At noon.
On the wide street, the rainwater was actually two inches deep, flowing rapidly from high to low.
The filth that once existed on the streets has been washed away.
Many children became so playful that they braved the heavy rain and got their clothes wet, so they ran to the street to play in the water.
After being yelled at and beaten by his elders, he cried loudly and went home to change clothes and warm himself up by the fire.
same.
On the less-traveled street, the corpse, washed and soaked by the rain, already bloodless and beginning to swell, was discovered by passers-by wearing raincoats and walking in the rain, and reported to the police.
Qi Dangguo walked quickly to the corpse in his raincoat. He squatted down and looked at the corpse soaked in the rain on the street. After searching for a while, he frowned. It was one head and two big.
A sharp voice full of annoyance said:
"His grandma's, this man is wearing the black clothes of a prison clerk, but he has a strange face. He has nothing on him, even his belt is gone. The traces have been washed away by the heavy rain."
"If a subordinate official from other places comes to Huaiyang to handle a case, he must first go to the government office to say hello, but this road is not the way to the government office!"
"Is it possible that he had some special mission or that he had a letter hidden in his belt, so he took a detour, but in the end he was discovered and intercepted by the gangsters?"
The yamen servant on the side also frowned and said:
"Come together, since this person has entered the city, there must be records. Can you go to the city gate to check?"
Qi Dangguo said: "This is inevitable. However, Chaotian Palace is in a mess. Now that there is a murder case, the government's burden is even heavier."
As he spoke, he raised his head. The bamboo hat could not protect him from the pouring rain, and his face was immediately soaked.
The rainwater flowed to the ground along his goatee.
Qi Dangguo wiped his face and cursed:
"This rain is really not coming at the right time. If it doesn't rain earlier, it won't rain later. It just happens when there are so many things going on."
After that, he stood up and said to the two government officials who followed him:
"Find a bullock cart to take the body away and send it to Yizhuang."
"You two go to the two city gates and see if there are any records there."
"Yes, together."
The two government officials responded immediately.
Just as he was about to leave, Qi Dangguo thought of the waterway and reminded him: "By the way, go to the inspection department and ask if this person entered the city through the waterway."
….
For three consecutive days, the heavy rain continued to pour down, with no sign of getting lighter or stopping. On the contrary, it had a tendency to get heavier and heavier.
An atmosphere of fear and uneasiness, like this heavy rain, enveloped the hearts of the people in Huaiyang City.
Chaotian Palace, inside Qiu Zu Palace.
Chen Yuming's face was gloomy and solemn, as if water was dripping from his face.
He looked at the anxious-looking middle-aged man in front of him and asked again in a hoarse voice:
"Are you sure you can't last three days?"
Su Cheng, the official of the workshop, was dressed in a black official uniform that had been washed starchy white and had several patches on it.
He was only thirty-nine years old, with dark complexion and rough skin. He looked like a hard-working old man who had worked hard for many years.
After hearing Chen Yuming's question again, Su Cheng nodded bitterly and said:
"If this rain doesn't stop, the river bank will break within three days."
"Even if the rain becomes lighter, we can only hold on until the fifth day."
"Only when the rain stops, will there be any chance of saving the embankment!"
"The rain has been so heavy that the water in the low-lying village has reached my subordinates' knees."
"The water level of the Ying River has risen by nearly three feet and two inches at the lowest point, and half a foot at the highest point."
"If the embankment breaks, Huaiyang City will become an isolated island, and everything outside the city will be submerged."
"By then, most of Yangzhou may suffer."
Chen Yuming clenched his fists and said with sadness in his eyes:
"How could this be so, how could this be so!"
"Huaiyang has not seen such heavy rain in thirteen years."
"At the beginning of spring this year, there was only a light rain, and then it was sunny."
"I just want to take this opportunity to build a river embankment. What a thief..."
Speaking of this, Chen Yuming couldn't control himself. Tears filled his eyes. He looked at the black clouds in the sky and choked up:
"It's okay to tease me, but hundreds of thousands of people in Huaiyang will suffer disaster."
The next moment.
