When the county princess' manor's gates opened, a person immediately fell inside. Feng Yu Heng caught this person and saw a completely soaked Bai Fu Rong fall on top of her. Her two hands tightly grabbed her arm. Her body was ice-cold, and her teeth were chattering.
"Fu Rong!" Feng Yu Heng called her then helped her up from the ground. Looking back, she found that the carriage she was in had already been damaged by the rain. The driver stood in the rain and looked as though he could not hold on any longer. "Quickly bring the driver in. Bring him into the manor to rest." She ordered the gatekeeper then said to Wang Chuan: "It seems that I will not be able to go to the Wen Xuan Palace. Go and find Huang Quan. You two can go and find out more about the situation in Xiao Zhou."
Wang Chuan nodded. Seeing that Huang Quan had already arrived with his carriage, he quickly rushed into the rain.
Feng Yu Heng brought Bai Fu Rong back to her own courtyard. Before the servants could bring her a change of clothes, she grabbed Feng Yu Heng and anxiously said: "Heng Heng, it's so scary. It's so scary outside!" While she spoke, she trembled. Only then did Feng Yu Heng notice that Bai Fu Rong was not trembling because of the cold. Instead, it was because she was afraid.
"What did you see?" She asked Bai Fu Rong: "Where did you come from? At the manor? Your carriage is very sturdy. If you were just going around the capital, it would not leak like that. Fu Rong, did you leave the city? "
Bai Fu Rong nodded, "That's right, I left the city. Father went out to look at an old piece of jade before the rain. Today, he sent a letter saying that he would be returning to the capital, so I brought a hidden guard out of the city to pick him up. But Heng Heng, do you know what I saw? "The more she spoke, the more fearful she became. By the end, she had completely shrunk into her chair, her face pale.
Feng Yu Heng's heart skipped a beat, as though she had thought of something. Following this, her expression sank. "It seems … the thing that I did not wish for the most still happened." She muttered to herself then looked at Bai Fu Rong and asked her: "Outside the city, did a lot of people die?"
Bai Fu Rong nodded and took a few deep breaths, anxiously saying: "Many people died. Every puddle is filled with corpses, and every tree is filled with corpses. Those people were completely deformed after being soaked in the rain. Some of the corpses' heads were bigger than a washbasin, and some of them did not even look like humans anymore. Father said that the weather will still be hot. After the natural disaster, there will definitely be an epidemic. He wanted me to ask you to think of something. "Bai Fu Rong looked at Feng Yu Heng, her eyes filled with expectation.
Feng Yu Heng also felt uncertain. She did not think that the situation outside the city would already be so bad. She asked Bai Fu Rong: "Why are there so many people?"
Bai Fu Rong told her: "They're all refugees that escaped to the capital. Some died on the way, and some died at the city gates because they could not enter the city."
She understood the situation and said: "They could not enter the city?"
Bai Fu Rong nodded: "That's right. The refugees only treat the capital as a pillar of support. They only think that the capital will definitely not be flooded; however, they do not think that they have no relatives in the capital. For those that say where their relatives are, the city guards will immediately send people to investigate. If they are found, they will be let in. However, those without relatives would definitely not be able to enter. In truth … "She paused for a moment then continued:" Father said that in truth, many people died of starvation. "
"I understand." Feng Yu Heng waved her hand, gesturing for Bai Fu Rong to not continue speaking. Her mind was a bit of a mess. Although this sort of situation was not something that she had never thought of before, when it really happened, it was still something that she, who had a modern mindset, could not accept.
"Heng!" Bai Fu Rong called out to her: "Father said that to control the epidemic, only you can do it. Can you think of something? I'm afraid … I'm afraid … "Her words began to falter, and her face became even paler. It was as though she had thought of something frightening. She could no longer sit still, as she jumped out of her chair. Grabbing Feng Yu Heng, she anxiously said:" I'm afraid that the refugees will be too hungry and will … will … "
"Will eat people." She said the words that Bai Fu Rong did not manage to say. She then could not help but shiver.
