"If you want to control the Yellow River, the project is huge and involves many things, so you must consider everything. If you are not careful, the national destiny will be damaged."
When it comes to regulating the Yellow River, Xue Fengzuo came from Shandong and reminded Zuo Menggeng to be careful.
He only thought that Zuo Menggeng had seen the tragic situation in Lianghuai and was planning to carry out large-scale construction projects on a whim.
Little did he know that Zuo Mengeng was far more aware than he was of the difficulties of managing the Yellow River.
It is true that this river has brought too many disasters to the Chinese nation for thousands of years.
The history books are splendid, and everything is clearly recorded one by one.
Even four hundred years later, with so much advanced technology, the hidden dangers of the Yellow River have not been completely eliminated.
Without complete assurance, without comprehensive consideration, without sufficient strength, Zuo Mengeng would not dare to act rashly.
Understanding Zuo Mengeng's attitude, Xue Fengzuo let out a sigh of relief, thought about it and came up with an emergency solution.
"Actually, the floods in the Huaihe River are not unavoidable. We only need to open the gates on the Fanggong Dike to allow the floods to vent, and the disaster can be reduced to a minimum. If the commander-in-chief can subdue the salt merchants in Yangzhou, there will be great potential for this matter."
It's not that the floods in the Huaihe and Huaihe areas cannot be drained, but that some people are preventing them from being drained.
Because once the gates on Fanggong Dike are opened, monstrous floods will pour into the Lianghuai Salt Fields, harming the interests of salt administration officials and Lianghuai salt merchants.
These people do not care about the safety of thousands of people for their own sake.
Of course, the situation is not that simple.
The salt policy in Lianghuai was not only related to the fiscal revenue of the Ming Dynasty, but also related to the supply of salt throughout the world.
Once the Lianghuai Salt Farm is destroyed, it is conceivable that the price of salt will skyrocket, and the people will suffer the most.
If you want to control the floods in the Huaihe River, you need to consider the great wisdom and ability of the ruler.
Zuo Mengeng fell into deep thought.
Looking at the surging river, he began to collect all the experience and wisdom of his predecessors and descendants, hoping to find a suitable solution.
However, this matter was too difficult. He thought about it for several days without any clue.
At the court, Chongzhen went crazy because of the loss of Fengyang.
"The resting place of our ancestors has been trampled by thieves one after another. How can I stand between heaven and earth? If I don't kill the evil thieves and restore peace to my ancestors, I should commit suicide to thank the world!"
In the court hall, Chongzhen was weeping blood, as if he was crazy and completely lost his mind.
There was no way, Fengyang was lost and the ancestral mausoleum was destroyed, which was a huge blow to him.
If it cannot be undone, his role as emperor will lose its meaning.
"Your Majesty! You humiliated me and I will die. I am willing to serve my country with passion and to the death. I sincerely ask your Majesty to allow me to go south to Fengyang to fight to the death with the traitors."
Zhang Fengyi, Minister of the Ministry of War, made an impassioned speech and regarded death as homecoming.
Not just him, all the officials were prostrate on the ground, speaking in unison.
"I hope that I will wrap my body in horse leather, support the building when it is about to collapse, and protect the safety of the Ming Dynasty!"
Chongzhen couldn't help but feel dazed when he saw that all the officials were no longer as clandestine as before and were asking for battle one after another.
Are these really the Ming officials he knows who are holding them back?
If these people were as loyal and courageous as they are today, why would the situation in the Ming Dynasty be like this?
But no matter what, he was quite inspired by the fact that everyone in the court was united.
"Okay! My dear friends, you are loyal, not afraid of honor, disgrace, and life and death. This is the character of my Ming Dynasty. Today, my Ming Dynasty will no longer retreat. Even if I die, I will die standing!"
At that time, Chongzhen was prosperous and prosperous. He appointed cabinet ministers Qian Shisheng and Wang Yingxiong, Minister of War Zhang Fengyi, and eunuch Gao Qiqian as imperial envoys to command the 8,000 troops from the Beijing camp southward.
This group of troops will meet up with Hong Chengchou in Guide Mansion, and then march to Fengyang together.
Chongzhen issued strict orders.
Regardless of whether it is the Northwest Rebel Army or the Shandong New Army that occupies Fengyang, they can all be attacked without fail.
Unable to defeat them, the Ming Dynasty collapsed.
For this reason, Chongzhen no longer cares about the emptiness of the capital's defense.
He must get this face back no matter what.
Qian Shisheng, Wang Yingxiong, Zhang Fengyi, and Gao Qiqian took the oath of blood and went out to fight with great enthusiasm, showing a kind of heroic spirit as the wind was rustling and the water was cold.
They set out with Chongzhen's ardent expectations.
Whether the Ming Dynasty could continue or not all depended on them.
Chongzhen even wrote prestigious poems for several of them, praising them as Su Wu and Wen Tianxiang of the Ming Dynasty.
But these imperial ministers had just left the capital, and all of them had exposed their true colors.
"Mr. Qian Ge, no matter how many disputes we had in the past, today and the situation is like this, everyone can see clearly that this battle really cannot be fought!"
Wang Yingxiong had a sad face and spoke softly to his old enemy Qian Shisheng for the first time in his life.
Qian Shisheng's appearance was similar.
"Wang Ge is mature and prudent, and he is sincere in what he says. We have to make long-term plans for this trip south."
This time, even Gao Qiqian, the emperor's servant, stood with several officials.
"I tell you, gentlemen, think of a solution! The Shandong New Army is so terrifying that we are no match for them. It doesn't matter if we die, the Ming Dynasty cannot be destroyed."
It turns out that the impassioned speeches of all the officials in the Jinluan Palace were just a show.
Everyone could see clearly that because the ancestral tomb was destroyed, Chongzhen could not come to power, so he acted crazy.
At this time, no one dared to persuade Chongzhen to calm down. They could only follow his wishes and shout to kill.
As for the real situation, no matter which faction the officials were in, they all knew it clearly and knew that Ming Dynasty simply did not have the capital to fight.
Wen Tiren, Qian Shisheng and others usually fought to the death, but this time they had to form a united front to fool the emperor Chongzhen.
Not to mention them, the same goes for the eunuchs in the inner court.
Before Gao Qiqian set off, Wang Chengen found him and gave him a stern warning.
No matter what, we must find a way, not only to save Chongzhen's face, but also not to use force.
Gao Qiqian can only say that this requirement is too difficult.
As a result, the Ming court, which was constantly fighting between factions, was rarely unified when the emperor went crazy.
Eunuchs, Qingliu, and eunuchs all came together to come up with a perfect plan.
Seeing that everyone was in agreement, Zhang Fengyi said: "We have to ask Hong Bingxian how we should handle this matter. He is the only one who knows all the situations best."
Only then did everyone remember that everyone was still in the dark about the situation in Fengyang.
Only Hong Chengchou understood what was going on.
"Then write a letter to Hong Bingxian immediately. Make sure nothing goes wrong."
Several people agreed to immediately send their trusted aides to Guide Mansion to contact Hong Chengchou.
At this time, Hong Chengchou had received the imperial edict from Chongzhen, and he was stunned when he learned that he would use all his strength to attack Fengyang!
In front of him lay tens of thousands of Shandong New Army troops.
Although his main force has arrived, plus Zuo Liangyu's three thousand troops, there is still no chance of victory.
If this battle is lost, the Ming Dynasty will have no useful troops in the Central Plains.
By then, if the Central Plains of China is no longer free for thieves and bandits to come and go, the Ming Dynasty will really be doomed.
