Siheyuan: tomb robbing? I am serious about hunting.

Chapter 691 Disaster Relief

The fields that were once full of vitality were now flooded, and the mature crops were all soaked in water, and the farmers' hard work for a year was wasted. The disaster-stricken areas were full of starving people, and the people dragged their families and became refugees. They were pale and thin, and their eyes were full of despair and helplessness. In order to get a bite of food, the refugees begged everywhere, and even scrambled, and the social order fell into chaos. Although local officials wanted to provide disaster relief, they lacked effective response measures and sufficient supplies, and faced such a severe disaster. When the news reached the capital, there was an uproar in the court. Emperor Kangxi was anxious, as this was related to the life and death of the people and the safety of the country. He sat on the dragon chair, his eyes swept across the ministers below the stage, and said solemnly: "Now the floods in the south are flooding, and the people are in dire straits. I am very worried. Do you have a good plan to solve this crisis?" The civil and military officials in the court looked at each other, and no one dared to speak first. At this time, Chu Tian stood up, wearing court robes, with an upright posture and a firm look. After paying great respects to Emperor Kangxi, he slowly said: "Your Majesty, I think the most urgent task is to quickly allocate food to the disaster area to solve the problem of food and clothing for the people. At the same time, organize manpower to repair the dam to prevent further flooding, and appease the refugees and maintain local order." Emperor Kangxi nodded slightly, motioning Chu Tian to continue. Chu Tian cleared his throat and continued: "I suggest that we urgently transport grain from the government warehouses in neighboring provinces. At the same time, we encourage local wealthy households to open their warehouses and release grain. The court can give them certain rewards, such as honorary titles or tax exemptions. In terms of repairing the embankment, we can recruit local young and strong laborers to work in lieu of relief, which not only solves the livelihood problems of the people, but also speeds up the progress of embankment repair. In addition, officials need to be sent to the disaster area to set up porridge stalls, distribute food in an orderly manner, maintain order, and avoid looting." After hearing this, Emperor Kangxi's eyes flashed with approval. He carefully considered the countermeasures proposed by Chu Tian and felt that they were feasible. He made a decision immediately: "Minister Chu is right. I order you to go to the disaster area immediately and be responsible for disaster relief. You must properly resettle the people and restore local order. I will do my best to allocate the required materials and manpower." Chu Tian accepted the order and felt that he had a heavy responsibility in his heart, but he was determined to live up to the expectations of the emperor and save the people affected by the disaster from the water and fire. After receiving the order, Chu Tian set out on the road to the disaster area without stopping. Along the way, he saw the tragic situation after the flood. The people were struggling to survive in the ruins, and his mood became heavier. After arriving at the disaster area, Chu Tian did not take time to rest, and immediately contacted local officials to learn the details of the disaster. He first set about allocating food. However, this was not an easy task. The grain reserves in the government warehouse were limited, and the number of refugees was large, far from meeting the demand. While urging the transportation of grain from neighboring provinces, Chu Tian personally visited local wealthy families. He earnestly explained the severity of the disaster to the wealthy families, hoping that they would lend a hand. Under Chu Tian's persuasion, some wealthy families who understood the righteousness of the matter opened their own granaries and took out grain to help the refugees. In order to ensure that the grain could be distributed to the people in a fair and orderly manner, Chu Tian set up porridge sheds in various disaster-stricken areas. He personally formulated the distribution rules and arranged special personnel to maintain order. Every day before dawn, Chu Tian came to the porridge shed to supervise the cooking and distribution of grain. He saw the people wolfing down the porridge after receiving it, and his heart was full of bitterness, but at the same time he felt a little relieved. In terms of repairing the dam, Chu Tian organized a large number of young and strong laborers. He went deep into the construction site and personally directed the construction. Due to the immersion of the flood, the soil of the dam became soft and the repair work was difficult. But Chu Tian did not back down. He worked day and night with the workers and developed an effective repair plan. They reinforced the dam with sandbags and piled in key parts to enhance the stability of the dam. After many days of continuous efforts, the dam was finally gradually repaired, and the threat of floods was effectively alleviated. However, new problems followed. Due to long-term immersion in the flood, many people contracted the epidemic. Once the epidemic spreads, the consequences will be disastrous. Chu Tian immediately summoned local doctors to form a medical team to go deep into various disaster-stricken villages to diagnose and treat the people. He also sent people to collect herbs everywhere, boil soup, and distribute them to the people for free. In order to prevent the spread of the epidemic, Chu Tian ordered to strengthen health management, clean up ruins and garbage, and disinfect drinking water. Thanks to his efforts, the epidemic was effectively controlled and there was no large-scale outbreak. Chu Tian also spent a lot of time to appease the refugees. He organized the construction of temporary shelters so that the refugees could have a place to shelter from the wind and rain. At the same time, he also arranged some cultural activities, such as storytelling and opera singing, to ease the tension of the refugees. For some people who lost their loved ones, Chu Tian personally went to comfort them and gave them spiritual support and comfort. In the process of disaster relief, Chu Tian also faced a huge challenge-some local evil forces attempted to take the opportunity to drive up prices and make a fortune from the disaster. They hoarded food, medicine and other supplies and sold them to the people at high prices. When Chu Tian learned about this, he was furious. He immediately launched an investigation and obtained evidence of the crimes of these evil forces. Then, he took decisive action to wipe out these evil forces, confiscated the supplies they hoarded, and sold them to the people at low prices. This move won the unanimous support and praise of the people. After months of hard work, the situation in the disaster area gradually improved. Farmland began to be cultivated again, and the lives of the people gradually returned to normal. Seeing the disaster area regain its vitality, Chu Tian was filled with a sense of accomplishment. He knew that his efforts were not in vain, and the people finally survived the disaster. After completing the disaster relief mission, Chu Tian returned to the capital to report. Emperor Kangxi personally met with him and spoke highly of his work: "Chu Aiqing, you have made an indelible contribution to this disaster relief. You care about the people, are not afraid of difficulties, and have demonstrated outstanding talents and responsibilities. I am pleased to have a minister like you." Chu Tian knelt down to thank him and said, "Your Majesty, this is what I should do. The people are the foundation of the country, and it is my duty to help the people solve their problems." After this battle, Chu Tian's prestige in the court was further enhanced. His name was passed on by word of mouth among the people, and he became a hero in the hearts of the people. And Chu Tian also knew that in this complex officialdom and unpredictable world, he still had more responsibilities and missions waiting for him to complete.