Kaifeng, Li Yan's mansion.

Hou Sui said respectfully to Li Yan: "Generalissimo, since the previous dynasty Pan Ji tamed the method of attacking sand with water, the Yellow River in Henan has not had a major disaster for 20 years. Although only some places have been added to the embankment to control the water, the riverbed is getting deeper and deeper, and the effect of water control is obvious. As long as the embankment is strengthened, there is no risk of flooding in Henan. ”

Su Jing immediately clenched his fists and said: "However, the floods in Henan have been reduced a lot, but there are many embankments in Shandong, Nanzhi and other places, and I implore the generalissimo to build embankments to protect the river in Shandong." ”

Ye Tinggui immediately retorted: "Senator Su's words are inappropriate. Although the Senator of the Soviet Union is concerned about Sangzi, he cannot abolish the public for personal reasons. In a section of Xuzhou, the Cao River and the Yellow River are integrated, and the waterway is full of dangerous shoals. ”

"You can dig new canals to avoid the Yellow River." Su Jing hurriedly defended: "The Yellow River has always been dangerous, with mud and sand, and there is a risk that the boats will run aground and capsize. The previous dynasty had already dug hundreds of miles of new canals to avoid the Yellow River, and now it is time to follow suit. ”

Hou Sui immediately denied: "How easy is it to dig a new canal? It is necessary to find a suitable and stable water source, and the river survey cannot be completed in a moment, and ~"

Li Yan spoke up at this time, interrupting the argument of these people.

These are all members of the family of Guide Kaifeng, when Li Yan had not yet succeeded, they just didn't cause trouble, and after seeing Li Yan unify the north, they thought about entering Li Yan's system as an official. They all know that only when there are people in the court can their family continue to flourish and continue.

People like Hou Sui and Ye Tinggui just wanted to go home to avoid trouble and retire before, but now they are thinking about a certain official position. However, although their official positions in the previous dynasty were not low, Li Yan did not give them any real positions, but let them be senators for river governance. Anyway, Chongzhen has not touched any river work since then, and the Ministry of Industry does not have many experienced officials, so let these people find some lessons from the archives and historical materials, so as to help control the Yellow River.

And the children and grandchildren of these families were required to learn the arithmetic, laws, calendars, construction, etc. required by Li Yan, and some even let their children join the army. Anyway, in order to occupy a favorable position in the new dynasty, these families are working hard to attack from multiple sides and take the lead.

Su Jing is pitiful. At the beginning, Li Yan invited him to be an official, but he did not agree. Now he wants to be an official, but Li Yan is not very short of people, so he can only come here to be a senator. So he has no hope of being promoted now, so he can only do something for his hometown, gain a good name, and let his children and grandchildren get some light.

In fact, there are several such senate bodies, some of which revise the calendar, some compile laws, some compile historical materials, and some study military formations, and so on. Li Yan arranged some of the civil and military forces that could still be used in the previous dynasty to these senates, so that they could radiate some residual heat. As for those who don't have much talent, just let them go home.

"This is to discuss the strategy of river control, not to get involved in the management of the river." Li Yan said dissatisfiedly.

In fact, he knows that these people are not unable to distinguish the issue this time, but because of habit. Cao Yun has been in operation for a long time, and the Grand Canal has been in operation since the Sui Dynasty. However, since the Ming Dynasty moved its capital to Beijing, Beijing and the border towns in the north have all relied on the south for food. However, the Ming Dynasty stopped shipping and relied on Cao Yun, so Cao Yun became the most important economic lifeline of the Ming Dynasty, and it must be kept smooth with all its might.

China's rivers flow in an east-west direction, and if you want to connect the north and the south, the Yellow River is a hurdle that cannot be bypassed. However, the Yellow River has too much sediment, the riverbed is silted up, and the banks burst and flooded frequently, which will also block the canal. Therefore, in the Ming Dynasty, the governance of the Yellow River was to protect the Cao Yun. In order to prevent the Yellow River from threatening the canal to the north, the former Ming built a long embankment of hundreds of miles on the north bank of the Yellow River in the Henan region. At the confluence of the canal and the Yellow River, there are also many levels of sluices built to regulate the water level and allow boats to pass.

Ye Tinggui said: "Generalissimo, the new dynasty is also going to set the capital in Beijing. Not only the grain and rice consumption of the people in the capital and the hundred officials, but also the food and salary of hundreds of thousands of troops along the Great Wall in the north, it is impossible to maintain without Jiangnan transshipment, and Cao Yun must be guaranteed. ”

Li Yan was unmoved, and said: "The sediment content of the Yellow River is too large, and the siltation of the riverbed is serious, and the canal crossing the Yellow River needs to raise the water level by six or seven feet, and it will be higher in the future." Dams and sluices will continue to be built, and maintenance costs will be expensive. In the future, it can be transported in sections, and it can be used without reluctance. Roads are being repaired in various places, and land transportation will also be of some use in the future. The floods of the Yellow River must be cured, and every time the river floods, the disasters caused to the people and the losses caused to the imperial court are really much greater than the benefits of Caoyun. ”

Li Yan looked at his senators and asked, "So, you can only think about water control, and you don't have to worry about Cao Yun." Is there any other way than to bind the water and attack the sand? ”

Su Jing reported: "Back to the generalissimo, there is also the need to build a double embankment. In addition to the water dam, another layer of embankment is built to make the river wider in case of emergency. ”

Li Yan thought about it for a while and found that the Yellow River near Kaifeng seemed to be in this style. He instructed: "Well, you and the Ministry of Works should come up with a plan as soon as possible, and start construction when the water dries up in winter." In the past two years, there has been more rain than usual in various places, and this dry weather is about to pass. Taking advantage of this period, it is necessary to build the embankment, which is a major event for a thousand years, and you must do your best. ”

"The ministers obey the generalissimo's orders." Everyone bowed down and agreed nondescriptly. There is no way, who let Li Yan not be on the emperor at this time?

When everyone stood up, Hou Sui went out of the class and said: "Generalissimo, Jiangnan is a land of wealth and abundant products, so you can't be a thief for a long time." The ministers invited the generalissimo to send a large army to the south, annihilate the remnants of the Ming and the thieves, quickly take the south of the Yangtze River, and mix a new dynasty in order to establish a new dynasty. ”

"The ministers ask Your Majesty to send troops south as soon as possible, and mix in one Yu to establish a new dynasty." Everyone regretted it a little, and let Hou Sui take the lead, and they all couldn't wait to plead.

Li Yan frowned and looked at the chaotic scene below, and more than a dozen senators bowed down back and forth, begging for troops. He waved his hand and said, "All right, all of you, get up." It's better for you to do your part first, and as for the rest, you don't have to worry. ”

For Li Yan, the focus of his attention at this time is the north. The Qing army had just ambushed his cavalry on the steppe, intimidating the wavering Mongol horde, and perhaps there would be a larger operation to come. He had to prepare the lines of the Great Wall for defense, and at the same time assemble mobile troops, ready to go to the position where they need to block or counterattack at any time. The defense line of the Great Wall is too long, even if there are more than 200,000 troops to defend it, it is not reassuring.

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