From Yangcheng Yankou, Liu Ying couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when he got the reply that 'the sludge cleaning work at the bottom of the canal can be completed before the winter solstice'.

In fact, Liu Ying's renovation of Zhengguo Canal can be divided into three parts.

The first part is the silt clean-up work that has been underway in the past 20 days and will be carried out in the next 20 days.

This item is the most important part of the renovation of Zhengguo Canal, and it can greatly improve the agricultural products of Weibei in the short term.

The second part is to reduce the channel widening in order to slow down the sediment deposition rate in the lower reaches of the Zhengguo Canal in the next 8-10 years.

This item is somewhat similar to the 'water and sediment attack' used by Pan Jitao to control the Yellow River in later generations, and has achieved the purpose of slowing down the sediment accumulation rate by tightening the width of the channel to increase the water pressure and flow rate.

In Liu Ying's previous life, the governance and renovation work of Zheng Guoqu was mainly based on these two parts.

Even the part of the 'widening of the channel' was shelved by the court due to lack of funds and manpower, and only the first part, that is, the silt removal of the downstream section, was carried out.

With the lessons of the previous life, Liu Ying doesn't have to worry much about this first part.

——In the previous life, Yang Chengyan was able to complete the silt cleaning work in the downstream section of the Zhengguo Canal almost by himself, but in this life, there were many Liu Ying supervisions, and it was unreasonable to do it badly.

As for the second part of 'Binding Water and Attacking Sand', although it could not be completed in the previous life due to financial and manpower problems, the Shaofu sailors at that time also came up with a feasible plan, and in this life, there will be no problems.

What really needs Liu Ying's attention and face up to is the third part that was not proposed in the previous life, and in this life, because Prince Liu Ying was in charge of the country and was ordered to major in Zheng Guoqu, it came into being.

——Use stone bricks, silicon, etc., to compact and fix the soil at the bottom and side of the canal in the upper reaches of the Zhengguo Canal to prevent it from being washed away by the river and eventually silted downstream.

This part can be regarded as Liu Ying's drama meat for majoring in Zheng Guoqu this time.

The excavation of silt and the flushing of water and sand were actually proposed by the Shaofu and were in charge of special sailors, and Liu Ying's existence could not have any decisive influence on this.

If this time, Liu Ying was ordered by Liu Bang, the son of heaven, to major in the Zhengguo Canal, and the result was really just to clean up the downstream silt and fill the soil for the Zhengguo Canal to widen, then in other words, it can also be said that Liu Ying did nothing.

- Anyway, if there is Liu Ying or not, Shaofu will do the same!

The sky is gone, that is, Liu Ying's existence, so that Shaofu does not have too much headache and labor source.

Obviously, this kind of 'fishing and paddling' style of supervising the country will never satisfy the government and the opposition and the world, and it will be difficult for Liu Bang, the son of heaven, to have the idea of 'giving up easy storage'.

This makes this time, Liu Ying must leave some imprints that belong to himself and to Liu Ying, the prince of the prison state, on the renovation of Zheng Guoqu before his father Liu Bang's class teacher returns to the dynasty.

Thinking of this, Liu Ying didn't make any more detours, motioned for Yangcheng Yan'an to sit, and went straight to the point.

"That is, the matter of downstream silt excavation can be completed before the winter solstice, and the Shaofu thinks that after the winter solstice, it may continue to widen the channel?"

Hearing that Liu Ying asked about this, Yang Chengyan did not answer in a hurry, but silently calculated in his heart for a moment.

Then, he gave up his hand to Liu Ying slightly.

"At home."

"When His Majesty was leaving, the ministers had discussed with their families and hundreds of officials in the court: this renovation of the Zhengguo Canal requires 60,000 laborers."

"If you have 60,000 soldiers, then the downstream excavation will take a month and a half; If the canal is widened, it will take more than one month. ”

Speaking of this, Yang Chengyan's expression on his face couldn't help but be a little more relaxed.

"However, the clever strategy of 'paving the canal with stone bricks' at home has attracted the people of Weibei to come and think that the power of repairing the canal has been more than 40,000 ······."

Hearing this, Liu Ying couldn't help but raise the corners of her eyebrows slightly, and secretly felt a little complacent.

——The 200,000 stone bricks of Shaofu, of which at least 150,000, are still piled up in the Shaofu stone cutting field in the western suburbs of Chang'an City!

The remaining 50,000 are still lying quietly in Sanyuan County along the upstream coast of Zhengguo Canal at this time, which can be said to be unattended.

As for the Weibei Straight Road, which was crushed by stone bricks earlier, it has also been repaired by the officers and soldiers of the Northern Army and the Zhonglang officers of the lieutenant generals, lieutenants, and officials, and they have finally been repaired.

And Liu Ying took such great pains and painstaking efforts to destroy hundreds of miles of straight roads in Weibei, and then mobilized the Northern Army and Zhonglang generals to renovate them, such a huge price, and he also got a lot of results.

——Yangcheng Yan Fangcai said, 'More than 40,000 people have spontaneously come to repair the canal', which is the effect that Liu Ying needs to achieve this toss.

