In the spring and February of the eighteenth year of Zhenguan, the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty took the crown princess, Princess Chengyang, the imperial grandson Li Bai, and Wang Liangdi to patrol Youzhou.

In the early years of the Tang Dynasty, Hebei Province was not as arid as it is today, when the climate was humid and pleasant, agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry were well developed, and the population was also quite large.

Li Chengqian's boat went all the way from the Sui-Tang Grand Canal to Youzhou, and after walking for half a month, he saw that farmers were already plowing the farmland in the distance and preparing for spring planting.

On this day, the boat docked at dusk, and Li Chengqian slowly walked off the boat with Xiao Li Bai in his arms, wanting to pick a few green leaves that had just come out of the river to tease Xiao Li Bai to play.

As soon as I got off the boat, I saw that Ren Yaxiang, who was going to open the way first, was already standing in the distance and was about to come over to pay a visit.

Li Chengqian held Xiao Li Bai in one hand and said to Liu Kui: "Pass on the elegant minister." ”

Soon, Liu Kui led Ren Yaxiang to Li Chengqian.

"The minister is the prime minister, see His Royal Highness the Prince."

"Ren Qing is flat."

"His Royal Highness Prince Xie!"

Li Chengqian saw that Ren Yaxiang's face turned pale, and handed Xiao Li Bai to the chamberlain next to him and asked, "What happened when Ren Qing came back from before?"

"I can't go back to His Royal Highness the Prince, and a few Baowu masters a hundred miles away have diverted the water from the canal to irrigate the farmland." Ren Yaxiang said dryly.

"There's a drought ahead?" Li Chengqian asked.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has not rained in this area for a month and a half, and now is the time for spring ploughing, so the people are digging canals to divert water for irrigation." Ren Ya said.

Li Chengqian nodded, knowing that it was not easy for peasants to rely on the sky for food, but he wanted to know if this matter was aimed at him.

"What is the attitude of the local state and county on this matter?"

"Hebei Road goes north to forts and docks, and the government can't control them." Ren Yaxiang said in a low voice.

Li Chengqian frowned slightly when he heard this, feeling that there was something here, and just as he was thinking about it, he saw Hao Chujun and Gao Jifu coming over.

"Minister Gao Jifu (Hao Chujun) See His Royal Highness the Prince."

"Flat, the two Qing families came just in time, and the lonely king is encountering a difficult thing here." Li Chengqian said to the two.

Both of them knew that Ren Yaxiang was the one who stood at the front, and they all looked at Ren Yaxiang when they heard Li Chengqian say this.

Li Chengqian nodded to Ren Yaxiang, and Ren Yaxiang said what he just said again.

"His Royal Highness the Prince, the canal is an important channel for the imperial court to transport troops and grain, not to mention that His Royal Highness the Prince's boat is on the river now, even the local forts and docks in ordinary times do not dare to dig the canal for irrigation." Gao Jifu was born in the Bohai Gao family, and he is also a native of Hebei Province, although he has lived in Chang'an for a long time, he still has some understanding of Hebei Province.

"Your Majesty has long wanted to conquer Goguryeo in person, and last spring he ordered the government to dredge the canal along the way, if the prefectures and counties can't even do this little thing, then what do they need to do?" Hao Chujun is a decent person, and he hates illegal and indiscriminate things the most.

Li Chengqian's face became gloomy, knowing that someone was specially dealing with him.

Ren Yaxiang saw that he was worried about Li Chengqian's blame, so he hurriedly bowed and saluted: "Please lead the troops to surround the fort where the ditch is dug, and let them immediately plug the gap." ”

Li Chengqian was about to nod when he heard Gao Jifu say:

"No, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has just entered Hebei Province and sent troops to besiege the fort, I'm afraid that it will be difficult for the owners of the forts everywhere behind him to believe His Royal Highness the Prince."

