The rolling thunder is like the deep and terrifying roar of a wild beast, threatening everything in the world.
Zhang Xianzong's eyes were full of worry.
People in the cabin also heard the noise and came out one after another.
Song Li, the head of the Household Department, Pan Xing, a doctor in the Ministry of War, Gao Wei, the Zuo Duanshi of the Fifth Army Governor's Office, and Xue Xia, the commander of the Security Bureau, all four of them saw such a gloomy and terrifying scene before they asked what happened.
Gao Wei took a deep breath and said: "Gao has never seen such a scene in his life. Black clouds cover the sky. There must be a heavy rain coming. Sir, we should approach the shore immediately and find shelter from the rain."
"Can't go ashore!"
Zhang Xianzong and Song Li shouted at the same time.
Zhang Xianzong glanced at Song Li in surprise and asked, "What do you think?"
Song Li pointed in the direction of the black clouds and said solemnly: "Sir, the black clouds are spreading to cover the sky, and their scope must be quite large. Once there is a heavy rain, the water of the Yellow River will inevitably surge. At that time, whether the Yellow River dams are stable will be the key. It is related to the overall situation. Song suggested that instead of going to Suzhou, we go to Xuzhou and Kaifeng."
Zhang Xianzong glanced at Song Li with admiration and said: "You are right, order the boatmen to move forward at full speed, aiming for Xuzhou!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a bolt of lightning split the sky, brightly piercing people's eyes, followed by a burst of huge thunder, and even darker clouds.
"The rain is coming."
Xue Xia said in a deep voice.
Zhang Xianzong, Song Li and others raised their heads, but did not see the rain coming. They stretched out their hands to feel it, but did not find any rain. Just when everyone was confused, there was a splash on the water, and a sound came from the front.
The rain curtain quickly covered us like a curtain, stretching like a line from the north to the south.
Zhang Xianzong could even clearly see the dividing line between rainy and non-rainy areas. However, in just a moment, the rain fell.
Heavy raindrops fell on everyone, strong winds began to blow, and the ship suddenly turned sideways on the Yellow River.
Zhang Xianzong couldn't stand firmly and was about to fall into the Yellow River. At the critical moment, Xue Xia reached out and grabbed Zhang Xianzong's skirt and pulled him back suddenly. The others staggered to their feet.
"Get into the cabin quickly!"
Xue Xia shouted loudly.
Everyone quickly entered the cabin, and the whistling sound of the wind spread into the cabin.
"Sir, the boatman said the wind is strong and the boat cannot sail. It needs to be docked."
The attendant quickly reported.
Zhang Xianzong looked anxious. If he gave up the waterway and took the land route to Kaifeng at this time, he didn't know when he would arrive on this thousand-mile journey. If the rain was serious and floods occurred, causing harm to the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, he would be responsible for his death even if he died. .
Seeing Zhang Xianzong's hesitation, Song Li said to his entourage: "Find an old boatman and come over, quickly!"
Zhang Xianzong looked at Song Li in confusion, and Song Li quickly explained: "Sir, if we change the land route, it may take a lot of time to reach Kaifeng in rainy weather, and it is extremely unsafe to ride in rainy weather."
"It's safer than not being safe on this boat, right?" Gao Wei's face looked a little ugly, and he grabbed the side of the boat with one hand and said, "Even if you fall on land, you just have to get up and get back on the road. But if the boat capsizes in the river Well, how can we keep it safe if we are water-based?"
Pan Xing nodded secretly and said, "It would be a prudent idea to dock first, ride north, and wait until we get out of the rainy area to transfer to a boat and go to Kaifeng."
Zhang Xianzong looked solemn and did not answer the two of them. Instead, he looked at Xue Xia and saluted, "Thank you, Commander, for saving your life."
Xue Xia shook his head and said with a serious smile: "The emperor ordered me to accompany Mr. Zhang to protect him. If something happens to Mr. Zhang, Xue will not be able to go back. There is no life-saving grace. I am just fulfilling my duty."
"Then what do you think we should do?"
Zhang Xianzong asked.
Xue Xia's identity is unusual. He is the commander of the Security Bureau, and the Security Bureau is the emperor's eyes and ears.
