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墨書 Inktalez
"What?" County Magistrate Zhou jumped up suddenly after just sitting down.
Master Wen exclaimed, "My lord, take it easy on your body."
County Magistrate Zhou waved Master Wen away, frowning impatiently, "I'm fine. Stop shouting."
Master Wen replied, "My lord, you're not a child. You're over forty, for goodness' sake! Do you still think you're a young man?"
But did County Magistrate Zhou listen? Of course not!
It was precisely because of his straightforward temperament and unwillingness to flatter others that he had stayed in Linyi for over a decade without moving.
This time, encountering the earthquake was unfortunate, but if handled properly, it could also be an opportunity.
Master Wen thought this way, but County Magistrate Zhou did not agree; after all, he wasn't seeking great wealth or power. His lifelong pursuit was to benefit the local people.
Nearly fifty years old, County Magistrate Zhou moved swiftly, running ahead while Master Wen struggled to keep up.
With graying hair and lines etched on his face from years of hard work, nothing could dampen his passionate heart.
He and the Yamen Guard were like lovers who hadn't seen each other for days, eager to embrace one another.
In the blink of an eye, they met in a straight line. The Yamen Guard abruptly stopped, bending over and gasping for breath. "My lord, good news—huff huff~~~"
"You're quick! Did the relief funds from the court arrive?"
The Yamen Guard shook his head. County Magistrate Zhou stamped his foot in frustration, wishing he could kick him a few times. "Spit it out! If the relief funds haven't come, what good news could there be?"
The Yamen Guard felt wronged. "My lord, can you let me catch my breath first?"
However, the anxious County Magistrate Zhou could only think about the suffering people.
Finally, as the Yamen Guard's breathing gradually calmed down, he said, "My lord, there are some Earthen Houses in Biqi Town that haven't collapsed. They were reportedly built by a girl named Liu."
"Really? That can't be true?" County Magistrate Zhou questioned as he looked at the Yamen Guard, finding it hard to believe.
From what he had seen, every Earthen House he passed was either collapsed or damaged, with only the Azure Brick House remaining relatively intact.
In the county town and the market, things were better; there were more Azure Brick Houses, and they were well-preserved.
However, the village was different. In this backward era, common people could hardly afford to buy expensive Azure Bricks.
As a result, Earthen Houses were predominant, making up over ninety percent of the structures. Only a few wealthy families had one or two Azure Brick Houses.
Hearing that the Earthen Houses hadn't collapsed was unbelievable to anyone.
The Yamen Guard waved his hand, too anxious to bow before County Magistrate Zhou. He stepped forward, closing the distance to less than half a meter.
To clarify, he gestured animatedly: "Sir, it's all true! I saw it with my own eyes. I witnessed it yesterday and rushed to report it today."
"You didn't see? Their houses—oh right, there are two villages: one called Ten Li Pu and another called Sanhe Village. They have the most houses that didn't collapse, and those that are standing were built by that Miss Liu.
Now all the villages over there are building those kinds of houses. It's all being directed by Miss Liu's people."
This Yamen Guard was quite clever, like a monkey, skilled at gathering information. Over time, everyone began calling him Monkey, and County Magistrate Zhou had a faint impression of him now.
Moreover, this Monkey seemed genuine with his detailed account: "Then let's hurry up; I want to see for myself."
This news felt like a refreshing breeze in his anxious heart, warmth in a snowy landscape, and clear spring water in a drought.
In short, County Magistrate Zhou found himself at a loss for words to describe his feelings at that moment; even he, who prided himself on his vast knowledge, felt speechless for the first time.
Just then, the road had been cleared by soldiers and townspeople for quite a distance.
His urgent mood made him feel that riding in a carriage was too slow. He jumped off the carriage and leaped onto his horse, galloping away.
Master Wen anxiously urged from behind, "You all hurry up and catch up! The lord is not familiar with riding a horse!"
In fact, he could only ride a horse; he wasn't adept at it. Master Wen was just worried about potential dangers.
Usually, this lord was quite normal, but what was going on with him during this earthquake?
The truth was that he was holding an injured Old Farmer, feeling the old man's hand gradually grow cold, while desperately asking for help to take care of the children.
That desperate gaze struck County Magistrate Zhou deeply. What had all his years of perseverance been for? A public servant, a public servant—what a load of nonsense; he felt utterly powerless.
So when he learned this good news, it made him happier than eating several bowls of meat and sleeping soundly for three nights.
His fatigue instantly dissipated.
He understood, just like Liu Qingxi, that everyone was racing against time.
Fortunately, riding a horse was faster than taking a carriage, and the road conditions were not as demanding. When encountering obstacles, the speed would slow down somewhat.
All along, that monkey had been following him closely. "My lord, the Yang Scholar is also from that village. He even took money out of his own pocket to help the people through this crisis, giving about a liter of rice to each family, enough to last five or six days if they rationed it."
"Is there really such a good deed?" County Magistrate Zhou felt his worldview being refreshed repeatedly today.
"Which Yang Scholar?"
"The youngest one from Linyi. My lord, you even invited him to the county office."
"Ah? Oh! I remember now, that Fellow." County Magistrate Zhou smiled, chuckling softly; he truly hadn't misjudged the person.
As for Ten Li Pu, it really was a place full of talent. He couldn't wait to see what it was like.
Fortunately, County Magistrate Zhou's original position was not far from Biqi Town. Although the road affected his speed, after an hour, he still arrived near Ten Li Pu.
Starting from Biqi Town, the destruction here is much more severe compared to the surrounding areas of Linyi County Town.
However, the atmosphere here is quite different; there is no sense of despair or lifelessness.
County Magistrate Zhou dismounted and casually approached an Old Farmer to ask, "Old brother, have you started repairing your houses?"
The Old Farmer's hair was almost completely white, and a gray cloth was wrapped around his forehead, with faint traces of blood seeping through. However, this did not affect his smile: "Yes, thanks to Miss Liu and Yang Scholar. Without them..."
He continued to chatter on, as if he had endless stories to share.
From his words and those of the monkey, it was clear that everything revolved around Liu Qingxi and Yang Yichen.
When asking others, the responses were all the same.
County Magistrate Zhou decided not to linger and headed straight for Ten Li Pu.
The villagers of Shili Pu Village were accustomed to the arrival of strangers, as some more distant villages would also send people over to learn. They were used to it.
However, the few people who arrived on horseback today were somewhat special. At the very least, they calmly asked a couple of questions: "Sir, what brings you to Ten Li Pu?"
"Ah, we heard you have good methods here. We came to learn how to build such houses."
The villagers understood immediately: "Oh, then you've come to the right place. Our village specializes in this. Wait for me to take you over to Miss Liu's house!"
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