Pan Jitao, born in the 16th year of Zhengde in the Ming Dynasty, that is, in 1521, the word Shiliang, the number Yinchuan, Wucheng County, Huzhou Prefecture, Ming Dynasty, is now Wuxing District, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province.

Historically, Pan Jitao's name was associated with the management of the Yellow River. He served as the person in charge of river management four times, and creatively put forward the theory of "using rivers to govern rivers and attacking sand with water", and won the reputation of "the first person to govern rivers through the ages".

Pan Ji's domination of the river began in the 44th year of Jiajing. In that year, Pan Jitao was appointed as the right capital of the imperial history, the prime minister of the river, and the Ministry of Industry Shangshu Zhu Heng together to govern the river, Jiajing 45 years, because of Ding Wei resignation. In the 4th year of Longqing, the Yellow River broke in Pizhou and Suining, and Pan Jitao was once again appointed as the chief river. The following year, the breach of the Yellow River was filled, but Pan Jitao was impeached and dismissed for the wreck of a transport vessel. In the 4th year of Wanli, Pan Jitao was used again and served as the governor of Jiangxi. In the 6th year of Wanli, Pan Jitao took the position of the right capital imperial history and the left waiter of the Ministry of Industry, and the prime minister of the river and trough transportation, and the two river projects were greatly developed. After the completion of the project, the lower reaches of the Yellow River have not been flooded for many years.

After Zhang Juzheng's death, Pan Jitao was cut to the people because he said a few fair words for Zhang Juzheng. In the 16th year of Wanli, the Yellow River was in great trouble, and Pan Jitao was used again at the age of 67, and he was reinstated to the right capital of Yushi and the governor of the river.

In the winter of Wanli 18, Pan Jitao led his entourage to inspect the Yellow River from Kaifeng to two months, and finally returned to the Yamen, the governor of the river, in Huai'an. Before he could sit on the chair in the lobby, he received a report from the guards, saying that Su Hao, the new river director of the Ministry of Industry, had come to visit.

"River Master?" Pan Jitao frowned, "When did the Ministry of Industry set up such an official position, why didn't I know?" ”

"This was added at the request of the second assistant to the cabinet, Wang Xijue, and was only established last month. At that time, Pan Chengcheng took us to inspect the river, and I had no time to take care of this matter. However, about the appointment of the head of the river, the lower officials have heard some legends, and some people say that this official position is really set up by people. Xiong Enzheng, the attendant standing aside, said in a mysterious tone.

Pan Jitao was really attracted by these words, he raised his head and asked, "Guangping, tell me, what is it called to set things up because of people?" ”

Xiong Enzheng said: "I heard that this Su Hao is just a showman, and because of the relationship between Li Long, the internal official and young eunuch of the inner court, he was received by the emperor. Later, Wang Cifu went to inspect this Su Hao again at the behest of the emperor, and he didn't know how he fell in love with this person, so he ordered the Ministry of Industry to set up such a position for him. ”

"It turned out to be a speculator who clings to the top of the powerful, I don't see it!" Pan Jitao said categorically.

Xiong Enzheng said: "Pan Gong, I'm afraid it's not good if you don't see it, after all, the river project still has to fall on the people of the Ministry of Engineering, and it turns out that the people in charge of the project in Huai'an are Zhang Xiang's wardens." Although these people are greedy, they are obedient and will not make mistakes. Now that this Su Hao is here, I don't know what kind of person he is, I think Pan Gong still saw him and scolded him a few words, which can be regarded as a wake-up call for him, saving him from taking himself too seriously and mistaking the river project. ”

Pan Jitao thought for a while, nodded and said, "Guangping, what you said makes sense, then pass him in." ”

Su Hao was already waiting outside the door, and Xiong Enzheng went out for a while, so he brought Su Hao in. Pan Jitao sat behind the public case, looked down at the documents on the case, and didn't even look at Su Hao.