Facing Zhang Xianzong
When asked, Xue Xia just grinned and said: "This trip is led by your Excellency. As long as it is your decision, Xue will obey without hesitation."
Zhang Xianzong looked at Xue Xia, who looked simple but was actually a sophisticated man. Before he could speak, an old boatman entered the cabin.
"Just ask."
Zhang Xianzong said to Song Li.
Song Li nodded slightly and asked the old boatman, "Have you ever seen this weather in previous years?"
The old boatman was nearly fifty, his hair was gray, but he still had physical strength and was in good spirits. When asked by an official, he spoke with a Henan accent and said: "I met him once. At that time, my family was still in Yuanwu, but he had a disease." After the flood, we had no choice but to live in Huai'an. I remember the last time there was such a big movement was in the 24th year of Hongwu, yes, that was the year."
"Twenty-four years of Hongwu?!"
The expressions of Zhang Xianzong, Song Li, Gao Wei and others changed.
In the early Ming Dynasty, the main stream of the Yellow River basically still followed the old Jialu Road in the late Yuan Dynasty, also known as the Old Yellow River Road, which passed through Yingze, Yuanwu, Kaifeng, Shangqiu, Yucheng, Xuzhou and other places, and merged with the Sishui River to Qingliu County where it merged with the Huaihe River and entered the sea.
In the fifteenth year of Hongwu's reign, the Yellow River broke through Xingze and Yangwu and entered the Huaihe River through Huaiyuan County.
In the twenty-fourth year of Hongwu's reign, the Yellow River overflowed. This was the first large-scale flood from the Yellow River to seize the Huaihe River in the history of the Ming Dynasty. The water of the Yellow River passes through the territory of Fengyang Prefecture and carries Ying and Guo water into the Huaihe River, which is called the Great Yellow River.
At that time, Fengyang Prefecture was the central capital. It governed 18 prefectures and counties including Bozhou and Yingzhou, and spanned a vast area on both sides of the Huaihe River.
In the 24th year of Hongwu's reign, the Yellow River captured the Huaihe River, which not only caused a loss of life and numerous casualties, but also completely blocked the Huitong River, causing the canal's northbound waterway to be blocked and making it impossible to transport large ships.
This was all seven or eight years ago. In recent years, there have been no major floods. Now that they heard the old boatman talking about it, Zhang Xianzong and others couldn't help but be shocked.
Song Li looked a little pale and asked feebly: "When will this wind blow? Do you know?"
The old boatman looked at Song Li and others, and bravely asked, "Are you officials sent by the imperial court to inspect the waterway?"
"Bold! You, a boatman, dare to explore the affairs of the imperial court. I think you don't want to live anymore!"
Gao Wei scolded sharply.
The old boatman trembled with fright and quickly knelt down to beg for mercy.
Zhang Xianzong frowned, looked at Gao Wei, and said: "Let the boatman explain clearly. Please be patient, Lord Judicial Officer."
Song Li was a friendly person. He stepped forward to help the old boatman and said warmly: "Yes, we are officials appointed by the imperial court to inspect the waterway."
Seeing this, the old boatman quickly knelt down and begged: "Please, adults, please find a way out for the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait."
"What do you mean?"
Song Li was puzzled.
Zhang Xianzong and others were also a little surprised.
The old boatman choked up and said: "My wife, son, and daughter-in-law all died in the flood, and now only my grandson and I are left to depend on each other. If there is another flood, the people on both sides of the river, including many fellow villagers, will be buried here. It's in the mouth of the Water Dragon King. Please punish corrupt officials and save them."
Looking at the old boatman who was kneeling in front of him, Zhang Xianzong frowned and said in a deep voice: "Corrupt official? From what you said, it seems like there is something hidden."
The old boatman raised his head stubbornly, looked at Zhang Xianzong, and gritted his teeth and said: "In the 24th year of Hongwu, the Yellow River burst its banks at Heiyang Mountain in Yuanwu, Henan. You don't really think that this is just a natural disaster, do you?"
One sentence shocked everyone.
Xue Xia was even more shocked and stared at the old boatman.
Zhang Xianzong's face became extremely serious, he took a step forward and said sternly: "What do you mean?"