Thinking of this, Liu Ying's face also swelled up with a little peace of mind.

"More than 40,000 ······"

"In addition, there are 30,000 official slaves in the Shaofu Mansion, and more than 70,000 private slaves in the families of the Hundred Officials and Meritorious Marquises?"

Seeing a little relief on Liu Ying's face, Yang Chengyan couldn't help but smile slightly.

"When nearly eighty thousand!"

Yang Chengyan only said a word, which finally made Liu Ying completely relaxed.

- Nearly 80,000 people, a full third more than the original plan of 60,000!

In other words, with 80,000 forced labor, the construction period in the original plan can also be shortened by at least 30%!

While Liu Ying was thinking about it, Yang Chengyan also spoke at the right time to confirm Liu Ying's inference.

"The family repaired Zheng Guoqu here, and it was supposed to be 60,000 laborers and nearly three months; However, with nearly 80,000 troops now served, the minister thought that the downstream silt excavation and the widening of the canals would only take two months. ”

"The silt downstream shall be dug from the beginning of September and shall be completed on the winter solstice; and the widening of the canals, or it may take only 20 days to ······"

Hearing this, Liu Ying finally breathed a sigh of relief, and immediately looked at Yangchengyan with a tentative face.

"In this way, when Zheng Guoqu's leniency is completed, it should be early November······"

"Shaofu thought that at that time, he might drive nearly 80,000 troops to make silicons with soft willows and gravel to pave the bottom of the Zhengguo Canal?"

Unexpectedly, hearing Liu Ying's words, the relaxed look on Yang Chengyan's face suddenly disappeared, and was replaced by a faint worry.

"At home."

"After November, Guanzhong, the bento is snowing heavily, and thousands of miles of ice are frozen······"

"In such a cold winter, driving force to take soft willow and gravel, and making it into silicon, I am afraid that it is the risk of frostbite and freezing to death?"

Hearing Yang Chengyan say this, Liu Ying's face couldn't help but stiffen.

"The meaning of Shaofu ······"

"What is done at the bottom of the canal and on the side of the canal, can't it be done in the wax moon?"

"If you don't go to Layue, when will you stay?"

Hearing this, Yang Chengyan couldn't help but think for a moment, and then said tentatively: "There are nearly 80,000 people in this family, of which more than half of the people from Weibei came spontaneously. ”

"With more than 40,000 servants, I am afraid that the family should not work too much?"

Seeing that Liu Ying's face was a little heavy and nodded, Yang Chengyan continued: "That is ······ so."

"Minister's will, the lunar month, the first month, the family can drive the young government officials and slaves, and take soft willows and gravel from all over Guanzhong."

"The gravel was temporarily transported to the south bank of Zhengguo Canal, and the soft willow was sent to the houses in Weibei."

"This February, the people of Weibei do not have to work outside, they only need to be at home, with the soft branches of the willow to get the seat, and before the spring of next year, they will bring the willow seat at home and return to Zhengguoqu."

"Then wrap it with gravel with this willow mat, roll it into silicon, roll it along the slope of the canal side to the bottom of the canal, and place it slightly."

After saying that, Yang Chengyan couldn't help lowering his head slightly, pretending to be thoughtful, but in fact, he secretly looked at Liu Ying's reaction from the corner of his eye.

"Spring February ······"

With a slight murmur, Liu Ying also fell into a short period of thought.

Indeed, as Yang Chengyan said, the lunar month and the first month are the coldest and driest seasons in Guanzhong in a year.

In the past two months, it is indeed inappropriate to drive the people of Weibei who came spontaneously to help repair the Zhengguo Canal to fold wicker and move gravel.

According to what Yang Chengyan said, it is not a good idea to let the officials and slaves of Shaofu fold wicker and move gravel, and let the people of Weibei weave wicker into a mat at home, and then send it to the banks of Zhengguo Canal in February to make it on the spot.

In this way, the paving of the upper reaches of the Zhengguo Canal with silicons and stone bricks should start in spring and February, and can be completed in spring and March at the latest.

At that time, the head of the Zhengguo canal will be reopened, so that the canal will be naturally washed by water for ten days and half a month, just in time for the end of March and early April, the season of spring plowing in Guanzhong.

"Hmmm······"

"If nothing else, my father's class teacher will return to the dynasty, it should be the summer and June of next year······"

After a little calculation, Liu Yingzhong also nodded a little hesitantly.

"That is, Shaofu thinks that this is the case, so be so."

"After the sediment is cleared and the channel is widened, the Weibei people will be sent home and the willows will be woven at home."

Seeing that Liu Ying agreed to adopt his suggestion, Yang Chengyan only nodded with relief.

After a while, Yang Chengyan made another look of wanting to say and stopped, as if he had something to say, but he didn't know where to start.

Seeing this, Liu Ying only shook her head and smiled: "Shaofu said bluntly, why do you want to be such a daughter?" ”

Seeing that Liu Ying was about to let out a light laugh for a while, Yang Chengyan couldn't help but stiffen twice, and then bowed his hand to Liu Ying with embarrassment.

"At home."

