The Rootless River, a large river that runs through Kyushu from west to east, begins in the Western Regions, where several underground rivers and tributaries converge and rush down the terrain. It flows through Hexi, Hedong, and the jurisdiction of the Sword Sect, and then meanders north and flows into the sea.

Now, the river has finally shown its destructive power, and more than a dozen counties in the three prefectures of Hedong have been affected, with the result that the rootless river that flows through the eastern section of the river will have to be diverted.

Those submerged state capitals can only become cities under the river.

At least for now, no one can afford to get the Rootless River back into its original course.

Because the original embankment was too high, and the riverbed was also higher than the surface, years of reinforcement and years of sediment accumulation have already made the riverbed a highland. And the canal of the relatives became the fuse that caused the flood.

Watching an ocean rushing over the temporary embankment, Zhou Zhe couldn't calm down for a long time, and the river was diverted, changing the fate of many people, and how many people left their hometowns to become disaster victims.

Although the riverbed and its vicinity will become the most fertile land when the water recedes, the lost lives will never be returned.

Since Zhou Zhe led the disaster relief in Yuncheng, he left Yuncheng to start researching.

Looking at the rushing river, the official in charge of the water conservancy of Hedong Road was from a family of officials from the Ministry of Industry, and he could only tell Zhou Zhe helplessly about the diversion of the Rootless River

"Even if it is not diverted, such a high riverbed will make the water level rise upstream, and the downstream will be even more turbulent, and the flood will be sooner or later, either west of the river or the boundary of the Sword Sect. ”

Zhou Zhe knows that objective facts are objective facts, and this kind of thing can only be prepared for the worst according to the current situation.

"What's the plan for now?"

Zhu Yuancheng, a son of a family of officials in the Ministry of Industry, took out a map of Hedong and said: "To control the water, it can be dredged and blocked." But it's not comprehensive. ”

Zhou Zhe was a little confused: "What do you mean?"

Zhu Yuancheng pointed out a red line on the map and said: "The places where I draw the red line are all relatively low-lying areas in the east of the river, and the surrounding land has long lost its fertility after years of cultivation. If a few more large diversion canals are dug up, at least the eastern section of the river can be kept peaceful for 30 years. ”

Zhou Zhe looked at the map carefully, which was equivalent to allowing the Wugen River to make a detour in Hedong for a while, which benefited from the peace of Hedong for 30 years, and at the same time allowed the river water to irrigate more places in Hedong. But the downside is obvious, some of the people in the state capital need to be evacuated, and their homes may become riverbeds forever.

Looking at the red lines on the map, even the aqueduct was not drawn first. Zhou Zhe wondered

"You've been preparing for a long time?"

Zhu Yuancheng said in a low mood: "It's not me, it's my grandfather, my father was preparing when he was a child." ”

Zhou Zhe was a little surprised, this family is really not simple.

Zhu Yuancheng said with reverence for his father: "My fathers used to accumulate in this land for decades to have this red line and the planning of these canals. My father and grandfather also knew that the diversion of the Rootless River would occur once in a hundred years or once in hundreds of years, and it could not be stopped by manpower. We can't do much to control the water, so we can only plan in advance and take precautions!"

Zhou Zhe nodded, knowing that these jobs could not be done by a person casually looking at them for a few months and dozens of days. He wanted to ask why he hadn't said it earlier, but in the end he could only mention it

"This matter is very serious, I am afraid that I will report to Your Majesty and wait for the decision of the court, after all, it is not a trivial matter to make the county capital of several states a riverbed. ”

Zhu Yuancheng's face was gloomy for a while when he heard Zhou Zhe's words, and finally, as if he had made up his mind, he walked to Zhou Zhe's side

"Loyal and brave marquis, everything you do is in the eyes of the officials, you make a living for the world, and you are a promising person. That's why I've told you so much, just so that you can do it again, for the people, and for Dasheng. I admit that I have selfish intentions and I want to fulfill the dreams that my parents and I have pursued all our lives. But aren't we doing a good thing?"

Zhou Zhe looked at Zhu Yuancheng with a somewhat excited expression, if it wasn't from the bottom of his heart, he would have been like Wu Chenglin.

"I know what you mean, but have you calculated what a huge project it is, and how much it will cost? This is not a small matter. Fan Gong, Dou Gong, and the various Shangshu can't see the benefits and disadvantages of the second event?"

Zhu Yuancheng was unwilling, he couldn't take care of it at this time, so he put aside his last worries and persuaded him: "Master Hou, they have been discussing the benefits and disadvantages for decades. My grandfather, my father, all reported it. The imperial court is either short of money, or it is a big matter. In the past, there was a product hall in Hedong, and later, there were Xun relatives, and now there is not so much resistance. Why did Master Hou hesitate?"

"Besides, now so many people have to wait for the flood to pass before they can reclaim the land, rather than waiting for the flood season to come in August and September, it is better to do it now, otherwise in another three or two months, even if the imperial court passes, the best time has passed. ”

Sometimes, like a warplane, there is no time to lose.

At this time, the catastrophe in Hedong had just been decided, and it was the time when the labor force was the most abundant and cheapest, and it was for the people of Hedong to do things. If you miss this moment, if you want to stop it, you will have to spend more manpower and material resources, and officials at all levels will have to pluck the goose if they can't do it well.

Zhou Zhe's face was hesitant, and Zhu Yuancheng continued to strike while the iron was hot

"In previous years, when the flood season came, officials at all levels were afraid that water would break through the dams from their borders. But no matter how bad it was in previous years, at least there were dams, and now they are purely dependent on the terrain. If the rain is not heavy during the flood season, it is fine, but if the rain is heavy, it is not known how many more state capitals will be flooded. ”

Zhou Zhe has agreed to Zhu Yuancheng's suggestion in his heart at this moment, and pinned his hope or life on the big deal under the rain, he really doesn't have the courage, so it's better to give it a go.

