[12] Come hell and high water

The rain lasted for the whole night. By afternoon the clouds finally parted ways, revealing a half drowned city.

Outside the walls, the once crowded streets of Hu-Shang became rivers, with buildings stranded between them like wooden islands. However the courtyard of government palace did not flood, with everything still intact.

Wang-Yi and the rest absorbed the scene in silence.

Finally it was the prince who broke the silence:

"Lin-Lin, I want you to announce to all the city officials, we are going to be holding an emergency meeting in the great hall in 1 hour." He turned and said to Lin-Lin.

"Yes my prince!" Lin-Lin answered, and then hurried off.

"Ye-Li and Jiang-Yi I want you two to work together, and give a rough estimate of the property damage. Afterwards, come to the meeting as soon as possible."

"Yes my prince!" The two answered, then went back inside the room.

"San-Qi, I want you to go to Xi-Quan-Zhai and check if the owner is safe. Here is the address." The prince handed her a rough paper map.

"Understood." San-Qi took over the map and left the scene.

"The rest of you follow me, we are going to be at the meeting early."

"Yes my prince!" They bowed.

***

1 hour…

Seeing the hourglass had reached it's time, the prince cleared his throat and spoke:

"You all probably know the reason why we are here." The prince's voice boomed across the hallway. Jin-Fu-Gui stepped away from his desk and stood in the center of the hall then bowed and spoke:

"My prince, it is just a small seasonal flood. Such trivial things are not worthy of the attention of my prince."

"Do you decide what's worth my attention, or do I decide?" The prince tone dropped.

"Of course you my prince! You get to decide everything now!" Governor Jin bowed several times in panic.

"Return to your seat, and do not get up again until the meeting is over, please." The prince said with a low, but calm voice.

"Yes my prince!" Governor Jin bowed again, before quickly scrambling back to his seat.

"For the first step, I order commander Wu and my new Special Forces captain San-Qi to form a search and rescue party. Currently I sent San-Qi on a special mission, she will be back soon."

The officials below chattered.

Ignoring their chatter, the prince went on:

"For the 2nd step, I order chief city planner Tao to oversee the relocation of the displaced, and vice chief city planner Ye-Li to be in charge of draining the flood from the city."

"For the 3rd step, I order governor Jin and Jiang-Yi to work together on a new emergency financial aid package. The final amount will have to be approved by me."

"My prince!" Jin-Fu-Gui stood up, but seeing the prince's glare, he quickly sat back in his seat again.

"I can handle the budget alone, no need to trouble your people…" Governor Jin laughed nervously.

"That is none of your concern. Just do your job properly, and you will be fine."

"B-But my prince!" Governor Jin said with a near pleading voice.

"The meeting is adjourned for the day. You may all return to your posts." The prince's voice was final.

***

Night.

The cries and wailing for the people could still be heard from beyond the wall.

Inside the servant's quarters, the group discussion went on. Then out of nowhere, a figure stepped through and the meeting came to an abrupt pause.

"Is the owner safe?"

"She's fine, she was hiding the attic." San-Qi said, as her clothes were still dripping wet.

"Good work." The prince complimented. "Lin-Lin get her a towel please."

"Yes my prince." Lin-Lin answered.

"There is a hot bath waiting for you downstairs." The prince said.

"No need. I just need a smoke." San-Qi said as she took over the towel from Lin-Lin then dried herself quickly. She then threw the towel on top of her bed then reached under her bed for something, a brief moment later she fished out a box of matches and a pipe from it.

With pipe in one hand and matches in the other, she left the room wordlessly.

"Go on with the meeting without me please." The prince said, as he got up and followed San-Qi out of the room.

Outside on the walkway, with a smooth stroke of her match, San-Qi lit up her pipe, she then dropped her match and crushed the remaining embers with the sole of her boots.

"It's fine." The prince raised a hand, as he stood next to San-Qi.

"What is it?" San-Qi took in a drag from her smoke.

"How deep was the water?"

"About 3 meters deep. The whole city has become a watery grave." San-Qi puffed out a miniature white cloud.

"That is unfortunate."

"Shit happens." San-Qi took in another drag.

"I have a special order for you San-Qi."

"Oh?" San-Qi raised a brow.

The prince leaned forward and whispered something into her ear.

"Understood." San-Qi let out one more puff of smoke and then lowered her pipe.