Chapter 381: Unable to Copy, Paying the Price for Arrogance!
In Great Wu, thanks to Lin Beifan’s advance preparations, everyone could safely weather the disaster.
But in other countries, things weren’t going so well.
They naively believed that this extreme weather would pass in a few days, as it had in the past based on their experience.
However, after ten days had passed, the freezing weather, howling winds, and heavy snowfall persisted without any improvement. The number of casualties and livestock deaths continued to rise.
Yet they tried to comfort themselves.
“It’s been ten days already!”
“According to past experience, this cold spell is relatively long; it should end soon!”
“In another two days, the weather should start to improve!”
“May the heavens bless us; I’ll light some incense for you!”
But after another five days, the weather remained just as cold, or even colder. The casualties and livestock losses increased further.
“It’s been half a month; why hasn’t it ended yet?”
“This cursed weather! If it doesn’t end soon, everyone will perish!”
“This prolonged extreme cold is truly a once-in-30-years ice disaster!”
“We were too hasty and unprepared!”
Some countries couldn’t hold on any longer and began relief efforts.
However, relief efforts were now extremely challenging. Rivers had frozen over, making navigation impossible. All roads were buried under thick snow, over a meter deep, making transportation of relief supplies nearly impossible. The heavy snow had cut off every city.
Even every village, every town, and every household had been isolated.
People were left to fend for themselves. Those who could endure would survive, and those who couldn’t would perish. There was no third option.
Of course, some countries continued to hold out.
“I refuse to believe that this extreme weather will persist for so long!”
“It will end soon; it has to end soon!”
“Let’s wait a few more days!”
With this belief, they continued to wait. Another five days passed, but the weather showed no signs of improvement.
The frigid conditions silently claimed many lives, and many villages and towns became desolate, losing all communication. Even within cities, many ordinary people couldn’t endure and perished in their homes.
The elderly were the first to go, followed by the children. Countless families fell apart.
Those who didn’t want to die rushed into the homes of others, disregarding everything to seize heating materials.
“This is my blanket; don’t take it!”
One criminal pulled out a knife and menacingly said, “I’m about to freeze to death, why should I care if it’s yours? Hand over the blanket, charcoal, and food now!”
“After giving them to you, my family will freeze to death! Please, don’t do this! I beg you…”
The criminal’s eyes gleamed with malice. “Either freeze to death or get stabbed to death; it’s your choice!”
Order began to break down, and a human tragedy was unfolding. Every country was on the brink.
“This is definitely a once-in-50-years ice disaster!”
“Chaos is breaking out everywhere!”
“If only we had learned from Great Wu and built shelters! Is it too late to start building them now?”
“What’s the use of daydreaming?”
Even though relief efforts were late, they had to be undertaken, no matter the cost. If everyone died, what would be left of their nations?
They now remembered what Great Wu had done before and had a collective realization. It wasn’t foolish; it was foresight!
Initially, they mocked Great Wu, but now they were facing the consequences themselves. They couldn’t help but feel regretful, wishing they had followed Great Wu’s lead in constructing shelters, stockpiling charcoal, and heating materials, and mobilizing the entire nation to combat the ice disaster. Now, they could only try to remedy the situation, saving as many lives as possible.
News of the situations in various countries quickly reached Lin Beifan’s ears. Lin Beifan couldn’t help but scoff, saying, “They’re starting to take action now, but it’s already too late! Failing to copy and paying the price for their arrogance! It’s a pity that their common people are suffering. Suffering for their pride. Suffering…”
No matter which era it was, the common people always suffered the most. In times of prosperity, the common people suffered, and in times of national decline or calamity, they suffered even more. Misery was a constant.
The only thing Lin Beifan could do now was manage the affairs of his own country. As for other countries, they could only rely on fate.
What comforted him was that thanks to Great Wu’s construction of numerous shelters, hosting refugees, and centralized heating, the casualties were relatively low, and order was maintained in various cities.
Lin Beifan took some time to inspect the shelters in the capital. This was his direct jurisdiction, so it had to be handled exceptionally well. There were enough shelters, they were spacious, and the indoor charcoal fires burned brightly, creating a stark contrast with the frigid weather outside.
Due to the extreme cold, there was no productive work to be done, so everyone stayed in the shelters to pass the time. With a large population gathered in one place, it was quite lively.
