Reborn as a Noble's Son Chapter 889 - 889 845 The Prime Minister has arrived

Chapter 889: Chapter 845 The Pri Minister has arrived Chapter 889: Chapter 845 The Pri Minister has arrived Highway 18

About thirty-odd kiloters from the urban area of Yizhou City, the road is completely surrounded by mountains, with the highway skirting the edge of the mountains—cliffs on one side and steep walls on the other. This stretch of Highway 18 in Bashu Province is the most dangerous section within the territory.

At this mont, on a slightly broader side of the road, the area has beco a temporary construction site. Along the side of the highway that it occupies, more than a dozen military tents have been erected. This is the command center for the earthquake disaster relief in Wenshu, the forefront and highest-level headquarters, because Pri Minister Leng Yunfei and Deputy Pri Minister Nie Guowei are here at this mont.

Inside the tent, the Pri Minister’s eyes appear deep-set and bloodshot—it’s obvious that he hasn’t rested well.

Right now, inside the tent, a long military table in the middle holds the route map of Highway 18 through the Yizhou section.

A general officer with the rank of full general is reporting to Pri Minister Leng, “Commander, according to satellite remote sensing data, all other sections of Highway 18 have now been cleared, leaving only this ten-kiloter stretch. According to the engineering corps’ estimate, it will take at least another ten hours to clear it.”

Upon hearing this news, Leng Yunfei’s face instantly changes, and the reporting general imdiately says, “Commander, the main difficulty is that the construction width is too narrow. It’s hard for the engineering machinery to get in.”

The expression on Pri Minister Leng’s face turns grim. Since his arrival in Bashu, he has been working non-stop. Looking at General Shen Jiantao, Commander of Tianfu Military Region, Pri Minister Leng speaks sternly, “By hook or by crook, we need to get in there. The sooner, the better. One second earlier could an saving one more life.”

As he speaks, Pri Minister Leng stands up and looks at Shen Jiantao with a solemn expression. He speaks in a deep voice, “Ten hours is absolutely unacceptable. If the work surface is too narrow, then find a way—any ans, any cost. I only want one result: the road must be cleared within three hours, opening up Yizhou City’s lifeline. The people have supported you, and now, in the face of this massive disaster, it’s up to you.”

Having said this much, Shen Jiantao clearly understands that a critical order has been given. He promptly stands at attention and nods, “Please rest assured, Pri Minister. The entire Tianfu Military Region will spare no cost or effort to ensure that this lifeline is cleared within three hours.”

After Shen Jiantao leaves, Nie Guowei approaches and whispers, “Pri Minister, please go and get so sleep. Since yesterday afternoon, you have been up for nearly forty hours…”

Pri Minister Leng waves his hand and sighs, “Old Nie, say no more. I understand what you an. But now is not the ti to rest. We still know nothing about the situation in the worst-hit areas. According to Zhenbang’s report, at the mont, Yizhou City is without power and water, lacking food and dicine, as well as large engineering equipnt and rescue forces. I can’t sleep.”

Since receiving the news, Pri Minister Leng flew to Bashu and has been without sleep. During the day and night, he has been inspecting various disaster areas, talking to the local people, calming the public’s emotions, and at night, convening etings with all parties to discuss and deploy disaster relief efforts. It has been over forty hours now, and even young people would not be able to endure it, let alone an elder approaching his seventies.

At this mont, in another tent, the Commander of Tianfu Military Region is convening a eting with the military chiefs of the various units under the command.

Shen Jiantao’s expression is stern as he looks around at everyone and speaks in a deep voice, “Comrades, just now, the Pri Minister has issued a final, critical order. We must clear the transportation line within three hours. For this, I have promised the Pri Minister with a military order, ensuring completion of the task within three hours. I want to reiterate to everyone here, be you a general or a soldier, tell everyone. Clearing the way will be a victory, and I will comnd you for it!”

As soon as the words are spoken, Major General Ye Jianshe, the Military Region’s Chief of Staff, says, “Commander, the current problem is that we can’t open up enough space for the operation. Even a skilled cook can’t make a al without rice.”

Shen Jiantao waves his hand and says sternly, “A narrow operation surface is not an excuse. Issue my command: if the operation surface isn’t enough, break it open. For the ten-kiloter road, conduct segnted construction along the route. Engineering machinery with off-road capability, charge in. For the excavated earth and rocks, adopt local placent asures along the roadside slopes or dump them over the cliff edges. In short, whatever thods you use, I just want a result. Three hours, rember, the road must be cleared within three hours.”

Three hours fly by in an instant. When the clock points to 8 p.m., at last, the soldiers from the civil engineering group repairing the roads on the Yizhou side and Tianfu Military Region’s engineering troops successfully join forces on Highway 18. Deafening applause and cheering erupt.