"Su Hao, the director of the Huai'an River of the Ministry of Industry, meets Governor Pan." Su Hao didn't care about Pan Jitao's snubbing, he stood up straight, raised his hand and saluted, and introduced himself loudly. He knows that different officials will have different problems, some like to pretend to be A, some like to pretend to be C, and some like to be in between. For these officials, Su Hao's attitude is to respond to changes with the same, do enough etiquette, and wait for the other party to make a move.

"You are Su Hao, the head of the river?" Pan Jitao still didn't look up, but asked in a deep voice.

Su Hao said: "Back to the governor, the next official is Su Hao." ”

"I heard that the Ministry of Industry set up the post of river chief because of people, but is there such a thing?" Pan Jitao asked again. He is an official of the second grade, and in front of a small six-grade principal, he doesn't need to pay attention to any proportions at all, and what he thinks in his heart will be said in his mouth.

Su Hao replied: "Back to the governor, why this post was established is a matter for the officials of the Ministry of Officials and the Ministry of Industry to consider, and the duty of the officials is only to fulfill their duties, and they should not inquire about these internal affairs. ”

"Oh? Do you know how to do your job? Pan Jitao finally raised his head.

Ordinary six-grade officials never dared to talk back like this in front of him, this Su Hao is different, if he doesn't really have a few brushes, he is really lacking in heart. Pan Jitao glanced up at Su Hao, and was about to reprimand him, but found that Su Hao was unusually young, and couldn't help but be a little stunned and said, "You are so young...... How old are you? ”

"Back to the Governor, the next official is 18 years old." Su Hao replied neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"At the age of 18, you became the head of Liupin, and your ability to speculate and drill camp is indeed superior." Pan Jitao said.

Su Hao said: "What the Governor said is not true. Su Hao was able to become the head of this six-grade business, relying on his skills and merits, rather than speculation. If it weren't for the fact that some people in the court were jealous of Su's talent, Su would be a fifth-grade or fourth-grade official. ”

"Presumptuous!" Xiong Enzheng couldn't help it and scolded on the side.

"Guangping, let him speak." Pan Jitao laughed angrily at Su Hao's arrogance, he put down the documents in his hand, looked at Su Hao and asked: "You said that you became an official with your skills and merits, then tell me, what skills and merits do you have, and you can take on this great responsibility?" ”

"Half a year ago, Su Mou drowned the 5,000 elite soldiers of the traitor Yang Yinglong in Banzhou with the strength of one person, and with this credit, he was promoted to a fourth-grade official position, right?" Su Hao said.

Regarding things such as surveying and mapping, repairing reservoirs, and digging wells, Su Hao found it difficult to explain to Pan Jitao in one sentence, looking at Pan Jitao's attitude, if he disagreed, he would probably blow himself out. After thinking about it, Su Hao felt that the matter of flooding Yang Yinglong's five thousand elite soldiers could shock Lao Pan, so he said it. Yang Yinglong's intention to rebel is a recognized fact at the top level, and Pan Ji is the imperial history of the right capital, so it is impossible not to know this, so there is no need for Su Hao to hide it.

In the Ming army, military merit has always been used as a basis for promotion. The Ming army fought a lot of battles, but the number of people killed was very limited. Therefore, killing 1 enemy on the battlefield is considered a great merit, Su Hao drowned 5,000 enemy troops in one go, and this merit was enough for him to rise above the fourth grade. However, such an official position promoted by virtue of military merits is a military position, not a civilian position, and Su Hao has played a little bit of writing skills in this place.

"I've heard of that." Pan Jitao nodded, but he didn't find fault with the difference between civilian and military officials, but said: "However, the matter of flooding the thief army is not enough to rely on even if it is a trick or a coincidence. ”

Su Hao smiled: "Yes, it is precisely because it is a trick, although the merit of the lower officials is great, it is not recognized." The imperial court did not give me a high official position, but gave me a six-rank official title and asked me to come to Huai'an to assist in river management. ”

"So, letting you be the head of this river is just to appease you, not to let you really do any errands?" Pan Jitao blocked Su Hao with words, and he suddenly became interested in this clever young man, wanting to see how the other party could deal with his criticism.

