Arrived a Day Early, Yet Cleared the Trial

"Being meticulous won't put food on the table. Getting things done requires two things: power and ability."

Xiang Fangsu stretched out her arms, said one word, then clenched her Fist tightly.

" In Hua Zhu County, the highest-ranking official is Yu Dayi. With the flood raging, A Shui has to keep an eye on him, which means he has power."

"Not at all in terms of strength. I remember a few months ago, Kai Yun and Yi Peng mentioned that they had supported a Wolf Smoke Expert in Hua Zhu County to maintain the canal transport, right? Even a Little Water gang has Wolf Smoke Expert; needless to say, the entire county's strength is definitely much stronger than our neighboring Feng Bu County."

Ke Wenbin nodded in agreement. "Hua Zhu County is much stronger than other counties. The more chaotic things get, the more its strength is revealed. A Shui is at a disadvantage."

"Even if it means suffering a loss A Shui has to go."

A voice interrupted their conversation.

"Zhong Shi!"

Ke Wenbin and Xiang Fangsu turned around upon hearing the sound, and Ran Zhongshi returned from the port with two account books tucked under his arm.

Xiang Fangsu pointed to the tents in the distance. "Have those disaster victims been taken care of?"

"Not too late. Fortunately, it wasn't too late. If it were winter or autumn, the dike would have broken, and there would have been even more trouble. I don't know how many people would have frozen to death, and the cost of treatment would have been much higher. Firewood and clothing would be indispensable."

"The dikes are unlikely to breach in winter. The flood season is all in Xia Tian and autumn. It's just that there are more mosquitoes and the weather is dry in Xia Tian, which makes diseases troublesome."

Ran Zhongshi was taken aback. "Now that you mention it, I remember I haven't heard of any large-scale epidemic outbreak in Hua Zhu County this time. How strange..."

"Isn't it a good thing that there's no epidemic? By the way, why did you just say that even if it means suffering a loss, A Shui would still go?" Xiang Fangsu was very optimistic and turned the topic back to itself.

"Wei Lin sent Wei Shao, did you know that?" Ran Zhongshi didn't dwell too much on the epidemic.

As Xiang Fangsu said, it is a good thing that there is no epidemic.

Ke Wenbin nodded. "I know, of course I know. A Shui left first and didn't have time to tell him, otherwise I would definitely have told him to be careful."

Ran Zhongshi explained, "Wei Shao is not smart, but he has the ability. Wei Lin knows this, so he sent him to Hua Zhu County so that he can handle things if something happens at a critical moment."

But how can that show off your skills? If you're 6.6 feet tall, it's only natural that you can eat 3 pounds of meat in one meal. Only when someone who's 3.6 feet tall can eat 3 pounds of meat will people say you're amazing.

When the Zhili envoy came that day, many people complained that you could see it and were dissatisfied.

Brother Yue Long sent A Shui there because he wanted to give A Shui a chance to secure his position.

What's that saying again? "The women are jealous of my beautiful eyebrows, and spread rumors that I am promiscuous, understand?"

"No wonder. I was wondering why A Shui, who is so young, was entrusted with such troublesome matters."

Xiang Fangsu and Ke Wenbin suddenly realized.

One must be tempered by experience in order to stand firm.

Liang Qu was young, but he was only good at drawing his bow and shooting arrows in the siege of the Ghost Mother Sect. He jumped two ranks in one go, which made many people unconvinced. Naturally, he had to make some achievements to show everyone.

It's true that one must be strong to forge iron, and it's also true that rumors can spread like wildfire.

"Of course, Wen Bin is right." Ran Zhongshi added, "A Shui is meticulous and clever. He may not be strong enough, but he has brains. Destroying the dike is a big deal and no small matter. Brother Yue Long trusts A Shui, which is why he gave him this opportunity."

Big things reveal ability, small things reveal attitude, and trivial matters reveal vision.

If you accomplish the important task, gossip will naturally disappear.

On a hillside in the southeast of Hua Zhu County.

The tarpaulin was tied between the tree trunks, and raindrops fell from the treetops, making a soft pattering sound.

Cha Qing, Fan Zixuan, Yan Qingshan, Yan Chongwen and six others huddled under a tarpaulin to eat dry rations, while the horses tied to the trees grazed on grass and shrubs.

Fan Zixuan sat on the rock, puzzled. "Has Lord Liang forgotten about us?"

Yan Qingshan scratched his head. "No way..."

Upon Cha Qing, the official vetoed the claim. "Don't talk nonsense. The Human Stillness be too busy to come looking for us."

Before leaving, Liang Qu specifically instructed the group not to wander off when they arrived at their destination, but to stay there and meet up.

The group of people present were highly capable and had arrived earlier than the river officials and some of the river chiefs. They arrived at noon, but now it was getting dark and they still hadn't seen Liang Qu.

An afternoon of waiting, lasting two or three hours, inevitably aroused suspicion.

Logically, the first thing to do after a disaster is to identify the affected area, provide relief to the victims, or investigate the cause of the levee breach.

