While everyone was panicking, Mr. Ye's eyes were fixed on the sky to the west.
In as low a voice as possible, Chen Ping asked: "Is that gust of wind that blew just now a west wind?"
Chen Ping nodded: "Teacher, it's Xifeng!"
Magistrate Wang blinked in confusion, wondering what kind of riddle the master and apprentice were playing.
Just as he was about to ask, Mr. Ye had already taken a step forward and whispered a few words in his ear.
"The rain is coming from upstream with the wind, which means that in the mountains and forests upstream, it is raining heavier than here!"
"Now that the strong wind has arrived, more violent rain and flood peaks formed in the mountains and rivers are not far away!"
"We may not have enough time!"
Mr. Ye's few words in a low voice made County Magistrate Wang feel like thunder was ringing in his ears one after another.
His face turned pale in an instant, and all the blood shrank into his heart, beating in his chest like a heavy drum.
He asked in a trembling voice: "Then...how much time do we have?"
Mr. Ye was extremely anxious: "In a quarter of an hour, at the fastest a quarter of an hour, the peak of the flood will arrive!"
Upon hearing the answer, County Magistrate Wang felt his whole body go cold.
Although the spillway has been dug to the edge of the river embankment, it will take at least two to three quarters of an hour to completely dig out the spillway so that it can truly function.
If the flood peak arrives before this, and the flood outlet has not yet been dug, the flood peak will flow down the river and directly hit the extremely dilapidated river embankment downstream.
By then...
At such a critical moment, Magistrate Wang made a decisive decision: "Zhao Jin, let everyone get the tools to dig the flood outlet immediately!"
"Anyone who dares to shirk or slack off my order will be captured immediately!"
Zhao Jin got the order and turned around and shouted: "The county magistrate has given an order. The peak of the flood is approaching. Everyone present, regardless of civilians or officials, immediately picked up tools and dug the flood outlet!"
"Those who dare to disobey will be punished!"
After Zhao Jin yelled like this, those officials who were proud of their status just now and didn't want to get muddy all ran forward and picked up tools that they had almost never used.
Time passed bit by bit, and the rain became violent several times without realizing it.
"Dig it out!!!"
Several villagers kicked hard towards the thin mound of soil, kicked the last layer of sand and gravel into the river, and immediately cheered.
Everyone cried with joy when they heard the news.
Magistrate Wang continued to speed up the expansion of the flood outlet while wiping the hazy water in front of his eyes with his soaked sleeves.
I don’t know if it was sweat, rain, or tears of joy.
The flood outlet had just been expanded to two arms' width. Chen Ping, who was standing on a nearby high ground, suddenly turned around and shouted.
"The flood peak is coming, hurry up the river embankment!"
After saying that, he stretched out his arm, grabbed the swaying Mr. Ye, gritted his teeth and dragged him up the river embankment.
Zhao Jin was so flexible that he grabbed Magistrate Wang and jumped onto the river embankment.
The officials and civilians also climbed up as if running for their lives.
As soon as everyone stood firm, they heard the roar of the torrent rushing towards them.
Magistrate Wang showed a smile of success, stroking his beard and looking at the river where the waves were lapping.
The floodwaters really began to flow into the flood channel, just as planned.
Suddenly, Mr. Ye's sad cry came to my ears: "Oh my God!"
Ye Lao's voice was distorted and hoarse in the shock, his eyes widened in horror, and his body suddenly jumped forward.
Like a moth flying into a flame, the next second it will jump into the torrent of man-eating people.
"Teacher?"
Chen Ping stood closest to him and had the fastest reaction.
The whole person swooped up and hugged his waist, "What are you doing?"
Ye Lao staggered on the spot, staring in a certain direction with cracked eyes and teeth chattering.
"Quick... move quickly! The embankment is about to collapse!"
The rushing flood peak was as powerful as a rainbow, roaring like a yellow dragon, breaking into the flood discharge channel, breaking the river embankment, and rushing out of the sky with rubble.
In the blink of an eye, a huge gap appeared in the river embankment on the south bank.
The turbid river water flooded the entire river embankment and continued to rush downstream.
The river bank collapsed!
Magistrate Wang stood there, his whole body frozen.
Before he lowered his raised hand, as if to grab something, Zhao Jin grabbed him and pushed him behind him.
