Just when Jia Heng was comforting the generals in Guide Mansion and inspecting the embankments along the river—
Four days later, Huai'an, Qingjiangpu
The official hall of the Hedao Governor's Office was crowded with people. Today was undoubtedly another sunny day, and the weather was even a little hot and humid.
Gao Bin, the governor of the river, looked down at the left deputy capital censor Shi Pengpan who was sitting next to the small table.
"Master Peng, we have checked the accounts that need to be checked. When will we return? I would like to see you off." Gao Bin put down the tea cup and looked at the middle-aged official opposite with a smile.
In the past few days, Peng Hua, the deputy chief censor on the left, checked some old accounts of Hedao Street Gate, but found nothing happened.
In fact, it is impossible, because how much of the money used for river work is originally a confusing account. There will definitely not be many problems with the account books on the bright side, because the imperial court sends people every year Verify.
Peng Hua, the left deputy imperial censor, was wearing a scarlet official robe with a handsome face. He said with a smile: "Master Gao, please don't rush to issue an order to expel guests. I heard that the text from Henan has reached Hetai again, and the world has fallen in front of Henan." It’s been raining heavily, and it hasn’t stopped raining in the past two days. I wonder if it will continue to rain in the past few days?”
Gao Bin shook his head and said, "After summer, rain is not a normal thing. Besides, I heard that Hedong Street Gate was urgently repairing embankments. I don't know where people are usually. The former Governor of Hedao and the Governor of Henan have both Corruption and other things.”
When Peng Hua heard this, a coldness flashed deep in his eyes, and he said in a deep voice: "Former Henan Governor Zhou Dezhen was caught in the hands of thieves. Mr. Gao, the dead man is the most important.
Whether it was the governor of Hedong or the governor of Henan, they were all members of the Qi Party. Naturally, Peng Hua was not happy to hear this.
However, since the Deputy River of the Qi Party is gone, there is no need for the existence of the River Governor of the Zhejiang Party.
"Once the river embankment bursts, I don't know how many people will suffer floods and die. Aren't the lives of the people not great?" Gao Bin snorted coldly and said: "As for the Jianghuai land, even if there are continuous plum rains, there are rarely floods in previous years. Even if When there is a flood, the embankments along the Nanhe River can also block it."
Yude, the censor of Youqiandu, smiled and smoothed things over by saying, "The river embankment has been strengthened, so we are prepared for any trouble. We have been away from Beijing for almost half a year, so it's time to return to Beijing to resume our duties."
Peng Ye said: "My lord, the river affairs are urgent."
Yu De was startled at first, then he smiled and said, "I have been away from home for nearly half a year, so I feel a little homesick, but the court's river affairs are still important."
At this moment, the sky suddenly changed. Everyone in the official hall was stunned, and then they stood up from their seats and looked at the dark sky that suddenly became gloomy.
"Click..."
Accompanied by a flash of lightning, followed by a "rumbling" sound of thunder, there was a sudden storm between the sky and the earth, and heavy rain fell. After a while, the sky became dark and there were strong winds and rain.
"Whoosh..."
The raindrops fell quickly, and after a while, the rain was pouring down, and the wind and rain were like darkness.
Peng Ye glanced at Gao Bin, the governor of Nanhe, and said meaningfully: "Master Gao, I guess I can't leave. I have to report to the court. There is rain in the Jianghuai River, so be on guard against the summer floods."
Gao Bin looked a little gloomy and said solemnly: "The embankment can block a major flood that occurs once in thirty years. Since Mr. Peng is willing to stay, then let's stay."
At this moment, a clerk came from outside. He hurriedly entered the official hall and said with cupped hands, "Sir Gao, there is an urgent delivery from the Henan Governor's Yamen, saying that your Excellency should go to Xuzhou to discuss flood prevention matters."
Gao Bin frowned, took the official document, read it, and said in a deep voice: "I understand, I will leave for Xuzhou immediately tomorrow."
After saying that, he looked at Yu De and Peng Ye and said, "I have to go to the back hall to write a memorial to the court, and then I have to go to Xuzhou, so I'll excuse you."
"Easy to say, easy to say." Yu De nodded.
Peng Ye, the deputy censor on the left, had a sneer on his lips, his eyes flashing with thought.
He couldn't see how much trouble there was on the river embankment, but Du Jitong reminded him that there were a lot of things that could be done on the river embankment, including cutting corners and shoddy materials. On the surface, there was no problem at all, but in reality, there was a flood.
No one can say how much impact it can withstand when it comes.
