After receiving Xu Xing's reply, Xiong Huai said: "Okay, the construction of the canal is a major event of my Chu State, and it should be sooner rather than later, so the widow plans to start preparing this year." ”

Dou You immediately reminded: "King, start preparing this year, is it too early?" ”

Xiong Huai shook his head and said: "It's not early, everything that is prepared will be established, and if it is not prepared, it will be wasted, and the matter of the canal is huge, so the terrain around Yunmeng must be explored in advance, so that the canal will be built in the future." ”

Saying that, Xiong Huai said to Zhaoyu Xu Xing and the others: "Sikong, Xu Zi, it is now about to enter August, and when it is October, the corn of my Chu country will be harvested, and then it will be time to plant wheat." ”

"So I hope that the two of you can complete the terrain exploration near Yingdu within two months, and then design a canal to connect Yingdu and Yunmeng."

"One of the reasons for this canal is to express the determination of the people, and the canal is imperative. Second, it is to use this canal as an example to prove to the people that the construction of the canal can increase the yield of the fields, and the purpose is to increase the wealth of the people. In order to prepare for the full construction of the aqueduct in the future. ”

"After the corn harvest in Jianghan is completed, the widow will recruit the people of Jianghan to come and build a canal."

After Xiong Huai finished speaking, Zhaoyu Xu Xing and the two of them saluted together: "The minister receives the order." ”

Then, Xiong Huai said to Jing Li: "Ling Yin, now officially publicize the construction of water canals to Jianghan and the people of Jianghuai, especially the people of Jianghuai, tell the people where they are, if anyone does not want to come to Jianghan to build a canal, then they must report to the townships and towns in advance, the amount of wheat planted at home, if the field where wheat is planted at home is more than seventy percent, then there is no need to come to Jianghan to serve labor, if it is less than seventy percent, then one person must be sent to participate in labor. ”

"In addition, the officials of the counties must supervise and persuade the people under their rule to mainly grow wheat and rice, and the purpose of the widow is not to recruit the people of Jianghuai to Jianghan to dig canals!"

Jing Li nodded when he heard this, this time the Chu State was only going to dig a canal for demonstration, even if it was enough to only recruit the people of Jianghan.

So, he answered: "Only! ”

Then, Xiong Huai said to Chen Zhen: "Assassin Shi Ling, after the arrival of November, you will send officials to Jianghuai to inspect and strictly check whether there are any treacherous people. If the common people deceive the government and deliberately lie about the situation in order to avoid hard labor, the widow will be severely punished. Once found, the people were sentenced to one year of hard labor, and the county governor was unfavorable for supervision, issued an edict of reprimand, and fined him for three months. ”

"If there are a large number of people in the county who deceive and lie, then the county Yin is incompetent, and he will immediately report back to the widow, and the widow will definitely remove him."

Chen Zhen arched his hand and said: "Only! ”

Then, after arranging some details to the ministers, Xiong Huai signaled to Li Qiu and announced the ebb tide.

After leaving the main hall, Xiong Huai instructed Li Qiu, who was following him: "Si Gong, go to the palace to stop Ling Yin, Sima, Zhu Guo, and Assassin Shi Ling outside the palace, and let them come to see the widow!" ”

"Yui"

Not long after, Jing Li, Jing Cui, Zhao Ju, and Chen Zhen came to a side hall, and when they saw that the king of Chu was already in the palace, they immediately saluted.

After the ceremony.

Jing Li opened his mouth first and asked, "King, I don't know what the matter is to leave the ministers?" ”

Xiong Huai replied: "The widow summoned the virtuous people to come, and it is still about the water canal. ”

"The widow hopes that Yin and Sima will fully cooperate with Sikong to build the canal, and recruit the people in Jianghan to come and build the canal."

Jing Li was immediately displeased when he heard this, and the words of King Chu were clearly suspicious of his heart, and he would secretly pull his hind legs. That's why I deliberately told me again.

It's just...

