After entering the warm pavilion, after thanking him for his salute, he asked: "Your Majesty has lost a lot of weight, so take care of your body." ”

Emperor Hongzhi was quite pleased to see Xie Zhi, and did not answer Xie Zhi's question, but asked: "You appeared here at this time, did you think of a solution to the drought?" ”

If there is no thanks, the solution to the great drought in the past is nothing more than to issue an edict to punish oneself, lead the civil and military officials to pray for rain, and then prepare for the food town disaster.

It is clear that such a solution is not what Emperor Hongji wanted.

Therefore, he dragged the courtiers here, but he pinned his hopes on Xie Zhi.

But if there is a solution, it is worth trying.

Emperor Hongzhi was in a hurry, Xie Zhi did not delay any longer, and replied bluntly: "The minister has not been summoned to Beijing because the minister has been sleeping for a few days and finally solved the solution to the drought. ”

Immediately afterwards, Xie Zhi introduced the pumping windmill.

This thing is the most important thing.

After Xie Zhi's introduction, Emperor Hongzhi asked rhetorically, "You mean, this windmill can be used to pump water from the well?" ”

Some physical principles, Xie Zhi didn't understand for a while, and roughly replied: "Yes, if this thing is windy, it doesn't need to be operated manually, and when there is no wind, it has to be operated manually, but even if it is manually operated, it is extremely time-saving and labor-saving, and one person can operate it." ”

Emperor Hongzhi didn't care about the operation of this windmill, he was most concerned about how much fertile land a well could irrigate in an hour, and how long it would take to alleviate the drought in Guanzhong.

Of course, even if we think of a solution to the drought, we still can't resist a happy spring rain.

Regarding the question of Emperor Hongzhi, Xie Zhi did not open his mouth, and replied steadily: "An hour can irrigate more than 20 acres, if from now on will start to dig ditches and dig wells one after another, less than a month can solve the drought in Guanzhong, now the spring ploughing has not yet begun, and when all the irrigation is completed, it will be delayed for more than ten days at most, and the impact can be minimized, and if this well is drilled, even if there is drought in the future, it can be irrigated." ”

Then, Xie Zhi said: "The minister also made a kind of thing, if it is laid in the ditch, it can greatly save water, and the minister has ordered the manpower to speed up the output." ”

These things have solved all the worries of drought fighting, and Emperor Hongzhi hesitated for a moment and asked, "How many layers of certainty do you have on this matter?" ”

Asked about the certainty, Xie Zhi did not hesitate, and replied: "Eighty percent, the situation is different in each place, the water level is deep in some places, and it is not easy to dig wells. ”

Eighty percent of Xie Zhi was enough for Emperor Hongzhi.

Emperor Hongzhi did not hesitate, waved his hand, and said, "In this way, I will send Xie Qing to deal with this matter with all my might, and you will be responsible for assisting." ”

Xie Qian, as a cabinet scholar, has to do this matter personally, and the weight is enough.

Moreover, Xie Qian is in charge of this matter, and it will be much easier for Xie Zhi to act.

This arrangement was completely considered on Xie Zhi's side, Xie Zhi grinned, and replied, "Thank you, Your Majesty." ”

After finalizing this matter, Xie Zhi did not stop there, and then said: "Your Majesty has one more matter, this irrigation should first irrigate the fertile land of ordinary people, as for those royal relatives and nobles who do not pay taxes, the landlords and gentry do not need to think about it, if they want to irrigate, they have to settle the money by the hour." ”

When Emperor Hongzhi did not answer, Xie Zhi said: "Your Majesty, these people don't pay taxes, but they don't want to serve the country, they occupy fertile land without a bottom line, and gradually hollow out the century-old foundation of the Ming Dynasty, just like moths, they have not contributed to the imperial court, and the imperial court has confiscated their taxes. ”

How could Emperor Hongzhi not know what the urgent problem facing the Ming Dynasty was now?

But after a hundred years of development, these people's forces have long been intertwined, and they will definitely move the whole body, and there is really no way to start.

The question at hand, Xie Zhi mentioned is also reasonable.

The court paid money to suppress the disaster, it was for the victims, those royal relatives and nobles, landlords and tyrants, who were in need of relief.

