Chapter 1501: Natural and Man-made Disasters

The agricultural proverb says, a gale does not last the morning, and a downpour does not last the evening. But in the 40th year of Jiajing, the downpour of the Dragon Boat Festival flood on the Xin'an River lasted for three days and nights...

"The levee has breached! The levee has breached!"

"Run quickly, the water is flooding in!"

The heavy rain did not stop, and the thunder rumbled. Inside and outside Chun'an County, there was a clamor, with gongs and drums beating so loudly that even the rumbling thunder was drowned out.

The sound of banging on the door rang out. Without waiting for the owner's consent, the minor official, who was already soaked by the heavy rain, pushed open the door and broke in.

He didn't bother to wipe the rain off his face, even though it had already gotten into his eyes. He still widened his eyes and said in a panic: "Third Master, it's bad! The Xin'an River has breached! The water has already flooded over! Second Master asked me to notify you to go over and discuss matters immediately."

With disheveled hair and wearing white undergarments, Wang Yan put down the book in his hand, casually gathered his hair, tied it up with a green hairpin, picked up a blue silk outer garment to put on, stepped into official boots, and walked out first while holding an umbrella.

After walking in the county office for a while, Wang Yan arrived at the main hall of the county office.

The County Magistrate Chang Boxi, County Assistant Tian Youlu, Police Chief Zhang Song, and the heads of the Works and Household departments were all in place. Only Wang Yan, the third-in-command Registrar, was the last to arrive.

"Registrar Wang, the Xin'an River has breached, and the county has been flooded. Our county has been submerged. I estimate that the outside is already a vast expanse of water."

Chang Boxi looked serious as he looked at Wang Yan and said, "Registrar Wang, you have just arrived at your post, and I have handed over the important responsibilities of the Household and Works departments to you..."

Wang Yan shook his head: "County Magistrate, you are really not a good thing. Damn it, I've only been at my post for two days. It was already raining heavily when I arrived, and all affairs were arranged by you, the County Magistrate. At this time, you want me to take the blame for you? Do you think the two departments and the Governor's office are just for show?"

"Wang Yan! How dare you be so rude?" Chang Boxi was angry and shouted loudly.

Tian Youlu, with his thief-like eyebrows and rat-like eyes, also jumped up: "That's right, Wang Yan! How dare you talk to the Magistrate like that? I will definitely report this matter truthfully to the Censorate."

The Censorate is another name for the Censorate officials, whose department is the Censorate. They are in charge of supervision, impeachment, and suggestions. They not only have the power to supervise judicial organs but also have the power to "decide on major matters and make decisions on minor ones." It is the highest supervisory organ of the Ming Dynasty.

This is a normal reporting procedure, equivalent to directly finding the Discipline Inspection Commission. Or reporting to the higher-level prefecture-level leaders, which is to cover up the matter and handle it internally.

There are also abnormal reporting procedures, such as finding secret service agencies like the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot. Generally speaking, they can really be sent directly to the Emperor's desk. Of course, whether one can survive oneself is another matter.

"You get out too!"

Wang Yan scolded, "Do you think I'm a fool? I heard on the way here that the imperial court wants to change rice to mulberry, and Hangzhou needs to change 500,000 mu of fields to mulberry trees. A while ago, you trampled on rice seedlings with horses and destroyed farmland, causing such a big scene that Minister Hu personally brought General Qi to suppress it.

It's only been a few days since this happened, and the Xin'an River has breached? Ah? Chang Boxi, Tian Youlu, do you two really not know how this levee breached? Such a big thing, you two, are going to be beheaded."

Wang Yan's gloomy voice echoed in the empty main hall of the Chun'an County Office, and Chang Boxi couldn't help but shiver.

He still braced himself and pointed at Wang Yan: "You yellow-mouthed child, what do you know? The flood prevention work for the Dragon Boat Festival was taken over by the Riverway Office. Our people were not used to patrol the river at all."

"Then why are you trying to shift the blame to me? Chang Boxi, you are the County Magistrate. The riverway of Chun'an is your responsibility. If there is a problem, you can't run away. It's the middle of the night now, and the common people are sleeping. They can't react at all. How many people will drown?

Do you think others can protect you? Don't dream! Such a big thing must have an explanation. Who will give the explanation? It's you, Chang Boxi! Still dreaming of getting promoted later? Ten beheadings are not enough for you!"

Wang Yan snorted coldly, and then looked at the Police Chief, Works, and Household heads who were watching the fun on the side, "It's already this time, what's there to discuss? I just arrived, and no matter what, it has nothing to do with me. You will all suffer the consequences.

