"Discharge the flood..."
Su Yonglin frowned and muttered this unfriendly term, feeling inexplicably heavy in his heart.
Flood discharge is one of the methods to prevent and control floods. When the flood is too large to make conventional means useless, it is necessary to divert flood discharge in some areas to reduce the risk of flooding on main roads and save the overall situation by flooding in one place.
Of course, this is good for the overall situation, but it is obviously not so friendly to the local area where the flood is released.
However, this method has been one of the methods of water control until modern times. Before the emergence of more effective water control methods, this is the last resort and the ultimate method.
After discussion, the General Headquarters of the Renaissance Society decided that if the problem is too big and the rain cannot stop, then certain areas should be selected for active flood discharge to reduce the overall risk.
"Flood release is the ultimate resort, not a solution. No matter what, we must not rush to release the flood before we are completely helpless. We must do our best and cannot hold anything back."
Su Yonglin thought for a while and then said: "I will stay in Kaifeng to handle government affairs during this period until the rainy season passes. If there is anything you cannot decide during this period, report it directly to me and I will decide it myself."
"Won't this delay things? Alang, if you stay away from Zhongdu..."
"Nothing will happen in Zhongdu, but something may happen in Kaifeng. If something happens in Kaifeng, I won't be stable in Zhongdu. It's better to just stay in Kaifeng and go back after the problem is solved. Don't have any worries and do your best."
"I understand and I'll do my best."
Tian Guizi relaxed and went all out.
As time goes by, the rain in Henan continues unabated, sometimes stopping, sometimes thunder and lightning, and heavy rain.
The old flood soldiers in Taohuayu warned many times that the Yellow River embankments in Huazhou, Caozhou and Shanzhou were in danger many times. The local young and strong troops gathered and went all out, but there was still a lack of manpower. The officials of the three places repeatedly reported to the general headquarters. Ask for help.
So Tian Guizi issued an order, and the Henan Corps dispatched troops to stand on the Yellow River embankments in Huazhou, Caozhou and Sanzhou. The army took the lead, supplemented by auxiliary soldiers and civilians, to fully heighten and strengthen the Yellow River embankments to avoid flooding.
By August 21st, the water level of the Yellow River continued to rise, and the three state embankments were teetering on the verge of collapse. Su Yonglin was in danger of flooding. Su Yonglin could no longer sit still.
So he decided to go to Huazhou in person, where the situation was most dangerous, and ignored Tian Guizi's obstruction and went to Huazhou Yellow River embankment to inspect.
The person who led the army to stay here was the division commander Xu Ang of the Second Division of the Entrapment Army under the Henan Corps.
At that time, he served as the guard general of Anxi County when Wanyan Liang went south, ensuring that Xi County was not lost. Later, he made many military exploits during the counterattack and killed several Jin generals, so he was promoted and established in the Henan Corps. When he was in the army, he was promoted to division commander, followed Zhang Yuejing into Henan, and then garrisoned in Henan.
This time, after learning that the headquarters had ordered to defend the Sanzhou Embankment to the death, many troops of the Henan Corps actively requested a fight. Xu Ang took the lead in requesting a fight and received permission to lead 10,000 soldiers from the Second Division to the Huazhou Embankment for emergency support.
The person who stayed here at that time was He Dong, the magistrate of Baima County in Huazhou and a member of Fuxing. After Xu Ang led the troops to help, he and He Dong fought hand in hand with more than 30,000 auxiliary soldiers and civilians for more than half a month, and visited the front line several times. Carrying sandbags to strengthen the river embankment, the Huazhou Embankment never collapsed.
On August 22, Su Yonglin went to Huazhou Embankment to inspect.
At that time, the rain was gradually stopping, and Su Yonglin didn't care about anything else. He immediately asked more than a thousand of his accompanying guards to rush forward to fight alongside the soldiers and civilians of Huazhou, and together they took advantage of this period to reinforce and heighten the embankment.
The news that the emperor personally visited the embankment and sent the imperial guards to help build the embankment inspired people's hearts. The troops and civilians who stood here were immediately inspired and rushed to the embankment together, working enthusiastically.
Su Yonglin braved the heavy rain and boarded the embankment in person, accompanied by Tian Guizi, Xu Ang and He Dong. Looking at the turbulent Yellow River water in the embankment, Su Yonglin felt that the problem was quite serious.