All three require manpower.

Liang Qu should hurry up and come find them! "Hey, hey, a boat is coming! A boat is coming!" Zhu Chunqiao shouted to the group from the tree.

Yan Qingshan looked up. "Big boat, small boat? One or two?"

"Not too big, not too small, just one!"

The group stepped out of the oilcloth.

A boat, four zhang long and wide, swam from a distance. Upon seeing Cha Qing and the others waiting on the earthen slope, it approached them on its own initiative.

Cha Qing and the others were overjoyed, thinking that Liang Qu had arranged for someone to come and meet them.

Unexpectedly, the boat captain approached and shouted, "Are you all trapped on the mountain? Would you like a boat ride? It'll cost one tael of silver per person, and I'll take you to the nearest Relief Area!"

"Unlucky!"

Fan Zixuan turned and left.

It wasn't anyone there to pick them up; it was a group of boatmen profiting from the disaster, and the cabin was full of weary-looking "passengers."

He initially intended to dismiss the other party after Cha Qing, but then, considering Liang Qu's good reputation in Yi Xing Town, he changed his mind.

As a subordinate, one should naturally cater to their preferences.

Liang Qu Cloud Sky for his righteousness and generosity, a fact that is common knowledge in the village. Aren't these people simply offering themselves up for his service? After half a cup of tea.

"Grandpa! Grandpa! Please stop hitting me! I was wrong, I was really wrong, I won't do it again! I really won't!"

The boat captain was beaten black and blue by Zhu Chunqiao and his men. His face looked like a soy sauce shop, with red and black marks popping out. He begged for mercy repeatedly.

"Ho!!"

Zhu Chunqiao spat on the boatman's face.

The white foam mixed with fresh blood, and the trembling boat captain dared not wipe it away.

Yan Chongwen took out some dry food from his bag and distributed it to the disaster victims on the boat.

Cha Qing, he took a money bag from the boatman's waist and returned the money to everyone.

"Don't be afraid, everyone. We are the River Earl and River Chiefs from the River Conservancy Office."

The disaster victims repeatedly expressed their gratitude.

One of the disaster victims hesitated and cautiously reminded him, "Gentlemen, this boat captain is from the Liu Family family... If you hit him... it will be difficult to handle."

A four-zhang (approximately 10 meters) boat is by no means small; anyone who owns such a large boat is clearly not an ordinary family.

Cha Qing said loudly, "Everyone, don't worry. We are under the command of Liang Qu, the Dushui Official Master Liang. The villagers may not know what kind of official the Dushui Official is, but just remember one thing: he is no less powerful than the county magistrate! Does the family you mentioned dare to touch the county magistrate?"

The disaster victims shook their heads.

"Then forget about the Liu Family and the Donkey family! If they dare to come, we'll make them die by our swords!"

The boat captain was horrified, finally realizing where these bandits came from.

This is absolutely terrible luck.

Fan Zixuan grabbed the boatman's collar. "Where is the nearest Relief Area you mentioned?"

The boatman trembled as he said, "About eight miles to the east, there's another one, with about ten thousand refugees..."

"Eight li is not far..." Yan Qingshan thought for a moment, "Chongwen, Youdong, you two will make the trip, take them there and come back."

Don't worry.

Yan Chongwen and Ji Youdong jumped onto the boat and escorted the people to Relief Area.

The sky was getting dark.

Then, the sound of horses' hooves echoed in the distance.

A very burly man emerged from the night, his horse wading through the water, panting heavily.

Behind the man was a group of river officials, horses, Chen Jiechang, and Li LiBo.

"Kou Zhuang! Jie Chang! Li Bo! You've arrived!"

Li LiBo was quite surprised. "Didn't you all see Water Bro?"

Yan Qingshan gave a wry smile, "We arrived at noon, and we've been waiting ever since, but we haven't seen a single person..."

Cha Qing laughed heartily, "That's a good thing, now that we're all here, Lord Liang won't have to come to find us in two separate trips."

Not long after Li LiBo and the others arrived, Yan Chongwen and Ji Youdong returned by boat.

Kou Zhuang and the others did not ask what was going on.

Half of the people present were River Earl, holding higher official positions, and it was not their place to interfere with what they were supposed to do.

As night deepened, the campfire roared.

The sound of rain and the crackling of firewood mingled together.

The orange light shone on everyone's faces, and they fell completely silent.

Liang Qu, is it really that you don't need any people?

At three quarters Xu Time 7:45 PM), the sound of oars could be heard in the distance.

The boat captain, holding a torch, looked at the group of people on the hillside and shouted loudly.

Are you all Lord Liang's subordinates?

The next morning.

Two large boats carrying people and horses joined the fleet.

The crowd, eager to get started and ready to make Great Gan splash, looked up at the vast, continuous fleet of ships and the wide decks crowded with disaster victims eating porridge, and fell completely speechless.

Such a large fleet...

Was it all done by Liang Qu in one day?