The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 183 Fighting the Flood Together
"I can make the decision regarding the salt and lime you need; they are available within the prefectural city," Yang Zheng said, looking at Shang Jinliang. "Whether we can open an ancestral hall to receive refugees requires discussion within the clan."

The river embankment could be reinforced quickly, but Shang Mingshu didn't have high hopes for it; it was just a delaying tidal wave. The refugees had to be relocated, and there weren't enough safe places to accommodate them. Shang Mingshu suggested that each family open their ancestral hall to receive them.

Merchants in Huizhou attached great importance to their ancestral halls, building them with strict local flood and earth dragon protection measures, guarded by protectors and clansmen. Refugees entering the halls could be quickly brought under control.

"Donating goods and people is acceptable, but using the ancestral hall to accommodate refugees requires careful consideration."

“That’s right, I’m willing to take these relief supplies for the disaster victims, but I can’t decide on the rest…”

People responded enthusiastically by donating supplies, and even had no objection to the government sending people to help repair the river embankment. The only objection was to open the ancestral hall to receive disaster victims.

This was something Shang Mingshu specifically asked Shang Jinliang to add yesterday. Putting himself in their shoes, Shang Jinliang was also unwilling, and mentioned it to Shang Mingshu at the time. Shang Mingshu smiled shrewdly: "If Father doesn't add this, they will make excuses elsewhere. It's not that they don't know that disaster is imminent, but it's just the nature of merchants."

With this condition added, it was difficult for them to refuse. Moreover, given the critical moment, they didn't have time to think about anything else; their first reaction was to refuse to open the ancestral hall to receive the disaster victims.

Shang Mingshu's intentions went beyond that. She wanted to prepare them mentally in advance so that when the disaster raged and they saw the suffering of the people, they would remember this incident and their hearts would soften. At that time, when Prefect He could persuade them with reason and emotion, these refugees would have a place to go...

Shang Jinliang was once again moved and proud of his young daughter's foresight, and everything proceeded according to their plan.

The government's proclamation was spread by word of mouth by the watchmen who beat gongs and drums. When the people saw this, the wealthy families led their guards to the riverbank. Some shrewd people knew they couldn't stay out of it and joined in.

Businesses couldn't operate during the heavy rain, and those who didn't want to just sit around doing nothing signed up as soon as they heard about the meal-inclusive offer.

There were also refugees who had been relocated there. Almost all the men in the prefectural city were mobilized, and even many strong and capable women were involved. Women who were not strong enough were not idle either. Cloth from the cloth shops was turned into sandbags in their hands, and even the straw raincoats and bamboo hats that were consumed the fastest...

Under the leadership of large merchants, the general store supplied ropes, lamp oil, torches, etc.; the blacksmith shop supplied hoes, spades, etc.; and the porters' guild also organized porters to carry these items...

The river channel was dredged, silt was removed, and surrounding depressions and abandoned ponds were utilized.

Upon seeing this, Prefect He couldn't help but wipe his eyes with his clothes.

Shang Mingshu, together with Yao and Lin, took the lead in supplying enough warm medicine and change of clothes to several pharmacies and cloth shops. They changed clothes in batches almost without stopping. Even if there was a moment of chaos during the temporary replacement, order was quickly restored.

"Third Sister, wood is in urgent need." For two whole days and nights, Shang Mingshu hadn't slept a wink. Her temples were throbbing with pain when someone ran from the riverbank to inform her.

The Qi family, along with all the timber merchants, donated a batch of timber. They didn't have time for planning or budgeting, so they had to act quickly. It's understandable that a shortage has arisen: "How much are you short?"

"The foreman said that it would be best if there were more than a thousand, a hundred or so would be fine, and if there really weren't any, then this would be fine..." The man, soaked to the bone, wiped his face, which was covered in mud.

Shang Mingshu knew that at this point, it was just an extra layer of insurance. She thought for a moment and said, "Go back and tell the foreman that I'll try to think of a way, but it might not work."

