Chapter 270 Above the Yellow River

The East Road Inspection Group led by Wei Zheng and Zhao Yunze took a boat from Chang'an and drifted down the Wei River. Arrived in Weinan County at noon.

After a short stop at Weinan, the fleet entered the Yellow River from Weishui and continued eastward.

"The Yellow River is thousands of miles of sand, and the waves are blowing from the end of the world. Now go straight to the Milky Way and go to the home of the morning glory weaver girl. ”

The time was mid-afternoon, and Zhao Yunze was standing on the deck of the big ship, holding on to the railing with both hands, looking at the rolling Yellow River.

As soon as Zhao Yunze's poem was recited, Wei Zheng's praise sounded behind him.

"Lord Wei, you're also out" Zhao Yunze turned around and greeted Wei Zheng.

"It's too stuffy in the cabin, come out and breathe." Wei Zheng replied as he walked to Zhao Yunze's side.

After a few simple greetings, Wei Zheng and Zhao Yunze stopped talking. The two stood next to the fence at the edge of the deck, looking together at the water of the Yellow River rushing eastward.

The fleet has traveled to this section of the Yellow River, which has already flowed through the Loess Plateau. Although the vegetation damage of the Loess Plateau in the early Tang Dynasty was not very serious, the topography and soil characteristics of the Loess Plateau itself still brought a large amount of sediment to the Yellow River. This section of the Yellow River is already very turbid.

"The same river, the silver man in the sky is infinitely desirable, but the Yellow River on the ground, how many years, has brought endless suffering to countless people. No wonder Peng Yu went to the Morning Glory Weaver Girl's house with emotion. Wei Zheng looked at the water of the Yellow River and sighed.

"Yes, the Yellow River is known for its good silting, good decision-making, and good migration, especially in the lower reaches of the river, where the Yellow River overflows and diverts its course at every turn. Two breaks in three years, and one change in a hundred years. Countless fertile fields have been washed away, countless cities and villages have been submerged, and hundreds of people have suffered greatly," Zhao Yunze also sighed;;;;;;;;;;;;;

"Good silting, good decision, good migration. Two breaks in three years, and one change in a hundred years. Peng Yu has a lot of insight into the disaster of the Yellow River," Wei Zheng said thoughtfully, "I don't know if Peng Yu has a strategy to control the river."

As soon as Zhao Yunze heard that Wei Zheng actually asked him about the plan to control the river, he immediately shook his head and said with a wry smile: "Lord Wei really looks down on Zhao from ancient times to the present, countless wise ancestors have been committed to the governance of the Yellow River, but they have not locked this Yellow Dragon, a certain fool, what is a good way to govern the Yellow River."

Wei Zheng smiled slightly and said, "Peng Yu is too humble. In a certain opinion, you are a wise man. Not to mention anything else, if this law is implemented effectively, it will obtain countless grains and rice for the imperial court. In the future, disaster relief will not have to worry about rice cooking. ”

After a pause, Wei Zheng said again: "This time, Your Majesty sent the ministers of the Eight Roads to inspect the world, and the other roads are just to appease the local people and persuade the peasants. Only Peng Yu and the old man's east road are responsible for the implementation of the opening of the Chinese law and the establishment of Changping and Yicang. This trip, you and I have a difficult task."

Zhao Yunze nodded and said, "Lord Wei doesn't need to worry too much, the boatload of refined salt we brought is the best introduction." Those gate valve families in Henan Province and Hebei Province, don't look at all of them with the names of poetry and book heirlooms, but their eyes are also staring at silver money. For the sake of the huge profit of refined salt, they will definitely support the opening of the Chinese law. ”

Wei Zheng smiled and said, "This method of opening the middle school that Peng Yu came up with is indeed a wonderful idea. However, it is not a long-term solution to let the family gate valve donate grain to the imperial court alone, and this year it is only in Guannei Province and Hebei and Henan Province to set up Changping Yicang, and the food donated by those family gate valves may be able to meet the needs of the imperial court. But in the future, all provinces, states and counties in Datang will set up Changping Yicang, and it will not be enough to rely on the family gate valve to donate grain. ”

Zhao Yunze said: "The imperial court is not poor now, if the family does not donate grain, the imperial court will have nowhere to raise food, and when the imperial court has money in the future, the opening of the Chinese law can also change with time."

