The Rebirth of an Ill-Fated Consort (Chapters 1- 203)

Chapter 79 : Recognizing One's Kin

Translated by : Irisu

Edited by : Anks & Ely

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The rainy condition was progressively becoming heavier than before.

The common people that resided close to the hillsides had met with difficulties as large mudslides rushed downwards. The Bo Chang reservoir was the capital's largest reservoir and the farmlands in the capital completely relied on this area to draw water via irrigation for their fields. So with the rising trend of ferocious rainfall upon their lands, the water level became unrestrained in the reservoir. There seemed to be a risk of the reservoir being crushed by the immense volume of rainfall and the potential for a hazardous overflow. Xuan Li had led his subordinates to manage the waters in an attempt to temporarily suppress the momentum of the rising water level.

In the top-scorer's fu, the young zhuangyuan gentleman was standing by the window, frowning in contemplation as he looked at the rainwater .

Just then, Liu Furen came in holding a bowl of dark brown sugar and ginger soup and placed it on the table. Seeing Liu Min so, she then sighed, "What sort of disaster is this to have harmed so many families in this way." They had initially been part of the common people and had only recently risen to such a status, therefore, they were extremely sympathetic to the sufferings of the common people. If not for the fact that Liu Min had entered the imperial court to become a government official, perhaps they would be similarly destitute and homeless just like these commoners, in desperate poverty whilst beset by hunger and cold.

Liu Min patted Liu Furen on her shoulder as he consoled her, "Mother, you don't have to worry, soon all will pass."

"If it wasn't for General Zhao who has distributed provisions as disaster relief, who knows how many of the common people would starve to death." Liu Furen lamented, "General Zhao is a good official; when you are in the imperial court, you should certainly try to get closer to him."

Liu Min nodded. Thus, the rainfall continuously poured down without the slightest sign of stopping. However, eventually, there would be a day when the wealth of Zhao Guang would also be completely spent. This matter could merely just be a splash of water on the fire that burns one's eyebrows, a quick fix for a desperate situation in an extreme emergency. It was not a long term plan. As he recalled how Eighth Prince had actively and in a friendly action asked him about his opinions with regards to this flood a few days ago, it seemed that Eighth Prince was planning to exert himself to keep this flood in check. Verily, if this person genuinely harboured thoughts to cherish the people of the land under the heavens then how could such an esteemed individual possibly ruminate over resolving such a precarious situation with him, out of all other possible officials at his disposal, in such a casual manner?

Almost imperceptibly, Liu Min sighed. The waters in the imperial court were not shallow and only those who had placed themselves in its midst could understand that discerning the underlying currents and hearts of those in power was extremely difficult too.

In a steady succession of a dozen or more days, the act of bestowing congee to the common populace never seemed to cease as the capital gradually quietened down. If one could speak of any fresh news, then it would be that the capital's garrison army caught a group of bandits that pretended to be refugees in the area of the east of the city's Chong Xin farmstead. The manpower of that day's capital garrison troops was insufficient and the daren who was on garrison duty had sought out the Capital Magistrate to borrow some men. They had then gone to Chong Xin farmstead which soon after became a ground of a fierce battle. With great difficulty, they had managed to subdue these bandits and had locked them up in the prison, yet in the span of a night, those bandits had all committed suicide to escape punishment.