Reborn and returned, sisters swapped

Chapter 174 Sickness

Grandma Li was not to be outdone, and retorted angrily, "Who said that just because you're a grown man you get more food?"

"My working hours and Xiao Li's were exactly the same, why should we be treated unfairly!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Jinyan immediately requested the intervention of the council.

The members of the council nodded to each other, and together with Gu Jinyan, they found a quiet place and called both parties to the meeting.

Among the members of the council, the carpenter Lao Zhang was the oldest and most experienced, and he could see the tense atmosphere between the two sides.

He first smiled gently and said, "Liu Han, Old Lady Li, don't be anxious. The council is here today to help everyone clarify the truth. Don't just shout. Let's talk things out slowly."

Upon seeing the council, Liu Han immediately began to complain: "Foreman Zhang, please be the judge!"

I carried dozens of loads of timber that day, and I'm so tired I can barely lift my arms. They only carried a few small pieces, so why do they get the same rations as me?

Not to be outdone, Old Lady Li put her hands on her hips and said loudly, "Old Zhang, although my son and I are not very strong..."

But we've been busy from morning till night, moving a lot too, and our time is the same as theirs. Why should we be at a disadvantage?

Seeing that they each had their own version of events, Old Zhang patiently said, "How about this, let's first take a look at your attendance records and working hours."

Let's check them one by one to see exactly how much each person contributed.

Gu Jinyan instructed a recorder to bring the attendance sheet and patiently and meticulously checked everyone's attendance and working hours.

After comparison, it was found that Liu Han did work slightly more hours, while Li Laotai and her son worked for a similar amount of time, but moved slightly smaller volumes of timber.

After reviewing the records, the council members questioned several workers present to arrive at a fairer judgment.

Seeing the records laid out before her, Grandma Li's tone softened slightly.

But she still said softly, unwilling to give up, "But there's a reason why we're moving slowly because we're older..."

Upon hearing this, Gu Jinyan gently comforted her, "Grandma Li, I have seen everyone's hard work."

This allocation was indeed a misunderstanding. I suggest adjusting it slightly based on working hours and the amount of material handled.

We will distribute everyone's earnings fairly, while also taking into account the physical exertion involved.

After deliberation, the council members decided to make slight adjustments to the distribution of grain so that Liu Han could receive appropriate compensation.

Meanwhile, the elderly woman and her son reduced their heavy lifting tasks in the following work and switched to the relatively easier task of sorting materials.

This approach not only respects the contributions of both households but also ensures the harmonious progress of subsequent work.

After this mediation, Liu Han and Old Lady Li gradually calmed down.

Old Zhang, the carpenter from the council, patted Liu Han on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Liu Han, what we are rebuilding now is everyone's home."

Minor disagreements are inevitable, but remember, only by supporting each other can Hersha City recover as soon as possible.

Liu Han lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then extended his hand: "Aunt Li, I'm sorry, I acted impulsively and spoke too harshly."

Grandma Li smiled and took his hand, saying cheerfully, "Oh, let's not talk about the past. Now we must work together to rebuild our home!"

This handshake brought knowing smiles to the faces of the people around.

Gu Jinyan observed all of this from the sidelines, feeling gratified. She knew that the role of the council was gradually becoming apparent.

As the mediation by the council progressed, such disputes gradually decreased.

People began to realize that with this fair mediation institution, their efforts would be recognized and respected as they deserved.

One day, while inspecting the construction site, Gu Jinyan saw two women arguing over how to distribute the food around a large pot of porridge.

She went up to inquire and learned that it turned out that Aunt Zhang from the north of the city and Aunt Wang from the south of the city were arguing over the few bowls of thick porridge left in the pot.

They each believed they had done more work and deserved more.

Gu Jinyan smiled and invited several members of the council to sit down, listening carefully to their demands.

Old Zhang from the council patiently said, "You are all hardworking people who have contributed to Hesha City, and we all know that."

If there's not enough porridge today, we'll cook more tomorrow to make sure everyone is full and that no one gets upset over a bowl of porridge.

Aunt Zhang and Aunt Wang lowered their heads and remained silent, then looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh.

Aunt Zhang said, "Old Zhang is right. It's really not worth ruining our relationship over this little bit of porridge."

I think if I eat one less bite today, I can just put in a little more effort tomorrow.

Aunt Wang nodded in agreement: "Yes, Sister Zhang, let's make more porridge together tomorrow so that everyone can have a good meal."

Seeing them shake hands and make peace, Gu Jinyan smiled with satisfaction.

Subsequently, the council gradually became a pillar in the hearts of the people, and everyone knew that no matter what injustice or misunderstanding they encountered, they could seek fair mediation from the council.

Gradually, the gap between the people narrowed, and the trust between them deepened under the mediation of the council.

As night fell, the rain suddenly intensified, with large raindrops relentlessly pelting every inch of the city of Hersha.

The newly built earthen wall collapsed fragilely in the rainstorm, and the muddy ground became even more difficult to walk on, leaving the entire construction site in a mess.

Anxiety and helplessness were evident on the faces of the people. Rainwater kept seeping from the dilapidated roofs of the sheds, and some even collapsed. The destruction of their homes brought them to the brink of despair.

This torrential rain not only destroyed their construction achievements, but also dealt a heavy blow to the people's confidence.

Gu Jinyan stood in the mud, looking at the distressed people.

At this critical moment, someone must step forward to provide shelter and hope for everyone.