Yizhou City.

At this mont, Yizhou City had completely lost power. The supply and transmission lines were utterly destroyed in this massive earthquake. Co nightfall, the entire Yizhou was plunged into pitch darkness.

By this ti, a full 32 hours had passed since the earthquake struck, and it was at this very mont that the Pri Minister entered the epicenter of the Wenshu earthquake.

Having received the news, Nie Zhenbang now led the surviving officials of Yizhou City in waiting at Yizhou Square.

The square was silent, the people who had just experienced a great disaster either sitting on the ground or standing, their eyes all turning toward the Pri Minister.

At this mont, aside from the rumbling of a dozen or so diesel generators, there was no other sound.

Pri Minister Leng’s expression was very solemn and sad. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Pri Minister Leng held out his hand and said firmly, “Comrade Nie Zhenbang, you have worked hard. On behalf of the Central Governnt, I thank you for your efforts and for your fearlessness in the face of sacrifice. How is the resettlent of the affected people going?”

As soon as these words were spoken, Nie Zhenbang said, “Pri Minister, currently, the surviving civilians in Yizhou Urban Area have all been settled in Yizhou City Citizens Square, Yizhou Sports Center, and the fields of several colleges and high schools. The mood among the people is relatively stable, but now there are quite a few problems. We are severely lacking in food and drinking water, and additionally, there is a great shortage of dicines, dical equipnt and facilities, as well as dical personnel. This is the most fundantal issue. Many of the seriously injured cannot receive effective treatnt due to the limitations of dical conditions.”

Pri Minister Leng nodded and looked around the people in the square with his usual calm voice, “Comrades, fathers and fellow villagers of Yizhou City, I am Leng Yunfei. I have co to visit everyone. On behalf of the Party Central Committee, the State Council, and Director Shen, I express my deep sorrow and affectionate condolences for the disaster you have suffered. Houses have collapsed and fallen, but we can rebuild them. As long as we are alive, there is hope. As long as we are united with one heart and one mind, I believe we will be able to overco this difficulty and defeat this severe natural disaster.”

Following that, under the guidance of Nie Zhenbang, Pri Minister Leng and his party arrived at the dical area. Nie Zhenbang introduced, “Pri Minister, at the mont, eighty percent of the buildings in the Yizhou Urban Area have beco rubble and debris. Now, many of our people are injured. We’ve set up dical tents here on the square and over there at the sports stadium. Currently, all the diesel generators that we have been able to gather in the city are being given priority to dical units. The main difficulties we’re facing are the severe shortage of rescue engineering equipnt and machinery, as well as a lack of food and water. These past two days, most people haven’t had much to eat, and in a few more days, I’m worried that we’ll have a big problem.”

Listening to Nie Zhenbang’s report, Pri Minister Leng’s expression imdiately turned grave. Turning his head, Pri Minister Leng said to Su Xuan, the Secretary of the Bashu Provincial Party Committee standing behind him, “Comrade Su Xuan, we must now imdiately organize manpower and transportation to first transport the urgently needed food, water, and dicines in the disaster area. Throughout Bashu Province, all roads should be prioritized for disaster relief vehicles, while ensuring that police cars clear the way and accompany vehicles transporting supplies. We must deliver the materials as quickly as possible.”

Afterward, the group went on to visit the settlent area for those affected by the disaster on the square. At a few tents erected with striped cloths, there were children half-grown inside; the oldest no more than twelve, the youngest, still babes in arms.

As they entered the tent, several policewon in uniform stood up, and Nie Zhenbang explained, “Pri Minister, these children have either been separated from their parents in the earthquake, or their family mbers have already perished. Right now, under the limited conditions, they are temporarily gathered here.”

Upon hearing this, tears welled up in Pri Minister Leng’s eyes. Walking forward, Pri Minister Leng crouched down and embraced a young girl and a young boy, both about eight to ten years old.

These two children were already confird to have lost their families. From their initial bewildered helplessness to their current sinking into sorrow.

Looking at the children, Pri Minister Leng reached out and gently wiped away their tears, whispering, “Child, don’t cry. The governnt will take care of you, your life and your education. Even though you no longer have your parents, society will still have many more people caring for and helping you. We all need to be strong.”

Standing up, Pri Minister Leng’s hands still tightly embraced the two children. He looked up at the people around him, especially towards Nie Zhenbang, saying, “You need to do a good job of comforting the orphans in the disaster area and have detailed plans and policies in place. For children who are separated from their parents, we must do everything we can to help them reunite. For those who can be placed with relatives, we also need to coordinate well. And for orphans, we need to give one hundred and twenty percent of our love to ensure that their lives and education are not affected.”(