Chen Yuming trembled all over and said in a panic:
"Quickly, allocate some of the people who are relocating the people and go to the official warehouse. The food there must not be lost at all."
"If the river embankment breaks, the food in the official warehouse may be the life of the people."
Hearing this, Su Cheng also remembered the seriousness of food. He was so frightened that he quickly bowed his hands and said:
"Yes, sir, I will do it now."
Watching Su Cheng disappear quickly in the heavy rain.
Chen Yuming raised his hand to gently wipe the tears from the corners of his eyes, and took deep breaths continuously, trying to calm himself down, but the uneasiness in his heart became more and more serious.
He clasped his hands in front of him. The Huaiyang magistrate who used to be calm and calm when faced with troubles muttered to himself in a panic:
"In recent years, Yangzhou's grain production has been abundant, and Huaiyang City has been the leader in grain production."
"Many corrupt officials, aristocrats and nobles have stolen official positions overtly and covertly, resulting in appalling losses."
"I have been in office for three years, and it was only last year that I replenished the deficit in the granary. Secretly, I don't know how many people are jealous of the granary and are ready to take action."
"If the Ying River bursts its banks this time and the city's guards are exhausted from providing disaster relief and rescuing the people, someone will definitely take action against the official warehouse."
"The seeds that were just planted in spring will not germinate even if they are soaked in heavy rain."
"When the flood control is successful and the fields can be cultivated again, I don't know how many months it will take. People will definitely have no harvest this year and can only plan for next year."
"In such a dangerous situation, if the granary is passive, it will be a small thing for me to lose my official position, and the food that the people need to feed themselves and save their lives will be gone."
Speaking of which.
Chen Yuming's eyes were filled with confusion.
But soon, his eyes became firm.
The remnants of the previous dynasty were nothing compared to the dozens of people inside and outside Huaiyang City.
He ran to the door of Qiu Zu Palace, picked up the umbrella by the door, and said to the Yamen waiting next to him:
"I am ordering everyone to return to Huaiyang City, including the inspection department guarding the mountain."
"Send a message to General Wei Zhenwei of Yangzhou and ask him to send another two thousand elite troops to help Huaiyang City defend the official warehouse."
"Yes, sir!"
The Yamen servant immediately clasped his fists and bowed.
Not long after, a Huaiyang government official wearing a raincoat braved the heavy rain and galloped toward Huaiyang City.
Inside the Huaiyang Mansion Office.
Chen Yuming, who had just walked into the check-in room, had not had time to sit down.
Wang Yeqing, the sixth-rank general judge of Huaiyang Prefecture, walked in with a file.
The thin Chinese character face was full of sadness.
He bowed towards Chen Yuming, handed the file to Chen Yuming, and spoke quickly:
"I've met my lord."
"At noon the day before yesterday, some people discovered a body on Qingyang Street in Zhengdefang."
"The deceased was wearing the black clothes of a subordinate in the torture chamber. All his belongings were taken away, and his belt was also missing."
"The government officials checked the city gate and waterway records, and there was no record of any out-of-town officials entering Huaiyang City and then leaving without records."
"The Security Department, which is in charge of the lower official, has not disappeared from the Jianghu people who entered the city."
Speaking of which.
Wang Yeqing moved his lips and said:
"This man seems to have appeared out of nowhere."
Chen Yuming quickly looked through the file, his face became more and more serious.
He whispered: "Have you seen He Wen?"
Wang Yeqing said worriedly: "He Wen was seriously injured. It rained heavily for days and he was infected with wind and cold. He is bedridden at Zaishi Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic."
Chen Yuming, whose eyes widened instantly, also said worriedly:
"What? He fell ill?"
When Chen Yuming saw Wang Yeqing nodded heavily, the file in his hand was instantly wrinkled.
After taking a few deep breaths, he asked: "How is the Zijin Cauldron?"
"It's locked in the secret room of the Security Department. It's safe for the time being." After Wang Yeqing finished speaking, he asked again: "Sir, it's been three days, why hasn't anyone from Kyoto come to take away the purple golden cauldron?"
