Chapter 255: Fire Night (4)

The Son-in-Law

Rain was falling.

The clouds carried a hint of grey-blue, and the sky seemed only half-lit. The heavy rain turned the yellow mud in the courtyards, beside the ruins, and in the streets and alleys into turbid streams. Amidst the rain, the clanking and banging of clearing efforts continued. Workers, dressed in straw raincoats, pushed carts and dragged wooden baskets, still clearing debris from various sites, removing earth and stone that needed to be discarded. This scene was ubiquitous throughout the streets, alleys, and courtyards.

Inside the Su family's former compound in Taiping Alley, many temporary shelters had now been erected. In the rain, water dripping from the eaves formed curtains. A small figure, wearing—or perhaps, holding—a bamboo hat, scurried through a short curtain of rain. Once under the dry eaves, the tiny figure, still clutching the hat, peeked into a room. She was a little girl, four or five years old, with a bandaged head from an injury.

Just a few days after the earthquake, conditions were not good anywhere. The room the little girl was looking into, though somewhat cluttered with various items, seemed quite good, considering its cabinets, large bed, and waterproof status. She shyly peered into the doorway a few times before the man inside noticed her and beckoned.

“Uncle Son-in-Law…”

The little girl called out, then entered the room. The man checked the bandage on her head, gently tapping it. “Does it still hurt?”

“A little…”

“Then stay and rest in the room. Don’t run around.”

“No one’s in the room; I’m so bored. What are you doing, Uncle Son-in-Law? Can Xiaorou help you?”

“This is dangerous; you can’t touch it, and you still have a head injury. Here, have a piece of candy and sit beside me to watch.”

The man referred to as Uncle Son-in-Law was, of course, Ning Yi. The little girl was the daughter of a Su family accountant, named Chen Jirou. On the day of the earthquake, she was hit on the head and bled, but a later examination showed the injury wasn’t serious; she was truly lucky. Just two or three days later, she was already bouncing around everywhere.

Although it was raining, the shelter was sturdily built, with no leaks inside and a dry floor. Several wooden baskets and sieves of various sizes were placed on the floor of the room; some were propped up on stools. These containers held various mixed powders. As it was rainy and early autumn, the weather was humid, so the powders weren’t entirely dry. Ning Yi took some and arranged it in a line on the ground nearby.

“Be careful and stand back, okay?”

After telling the little girl, he picked up a tinder stick and touched it to the line. With a “boom,” flames shot up, then quickly dissipated into smoke. The little girl suddenly gasped, her body seemingly shrinking back, but her eyes, after several blinks, widened, trying to get a clearer view of the scene before her.

Su Tan’er, who had just entered from outside, was also startled. Accompanying her were Chan’er and Juan’er. Chan’er curiously peered around, while Juan’er adjusted her position behind Su Tan’er, seemingly trying to blend in and align herself with her master and mistress, her ultimate goal being to remain unseen by Ning Yi.

“Husband, is that…gunpowder?”

Su Tan’er frowned slightly as she walked over, picked up little Jirou, and checked the bandage on her head, though her gaze remained fixed on Ning Yi. When she and Ning Yi first married, she was the type to inquire about and understand everything, driven by a sense of responsibility. By now, she no longer questioned Ning Yi much about his actions or any unexpected moves he made. Even if Ning Yi blew up, burned, or demolished a house, as long as she saw he was behind it, she wouldn’t get angry; she’d probably even join him in figuring out how to dismantle it faster. However, at this moment, she was naturally still curious and a little hesitant, as gunpowder was clearly dangerous.

“Yes, I mixed some up while I had the time. This stuff is dangerous. We’ll store it away later and have someone watch it; it absolutely must not come into contact with fire.”

Ning Yi put the gunpowder into small wooden barrels, tamping it down with a tool. Little Chan squatted nearby, watching, then went over to help. “It’s the barrel Husband ordered from the Qian family a few days ago,” she said.