"I heard that outside the county of Lianlao, the Hou was built, and nearly 100,000 stones of grain were obtained?"

Seeing Yang Chengyan pretending not to know this question, Liu Ying couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly.

——The hundreds of thousands of stone grains that Liu Ying brought this time and handed over to his maternal uncle Lu Shizhi to take care of can be placed in the proposed granary outside Lianshu County in a bright and bright way!

What's more, the hundreds of thousands of stone grains have been used as rations by Liu Ying in the past 20 days, and nearly 30,000 stones have been sent out in order to the people of Weibei who spontaneously came to repair the canal.

As the chief engineer of the Zhengguo Canal renovation project, Yangcheng Yanneng didn't know about the existence of the hundreds of thousands of stone grains?

After only a little thought, Liu Ying also reacted: Yangcheng Yan had a deep meaning in his words, but he was afraid that he was eyeing those grains.

Thinking like this, Liu Ying couldn't help but laugh and got up, and looked at Yang Chengyan playfully for a while.

"How?"

"The rank of 2,000 stones in Shaofu's food, could it be that the family is also short of food for food?"

Hearing Liu Ying's words, Yang Chengyan only shook his head with an embarrassed face, and then sighed a little bitterly.

"I don't know at home."

"This time to renovate the Zheng Guo Canal, the Shaofu has 30,000 official slaves."

"In the past, the rations of 30,000 yuan for this official slave were all transferred from the prime minister's mansion to the treasury."

"However, this time, the slave food transferred by the Prime Minister is far less than the food of 30,000 official slaves."

"The ministers sent people to ask, and Xiao Xiangyan said: Your Majesty is leading the army outside, and the military food is still lacking, so it is really impossible to allocate the food used by the officials and slaves of the Shaofu."

Speaking of this, Yang Chengyan couldn't help but pause for a moment, entangled for a moment, and finally gritted his teeth secretly.

"Xiao Xiangyan said to the minister: The family is here to repair the Zheng Guoqu, and the queen has to adjust the rent and tax of the Marquis of this year, and the grain and rice are tens of thousands of stones."

"Therefore, the minister came here to ask for the grain obtained by the family to be used by the officials and slaves of the young government······"

After saying that, Yang Chengyan was full of apprehension and looked at Liu Ying's already somewhat stunned face.

I have to say that Yang Chengyan's remarks really caught Liu Ying off guard.

- Why did Liu Ying call the officials and slaves of the Shaofu instead of directly requisitioning the people?

Preventing the people from working hard and hurting money and maintaining the will of the people in Guanzhong is the key factor in this.

But the most important point is: to conscript the people, there must be food!

Just like what Liu Ying is doing now, every person who comes to the south bank of Zhengguo Canal and participates in the renovation of Zheng Guoqu has to eat!

On the other hand, the officials and slaves of the Shaofu are different.

If the people are toiled, the government will bear the rations of the young and strong in forced labor;

And the officials and slaves of the Shaofu, although they also have to transfer grain to the court as rations, but the rations of the officials and slaves of the Shaofu must be allocated no matter what!

To put it simply, this winter, the more than 30,000 official slaves in Shaofu, whether they were used by Liu Ying to renovate Zhengguo Canal, or used by Shaofu to mint three baht coins, or did nothing, eating and drinking all winter, they still needed the Prime Minister's Mansion to transfer grain from the treasury!

This is the reason why Liu Ying hit the abacus on the officials and slaves of the Shaofu at the beginning: there is no need to spend additional money and food.

The result is good now, Xiao He said 'there is no food to adjust', and the rations of more than 30,000 young government officials and slaves also fell on Liu Ying's shoulders.

If he had known this, why did Liu Ying recruit those young government officials and slaves who were like walking corpses, scolding and not leaving, and running away?

Anyway, we have to give food, so why not take the grain to 'levy' more people?

"Xiao He ······"

"It shouldn't have been deliberate, right?"

Thinking to herself, Liu Ying couldn't help but sigh slightly.

As the prime minister of the current dynasty, Xiao He is unlikely to do anything to 'deliberately embarrass the prince of the prison country and increase the difficulty of the renovation of Zheng Guoqu'.

In this way, it may be true as Xiao He said: Liu Bang's army is outside, the demand for grain and grass is huge, and the treasury is already a little stretched······

Thinking of this, Liu Ying finally raised her head again, and looked at Yang Chengyan's gaze, with a faint hint of cunning.

"Hey!"

"Exactly!"

After making up her mind, Liu Ying stepped forward with a warm smile and patted the side of Yang Chengyan's big arm comfortingly.

"Don't worry about Shaofu."

"That is, the treasury is unable to adjust grain, so he repaired a letter to tell the marquis: 30,000 stone of grain and rice for the rations of the officials and slaves of the Shaofu."

Seeing Liu Ying agreeing so happily, Yang Chengyan was overjoyed, and was about to get up and give his hand, but saw Liu Ying turn around thoughtfully, and muttered: "Xiao Xiang······"

"It shouldn't be······"

"In the past, Shaofu and Xiao Xiang had a very personal relationship, but now Shaofu has something to do, how can Xiao Xiang shirk it······"