Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 179 - 177: The Butterfly Effect

Chapter 179: Chapter 177: The Butterfly Effect

An earthquake cruelly split a village into two.

If it weren’t for the prior knowledge that an earthquake was coming and where the epicentre was, what could humans do in the face of a natural disaster except flee?

The people of Qinghe County should all thank Xiao’er, the Imperial Court should thank Xiao’er, Shangguan Xuanyi thought to himself.

After inspecting the disaster area, Di Shaowei left Qinghe County and returned to the Imperial Capital to gather silver and resources.

Xiao’er also went back. Before leaving, she gave some directions, particularly emphasizing the need to dig out and appropriately dispose of the bodies of buried victims and animals to prevent disease.

She also advised Shangguan Xuanyi to remind people to boil their drinking water and thoroughly cook their food during this period to avoid infection.

Both Shangguan Xuanyi and Shangguan Xuanhao didn’t hesitate to nod seriously, promising they would follow her instructions.

People are now more willing to listen to them. After all, who wouldn’t revere the imperial authority that could predict a disaster as massive as an earthquake?

Lastly, Xiao’er gave a bottle of medicinal pills to Shangguan Xuanyi, stating, "Keep this for your men, a pill per person would be effective."

Shen Chengyao didn’t leave, he stayed to lend a hand. Coming from a peasant background, he was knowledgeable about many down-to-earth affairs.

While the earthquake affected a wide area, casualties were minimal. However, a significant number of houses collapsed, an uncontrollable circumstance.

If it weren’t for some folks living farther from the epicentre who defiantly refused to leave, disbelieving in the possibility of an earthquake; soldiers lacking the time to forcefully evacuate all, perhaps there could’ve been no casualties at all.

Despite that, soldiers did remind everyone, as per Xiao’er’s advice, not to stay indoors at midnight, but to relocate to open areas. If moving outside wasn’t an option, they should hide under their beds or sturdy tables and use wooden tubs or brass basins to protect their heads.

The skeptics did move to open areas at midnight, and some unbelievers who were light sleepers managed to escape due to swift reactions. Despite various injuries, they survived, while others who slept soundly were less fortunate. There was no one to blame.

In the face of such a massive disaster, a casualty count in the teens is incredibly low.

Upon returning to the Imperial Capital, Xiao’er was incredibly busy. Using the excuse of buying medicinal herbs, she busily planted herbs in her space, formulated pills, and brought them to houses in the outskirts of the city to be stored until they could be sent to the disaster area by Shen Chengyao.

Mrs. Liu was also hard at work with the servants, stuffing cotton to make cotton clothes and quilts.

A hundred thousand soldiers worked tirelessly for days, even braving rain and snow to guard the people overnight. Eventually, they all succumbed to sickness one by one, something Xiao’er had foreseen.

The rain gear of this era was severely lacking. Even iron rusts if not dried properly after rain, let alone living beings.

Therefore, the twenty thousand doses of medicine Xiao’er previously donated were far from enough.

Although the medicinal herbs harvested from the space had good efficacy, nearly curing diseases instantly, there were too few for too many. They had to drain every last bit of it to concoct the medicine to the point that the taste was completely gone, and still, it was insufficient.

Xiao’er used all the plantable land in her space to cultivate medicinal herbs. The rate of crop turnover in the space accelerated to a historically unprecedented speed!

Apart from the happily hibernating Xiao Jin, the two swans and slightly sentient shrimp and crab soldiers were busy to the point of having dark circles under their eyes.

All the other animals were envious of the little golden snake, Xiao Jin. Exhausted during the day, when they saw it sleep so soundly, whatever they had in their mouths often fell towards it out of inertia and ended up falling on it.

Unfortunately for them, a certain snake had snake scales as tough as diamonds, it showed no reaction at all.

Thanks to his silver tongue, Di Shaowei managed to collect over a million taels of silver, along with ample cotton clothes, cotton quilts, rice, noodles, and cooking oil.

Each of the Shangguan men donated a hundred thousand taels of silver.

As days slowly passed, carts of supplies were transported to Qinghe County, and the hundred thousand soldiers gradually returned to base.

Every time a group of soldiers left, the villagers would kneel to see them off.

The reconstruction work following the disaster took more than two months, with the New Year just around the corner.

During this time without a home, the Imperial Court provided two meals a day for all people in need.

The villagers are grateful. Therefore, everyone put great effort into rebuilding their homes.

Rich merchants donated both money and physical labor.

Everybody contributed according to their ability, not cutting corners.

Even five-year-old children helped with watching for fires and hauling bricks.

Through collective effort, every affected resident of Qinghe County and nearby regions managed to move into a new house, each household receiving a fresh quilt or cotton clothing. This was done with priority given to the elderly and children.

Main roads in all villages of Qinghe County were even paved with cement.

The common sentiment was that the people of Qinghe County had a streak of luck amidst the disaster.

The rapid completion of the post-disaster reconstruction wouldn’t have been possible without the villagers’ efforts.

When Shangguan Xuanyi and his group, all gaunt with facial stubble, left with the last batch of soldiers, all villagers gathered at the city gates and knelt to see them off. They watched the soldiers gallop off into the distance, not willing to rise even after their figures had disappeared from sight.

The butterfly effect of this event was that the people of Qinghe County remained loyal to the Minze Dynasty for generations, supporting the Emperor. They actively responded to all policies issued by the Imperial Court, such as conscription, labor, and taxation.

Throughout the history of the Minze Dynasty, Qinghe County consistently produced upright, incorruptible civil servants and loyal, courageous generals.

Their family motto was to defend the Shangguan Dynasty to the death and to serve the Shangguan Dynasty with utter dedication.

The success of any event often brings joy to some and sorrow to others.

The Emperor’s several recognized sons and their supporting officials were particularly displeased.

Why?

Because the two sons and nephew of the Empress had outshone them greatly!

Their reputation among the people had reached an unprecedented high!

During this period, the First Prince felt so disgruntled; he almost vomited blood!

First, he lost several hundred thousand taels in gambling. Then, his private excavation of the gold mine was discovered after merely a night. He barely managed to keep his involvement secret and didn’t even reap much gold from it.

Last but not least, he also donated a hundred thousand taels for the earthquake relief, nearly having to pawn his undergarments to get the silver. Yet, not a single villager recognized or appreciated his contribution.

They used the silver he was tricked into giving, winning the hearts of the entire county’s villagers in return!

Now, the citizens of the Imperial Capital had heard of their illustrious deeds!

Stories circulated of the royal princes braving rain and snow, disregarding villagers’ doubts and suspicions, to protect and save hundreds of thousands of lives.

They personally rescued people and treated the villagers’ injuries, treating them as though they were their parents!

Even more outrageous were the rumors claiming they and the Emperor were living Buddhas!

Truly! This was driving him mad!

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