Su Hao shook his head and said: "The imperial court appointed Xia Guan as the head of the Huai'an River in the hope that Xia Guan can make achievements in the matter of river governance. Since the subordinate received the appointment, he has been sleepless at night, and he only wants to control the river......"

"You're just a yellow-mouthed kid, do you know what it means to govern a river?" Xiong Enzheng couldn't stand it anymore and let out evil words directly. He had heard that Su Hao was an official in Li Long's relationship before, and he had a few opinions about Su Hao. Now seeing that Su Hao answered freely in front of Pan Jitao, without the slightest hint of sincerity and fear, he was even more angry in his heart, and he was not polite when he spoke.

Xiong Enzheng's position is the experience of the Yamen, the governor of the river, and he is also a six-rank official rank, the same as Su Hao, but as Pan Jitao's subordinate, his confidence and official authority are far greater than Su Hao's, this is what people call the fox and the fake tiger.

Su Hao turned his head to look at Xiong Enzheng and said, "Xiong experienced this, and Su Mou couldn't agree." Whether you know how to govern the river or not has nothing to do with whether you are a child with a yellow mouth. If you have to say how old you are to know how to govern the river, Su thinks that young people may know more. ”

Su Hao said this in front of Pan Jitao, which was a naked provocation. Pan Jitao was already 69 years old at this time, if the young people knew how to manage the river better than the elderly, wouldn't it mean that Pan Jitao was not suitable to be the governor of the river?

"You ......"

Xiong Enzheng pointed at Su Hao, and was about to make a move, Pan Jitao waved his hand at him, and asked Su Hao: "Su Hao, you said that young people may know better about river governance, can you tell some truth?" ”

Su Hao said: "Pan Gong, although Su Hao is young, he has also heard of Pan Gong's exploits in governing the river. It is a great initiative for Pan Gong to control the river and control the sand with the water. So far, no one has made greater achievements than Pan Gong in terms of river control, and there is a consensus between the government and the opposition on this point. ”

Pan Jitao nodded indifferently, not caring about Su Hao's sycophants, he asked: "That is the case, then why do you say that young people know better how to govern the river?" Lao Yu is already a septuagenarian, just ask, which young man knows how to govern the river better than Lao Yu? ”

Su Hao said: "In the humble opinion of the following officials, although Pan Gong's governance of the river has achieved great results, it is not without flaws. The reason for this is that I am afraid that it is because Pan Gong is old and has lost his foresight in considering the problem. ”

"What do you mean by that?" Pan Jitao stared at Su Hao with sharp eyes and asked.

Su Hao didn't expect that he would be forced into a corner by Pan Jitao sentence by sentence, so that he had to seek an opportunity to fight back. At this point, he had no way out, so he could only say some amazing words and gamble on Pan Jitao's mind.

"Pan Gong, forgive your superiority. Pan Gong is now constantly raising the embankment of Gaojiayan River in Hongze Lake and washing the Yellow River with the water of the Huai River. In the short term, this method has some effect. However, the sediment of the Yellow River has not decreased, and even if it is washed out of the mouth, it will still be deposited downstream, and the Yellow River's riverbed will still rise over time.

With Pan Gong's strategy of governing the river, within ten years, it may be possible to keep the river from collapsing and the trough transportation undamaged, but what about ten or twenty years later? By that time, Pan Gong may have retired after completing his career, returned to his hometown, and enjoyed the heroic name of the hero who governed the river. But the people who took over the river were faced with the river channel and the Gaojiayan embankment, which had been raised by several zhang, what should they do? ”

Su Hao asked bluntly.