"Have you ever calculated? How many people, how much grain, and how much money and so on? ”

"I didn't calculate it, but if there is enough food, millions of people can complete the construction of the embankment in three months. ”

Zhu Yuancheng didn't dare to mention the money, he was ready, as long as Zhou Zhe nodded, even if he spent the accumulation of several generations, he was just for a dream.

Zhou Zhe calculated, three months, when it was completed, it happened to be the flood season, and Zhu Yuancheng was afraid that there was an element of gambling. He is the dream of several generations, but Zhou Zhe is responsible for the people of Hedong. So he couldn't afford to gamble.

"I'll allocate you 1.5 million people, and I can guarantee you two meals a day. I'll get the money out of my guard's pocket first, but you have to make sure it's done before the flood season. ”

This is actually a big gamble, the bet is won, Hedong has been peaceful for at least 30 years, and if the bet is lost, everything will be stopped.

Zhu Yuancheng could no longer hide the ecstasy in his heart and said, "Master Hou, I promise to complete the task." If there is a problem, I will bring it up. ”

"If there is a mistake, I will not have time to collect your head, and when the time comes, I am afraid that my head will not be guaranteed. Zhou Zhe squinted at Zhu Yuancheng, who was about to realize the wish of several generations, and finally, looked at the rootless river and sighed

"The geese have been left behind, and people have to leave something behind for a lifetime. ”

He has done a lot of things along the way, and more of them are on the way to killing people, or killing people. And there aren't many things that really make sense.

On the same day, a detailed report and drawings of Zhu Yuancheng's planning for several generations were sent to the capital for them to discuss slowly. More often than not, they were sent to the yamen of the prefectures that accepted the displaced people, and in the name of the plenipotentiary envoys, the refugees were organized to go to the predetermined places to provide relief through work.

Letters farther away were sent to a few people as far away as Hexi. Grain, it's time to get to the predetermined section of the embankment.

Returning to Yuncheng and passing by the refugee camp outside the city, this time, Zhou Zhe felt unprecedentedly clean. Unexpectedly, after going for dozens of days, Si Shengnan and planned this place so well.

Moreover, as if there was some kind of plot, Si Shengnan once again organized the children who had lost their parents' homes together, but this time there were more people, nearly two thousand.

Hearing Zhou Zhe say that he wanted her to organize the refugees to build a new river embankment, Si Shengnan frowned and thought for a long time before speaking

"You've really decided?"

As soon as Zhou Zhe heard the tone, he knew that Si Shengnan didn't seem to be optimistic about it, but he still nodded affirmatively and gave her an affirmative look.

"Alas, I know that you are still like that, what you want to do, always for the sake of the overall situation, but never care about personal gains and losses. I will organize the refugees, and I can go south tomorrow. Do you need me to sit in the town? And these children better you take them under your door! Anyway, there are thousands of more children, and you can't eat too much. Si Shengnan seems to be like a little wife, speaking calmly and tepidly.

Zhou Zhe was a little strange about Si Shengnan's attitude for a while, it seemed that when she and Zhou Zhe disagreed in the past, they always had to quarrel, and then broke up unhappily.

"Okay! The child turned around and gathered the rest of the world together, and he was in Yuncheng to manage them, and it was not a matter of going back and forth. And what's wrong with you today? Why don't you seem to agree with me and don't object to building the embankment?"

This is the slut who shakes M, Zhou Zhe who is not scolded or said to be uncomfortable.

Si Shengnan chuckled: "I told you that you would listen?"

Zhou Zhe was stunned and scratched his head in embarrassment.

"That's it, you decide, I'll do it for you. When you die, I'll try to bury you as much as I can. "Si Shengnan is bland.

"I said no, just build a levee, why are you cursing me to death like this!"

"If you fail, the emperor will at most blame you for not paying attention to it and going to the end, but there is still a chance to make a comeback. But if you do it well, you will be a master. What the emperor didn't do, and what officials at all levels didn't do, was done by you in this way. You say that no matter how thick their skin is, I am afraid that they will feel shameless! Just like that, you have offended the officials of the Manchu court, and you can bear it. ”

Zhou Zhe defended: "Things have to be done, and the courtiers and Your Majesty are not as bad as you think." I also know that the emperor is a little heavier, but he is still sensible. I understand your set, the worst plan! Not to that extent, at least there are the head of the family, the senior sister, and they help me. ”

Si Shengnan thought about it, she changed her name by herself, almost looking at people in the most sinister direction.

"Alas, I hope it is as you say! I just want to remind you that at least, you must have offended the officials of all levels and ministries who can get involved in such a major matter as the construction of the embankment. If you make a mistake, don't be surprised that they impeach you to the Emperor. People are like this, and when they are disgusted, they can't see beauty. ”

Zhou Zhe smiled: "Thank you." ”

And I also thought in my heart, at least the personnel deployment of the embankment depends on the Ministry of Officials, the collection of young and strong, the silver depends on the Ministry of Households, and the technology depends on the Ministry of Industry. Just killed a bunch of honorable relatives, and offended six courtiers, and the spiritual cultivator was born to be a mortal enemy with him. But then the heart is proud, what about hostility? You are not dead and dead and retreating. Dare to jump out and stew in a pot.

Just as Zhou Zhe was about to leave the refugee camp and enter the city, Si Shengnan reminded again

"Xin Chai has been mysterious these days, as if he has got some rare thing. You'd better go check it out. Also, Jia Dingfeng, under Feng Xijiao, seems to have looked for you many times. He didn't tell him why he was looking for you, it was very strange. ”

There are still secrets that can't be said? Zhou Zhe thought to himself, when the time comes, he will understand it in person.