Chapter 20 The Three-Person Team for Water Control

Nguyen An was so excited that he could barely stand on his feet.

Zhu Qizhen looked at the big work in front of him, and suddenly asked Cao Nai: "Do you think this method of attacking sand with water can be used in the Hutuo River?" ”

Cao Nai looked at it, suddenly squatted down, grabbed a handful of soil, and said: "Your Majesty, no, the soil on both sides of the Hutuo River is different from here, it is the easiest to collapse, and the previous dynasty also built a dike, but even if it is built within a year or two, the foundation will be washed away by the river, and the dikes will collapse in patches." ”

"I've seen it since I was a child, not once or twice. However, I heard the old man say that although there was a lot of sediment in the river before, it was not as much as now, but it was because after the imperial court moved the capital to Beijing, the Taihang Mountain was bald, which is the case. ”

Zhu Qizhen said: "The move of the capital of this dynasty to Beijing has anything to do with the bald mountains of Taihang Mountain?" ”

Yu Qian said: "Your Majesty knows that although many precious timbers used in the imperial court are procured from afar, ordinary timber is still taken locally. ”

"Taizong built Beijing, and the timber used came from the Taihang Mountain and Yanshan area."

Zhu Qizhen sighed and said: "Cao Nai, this is your business, the Ministry of Industry has issued a ban, in the future, close the mountain on time, cut down a tree, plant a tree, and the situation must not be worsened." ”

Cao Nai said: "The minister thinks that the ban is good, but it is impossible to let the people not cut wood." ”

When Zhu Qizhen heard this, he also felt a headache.

Zhu Qizhen looked at Cao Nai, Yu Qian, and the three of them, and looked at each other for a while.

To issue an edict, Zhu Qizhen only needs to use his pen, but it is difficult to make the people obey. For the people, the long-term stakes do not make sense.

There are so many people in a county, and even if you add white servants, there are not many. After this ban is issued, either it will not be taken seriously by the locality, and the county order will not want to make trouble, so it will turn a blind eye. Some officials may be able to use the ban to exploit the people.

Because the demand for wood among the people of the Ming Dynasty is quite strong.

Zhu Qizhen banned the use of firewood in Beijing, and it was also because he first cultivated the habit of using coal among the people of Beijing before he dared to issue an administrative order. Moreover, in the city of Beijing, after all, it is at the feet of the Son of Heaven, and many things can be managed.

But what are some of the places near Taihang Mountain? They are all poor places, and even if they know that logging is not good, they have to do it, because they have to eat.

Zhu Qizhen sighed and said: "I can only let Liaodong have more big wood, if I want to come to Liaodong with more wood, the wood on Taihang Mountain can't be sold." ”

Although Zhu Qizhen said this, he knew that it was impossible.

Although in the Taihang Mountains, the wood that is easy to mine and the wood that is of good quality has been cleaned up. For many wealthy families, it may be used in Liaodong Damudai

Make furniture and houses for Taihang Mountain wood. But most ordinary people have no choice.

Zhu Qizhen signaled to Wang Zhenyi, Wang Zhen immediately understood, he ordered Jinyiwei to open the protective circle, Wang Zhen took everyone to leave, and guarded Zhu Qizhen from afar.

Only Cao Nai, Yu Qian, and Ruan An were left by Zhu Qizhen's side. Mu Jing.

Ruan An and Mu Jing actually wanted to leave when they saw this, but they were left behind by Zhu Qizhen.

Zhu Qizhen said to the four people: "I don't know what I can do, I want to manage the water conservancy in Hebei, but now I know that it is difficult and dangerous, and the people are living in dire straits. I want to use work for relief to speed up Hebei's water control, but I don't know what you have to teach me. ”

Now many displaced people have been accepted by the Lugou River Great Works, otherwise the progress of this project would not be so fast, and I thought of the upcoming larger-scale tide of displaced people. Zhu Qizhen panicked.

Yu Qian said: "Your Majesty, the minister only asks Your Majesty one sentence, has the decision ever been decided?" ”

Zhu Qizhen said: "It has been decided, and it will never change." ”

Yu Qian said: "Last year's big flood, this spring's drought, I'm afraid the food in Jingshi is insufficient. In the matter of water control, it is most taboo to give up halfway. Once you give up halfway, the gains outweigh the losses, and the minister wants to ask again, Your Majesty has made up his mind. ”

Zhu Qizhen said: "The amount of money and food, Mr. doesn't have to think about it. He paused slightly, and said: "The Empress Dowager left me 220,000 yuan, and I will be this loser and spend all this money on water control." ”

When Zhu Qizhen boasted, he still made a discount. However, he just expressed his determination, and 20 million taels of silver, in the hands of Emperor Taizong, was enough for him to go on one or two northern expeditions.

