Transmigration: From Farmer To Empress-Chapter 1968 - 1976: Liu Xi Proposes Marriage (1)

Time passed quickly, and in a blink of an eye, it was May, with the weather getting hotter, much hotter than usual. It had been nearly two months without rain, and the signs of drought were emerging.

It seems that what Ning Huaixiu said was true, and the drought is coming soon. Fortunately, the farmers had already planted their crops, just waiting for a rain.

Unfortunately, there was no sign of rain from the heavens, but it didn’t matter, as the many preparations Nangong Yi made over the last two years were now coming into play.

The reservoirs he had worked hard to build, the village reservoirs, and the deep wells drilled in each town were all providing adequate water sources for the people, not just for drinking but also for irrigation of the farmland.

Because of Nangong Yi’s emphasis, the water reserves in various regions were very high. Several diversions were dug on the major rivers in the South, so the drought did not significantly affect the people’s daily lives.

At least, there were no problems with drinking water and irrigation.

The drought appeared as Nangong Yi had anticipated, enhancing his prestige among the ministers and the people. The people said that the Emperor could predict the occurrence of the drought beforehand, which was a warning from heaven to the True Dragon Emperor.

These rumors greatly comforted the people, and along with the hydraulic resources the Emperor had promoted, which ensured their domestic water needs, they heard that the Emperor had been stockpiling grain for the past two years, allowing them to face the disaster calmly, without undue worry and unrest.

Because everyone knows, with the True Dragon Emperor’s protection, such calamity will soon pass. Some households even erected immortal plaques for Nangong Yi and Cai Wei, offering three sticks of incense morning and night, praying for family peace and safety.

To know that today’s Emperor is the True Dragon descended to earth, blessed by heaven, seeking his protection will surely not be wrong.

In the past, every dynasty faced a certain degree of turmoil when a disaster struck if those in power didn’t handle it well, and sometimes, the disaster victims were incited to revolt, raising banners against the rule. But this time, not even a ripple was caused.

The current court has become the backbone of the people, and everyone supports it wholeheartedly, so how could they think of anything else?

In these two years, although the Emperor extensively repaired hydraulic facilities and stocked grains and straws, he did not increase the people’s labor burden.

The money for promoting water conservation and purchasing grains, it was said, came from treasures accumulated in the Palace over the dynasties, sold by proxies across various nations, without costing the people a copper coin. Now the people benefit freely, and their gratitude towards the Emperor and Empress is beyond words.

If it weren’t for the Emperor’s wise decision, many people in the disaster areas would have left their homes to escape elsewhere, and in the course of fleeing, for survival, they might be tempted to commit treacherous acts.

Now, with public sentiment leaning towards the court, those wanting to incite chaos naturally retreated. After all, it’s not so easy to incite people leading content lives to revolt.

Which well-fed and clothed citizen would be foolish enough to help someone revolt against the Emperor who saved them?

Think back to when Nangong Yi proposed extensive hydraulic repairs and grain purchases, many officials were against it, feeling Nangong Yi’s proposal was too unreliable, merely acting on a river and lake sorcerer’s words to undertake such a major endeavor, wasting resources, was not something a wise ruler would do. Even Duke Li Guo doubted his decisions.

Fortunately, Nangong Yi did not heed them; he stood firm against opposition, persisted in his views, and after overcoming numerous difficulties, eventually completed the work for drought resistance.

Though these ministers were dissatisfied with Nangong Yi’s decisions, there was nothing they could do. The emperor’s decree was issued, and they had to obey, but they couldn’t help but murmur in their hearts.