A famine, and people eating each other. This was the outcome that she did not want to see the most.
"Fu Rong, calm down first. Listen to me." She calmed herself down and pressed down on Bai Fu Rong's shoulders. She used a bit of strength in her hands, as though she wanted to transfer some of her strength to her.
Bai Fu Rong really did calm down a great deal under her gaze. She then heard Feng Yu Heng say: "Controlling the epidemic is important, but that is something that can only be done after the rain stops. Right now, the most important thing is to calm the refugees. We definitely cannot allow a situation of people eating each other. Do you understand?"
Bai Fu Rong subconsciously nodded, but she was still a little confused: "What should we do?"
Feng Yu Heng told her: "I will prepare a new carriage for you. Go find Tian Ge and ask her to use her status as an imperial daughter to buy rice from a rice merchant. If you don't have any vegetables, just use salted vegetables. At the very least, we need to ensure that the refugees that are still alive can eat two bowls of congee each day. Only by allowing the people to continue living will there not be any problems. "
Bai Fu Rong knew that the situation was urgent. Calming herself down, she immediately stood up and nodded, saying: "Alright, I will go now."
Feng Yu Heng walked over to the closet and pulled out a raincoat for her. She then personally sent her out. Just after Bai Fu Rong left, a group of soldiers very quickly ran past the manor's entrance. They were carrying and carrying a large number of things. There were also some wooden shelves. One of them ran over to her side. Feng Yu Heng took a look and saw that it was an old acquaintance.
"Wang Zhuo, where are you going?" She took the initiative to ask.
The person that had come was Wang Zhuo. He wore a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, and his face was covered in rain. He ran forward and loudly said: "County princess, His Ninth Highness ordered us to set up tents outside the city to provide shelter from the rain for the refugees!"
Only then did she understand what the soldiers were carrying the wooden shelves for, but … "The rain is so heavy. Will tents be of any use? Can you let them into the city? "
Wang Zhuo repeatedly waved his hand: "County princess, there are too many people. If they come in, it will be chaotic. Also, even if they come in, there is no place for them to take shelter from the rain! "
Feng Yu Heng knew that this was reality. In a country, any place could become chaotic, but the capital could not. Based on what Bai Fu Rong had said earlier, the number of refugees outside had already reached an extremely large number. If they were all allowed into the city, it would definitely become chaotic.
She no longer stopped Wang Zhuo, only reminding him: "Just setting up tents is not enough. You also need to order people to move the corpses far away. Gather them together. I will think of a way to burn them later."
Wang Zhuo nodded and loudly said: "County princess, quickly return to your room. This subordinate will go take care of it!" After saying this, he rushed back into the rain.
Feng Yu Heng watched the soldiers run further and further away, and she began to worry once more. With the rain falling so heavily, would setting up tents be of any use? Exactly how many refugees were there outside the city? How large would the tents be?
She thought for a while then turned around and called Qing Yu into the room. Spreading out a piece of paper, she began to write something while saying: "In a while, send someone to Hundred Herb Hall. Have them store the medicinal ingredients according to the names I wrote. Also, tell Wang Lin to free up some people. They must be nimble and have some knowledge of medicine to be used in the future." After she finished speaking, she put down the pen and stuffed the paper into Qing Yu's hands, "You don't need to go yourself. Just send someone to send it. Then quickly come back. We are going into the palace."
The torrential rain outside did not show any signs of abating. In fact, there were even hailstones. The county princess' manor had already increased the thickness of the carriages by two more layers to prevent any accidents. Feng Yu Heng took Qing Yu to the palace in the imperial carriage. When they passed by the Imperial Palace Yu, they stopped and asked around. They learned that Xuan Tianming was also in the palace, so they urged the coachman to speed up.
