Reincarnated as the daughter of my mortal enemy, all I want is to ascend the throne.

Once the people's trust collapses, it's like a violent earthquake creating fissures and ravines that take a very long time to heal. It may even become a permanent scar.

The people preferred to be drowned when the floodwaters breached the dikes rather than evacuate.

Despite the objections, Li Yan put on a raincoat and went up to the embankment himself.

The water level was rising visibly, and soldiers alone were no longer sufficient. This was the most critical dike in the south; if it breached, six surrounding towns would be destroyed.

Three of the towns were in low-lying areas and didn't even have a chance to escape.

The people from the town who are coming to help will arrive in about two hours.

Hongyu stood beside Li Yan and said, "Your Majesty, please leave. Your subordinates will lead the soldiers to reinforce the dikes."

Gazing at the surging river, Li Yan's eyes were filled with determination: "My people have already been abandoned once, they cannot be abandoned a second time."

He didn't want to be emperor, but he had to sit on the throne to save his life. Now that he was in this position, he had to be a good emperor to the people.

Li Yan stepped off the embankment without looking back, where Li Qingyan was waiting for him in a carriage not far away.

"Father...aren't you going to apologize?"

Li Yan, who had just lifted the carriage curtain, was stunned. He hadn't said a word, so how did this little thing know?

In truth, Li Qingyan wasn't entirely sure either; she just subconsciously knew what Li Yan was going to do. Perhaps this was the connection between their bloodlines.

"That's clever. The people are disappointed with officials because they have been hurt. Even if the guilty officials are arrested, the real culprit is me. It was because I didn't realize it that the villains had the opportunity to take advantage."

Li Yan stroked Li Qingyan's head.

For an emperor to set aside his dignity to apologize and tell the people that he was wrong is like breaking his bones.

Li Qingyan grabbed his sleeve, "Father, I am a princess, I eat the people's food, and I will be with you."

It was unusual for her not to challenge Li Yan.

His small face was filled with determination.

For a three-year-old to say something like that, Li Yan pinched her cheek and said only one word, "Okay."

"My daughter and I went together."

In the middle of the market, there was a platform. Li Yan personally struck the drum in the middle. This drum, similar to the Tongtian Drum, was used to transmit information within the city and could transmit sound to every corner of the city.

Some people have already heard the noise and poked their heads out.

Li Yan stood on the high platform, his clothes soaked by the heavy rain. Li Qingyan, standing beside him, also threw away his raincoat; they had come to apologize, not to put on an act.

Countless eyes were fixed on the father and daughter.

Li Yan patted Li Qingyan's head, and Li Qingyan simply nodded at him.

Not far away were Hong Yan, Tao Jiannan, and others. They wanted Li Yan to come down, but Hong Yu stopped them, saying, "His Majesty has his own considerations."

Li Qingyan wiped the rain off her face and stood next to Li Yan, looking like a miniature version of Li Yan.

Li Yan bowed to the people with clasped hands.

"I am Emperor Li Yan of the Great Yu Dynasty. The disasters suffered by the people of the seven southern counties are due to my negligence."

"I have failed the people of the seven southern counties."

"A natural disaster is imminent, with devastating floods."

"If the Nanqi River Dam were to breach, the surrounding five counties would be submerged instantly."

"I do not ask you to build dikes with us, I only ask that you evacuate as soon as possible."

"I will guard the riverbank with my soldiers and live or die with the seven southern counties."

A few words later, there was a deafening rumble of thunder.

The people watched the emperor on the platform in silence, never expecting that the official who had come was actually their emperor.

I'm apologizing to people I'll never meet in my entire life.

Everyone was at a loss for what to do.

Li Qingyan bowed to the crowd and said, "I am Princess Li Qingyan of Dayu, and I have come here with my father to investigate the case."

"I volunteer to guard the river embankment with my father. Please, fellow villagers, evacuate."

The three-year-old child was so determined that the people's gazes changed repeatedly.

Li Yan looked at Li Qingyan in shock. They hadn't discussed this matter, and he had originally planned for Li Qingyan to leave.

Li Qingyan looked at Li Yan beside her and whispered, "Li Yan, I am your daughter. If you die, no one will protect me."

"Besides...wouldn't bringing your own daughter demonstrate your sincerity even more?"

"Therefore, Li Yan, we will live and die together."

Rain streamed down Li Yan's face, making it hard for him to tell if it was water or tears. He had been planning to knock Li Qingyan unconscious, stuff her into the carriage, and take her away, but who would have thought he'd be outmaneuvered by this little brat.

"To live and die together"

These four words came from his daughter's mouth.

He was so glad he had this little one.

"Alright, then let's live and die together."

Li Yan led Li Qingyan toward the embankment, followed by a group of soldiers.

Tao Jiannan stood there for a long while, holding his umbrella, before he came to his senses. "Brother Hong, how about going up to the embankment?"

Hong Yan, wearing a straw raincoat, said, "That's exactly what I was planning to do."

The two figures, one large and one small, on the stage had disappeared, leaving only the patter of rain. The people's eyes were filled with bewilderment.

Yes, how can we not feel lost?

They were abandoned and then saved.

The heavy rain poured down on them, but no one moved an inch.

No one knew what to do. They harbored resentment but couldn't withstand the shock they had just experienced.

……

Li Qingyan stood not far away; all she could do was not disturb the others. Li Yan carried a heavy load on his back, without the slightest sign of slackening.

She almost forgot that in the early days of the founding of the nation, Li Yan had lived and ate with the soldiers and endured a lot of hardship.

Li Yan had only been away from the military camp for four years.

It's cold, so cold.

The wind and rain by the river were stealing away the body's warmth.

The river is still rising.

In some places, springs gushed forth, requiring constant covering with sand and gravel.

"Speed ​​up."

Li Yan stood on high ground, directing the operation while simultaneously hoisting stones and throwing them into the water. The sharp stones grazed his skin, drawing blood, which faded in color as the rain washed over him.

Seeing this, Li Qingyan's eyes showed no fear of death, but rather a calm and composed demeanor.

"It might not be so bad to die alongside Old Deng."

It's better than growing up alone.

[Host, we have detected that your body is nearing its limit.]

"I can't back down. Since I said those words, I can't leave. If I leave... I'll be undermining Li Yan."

Flying Fork shut its mouth. Its host hadn't checked the strategy points for a very long time, and seemed to have forgotten about it. Perhaps... that's for the best.

Feicha picked up a handful of sunflower seeds and cracked them into Li Qingyan's head. He then forcibly deactivated the red alert.

The rain was getting heavier, and Li Qingyan suddenly realized that the rain had stopped falling on her head. Looking up, she saw a strange woman holding a raincoat over her head. "Little princess, you're too young to be with the children, are you? You can't help here."

Li Qingyan looked behind her and saw a dense crowd of people. The people were carrying tools and rushing to the embankment. There were men and women, young people and old people in the crowd.

Li Qingyan wiped her face, looked up at the woman, and said, "I agree to your terms."

The woman picked up Li Qingyan and said, "We all know, let's go, little princess."

When passersby see Li Qingyan, they either smile at her or give her a smile.

Or, to put it another way, "You're so small, get off here."

"We're here."

The woman carried her all the way to the county government office before turning and leaving. Li Qingyan wiped her eyes.

Human nature is to seek advantage and avoid harm.

It is instinctive for these people not to trust them, but their trust in them stems purely from goodwill.

Li Qingyan lowered her head and wept, her mind in a state of confusion.

The heavy rain continues. No one knows how long it will last, or whether these people will survive.