If the levee fails and the raging Yellow River pours out, Huazhou will become a Zeguo in an instant.
He turned around and said to Xu Ang and He Dong beside him: "The water is too strong. We must not abandon the Huazhou Embankment unless we have to. Otherwise, not only Huazhou will suffer, but also several surrounding state capitals will be destroyed. The number of victims will not be less than Three hundred thousand households! Remember, abandoning the Huazhou Levee is a last resort! It’s a last resort!”
Xu Ang immediately expressed his opinion.
"General will never leave the dike until people are around and the dike is completely safe. If the dike is lost, there is no need for His Majesty to severely punish me. The water of the Yellow River will punish me severely!"
He Dong also followed suit.
"I am the local county magistrate. If the embankment is lost, it will be equivalent to the city being captured by the enemy. I have no face to see your majesty, and the only thing I can do is die!"
Su Yonglin held their hands.
"Don't die, stay alive! This is the death order given to you by the Ming Emperor! As a last resort, the embankment can be abandoned, but everyone must come back. If there is one less person, you just wait to accept the punishment!"
"According to the order!"
The two said in unison.
About an hour later, the rain started again. Everyone fought hard despite the wind and rain. Seeing that the water level was rising unabated, the situation was too dangerous. Tian Guizi desperately tried to take Su Yonglin away from the headquarters not far from the embankment. Ensure Su Yonglin's safety.
Su Yonglin firmly refused.
"I am already in a safe place, but they are still fighting. How can I leave? What will they think if I leave? Do they still dare to fight? I can't leave, the emperor's flag can't leave, nail it to me Here, until the very end!”
Su Yonglin stared at Tian Guizi with red eyes: "This is the emperor's order! Guizi, do you want to resist the order?!"
Only then did Tian Guizi realize that Su Yonglin was really stubborn, so he looked at Su Yong who was coming with him and hinted with his eyes that Su Yong should pick up Su Yonglin and take him away.
Su Yong got Tian Guizi's hint and tried to take Su Yonglin away, but Su Yonglin, who was also a brave man who had been on the battlefield, ducked and kicked Su Yong away.
"I say it for the last time! I absolutely cannot leave here! Anyone who dares to take me away will be punished as a crime of deceiving the emperor!"
After all, Tian Guizi and Su Yong could not disobey Su Yonglin's orders, but they could not just watch Su Yonglin face danger.
So Tian Guizi could only secretly order his men to prepare to knock Su Yonglin out as a last resort and take him to a safe place quickly.
Even if he was convicted afterwards, he would admit it.
Anyway, Ming Dynasty cannot live without Su Yonglin.
Another two-quarters of an hour later, the rain did not decrease but increased. The rainfall became heavier and heavier, and the water level continued to rise. The situation on the embankment was very serious. Xu Ang sent someone to the command post to ask Su Yonglin to leave as soon as possible and go to a safe place.
If the rain does not decrease, they will discuss the possibility of proactive flood discharge.
But Su Yonglin still shook his head.
"Isn't it the last moment yet? I won't leave until they really decide to release the flood. As long as I can persist, I won't leave!"
Saying this, Su Yonglin ordered his subordinates to bring over the big drum used to convey orders, and he personally picked up the drumsticks and beat the big drum.
He also ordered the guards to beat drums with him, just as he had beaten drums to cheer for the soldiers fighting on the front line on the battlefield.
Due to his status, he can't fight on the front line with them, but at least he won't retreat.
The deep and distant drum beat broke through the rain curtain and reached the ears of the soldiers and civilians fighting on the embankment. They wiped the rain from their faces and looked back.
They saw that not far away, where the command post was located, the flag representing the emperor's identity was still standing there.
Perhaps it was because of Su Yonglin's persistence, or perhaps it was because the soldiers and civilians fighting on the embankment saw the emperor's flag erected behind them and never left it. Despite the heavy rain, lightning and thunder, they did not lose this battle with God after all. Battle of the Levee.
After Su Yonglin beat the drum for nearly half an hour, the rain gradually stopped.
The Huazhou Embankment was in many dangers, but it was not lost in the end. Nearly 30,000 soldiers and civilians who participated in the battle successfully protected their homes behind them and the embankment. The surging Yellow River did not lose control after all.
After another quarter of an hour, a ray of sunlight pierced the gray clouds and sprinkled on the ground.
It cleared up.
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