As for the account books, it is difficult to check them. Who knows how much extra soil was used? It's not easy to calculate at all.
"Master Gao, stay here. Now there is a risk of flooding during the plum rain. As an imperial envoy to patrol the river, we should also go to Xuzhou to negotiate with Hedong." Peng Ye suddenly said.
Gao Bin's expression changed, he turned to look at Peng Ye, and said solemnly: "If Mr. Peng wants to go, then just follow him."
After saying that, he walked away.
Returning to the study, he finished writing the memorial at his desk and reported the rain to Shenjing. He raised his head from behind the desk and said to the scribe, "Go home first."
I hope it won’t rain for too long, Gao Bin thought as he left the Hetai Yamen and returned to his mansion. He was just about to go to the flower hall along the Chaoshou corridor. At this moment, Mrs. Zheng walked out of the flower hall in the backyard, stood under the eaves of the corridor, and asked urgently He said, "Master, why did it rain again today?"
Gao Bin's face was gloomy, like the cloudy sky outside, and he said in a deep voice: "After cleaning up, sir, I want to go to Xuzhou to discuss flood prevention with the Huangkou boy."
The governors of the two rivers, one party convened to discuss river affairs, but the other party did not come. If there are affairs in the future, they will not be able to go around.
"Little boy with a yellow mouth, little boy with a yellow mouth." A parrot hanging under the eaves of the corridor chirped, and the parrot imitated. After Mrs. Zheng ordered her maids to get busy, she said worriedly: "Master, with such a heavy rain, nothing will happen, right?"
"What could happen? The river embankments are solid and solid. Anyone who comes will say it's no big deal."
Gao Bin said unhappily and said in a deep voice: "However, I am afraid that the Huaihe River will also flood. I will write a letter first and send it to my brother."
If there is really a problem, there will be people in the court who can help him speak.
In the summer of the fifteenth year of Chongping, as the Huainan land followed the Central Plains, there was a torrential rain. In the next five days, the entire northern provinces of the Han Dynasty also experienced heavy rains one after another, and this heavy rain seemed to envelope the whole country. Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi, and even the land of Guanzhong are shrouded in rain and fog, as if the rain that has not fallen in several years is coming back all at once.
To this day, all the kings and ministers in the court know that the heavy rain has become a foregone conclusion, and all the sneaky thoughts before have been washed away by the rain.
Shenjing City, Palace Garden
The majestic and majestic Kunning Palace is shrouded in rain and fog. Looking from a distance, the rain curtain is heavy and shadows are blurred.
"Tick-tock, tick-tock..." The raindrops condensed from the eaves of the palace hall merged into a trickle, and fell down in streams, flowing on the Danbi. The water washed away was spotless, and the light was discernible.
Thunder and lightning appeared from time to time, illuminating the slightly dim palace. The yellow curtains in the palace rose with the sound of "woo woo" wind coming through the vermilion windows, and the flames of the palace lanterns swayed left and right. , bursts of "squeaking" sounds sounded in the empty hall.
However, neither the eunuch nor the palace maid came to close the window.
"Your Majesty, we have lunch. It's already cold." Accompanied by a fragrant wind that smelled like orchids and musk deer, Empress Song came dressed in a light yellow dress and walked towards her with a look of concern on her soft jade face. Standing with his hands behind his back, Emperor Chongping looked at the rain curtain in the palace garden.
The middle-aged emperor had been looking at it for half an hour.
"Zitong." Emperor Chongping turned around, frowning and looking worried.
After experiencing the mistake of "Qian Gang is arbitrary and against all opinions", the hidden knot in his heart has faded a little, but the middle-aged emperor is worried about the impact of this heavy rain on the counties and counties where the Yellow River flows. The influence of northern farming.
"Your Majesty, it's windy here. Let me follow my concubine to have lunch." Empress Song supported Emperor Chongping's arm, with a faint smile on her dignified and gorgeous face, and her soft voice sounded like she wanted to Soothing the emperor's depressed mood.
Emperor Chongping nodded, and with the support of Empress Song, he walked towards the palace. Behind him, Xia Shouzhong, the eunuch of the Sixth Palace, waved to several eunuchs and maids who had been waiting for a long time. The doors and windows behind him were closed one after another.
Emperor Chongping sat down in the Xinuang Pavilion in the palace and said: "Ziyu's memorial yesterday said that the river embankments in Xiao County and Dangshan are being repaired urgently, but they will not be completely completed until the end of this month. I don't know if they can stop the floods of the Yellow River. "
The problem of the Yellow River is not the rain in Henan, but the places along it. The small rivers all converge to the Yellow River, and then the nine bends carry a large amount of silt and siltation in the river, and it flows all the way to Henan and the Yangtze River and Huaihe River. The terrain is flat, and then it floods. The river bank collapsed.
