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墨書 Inktalez
At this moment, Liu Qingxi appeared to the children like a savior, rescuing them.
The Old Village Head, with graying hair at his temples, cleared his throat to suppress the blockage in his throat and said, "Take what Miss Liu has given you."
With the village elder's affirmation, several children eagerly accepted the offerings and quickly put them in their mouths. The sweet taste melted in their hearts, filling them with happiness.
The children's smiles infected the men and women who were working hard. Initially skeptical of Yang Yichen and Liu Qingxi's decision, they had no doubts left upon seeing the main figures arrive.
"Li Village Chief, how about this? Let's divide the work by gender, just like in Ten Li Pu. We should start making Mud Bricks. The weather is good right now; if we make the Mud Bricks now, they should be ready to dry in three to five days. Then we can begin construction, and later Ten Li Pu will send someone to supervise."
The Old Village Head, whose face was lined with wrinkles and who had a slight hunch in his back, was so excited he didn't know what to say. "Alright, let's do it! But how do we add that crushed grass?"
Suddenly, a young man stepped forward from the crowd. "Village Head, I can do it!"
"What?" Li Village Chief thought he misheard. After the young man repeated himself, he realized he hadn't.
"I secretly learned from the older brothers in Ten Li Pu," he said sheepishly. "I snuck into another village to learn." At this point, Fellow's face turned red.
After all, he had learned it secretly and not openly. Facing Liu Qingxi, the founder, he felt somewhat lacking in confidence.
He was afraid that the girl would be unhappy; after all, no one likes their unique skills to be learned by others. However, Liu Qingxi's reaction was completely different from what he imagined: "That's great!"
The delighted girl smiled brightly; where was the anger he had expected?
"I've been saying that anyone who wants to learn can come. Our Construction Team teaches for free. But there were many at first, and then fewer people came later. I was still wondering about that."
The Young Men laughed sheepishly: "It was just us being too shy."
"That's great, we won't need to send anyone from Ten Li Pu for now. We'll come back in a few days. Big Kid, don't be discouraged; as long as we work hard, our home will be rebuilt soon."
People nodded in agreement. The scene of Ten Li Pu was vivid in their minds; now every household was starting to build houses. While not every family could build multiple homes, they could at least construct one to live in temporarily.
Could they do the same? Instantly, the hunger that had plagued them was replaced with renewed strength.
After Liu Qingxi left, the men rolled up their sleeves and worked hard. The mud bricks they produced were comparable to modern machinery (though that might be a bit of an exaggeration).
Then Yang Yichen announced even better news: "I can provide food for everyone for now, but it will need to be repaid later."
The handsome young man's slight smile and bright eyes instantly amused the villagers, including Old Village Head: "Yang Scholar, you don't need to repay us; even if you did double, we would still be grateful."
"Yes, yes! Big Kid has been hungry for days; with your words, we can rest easy."
Yang Yichen smiled. The reason he didn't just give it away was that he understood the principle of lending rice creates gratitude but also resentment. With people in such dire straits, who knows how quickly they might feel entitled?
"Li Village Chief, I will arrange for people to distribute the food; however, you'll need to pick it up at Ten Li Pu. Each household will receive rations based on their population. After all, food is limited, so we must conserve it; we have a long way to go."
Li Village Chief nodded repeatedly: "Yang Scholar, you can rest assured; we understand." Having lived most of his life, he knew the importance of this principle. Although most people wouldn't act selfishly, he feared there might be a few bad apples.
"It’s only right that you keep track of the accounts. I’ll accompany you when picking up the food; it can't be distributed carelessly. It will be based on headcount. I'm familiar with the villagers and will ensure there are no issues."
As long as he provided food for the villagers, there was nothing he couldn't agree to; moreover, their arrangement was reasonable. What more could one ask for?
After leaving Li Village, Liu Qingxi and Yang Yichen went on to several other villages. Everywhere they went was becoming orderly and organized.
At least there was no longer the original confusion, and there was a glimmer of hope for life.
It wasn't until late at night that Liu Qingxi and Yang Yichen returned to Ten Li Pu, their bodies feeling weak and sore. Yang Yichen timely offered his shoulder, helping her massage her shoulders to ease her discomfort.
In this moment, youth felt like a couple fighting side by side, supporting each other without distinction.
At Liu Qingxi's door, after Yang Yichen escorted her home, he did not step forward again: "Xier, get some good rest."
"You too!"
At the moment the door closed, Yang Yichen suddenly rushed over and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead: "Xier, we can do this." The thought of living well echoed silently in his heart multiple times.
Because their choices, while helping the people, would inevitably obstruct the interests of certain individuals.
However, at any time, opportunities and dangers coexist: "Xier, I will protect you. We will be safe." His softly spoken words were barely audible as Yang Yichen reassured himself.
"Get some good rest!" Yang Yichen's strength seemed to want to meld the girl into his very bones before he strode away.
Because the pressure he was about to face would be even greater.
News spread faster and faster. Ten days after the disaster, Yang Yichen's food supplies gradually reached the hands of the disaster victims, expanding from Ten Li Eight Villages to dozens of villages, even reaching Biqi Town.
At this time, County Magistrate Zhou of Linyi County finally gained a general understanding of the disaster area. He personally visited each village chief and checked on each villager.
Wherever he went, there were cries of sorrow everywhere; corpses lay scattered across the mountains and fields, and vibrant lives faded away before him.
After many years in office, he thought his heart was tough enough, yet he found himself shedding tears time and again.
At noon, the scorching sun made him feel dizzy, and his throat was parched. The relief supplies were distributed little by little, but in front of thousands of disaster victims, it was still a drop in the bucket.
He urged repeatedly, but the relief from the court was still on the way. In the end, after decades of serving as a local official, County Magistrate Zhou had already lost hope.
In that final moment, struggling to stand up, he looked towards the sun, desperately seeking warmth. His slowly falling hands etched scenes into County Magistrate Zhou's heart.
"Sir, you haven't slept for two nights. Why don't you rest for a while?" Master Wen said anxiously, his mouth frothing. But County Magistrate Zhou was even more concerning.
Before the disaster could be controlled, this local official collapsed first.
"It's fine; let's take a break and then continue," County Magistrate Zhou said as he hunched over and slowly sat down. After so many days of restless nights and days spent traveling through villages, he was utterly exhausted.
But as long as the problem remained unresolved, he could not find peace for even a moment.
Leaning against a century-old tree, the large shade could not block out the summer heat, yet County Magistrate Zhou's heart felt increasingly cold.
As he watched the death toll rise day by day, his efforts still seemed futile; nothing changed the situation.
Despair gradually filled his heart, like a stagnant pool of water.
At that moment, a thin constable dressed in blue and red rushed over, waving his arms. "Sir! Good news! Good news!"
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