The fields were flooded, and those people above made a fortune, but you didn't get a share. You still have to help seize the fields of the common people. When the time comes for punishment, you will be the first to die.

Still in the mood to watch my fun? Ah? Hurry up, the Household head go and guard the granary, don't let the granary be flooded. The Works head, hurry up and take people to the riverway for emergency repairs, block as much as you can.

"You, as the Commandant, shouldn't be idle either. Take the yamen runners and the idlers to maintain order; arrest anyone who takes advantage of the situation to cause trouble. Whoever dares to act maliciously at a time like this must be dealt with. Also, quickly assemble the local militia and village guards to go and block the dike breach for me!"

No one spoke, and their eyes fell on Chang Boxi.

Wang Yan slapped the Police Chief in the face. This person, known as the Fourth Master in the yamen, covered his burning face in disbelief.

With a "pop," Wang Yan slapped him again and kicked him to the ground, "Damn it, Chang Boxi is going to be beheaded, and you still dare to listen to him and let him make the decision? Are you tired of living and want to go with him?

Hurry up and get out to work. At this time, whoever makes a mistake, I will behead them. If I can't live, no one will live! Second Master, do you have any opinions?"

Tian Youlu looked at the fierce Wang Yan and the inscrutable Chang Boxi, and shook his head dejectedly: "I will listen to the Third Master."

Wang Yan's sudden outburst was too fierce, and he was afraid that if he said a few more words, Wang Yan would really kill him. So although he was unconvinced, he didn't dare to say much at this time.

Tian Youlu spoke, and the others naturally didn't hesitate anymore. They looked at Chang Boxi one by one and ran out in a panic to gather manpower to solve the problem.

Wang Yan was right; in the end, they would really suffer the consequences. Especially the original river patrol personnel and the relevant supervisors, this series of people would all be implicated.

If the people above wanted to characterize this incident as a construction quality problem, then the people who provided materials and the laborers who built the levee would also be implicated.

Obviously, in the original plan, Yan Shifan and others above had this idea. And the final characterization was also a quality problem, not announced as man-made.

But the people who should have died didn't escape, and they were all killed one after another, which can be considered another kind of explanation that is very in line with the style of political struggle...

Only Chang Boxi, Tian Youlu, and Wang Yan were left in the hall.

Chang Boxi sat on the chair and took a sip of tea: "Wang Yan, you don't really think I'm dead, do you?" He was quite leisurely again.

"You don't think you can still live, do you, Magistrate?" Wang Yan shook his head repeatedly, "Where does your connection reach? Can it reach the Cabinet? How much money do you have? How many people can you feed?"

"Wang Yan, I really don't know!" Chang Boxi emphasized his tone.

Wang Yan smiled indifferently: "Then you are a confused ghost. People didn't let you patrol the river, so you withdrew the people. You say it has nothing to do with you, then tell me, where is the official document? Whose seal is on it? There isn't one, right? Now the levee has breached, Chun'an has suffered a disaster, and the losses are heavy.

You have been in Chun'an for more than two years, right? At this time, you say you don't know anything and it has nothing to do with you. Who will listen to you? Who will believe you? Do you have a chance to speak?

In Chun'an, you are the Magistrate, you are the Second Master, and I am the Third Master, but the Police Chief and the heads of the departments below, who really take us seriously? Aren't they all fooling us? We are flowing officials who will leave in three years, but they are the masters of Chun'an for a lifetime.

There is always someone higher than an official. In Chun'an, your words may not even work, let alone outside Chun'an? And let alone such a big thing? A small County Magistrate, the two departments, the Governor's office, which one can't kill you, Chang Boxi?"

Tian Youlu said hesitantly: "Third Master, things can't be said so absolutely. The Magistrate didn't do anything, so he shouldn't be sentenced to death, right?"

Chang Boxi also snorted. Without the knife on his neck, he didn't believe he was bound to die.

Wang Yan said strangely: "You two masters must have handled many cases. Should everyone be sentenced? Are those sentenced to death really guilty? There are many common people who didn't do anything wrong, aren't they still handled by you? How come when you become the meat on the chopping board, you can't see the situation clearly? How can you say such things?"

"The imperial court wants to change rice to mulberry. This matter was proposed by Cabinet Minister Yan, intended by the Emperor, and responsible by the Junior Cabinet Minister. The Zhejiang Provincial Administration, the Surveillance Commission, and the Governor's Office are all people of the two Cabinet Ministers. Minister Hu is also a disciple of Cabinet Minister Yan. I don't know how many people are waiting to get rich behind. If you don't die, how can this matter end? How can they get rich?"