"Ziyu is in Henan, and there is an army in the capital, and there are millions of stones of grain and rice in Taicang, Luoyang. I think it won't be a big deal." Empress Song had a soft face, pursed her pink lips, and spoke words of comfort.
"As for Henan, with Ziyu in charge, I'm actually not too worried." Emperor Chongping nodded, sat down, washed his hands in the washbasin brought by the female officer, pondered for a moment, and said, "I'm still a little worried about Huainan. In a land with the Huaihe River, the area affected by this rain is too large, so we must not make any mistakes."
Empress Song prepared chopsticks for Emperor Chongping, handed them over, and said, "Your Majesty has sent people to patrol the river embankment many times to monitor the summer floods. I guess there won't be any mistakes."
"It's hard to say how effective what I said in Shenjing will be in the local area." Emperor Chongping said: "Besides, the heavy rains turned into floods. Something really went wrong. How many of them were natural disasters and how many were man-made disasters? It will be different in the future. Waiting to shirk responsibility."
During the Kangxi Dynasty in parallel time and space, the river governor Jin Fu was regulating the Yellow River. A breach occurred in the process, which later proved to be a natural disaster. The idea of water control was not wrong, but it attracted criticism from some courtiers, saying that the idea of water control was wrong. After several battles, In the end, Jin Fu retained his position as River Governor.
Later, Kangxi was worried that he had hired the wrong person and asked Jin Fu to punish the river. This would not damage the saint's wisdom.
Emperor Chongping ate the food and said, "The day before yesterday, Ziyu sent some sweet potatoes and roasted them. They are indeed sweet and delicious. I wonder how the yield will be if we continue to plant them?"
Empress Song said softly: "Your Majesty, I have people watching in the back garden. When the harvest comes, the yield will be seen."
Emperor Chongping nodded and said: "If there are dozens of stones, even a dozen stones, the fear of famine in the north will no longer be there, and the people will be able to eat, and the people's will will be settled."
Come to think of it, at that time there would not have been a civil uprising in Runing, Henan, which would have started a prairie fire and caused chaos in Henan.
"Your Majesty has eaten, and my concubine has made up her mind." Empress Song chuckled lightly and told a joke. This beauty, known as the Snow Beauty, has a gentle charm between her eyebrows and eyes, which is like the evening breeze of a summer night. The fragrance of flowers is warm and intoxicating.
When Emperor Chongping heard this, he couldn't help but laugh. Looking at Queen Song's beautiful and soft jade face, he couldn't help but feel a warm current in his heart, and whispered: "Okay, I'm a little hungry now."
He said that he was going to have lunch.
"Your Majesty, the cabinet and the military department have arrived at the Hanyuan Hall." At this moment, Dai Quan, the Prime Minister of the Daming Palace, entered the hall, bowed to Emperor Chongping and spoke, his voice gradually getting softer as he spoke.
What time has it been? Why hasn’t Your Majesty had lunch yet?
Emperor Chongping immediately put down his chopsticks and said, "Zitong, I went to see some ministers first."
Empress Song's pink lips twitched and she said, "Your Majesty, please eat this bowl of porridge first. It's not too hot." "No, it won't be too late to come over and eat later." Emperor Chongping said as he got up.
Seeing the back of Emperor Chongping leaving in a hurry, the beauty's beautiful jade face was filled with sadness, and finally a gentle sigh sounded in the Nuan Pavilion.
In Hanyuan Hall, all the cabinet ministers and ministers from the Military Aircraft Department were waiting in the hall. It was raining continuously outside and the sound of ticking could be heard.
The faces of the officials in the palace were also gloomy. I'll do it today!
"Your Majesty has arrived." Accompanied by Dai Quan's voice outside the palace, a middle-aged emperor, surrounded by several eunuchs, strode into the palace and sat on a golden chair.
All the ministers looked solemn and bowed to Emperor Chongping one after another.
"Your Majesty, no courtesy." Emperor Chongping looked at the familiar faces below, feeling a cold feeling in his heart. At this moment, the joy of "everyone is drunk and I am alone awake" has gradually faded away, and there is only deep concern about the embankment of the Yellow River in my heart.