Gu Jinyan wiped the rain off his face and then summoned the soldiers around him.

He decisively ordered, "First, gather the people most severely affected by the disaster together. We must ensure they have a place to shelter from the rain tonight!"

The soldiers immediately sprang into action, and Gu Jinyan directed them to set up makeshift tents overnight to house the affected people.

A faint fire was lit inside the tent, and the soldiers took out rations and clothing, handing them to the elderly and children who were shivering from the cold.

Gu Jinyan personally entered the tent and gently comforted the people.

Her voice was firm yet warm: "Don't worry, everyone. Although this rain is fierce, as long as we work together, we will definitely get through it."

At this moment, Aunt Li sat in the corner of the tent, holding her one-year-old child, her face full of exhaustion.

Upon seeing Gu Jinyan, she couldn't help but burst into tears: "Sir, our house has collapsed, what are we going to do now?"

Gu Jinyan squatted down, took Aunt Li's hand, and said with a smile, "Don't worry, Aunt Li."

As long as we are still alive, our homes can be rebuilt.

Let's get some rest tonight, and tomorrow we'll figure out a way to get through this together.

Late at night, after arranging the resettlement of the people, Gu Jinyan rushed to the warehouse and the construction site of important buildings.

She instructed the craftsmen to bring their tools and inspect the warehouse's support frames one by one, fearing that even the slightest loosening could lead to the loss of grain.

Inside the warehouse, some craftsmen were busy working despite the torrential rain.

Some people reinforced the walls with wooden stakes, while others used hemp ropes to tighten the supports, ensuring that all the buildings could stand firm in the heavy rain.

Gu Jinyan fought alongside them all the way, rain streaming down her cheeks.

But she didn't care at all, carefully checking every reinforced part until she was sure it was all in order before leaving.

In the early morning, the heavy rain finally stopped, but the reconstruction site in Hersha City was already a scene of devastation.

Without taking a break, Gu Jinyan convened a meeting of craftsmen and foremen early in the morning to discuss countermeasures for dealing with the rainy season.

She looked around at the exhausted craftsmen in front of her and said in a strong voice, "This heavy rain has made us realize that earthen walls and mud floors alone are not enough."

We must strengthen the foundation to withstand the upcoming rainy season.

The foremen nodded in agreement, and one suggested, "Sir, why don't we lay gravel on the ground to reduce mud and make it easier for people to walk?"

After a moment's thought, Gu Jinyan decisively said, "Very good, paving the road with gravel is a good idea."

In addition, we need to raise the foundations of all buildings to prevent them from being washed away by rain.

She then directed the foremen to develop a division of labor plan, with some people responsible for transporting sand and gravel, and others responsible for raising and reinforcing the foundation.

The others continued their rounds, checking for any other areas that needed repair.

Upon hearing Gu Jinyan's arrangements, the people gradually rallied from their despair.

Only by uniting as one can we overcome the challenges of nature.

As a result, the construction site quickly came back to life, and everyone braved the light rain to get to work on the reconstruction.

A group of strong men carried sand and gravel on their shoulders and walked steadily toward the construction site.

The gravel was laid layer by layer on the muddy road, and after each section, it was compacted with a heavy hammer to firmly embed the gravel into the ground.

Gu Jinyan also personally participated in the construction site, holding a hammer to compact the sand and gravel, each strike solid and powerful.

Her palms were rubbed raw with red marks, but she didn't care and just kept working.

The people were greatly encouraged by her hands-on approach and quickened their pace in their work.

“Master Gu, please take a rest. We can do this rough work!” an older craftsman said with concern.

Gu Jinyan smiled and waved, saying, "Let's work together and unite as one so that Hesha City can be rebuilt as soon as possible."

On the other side, the craftsmen were busy raising the foundation of the house.

They stacked the bricks one by one, adding a layer on top of the original foundation to ensure that the newly built house would not be destroyed by rain.

Gu Jinyan stepped forward and personally inspected the stability of each brick, discovering that some places were loose due to the slippery soil.

She immediately instructed the craftsmen to dig out the wet soil and fill it with sand and gravel to enhance stability.

The craftsmen encountered some difficulties while building the city wall.

Because the ground was still slippery, the bricks were always difficult to stack securely, which greatly affected the stability of the city wall.

After a moment's thought, Gu Jinyan decided to take some sand and gravel from the nearby riverbed to fill the foundation of the city wall and support the wall with wooden piles to increase its stability.

Following her instructions, the craftsmen drove the wooden stakes deep into the soil and then laid sand and gravel on top to make the foundation of the city wall more solid.

The weather during the rainy season is unpredictable; although the rain has subsided, the sky remains overcast.

The workers toiled tirelessly in the light rain, their wet clothes clinging to their bodies, causing discomfort but preventing them from stopping.

They encouraged each other, passing on a tenacious spirit to one another.

Gu Jinyan would frequently visit each group to encourage everyone to persevere.

These unsung workers are the true cornerstone of the reconstruction of Hersha City.

During the process of laying sand and gravel, Aunt Li and several other women spontaneously organized a small team to make ginger soup for the busy workers.

They set up a large pot under the shelter from the rain, added ginger slices and brown sugar to it, and heated it over a fire until it was steaming hot.

Bowls of warm ginger soup were handed to the workers. Holding the hot soup, they took a sip, and the warmth went straight to their hearts.

It dispelled the chill and fatigue from people's bodies.