“I added some things,” Ning Yi said, looking at Su Tan’er, then smiled. “It’s a contingency plan. I hope we won't need it, but if we do, this amount wouldn’t be of great use anyway.”

Afterward, a few people in the household carefully packed the gunpowder into small barrels. Then, they called for help to move them to a slightly secluded room in the back, where things could be stored. Ning Yi put on a straw raincoat and went outside. Su Tan’er carried the little girl, while Chan’er and Juan’er followed, holding umbrellas. By the road outside the compound gate, Xing’er, mostly drenched, stood under an umbrella, directing the household members as they moved items from the ruins, deciding what to discard and what to save. Even Butler Geng and others were following her commands. She appeared to be a young woman with a leadership aura similar to Su Tan’er’s.

On the street, people from other families in Taiping Alley were also passing by in the rain, pushing carts or carrying baskets. Upon seeing Ning Yi, they respectfully called him “Su family’s son-in-law” or “Ning family’s son-in-law,” and some even called him “Young Master Ning” or “Elder Master Ning.” The titles were quite varied, but they served as greetings.

Ultimately, all of this could be attributed to the events of the earthquake night and the following two or three days.

Ning Yi, to be precise, had no direct practical experience in earthquake disaster relief. However, in his previous life, he had absorbed a lot of information and always understood many basic measures. He led his household in sorting out their own affairs, and then went to help other families in Taiping Alley.

At first, he simply lent a hand, but in such an emergency, many things naturally couldn't be hidden. Ning Yi directed people to dig and rescue. As his ability to plan, command, and control the overall situation gradually became apparent, others instinctively followed his instructions, and the entire operation became very smooth. After many people were rescued and several disasters caused by recklessness were averted, he was naturally remembered by everyone.

This was not a cunning trick or something astonishing that shone brightly as soon as it was revealed. It was a demeanor cultivated from long-term experience in leadership. If an 'otaku' had been present and given a leadership position, he would inevitably be flustered and lack confidence, and any command he issued would automatically be met with distrust, making him seem unreliable. But even if Ning Yi casually stated a 'this is what should be done' command, others would instinctively feel, 'this person knows what he's doing.' Few would question the aura Ning Yi exuded in an emergency, which led to the entire scene becoming orderly.

Ultimately, this was the self-assurance naturally developed by someone who had long borne responsibility. Once he truly grasped some fundamental points and could make people adhere to order, the remaining tasks seemed straightforward.

Subsequently, moving things, rescuing people, and warning those clearing rubble not to cause secondary collapses proceeded. Especially with the cooperation of others, the removal and immediate cremation of bodies from under the rubble in Taiping Alley met with little obstruction. In other parts of the city, this had even been forcibly carried out by soldiers, almost leading to major conflicts.

Following this, several families in the alley were influenced to varying degrees by the couple, Ning Yi and Su Tan'er. Honestly, Ning Yi, having married into the Su family, should originally have been called “the Su family’s son-in-law.” However, some people knew his surname was Ning, so they used “Ning” in their address: “Ning’s son-in-law,” “Elder Master Ning,” “Young Master Ning”—the titles varied. Su Tan’er and her three maids also contributed greatly under those circumstances, but as they were women, strangers naturally found it awkward to address them directly.

On the first day after the earthquake, Ning Yi had people bring enough grain from the Qian family for storage, and incidentally, also asked the Qian family to procure two barrels of gunpowder. Today was the third day of rain, and Ning Yi finally had time to further process the large quantity of gunpowder. At that time, the military already used black powder, but its performance wasn’t the best. In some places, where firearms were used for city defense, gunpowder was simply thrown down in barrels. Ning Yi made some modifications to the black powder’s ingredients, adding and subtracting. After all, there was no precise processing environment available at the moment, but he could at least enhance its performance somewhat, making it marginally usable thereafter.

