Chapter 24, may my people be free from hunger and cold, and may this river be forever

Zhu Qizhen's order was carried out quickly, and when night fell, dozens of old men were invited over.

They were all gray-haired, supported by their children and grandchildren.

Zhu Qizhen personally greeted them and comforted them one by one on their seats.

It's just that most of these are cautious and seem to be frightened by the emperor's name, but there are a few old people, but they are much calmer.

When Zhu Qizhen asked, these old men said: "We are the original sergeants of the Yan King's Guards, and we have returned to our hometowns in old age. ”

When Zhu Qizhen heard this, he was in awe and said: "It turned out to be a hero of Jingnan, and I respect a few people." ”

Several old people were toasted by the emperor, and their faces were flushed with joy. Zhu Qizhen asked again, the story of Jing's martyrdom at the beginning. An old man with a good tongue will follow Emperor Taizong and fight the river at the beginning, and his eyebrows are dancing with the strength of wine, and his saliva is spraying. 、

Zhu Qizhen also listened to it well.

The Battle of Jiahe was a famous battle in the Jingjing, and Emperor Taizong narrowly escaped his life, finally repelling the southern army and gaining strategic maneuver space.

Since Zhang Fu likes to borrow the past and talk about the present to Zhu Qizhen, Zhu Qizhen has seen all the wars since the founding of the country one by one

It is only recorded, and it is different from what the person himself said.

It's just that Zhu Qizhen understood it, and when it came to the back, the old man was a little drunk, and he began to brag. I look like the eldest and my second. A few people who accompanied him were very embarrassed, and hurriedly pulled him down to sober up.

Zhu Qizhen naturally wouldn't deal with a drunkard.

With this person at the beginning, the atmosphere at the reception was much better.

Zhu Qizhen didn't drink much, and when he saw that everyone was relaxed, he stood up and said: "Fellow villagers, Shuntianfu is the place where my family made a fortune, and my father and brother have served my family a lot, and now the Lugou River is a great harm to Shuntianfu. ”

For a moment, these old people were silent.

These old people may have problems in other aspects, but they are very shrewd when it comes to their own interests. None of them spoke. After a while, an old man said: "Your Majesty, Xiao Lao'er is very happy to see that the imperial court has made such great efforts to clean up the Lugou River, but Xiao Lao'er is worried that the imperial court has also overhauled it before, but it can't support it for a few years." The little old man is arrogant, and he thinks that this may not work once and for all. ”

Zhu Qizhen clapped his hands and let Ruan An in, and then asked Ruan An to tell them about this strategy of attacking sand with water. Ruan An finally said: "I dare not say in the long run, within ten years, there will be no risk of the Lugou River bursting." ”

These old men stretched their necks one by one, as if they were turtles, and approached Ruan An through the table, as if they wanted to talk to Ruan An

In a word, they all bite in their mouths.

Seeing this situation, Zhu Qizhen sighed slightly in his heart, and said secretly: "As soon as today passes, the hearts of the people of Shuntianfu will be in my hands." ”

The reason why Zhu Qizhen summoned so many old people can even be said to be a show. First, it is for the sake of the upper situation, and the following situation, even if Zhu Qizhen understands it through the imperial court, through the minister, through Jinyiwei, and through the East Factory, it is always separated by one layer. You have to see it with your own eyes.

The second is to win over the hearts and minds of the people.

The longer he was in the position of emperor, the more he understood.

The moral obligation of the Chinese emperor is not necessarily lighter than the obligation to govern the world.

This is why the Empress Dowager must instruct him to cultivate virtue.

But how to repair this virtue?

Zhu Qizhen regarded him as a kind of public opinion guidance, these dozens of old people are all patriarchs of nearby villages, and when they see it today, Zhu Qizhen's good reputation will definitely spread all over Shuntianfu.

This reputation may seem useless on weekdays, but it can be useful when it matters most.

Again, I just want them to fill in the gaps.

Although he believed in Ruan An, he didn't know much about water conservancy. However, these old people have been dealing with the Lugou River all their lives, and although they may not have accumulated in water control strategies, they have rich experience.

The key to the construction of the Grand Canal in Shandong is not proposed by an old man surnamed Bai in Wenshang Village, which laid the pattern of the Shandong section of the Grand Canal in one fell swoop.