"It's already this time, not thinking about how to save your life, but still trying to shirk the responsibility of disaster relief, Chang Boxi, you really deserve to die."

With a cold snort, Wang Yan flicked his sleeves and left.

Chang Boxi, who looked ugly, and Tian Youlu, who was thoughtful, were left sitting in the hall...

Wang Yan left the hall. A minor official helped him put on a coir raincoat, and he walked into the rain.

The rain was really heavy, like a downpour. Even though he wore a coir raincoat, he couldn't stop the erosion of the rain. After walking a few steps, Wang Yan was already soaked, but it was much better than being poured directly by the heavy rain.

He walked out the door and saw more people rushing to the county office. Under the introduction of the minor official on the side, people knew that he was the new Third Master, so they listened to his arrangements and dispersed to do things.

Some went to contact doctors and medicine, some went to get food to ensure disaster relief work, and some went to find various tools, preparing to go outside the city to fight the flood.

As for reporting the danger to the higher-ups, Chang Boxi had already sent someone to report to the prefecture office as soon as he knew...

"Third Master, Third Master..."

Wang Yan looked at Tian Youlu strangely and said: "Second Master, why are you so polite to me?"

"I am also caught in the middle and in a difficult position, not targeting you." Tian Youlu had a kind smile on his face.

"Is that so? Second Master is not afraid that the Magistrate will not die?"

"He will lose his official position even if he doesn't die. There can't be such a big thing without an explanation from below, right? That would be deliberately deceiving the Emperor, right? That's what really deserves beheading. You are newly appointed, and I don't know anything. We must work together to fight the flood and provide disaster relief. After this flood passes and the fields are all changed, then you will have something to enjoy, Third Master..."

Looking at his villainous appearance with a sly smile, Wang Yan said with a smile: "Second Master, I have a responsibility on me now. I don't know if I can enjoy it later, I only know that if the disaster relief is not effective this time, then I am finished."

"Don't worry, I will definitely do my best." Tian Youlu said sincerely, "Now we brothers are grasshoppers on a rope. If we don't do things well, we will all be finished. You can rest assured about the things in the city, and you should spend more effort on the things outside. Such a big storm has fallen on our brothers' heads, we can only work together."

Wang Yan patted him on the shoulder, didn't say anything more, and left with a group of people to go outside the city.

The Xin'an River runs through Chun'an County from northwest to southeast. The famous Thousand Island Lake is a section of the Xin'an River, and the Xin'an River is also the upper reaches of the Qiantang River.

This breach really caused Chun'an County to become a vast expanse of water.

Not long after leaving the county, the water became deeper. From time to time, one could see helpless common people dragging their families and moving towards the county town. This was the village close to the county town. Those far away could only find high places to hide.

When Wang Yan led a large group of people to one of the levees, it was already the second half of the night. At the incomplete levee, the surging water was being released.

A large group of people had already been busy here for a long time, putting bags of sand and stone into the levee. However, those bags of sand and stone were taken away by the river water as soon as they were put down, and it was difficult to sink them properly to the levee.

At this time, unless an immortal came, there was no effective way. It could only be like ants moving house, constantly sinking sand and stone into it, blocking the levee bit by bit. The more important thing to do was to transfer the disaster victims.

These things were all done by people. Wang Yan's role as a leader here was to supervise, to be poured with people, so that everyone had a bottom line in their hearts.

Although Tian Youlu was not a person, he was still okay when he was a person.

He did not leave the city, so he was not implicated, and he had the merit of overall planning in the city. In the city, he was responsible for the logistics of disaster relief.

He gathered many women to go out of the city, went to a safe place near the levee to cook, and asked people to drive horse-drawn carriages, or simply carry them with poles, to send the food to the front. Various tools and sacks had also never been broken.

At this time, Chun'an County was truly united. Because Chun'an was flooded, no one locally benefited. The fields of the landlords were also flooded, not to mention the common people, who were all displaced.

Fighting the flood and blocking the levee was self-rescue. This point, whether it was landlords, corrupt officials, or the common people working below, all had recognition.

Just like this, the people of Chun'an County were busy with one heart. Wang Yan wandered around various levees, dealing with many things about the transfer of disaster victims.

From dark to day, from day to dark, day and night turned without feeling. Ten days passed, and the levee was finally blocked. The 800-li urgent news went back and forth between Zhejiang and the capital. After I don't know how many horses were run to death and how many people were exhausted, Chun'an County Magistrate Chang Boxi was finally beheaded...

Daily thanks to the big brothers who tipped, voted for monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, and silently read the book for their strong support! ===== CHAPTER 1502 =====