost their footing. They were like ants on a hot pot, surrounding Ouyang Rong one after another.

Ouyang Rong reached out to support the clerk who was running in a panic and about to fall in front of him, turned his head, and the crowd surrounding him spoke all at once. Ouyang Rong only felt that the whole world around him was covered by overwhelming sound waves, and there was not even a gap for him to breathe.

"Magistrate! What should we do? The rain has stopped downstream, but the heavy rain in Yunmeng Marsh upstream has not stopped for a moment, and it has been raining for four days and four nights! What should we do!"

"Magistrate, some wealthy families and gentry in the county heard the wind and have already started to run away. At Peng Lang Ferry, it is crowded with ships prepared by wealthy families, all dragging their families to board the ships... Other people are also panicked, and the county town has started to become chaotic..."

"Magistrate, the last flood was like this too! If the rain in Yunmeng Marsh upstream continues to fall like this, and the water level continues to rise, once the Digong Sluice is washed away, the farmland and houses on both sides of Butterfly Creek for a hundred miles downstream to our county town will be flooded again!"

"Our hard work is ruined, all ruined..."

It seemed that the things that happened in the last flood were vividly visible, and the shadow once again shrouded everyone's hearts. The county government hall, which was orderly in the afternoon, was now like a boiling pot of water, hot and scalding.

Only when a real disaster is imminent can one deeply realize that compared to unknown natural disasters, the panic before the disaster is the terrifying wave that collapses all order.

Seemingly infected by the emotions in the hall, Ouyang Rong's eyes flickered, and once again flashed the scene of the flood-flooded Longcheng he saw when he climbed out of the Pure Land Palace that morning and looked south from Mount Dagu.

That was... corpses everywhere and blood all over the city.

Just then, Yan Liulang leaned over, his expression worried, and whispered:

"Magistrate, why not let Miss Weilai and the others from Meilin Courtyard leave by boat first? It just so happens that there are dozens of large ships you borrowed from Jiangzhou at Peng Lang Ferry. Take one..."

Whispered by the blue-clothed catcher, the young magistrate's body paused. "What let Meilin Courtyard leave first?"

Ouyang Rong, who had been silent, suddenly questioned loudly. The voice resounded through the audience, and the surrounding noise stopped one after another.

"Say it again, I didn't hear clearly. What do you mean by letting my family members from Meilin Courtyard leave by boat first?!"

Ouyang Rong questioned again in front of the whole audience.

The hall was completely silent. Someone felt that the rain and thunder that had been bombing their eardrums outside the hall seemed to have become much smaller.

The county officials looked sideways.

Yan Liulang stayed in place, staring blankly at Ouyang Rong, who was looking straight ahead and not turning his head to look at him, but whose words seemed to be a scolding to him alone.

Thinking he had accidentally touched a reverse scale, the blue-clothed catcher blushed in front of countless gazes and opened his mouth to argue. However, Ouyang Rong's decisive words interrupted him:

"My family members in Meilin Courtyard will not leave by boat!

"The dozens of official ships at Peng Lang Ferry wharf will not move either! I said it before, but you didn't seem to listen, but I don't mind repeating it again."

He looked straight ahead:

"This batch of official ships borrowed from Jiangzhou is used for disaster relief and water governance, not for me or anyone else to escape!"

Yan Liulang was stunned, vaguely realizing that the young magistrate's words didn't seem to be directed at him alone.

The gazes in the hall gathered silently, and the officials who were originally panicked and wanted to slip out also quietly stopped their steps.

Ouyang Rong took a deep breath, looked around the audience, raised his right palm, and slashed the air diagonally: "Including me, public property for private use, those who advocate abandoning the city can be beheaded!"

The atmosphere in the hall froze.

Ouyang Rong suddenly withdrew his expression, with a disdainful sneer on his face, and waved his sleeves violently: "And why run? No need to run!

"With me here, with everyone in the county government here, with all the officials and people of Longcheng County here, with the Zhe Yi Canal here, and with the efforts made over so many days here.

"The Digong Sluice will not collapse, and the flood will not flood Longcheng again!

"Running away in a panic and ignorance, ignoring the colleagues who are currently at the forefront of the Digong Sluice, turning your back to the flood, and burying your head in the mud is ridiculous, a great joke in the world! It is a coward who will be recorded in the Longcheng County Annals after a hundred years to be shamed by the villagers of a hundred generations!"

Ouyang Rong grabbed the Longcheng County Annals, which had long been used as a decoration on the official desk, raised it to the crowd, shook it, and smashed it hard on the ground.

