THE FLASH FLOOD WOULD SOON ATTACK THE PALACE

Zhu Su's mind was still busy thinking about Gao Qing's advice when he was returning to his palace.

What actually did Gao Qing mean by neither orienting to Yin nor Yang? Yin and Yang is the way to categorize the opposite things, isn't it? Speaking about things, what kind of things did Gao Qing precisely talk about? Then, jumping to Wu Ji, entering the Ultimateless. Did Gao Qing mean that he only had to keep silent and let the rioters screw Kaifeng up and so he did not need to take any action?

Not only Gao Qing's advice was too brief, but it also had absurd meaning, and the worst of all, Gao Qing was unwilling to explain it.

"You've studied Xuanxue all this time, and I consider you to be competent in this field. How come you can't understand such an easy thing?"

"I beg you, Sir, please give me a more specific explanation. It is very crucial, it is for the sake of the entire Kaifeng!" Zhu Su said pitifully.

"And one more thing I should tell you - don't get panic too easily. No matter how complex your problem is, don't get too carried away by your emotion. I know it is a crucial issue, but can you solve your problem just with panic and tension? What is needed in overcoming problems are solutions, not emotions. Keep it in your mind."

Instead of giving explanation, Gao Qing advised him not to get panic easily. How come he did not get panic when facing such a difficult problem? But Zhu Su understood the nature of his teacher. If he did not want to explain, he would not explain it at any cost. At last Zhu Su must search by his own about the true meaning behind his teacher's absurd advice.

When he arrived at his palace, he saw a group of servants running frantically. Each of them was carrying a large and long lump of wood.

"What's going on?!" That peculiarity soon attracted Zhu Su to ask them.

The chief eunuch turned his head, then bowed respectfully. "Your Highness... So terrible! The freshet will soon flood this palace!"

***

"It's a bad idea only to get the people affected by the disaster. The leader himself must be hit by a disaster, thus it really proves that Heaven truly wants to punish the cruel leader!"

Rumilie chuckled, while Huan Shikang burst into laughter.

"That's really a good idea! Clogging all rivers in Kaifeng with boats and large objects so that the water flow is blocked and then the rivers overflow. But people think that Heaven is really angry with our despot!"

De Ta chimed in. "Yes, this is indeed a good thing to do! The people still suffer but the leaders are still living happily... Untolarerated! The leader has to be affected by disaster! Isn't that right, Yun?"

Yun nodded. She looked very satisfied. "The government has been oppressing us all this time, especially to the poor and the minority ethnics. When Ming conquered Yunnan, the army arbitrarily arrested young men and women and made them slaves. And now, more and more people are caught to build the New Palace, my uncles have died of exhaustion in there. I'm sure Heaven will not like a ruthless leader. Those who have oppressed the people cruelly are going to get their punishments!"

All of them were laughing with joy.

***

Zhu Su was completely overwhelmed with the floods that were about to attack his palace. Standing at the top of the palace gate, he watched the servants and soldiers busy arranging the logs to prevent the attack of flood.

"The flood flows at high speed, estimated that it will come here in fifteen minutes at the latest!" The chief gatekeeper reported.

"Everyone has been evacuated?!" Zhu Su asked the chief eunuch. He was quite relieved that Hu Nayin was still beside him, but not with his other family.

One by one his family members came to approach him. So did Zhu Youdun.

Zhu Youdun ran towards him. "Fu Wang! The Senior Court Lady told me that this palace will soon be flooded?!"

"Youdun! Thank Heaven, you are fine!" He looked left and right, calculated the number of his family, and was about to breathe in relief when he noticed something wrong. "Where are your two sisters?!"

Zhu Youdun breathed harshly when answering, "I'm also looking for them, and the servants do the same... but we can't find them..."

"Gosh... how can they look for trouble at this time!"

"Looks like I hear Sister's scream..."

Zhu Youdun pricked up his ears. So did Zhu Su and Hu Nayin. Zhu Youdun was correct. The more closely they listened, the clearer the scream-like voice they heard.

"No! I don't want to go up there! There are lots of toads! It will enter into my skirt just like before!"

And they not only heard the screams. There was also a persuasive voice that sounded tired.

"Jun Zhu... Flood will soon attack here... You must save yourself... We are on your sides, you will be alright..."

Shortly after, the scene of the sulking princesses and the court ladies who were assuring those princesses appeared before them.

"Fu Wang! Will our palace be flooded?!" The princesses immediately approached Zhu Su, clung to him in spoiled manner.

Zhu Su patted the heads of his daughters. "Don't worry, my girls... We will be safe. Look at our strong soldiers, they are working hard to protect this palace. They will definitely be able to do it."

"But, I'm afraid of toads, Fu Wang!"

"It's very high here, Sis! The toads are far below!" Zhu Youdun said, sullen. He had heard of his sisters' problem with toads, but he did not feel sympathy for them, on the contrary, according to him, their spoil showed their ignorance of the crucial condition.

"Toads can go up here, they have legs!" A princess shouted back.

"Oh, please! From yesterday you just talk about toads, toads, and toads! We are so stressed because of the flood! Don't make any more troubles!" Zhu Su exploded. His anger soon made the princesses fall silent.

"The flood! Heaven, it has arrived! How fast!"

Zhu Su looked in horror at the direction where the senior court lady was pointing at. It was so distinct from afar that the water was flowing rapidly straight to the palace.

"The flood is so gigantic... it maybe can reach up here..." Someone mumbled.

"If the flood really reaches here... we'll die!..." The other replied.

The flood was getting closer. Enormous and formidable, its waves rolled like a water monster. Zhu Su's heart bet fast. If the flood could really reach here... then it was all over.

This palace would be finished... and, so did their life, would be finished soon...

O, Heaven! He must tell the truth, that he was not ready to die!

One of the princesses could not bear her fright anymore. She hugged Zhu Su tightly. "Fu Wang... I'm afraid!..."

"So am I! Fu Wang, I don't want to die!" Another princess also hugged her father.

"You won't, Dear... you won't die... you must believe it..." Zhu Su realized that he had to show a strong face to assure his entire family, but he actually doubted whether he could do it or not.

His fear had reached its peak.

He was tupsy-torsy.

All of a sudden, he got blank. Everything seemed to stop; his heartbeat, his breathing, his blood circulation... everything had stopped.

His soul was petrified.

Nothing else he knew. What he could do now, was just no more than looking at the flash flood with a blank expression.