No matter how good black powder was, it was still vastly inferior to smokeless powder, which required chemical processes. Ning Yi’s enthusiasm for gunpowder was simply a result of flexible thinking; it could be used for simple things like landmines or bombs. In fact, sulfuric acid and other chemicals already existed in this era. He had tinkered in Jiangning for over a year, and if he were there, producing some smokeless powder or its precursor, nitrocellulose, would be possible. However, early smokeless powder was indeed too dangerous, so he had put it aside and was unwilling to entrust the process to others; otherwise, many people on Kang Xian’s side would be waiting to be blown up. But now in Hangzhou, merely wanting to prepare for an emergency, he couldn’t achieve as much.

After all, the ancient economic and social systems could hardly give Ning Yi enough sense of security. Stockpiling grain was his first step in preparation for disaster, and gunpowder was also a precaution, not an indication that something was truly about to happen. In the past few days, Hangzhou Prefecture had initially brought the situation within the city under control, but various unrestful incidents continued to occur.

The upheaval led some adventurers and outlaws to take desperate risks, fighting over property, and various conflicts arose due to the cremation of bodies. The neighborhood head of Taiping Alley had died during the earthquake. The deputy head, lacking a strong backbone, had approached Ning Yi these past few days to discuss repairing the surrounding walls of Taiping Alley and organizing young men for patrols.

Within the city, several incidents of people from one street fighting those from another had occurred. These usually started as minor personal disputes or friction arising from organized efforts to excavate ruins, but they quickly escalated. There were also homeless beggars and thieves who, under the cover of night, scoured the ruins for money and valuables.

Before the rain, people had been given a day’s buffer, but a significant portion of the city’s households still hadn’t managed to move out their stored grain and valuables. Large households like the Qian family had ample manpower, and overall, Hangzhou’s grain reserves wouldn’t suffer significant losses. However, due to the losses incurred by smaller households, grain prices within the city had still skyrocketed these past few days. Despite the disaster, once initial control was established, some individuals inevitably took the opportunity to open shops and raise prices to gain exorbitant profits.

After checking on his own household amidst the heavy rain, the deputy neighborhood head soon arrived, pulling Ning Yi along to visit the families of some who had died in the alley. Ning Yi accompanied him.

At the end of the alley, the elderly mother of a wealthy merchant named Tang had been crushed to death by a collapsed house, though her son had later been rescued by Ning Yi. Now, they had set up a simple mourning hall, wearing sackcloth and filial white, weeping while also pulling Ning Yi aside to express their gratitude. The deputy neighborhood head likely wanted to nominate him to take charge, and then brought up various connections with the authorities, inevitably mentioning his status as a live-in son-in-law. Ning Yi gave perfunctory replies, growing increasingly weary, and eventually excused himself. The coachman Dong Zhu, who had been sent out to gather information about the city, had also returned. He was taking off his straw raincoat and then began to report what he had seen and heard.

“I don’t know why, but even though the rain is heavy, there seem to be more and more refugees coming from outside the city,” Dong Zhu reported. “The collapsed city walls are already being repaired, and the Wude Battalion soldiers have sealed off the city. If it weren’t for the pass Master gave me, I probably wouldn’t have been able to get in. Those refugees can’t get in and are causing trouble outside. Although the yamen officials are distributing grain for relief, people inside the city aren’t getting enough to eat, and it’s pretty much the same for the refugees outside…” Dong Zhu had been sent out mainly to observe the situation outside the city. Su Tan’er listened and sighed.

“There’s already war in the west, and refugees have been fleeing this way. Now with the earthquake, all those affected in the surrounding areas, within ten *li* and eight villages, have come here.”

Ning Yi thought for a moment, then smiled. “Back when we were in Jiangning, if there was a minor disaster or misfortune, people from nearby would also gather in the city, wouldn’t they?” His words were partly an affirmation, partly a probe, as he wasn't entirely sure what the past situation was like. Su Tan’er glanced at him, thought for a moment, then nodded. “Yes, actually, the city always has more resources than the countryside, and the government manages it. To prevent too many people from starving, they always distribute grain… What are you thinking, Husband?”

