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Shen Xihe made the final decision with sound reasoning. The situation was stronger than any individual, and Xiao Changyan knew not only did he lack the grounds to refute her, but if he insisted on opposing, he would only end up under house arrest by Shen Xihe.
Within half a day, as the Crown Prince, Xiao Huayong was believed to be possessed by a deity—a sign that the heavens could not bear to see the people suffer and had specially used the Crown Prince’s body to convey a method for flood control. This conveniently echoed the earlier phenomenon of the Strange Stone descending from the sky, and the common people took it as truth.
Thus, when Tao Zhuanxian and Zhong Pingzhi proposed the method of diverting the floodwaters into the sea, not a single person expressed worry or fear. Under the series of rumors spread by Shen Xihe, they believed it wholeheartedly and looked forward to it eagerly.
Xiao Changqing was tasked with allocating manpower, while Tao Zhuanxian and Zhong Pingzhi drafted the construction plan. The stationed troops were also kept busy under Shen Xihe’s command, not only supervising the laborers but also striving to mobilize necessary supplies from within the county.
The men were organized into shifts to begin digging the channels, while the women brewed medicine and cooked meals, ensuring that the laborers working in the heavy rain would not succumb to the cold.
Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong supervised the delivery of government grain and supplies. With the project underway, the demand for materials increased dramatically, and the first batch of transported grain would be exhausted in at most three days.
Xiao Huayong woke up the day after the collective work began. What else was unclear to Xiao Changyan? The so-called divine possession was nothing but a play orchestrated by this husband-and-wife duo, with the aim of smoothly implementing the flood diversion method.
Throughout the county, everyone capable of digging channels joined the effort, including Tao Zhuanxian, who was over fifty, and even Xiao Changqing led by example. Clad in a straw raincoat, he worked alongside the common people like a farmer, digging with fervor.
Those unable to participate did their utmost to contribute in other ways. United in purpose, everyone worked together with one heart. Xiao Changyan had no choice but to join Xiao Changqing in the labor. Watching the scene of everyone toiling tirelessly without complaint, Xiao Changyan felt deeply conflicted.
If this method succeeded, Xiao Changyan would hold profound admiration for Shen Xihe. With such courage and wisdom, it was no wonder she dared to aspire to such a position.
"Crown Princess, are you not afraid of the sea retaliating?" That day, upon returning to the county office, Xiao Changyan finally caught sight of Shen Xihe, who had come to check the progress and inquire about grain consumption. He could not help but voice the doubt in his heart.
Since joining Xiao Changqing in personally leading the channel excavation, Xiao Changyan had been busier than during military training in the hottest days of summer and had not seen Shen Xihe again.
Originally intending to merely nod in greeting as they passed, Shen Xihe, who had been looking straight ahead, halted her steps. "Prince Jing, do you have an alternative method to resolve the current predicament?"
Xiao Changyan was slightly taken aback. The current predicament referred to the increasingly severe flooding and the incessant heavy rain. Xiao Changyan shook his head honestly. "I do not."
"Flood control is urgent. The method proposed by Zhong Pingzhi and Tao Gong is the only solution, whether it succeeds or not. This is our only chance. If the flood is not eradicated, this city will eventually become a waterlogged ruin, and the people will have no means of survival. Since that is the case, why not stake everything on one throw?" Shen Xihe retorted.
Xiao Changyan was left speechless. After a moment of thought, he said, "Things have not reached that point yet. The people could be relocated."Xiao Changyan had prepared for the worst-case scenario. If Tao Zhuanxian and the others truly had no reliable solution and the relentless downpour continued, he intended to petition His Majesty to evacuate the city's residents.
If they could clear a path for Xiao Huayong and his party to enter the city, they could certainly create a route for the people to evacuate.
"Floods and fires show no mercy, spreading across hundreds of miles," Shen Xihe said, her chin slightly raised, her expression grave, and her gaze calm as she looked at Xiao Changyan. "The people of Wendeng County can be relocated, but if Wendeng is swallowed by the waters, how can you be certain the flood won't ravage the next county? If that happens, will you abandon another county as well? I've heard you are a brilliant military strategist. On the battlefield, would you also flee and abandon a city?"
"This is not comparable," Xiao Changyan retorted.
On the battlefield, he faced ruthless enemies invading their territory. His duty was to protect his homeland and people, and he would never retreat, even if it meant fighting to the last soldier.
Now, he was dealing with a natural disaster, and the people's safety was his foremost concern.
"In my view, there is no difference," Shen Xihe said softly. "It's merely that you cannot bear the responsibility of failure. When facing the enemy, you refuse to surrender, yield, or admit defeat because you cannot bear the consequences of fleeing or losing."
Xiao Changyan clenched his fist involuntarily. He realized that Shen Xihe was never one for harsh or vulgar words. Her voice was as clear and refreshing as a mountain stream flowing over shallow rocks, pleasant to the ear, yet her words were the most discomfiting.
He did not want to admit the truth in her words, yet he could not refute them. For the latter, he could righteously tell her that, as a military commander, his very blood and soul forbade him from being a deserter. But for the former, he had to concede that Shen Xihe was not wrong.
Yes, he could not bear the cost if this plan failed and the entire city drowned because of him. He could not imagine being condemned for eternity, leaving a legacy in the history books as a cautionary tale for future generations due to such folly and impulsiveness.
"Someone must step forward, mustn't they?" Since none of you dare, I will do it. "If we succeed, everyone rejoices. If we fail, it's merely an unavoidable outcome. Why hesitate for the sake of fleeting fame?"
With these words, Shen Xihe looked ahead and departed under the shelter of Biyu's umbrella.
Xiao Changyan watched her fade into the distance, her figure blurred by the drizzle, her hair swaying gently in the misty air, her ethereal presence receding.
Her words echoed in his heart: "Someone must step forward."
Everyone understood this, but few who understood would step forward without hesitation.
Xiao Changyan's expression was complex. He had witnessed Shen Xihe's tactics—how she could turn a situation likely to provoke public outrage into one that commanded universal acceptance. With her intelligence, he believed she could easily force someone else to step forward; it didn't have to be her bearing the burden.
Yet she did not. In his eyes, Shen Xihe was not necessarily a paragon of virtue, but when it came to righteousness, she did not shirk in the slightest. He had never encountered a woman like her.
Suddenly, he began to understand why his Crown Prince elder brother was so infatuated with her.
"You're back?" Xiao Huayong stood at the doorway, just under the shelter from the rain, eagerly awaiting Shen Xihe.This reminded Shen Xihe of the days before they were married, when he would wait for her like this every time she was about to visit the Eastern Palace.
Her gaze drifted downward, noticing the damp hem of his robe. It was soaked with tiny droplets splashed up by the rain, and she wondered how long he had been standing there for such a large area to become drenched.
"Ginger milk tea, have a taste." Xiao Huayong handed Shen Xihe a warm bowl of tea he had been holding. To facilitate your next reading, you can click the "Bookmark" button below to record this reading (Chapter 660: Someone Has to Step Forward). The next time you open your bookshelf, you'll see it!
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