Jiu Zhang Ji: The Daily Life of the Reborn Daughter

Chapter 97 Successful Evacuation

After Qiao Lili came back to her senses, she quickly got up and took her things. Yu Jingyan held up an oil-paper umbrella and sent her to a carriage.

It was then that Qiao Lili realized that the only tent left in the entire camp was the one she lived in. At the darkest moment of the day, dozens of flood control officials and their entourage from the Dayan Ministry of Works moved their camp in the rain.

How should I put it? It’s great. At least now these people can return to Beijing safely.

The carriage moved forward and upward, and after an hour, we arrived at a relatively large village, Danlu Village. The village is located behind Panshi Mountain, on a gently undulating mountain range. The hillsides are covered with maple trees, which turn a bright red in autumn, hence the name.

The Gan River flows through the south side of Panshi Mountain. Danlu Village and the Gan River are separated by a Panshi Mountain. It is a relatively safe place that cannot be reached by floods and mudslides.

After Qiao Lili arrived in Danlu Village, she lived in the home of the village head.

The head of the village was much younger than Erniu's grandfather. He was a very shrewd middle-aged man. He knew that this group of people were the masters who came from the capital to control the water resources, and Qiao Lili was the most respected among them. He immediately had an idea in his mind. He brought food and tea to Qiao Lili, and went back and forth every now and then, bringing this and that to her, asking about her well-being, with an enthusiasm that was a bit annoying.

Especially, Qiao Lili was originally a woman disguised as a man, so it was inconvenient for her to have too much contact with men. Besides, she was still thinking about Yu Jingyan in her heart, so she had no mood to deal with him.

She hadn't seen Yu Jingyan since she got on the carriage. She knew that at this moment, if Yu Jingyan was not inspecting the embankment, he was mobilizing the people in the twelve villages in Huaijiang Beach to evacuate as soon as possible.

After dawn, the rain got heavier and Qiao Lili became more anxious. Yu Jingyan left Kuailai with her. Kuailai saw Qiao Lili's impatience and told the head of the village not to disturb her again.

Qiao Lili asked Kuailai to inquire about the current situation of villagers' evacuation. Kuailai went for a long time and came back, saying that only a few people agreed to evacuate, and the others were worried that no one would feed the pigs and the eggs would be lost, so they refused to leave. Some old people said that they had lived for a lifetime and had experienced several breaches of the Ganjiang River, but none of them flooded the Huaijiang Beach, and they refused to leave no matter what.

If the old man doesn't leave, then the whole family won't leave either.

What to do? Qiao Lili was so anxious that she kept pacing around the room.

At the end of Chen hour, Xiang Dazhuang, Tang Chengmin, Cai Qi and Cai Xing came over.

The four people were also soaked and looked miserable, so Qiao Lili asked them to change their clothes quickly.

When Cai Qi opened the bundle, she said, "It's a good thing I packed it in a few extra layers, otherwise the banknotes would have been soaked in such heavy rain."

Seeing the banknotes, Qiao Lili was inspired and asked Cai Qi, "How many banknotes did you bring?"

Cai Qi handed a stack of banknotes wrapped in oilcloth to Qiao Lili: "Madame Sun said that a poor family can have a rich road, so she gave me ten thousand taels."

Cai Xing also brought over a heavy bundle: "Madame Sun also gave me two hundred taels of silver, and another fifty taels of broken silver. Two strings of copper coins."

Qiao Lili brought over all the banknotes and silver, and then stuffed them all at Kuai Lai: "Cai Qi and Cai Xing are here to take care of me. You take this silver and go find the Sixth Prince."

"Tell him to notify the villagers that as long as the whole family evacuates, there will be silver. Those who evacuate early will get more silver, and those who evacuate late will get less silver. The first ten households to evacuate will be given 100 taels of silver each, and the next fifty households to evacuate will be given 50 taels of silver, and so on. Let your master decide the amount of silver himself, and this way, the evacuation will be faster."

Come and follow the Sixth Prince, how could he be a stupid person? He figured it out immediately, "Sixth Prince's Concubine, your idea is really good, it helps the master a lot." He ran away quickly with the silver and banknotes.

This title is still the same as the nephew holding a lantern, as before (looking after his uncle). He promised well, but he just won't change it.

Xiang Dazhuang and Tang Chengmin, who were resting outside, also asked to go with Kuailai to help. One more person means more strength, so Qiao Lili agreed.

After noon, Yu Jingyan came back in the rain. Although he was wearing a waterproof coat, which was a little better than a straw raincoat, his trouser legs and boots were also wet.

After he came in, he asked Caiqi and Caixing to go out, then he pinched Qiao Lili's armpits with both hands, picked her up, and turned around in circles in the room, just like when they were little.

"Little Ali, you are my lucky star. How come you are so powerful? A group of us beat drums and gongs and tried to persuade the villagers for half the night, but our voices were hoarse and we still couldn't convince the villagers. But you slapped this stack of banknotes and in two hours, all twelve villages were empty."

"Don't take anything, just see who can run faster."

Living in this small mountain village, people farm and hunt to make a living. All their belongings amount to no more than a few taels of silver. Those who evacuated first had a hundred taels, but they might not get it, because those who listened to the advice evacuated early, so it must have belonged to them.

But there are still rewards of eighty taels, fifty taels, and thirty taels, and as long as you evacuate before noon, you can get ten taels.

Ten taels of silver are not worth even if the house is lost. Besides, the house will not be lost. I can come back when the rain stops. I can get ten taels of silver for free, so why not run away?

Besides, if everyone leaves, no one will steal anything.

Qiao Lili was dizzy from his spinning. For some reason, she lost many of the skills she had as a child when she was older. For example, when she was younger, she would not feel dizzy even when spinning in circles, but when she grew up, she would feel dizzy almost every time. Qiao Lili was also dizzy.

She pounded Yu Jingyan's shoulder: "A Jing, put me down, quickly."

"Call Ajing brother." Yu Jingyan corrected without any hesitation.

When she was little, she always called him Brother Ajing. But when she lived again, she always felt that she was older than Yu Jingyan and her mentality was more experienced, so she couldn't call him Brother Ajing anymore.

"I'll keep turning unless you call me." Yu Jingyan said teasingly.

"Brother Ajing, Brother Ajing." Qiao Lili closed her eyes and made up her mind. Everyone can pretend to be young. All she has to do is be thick-skinned.

Yu Jingyan stopped turning and held Qiao Lili in his arms. Qiao Lili was so dizzy that she couldn't open her eyes. Yu Jingyan looked down at the lovely girl in his arms. This was the little A'li who he had held in his arms since she was less than one year old. From now on, they would not be able to get together only twice a year, but could be together every day.

While Qiao Lili was still asleep, he quickly kissed her fair and tender cheek.

Qiao Lili felt like she was touched by a soft and slightly cool object.

Qiao Lili opened her eyes and saw that Yu Jingyan's eyes were looking elsewhere, but his earlobes were red and bleeding. She understood what was going on, slowly stood up and gave him a quick kiss on the face.

Then, he got up and ran away. You want to take advantage of me, Qiao Lili? No way, I'm back.

Yu Jingyan didn't chase her either. He raised his hand and touched the place on his face that was kissed, smiling foolishly, but his earlobe became even redder.