He brushed aside the crowd who were either stunned or lowering their heads, walked out of the county government hall with big strides: "Go, go to Digong Sluice! Those who are not cowards, follow me!"

The young magistrate took the lead and plunged into the pitch-black rain curtain.

In the hall behind him, after a moment of silence, some rushed forward with hot blood, some followed in a daze, and some hesitated, wandered in place for a while, and then dragged their steps to follow the large army outside...

The entire Longcheng County government was quickly gathered, surrounding the figure of a certain young magistrate who was acting vigorously. Lei Sheng rumbled in the sky.

Like a beast roaring, and like a god's anger. Half an hour later.

Peng Lang Ferry. Figures were everywhere.

In the fine rain, countless torches illuminated this wharf brightly. It was even livelier than during the day.

Not long ago, under the rapid response and command of a young magistrate, the county government catchers urgently controlled the wharf.

Dozens of official ships borrowed from Jiangzhou before, and temporarily requisitioned civilian ships, were gathered together, and under the coordination of the original disaster relief camp's young and strong men led by Liu Ashan, they were ready to go.

Everyone acted according to the plan, boarded the ships one after another, received their tasks, and took advantage of the slightly calmer waves and the water level not yet being too outrageous to affect normal navigation, quickly sailed away from the ferry, and were dispatched by the young magistrate to various parts of Longcheng County, among which the ships going to Digong Sluice at Yue Nu Gorge were the most numerous.

At this moment, the boarding entrance of a certain large ship preparing to sail to Digong Sluice was illuminated by several torches. "Magistrate, your subordinate will help you."

Yan Liulang took the umbrella, stepped forward a few steps, supported Ouyang Rong, and helped him board the ship. Ouyang Rong glanced at him and boarded the ship without saying a word.

Hua Xuanji after, Yan Liulang also boarded the ship with agile movements, but was immediately blocked by a large hand. Liu Ashan pulled Yan Liulang to a quiet place at the stern of the ship.

Like everyone busy on the ship, Ouyang Rong was also wearing a coir raincoat. At this time, he stood alone at the stern with his hands behind his back, waiting in the fine rain. As a background, silver-white electric snakes crawled all over a corner of the night sky. "Magistrate?"

"You stay." Ouyang Rong said without turning his head.

"How can your subordinate not go!"

"You and Assistant Magistrate Diao stay in the county. As for Digong Sluice, Ashan and I will go. If the water sluice collapses, it won't be short of you..." He whispered: "Besides, you have other important things to do."

"The water sluice collapses? Isn't the Magistrate saying..." Yan Liulang paused, stunned: "Wh... what important thing." "When I am not here, maintain the security of the county these two days, and prevent the Liu family side..."

"In addition, regardless of those wealthy families who ran away, the remaining people of Longcheng, and the families of the county government colleagues, you and the catcher class under your hand will gather them all and take them to Mount Dagu."

"Mount Dagu?"

"That's right, I have already sent Assistant Magistrate Diao to arrange it. Move the disaster relief camp that has not been disbanded in the suburbs to the mountain. The terrain there is high and suitable for all the people in the county to take refuge during the flood.

"I have also greeted Donglin Temple over there. You can just take the people up directly. If you can't live there, live in the temple. Six Battalion Commander of Longcheng people, one Mount Dagu can hold them. Try not to miss anyone.

"Our ships are leaving, so you go to mobilize everyone immediately. This water is rising too fast. If it rises at the current speed, it might be too late if it is delayed for another day.

"Be sure to bring all the people in the county to Mount Dagu and settle them down. Just say it is the arrangement of the county government, the order of the Magistrate, and the instruction of the imperial court!

"Don't force yourself to bring the pots, pans, gold, and silver jewelry that you can't take away. If people are there, the land is there. If people and land are both lost, if people are there and land is lost, people and land are both there.

"Remember what I told you that day, at worst, start over. Even if the flood floods Longcheng, it will always recede. You can rebuild it later..."

The young magistrate gave instructions in great detail.

Liu Ashan turned his head silently, looking at the coir raincoat shadow at the bow of the ship that was occasionally illuminated by the snow-white electric snakes in the sky.

Yan Liulang, who was preparing to take orders, heard the strange word "you", and his eyelids jumped. The more he listened, the more it sounded like some kind of entrustment.

Yan Liulang wanted to interrupt, but Ouyang Rong didn't give him a chance, nagging all the way.

