My whole family time-traveled! I became a god during my exile in a famine.

Chapter 67 The Long Night
"Old Age, it should be noon by now, right?" Xiao Jia looked at the sky with worry. "I wonder when the light will come?"

The darkness today is eerily intense; not a single ray of light has appeared.

The old head of the Imperial Observatory wore a mysterious expression.

Liang Guang could only rely on his intuition to find a way for everyone, and the escorts shouted for everyone to row the rafts and follow.

"My lord, my mother is about to collapse. Look at this heavy rain, could you please find somewhere to take shelter?" Physician Cheng said anxiously, supporting his elderly mother who was lying on the raft.

Despite the torrential rain, Liang Guang glanced a few times in the direction of Physician Cheng. "Enough talk. Let's go! Everyone follow me to the county government office."

Physician Cheng's mother had been unwell for several days, and after being caught in the rain for more than an hour, she was now groaning and seemed to be on the verge of death.

Physician Cheng was extremely anxious. Given the current situation, he especially hoped that the escorts could lend them a few rooms so they could take shelter from the rain.

However, the constable insisted on going to the county government office to hand over the duties, leaving Physician Cheng with no choice but to frown helplessly and follow the others.

It's understandable that Liang Guang wanted to go to the county government office; it was their duty as escorts, and they had to go through procedures wherever they went.

Now that the post station is deserted, after much deliberation, the only option left is to try my luck at the county government office.

The rain was just too heavy.

Xin Wenyuan was holding his youngest son, with an umbrella over his arm and a straw mat draped over his shoulders.

Even so, it couldn't withstand the torrential rain.

The group, dejected, rowed their rafts through the rain.

When they arrived at the county government office, they found that half of the signboard had been washed away by the water. There was no one left at the county government office, so they went in only to find nothing.

"My lord," Wang Bangyan said loudly, wiping the rain off his face, "the people in this county have either been swept away by the flood or organized their own evacuation before the flood hit."

Liang Guang felt the latter was more likely, but he didn't know which way the people in the county had gone.

Xiao Jia took a deep breath. "Boss, what do we do now? The water level is so high, and the rain keeps pouring down. I bet the government granary has already been flooded."

Liang Guang was also somewhat discouraged. He turned to the Director of the Imperial Observatory, cupped his hands, and said, "Old Master, what time is it now?"

The old man stroked his beard and said, "I've done some calculations, and it's already past noon."

"Honey, did the old man say it's already two or three in the afternoon?"

Xin Nian nodded.

Liang Guang then asked Old Gu, "Do you think it will get light today?"

"In my opinion... that can't be the case."

Upon hearing this, Liang Guang's anger subsided, and he turned to look at Xiao Jia and the others.

Xiao Jia quickly said, "Boss, why don't we search around the county government office? Maybe we can find some food or supplies."

"Yes, yes, Liangtou, I just saw it. There's a row of two-story side rooms in the back. Maybe we can hang a rope up there and rest for the night?"

Liang Guang thought about it and realized that since he couldn't find the contact document from the county government, he couldn't stamp it to complete the task.

Who knows, if we're lucky, the rain might stop and it might get light by tomorrow morning, and the county magistrate might come back with his men on his own?
"Alright, you guys take a few more people and go check the warehouse and kitchen to see if there's any food."

"The rest of you, follow me and go check out the backyard."

Upon hearing that they could stay at the county government office, the group immediately became more enthusiastic, even putting more effort into paddling the reed raft.

Upon discovering that there was indeed a row of two-story side rooms in the backyard, with a three-story attic on both sides, everyone was immediately delighted. However, the waterline was still some distance from the second-floor side rooms, so a nimble man had to climb up to the second floor first, and then lower ropes down to pull people out one by one.

Liang Guangzhen roused himself and shouted, "Alright, everyone get ready to go upstairs. You will stay in the upstairs side rooms."

Liang Guang twirled his finger and pointed at Boss Sha and the others, "We'll send people on night watch. Let me make this clear beforehand, don't even think about doing anything you shouldn't. Anyone who dares to run away will lose their life here!"

Boss Sha, carrying his shackles, curled his lip and said, "Boss Liang, can't people have some basic trust between them? Can you stop targeting us every time?"

"With this vast expanse of water everywhere, where can we brothers escape to? Besides, aren't we still carrying shackles?"

Liang Guang gave him a warning look, and when he turned his head, everyone saw that his dark, square face had suddenly undergone a complete 180-degree transformation.

He gave the sixth young lady of the Xin family a most sincere and ingratiating smile, "Sixth Miss, would it be alright if you and your whole Xin family stayed in the left-hand pavilion?"

Sha Laoda and Pi Lao Er cursed him inwardly as a lackey! They rolled their eyes in disdain.

Turning his head, he saw Xiao Jia looking at them and quickly put on a silly smile.

Seeing this, Physician Cheng said, "Sixth, Sixth Miss, do you think our family of four could share a room in the same attic as the Xin family? There are only four of us!"

Before the Sixth Miss could speak, Xiao Jia glared at her and rebuked her, "The Sixth Miss's family has more than twenty people! They're already cramped in just two floors of the attic, where would they find room for you? Physician Cheng, you and the people from the Chang, Han, and Si families should all go and live in the attic across the way."

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. Madam Si glanced at Xin Nian and timidly said, "But I'm worried that if we live too far away, my son might fall ill in the middle of the night and we won't be able to find Sixth Miss to treat him."

"How far could it be! When the illness strikes, I'll go and call Sixth Sister for you, okay?" Xiao Jia's shout silenced everyone.

Xie Ninglan found it somewhat amusing.

Sure enough, her daughter is a hot commodity wherever she goes.

Chang Mianmian pulled He Yun along, following closely behind her sister, and rowed the raft to the front pavilion.

When everyone looked up, they saw that the strange man whom the Sixth Sister called "that guy" had already nimbly leaped up to the second floor of the pavilion and lowered two ropes.

The distance from the waterline to the second-floor windowsill wasn't particularly high, but the old lady and the other frail noblewomen, including Madam Nie, were all somewhat afraid of heights.

When they were dragged up to the second floor, they broke out in a cold sweat and didn't know what to do with their hands and feet.

Xin Nian stood expressionless at the second-floor window, glaring at Xin Wen'an, the last one to climb in by rope.

When the latter saw him, he was so frightened that he almost fell out of the window.

"What are you doing?" Xin Wen'an shouted angrily, his voice trembling with fear, and instantly raised his hands, crossing them in a defensive gesture.

He was terrified that this brat would rush over and keep her promise, actually hitting him with the sole of her shoe in front of his family, making him lose face.

Upon seeing this, Xin Wenyuan and his wife almost burst out laughing.

The others stared at him with strange expressions, as if he were some kind of joke...

Xin Wen'an then belatedly realized that he seemed to have been too cowardly and had made a fool of himself.

His face flushed red. "Don't... don't think I'm afraid of you! Say what you have to say properly."

Xin Nian gave him a cold look. "I'll have Number One keep watch tonight. You all stay on this floor and take good care of Grandma."

After saying that, he left everyone behind and brazenly pulled Xie Ninglan and the others upstairs.

Xin Wen'an, still seething with anger, flung his hand away and snorted towards the stairwell.

(End of this chapter)