Chapter 374 – Dongqing Earthquake (Six)
Most of the houses collapsed cleanly during the first earthquake, and those that remained fell victim to the aftershocks. Wei Jingxian needed postnatal care, and she couldn’t just lie in the makeshift delivery room anymore. This was an extraordinary situation, and now it required a more delicate approach.
At such a time, tents were much safer than houses.
Having sorted things out, Jiang Pengji bid farewell to Feng Jin.
“I need to head back… I don’t know how things are at home after last night. The money and house are secondary… I’m just worried about Xiaoyu…” Thankfully, Liu Residence’s property in the capital wasn’t large, being small and low, primarily made of wood with little stone. Even if the house collapsed, it shouldn’t crush anyone, “I need to return to ensure everything is under control.”
Feng Jin understood the importance of Xu Ke to Jiang Pengji; despite their titles of master and servant, they were actually close friends.
“Jin will have a house servant take you back. There are those taking advantage of the earthquake, so it’s better to be cautious,” Feng Jin said.
Just as Jiang Pengji was about to nod, a familiar sound suddenly reached her ears.
She shot up, facing the direction from which the sound came.
“Whew—”
Xu Ke was panting heavily, seeing what was once the luxurious Feng Jin residence turned to ruins left him startled and heavy-hearted.
Big White carried him over the rubble, and from afar, he spotted a familiar figure, transforming his worry into wild joy.
“Young Master!” Xu Ke stumbled off the horse, his elated expression looking like he was on the verge of tears.
His face was covered in grime, his clothes twisted like dried vegetables, his sleeves torn, and his hair looked as if a dog had chewed on it—he looked completely disheveled.
“Xiaoyu? Thank goodness you’re alive… What’s happened at the residence? Any serious casualties?”
Seeing that Xu Ke was safe, just with a scraped arm, Jiang Pengji felt a wave of relief wash over her.
Xu Ke couldn’t move as fast as Big White. He was still staggering towards Jiang Pengji while the horse nuzzled her cheek affectionately.
After catching his breath, he reported, “Thanks to Big White’s alertness, only the groom got hurt; everyone else is unharmed.”
Jiang Pengji raised an eyebrow, “Only the groom got hurt?”
Xu Ke chuckled helplessly, looking at Big White, “That Mr. Big White over there saved quite a few people. Just before midnight, it suddenly kicked over the stable and accidentally hurt the groom who tried to stop it, then it dashed inside and caused a commotion…”
After all, it was a brave Northern frontier warhorse, and with a master like Jiang Pengji, how could an ordinary person tame its spirit?
Almost everyone lost sleep that night due to Big White’s antics; when anyone approached the house, it would nibble their heads. Those working didn’t dare harm Big White since it was Jiang Pengji’s beloved horse—everyone’s lives were worth less than its importance.
In the face of Big White’s stubbornness, Xu Ke and all the house servants could only stay in the courtyard and face off against the horse.
Then the earthquake struck.
Jiang Pengji listened, her expression turning quite odd.
“Your hair is so messy; did Big White nibble on it?”
She initially thought Xu Ke had just gotten disheveled in the chaos, but did he really get chewed on by Big White?
Xu Ke was at a loss for words.
Young Master, talking about this now is too much to bear.
“Well done!”
Jiang Pengji patted Big White’s mane; the proud little girl licked her face, as if seeking praise.
Seeing this, Xu Ke felt his annoyance evaporate; if it was just a nibble, it was better than losing a life.
“Last night’s earthquake struck suddenly, so I ordered the house servants to clear the debris and rescue any surviving common people, which is why I arrived late. Please forgive me, Young Master.”
Jiang Pengji smiled and said openly, “You did the right thing; why would I blame you? At the moment the earthquake struck, the chances of survival were high, but after several aftershocks, hope will fade. You know your Young Master’s capabilities. If I couldn’t survive, the entire capital would be a dead city. You came all this way; how are things outside?”
If she had truly misstepped and died in this earthquake, what would Xu Ke’s efforts matter?
His actions truly showed a sense of responsibility and duty.
In this era, the powerful might harbor resentment and view Xu Ke as rebellious, but with Jiang Pengji’s breadth of mind, how could she lay blame?
Xu Ke wasn’t an emotional person, but having faced such disasters and immense pressure for survival only to receive a gesture of respect from Jiang Pengji made him hold back tears, sniffling as he suppressed them.
“Outside… it’s all ruins, nine out of ten houses collapsed, and the common people suffered heavy casualties… I fear… only a few survivors…”
Xu Ke said, choking up, as images of the devastation they had witnessed filled his mind, and sorrow gripped his heart.
In ancient times, common people generally worked nine to five, and the earthquake struck in the dead of night. At that hour, most folks had already fallen asleep, with the earthquake hitting them so suddenly and violently—who had time to escape?
“Ninety percent of the houses collapsed…”
Jiang Pengji sighed heavily, almost collapsing onto a pile of rubble.
She was a genetic warrior, having participated in the fiercest interstellar wars, where she had claimed countless enemy lives. Life and death had long become routine for her. To Jiang Pengji, the ordinary common people were no different than the citizens she protected.
The lives of enemies held no value in her eyes, but the citizens she safeguarded were treasures beyond compare.
Now, a single earthquake had possibly claimed countless innocent lives.
They died without value, their lives as worthless as blades of grass.
“Young Master…”
Xu Ke wanted to offer comfort but didn’t know how.
He knew his master often seemed cold, proud, and reckless, but deep down, he understood she was kind.
Yes, kind.
Because of that kindness, the Young Master would personally work the fields, learn from old farmers how to farm, understand the mundane matters of crops, design improved farming tools, and spend money commissioning craftsmen to further develop based on her designs… She didn’t think other scions could bring themselves to do such things.
In addition, there were military divisions, eliminating bandits and safeguarding Hejian’s peace, and establishing a women’s division to rescue abandoned and sold girls…
Boxes upon boxes of books lay beneath the rubble—precious treasures she had traded from Cheng Cheng, intended to promote movable type printing in the future, gifting copies of “Three Character Classic,” and “Hundred Family Surnames” to enlighten children…
And there were the cypress trees in Chongzhou—secretly built paper workshops that had already experimented with various papermaking techniques, each step growing increasingly refined.
Step by step, Xu Ke could clearly see why.
A person born into a noble house yet not clinging to privilege—a true person with the world in mind.
Xu Ke felt that if such a person couldn’t be called kind, who had the right to that title?
Jiang Pengji didn’t dwell in despair for long; she quickly regained her calm and indifferent expression.
“Open the storeroom, release grain, and set up porridge stations…”
Xu Ke knew his Young Master would do just that and had already prepared plans.
“A fresh batch of grain came into the storeroom recently; if we establish porridge stations, it should last for about half a month.”
Of course, the scale of the porridge stations wouldn’t be too large; otherwise, it wouldn’t last even three or five days.