Until the ship was ready to sail, Liu Ashan coughed to remind him, and he stopped, waving his hand to the back without turning his head.

"Get off the ship, here, I leave it to Liulang."

Yan Liulang couldn't help but say:

"Magistrate, didn't you say in the county government just now that Digong Sluice would not collapse? We can hold it, why let your subordinate gather everyone to go up the mountain to take refuge now..."

Yan Liulang's words stuttered.

In fact, the rain in Longcheng County downstream tonight was not heavy, it was a fine rain with oblique wind, and the wind and waves on Butterfly Creek were not big, quite calm.

However, everyone on the field knew that the heavy rain that had not stopped for several days around Yunmeng Marsh upstream was the culprit. Along with the rising water, a certain big flood was brewing in this calm, just waiting to see if the newly built Digong Sluice could hold on.

At this moment, the stern of the ship in the fine rain also fell into a strange silence. Ouyang Rong, who was blocking the rain with a coir raincoat, turned his head.

On that pitch-black face under the straw hat, a pair of deep and calm eyes made Yan Liulang stop his mouth. He already understood.

"Yes."

The blue-clothed catcher lowered his head and clasped his fists slowly.

Seemingly the atmosphere was a bit heavy, Ouyang Rong smiled suddenly:

"What are you thinking? With me here, the sluice will not collapse. This arrangement is just in case. You just do your own thing. When I come back, on a sunny day, let's go drink tea at Yunshui Pavilion."

Yan Liulang opened his mouth, wanting to say that the health tea business at Yunshui Pavilion was ordered to be rectified by you, Magistrate. Could it be that you ordered it to be changed back?

But in the end, he didn't say it. "Take care, Magistrate."

Yan Liulang whispered, and finally got off the ship and went away without turning his head.

After sending the person away, Ouyang Rong let out a long sigh, looked back at the familiar Longcheng County in the night, turned around to face the upstream of Butterfly Creek, and waved his hand to order.

After a while, at Peng Lang Ferry, official ships sailed out one after another. On Butterfly Creek, the wind and waves were getting higher and higher.

Ouyang Rong and others rushed to the upstream overnight.

Along the way, they could see from time to time on both sides of Butterfly Creek, villagers who had abandoned their houses fleeing to Longcheng County.

Once a big flood comes, the closer to Yue Nu Gorge upstream, the more dangerous it is. The current signs of rising water naturally made the villagers of the villages under Longcheng County near Yue Nu Gorge worried, and they left their homes one after another.

On the way to Digong Sluice, Ouyang Rong was not idle either, sending county government officials to both sides of Butterfly Creek to organize the refugees to go to Longcheng County in an orderly manner.

According to the instructions he left behind, in Longcheng County, Yan Liulang and the others should be trying their best to organize the people of Longcheng to go to the preset refuge camp on Mount Dagu.

Facing the cold wind, thinking of the layout of Longcheng County, thinking of the junior sister far away, thinking of the familiar maids in the house like Ye Weilai who should be transferred to the mountain by Liulang in time, Ouyang Rong felt a little relieved, and his eyes became firm.

However, as the ship got closer and closer to Digong Sluice.

Not only was the rain more than they expected, but the wind and waves were also getting bigger.

Ouyang Rong and others also found that the water flow in the river had become muddy. Between the mountains on both sides, there were wild animals fleeing.

Upstream, there were also huge sounds different from thunder from time to time, as if it were a mudslide that poured down for a hundred miles. Ouyang Rong's eyes had a moment of trance.

He clearly remembered the huge sound like thunder outside the palace when he tried to climb out of the cave entrance when he first arrived at the Pure Land Palace.

It should have been the sound of the old Digong Sluice being washed away overnight. So, is it coming again?

Fortunately, this time it seemed that there was no Liu family making trouble. Ouyang Rong and others were terrified for half the night, and the sound of the sluice collapsing like the thunder of the end of the world never came.

Finally, before the third watch, a huge water sluice with dark clouds overhead slowly appeared in the vision of everyone on the ship.

Before they could breathe a sigh of relief, looking from afar, behind the Digong Sluice, above the nine hundred miles of vast Yunmeng Marsh, were thick dark clouds as black as ink.

Pressing on the head of Digong Sluice.

Compared with it, Digong Sluice was like a narrow, thin wooden board inserted at the only flood discharge outlet of a pond. Leaking water from all four gaps.

Shaking and about to break. ===== CHAPTER 181 =====

Shaking as if about to shatter.