Unlimited estates for rural beauty-Chapter 600: Tragic Death (4)

"I wonder if that person is dead," Huang Yi muttered to himself.

Up ahead, Feng Xuxu’s ears twitched, as curiosity got the better of her; she too was eager to find out how that person had died. Seeing the gleam in his wife’s eyes, Dugu Chen knew she wanted to take a look, so without a second word, he wrapped his arms around her waist, lightly tapped his feet on the ground, and flew off into the air, heading straight towards the mountains.

The people following behind were quite excited. In just a few breaths, they caught up with their master. Fortunately, they were outside the village—if the villagers had seen them, who knows what they would say, perhaps mistaking the group for some kind of ghosts or monsters.

They quickly reached the forest and searched for a while but couldn’t find the person. Just as they were about to give up, a scene unfolded before their eyes. On the ground, a carpet of snakes and ants scurried in one direction. They followed suit, and the deeper they went, the more there were. Eventually, several of them took to the trees, jumping from one to another, until they spotted something that nearly caused Tian Yi to fall from his perch. Had Di An not been quick-witted and swift with his hands, he likely would have become food for those creatures below.

"Truly... terrifying," Xuan Yue shuddered, looking down at the person still gasping his last breaths on the ground, suddenly feeling pity for him.

Huang Yi watched as masses of tiny snakes began to madly burrow out through the skin of the person’s body. The snakes left the body and started to bite it frenziedly, while the person, powerlessly leaning against the tree trunk, had lifeless eyes staring into the distance.

When most of the snakes had left, his skin followed, revealing his internal organs. A dark mass could be seen inside. A half of a lung hung between a few ribs, and on a thigh, there was merely a thigh bone with mangled flesh hanging from it. Xie Wenbin coughed twice, and a small snake came out of his mouth. Then, his head slumped to the side, and he was completely dead.

The flesh on his face also began to fall off, and his body dried rapidly. What remained was a mummified corpse, and the snakes, deprived of their host’s blood, writhed a few times on the ground and then dried up just like Xie Wenbin.

Feng Xuxu, fighting back the nausea, watched the entire process from beginning to end and then with pursed red lips ordered, "Burn them all, leave nothing behind."

"Yes, my lady."

Dugu Chen then flew off with Feng Xuxu, while Qiqi and Yueyue had been protected by Zhu Lengqing from start to finish, spared from witnessing the gruesome scene.

Back at the inn, after washing up and resting for a while, their appetites were noticeably poor during dinner, except for the two children who ate well. After dinner, instructions were made clear to set off early the next morning and return to the palace as quickly as possible.

That night, Feng Xuxu, who couldn’t fall asleep in bed, turned over gently but still disturbed the person beside her. Dugu Chen opened his eyes and, seeing the back of his wife, he reached out and turned her over to face him, lazily asking, "What’s the matter, my wife?"

"Did I wake you?"

"No, I wasn’t sleeping deeply to begin with. What’s wrong? You look troubled." His large hand ran through her soft hair intermittently.

"I was thinking about building a reservoir," she sighed lightly, sitting up and leaning against the headboard.

Dugu Chen also sat up, waved his hand, and their clothes flew in from the rack. He picked up his robe to drape over her, "It’s cool at night, wear this to avoid catching cold."

Feng Xuxu obediently leaned forward, and Dugu Chen took the opportunity to drape the robe over her from behind. After tightening it and leaning back against the headboard, he wrapped his arms around her from behind and stroked her hair before asking, "A reservoir? Is that a place to store water?" This was his first time hearing about it, and guessing it had something to do with natural disasters, he related it to droughts and floods, his mind quickly concluding a few possibilities.

"Yes, a place to store water," she confirmed.

"A place to store water? Are you worried about flooding because the water has nowhere to go?"

"That’s both right and wrong," Feng Xuxu shook her head slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"Building reservoirs is for the prevention of drought. If one year the rainfall is not enough, and the fertile fields begin to crack, the water level in the rivers drops or there’s no water at all, then the water from the reservoirs can be used to irrigate the land. Conversely, if there is too much rain, and the river’s water level rises or is about to breach embankments, then the floodgates can be opened, allowing the river water to flow into the reservoirs. This can help prevent floods as well as alleviate droughts," Feng Xuxu explained the benefits of reservoirs as simply as she could.

Dugu Chen hugged Feng Xuxu’s body tighter, joyful, "So this can prevent floods?"

"No, it only reduces the chances of flooding," she clarified.

"Then there’s no way to completely eliminate the possibility?" Dugu Chen sounded disappointed, recalling the flood that had happened, resulting in many deaths and total crop failure.

Feng Xuxu also thought of the flood a few years back. In modern times, floods were inevitable, let alone in the less advanced past. She remained silent for a moment, "Floods can’t be completely prevented, but we can make our greatest effort to guard against them, drastically reducing the chances they happen."

"Right, my wife, do you have any ideas?" Dugu Chen’s eyes regained their shine.

"Yes, but I must first see the map of our nation’s rivers and tributaries. It’s too early to talk about this now, but there is something we can still do in time."

"What is it?"

"Direct officials from each province to dredge the silt from the rivers in their jurisdictions and then reinforce both sides of the riverbanks. For the larger rivers, it’s best to build them higher and stronger," she suggested.

"Alright, I’ll send an urgent memorial to the capital at first light tomorrow," Dugu Chen said, eager to return to the capital.

Feng Xuxu smiled and pushed him gently, "You’re always so quick to act, but a day or two’s delay won’t matter."

Dugu Chen chuckled and held her again, "Heh, I don’t know what’s gotten into me. Ever since I took the throne, aside from you and the children, my mind is filled with the concerns of my subjects."

"You are their highest leader, and they are your subjects. Only when they prosper can the country be strong. Then the burden you carry on your shoulders will lighten," she reassured him.

"Yes, I will be a good Emperor," Dugu Chen nodded vigorously.

"I know, you’ve said that twice already."

"Have I? I don’t remember."

Feng Xuxu looked up at him and muttered softly, but before she could finish her words, her mouth was sealed by his kiss.