After completing his inspection, Lin Beifan was very satisfied. He praised, “Well done!”
“It’s all thanks to Prime Minister’s efforts! If it weren’t for you, Prime Minister, taking the initiative to build shelters in advance, we wouldn’t have been able to achieve this. Prime Minister, you deserve the credit!” flattered the officials around him.
Lin Beifan smiled and shook his head without saying much. As he walked further, he suddenly frowned and remarked, “The smell is quite unpleasant here.”
An accompanying official offered an apologetic smile and explained, “Prime Minister, there’s nothing we can do about it. You see, everyone eats, drinks, and relieves themselves together in close quarters. After a while, the smell naturally becomes unpleasant.”
Lin Beifan emphasized, “I can understand, but hygiene still needs to be maintained. Otherwise, illnesses can easily spread. When everyone is gathered in one place, one person’s illness can affect many. It can become quite troublesome.”
“Prime Minister, you’re absolutely right. I’ll arrange for someone to take care of it immediately,” the official said, feeling embarrassed.
“Additionally, let’s organize some entertainment, such as storytelling or performances, to help pass the time. Otherwise, people might fall ill from boredom,” Lin Beifan suggested.
“Understood, Prime Minister. I’ll take care of it,” the official replied promptly.
After ensuring that everything was in order, Lin Beifan left. However, at this moment, he received an urgent message: the Empress had contracted a cold and fallen ill. When it concerned the ruler of a nation, it was no small matter.
Lin Beifan immediately went to the palace, and other officials received the same message and joined him.
In the royal bedchamber, the Empress lay weakly on her dragon-shaped bed. Behind thick curtains, officials paid their respects to the Empress.
“Your Majesty, may you live for ten thousand years, ten thousand times over!” they chanted.
“Esteemed ministers… you may rise,” the Empress weakly said. “I apologize for troubling you all with my health. My body is unwell, and I cannot attend to state affairs. Therefore, I’ve temporarily entrusted the responsibilities to Prime Minister Lin. If you have any matters, report them to him, and he will make decisions. If it’s truly necessary, then you may see me. We are currently dealing with a nationwide disaster, and I implore all esteemed ministers to fulfill your duties diligently. Is that clear?”
“We obey your orders!” the officials replied in unison.
The Empress waved her hand lightly. “There’s no need for further ceremony. You may all withdraw. Prime Minister Lin, please stay.”
The officials bowed again and then retreated from the bedroom, leaving Lin Beifan alone with the Empress.
“Your Majesty, how may I serve you?” Lin Beifan asked.
“My dear, come closer, stand before me,” the Empress, in her weakened state, requested.
Lin Beifan took a few steps forward, standing by the dragon couch and looking at the delicate figure so close to him.
“Your Majesty…”
“My dear, my body is not cooperating. I’ve been invaded by the cold, so I have to trouble you with the matters of the Great Wu court. All state affairs will be temporarily handled by you. If you encounter any decisions you can’t make… then come to me! Right now, the entire nation is fighting against the disaster. All of you officials must fulfill your duties. Don’t slack off, understood?”
“I understand, Your Majesty. Please rest assured, I will handle everything. Your Majesty, your well-being is the most important. Great Wu cannot function without you.”
“My dear, with you here, I am at ease,” the Empress said, her eyes gently closing, her breathing becoming calm.
Lin Beifan could tell that the Empress had fallen asleep, so he quietly left the room.
He waved for someone and asked, “Physician Li, how is Her Majesty’s condition?”
An official with graying hair approached and bowed, saying, “Reporting to Prime Minister, due to the extreme cold weather, Her Majesty contracted a severe cold. It’s just a minor illness. However, during this period, Her Majesty has been tirelessly attending to state affairs, physically and mentally exhausted, and her body weakened. Hence, she fell ill. But it’s nothing serious, and she just needs to rest quietly for some time.”
Lin Beifan nodded. This diagnosis matched his assessment. The Empress had a relatively delicate constitution, and her continuous hard work for the nation had left her physically weak. Therefore, in the face of extremely cold weather, she couldn’t bear it and fell ill, but it wasn’t a major issue. She only needed a period of rest.
Lin Beifan instructed those around him, “Right now, Her Majesty’s condition is fragile, and she needs quiet rest. So unless there’s a significant issue, there’s no need to disturb her. Entrust it to me for decision-making.”
“Yes, Prime Minister!” the people responded.
