Chapter 227: 800-li Express to Chang'an

"Not just saved our lives?"

Everyone in the house was stunned, some not understanding what he meant.

The old woman's husband clutched the bundle in his arms, looked at Song Shuisheng and the other family, and said, "Did you all forget?"

"Since last month, there has been massive recruitment nearby to dig canals; both of your families must have sent someone, right?"

Song Shuisheng heard this, suddenly understood something, and hurriedly said, "Brother, how should I address you?"

"Ha, you and I are about the same age; just call me Lao Wang."

"Brother Wang, you also went to dig canals?" Song Shuisheng was puzzled; he had dug canals before but seemed not to have met the man before.

But he didn't think much of it, because there were so many canal diggers back then that not having met him was normal.

Lao Wang shook his head, "I didn't dig canals; I just came here to repair the house."

"These military officers must have known a flood could break out long ago, so since last month they've been preparing for it."

"Then why do you say those military officers not only saved our lives, what do you mean?" At this moment, a man from the other family named Zhang Dayong spoke up.

"Isn't that simple?" Lao Wang tightened his hold on the bundle, "If those military officers hadn't recruited labor and let us earn money, how would we survive after the flood passes?"

"You must know that once the Yellow River breaches its banks, the fields will be submerged, and all a year's work for us peasants would be wasted."

"What will we eat, what will we drink then?"

"I'm afraid we'll have to, like the flood victims of last year's drought, head to Chang'an City on our own to seek a way to live."

"However, now that we have this money, we can at least spend a stable period, and later look for other ways to survive."

"That's why I said those military officers didn't just save a single life for us; it's more than that."

Song Shuisheng suddenly understood, "So that's how it is."

Li Chunyan quietly tugged at her husband's sleeve, her eyes full of gratitude for having survived the disaster.

Now she finally understood how huge the flood's impact on them truly was.

She also felt grateful that her husband had gone to dig canals earlier, leaving the family with surplus grain and money.

However, Lao Wang's wife, Tian Da Niang, muttered, "So you work for them, and they pay you—doesn't that seem natural?"

"How can that be counted as them saving us?"

"What are you old women muttering about?" Lao Wang scolded immediately, "Can't you understand even now?"

"Digging canals is to channel flood waters, building shelter areas is for us to live in; what good do those military officers do?"

"Moreover, they could conscript corvée labor, and we couldn't refuse, even if we didn't know a flood would happen; afterward we'd still be grateful to them, since it's meant to save us ordinary folk."

"But they actually gave us wages, gave us a way to survive—how is that not a rescue?"

"Your damn conscience has been eaten by a dog."

Song Shuisheng, Li Chunyan, and the other family gave Tian Da Niang a strange look.

Regardless, they really did save them.

"The gratitude for saving a life outweighs the heavens; how can one mutter behind their backs?"

Tian Da Niang's face flushed red under everyone's stare, "I... I really didn't know."

"Enough, enough, stop the nonsense." Lao Wang didn't want to engage her, listening to rain drops mingling with the patrols' footsteps outside.

"They are undoubtedly troops of our Tang Dynasty, which means this is all the current His Majesty's arrangement."

"Spending so much effort to do these things, to rescue us common folk, proves the current His Majesty is benevolent and wise—a good emperor."

"Our days ahead will gradually improve..."

After hearing this, everyone's eyes glazed briefly, then they nodded heavily.

"Indeed, with a His Majesty who keeps the people in mind, our future will get better and better."

"Brother Lao Wang is right; I never went to school, can't speak eloquently, I only know His Majesty sent people to rescue me, he must be a good His Majesty; I believe someday he'll give us a good life."

Similar conversations kept echoing from shanty house to shanty house.

Fear, panic, despair... the gloom hanging over the shelter area was silently pierced by a faint ray of hope.

"......."

Chang'an, dawn.

Li Shimin sat on the throne, with civil and military officials on either side below.

Various officials submitted reports as usual, and Li Shimin dealt with them one by one.

Of course, these were routine matters; the most noteworthy today was Du Ruhui's return to the Court.

However, the officials had long anticipated Du Ruhui's return, so they were not overly surprised.

As for the recent slanders against Du Ruhui, one could say any smart person could see what was happening.

At this moment, Wei Zheng suddenly noticed Li Shimin above seemed distracted, and was about to step forward and say a couple of words.

Du Ruhui hurriedly grabbed him and gave a slight shake of his head.

Wei Zheng's eyes flickered, and he stepped back again.

Everyone says Wei Zheng is a blabbermouth, and indeed he is.

But Wei Zheng isn't foolish; he doesn't blurt out everything mindlessly.

For example, when Weinan County was granted to the Crown Prince as a fief, Wei Zheng never raised his voice.

Du Ruhui's abnormal attitude made him sense something off, so he immediately stepped back.

"Report!!"

And at that moment, a loud shout suddenly came from outside.

"Express envoy under the command of Lingyou Road Campaign Commander Chai Shao! Holding the Ministry of Personnel's bronze Fish Talisman, presenting the report on the Yellow River breach!"

All civil and military officials stared in shock, an express envoy?

800-li express?

Yellow River breached...... military report?

What the hell?

Li Shimin rose directly from the throne.

Immediately after, still wearing armor, drenched head to toe, Chai Zhewei rushed in, knelt on one knee, holding up the sealed document case, and reported loudly:

"Your subject, following General Chai's order, has sent an 800-li urgent memorial: this morning at the third watch of the third watch, the Yellow River embankment at the Taolin County section of Shanzhou breached, the flood front is 200 zhang wide, already sweeping away eleven villages and countless fields."

"Moreover, the rain shows no sign of stopping, the breach in the Yellow River dam keeps widening, and the flood disaster is expected to continue spreading to the surrounding areas."

Chai Zhewei's words exploded like thunder among the civil and military officials—some panicked, some grew anxious, and others secretly gloated.

At the same time, more people stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, the flood disaster has erupted, the people suffer countless losses; I beg Your Majesty to immediately dispatch relief efforts."

"I second that......"

"Hah!" Li Shimin snorted coldly, waved his hand, and said: "This matter will be discussed later; present the secret report."

Wushe immediately took the secret report from Chai Zhewei's hands and then respectfully handed it to Li Shimin.

Opening the secret report, Li Shimin casually glanced at it, saw its contents, and could not help but want to laugh.

Actually, the secret report is unimportant; what Chai Shao wanted to tell Li Shimin has already been said by Chai Zhewei.

It swept away eleven villages, destroyed countless fields, yet it did not mention whether the people suffered casualties.

How could Li Shimin still fail to understand Chai Shao's meaning?

"......"