After Ruan An finished speaking.

An old man stood up tremblingly and said, "Your Majesty, can this Lugou River and Xinhe water the ground?" ”

Zhu Qizhen looked at Ruan An, and Ruan An immediately got up and said, "It can be irrigated along the river." ”

In Nguyen An's plan, irrigation functions were also considered. It's just a secondary position, and you have to use a large water wheel to carry water from the river.

Not to mention that it is okay to be able to irrigate, but as soon as it is said that it can be irrigated, these old people become excited one by one.

Because they see the benefits.

In order to grab water, there have never been many cases of people being killed in the north. Today, they are relying on the old and selling the old, and they are playing a show of face in front of the emperor.

An old man said, "Your Majesty is waiting for us, and we will not be able to contribute in the future." Now the new river of Lugou River is almost there, but the water of this Lugou River, how to manage it? ”

"yes, what's the matter with this water?"

It seems that as soon as these people bring water, this happy appearance is gone. Each of them wanted to automatically ask for help and manage the Lugou River for the imperial court.

Zhu Qizhen was also asked, he really hadn't thought about this question before? He smiled lightly, diverted the topic, and said: "This matter will be mentioned in the future, and now I am gathered here with you, please rest assured, the matter of Lugou River cannot be bypassed by you." ”

Immediately Zhu Qizhen Station

Get up, raise your glass and say: "I wish the world peace, I wish my people no hunger and cold, and I wish this river eternal stability." ”

After Zhu Qizhen's three blessings, he drank a few more glasses with these old people. Only then did he leave under the pretext of discussing with Yu Qian and Cao Nai, and Zhu Qizhen asked: "After the embankment of the Lugou River is built in the future, how should it be managed?" ”

In fact, there is no one-time thing to control water.

Even if the embankment is built, there must be a guard on the embankment during the flood season. This requires a lot of manpower and material resources.

Cao Nai said: "Except for the canal and the Yellow River, the rest of the major rivers are guarded by the people, under normal circumstances, the villages along the river are on duty to guard the embankment, and in the flood season, the county order sends people to inspect." ”

Zhu Qizhen said: "What if it is irrigation water? ”

Cao Nai said: "In the case of the Ministry of Industry, it should be the government that ordered the villages near the river to form a meeting, which is the sluice meeting in my hometown. ”

Zhu Qizhen said: "If you can't negotiate? What to do? ”

Cao Nai said: "That's a private fight. ”

After Zhu Qizhen heard this, he immediately said: "In this way, the imperial court doesn't care?" ”

Cao Nai said: "It's not that I don't care, but I can't take care of it." The large and small rivers and canals that can be irrigated in the world. I don't know how many, the imperial court can't manage them one by one, where are there so many officials. ”

"Unless it is a large irrigation project, such as Dujiangyan, there will be civil officials to be responsible, and the general small river is simply managed by the people themselves."

Zhu Qizhen was also a little helpless when he heard it. He asked: "In the future, how should the rivers in Hebei be managed?" Zhu Qizhen didn't wait for them to answer, then gritted his teeth and said, "I don't care what other places are like?" In short, these rivers and canals in Hebei must not be managed so loosely. ”

Zhu Qizhen was not accustomed to this kind of power transfer, which was simply to strengthen the power of the local gentry. Second, he is also unwilling, after all, Zhu Qizhen is ready to make a bloody investment in order to govern Hebei water conservancy, could it be that after the next capital, he let others pick the peaches, and he is naturally unwilling. Third, he also felt that there was a need for unified management of water conservancy in Hebei.

The situation in Hebei is not just as simple as water, drought, and locusts, but the problem of the entire ecosystem.

Therefore, these water conservancy measures must not just be repaired, but left alone.

It's just that what to do, Zhu Qizhen couldn't figure it out for a while.

But I heard Cao Nai say respectfully: "Your Majesty is rich all over the world, why should you compete with the small people of Shengdou?" ”

When Zhu Qizhen heard this, he immediately frowned and said, "Cao Qing, why do you say that I am competing with the people of Shengdou for profit?" ”

Cao Nai said cautiously: "Your Majesty doesn't fancy the money from selling water? ”