All the palace gates were closed. The Imperial Guards had set up canopies, but they were still drenched by the rain. Seeing a carriage stop at the palace gates, the guards hurried forward. Emperor Tianwu had already ordered that since there was a natural disaster, the court officials must have urgent reports to enter the palace at any time. Although the palace gates were closed, they had to let in any time if they encountered an official who was reporting the disaster.
Because of the heavy rain, the guards did not see clearly what kind of carriage it was. They were about to go forward and ask, but Feng Yu Heng had already lifted the curtain and revealed her head. When they saw that it was County Princess Ji An, they did not ask and directly opened the palace gates. One of the leaders even said, "County Princess, you don't need to get out of the carriage. Just sit in the imperial carriage and enter! His Ninth Highness already knew that County Princess would be coming, so he already ordered for you to go to Heavenly Palace Hall as soon as you enter the palace. "
Feng Yu Heng nodded and did not say anything else. She urged the carriage to rush in the direction of Heavenly Palace Hall. The imperial carriage stopped in front of Heavenly Palace Hall. Qing Yu held up an umbrella that Feng Yu Heng had prepared to protect herself from the hailstones. Then, the two of them walked into the rain wearing raincoats and rain boots and walked step by step towards Heavenly Palace Hall.
When they reached the entrance of the hall, they heard Emperor Tianwu roar, "Five more days? Won't the palace be submerged in five more days? If the capital is like this, how will the other provinces survive? No, no, you have to think of a way. We can't let it continue like this. "
Immediately after, another voice helplessly said, "Your Majesty, this official really has no way to deal with the weather!"
"If there's no way, then think!"
"Humans can't fight with the heavens!"
The two of them went back and forth, neither giving way to the other. Feng Yu Heng quickened her pace and discovered that the person who was talking to Emperor Tianwu was someone she had seen before. Although they couldn't be considered familiar, she still had an impression of him. She walked forward and knelt down to greet Emperor Tianwu, "Daughter-in-law kowtows in salute to Imperial Father."
Emperor Tianwu hurriedly waved his hand, "Quickly get up, we've been waiting for you."
Feng Yu Heng got up and looked at Xuan Tianming, who was standing to the side. Then, she looked at the person who was talking to the emperor. After staring at him for a while, a faint smile appeared on her face. She lightly nodded and took the initiative to say, "Jian Zheng daren from the Imperial Astronomer, greetings."
Jian Zheng's body swayed and he subconsciously took half a step back. Then, his expression turned cold and he hurriedly returned the greeting, "This official greets County Princess."
Emperor Tianwu was a bit impatient, "Don't bother with those useless things. Heng Heng, quickly come over." He waved at Feng Yu Heng until she walked over to Xuan Tianming's side. The two of them stood together at his side, then he said, "The Imperial Astronomer said that the rain will continue for another five days. What do you think we should do?"
Xuan Tianming was also a bit helpless, "It's no use even if you ask Heng Heng! No matter how great her ability is, can she control the heavens? "
Feng Yu Heng nodded, "Imperial Father, if the sky wants to rain, no one can stop it. However, the refugees piling up outside the capital must be properly settled. Otherwise, it's not scary if the refugees cause trouble. What's scary is if there are people with ulterior motives mixed in with them, it'll be very difficult to control. "
Everyone understood this logic. Xuan Tianming said, "We've already sent more people to station outside the city. We've also transferred five thousand soldiers from our barracks. I've already ordered people to set up tents outside the city. Let's settle the refugees first. "
Feng Yu Heng also said, "I saw Wang Zhuo. Setting up the tents is one thing, but I also ordered him to send people to deal with the corpses. Right now, Tiange should be contacting the rice merchants to supply them with rice. We must let the refugees eat. Food is the most important thing for the people. Only when they're not hungry can they not cause trouble. "
She turned her head and asked Jian Zheng from the Imperial Astronomer, "What kind of weather will it be after the heavy rain? Can you tell?"
Jian Zheng sighed and answered in despair, "It's scorching hot!"
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