Chapter 1777: Unity Among the People of Chenggu County

Chapter 1777: Unity Among the People of Chenggu County

Shu Yu and Meng Han were both taken aback, turning their heads towards the source of the sound.

"It's from the kitchen."

They hurried towards the kitchen and, upon reaching the door, saw shattered dishes and bowls scattered on the ground, along with spilled rice porridge.

Tao Shi was squatting on the ground, staring blankly at the broken porcelain. After a moment, she suddenly covered her face and began to sob.

Meng Han was startled and quickly went to support her. "Mother, what happened? Did you get hurt? Let me take a look."

Tao Shi shook her head and suddenly pulled her into an embrace, choking on her words. "I'm sorry, Ah Han, I'm so sorry."

Meng Han felt stiff all over. It was the first time in so many years that she had heard those three words of apology from Tao Shi's mouth. For a moment, her heart felt a surge of grievance, and her eyes couldn't help but well up with tears.

Tao Shi's crying grew louder, as if she wanted to release all the suppressed feelings of regret and pain from the past. She kept apologizing to Meng Han, "Mother has been foolish. For all these years, I've made you suffer, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. You can blame me, I'm not worthy of being your and Ah Qi's mother. I'm not even worthy of your father."

"Mother... it's okay, it's okay..." Despite being hurt by Tao Shi all these years, hearing her apologies softened Meng Han's heart as she started crying as well.

Shu Yu stood outside the kitchen for a long time before quietly leaving with Ying Xi.

She also discreetly led the others who had come to the kitchen upon hearing the commotion, giving them space to be alone.

Walking to the corridor, Shu Yu realized that the sun had come out. When she returned earlier in the morning, the snow had gradually lessened. Now, looking outside, everything was covered in a vast expanse of white.

However, while the snow had stopped, troubles followed closely behind.

Many households' roofs in the county had collapsed due to the heavy snow. Some buildings had already suffered from the rebels' destruction and were now partially collapsed. The residents were hastily repairing their homes to find temporary shelter.

Unfortunately, the roofs that were not well-constructed couldn't withstand the heavy snow, causing them to cave in.

Luckily, the heavy snowfall occurred during the day. People had made preparations to prevent such incidents, and Xia Yi had arranged accommodations for them in advance.

As a result, although some people were injured, there were no fatalities.

However, the people who were already struggling faced the additional burden of their collapsed homes.

Shu Yu went out to help them get settled. To her surprise, there were people who were quicker than her.

Not long after she left the inn, Shu Yu noticed that Master Yang, Young Master He, and others had already begun arranging food and medicines for their servants and clearing out temporary lodgings for them.

There were many wealthy families in the city. Most of them had sufficient food supplies that could last for a year or two, or at least a few months. They had all experienced similar hardships and the suffering caused by bandits. At this moment, they empathized with each other's plights and understood the importance of helping each other to find warmth.

Consequently, despite their recent difficulties, the people of Chenggu County showed unprecedented unity and harmony.

Wealthier families provided food and clothing, while ordinary folks pitched in to clear snow and repair houses. Those who had suffered losses comforted each other. Without officials intervention, they all worked together to overcome the challenges.

These scenes turned Chenggu County into a warm oasis in the midst of the cold winter.