Chapter 83: Not Getting Married

After returning to the Su residence at dusk, Ning Yi picked up a brush and paper to draft a set of plans and guidelines for disaster relief and epidemic prevention. He had already pondered these issues repeatedly over the past few days, so putting them down on paper wasn't too difficult.

Modern disaster relief strategies differ significantly from those of ancient times and cannot be directly transplanted. However, modern methods often provide stronger oversight, better sequencing of actions, and more foresight, making them undeniably more effective. By integrating these strategies with the realities of the Wu Dynasty and making adjustments, Ning Yi crafted a plan tailored for implementation. This included measures for disease prevention and the logistical structures for managing and directing disaster victims—essentially a hierarchical system. This management philosophy, something Ning Yi excelled at, was also outlined in detail.

His motivations for creating these plans stemmed partly from a sense of compassion. Even as a modern individual accustomed to the darker sides of society, the thought of people dying of starvation or illness within a few months deeply unsettled him. While he wasn't cold-hearted, his strong rationality often allowed him to suppress his emotions and maintain clarity. Compassion was only one part of it; the other part involved his broader schemes, particularly the second item he planned to present to Elder Qin the following day.

He worked tirelessly through the night. It was only when Xiao Chan brought in a bowl of chilled silver ear soup that he paused. "Master, if you don't drink it now, the ice will melt…"

Normally, Xiao Chan wouldn't disturb him during such focused work. However, the ice was precious in the summer heat, and she couldn't help but speak up, a hint of grievance in her tone. After finishing the soup and exchanging a few words with her, Ning Yi resumed writing. Xiao Chan quietly sat in a corner of the room, mending shoes with a needle and thread. Su Tan'er also came in once to check on him. Seeing him so engrossed, she exchanged a smile with Xiao Chan before leaving.

The next morning, Ning Yi went for a run to Nie Yunzhu's residence. While sipping tea, Nie Yunzhu casually brought up Yuan Jin'er's recent antics.

"Jin'er has been talking about you for some time. Who'd have thought your first meeting would turn out like yesterday's? Haha, she's too much of a troublemaker; don't hold it against her."

"Not at all. She's quite genuine," Ning Yi said with a smile. "Has she been visiting the shop often?"

"Not really. She doesn't have that much free time. I actually go to see her occasionally. Lately, though, she seems a bit down."

"Oh? Is it because Qilan won the Flower Queen competition and not her?"

Ning Yi had a favorable impression of Yuan Jin'er, especially after the century egg promotion incident. He began to consider poems that could help elevate her public profile. Nie Yunzhu, however, shook her head.

"Not at all. Jin'er never wanted to win that title. Her low spirits probably have more to do with what happened to Feng Xiaojing recently."

"Oh?"

"You might not know this since you were out of town at the time. After the Flower Queen competition, Wu Lie Army Commander Chen Yong started harassing Feng Xiaojing again. This wasn't the first time—it had happened before when she was the Flower Queen, to the point she almost jumped off a building. This time was no different. To make matters worse, Chen Yong's wife believed Feng Xiaojing was seducing her husband and brought guards to attack her. Feng Xiaojing was beaten so badly she had to flee through the streets. They say she was nearly beaten to death and is now bedridden, possibly disfigured or crippled. The Yue Ran Brothel filed a complaint, but they recently withdrew it. The reasons are obvious. Jin'er happened to witness it that day and… probably felt some self-pity."

"I see," Ning Yi nodded. "No wonder she wanted to work as a waitress at Zhujian. If she really does, I'd gladly pay her double—or even triple—to make sure she doesn't get hurt."

Nie Yunzhu laughed. "Only you could think of that."

"Haha, just have her marry early."

Nie Yunzhu smiled faintly, her gaze lowering slightly.

As the morning light brightened, Ning Yi left Nie Yunzhu's residence. She watched his figure disappear into the distance, then sighed softly, picking up her tea tray to head back inside.

Inside, Walnut was staring at her, pouting. "Miss, don't you know? If this keeps up, and Su Tan'er finds out, we'll be beaten to death too. You talk about being just friends, but they won't care about that!"

Nie Yunzhu glanced at her, a playful smile forming on her lips. "Fine, let her beat me to death. If I die, he'll definitely come to see me…" She paused, sighed again, and set the tray down. "But if it comes to that, it would make things difficult for him."

Walnut, exasperated, cried out, "Miss, don't go crazy! Men are all the same. Don't be fooled by his sweet words now. If his wife comes knocking, he'll never show up! Besides, he's only a live-in son-in-law! That Su family lady is formidable! Miss…"

"Don't you dare speak ill of him!" Nie Yunzhu shot her a look—not angry, but firm. She then mused over the idea of herself being beaten to death, her thoughts trailing away. Walnut continued to lament anxiously. Eventually, Nie Yunzhu took a deep breath, wrapped a rustic headscarf around her head, and pinched Walnut's cheek as she passed her.

"Walnut, you're so cute and getting prettier every day. Time to get married!"