Wei Zheng nodded and said: "It seems that Peng Yu has already considered the opening of China and France, so the old man will not comment much." ”

After a pause, Wei Zheng frowned again and asked Zhao Yunze: "I heard Your Majesty say that you once said that there will be drought and flood disasters in Guanzhong, Hebei, and Shandong this year."

Zhao Yunze was a little startled, and said in his heart: Li Shimin actually told Wei Zheng about this matter

"That's a calculation that a certain master once made with divination, and no one knows if it will be accurate." Zhao Yunze explained.

Wei Zheng sighed and said: "No wonder on the day Your Majesty personally ploughed, the ploughing ox suddenly knelt on the ground, and the heavens also thundered to warn. Master Peng Yu's estimation is very likely to be accurate."

Hearing Wei Zheng talk about the events of the day of the agricultural sacrifice ceremony, Zhao Yunze suddenly remembered something, and hurriedly asked Wei Zheng: "Lord Wei, on that day, His Majesty watched the ploughing himself, and he sowed the grain directly on the land, is it the same practice among the people?"

"Hahaha, it seems that Peng Yu is also a person who knows farmers," Wei Zheng laughed, "Naturally, this is not the case among the people. To grow grain, the people must first turn the land deeply, and then either ridge into moisture, or cultivate the soil into furrows, and then sow grain seeds. ”

"Then why did Your Majesty sow seeds directly," Zhao Yunze asked puzzled.

Wei Zheng smiled and said: "Peng Yu, since you know the farmer, the old man asks you, the grain seeds sown in the middle of spring may sprout."

"This February is still the time when the spring is cold, whether it is the temperature or the ground temperature, it is not suitable for the seeds to germinate and take root, I am afraid that they will not grow grain seedlings." Zhao Yunze thought of this question for a moment, and his heart became even more confused.

Wei Zheng nodded and said: "Your Majesty personally cultivates the grain sown by sacrificing the ancestors, and it is impossible to grow into crops at all." Therefore, there is no need to be as intensive as the folks. ”

"Oh, it was just a symbolic meaning, I really thought His Majesty would farm the land himself." Zhao Yunze suddenly realized.

Wei Zheng shook his head and said: "Although pro-farming is only to sacrifice farmers and persuade farmers, His Majesty really wants to farm in person." Otherwise, how can we worship the ancestral temple with the grain from the field?"

"Oh, I misunderstood." Zhao Yunze said. Immediately, he asked Wei Zheng again: "Don't the ploughing cattle used by the people now wear nose rings?"

"What does this mean by the cow piercing the nose ring Peng Yu," Wei Zheng asked puzzled.

Zhao Yunze explained: "It is to use a tough branch or iron ring to penetrate the nasal membrane of the cow, and then tie the reins on the iron ring, so that the cow will be obedient."

Seeing that Wei Zheng still looked dazed, Zhao Yunze said again: "When I lived in seclusion in the mountains with my master, I also planted the land. The ploughing ox used by the master is very easy to serve because it wears a nose ring. When ploughing the land, there is no need for another person to lead the ox, only one person can hold the plow with one hand and control the ox with the long reins with the other. ”

Wei Zheng's brows furrowed, he thought for a while, and suddenly patted his head and said: "The old man understands that the old man has seen the bronze bull zun in the Spring and Autumn Period, and the cow zun's nose is wearing a huge nose ring. The old man thought it was an ornament, but now after listening to Peng Yu, the old man knew that the ancestors in the Spring and Autumn Period had already worn nose rings for cattle as Peng Yu said. But the wisdom of our ancestors has been buried."

"Ah, the ancients in the Spring and Autumn Period knew how to wear a nose ring on a cow," this time it was Zhao Yunze's turn to be surprised.

Wei Zheng nodded, and said: "Let's make this inspection, we might as well promote the practice of this cow wearing a nose ring."

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