"Hurry up and protect all the adults and retreat!"
"Everyone, go up, quickly! Quickly!"
The torrent flowing down the river was like a mad beast. Before anyone could react, it was already roaring and killing, choosing and devouring everyone.
There were still some civilians on the shore who had not evacuated. They only let out a few screams before they were swept up in the flood and their traces were lost.
The thunder exploded, killing all the joy.
The scene was like the end of the world, making people’s scalp numb.
Chen Ping's pupils tightened, and he squeezed out two words in his throat reflexively.
"Run!"
But, it’s too late.
The embarrassed civilians and officials were frightened and fled in panic. They used all their strength to scramble to climb higher.
Mr. Ye pulled Chen Ping and He Qingxuan to climb, while Ye Chongwen stood in the distance and jumped anxiously.
Magistrate Wang also hurriedly retreated into the distance under the protection of Zhao Jin.
Even if they had a few more breaths, several people would be able to evacuate the dangerous area smoothly.
Unfortunately, God failed to fulfill his wish, and another flood peak, almost level with the highest point of the river embankment, crashed down.
A moment.
Chen Ping only felt that the sky was filled with floods, and all directions were enveloped by strong noise and water pressure.
I am like a small fish and shrimp in the water. No matter how hard I struggle, it is meaningless.
It seemed like a long time passed, and several voices came from my ears.
It seemed like someone shouted: "Leave me alone, take them away!"
Another person shouted: "Take the children first!"
Chen Ping couldn't hear so clearly anymore, he just felt like his body was being lifted up.
After he could see clearly, he realized that it was Zhao Jin who had rescued him to the shore.
Chen Ping looked around blankly and asked blankly: "Dutou, where is my teacher, where is the county magistrate?"
Zhao Jin remained silent.
Instead, he turned around and plunged into the water, and did not appear for a long time.
Chen Ping felt a chill in his heart and his face was ashen.
He struggled to see clearly what was happening on the shore, but his body became weaker and weaker.
Until he loses consciousness.
……
It rained heavily for a whole day and stopped after the flood peak passed through.
The haze dissipated in time, and the sky turned blue.
The spillway was in a mess on both sides, with tents from the camp still floating in the turbid river water, and some shovels stuck in the sand.
There are several neat wooden piles by the river, which were cut down to make stretchers to transport the injured.
Chen Ping has been on the river embankment since he woke up, his face looking gloomier than ever before.
"How many people are here?" he asked.
He Qingxuan walked with a cane behind him, staggering every step, but his speed was not slow.
He composed himself and replied: "Two hours ago, the county summoned the people to rush for help. There were two to three hundred people, all looking for people along the river."
"Fortunately, the torrent branch overflowed the farmland, causing more damage than expected, but fortunately our flood channel... is still effective."
The gap came so unexpectedly that no one was prepared.
The torrent that washed up on the shore was like entering an uninhabited land. It was lucky to escape death.
The most fortunate thing is that there are more than a dozen people missing and there is no news yet.
Among the missing persons are Mr. Ye and Magistrate Wang.
Chen Ping stopped talking. He clenched his fists and tears overflowed from his eyes.
Everything was going well, so why did the south bank embankment suddenly collapse?
If something happens to Mr. Ye...
No, it won't.
Nothing will happen to them!
Chen Ping didn't want to think so, let alone thought so.
His mind was in chaos, and the pale back of Mr. Ye and the tiger-like official robe of County Magistrate Wang gripped his heart.
At this moment, the two of them suddenly heard an exclamation.
"Found it!"
"This one still has a tone!"
"Where's the doctor? Let the doctor come over!"
Chen Ping stopped and looked around, only to see Ye Chongwen squeezing into the crowd on the west bank slope with bloodshot eyes.
"Let me see! Is it my grandpa!"
Ye Chongwen limped forward, his body covered in dust and mud solidifying on his face.
Where can I still have the joyful joy of playing in the rain that day?
At this time, the crowd dispersed, and a government official came out and said with mixed feelings: "It's a man digging the canal."
Ye Chongwen stopped, his eyes scarlet.
The officer comforted him, "Zhao Dutou has been searching for him with his people. I believe there will be news soon."
"Don't worry, little Xianggong, lucky people have their own destiny, Mr. Ye and the county magistrate must still be alive!"