Chapter 96: Heaven's Disaster Is Ruthless, Humanity Has Feeling

Sunlight gently fell on every inch of the Great Han's land, and the streets within Everlasting Peace City were bustling extraordinarily.

Vendors' cries rose and fell, while pedestrians' footsteps and the rumble of carriages and horses intertwined.

The newspaper under Great Han Media spread the latest news across every street and alley in no time.

They're simply amazing; these guards are practically the guardian deities of our Great Han!

These kids are about the same age as my grandson; at home they're their parents' treasures, but in the disaster zone they've become the people's lifesavers. Such heroes are the pride of our Great Han, worthy of being remembered generation after generation.

When the flood raged like a savage beast, the guards showed no fear, plunging straight into the turbulent, rushing waters to rescue people. Their noble spirit of sacrificing themselves for others deserves everyone's admiration and emulation.

That lad named Li Yong is truly fine; it's just a pity about his family—what a wonderful child.

I also have children at home; seeing these guards sacrifice their young, precious lives to save others' children makes my heart feel as if pierced by countless needles.

Heaven's disasters are ruthless, but humans have feelings; our Great Han's soldiers are splendid, and our Son of Heaven is splendid too. Who says he angered the River God, causing the breach? I see it as mere superstition, slandering the Son of Heaven's reputation.

With such soldiers willing to die for the Son of Heaven and for the people of the Great Han, what could ghosts and gods possibly do?

When Great Han Media reported the deeds of the Great Han's soldiers sacrificing themselves and rushing to the front lines of disaster relief, everyone was shocked.

At the same time, the rumor that angering the divine caused the Yellow River's breach was effectively suppressed.

Under Liu Ju's guidance and Tian Qianqiu's organization, after countless hardships, the first stage of the disaster relief and rescue work finally achieved victory.

The disaster area, once ravaged by floods and left in ruins, has gradually regained some vitality.

The people received proper care at the temporary settlement, and their basic living needs were secured;

Roads were opened through the joint efforts of soldiers and civilians, and material transport became smooth;

Collapsed houses began to be rebuilt in an orderly fashion, and the light of hope shone once more upon this land that had endured so much hardship.

At this moment, Liu Ju was inside the makeshift grand tent, holding a summary and deployment meeting with court officials, merchants, and commoner representatives.

Inside the grand tent, the atmosphere was lively yet solemn, and everyone's expression showed focus and seriousness.

Liu Ju sat upright in the chief seat, his eyes revealing firmness and steadiness, dispelling the fatigue of the past days.

He looked at those present and spoke slowly: 'This Yellow River breach is a great calamity for our Great Han. Yet in these difficult times, I have seen everyone's united effort; our first stage of disaster relief and rescue has achieved considerable success, all thanks to your contributions.'

He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the court officials, merchants, and commoner representatives.

Tian Qianqiu rose, bowed slightly, and said: 'Your Majesty, in the first stage we have indeed achieved some success in settling the people and distributing supplies, but the subsequent work of rebuilding homes remains arduous, requiring great manpower, material resources, and funds.'

Wei Qing then said: 'Your Majesty, in the process of maintaining order in the disaster zone and assisting relief, the army has deeply felt the importance of infrastructure. Although the roads have been preliminarily opened, restoring them to their pre-disaster condition still requires considerable effort to repair.'

The merchant representative also rose to speak: 'Your Majesty, we merchants have only contributed modestly in this disaster relief, but for the subsequent reconstruction, the demand for all kinds of supplies is enormous; we will certainly spare no effort to gather them. However, market prices are currently fluctuating, which may affect procurement and supply.'

The commoner representative also stood up somewhat nervously, his hands trembling slightly, and said: 'Your Majesty, we commoners are grateful for Your Majesty and the court's aid. Now we only hope to rebuild our homes soon and live peaceful lives. Since we lack education, we just want to know how we can help next.'

After hearing everyone's remarks, Liu Ju nodded slightly and said: 'What Minister Tian said is correct; rebuilding homes is of utmost importance. I have decided to allocate special funds from the treasury for rebuilding houses, repairing roads, and restoring farmland. At the same time, I encourage the people to participate in reconstruction; those who join the rebuilding efforts will receive corresponding pay and food each day.'

Then he turned to Wei Qing and said: 'Wei King, the army shall continue to maintain order in the disaster zone and ensure the smooth progress of reconstruction. Moreover, organize soldiers to help the people clear debris and build houses, bringing forth the army's leading role.'

Wei Qing accepted the order, his eyes firm, and replied: 'Your Majesty, rest assured, this lowly general will not fail the mission!'

Then Liu Ju turned to the merchant representative and said: 'I will keep your merchants' contributions in mind. The court will intervene to control price fluctuations. Please feel free to gather supplies; the court will grant you certain subsidies to ensure smooth provision.'

Upon hearing this, the representative's worries eased greatly, and he hurriedly gave thanks: 'Thank you, Your Majesty; we will surely exert our utmost effort!'

Finally, Liu Ju looked at the commoner representative and spoke gently: 'Elder, you commoners are the main force in rebuilding homes. You know this land and understand how to build it best. The court will organize everyone together—those with money contribute money, those with strength contribute strength. If you have any ideas or difficulties, just tell the government; the court will certainly help you resolve them.'

The elder, moved to tears, exclaimed: 'Your Majesty truly is our great benefactor! We will surely work hard!'

Liu Ju continued: 'To better advance reconstruction, I have decided to establish a Reconstruction Committee. Minister Tian Qianqiu will serve as chairperson, overseeing the overall situation; Wei King Wei Qing will handle security; Minister Sang Hongyang will manage fund allocation; the merchants will be responsible for material supply; and the commoners will actively participate in specific reconstruction tasks. Everyone shall fulfill their duties, communicating and coordinating promptly when problems arise.'

At this moment, Zhang Tang spoke up: 'Your Majesty, Tian Huan has risen to power after being arrested, and is still spreading news about the Retired Emperor; how should we deal with this?'

Tian Qianqiu also said: 'Your Majesty, Tian Huan previously burned large quantities of cloth; now the disaster area's people have enough food, so hunger is not an issue, but cloth is severely scarce, leaving many without clothing.'

Liu Ju furrowed his brow deeply, his heart filled with worry and anger.

Tian Huan's wicked deeds have plunged the people, after suffering the flood disaster, into a predicament of lacking clothing and food; his crimes are monstrous.

Moreover, on the second day, when Liu Ju led the crowd to visit and console the disaster-stricken commoners, he too was shocked by the scene before him, his heart filled with sorrow.