But in her anxious state, her mind seed to turn a bit faster. If heart-to-heart persuasion couldn’t move these common folk, then money would.
As the saying goes, money can make the devil turn millstones. As long as she offers money, the people will definitely follow her and participate in the river dam construction.
Before, she was too lofty for too long, seldom using money to settle matters, and had thus forgotten the importance of money.
She was wrong.
This ti, by offering money, it was sure to work.
As expected, Jun Ning announced that anyone participating in the river dam construction would receive a daily wage—a considerable sum—and when paid daily, so people started to be moved.
But there were also those who feared that Jun Ning was like the previous corrupt officials, only suppressing them, so they held a wait-and-see attitude.
After observing for a few days and seeing those who tried to work actually got paid, everyone couldn’t sit still any longer and started signing up to participate in the construction of the river dam.
In this way, the river dam was quickly built.
At this ti, there were still ten days before the rainy season.
In these days, Jun Ning had beco tanned; her delicate hands grew rough with calluses from moving stones, but she didn’t care.
She was holding a waterlon, eating it while sitting by the river dam, looking at the completed construction with a slight smile on her lips.
So passing villagers saw her but said nothing, shook their heads and left.
They held no hope for the river dam overseen by Jun Ning; they were already moving their valuable belongings to avoid the damage the coming rainy season would bring to their fields and hos.
Their help in building the dam was purely motivated by money.
Jun Ning observed this, but did not express any opinion, nor did she try to reassure them by saying, "Rest assured, nothing will happen, this ti the dam will surely work."
Whether it works or not would be evident when the rainy season arrives, when the water in the dam rises and we see whether the surrounding fields and hos are flooded.
...
Ten days passed quickly.
That night, lightning flashed and thunder roared, thick clouds gathered, and a heavy rain suddenly fell.
Upon hearing the rain, Jun Ning got up, donned a raincoat, and went to the river dam herself, overseeing it personally for several days. Watching the water level rise but the dam holding steady, preventing flooding of fields and hos, she finally went back to rest.
The villagers had initially packed their belongings to head to higher ground to weather the storm, not holding out much hope for their crops along the riverbank.
However...
After several days of hiding, they finally discovered that the farmland and residences along the Yujiang River had not been destroyed.
They could stay put during the rainy season as the dam, newly constructed, did not get washed away as previous ones did but stood firmly, blocking the rising water, protecting the surrounding fields and hos.
This dam was not just haphazardly built; it was specially constructed by the Imperial Princess, who painstakingly labored to solve their hardships and problems.
The Imperial Princess did not lie, nor did she brag; she took real action.
Not only did they misunderstand the Imperial Princess, but they had also treated her poorly. They... they...
No matter how unwilling they were to admit it, they were wrong. This ti, the Imperial Princess, as the representative of the governnt, was right. The governnt had finally done one thing right.
They harbored hate toward the governnt, but they should not have been blinded by one leaf and failed to see the mountain, misunderstanding the person truly helping them.
The villagers felt deep sha.
They ran to the river dam quickly, examined the completed dam to verify their thoughts, and once confirming they were wrong, they went in groups to Jun Ning’s residence, kneeling at her doorstep, admitting their mistakes.
"Your Highness, you truly are the Imperial Princess; you have responsibility and care for the people. Even if we misunderstood you, you still found ways to help us build the dam so well, without any compromise."
"Not only did we misunderstand your good intentions, but we also bullied you like that. Your Highness, we were wrong; we were really wrong..."
"Please punish us, we are willing to be penalized..."
Many people were kneeling at the entrance of Jun Ning’s residence, remorseful for their actions, apologizing and begging for forgiveness.
Moreover, the number of people was increasingly growing.
So ca out of sha, while others for the sake of the river dam that would benefit their children and grandchildren, to thank Jun Ning. Thanks for helping build the dam, for not being like previous officials who oversaw dam construction, doing it carelessly and shirking responsibility.
Given her position, she could have easily shirked responsibility, but she didn’t.
The villagers’ gratitude toward Her Highness the Princess was beyond words; everyone yearned to see her in person, to thank her directly, but the guards at Jun Ning’s residence inford them that once the dam was successfully completed and would not affect the surrounding crops and farrs, she had left.
This phrase about leaving after finishing the task accomplished, concealing rit and na, referred precisely to soone like her!
Soone took the lead in praising her, especially the few educated scholars who even wanted to write poems and paint to commorate and highlight Jun Ning’s achievents.
...
Jun Ning fell ill, on the way back.
During the previous period, she watched over the dam construction every day, regardless of harsh weather conditions, never slackening. She remained ntally tense, never paying attention for a day, and her body had already reached a limit.
Now that the dam was completed, her heart relaxed, and naturally she fell ill.
On the return journey, she not only had a fever but also started vomiting.
——
Jun Ning fell ill, on the way back.
During the previous period, she watched over the dam construction every day, regardless of harsh weather conditions, never slackening. She remained ntally tense, never paying attention for a day, and her body had already reached a limit.
Now that the dam was completed, her heart relaxed, and naturally she fell ill.
On the return journey, she not only had a fever but also started vomiting.
Jun Ning fell ill, on the way back.
During the previous period, she watched over the dam construction every day, regardless of harsh weather conditions, never slackening. She remained ntally tense, never paying attention for a day, and her body had already reached a limit.
Now that the dam was completed, her heart relaxed, and naturally she fell ill.
On the return journey, she not only had a fever but also started vomiting.
Jun Ning fell ill, on the way back.
During the previous period, she watched over the dam construction every day, regardless of harsh weather conditions, never slackening. She remained ntally tense, never paying attention for a day, and her body had already reached a limit.
Now that the dam was completed, her heart relaxed, and naturally she fell ill.
On the return journey, she not only had a fever but also started vomiting.
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