Jing Li looked at the three people next to him, and his face suddenly turned ugly.

It is really unacceptable that the king of Chu was beaten in front of so many people.

His face became ugly for a while, and he said: "Don't worry, the king can rest assured, the construction of the canal is related to the century-old hegemony of my Chu State, and the ministers must go all out, cooperate with Sikong, and dare not slack off." ”

Xiong Huai heard the resentment in Jing Li's words, frowned slightly, didn't think much about it, thought that Jing Li was still worried about what had just happened, and continued: "It's so good, it must be done with great momentum, and it looks like Chu is going all out."

Jing Li was stunned for a moment, and hesitated: "King, didn't you say that only one canal will be built this time?" Why..."

Jing Li's heart hesitated, but Zhao Ju's eyes flashed with inspiration, and he spoke: "The king means that he is tired to show weakness to the kingdoms. ”

Xiong Huai shook his head and said: "Showing weakness is only one of them, the main purpose of doing this is to crusade against the Yue Kingdom." ”

Saying that, Xiong Huai smiled coldly: "All countries know that building a canal requires a large number of people to be recruited, which will inevitably consume national strength. It's just that so many people gathered together, they can come to build a canal, and in the same way, these people can also take a boat to cross the cloud dream into the river, go down the river, and go straight to Wucheng, the capital of the country. ”

"Therefore, the widow hopes that when Ling Yin recruits the people, he will discuss with Sima and recruit some strong men with combat experience to build a canal in Yingdu."

"Once the widow decides to cut down Yue, then Sima can immediately draw the elite soldiers from the strong men who built the canal here in Yunmeng, quickly form an army, and go straight to Wucheng."

Jing Li took a big breath of cold air when he heard this, and only then did he understand the true meaning of King Chu, no wonder he would let him cooperate with Zhao Ju.

Ling Yin's conscription of the common people was generally responsible for labor, while the people recruited by Sima were responsible for warfare, and if he wanted to mix a part of the army in the labor and gather these armies together, it was necessary for Ling Yin and Sima to join forces.

It turned out that the construction of aqueducts was also a bureau.

Jing Li and Zhao Ju glanced at each other, and at the same time arched their hands: "The minister has orders!" ”

Xiong Huai nodded, looked at Jing Cui and said, "Zhuguo!" ”

Jing Cui arched his hand and said, "King, please command." ”

"The widow hopes that these soldiers will be led by you, whether it is stealing or playing tricks, or other methods, you have only one task, that is, to maintain the physical strength of these strong men, and then take the opportunity to train them. The widow can ensure that there is no shortage of grain and grass in the headquarters of the pillar country. ”

Jing Cui thought for a while and responded: "Please rest assured, the king, the minister will definitely complete the task." ”

Then, Xiong Huai said to Chen Zhen: "Chen Qing, once my Chu State officially builds the canal, then I hope that you can quickly spread the news to all countries, not only the officials of each country, but also the people of each country." There is no need to say more about the officials of various countries, for the people of all countries, it is said that Chu is still short of a large amount of wheat, in order to be able to grow wheat, the king of Chu has decided to dig a canal in Jianghan and lead the water of Han Water Yunmeng to irrigate wheat. ”

"If you can lure the people of other countries to plant wheat and rice, as long as the news of the stone mill has not been leaked, it will be the luck of my Chu country and the luck of the widow."

Chen Zhen nodded and bowed: "The minister will live up to the king's trust." ”

······

The matter of the Chu State to build a canal, under the deliberate propaganda of the Chu State, quickly spread throughout the Chu State.

What the people of Jianghan heard was that the king of Chu decided to build a canal in Jianghan, and it would not be long before the people of Jianghan would be able to harvest three stones or five stones per mu of land, just like the people of Jianghuai.

The people of Jianghuai are not, no matter where they get the news, they all show one thing, that is, the king of Chu is preparing to levy a large number of labor, and then go to Yunmeng to do hard labor.

And the only way to escape hard labor is to plant wheat in the fields that belong to you...