Cheerfully delivering this remark, she walked out of the room. Once outside, she lowered her head, murmuring playfully and stubbornly under her breath.

"I just won't get married…"

Later that morning, after finishing his lessons and having lunch, Ning Yi went to the Qinhuai Riverbank. Master Kang was already waiting. Though interested in Ning Yi's contributions, he hadn't expected such a detailed manuscript.

Up until now, Ning Yi had shown talent in poetry, quirky innovations, and promotions like the century egg—interesting but unconventional pursuits. While Qin Shiyuan and Kang Xian admired his abilities and believed he could excel in administration, such thoughts were hypothetical and lacked proof. However, this manuscript changed their perception.

At this time, the Wu Dynasty had its own guidelines for disaster relief and epidemic prevention, but they were markedly different from what Ning Yi had written. The dynasty's measures prioritized maintaining stability. In times of crisis, the military would either suppress unrest by force or allow disaster victims to fend for themselves, with the primary goal being to avoid any damage to the state's foundation.

Initially, the group had been chatting casually, but upon opening the booklet and seeing the title, they grew serious. As they continued reading, their expressions turned grave. After finishing, they fell into a long silence before Kang Xian instructed Lu Agui to fetch the Wu Dynasty's disaster relief policies for comparison. Following that, he began questioning Ning Yi about the details, starting with the section on hygiene. Seated beside a Go board, Ning Yi calmly explained.

"Epidemics typically spread due to unsanitary conditions, so addressing hygiene issues must be a priority. With the resources at hand, there's often a shortage of managers. When an area is flooded with disaster victims and in chaos, authority must be delegated step by step. Select one or two tiers of managers from among the victims themselves and quickly instruct them on their responsibilities.

"For now, in the summer heat, find open, well-ventilated areas to set up shelters for shade and rain protection in an orderly fashion. Dig pits at suitable locations nearby to establish uniform latrines and drainage ditches. Send quicklime to the disaster zones to disinfect both inside and outside the gathering points. Assign personnel to spread awareness: rats, dead fish, and shrimp must not be consumed under any circumstances. If dead rats are found, burn or bury them immediately.

"Designate a separate area for the sick. Anyone with symptoms such as fever, headaches, coughs, phlegm, or diarrhea must be sent there immediately. Separate the severely ill from the mildly ill and enforce strict isolation. I understand that many places lack resources, so I've outlined priorities in the order they should be addressed. If cloth is available, ensure physicians wear masks. Clean water sources are critical, and there must be no trace of dead fish, shrimp, or rats in these areas."

"As long as order is maintained, selecting officials from the victims is a manpower issue that can be managed. People must be educated about the dangers of consuming rotten food, rats, and filth. Even if some conditions are subpar, efforts should be made to prevent contamination of food and water sources. If clean water is found, ensure people wash their hands. Spread word of the court's measures—how much relief grain and aid are on the way. Of course, all of this is predicated on victims receiving at least the bare minimum of food to survive. Most areas in our dynasty likely haven't reached that stage of desperation yet."

Ning Yi continued his explanation while Kang Xian nodded. "In most places, there's a certain reserve of relief grain. With some effort, we can scrape together enough to make do."

"That's good. Ensure no one starves to death. If they can receive one or two bowls of porridge a day, they won't riot or resort to eating rats or carrion. If the first phase goes smoothly, the situation can be contained. If a major disaster is compounded by an epidemic, it will spiral out of control, and no amount of effort will suffice."

"Subsequent steps involve personnel management and the allocation of relief grain and funds. Simple record-keeping is necessary. Recruit literate individuals to implement a hierarchical system. This shouldn't require much labor. With these records, post-disaster investigations will also be easier. While retrospective audits are one thing, the immediate goal is to ensure the most efficient distribution."

"If there's nothing left due to unchecked corruption all the way up the chain, like in Shaohe's case, then there's nothing anyone can do. But as long as there's some relief grain, we can work with it. If nothing else, ensure those at the lowest levels are protected. Make examples of a few corrupt officials—execute them publicly if necessary! It's okay to execute more if needed. Using this record-keeping method, appoint trustworthy individuals to audit accounts daily or every few days. I've highlighted critical audit points in the document. If discrepancies are found at these points, deal with them harshly, up to and including execution. In the short term, very few people will exploit loopholes in this system, and even if they do, the impact will be minimal. Efficiency must be maximized."

In the breezy afternoon along the Qinhuai River, Ning Yi spoke at length, his tone smooth and confident. Using the Go board as a visual aid, he tapped the pieces repeatedly to illustrate his points. Across from him, Master Qin, Master Kang, and Lu Agui listened intently, silently digesting his words. The atmosphere was unusually solemn. Nearby, the tea shop owner and his daughter exchanged whispers, occasionally glancing over, puzzled by the discussion.

Seeing Master Ning's fluid demonstrations, the tea shop owner speculated it might be some new kind of Go strategy.

On this leisurely afternoon, the world carried on as usual.