Blossom In Adversity - Vol. 2

C264. Besieged.

Chapter 264: Besieged

The wind howled and the rain lashed down relentlessly throughout the night.

Hua Zhi had been unable to sleep soundly and had been standing by the window since early morning, watching the storm outside in silent contemplation. It seemed the water route was impassable, and they would have to wait for the rain to subside before taking a land route. But with such heavy rain, even a short trip outside would soak their shoes.

"Good morning, miss." Bao Xia entered with a basin of water for washing, and seeing her mistress's troubled expression, she said softly, "Since your wound hasn't fully healed yet, it might be a good idea to stay here for a couple of days to rest."

Hua Zhi shook her head gently, unable to voice her worries.

After breakfast and a dressing change, Shao Yao disappeared without a trace. Xiao Liu had circled the doorway a few times but seemed to ignore her. The difference between taking the initiative to learn and being passively taught was vast, and she hoped Xiao Liu would become more proactive.

After a while, Xiao Liu finally knocked on the door.

Hua Zhi closed her book and set it aside, glancing at the doorway. "Come in."

The sixth prince shuffled in, his head bowed in embarrassment as he sat down beside Hua Zhi. In a soft voice, he tried to find an excuse, "With such heavy rain, Sister Hua, should we take a land route instead?"

Hua Zhi didn't expose him. "That's the plan, but we'll have to wait until the rain stops or at least lessens."

"Such heavy rain shouldn't last long."

"It's hard to say." Hua Zhi looked out the window. The rain showed no signs of abating, and there were even hints of it intensifying. "The south is different from the north. The north has less rain, and when it stops, it's usually abrupt. But in the south, it's the opposite. Half or even more than half of the year is rainy. There's a saying in the south: If it rains twice a month, one rain lasts half a month."

The sixth prince's jaw dropped. "It's, it's that serious?"

Hua Zhi smiled. "The north is dry, and the south is flooded. It's always been like this."

"Is there no way to solve it?"

How could she solve it?

A South-to-North Water Transfer Project?

Hua Zhi shook her head. "I can't solve this problem. You can think about it carefully."

"If even Sister Hua can't do anything, I..."

"Xiao Liu, I'm not as capable as you think." Hua Zhi interrupted him. "I'm good at business. If you say I'm good at that, I'll accept it. As for other things... when you're pushed to the limit and have no choice but to retreat, you'll learn. But the premise is that you must learn as much as possible. A person's life is so short, it's impossible to know everything and be an expert in everything. But it's not difficult to have a little knowledge in many areas. It's always better than wasting time."

"Yes, Chengqian is learning from you." It was Chengqian, not Xiao Liu, nor a general reference to the Sixth Prince. This was the attitude the Sixth Prince Gu Chengqian was willing to adopt in front of Hua Zhi.

Hua Zhi pretended not to notice the difference and lowered her head to continue reading the book on military tactics.

The Sixth Prince said nothing more and picked up a nearby book to read.

The rain showed no signs of stopping even into the night. After dark, the downpour lessened, and later, half-asleep, it seemed as if the sounds on the roof had grown quieter. Everyone relaxed, thinking perhaps the sky would clear tomorrow.

However, this sense of relief was short-lived. At dawn, the torrential rain began again, pounding on the roof as if it were hailstones.

Hua Zhi woke up at the sound and, wrapped in a coat, stood at the window, her brow furrowed. With such heavy rain, could the Wei River withstand it?

After daybreak, Hua Zhi sent Yu Tao to the dock to check the situation. Even with a raincoat, he was soaked to the bone. Once he changed his clothes, he came back to report.

"The water has risen quite alarmingly, about five feet higher than when we disembarked."

The number might not seem like much, but this was only the beginning. This section was the middle reaches of the Wei River, and the water from the upper reaches would flow here, along with the tributaries. Coupled with the incessant rain, it was feared that...

"Miss, I think the situation is rather dire."

Hua Zhi looked at Yu Tao in slight surprise. This man was very capable and rarely spoke much. "How so?"

Yu Tao organized his words. "I'm from Yangzhou and experienced a major flood as a child. It started with rain like this, continuous and intermittent. Even when the rain was lightest, you could hear it on the roof. At first, the water rose gradually, but after a few days, it would rise rapidly, half a foot in the blink of an eye. My family suffered a disaster because of that, so I have a vivid memory. I apologize if I've overstepped."

Hua Zhi feared the same thing, but what could she do?

She had neither power nor status. Even if she did, she wouldn't dare to take on such a responsibility. As she had told Xiao Liu yesterday, she was really good at business, and everything else was half-baked. When pushed to the limit, she had to bear it for the sake of the Hua family, but this matter... it was unrelated to her, and she couldn't bear this burden.

"Shao Yao, why don't you go to the Xiangyang government office and tell them about this? Let them make some preparations."

"Understood, I'll go right away."

"Wait." Seeing Shao Yao turn to leave, Hua Zhi hesitated and called out, "See if you can get some maps—of Xiangyang, of this section of the Wei River, and county gazettes."

Shao Yao turned back and grinned, "Even if I have to steal them, I'll get them for you."

Hua Zhi felt a pang of anxiety. Being trapped here and unable to move was already frustrating, and now with this happening, she began to wonder if she was a disaster magnet. Wherever she went, something went wrong.

"Sister Hua, is Xiangyang prone to flooding?"

"It's hard to say whether it will be a major disaster or a minor one." Hua Zhi smiled bitterly. "But it might not be that serious. As long as the rain stops, everything will be fine."

But everyone knew that the rain wouldn't stop anytime soon.

"Yu Tao, is there any way you can send a letter to Yan Xi for me? I don't have enough people with me, and none of you can leave."

"Yes, there's a Seven Stars Bureau station in Xiangyang."

Hua Zhi immediately got up and wrote a letter, four full pages before she put down her pen. She sealed it and wrapped it in oil paper before handing it to Yu Tao. "Hurry."

"Yes."

When Shao Yao returned, she was soaked, but the things in her arms were completely dry. "It's all here. Hua Hua, see if this is what you wanted."

Hua Zhi looked at the pile of things and felt bitter. Although she had lived in the south for many years and was familiar with the dampness, she was neither a cadre nor a soldier. At most, she would see such news on TV and take a look. Her knowledge was very superficial, and her seemingly plausible experiences might not be applicable here.

But since she was trapped here, she had to learn more about Xiangyang and the Wei River in order to survive. As for whether she should do something, she couldn't think that far ahead yet, and she didn't think she had the ability. She could only hope that she could safely wait for the Seven Stars Bureau to arrive.

———TN:
"Hey, have you rated and voted for this novel yet? Hua Zhi and Gu Yanxi are waiting for your love! Show them some support by rating, voting, and dropping a comment with your thoughts. Don't leave them hanging!"