The villagers could not help but worry about the future. They initially thought that once the flood receded, they could return, and perhaps their houses would still be standing. But now, they had no such false hopes.
Looking at the volume of water, their houses would undoubtedly be completely washed away, leaving not even rubble behind. And as for Wuling County's Ling Mountain, even if it was not completely submerged, only the peak would be exposed.
How many people could that small peak accommodate? For miles around, everything would become a vast expanse of water, turning the mountain peak into a solitary island. How long could they survive trapped on that island?
As for whether the authorities would come to their rescue, the villagers had no hope at all. By the time any rescuers arrived, they would likely all be dead.
One by one, the villagers were extremely grateful that they had not heeded Wu Laowu's evil persuasion. Otherwise, they too would have been among those trapped on the island, helplessly crying out to the heavens and earth.
Everyone's spirits were extremely low, and the journey continued in complete silence.
The Immortal Dwelling Mountain range stretched for hundreds of miles, but it was not particularly steep, with a gentle slope and small paths trodden by hunters and villagers, making it not too difficult to climb.
With one burst of energy, they climbed to the top before stopping to rest.
Once on the mountain, feeling safe at last, everyone let out a collective sigh of relief and found places to sit and catch their breath.
Quite naturally, they divided into two groups, with the Huaishu villagers on one side and the Dahu villagers on the other.
Mrs. Gao and Xie Zhan stood at the edge of a rocky outcrop. In the glow of the setting sun, the raging floodwaters had already risen halfway up the mountain.
Mrs. Gao said worriedly, "To the west of the county town, there are still three or four villages. It seems only our two villages made it to Immortal Dwelling Mountain to seek refuge. As for the others... alas, I fear the worst."
Xie Zhan's handsome face was grimly set. The people from those villages had either gone to Ling Mountain or encountered the floodwaters on their way to Immortal Dwelling Mountain. In either case, their chances of survival were slim.
Or perhaps they had headed towards Kong Mountain in Huangshi County, but that route was much farther. Only those with vehicles and horses, unencumbered by others, might have had a chance of making it alive by traveling light.
This disaster would undoubtedly leave countless families ruined and people displaced. Outside of Immortal Dwelling Mountain, one could only imagine the hellish scenes unfolding in the mortal realm.
Xie Zhan's voice was solemn, "The Juhuyan Embankment was only just completed three years ago. Back then, the King of Jingzhou was given a hundred million taels of silver by the imperial court to oversee its construction, which took four years and conscripted a hundred thousand laborers, causing much hardship and expense for the people. Yet it could not withstand a single torrential downpour..."
He shook his head, his tone filled with profound resignation.
Second Xie, sitting on the ground, angrily cursed upon hearing this, "Damnit, if they didn't cut corners and scrimp on materials, even a ghost wouldn't believe it! Those greedy bastards, living high on the hog, stealing all that silver without a care that their own sons would end up with no assholes."
Mrs. Gao turned and mildly rebuked him, "Second, watch your tongue, don't talk such nonsense!"
After admonishing Second Xie, Mrs. Gao turned to console Xie Zhan, "What's done is done, worrying is useless and only harms your health. You must take care of yourself first."
Xie Zhan and Mrs. Gao had intentionally lowered their voices, but Gu Jiu, being nearby, heard every word clearly.
From their conversation, Gu Jiu realized that this flood disaster was not an act of nature, but a man-made calamity.
The Juhuyan Embankment was overseen by the King of Jingzhou, who had cut corners and embezzled funds, resulting in the shoddy construction that could not withstand the flood, causing the present disaster.
What she did not understand was that while Xie Zhan was a scholar, and his concern for the country and its people was comprehensible, Mrs. Gao's articulate and refined manner of speech did not seem to match that of a rustic village woman.
Whether it was her prudent rebuke of Second Xie or her eloquent advice to Xie Zhan, she spoke like an educated and insightful person.
The Xie family was kind, generous, and harmonious, and although their three daughters-in-law had little education, they were also virtuous and polite, indicating that Mrs. Gao had a system for educating her children and managing the household.
How did such a person end up living in this impoverished backwater?
As night fell, two figures approached from a short distance away.
Judging by their direction, they had been staying not far from the Huaishu villagers.
Before coming too close, they called out, "Are you from Huaishu Village? Is the village chief Xie here?"
