As if he was thirsty after what he just said, Zhao Duan picked up the tea cup and took a few sips. Then he looked at the spring rain that was still falling outside the pavilion and sighed.
"Why did my father sigh?"
Zhao Ming asked.
Zhao Duan looked at the rainy scene outside the pavilion and murmured: "The season when all things flourish represents new life, but for the people, isn't it the most difficult time?"
Zhao Ming was stunned for a moment, but then he also reacted.
Yes, that's right.
For most officials, spring may be a good season. They don't have to worry about food or drink. In their free time, they gather with friends to drink tea and listen to the rain. It's so happy.
But for ordinary people, spring and summer are the most difficult seasons.
The old food is gone, and the new food has just been planted.
Most people need to find supplements in other ways to survive this period of time, and they can only breathe a sigh of relief when food is available in autumn.
The spring and summer of each year are also the times most prone to accidents in various places in the Song Dynasty.
Sometimes accidents are not just caused by man-made disasters.
Floods in spring and droughts in summer are the things that people fear most.
Every time at this time, the court would always spend a large sum of money for disaster relief, making the finances that had just been loosened become tense again.
But this does not completely solve the problem.
Many times, there are still some people who choose to take desperate risks and do unspeakable things in order to survive.
But this is not because the court did not provide relief, but because the relief money and food were not fully delivered to the people who deserved relief.
Zhao Duan knew this very well.
Ten percent of the relief money and food went to the local government, and if only fifty percent was left, they were showing mercy.
But in order to stabilize the balance, Zhao Duan could only pretend not to know.
"Father, is there another disaster?"
Zhao Ming asked cautiously.
Zhao Duan shook his head, looked back from outside the pavilion, remained silent for a while and then said: "Although the embankment on the north bank of the Bianhe River in Bian'an County was built last year.
However, Lin Yue, the minister of the Ministry of Industry who is responsible for the construction, has always been greedy. I am worried that the construction of the river embankment last year was just a shoddy project. I have no idea how much of the allocated money and food will be used on the river embankment.
The trial period is coming soon. When the water level of the Bianhe River rises, if the embankment is damaged and the water pours down, I am afraid that millions of people in Bian'an will become refugees again!
Last year, the rebellion in the four southeastern counties had just been put down, but the anger in the hearts of the people was not all gone.
If the dikes in Bian'an really burst and floods occur this year, and millions more people are affected by the disaster, I'm afraid that someone with a heart will wipe out the east, and the entire southeast will be in chaos again.
and……"
"Furthermore, Bian'an is too close to the capital and too close to northern Hunan. No matter where these millions of refugees flow, they will be an unacceptable and huge threat to the Song Dynasty."
Zhao Ming took up the topic.
“Most of the food supply in the entire north comes from the four counties of Xiangbei, Bian’an, Guanzhong and Nanyang.
If something happened in Bian'an and spread to northern Hunan, the entire grain-producing area in the northern part of the Song Dynasty would be reduced by half!
This will be a huge crisis for the Song Dynasty.
If this year is the same as last year and there is another severe drought, then the entire north will be trapped in a food shortage!
This is fatal to the Northern Song Dynasty! "
Zhao Duan nodded: "One move can affect the whole body. The impact on Bian'an affects not only Bian'an."
Zhao Mingdang said immediately: "Why don't my father take advantage of the deadline to send another capable general to Bian'an to rebuild the river embankment? Even if it is too late to rebuild the river embankment, it would be good to reinforce it.
At the very least, the risk of embankment collapse must be minimized! "
"It's so easy to be indifferent!"
Zhao Duan sighed, frowned and said, "I didn't know that Lin Yue was a idiot at the beginning, so why did I let him go?
Since he came from the Ministry of Industry, it was natural for him to leave.
Secondly, he himself is a member of the Lin family in Qu County, Bian'an. When he goes to Bian'an, he can have more ability to mobilize local manpower and material resources. Even if the property will be swallowed up by it, the remaining ones can still do things.
If we had gone anywhere else, we might not even be able to build embankments! "
"how so?"
Zhao Ming asked.
A cold light flashed in Zhao Duan's eyes, and he said coldly: "Aristocratic family!
The largest aristocratic family in Bian'an County is the Zhao family in Chen County!
There is a saying in the local area that in Bian'an, as long as it is something that the Zhao family likes, he is not the Zhao family now, but he will be the Zhao family sooner or later!
The Zhao family is a long-established family that has been inherited for nearly seven hundred years. It can be said that it is extremely powerful in the entire Bian'an. No matter what industry it is in, you can see the Zhao family's hands stretching back and forth.
As long as the Zhao family opposes it, even if the king of heaven goes away, you still won't be able to do it. The Zhao family will attack you from all aspects, making it impossible for you to do anything.
Except for the money allocated by the imperial court for disaster relief, nearly half of it will fall into the hands of the Zhao family when it enters Bian'an.
This is because Lin Yue's Lin family is also a small aristocratic family in Bian'an. Otherwise, if the Zhao family can take it all directly, there will be no food to help the people. "
"So, if the imperial court sends other people there, not only will they not be able to retain any money or food, but those officials who have no local roots will not be able to mobilize any manpower and material resources locally.
Is this the reason why my father, knowing Lin Yue's character, could only send him there?
