During the imperial tour eastward, he always maintained a steady rhythm without any urgency. We set off at dawn and camped at dusk. There were few changes and we couldn't move quickly even if we wanted to. Although there were many horses and horses accompanying us, they were also burdensome.
Emperor Liu was familiar with the Kinki area and did not stop for inspections along the way. The distance between the two capitals is not that far, especially if there is a direct connection, which is more convenient. However, for the nobles accompanying the driver, the experience of traveling in such a serious atmosphere is still quite depressing and painful.
After a full journey, he was busy on his way until he arrived in Zhengzhou. Emperor Liu just stopped his eastward patrol for the first time. He walked for five days for a mere two hundred miles.
The floods in the Central Plains that have passed seem to be divided by Zhengzhou. In Zhengzhou, there are constant rains in winter, and the situation becomes more serious as you go eastward. To the west of Zhengzhou, the weather is sunny and windy, but it has not been affected by rain.
As an important town on the south bank of the Yellow River and one of the most important transportation hubs in the Central Plains, it is also a place where yellow disasters occur frequently, especially Heyin and Yuanwu counties along the river. In the past, they were the hardest hit areas by burst floods.
Of course, thanks to the powerful efforts of the imperial court, the Zhengzhou front line has been peaceful for nearly ten years. Although there have been recurrences in the past, it has always been within control and has not caused major damage.
There have been no breaches in Heyin and Yuanwu for more than ten years. This fact has already made the local people talk about it, and it also fully affirmed the imperial court's achievements in river control and flood control.
However, the floods this summer still shocked the people of Zhengzhou three times a day. The raging river and its majestic momentum made some older people recall the precarious days twenty or thirty years ago. , dangerous days.
Emperor Liu was somewhat familiar with Zhengzhou, such as Yuanwu County. The Yuanwu and Baima battles in the early years of Qianyou's reign were still fresh in his memory. It was an impression that was burned into the depths of his mind.
The Zhengzhou magistrate's name was Dong Chun. He was the number one scholar in the fifth year of Qianyou's reign and was in the same class as Lu Duoxun. However, compared to Xiaolu Tanhua, Dong Chun's official career was much duller. There were no ups and downs, no leaps forward, just a slow climb step by step.
Unlike Lu Duoxun, who is smart, capable and proactive, Dong Chun is obviously more "traditional", rigid and adheres to the golden mean.
Because of this, in the era of great enterprising led by Emperor Liu, although his official career was smooth, it was really lackluster. In terms of knowledge, Dong Chun can be called erudite, with a good pen, and in terms of qualifications, he is also profound. After all, he was a bachelor of Chongzheng Palace in the early Qianyu period.
He has been an official for twenty years, ten of which were spent in the inner court, compiling and revising books in the three libraries. After that, he began to truly apply what he learned and serve as an official in other places.
It took another ten years before he was gradually promoted to the magistrate level. If you look at it from today's perspective, it is not easy to become the chief official of a state in twenty years or more than forty years old.
But when it comes to Dong Chun, he seems mediocre, and his political performance does seem mediocre, stable, and will not make mistakes. But if he has any outstanding achievements, there is really nothing to list. As for radical, even more Insulate it.
This is also the case when Lu Duoxun, who is in the same department, has made such great achievements in the northwest and has become a frontier official like the Chief Envoy of Zhejiang and Zhejiang. Dong Chun, who is the head of the top three, is still a mere knower of Zhengzhou. s reason.
However, in any case, Dong Chun also belonged to the upper echelon of the Han bureaucracy. His power and position may only be in the middle, but his qualifications and reputation are extraordinary.
At least, this is the person who hangs out with Emperor Liu. Twenty years have passed, and the handsome number one scholar back then has also degenerated into an old master with a waving beard.
When Emperor Liu saw it, he couldn't help feeling that time had passed by and things had changed. Emperor Liu has always felt that he is a kind-hearted monarch. Although he laughs at himself from time to time for being cold and cold, he only talks about it. Naturally, he does not think so in his heart.