Hebei Daobaowu started in the Western Jin Dynasty Wuhu Zhihua time, when the Western Jin Dynasty perished, the Langya King moved to today's Nanjing to establish the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and since then began the period of separation of the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

The Han people in the north were repeatedly slaughtered and ravaged by foreign races, and in order to protect themselves, they began to build forts. The fort is a small castle, which integrates the life of the common people and military defense.

Although it is easy for Li Chengqian's elite troops to capture some forts and docks, doing so will inevitably cause fear among all the fort owners in Hebei Province.

The result could only be that they unite against Li Chengqian and the imperial court.

Li Chengqian thought about it and said to Liu Kui: "Go and pass Liang Jianfang to see King Gu." ”

Liang Jianfang led the general to protect Li Chengqian to Youzhou, and Liang Jianfang was commanding the army protecting the coast to camp and rest.

After a while, Liang Jianfang, who was still wearing armor, came in a hurry, and Wang Fangyi, Cheng Wuting, Du He and others also came to see Li Chengqian when they heard about it.

Li Chengqian motioned to Ren Yaxiang again to tell him what was going on.

Du He was the first to stand up and said murderously: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is going to Youzhou to not only Pingliao for five years, but also to build Yandu, if you come in and be stumped by the lord of the fort in these places, it will be difficult to implement the decree of Youzhou Daxingtai in Hebei Province in the future."

Why don't you take these fort lords to establish their authority, send troops to break through the dock forts, and behead all these fort lords, and distribute their property to the people in the fort. ”

Wang Fangyi pleaded: "The minister is willing to lead the troops to go, and his Royal Highness the Crown Prince will not be affected in any way." ”

Liang Jianfang also offered advice: "Your Royal Highness the Prince, the minister thinks that this matter should be ordered to be dealt with by the local state and county officials quickly, and the minister should send a thousand elite soldiers to assist them." ”

Several people felt that the owner of the fort who dug the ditch was deliberately offending Li Chengqian, and he should send a large army to besiege these forts.

Li Chengqian looked at a few people with a calm face and said: "Those people are the people of the Tang Dynasty, I don't know what is going on, so it's too early to shout and kill now." ”

Li Chengqian saw that several people showed timidity on their faces, and his face softened slightly: "Liang Qing's family, you sent three hundred elite scouts to Ren Qing's family." ”

"Obey the order!"

Li Chengqian looked at Ren Yaxiang, who wanted to speak, and said: "Ren Qing's family, you divide these three hundred elite scouts, two hundred of them into one hundred groups, and two people in each group are scattered around the fort docks where the canals are dug to investigate the distribution of farmland, rivers and lakes around these docks and forts, and the irrigation of fields.

The other 100 people were divided into two teams and walked forward along the banks of the canal, to see what was going on in front of them, and to investigate clearly and immediately report to the lonely king. ”

"Obey the order!"

Li Chengqian looked at Hao Chujun again and said: "When Hao Qing's family sets off tomorrow, you will quickly send the order of the Lone King to the local state and county officials, and come to see the Lone King tomorrow when the Lone King stops the ship." "Obey the order!"

Li Chengqian arranged all this, and said to everyone lightly: "Let's disperse, have a good rest tonight, and set off early tomorrow." ”

Li Chengqian said that he would go to the boat.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!" Du He hurriedly followed.

Li Chengqian glanced back at him, knowing that he had something to say, motioning for him to follow.

Back on the ship, Liu Kui had already arranged for someone to put down the tables and chairs for Li Chengqian on the deck.

Li Chengqian sat down and motioned for Du He to sit down as well, and the palace maid brought tea and snacks.

Du He said solemnly: "Your Royal Highness the Prince, the canal must not be cut off. ”

Li Chengqian nodded, picked up a cup of tea and drank it slowly.

Seeing that Li Chengqian was unimpressed, Du He said anxiously: "Your Royal Highness the Prince, you want to build Yandu in Youzhou, and many things will have to be transported to Youzhou along the canal from the south. If the canal is cut off by these people, how can Yandu be built?"

Li Chengqian was stunned at first, and then smiled.