good season

Chapter 265 Water Life (Two chapters combined)

Merchants inquired everywhere about where Young Master Guanyue was staying, bringing with them valuable antiques, magnificent treasures, and all sorts of exquisite imported items. Young Master Guanyue was sure to be willing to spend lavishly on them.

As for the true identity of Young Master Guanyue, the well-informed businessmen also have their own answers.

Is the Golden Boy under the Bodhisattva Guanyin's tutelage?

The ignorant masses may talk, but they don't believe it.

This young master Guanyue is either a member of the imperial family in the capital or a son of a noble family.

Some even secretly speculated that the true identity of Prince Guanyue was that of a prince or grandson of a king from some region.

At worst, he would be a prince like Zhao Tingxuan from Liangdi.

Regardless of the rumors, the merchants preferred to believe that the Moon-Viewing Prince was indeed a prince, and only a prince was worthy of the gold and silver they brought.

Money can make the world go round.

The merchants quickly found the place where Young Master Guanyue was staying, but unfortunately, they found it empty. Young Master Guanyue and his two henchmen, one in black and one in white, were not there.

At this moment, Shen Guanyue, Niqiu, and Shen Wangxing were searching for a water source on the mountain.

The mountains were cool, but the three of them were drenched in sweat.

Tongzhou is a vast expanse of water, yet here three villages share a single water source.

When there were only two villages, they fought every year over water. Other places would at most have verbal battles, but the people of Gaoping were fierce and would fight to the death.

Now, thanks to the disaster victims reclaiming wasteland, the original two villages have each gained dozens of people, and a new village has been built on the nearby endless wasteland.

Two villages became three, making water resources even more precious.

Shen Guanyue and her two companions have been wandering in the mountains for two days. The mountains are covered with lush vegetation, so there must be a hidden water source.

"Little Yueyue, come quick! It's very damp here. Could there be water down there?" Mudfish shouted, pointing to a spot.

Shen Guanyue and Shen Wangxing ran over, and sure enough, there were many shade-loving plants growing there, and water droplets were dripping from between the stones!

Shen Guanyue was overjoyed, snatched the hoe from Shen Wangxing's hand, and smashed it down on the dripping water.

One spray after another, more than a dozen times, a stream of cool spring water gushed out, spraying his head and face, and Shen Guanyue laughed heartily!
The water source has been found, but how to bring the water down the mountain?
Shen Guanyue thought for a moment and said, "Let's measure how far it is from here to the wasteland below."

The three of them measured the distance on foot, finding it to be about four thousand steps from here to the wasteland below.

Four thousand steps—if one person were to dig it, it would be an impossible task. But what if there were many people?
If one step is equal to two feet, then four thousand steps would be eight thousand feet, or eight hundred zhang!
If each person digs two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) a day, then four hundred people can dig eight hundred zhang (approximately 400 meters) of irrigation canal in a day. Given the hard terrain and rocks, and considering these difficulties, it would take at most three days to bring water down from the mountain.

Excited by the discovery, the three immediately went down the mountain and persuaded the bewildered disaster victims to come up and dig a canal.

However, the reality was not as rosy as planned. Bringing water from the mountain was very difficult, and they had to change course when they encountered large rocks.

Some people gave up, others made sarcastic remarks, and a few experienced farmers simply threw their hoes on the ground and stopped digging.

Shen Wangxing got anxious and argued with these people, telling them that they were only making the canal for their own benefit.

“We won’t starve even if we don’t dig. We still have relief grain. Besides, I’ve heard that in addition to the relief grain provided by the government, many wealthy families in the city are also distributing porridge and rice. Instead of digging ditches, we might as well go up the mountain and cut more firewood to keep for the winter.”

"Yes, yes, let's go chop wood."

Shen Wangxing stamped his feet in frustration. How could these people be so foolish? When the relief grain ran out and the wealthy families in the city stopped giving them rice, they still had to come and farm the land obediently.
“We can also go to the city to do odd jobs. When we were in Tongzhou, we would go to the city to do odd jobs every year.”

"Doing odd jobs earns more money than farming!"

Shen Wangxing: "But the wasteland you cleared is your own, and you can pass it down from generation to generation. You can't do odd jobs for a lifetime!"

"No, that's not true. My grandfather was over fifty years old and still went to the city to work for others, earning several hundred coins a month."

Shen Wangxing was speechless, wondering how he could possibly persuade these people.

Just then, a boy of about thirteen or fourteen ran over and shouted, "Young Master Guanyue has already dug two zhang! Two zhang!"