"Memories from Henan, Huaiyang, and other northern provinces have been delivered to the capital. In the past few days, the whole land of the Han Dynasty, north and south, seems to have returned all at once the rain that had not fallen in the past few years." Emperor Chongping's clear and cold words The sound resounded throughout the hall, making the officials in the hall feel trembling.
He looked at Yang Guochang with bright eyes and asked, "Yang Qing, what did you say?" At the end of his words, his eyes became a bit gloomy and uncertain.
Yang Guochang's face was uncertain, and he cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I think that we should send important officials from the imperial court to inspect the river embankment, and at the same time strictly order all prefectures and counties to beware of flood disasters."
Zhao Mo, the Secretary of the Ministry of Punishment, looked stunned, frowned, and sighed in his heart.
It can be said that people are suspicious of life under the rain these days. It rains when it says it rains. The Northland reports to the cabinet one after another that heavy rains have affected the busy farming. If it is not the emergency harvest of summer grain, but if it continues like this, I don’t know. Will it delay autumn planting?
"You're still sending important officials?" Emperor Chongping said with a surprised look on his face, and said in a deep voice, "Isn't the left deputy censor Peng Ye still in Huai'an now?"
Yang Guochang's heart sank, and he cupped his hands and said, "I would like to go to Henan and Huaiyang in person to inspect the river embankments."
Emperor Chongping looked at Yang Guochang, pondered for a moment, and said, "It's raining continuously and torrentially, and the roads are muddy. At Yang Qing's age, there are many inconveniences on the road."
"Although I am old, I am willing to work hard for the king." Yang Guochang said in a calm voice.
Emperor Chongping was silent for a moment and said slowly: "With Jia Ziyu sitting in Henan, there should be no danger. My only worry is Nanhe."
Yang Guochang: ""
The corner of Han Huang's mouth twitched and his eyes darkened a little. After this incident, the emperor's reliance on Yong Ningbo was indeed increased.
Nanhe has obviously repaired the river embankment, but is worried. However, Henan is said to be still repairing the river embankment, but the emperor seems to be at ease.
At this time, Zhao Mo, Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishment, pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I was once the chief envoy in Jiangzuo, and also patrolled the south of the Yangtze River. I would like to go to Nanhe to sit in command."
Previously, we lost some points in front of the emperor because of Yong Ningbo's matter, so we should go south to check it out.
Emperor Chongping said: "Then Zhao Qing will go to Nanhe to take charge. If there is a breach of the embankment, he can coordinate with Qi Kun in Jinling for emergency response."
In fact, I wanted to send Jia Heng to have full power to oversee river affairs, but in Huai'an, most of them were members of the Qi and Zhejiang Party. There were many constraints and it was not possible to have Zhao Mo, the former governor of Jiangnan, so it would be more appropriate to go and take charge.
Zhao Mo cupped his hands and said, "Wei Chen will leave immediately."
So the Chen and Han court sent another cabinet minister south, and the whole Huaiyang land suddenly became turbulent. Then, Emperor Chongping asked about the military reorganization policy in Peiping and border towns.
In the summer of the fifteenth year of Chongping in the Han Dynasty, the world's attention was suddenly focused on the Yellow River, Huaihe River and other places.
--
---
Xuzhou, known as Pengcheng in ancient times, can be said to be the gateway to Jinling. It has been a battleground for military strategists since ancient times. There have been many wars in history. The Nanhe River and the Donghe River are managed in sections, and Xuzhou is the junction.
At this moment, in the official hall of Xuzhou Zhizhou Yamen, Xuzhou Zhizhou Ju Changnian, as the master of this place, had already given way to the official hall where he worked, and carefully ordered the scribes in the Yamen to serve tea to several officials.
This Jinshi of Enke in the first year of Chongping, who is in his thirties, slightly short in stature and with slightly chubby cheeks, is standing in a corner, looking at all the court officials present, and the atmosphere is a bit strange.
The distinction between the two is clear and even tense. On the left is the military minister of the current dynasty wearing a python suit, the deputy envoy of the Jingying Camp, the Minister of the Ministry of War, the governor of Henan... Yongning Bojia Heng, and on the left is the Henan counselor Feng Lian. On the right side is Guanhe Tongzhi Guan Shoufang of Hedao Yamen.
What is striking is that behind these few people there are a large number of imperial guards wearing flying fish suits and embroidered spring knives, making the atmosphere even more solemn.
On the other side, there are Du Jitong, the governor of rivers and water transport, Peng Ye, the censor of the deputy capital on the left, and Yu De, the censor of the capital of Qian on the right.
No one touched the tea on the small table.