He could at least do something if he went there, but if it were someone else, nothing at all? "
Zhao Duan nodded.
"Then we can't just let the situation develop like this!
If the hearing period really comes, Bian'an will suffer heavy losses! " Zhao Ming said anxiously.
Zhao Duan didn't move at all, he was unusually calm.
"Ming'er, as the prince, the most important thing you should do is to keep calm. Even if you are impatient, what can you do if you can't get in? Bian'an's hand still can't get in."
Zhao Duan even began to reprimand his prince.
Zhao Ming frowned and asked, "Then what should we do now?"
"wait!"
"wait?"
"That's right, just wait!" Zhao Duan affirmed.
"What are you waiting for?" Zhao Ming asked.
"Waiting for your sixth brother to defeat the Japanese army!"
"Why?"
In this world, force is the best assistant in doing things.
The Japanese issue is still on the southeastern border and is not that urgent.
But the matter of Bian'an is the most urgent.
The Forbidden Army cannot move. There are too many forces watching the Forbidden Army, and any movement will alert everyone.
Therefore, only the Japanese troops who were fighting against Japan, and those who happened to be heading to northern Jiangsu, could catch Bian'an by surprise if they suddenly arrived in Bian'an.
After the Ping Japanese troops entered Bian'an and controlled the situation, the court could quickly move in and transport manpower and material resources in, so that they could have the opportunity to repair the river embankments. " Zhao Duan explained.
Zhao Ming frowned and said:
"But the Japanese army cannot stay in Bian'an forever. According to what my father said, the Zhao family cannot tolerate this.
The Ping Japanese army will inevitably be suppressed from all aspects.
Wherever the Zhao family belongs, the Ping Japanese army is just a lone army, and everything they need must be purchased from the local area. If the Zhao family tries to do anything here, they will probably be restrained immediately.
If an army loses its logistics, it will be extremely dangerous! "
"Others can do it, but Ping Japanese Army can't?"
"?"
Zhao Ming was stunned.
Zhao Duan smiled slightly and said, "Don't you think I don't know that Feiyun Chamber of Commerce belongs to Lao Liu?
Feiyun Chamber of Commerce has been able to flourish and expand throughout the Song Dynasty in recent years. Without my permission and secret help, it would have been impossible for it to grow to its current level.
Those big trading houses in the Song Dynasty that had people behind them would nip it in the bud from the beginning.
Originally, I was thinking of taking it into my hands once it reaches a certain scale.
But since the sixth child is capable, how can I, as a father, snatch things from my son? "
"What my father means is that Feiyun Trading Company can meet the logistics requirements for pacifying the Japanese army?"
"Don't underestimate it!
Our sixth brother has used this firm to get involved in many industries.
In the past two years, Lao Liu didn't know where he got that much food. Feiyun Trading Company may be short of other things, but in terms of food reserves, it dares to be ranked second, and no other trading company dares to be ranked first! "
"It's so terrifying!"
Zhao Ming was shocked!
Zhao Duan nodded firmly.
“I have become increasingly unable to see through Lao Liu’s behavior over the past few years.
It's far away after all.
I would like to visit Yunzhou County if I have a chance.
I want to borrow Lao Liu's hand for many things, but I don't know the details, but I don't dare to do anything for fear that he is not strong enough. "
Zhao Ming was even more shocked that his father actually wanted to go to Yunzhou County, but... he was the emperor!
If he left Bianjing, it would undoubtedly be a big earthquake for the Song Dynasty!
"Father, please think twice about this matter!"
Zhao Duan shook his head and reassured: "Don't worry, I won't go there in a big way, and I also know that I can't leave Beijing at will.
I will arrange everything and find another opportunity. "
However, Zhao Ming was very worried: "Father, not only the imperial court, but also those lunatics from the sect have relied on the King of Zhenxi to control the situation in recent years, so those sect members do not dare to enter the capital.
If you leave without King Zhenxi's intimidation, and if those people from the sect find out, I'm afraid you will be in danger along the way! "
When Zhao Duan heard this, a cold light flashed in his eyes. He snorted coldly and said coldly: "The sect members are trying to threaten us, the Song Dynasty, by relying on personal force! Xia uses force to break the ban! Sooner or later, I will step on his mountain gate. Ping, uprooted!
You can rest assured on this point, I will be free to make arrangements when the time comes, you just need to cooperate with me. "
"How to cooperate?"
Zhao Ming was confused.
"You'll know when the time comes."
…
It’s the tenth day of April, sunny.
Half a month has passed since Le County left. During this half month, the Japanese troops passed through two or three counties.
In the past half month, the Ping Japanese army has been asking for food from the local area, but various problems have always occurred. It is either missing or gone.
The problem always lies with the local family and county government.
These incidents made Li Dingguo realize how corrupt the Song Dynasty was today.
All the local forces no longer looked down upon the imperial court at all.
He ran rampant in the local area and did all kinds of illegal things, almost becoming a local emperor.
But they met the Taira Japanese army who came specially to clean the house.
Li Dingguo would not let them get used to him. He would kill them all the way and kill them with heads rolling in. Kill until the rivers of blood flow!
As time went by, these messages finally reached Bianjing.
It caused an uproar!
…
(End of chapter)
