Chapter 63

After listening to Shuiqing recount the village chief’s words, Fan Jin’s expression turned somber.

“The flood is not the most terrifying thing. What’s terrifying is the ensuing crop failure, the corrupt officials embezzling relief grain, the outbreak of diseases, and the desperate measures people might take when starving…”

Shuiqing remembered the village chief mentioning having extra money to stockpile lime, which is also a means of disinfection.

However, in China, disaster response and disinfection are organized by the government, so there’s no need for individuals to worry. But here, it’s different. Everything relies entirely on oneself, whether it’s disinfecting and preventing diseases after a flood or ensuring personal and property safety.

With a serious expression, she said, “The village chief has asked Sister Guifeng to notify the villagers. Some of them will likely follow suit. But, do they have enough food?”

“The villagers’ rice converted to black flour can last until the end of next year. However, a flood requires more than just enough food; people need a shelter. Otherwise, if their houses collapse, there’s nowhere to store the grain, and even a few days of exposure to rain can cause illness. So, I reckon the villagers will trade some rice for tiles to rebuild their mud-brick houses by year-end,” Fan Jin speculated as he looked toward Shanshui Village.

Every summer, when the rains are heavy, one or two households’ thatched roofs usually collapse in Shanshui Village. However, there are many villagers, so they can temporarily stay elsewhere, and everyone pitches in to help rebuild.

But a major flood is different. Before a flood, there’s continuous heavy rain. If too many houses collapse, there won’t be enough places to house everyone. People will be preoccupied with their own problems and won’t have the time or resources to help others. Families with many elderly and children will suffer the most.

Shuiqing also looked towards Shanshui Village, seeing numerous small, old thatched houses. Except for the industrious village chief and the Fan family with ancestral wealth, most villagers relied on a few acres of thin fields, barely getting by each year.

Their poor financial state makes them vulnerable to risks.

“Only by uniting the villagers can we address post-flood safety issues. To unite them, we must at least ensure they have enough to eat, so they won’t starve.”

In prolonged hunger, if outsiders come to rob, how can they resist?

Helping the villagers is also helping themselves. In a place without safety guarantees, especially after a disaster, you can’t rely on officials; protecting your property and safety is up to you. With young children and two daughters at home, if a band of refugees with sticks and knives broke in, and if they harbored evil thoughts towards Yan Qiuxing…

Shuiqing dared not think further. Normally, she wouldn’t assume the worst of people, but after a disaster, she wouldn’t assume the best either.

Fan Jin had seen much ugliness growing up. As men, they could die, but Shuiqing and Yan Qiuxing were women…

He took a deep breath, steadied himself, and asked Shuiqing, “Can we still buy kudzu seeds like last time?”

Shuiqing nodded, “Yes, do you plan to plant them yourself?”

With thirty-four households in the village, planting on all their hills was no easy task.

Fan Jin shook his head and sincerely explained, “No, I thought we should help them and make sure they understand our kindness. This way, they’ll help us wholeheartedly in times of need. Moreover, dealing with disasters is ultimately their responsibility. If it’s too easy, they’ll attribute it to luck and maintain a complacent attitude. Only by having them actively participate, choose, and work hard, they’ll learn and appreciate the results, especially when they see the difference between those who worked and those who didn’t.”

“What do you plan to do?” Shuiqing felt Fan Jin, although not suited for imperial exams, was a good teacher. He didn’t take over everything but guided growth.

Fan Jin didn’t realize Shuiqing had thought so far. He shared his plan, “Shuiqing, buy more kudzu seeds. I’ll take them to the village chief, saying we found them on our hillside, they’re good for filling the stomach, and we have collected many seeds. Anyone who wants to plant can get them for free from the chief’s house. By summer, the kudzu will have sprouted and grown. Floods only affect good fields, not the hills, so the kudzu should be fine. Its harvest season is September or October, just when villagers’ grain supplies are running low, making it a perfect supplement.”

“Do you think I’m right?” he asked uneasily.

“Yes, very right!” Shuiqing affirmed without hesitation.

Seeing the tall, slender man in front of her blush, even his ears turning red, he softly said, “I’m glad you don’t think I’m talking nonsense.”

Since repeatedly failing the imperial exams, he felt everything he did was wrong and everything he said was incorrect.

Shuiqing quickly bought dozens of pounds of kudzu seeds and five fresh kudzu roots, handing them over.

Fan Jin, his worries fading, smiled with relief, “I’ll go find the village chief now.”

·

Every household, except for the elderly with mobility issues and young children, was out picking mushrooms on the hills. But as it was dinner time, some people had returned to cook.

In the yard, after tasting the kudzu root, the village chief instructed his eldest daughter-in-law, “Take the gong and notify the village.”

Wang Guifeng promptly obeyed.

Soon, the clear sound of the gong echoed through every corner of the village and surrounding hills.

“What’s going on? The village chief doesn’t ring the gong lightly.”

“Let’s go back. It’s dinner time anyway. Let’s hear what the chief has to say and then go home to eat.”

“Right, let’s go to the village chief’s house.”

Within the time it took for an incense stick to burn, the old village chief’s house gathered all the heads of households who could make decisions.

After instructing his grandson Changlin to count and confirm that representatives from almost every household were present, the village chief cleared his throat and spoke, “Young Jin found this root-like food on the hill behind his house. It fills the stomach when eaten.”

He continued, “Considering abnormal weather this year might lead to floods next year, and since we are all one village, I have brought out all the seeds we collected earlier. Please taste them. If you wish to plant, I will tally the numbers and distribute them according to each household’s population.”