“The rice is ripening soon; in at most a month and a half, this season’s rice will be harvested. The earthquake, though a major event, apart from those crushed to death by collapsing houses, the rest should be able to find some leftover grain to get through this period. So why are so many people suddenly here…”

“Husband, do you think there’s a problem?” Xing’er, standing nearby, also widened her eyes. “Fang… Fang La? Does Master mean…” Ning Yi smiled and shook his head. “No, I’m probably overthinking it. There were already many refugees coming from the west. We’ve only been here for two months, and I don’t know how many refugees there used to be. It’s irresponsible to say there are too many without a reference point. The way I’m thinking now, it might just be because we’re not locals, so everything feels sensitive to me. Hangzhou Prefecture doesn’t lack capable people; they should have considered and prepared for these matters. However… it’s a shame the river channel collapsed. Otherwise, I’d rather get a boat and return to Jiangning in a few days; we were prepared to leave anyway. If we have to travel by land now, there’s no point when refugees are scattered everywhere. By the way, is there anything new in the city?”

Dong Zhu thought for a moment. “Oh, the Qian family, the Mu family, and several others started selling grain this morning. The price is three times what it used to be, but it’s still much cheaper than what others are charging. Also, it’s been raining for a few days, so the urgency of digging up and burning bodies in the city isn’t as high as it was a few days ago. This morning, some people in the north of the city got into a serious fight with the soldiers dragging bodies. I heard one person was killed on the spot, and now they’re making a commotion at the Prefectural Yamen…”

Ning Yi frowned. It was predictable that the large landlords would start stabilizing grain prices. Although most people viewed merchants or landlords as utterly evil, a chaotic Hangzhou city was not in their best interest. The best approach for them, naturally, would be a new round of mergers and acquisitions during the recovery process. As for the bodies, Su Tan’er thought, “With such heavy rain, burying them later shouldn’t be a big issue.” She smiled at the thought. While she understood the necessity of cremating bodies, as a person of her era, she still had a natural aversion to immediately burning the dead. In that sense, the heavy rain did offer a temporary reprieve. However, seeing Ning Yi frowning, she quietly asked, “Husband?”

Ning Yi smiled, but said nothing.

That night, the heavy rain seemed to be easing. The couple stood by the window of their shelter, looking out. Candles were lit inside the simple room, casting a truly warm glow for Su Tan’er. Outside, people occasionally walked by, or faint snippets of conversation drifted in. She, too, had a tiring day. After bathing, she put on a simple robe and held Ning Yi’s hand. “What are you thinking, Husband?”

“If the rain stops tomorrow, I want to go to the city gates and see what it’s like outside. Dong Zhu said there are many people, but I don’t truly know how many.”

Su Tan’er rested her chin on his shoulder. “Shall we go together? Do you still feel it’s dangerous here, Husband?”

“Not really,” Ning Yi said, putting an arm around her shoulder. “I would think that if I were Fang La, I would take this opportunity to target Hangzhou. But I know nothing about the strength and deployment of the Wude Battalion, Hangzhou Prefecture’s control over this area, or even Fang La’s situation. So, there’s no real basis for this thought. Logically speaking, the peasant army’s command, speed, and combat strength are highly problematic. Hangzhou Prefecture is not without talented people; those like Lu Tuizhi are not fools. They could stop Fang La before, and they’ll certainly be more vigilant now. So, from that perspective, I’m more inclined to believe nothing will happen in Hangzhou; I just want to take a look… Even if Fang La were truly planning to take this place, his response shouldn’t be this quick…”

Su Tan’er nodded. She felt a bit lazy at that moment and didn’t want to think too much when she was with Ning Yi. Then she heard him say, “The bodies, however, are a big problem.”

“How so?”