Yu Qian and Cao Nai no longer have a score in their hearts, and it is impossible to spend so much money in one go.

Yu Qian and Cao Nai were moved and saluted to Zhu Qizhen, Yu Qian said: "Your Majesty's love for the people can touch the world." The minister will definitely live up to His Majesty's trust, and every penny will be spent on Hebei water conservancy. ”

Cao Nai said: "The minister swears that the water conservancy in Hebei will not be successful, and the minister will not enter the ancestral grave of the Cao family after his death." ”

What is the concept of 20 million taels of silver? The Ming Dynasty earns 24 million stone of grain a year, and when the price of grain in the Ming Dynasty is the lowest, it is only 300 Wen. 20 million taels of silver, almost enough to cover the total tax amount for two or three years.

Such a big financial resource, how much trust.

How the two of them don't go out of their way.

Zhu Qizhen said: "There are two of them, I am relieved, but I want to ask, if the water control is launched as soon as possible, where should I start?" ”

Yu Qian glanced at Cao Nai and said, "The minister thinks that it should be from north to south. ”

"I have been the prefect of Shuntian for a few years, and I have almost traveled all the rivers of Shuntian, and I already have ideas about how to govern this water, and only money and food are in place.

It is possible to organize the victims of the disaster to start as soon as possible. ”

Zhu Qizhen looked at Cao Nai, and Cao Nai said, "The minister also thinks that it should be from north to south. There are two reasons, the southernmost Zhanghe River and the Weihe River, part of which has already involved Henan Province, and there are some troubles in cross-provincial cooperation, and it involves canals, and there will inevitably be disputes between the DPRK and China, which is also a waste of time. ”

"Secondly, the Hutuo River in the minister's hometown, the flood of the Fuyang River is not a day or two, the root knot is difficult to solve, and the construction is hasty, and the minister is worried that if it fails in the future, it will damage His Majesty's prestige."

"And near the Jingshi, it has always been important for the imperial court, and the ministers have checked the archives of the Ministry of Industry, and there is no record of the water situation everywhere, so if the construction starts, it is easy to raise."

Zhu Qizhen suddenly looked at Ruan An and said, "Ruan An, what do you think?" ”

Ruan An was taken aback and said, "Your Majesty, there are slaves and maids talking here. ”

Zhu Qizhen frowned and said: "From today on, you are not a eunuch in the palace, but the Ming Dynasty's water control edict, there is no rank, but you are of the same rank as the Hanlin Bachelor, and you are given the edict seal, and you can enter the Da Nei directly without going through the General Political Division." ”

"From today onwards, you will be a minister."

Yu Qian and Cao Nai were taken aback, and Cao Nai said cautiously: "Your Majesty, this is too much." ”

Zhu Qizhen said: "This is not an exaggeration, if anyone can solve the scourge of the floods in Hebei, I will not be stingy with the knighthood, and now it is just an oblique official." ”

The so-called oblique officials are officials who have not gone through the six ministries of the cabinet.

In fact, this kind of official court did not admit it, thinking that it was a crooked and heretical way.

Cao Nai listened to it, and then he breathed a sigh of relief.

After all, these officials, if they want to be sealed, they only need a decree from the emperor. Cao Nai doesn't care, but the six cabinet ministries generally don't recognize some of their political powers.

Ruan An listened and almost stammered speechless.

Zhu Qizhen said: "Today's major water control matter, there is Master Cao in the court, and Mr. Yu in the local organization, I don't believe it, but the only thing I am worried about is that the water control plan will not work." As long as you can do this well, I will find an adopted son for you, you just need to teach him the way to control the water, and control the water for the court, your Ruan family, from now on, will be the family of the imperial court. ”

When Ruan An heard this, he immediately stopped stammering, and said, "Slave maid, no, thank you Lord Longen." ”

Zhu Qizhen said: "Where do you think you should cultivate from?" ”

Ruan An said: "It must be the north first and then the south. ”

Zhu Qizhen said: "Why? ”

Ruan An said: "Beijing has been a lot of workers in the past few decades, many craftsmen can be found in Beijing, except for Beijing, for a time to supply so many materials, materials, the minister thought that there was no place to do, so he could only repair the north first." Repair the south side again. ”