There was a heavy rain curtain outside the official hall, and the rain was pouring down. Because the optical fiber was dim, candles were lit in the official hall.
Jia Heng stared at Gao Bin opposite and said, "Master Gao, can the embankments from Xuzhou to Huai'an and the embankments along the Huai River stop this flood?"
Until now, there is a high probability of flooding.
This was the first time Gao Bin saw the young man opposite him, and he was surprised at how young he was, but his expression was calm and composed.
Ruo said: "Master Peng and Master Yu are both here, the river embankment...
"I'm asking you now." Jia Heng interrupted unceremoniously. Gao Bin frowned, feeling a little unhappy, and secretly cursed for being domineering.
In terms of rank, he wanted to look down on the person in front of him, but he couldn't look at it this way. When it came to being responsible for river management, he was the main river, and the young man in front of him was just a subsidiary river, especially the downstream areas.
Jia Heng said: "Huaiyang is a land of great wealth for our Han Dynasty, with abundant products. I need to know the situation of the river embankments in Huaiyang and other places. If there is a risk of a breach, prepare in advance in the middle and upper reaches. When it is time to blow up the embankments to release floods, If we need to blow up embankments to release floods, we need to evacuate people early."
When you really have no choice, you can only do this.
Save the land and lose the people, everyone and the land will be lost. Save the people and lose the land, and everyone and the land will survive.
Xu Kai's eyes were fixed, and his thoughts were incomprehensible. The two river governors were at odds, which was a disaster rather than a blessing for the river affairs.
Gao Bin, the governor of the river, looked unhappy and said in a deep voice: "Uncle Yongning, I have been the governor of the river for many years, but I don't know what blowing up the embankment is! The two censors have inspected the embankment and are here today. They can also bear witness." , but it is the section of the dike and weir in Henan. Xiaguan heard that the river embankment is broken, and is still stepping up repairs. If manpower and material resources are needed, sir, please let me know in advance, so as not to burst from the middle reaches, flood the prefectures and counties, and change the course of the Yellow River. This is no joke. of."
Seeing the confrontation between the two, the left deputy imperial censor Peng Ye's eyes were deep. Jia Heng's childish arrogance was so arrogant that the court even rebuked Prime Minister Yang, and even the river governor looked down upon him.
But right now, they are just sitting on the mountain watching the fight between tigers and tigers.
Jia Heng said: "I have sent people to supervise the construction of the river embankment. This flood cannot submerge the canal and affect water transportation. Governor Du is also here today. Mr. Du is the governor of Huaiyang. Do you have any opinions?"
Du Jitong was an old man in his fifties. He was wearing a crimson official robe and had a gray beard under his chin. He twirled his beard, chuckled, and said, "Uncle Yongning, there must be nothing wrong with the section of the Yellow River where the water transport is carried." , but I don’t know much about river affairs, so the two of you can just discuss it. If local officials need to cooperate with the flood control, I can write to all prefectures and counties in the name of the Huaiyang Governor’s Yamen, and even the Governor’s Yamen of Liangjiang.”
Gao Bin sneered and said: "In the past, Xiaguan and Hedong Yamen usually took care of their own stalls, but when there was a river flood, they discussed it together. Now there is no river flood. However, Xiaguan is quite puzzled. The Huaihe River The embankment has been built for a long time and has been reinforced and repaired every year. The Henan section is in dilapidated condition. The Henan section should not be discussed now."
This kid made a fool of himself and rashly intervened in river affairs before he had even taken care of his own affairs.
If the embankment really breaks, it will be Kaifeng Prefecture and Guide Prefecture in Henan Province that break the embankment first. When the middle reaches collapse, the lower reaches will be safe.
Seeing that the atmosphere was a little tense, Yu De smoothed things over and said, "Master Jia, the river affairs can be discussed slowly."
As a minister who had been a commoner from Jia Heng to today, looking at the young man across from him, he felt complicated in his heart.
In the past, it could be said that Wu Xun was Wu Xun. Wu Xun was always very fast, but now he is already the Minister of the Ministry of War and the Governor of Henan...
At this time, pretending to be silent, Xuzhou Zhizhou accompanied him and said with a smile: "My lords, it seems that it is already noon. I have prepared some food and wine. How about we eat and talk?"
Du Jitong, the governor of water transport, smiled and said, "It's already noon after all this." Jia Heng didn't continue to ask, and everyone started to have lunch.
In the afternoon, there was another discussion and a river affairs meeting, but no substantive results were discussed. But it is generally determined that each management will take charge of its own business, and in case of danger, we will discuss how to deal with it together in Xuzhou.