No one believed that the handsome and noble Prince Guanyue, who seemed unreal, could also dig ditches and wield a hoe.

They all rushed over to prove that the kid was exaggerating.

But as they rounded a boulder, they came across a new canal. Shen Guanyue was still digging it. When she saw them arrive, she smiled and said, "I've finished mine. Now it's your turn."

Young Master Guanyue was indeed digging a ditch. His robes were so worn that their original color was no longer visible, and his face was filthy. Yet, he was smiling, revealing clean, white teeth. His smile shone with light, and his eyes and his entire being radiated light.

The old farmers couldn't save face; it was as if they were making things difficult for a little kid.

The little boy's hands didn't even have calluses; he was clearly pampered from a young age. Yet now he's digging a ditch, digging a ditch for them.

Yes, whether there is a water source or not has nothing to do with this little child. Who are they doing this for? Isn't it all for them?
What did they do?
Being lazy, making sarcastic remarks, and making things difficult for a child?
"Da Niu, Lao Zhang, Lao Liu, stop sitting there, pick up your hoes and let's dig together!"

Five days later, a canal was built from the top down into a newly dug pool, and then the water was channeled from the pool to the fields. They no longer had to compete with other villages for water; they now had their own water source.

"Young Master Guanyue, this is mung bean soup my mother cooked. Have a bowl, it's very sweet!"

"Young Master Guanyue, try the wild vegetable pancakes my wife made, they're delicious!"

"Young Master Guanyue, you know so much. What do you think? Would it be alright if I planted fruit trees over there?"

In the fields, everyone surrounded Young Master Guanyue, chattering away. They didn't know anything about royalty or noble families; all they knew was that Young Master Guanyue had not only arranged for the government to provide them with relief grain and farming tools, but had also brought them water—water that could sustain them!

Zhao Shiqing on the mountain was also very busy. The heavy rain turned into showers, and it continued to rain intermittently every day. All the houses and sheds on the mountain were full, and the temporary tents were also full of people. Xiao Zhen had decided not to send any more people up the mountain. Of the people rescued from the flood, only some women and children were sent up the mountain, and the rest were sent to Huangjiazhuang outside the city.

Huangjiazhuangzi was built on high ground, so only part of it was flooded, and most of the buildings were not flooded. Otherwise, the prefect Qian, who valued his life, would not have taken refuge there.

But now, Prefect Qian's good days are over. He is being forced by Xiao Zhen to search for surviving disaster victims every day, and also to bury the corpses, because if these corpses are not retrieved and allowed to rot in the water, they will cause a plague.

A major disaster is always followed by a major epidemic. Even though the floods have not yet subsided, the epidemic is of paramount importance.

Prefect Qian was very tired. Even when he was still single and helping his mother grind tofu, he wasn't this tired.

Yes, before that, Prefect Qian's hard work ended after his first wife entered the family.

After marrying his first wife, both he and his mother were freed from their duties. He could focus solely on his studies, while his mother took charge of issuing orders. For some reason, Prefect Qian found himself thinking of his deceased wife when faced with those whitish, bubbly corpses.

His deceased wife was virtuous and kind, gentle and considerate, hardworking and selfless, and supported the family with her young shoulders.

His deceased wife was only nineteen years old when she passed away.

Prefect Qian only regretted not having a pen in his hand, otherwise he would have definitely written a "Letter to My Deceased Wife".

His deceased wife deserves a story!
Thinking of his deceased wife, he also thought of his mistress, that adulterous woman!

Upon receiving the letter from the capital, the adulterous woman, before the heavy rain in Tongzhou, left the city with her gold, silver, valuables, and dowry, without even saying goodbye.

Fine, they're leaving. They didn't even take that bastard with them!
When you think of bastards, bastards come to mind.

"Prefect Qian, I have good news for you. My men found a young boy today, and upon questioning him, we learned that he is your eldest son. He is on his way now. Congratulations on your reunion with your son, Prefect!"

Xiao Zhen smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, a smile that stung Prefect Qian's eyes.

He fled to Huangjiazhuang with his second son, and deliberately sent his eldest son away when he left.

Tongzhou was flooded, and the prefectural government office was also flooded. That bastard was young and helpless, and he certainly wouldn't have survived on his own. After seeing so many corpses these days, he became more and more certain that the bastard was already dead.

Unexpectedly, this mysterious and unpredictable young master Xiao not only found that bastard, but also sent him the bastard.

Is this because they think he's not dying fast enough, and they want to make him die of anger?
Qian Dalang arrived, a teenager who had grown increasingly thin and pale from days of fright and torment, like a bean sprout that hadn't sprouted properly.