“If I were Lu Tuizhi, I would arrest people today and make an example of them, taking a batch out and executing them directly. Then I would publicly announce that these individuals conspired with Fang La, intentionally leaving bodies to incite conflict and plotting to seize the city during the chaos. After this announcement, there would be no further objections within the city regarding the handling of bodies, saving a lot of trouble later…”

“But the city would fall into chaos…”

“It wouldn’t; no one believes Fang La wouldn’t target Hangzhou. Leveraging the authority from these executions, control within and outside Hangzhou could be legitimately strengthened, and preparations for war made. Firstly, in this chaotic situation, it would allow faster control of the city. Secondly, it would be a preventative measure, eliminating the possibility of genuine unrest. In such a situation, highly centralized authority and decisive action are the best strategies.”

He then chuckled. “Of course, if they were truly to do that, the Prefect would face a lot of trouble. Official circles are full of infighting, and such an extreme method of consolidating power would certainly encounter significant resistance. I was just thinking aloud.”

His wife murmured in acknowledgment, then softly said, “As for Little Chan’s matter, it’s been postponed again. And the poetry gathering… Husband wrote such a wonderful *ci* poem, and then, in the blink of an eye, the earthquake struck…”

His wife, who cherished her husband’s reputation as a talented scholar, had always harbored a slight grievance about this.

It was still night. At the other end of the city, someone else gazed at the curtain of rain in the darkness. Beyond the rain, there was a faint glow, and amidst the ruins, a hastily erected mourning tent stood, though half of it had already collapsed.

Two people were speaking.

“The heavy rain seems to be stopping. As soon as it stops tomorrow, Hangzhou Prefecture will surely no longer be able to ignore the unburied bodies… Haha, by then, the stench will probably be unbearable…”

“If it had remained hot, the bodies would likely have been mostly dug up by now. This heavy rain, however, has helped us. This back-and-forth makes them complacent, but the rain won't stop tomorrow; it should continue for another day.”

“That’s perfect; we’ll be even better prepared. One more day’s delay, and Buddha Marshal, Xin Xingzong, Liu Dabiao, and the others should arrive. Hey, stone-carver, didn’t you once say something like, ‘If Heaven gives, but you don’t take, you will be blamed’? Is that what you meant by this? Haha, if you ask me, this Hangzhou should rightfully be ours, given by Heaven… What a shame it’s been shaken up like this…”

“‘If Heaven gives but you do not take, you will be blamed; if the time arrives but you do not act, you will suffer the consequences.’ We were just preparing to come this way, and an earthquake struck. Perhaps it truly is the will of Heaven…

“Once we take this place, and Elder Brother Shinang and Elder Brother Dao’an respond from their various locations, the fate of the Southeast will be decided.”

“Haha, you’re always so scholarly. Tell me, stone-carver, with all your learning, why did you always stay in the mountains chipping away at stones? You could have been a schoolteacher!”

“If the Way cannot be practiced, I’d rather float on a raft across the sea. I’d rather hide in the mountains and carve my stones than come out and teach a bunch of lads to read their books…”

“Scholarly words; I don’t understand. But it doesn’t matter. I, Shi Bao, am a rough man. Whatever you say, I’ll do; whoever you say to kill, I’ll kill. Haha, when the time comes, as you said, the Southeast will be settled, the Saintly Duke will be Emperor, and he can make you a Prime Minister, while I’ll be a great general. Then, in the brothels, won’t I be able to take whomever I want? Tsk, I hear there are many beautiful girls in Hangzhou; I hope they all survive. I won’t bully them; I’ll pay for them, hahahaha…”

The arrogant laughter faded into the distance. The dark figure standing by the window watched the rain curtain for a moment in silence, then chuckled. “Heh, if carving stones didn’t make more money than teaching, who the hell would carve stones? Good question.” He sighed, casting his gaze further, his voice a murmur amidst the trembling rain.

“I’ve been waiting for this day…”

The next day, the rain continued, though it had slightly lightened. After breakfast, Ning Yi, Su Tan’er, and Chan’er still took a carriage, leaving Taiping Alley and heading towards the city gates, intending to see the situation outside the city with their own eyes.