After sending the messenger away, Shang Mingshu went to the Qi family alone. Master Qi and his wife happened to be there, but since Shang Mingshu was a woman, she was received by Madam Qi. "Third Miss is currently preoccupied with important matters. Your visit must be for something important. Please speak freely." Madam Qi was very grateful to Shang Mingshu for not letting her son become a pawn of the Shi family. Her tone was familiar and gentle.

Shang Mingshu hesitated for a moment, but still tried to speak: "The riverbank reinforcement needs to be completed. If we could have another thousand or so pieces of wood..."

Looking at the embarrassed Shang Mingshu, Madam Qi carefully examined her haggard face and admired Shang Mingshu from the bottom of her heart. She smiled and said, "Since you know that the Qi family has a batch of cedar wood, you should know why this batch of cedar wood is stockpiled, and why my husband and I are stuck here at this moment."

The Qi family owned a batch of fir trees, numbering in the tens of thousands. The Qi couple had taken on a construction project commissioned by the imperial court. This batch of fir trees was an imperial commission, with serial numbers, painted with vermilion lacquer, and registered in the Ministry of Works' materials ledger.

"Can't we make up for it later?" Shang Mingshu still wanted to try one last time.

Madam Qi gently shook her head: "The serial number and the vermilion lacquer were left by the government officials; how could we possibly forge them?"

It's not that they can't be flexible, but that the Qi family can be flexible while the government officials won't. Even if Prefect He intervenes to mediate, and the Ministry of Works wants to hold them accountable, Prefect He has no right to interfere.

Too many people were eyeing the Qi family's business. If it didn't involve life or death, but only losing her job, Madam Qi would be willing to give it up. However, the Ministry of Works would not be lenient, and the enemy would not show mercy. Madam Qi dared not gamble the lives of her entire family on the benevolence of the court and the soft heart of her enemy.

“Madam, I was forcing you, I hope you will forgive me.” Shang Mingshu stood up and bowed respectfully.

Madam Qi quickly helped her up: "Third Miss, please don't do this. You're not forcing me; you're just coming to try. If our Qi family has a solution, how will you know if you've missed the opportunity if you don't come?"

Madam Qi did not blame Shang Mingshu, and she knew that Shang Mingshu's actions were entirely selfless.

Leaving the Qi residence, Shang Mingshu sighed deeply. They had done everything they could; now it was time to leave the rest to fate.

That night, a fierce wind blew, and dark clouds loomed over Zixia Mountain. Lightning flashed across the night sky, revealing the strange sight upstream. The rushing river shimmered with an eerie orange-yellow hue, resembling a giant python writhing with its white belly as it awoke.

A large-scale landslide occurred during the torrential rain, and huge rocks and trees blocked the river channel, causing the river water to accumulate and forming a dangerous "natural barrier lake".

The river channel that Prefect He had previously ordered to be dug allowed a steady flow of water, giving the upstream area a chance to breathe. The breach of the landslide dam prevented a large amount of water from rushing and crashing against the riverbank. The reinforced riverbank barely withstood the first wave of impact.

Prefect He, standing atop the city wall, collapsed upon witnessing this scene, only to be caught by his servants in time.

He murmured absentmindedly, "Thank goodness, thank goodness..."

Fortunately, it was discovered in advance, and fortunately, the river embankment was properly reinforced. Otherwise, he couldn't believe that if this roaring torrent of water had crashed down, the embankment would have broken, and the floodwaters would have surged like a wild beast, turning the county town into a living hell.

"My lord, the torrential rain hasn't stopped, the lake waters are rising, and we don't know how long the river embankment can hold out. You must hold on." Shang Jinliang didn't want to say anything discouraging, but the disaster was only just beginning.

The most terrifying thing is that now they can only rely on God's blessing for everything. With such torrential rain and floods, no one can do anything anymore.