Oldest Xie stood up and walked a few steps to greet them, "Ah, it's Master Lu. You two have come as well?"
The newcomers were extremely tall and robust, with broad shoulders like small iron towers. One was accompanied by a young man.
Both wore dark short jackets and carried large bundles on their backs, as well as iron rods with sharpened tips resembling spears.
Mrs. Gao's eyesight was poor, so she squinted for a while but could not make them out clearly.
Oldest Xie explained, "It's Master Lu from the blacksmith's shop in town and his son."
Mrs. Gao stepped forward to welcome them, relieved, "It's fortunate that Brother Lu has also come. Please, come and sit."
Master Lu and his son exchanged greetings with everyone before sitting down.
It turned out that the Lu father and son had also deemed Ling Mountain unsafe and chosen to come to Immortal Dwelling Mountain. However, as just the two of them, they could travel faster without having to accommodate others, so they had arrived ahead of the villagers. They had been resting not far away and came over to greet them when they saw the group.
The Lu family had lived in town for many years and had a good reputation. Oldest Xie invited the father and son to join their group.
After eating their dry rations, as night fell, the villagers prepared to sleep.
They gathered some wormwood grass nearby, forming small piles around their camp and setting them alight to repel mosquitoes. Gu Jiu saw this and thought that once they entered the forest, there would surely be many mosquitoes, so they would need to find some herbs to make mosquito repellent oils or liniments. Otherwise, the mosquitoes might devour them.
Oldest Xie arranged for the elderly, weak, and women to stay in the center, while the able-bodied men, including the Lu father and son, formed an outer ring around them.
He approached Xie Zhan and Fifth Xie, quietly instructing them, "You two are skilled in martial arts and quick-witted. Take turns keeping watch tonight and be wary of the Dahu villagers. Stay alert."
Gu Jiu curiously asked in a low voice, "Xie Zhan, are those Dahu villagers really that bad?"
Xie Zhan ruffled her hair, "Little children shouldn't ask too many questions."
Gu Jiu glared at him.
Mrs. Gao, sitting next to Gu Jiu, patted her and said, "Dahu Village has a bad reputation. The villagers there are all petty thieves and scoundrels capable of any misdeed. We must be cautious of them."
Gu Jiu nodded in understanding. During the flood, they had even abandoned their elderly and weak, including their own parents and spouses. If they could discard their own loved ones, it was clear they were selfish and self-serving individuals.
And now it seemed they were not just selfish and self-serving, but a bunch of scoundrels and rogues as well.
Xie Zhan and Fifth Xie both nodded, indicating they would keep a close watch on the Dahu villagers during their shifts.
That night, Gu Jiu and Mrs. Gao also slept on the ground.
The mule cart could not be brought up the mountain. When the flood came, Second Xie had unhitched it and left it behind. Fortunately, animals have an innate sense of danger, and the mule had followed the horse, trotting up the mountain on its own.
After a night's rest, perhaps because everyone was exhausted, the Dahu villagers did not cause any trouble.
After resting overnight, everyone's spirit had been restored. Oldest Xie instructed them to prepare some hot meals, and once they had eaten their fill, they would continue on their way.
Ever since witnessing the flood the previous day, Mrs. Sun had been in a daze. When Mrs. Xu asked her, Mrs. Sun said she was worried about her family back home.
Of the three daughters-in-law in the Xie family, Mrs. Zhang's family was from Huaishu Village, so they had come to Immortal Dwelling Mountain together. Mrs. Xu was the daughter of the head escort of the county's escort company, which had many horses and carts, so they could surely escape within three days. She was not worried.
It was only Mrs. Sun whose family was from Dashiwa Village, near Wuling County, who was concerned that her family might have chosen to go to Ling Mountain. Given the force of the floodwaters, going to Ling Mountain would mean a nine-in-ten chance of death.
Third Xie was whittling a piece of wood, carving something. Seeing his wife's worry, he offered a word of reassurance, "Dashiwa Village is to the west. As long as they moved quickly enough, they should be able to reach Kong Mountain in Huangshi County."
It would take the Huaishu villagers three days to reach Kong Mountain, but Dashiwa Village was closer, so they might just manage it.
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Sun's anxiety eased slightly.
Third Xie rarely spoke, so this was the first time Gu Jiu had heard him say so much.
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