Emperor Liu's attitude towards his old ministers has always been cordial, and he is willing to be more patient, within a reasonable range. Therefore, when he saw Dong Chun greeting him, there was still a warm smile on his face. He received him alone, ate together, inquired about civil affairs, and consulted on the people's sentiments. Everything seemed very harmonious.
Since he was near the river, Emperor Liu personally took his people to Yuanwu to inspect the river defense, and Dong Chun was naturally able to accompany him.
On the Yanglin Embankment, Emperor Liu stood facing the wind. At his feet was the raging river, rolling eastward. He could clearly feel the desolation and loneliness that permeated the world.
The sound of wind and water filled his ears, and Emperor Liu's eyes fell calmly on the east-flowing river at his feet. The water level of the big river in this season is already very low. It is still fast but more restrained. You can also see many boats going eastward along the river.
Shipping on Hebian has actually been restored for a long time. After stagnation during the water regime, it has regained its vitality, and the transportation demand and transportation market have also ushered in a big explosion.
Originally, Emperor Liu's first choice was to take a boat when he was on an eastward tour. It was not only comfortable, but also fast and could reach Kaifeng directly. However, Emperor Liu still chose the safer land route. This was his nature. Taking some risks might just be a show. How could Emperor Liu not care about his own safety?
The river under his feet was like a tamed beast, flowing eastward along the river. After stopping for a long time, Emperor Liu sighed with emotion: "Two months ago, did I think that the water of this river would be so docile! The river has nourished this land and given birth to our civilization, but it is also merciless when it gets angry!"
"Water and fire are merciless!" Zhao Pu listened and responded: "The troubles of this river have become more and more serious. If His Majesty had not decided to rectify it, I am afraid that the outbreaks of river troubles would have become more frequent, and the people along the river would have suffered greatly. !”
Zhao Pu's understatement was still full of compliments to Emperor Liu. After all, Emperor Liu tried his best to support Wang Pu in the management of the river canals when the country was in such difficult circumstances. Although the regulation of the Yellow River was only incidental, and the main purpose was to prepare for the transportation of the Southern Expedition, the regulation of the river was indeed done, and it was done with grit.
However, Emperor Liu obviously did not indulge in his past achievements. He frowned and thought for a while, then stepped on the embankment under his feet and said: "It is not enough to just build the embankment and block it! Our ancestors have pointed out the way long ago. , we have to rely on diversion, pursuit and interception to control floods. In the end, we only treat the symptoms but not the root cause. We should think of more solutions to the problem of flood control and discharge!"
Emperor Liu's words are also a bit false. He is not the only smart person in the world, and there are also many people who see the problem. However, factors such as actual conditions and technical level make it difficult to meet the goal of perfection.
After hearing what Emperor Liu said, Zhao Pu winked at Dong Chun, indicating that it was time for him to show off. Seeing this, Dong Chun slowly raised his hands and responded: "Your Majesty, from the beginning of the founding of the country, the imperial court began to regulate rivers. Over the past twenty years, it has accumulated a lot of experience.
Zhengzhou's river management is also carried out in accordance with the plan stipulated by the Ministry of Industry, not only the long embankment underfoot, but also regular dredging, planting of elms and willows, building reservoirs, and digging ditches. The former river surged, and these projects all played a good role, and the whole area became safe..."
Hearing what he said, Emperor Liu finally put a smile on his face, turned around and asked: "How many trees have been planted along the river in Zhengzhou?"
Dong Chun remembered these clearly and replied without thinking: "Your Majesty, in the past twenty years, more than three million plants were planted, but less than half of them survived and grew."
"It doesn't seem like there are many!" Emperor Liu frowned slightly.
In fact, it has only been in the past ten years that the government has guided and encouraged people to plant trees and spread them on a large scale. Many officials regard this as a political achievement, even if it is somewhat thankless.
"I know something about this matter!" Zhao Pu said: "It is probably limited by the number of seedlings needed for tree planting. Therefore, even if the government is active and the people spare no effort, it is difficult to make a big breakthrough. The situation in Zhengzhou, It’s already pretty good!”
"Remember this matter, the court should find a way to solve it!" Emperor Liu instructed.
"yes!"