He walked timidly to Prefect Qian, opened his mouth, but didn't say "father".

He was no longer a child, and from his father's attitude and the ridicule of others, he gradually realized that he was not his father's biological son.

He wanted to ask his mother several times who his biological father was, but he swallowed the words back.

He dared not ask, fearing his mother would tell him that his biological father was a servant, a stable boy, a carriage driver, or even someone whose name his mother couldn't even recall.

His father didn't look at him, so he turned his head away and looked at Xiao Zhen.

This is the person who rescued him from the stinking water filled with dead rats and gave him a bowl of hot porridge.

“Brother, I lied. I am not this man’s son. I am an orphan. I have no home.”

Everyone was stunned, even Prefect Qian stared in surprise at his adopted son, whom he considered a disgrace.

Seeing the surprise in his father's eyes, the young boy let out a long breath. He suddenly felt refreshed and realized that saying he was an orphan was such a pleasant thing.

"What did you say?"

The boy straightened his back and didn't look at Magistrate Qian again. Instead, he said to Xiao Zhen, "Brother, I am a homeless orphan, but I am not a bad child. I don't eat much. Just give me a bowl of rice every day. I can work. By the way, I can read. Can I be your errand boy?"

Xiao Zhen narrowed his eyes slightly, then suddenly smiled: "Alright, I just happen to need a servant to run errands."

Prefect Qian's expression changed drastically. Although he did not regard this bastard as his son, it would still be a disgrace for him to have this bastard serve as a servant to this so-called Young Master Xiao.

"No, I disagree."

Xiao Zhen: "Does Lord Qian perhaps know who this child's parents are?"

Prefect Qian was taken aback again. He gritted his teeth and waved his hand, "Fine, fine, whatever you want!"

He didn't care anymore; he wanted to calm down and write a poignant and moving eulogy for his wife who had died many years ago.

Xiao Zhen walked out of Huang Family Manor, and the young man followed closely behind.

Xiao Zhen stopped and said, "You're still missing a name."

The boy looked at him, his gaze clear and firm: "I want to be called Shuisheng, is that alright?"

The moment Xiao Zhen rescued him from the water was like a rebirth for him.

Xiao Zhen smiled and said, "Shuisheng, a good name. From now on, you will be called Shuisheng."

Xiao Zhen brought back a boy named Shui Sheng, and Zhao Shiqing joked, "Hey, you've started picking up people too."

Miss Zhao has taken in many people, but this is the first time she has taken in Xiao Zhen.

Xiao Zhen felt a little embarrassed. In his previous life, he would not have taken the boy back. But in this life, perhaps influenced by Zhao Shiqing, he did not refuse when the boy said he wanted to follow him and readily agreed.

Just then, Xia Dachuan strode over: "Second Miss, there's something strange about that family that went up the mountain five days ago."

Zhao Shiqing hurriedly asked, "What happened? Tell me in detail."

Xia Dachuan was holding a booklet, which was a roster of the people who had been rescued.

Xia Dachuan pointed to one of the pages and said, "Lei Dabao, Lei Erbao, Lei Sanbao, Lei Sibao, Lei Wubao, as well as Lei Dabao's two sons, Lei Dabao and Lei Erbao's wives, the Lei family has a total of nine people, seven men and two women."

They had no travel permits or luggage, supposedly all washed away by the flood. They claimed to be from Leijia Village, Yang County.

Zhao Shiqing nodded: "Is there something wrong with it?"

At least half of those rescued and brought up the mountain did not have a travel permit, either because they lost it in the flood or because they did not have time to bring it with them.

Xia Dachuan said, "This family seems normal. They are well-behaved on the mountain, never cause trouble, and often take the initiative to help with chores."

But the problem lies in their place of origin. The family that went up the mountain yesterday, the old lady and her two daughters-in-law, are all from Leijia Village. They are very familiar with Leijia Village.

According to them, although Leijia Village is called Leijia Village, there are no people with the surname Lei in the village now!

Lei Family Village gets its name from the ancestral graves of the Lei family, who moved to the Wu region decades ago. The current residents are all recent arrivals, and none of them bear the surname Lei.

There haven't been any people with the surname Lei in Leijia Village for decades, so where did these nine members of the Lei family come from?

Did it crawl out of the Lei family's ancestral grave?

Zhao Shiqing's face was ashen. She thought of those people who entered the city with weapons, and she also thought of the tragic death of her master's family in her dream.

"Go and investigate quietly. If the family is mostly composed of young and middle-aged people, investigate them carefully. I'm entrusting this matter to you. Don't alert them."