Emperor Hongzhi was a little stunned, and said after a long time: "In this way, your father and son will be targeted by the people in the court, and I also know that almost all the ministers in the court have a large area of fertile land in their families or children, and there are many people in the land of Guanzhong, and the most dissatisfied will definitely be those people." ”

Since Xie Zhi dared to admonish Emperor Hongzhi like this, then he had already figured it out.

He wants to build a standing Ming, and those burdens must be thrown away.

The deep-seated reason for the demise of each dynasty was the annexation of land, and the reason for the annexation of land was that large areas of land were held by the landlords and gentry.

These people do not pay taxes, enjoy glory and wealth, and when the country is broken, they are the first to wag their tails and surrender, and become retainers.

No dynasty dares to dig up this cancer when it is about to fall.

Emperor Hongzhi, an Emperor Shoucheng who is known for his generosity, can have such courage, Xie Zhi is really admired.

Xie Zhi looked righteous and replied: "The ministers have already known the stakes, and the ministers are willing to go." ”

Emperor Hongzhi's face instantly felt a little more relieved, got up and walked to Xie Zhi's side, and said, "Your Xie family also has good land in Yuyao, right?" Even if your Xie family is also in the ranks of the gentry, acting like this, although the offended gentry are the gentry in Guanzhong, there is no shortage of people in other places who push themselves and prepare early, but you can think about how to explain to your family? ”

For the members of the Xie family, Xie Zhi is actually not very clear.

He is not the eldest son, and it is not his turn to call the shots on some matters of the Xie family, so naturally he has not paid attention to these things, and the only thing he cares about is the Xie family brothers.

Emperor Hongzhi said something appropriate, and Xie Zhi replied with his head held high: "Only when there is a country can there be a home, and if the Ming Dynasty is rich and strong, the Xie family will prosper." ”

Emperor Hongzhi was even happier in his heart, and he suddenly felt that he really didn't see the wrong person.

Then, Emperor Hongzhi said: "You go back tonight to communicate with Xie Qing about this matter, and tomorrow I will send someone to announce the decree, and the drought in Guanzhong will be annoying to the father and son." ”

After coming out of the palace, Xie Zhi returned to Xie's house as soon as possible.

After returning home, Xie Zhi went to see Xie Qian as soon as possible.

After the meeting, Xie Zhi reported his results in the past few days.

Xie Qian had a slight smile on his face, and said with a smile: "Well, if you can alleviate the drought, the imperial court will save a lot of effort." ”

While Xie Qian was happy, Xie Zhi said his advice to Emperor Hongzhi again.

Being a cabinet scholar, Xie Qian's vision is quite long-term.

After Xie Zhi's question came out, the smile on Xie Qian's face gradually disappeared, although there was no smile, it was not an angry face, but his face became quite serious.

Xie Zhi slowly, said: "Dad, if you want to make the Ming Dynasty stronger, you can only let the wealth of the world go to the imperial court, the consequences of this matter are quite big, the son has already expected, as early as the son decided to enter the imperial examination has this idea, but at that time, because of the son's slight words, it was not enough to succeed, and now His Majesty trusts his son, and His Majesty also has this thought, and it is time to do this, this drought is just a reason, as soon as this momentum starts, there will be more and more people who are guilty, and the Xie family will be more difficult in the court in the future." ”

Later, Xie Qian was able to resign in anger, which shows that he has justice in his heart.

For a long time, Xie Qian did not express his position.

Xie Zhi was not in a hurry, he had been waiting.

It's been a long time, it's been a long time...

Xie Qian finally got up and said: "Go for it, the big husband has something to do and something to do, even if he is in office, he can't just do things that seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, he must always be worthy of the king and the people." ”

Xie Qian's support, Xie Zhi's fighting spirit is full again.

Xie Zhi arched his hand and replied: "Thank you, Dad." ”

Xie Qian pulled up a wry smile and said: "The old man thought that you were the most unsuccessful of the brothers, but he never thought that you would have such courage, the old man is old after all, there are too many things to worry about, and it is inevitable that he will be timid in his actions, this matter is done, my Xie family is a hero, if it dies halfway, the blood of my Xie family is the best means to pacify those gentry, but after all,"

How could Xie Zhi not know, don't look at the current Hongzhi Emperor's trust in him, once he insists on not knowing, it can only be at the expense of the Xie family.

But in general, Xie Zhi is also the safest to do this.

Reform is much better than a direct decree.