The old boatman smiled bitterly with tears in his eyes and said: "What do you mean, don't you understand, sir? When Yuan Wu built the embankment, 30,000 people were requisitioned. Not only did they not have enough to eat every day, they couldn't even drink a sip of water! When they were thirsty, they had to drink This water of the Yellow River! A bowl of water, two ounces of sand! Do you think such a levee can be stable? Can it not burst?"
Zhang Xianzong retreated two steps
Stepping forward, his face looked sad.
The monstrous natural disaster is actually a man-made disaster? !
"How do you know? If you are wrong, you will be beheaded!"
Xue Xia knew that this matter was a big problem and involved a lot, so he couldn't help but ask.
The old boatman looked at Xue Xia and suddenly tore open his chest with both hands. On his chest, a word "craftsman" appeared like an earthworm crawling out.
Xue Xia's eyes turned cold. This wound was caused by a soldering iron!
The old boatman gritted his teeth and said: "This is what was left when I participated in the construction of the Yuanwu Dam! Just because my son was really hungry, I begged the officials for a bite of food, and the officials rewarded me and my son. This is the brand! I was also rewarded with thirty lashes!"
"who is it?"
Zhang Xianzong gritted his teeth.
During the Hongwu period, building river embankments was a state matter, and countless people were requisitioned, but I have never heard of such bullying of the people!
Now that it has been several years, no one even mentions it.
Now this old boatman actually says that the floods back then were caused by man-made disasters!
"Cai Zhi, the former Wuzhi County, and..."
The old boatman gritted his teeth and said, "Also, King Zhu Ru of Zhou!"
A thunder exploded across the sky.
"You, who are you talking about?"
Zhang Xianzong couldn't believe it.
"King Zhu Zhu of Zhou!"
The old boatman gritted his teeth and shouted.
"nonsense!"
Gao Wei quickly walked towards the old boatman, raised his leg and kicked him directly in the face of the old boatman!
boom!
Hey--
Gao Wei fell to the side in pain, clutching his calf, looking at Xue Xia angrily, and shouted: "He is a rioter, and he dares to frame the vassal king. This person must have ulterior motives. You didn't arrest me for interrogation, but you stopped me?!"
Xue Xia retracted his feet, protected the old boatman, and said majestically: "Gao Wei, I know that you have a close relationship with King Yan, and King Zhou is the brother of King Yan. You can protect King Zhou, but I hope you remember that he He is a citizen of the Ming Dynasty. If what he said is true, it is not your turn to take action! There will be justice to punish him!"
"If you dare to take action again, Xue will think that you don't know right from wrong and bully the people without authorization. According to the laws and regulations of the Security Bureau, I can adjust the local government and arrest you directly in jail!"
Gao Wei gritted his teeth, but did not dare to break out, so he had to stand up, not daring to put any force on his right foot, and said coldly: "It is a serious crime of the imperial court to frame the vassal king. As the governor, I acted impulsively and acted impulsively. Please excuse me."
Xue Xia stopped talking and stood aside.
Zhang Xianzong was even more horrified. He calmed down and said to the old boatman: "The King of Zhou was always peaceful and kind, and he devoted himself to medicine. How could he not do such a thing? You can't prove anything with just your words. .”
This matter is a huge trap, involving the royal family and the vassal king. He is just the minister of the Ministry of Industry. If he falls into it, he will encounter triple pressure from the emperor, King Zhou and King Yan.
This is going to squeeze people to death!
The old boatman's face was full of tears, and he knelt down and said: "The others have died, and I am the only one left to drift down with the child. If you don't believe me, you can investigate Prince Zhou's Mansion!"
Investigate the palace?
Zhang Xianzong does not have the authority, nor the courage.
The wind got stronger and the boat rocked more and more.
"Put the matter of King Zhou aside for now. Boatman, how long do you think it will take for the wind to calm down? We need to rush to Kaifeng as soon as possible. If it is just a strong wind and heavy rain, there will be no problem. But if it is really a heavy rain that lasts for many days, That will inevitably lead to floods, and there is no time to delay. You don’t want the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to suffer, right?”
Song Li was a little unsteady on his feet and shouted hurriedly.
In Song Li's view, the most important thing now is not to ask about the disaster that has passed, nor to investigate the king of Zhou, but to avoid the disaster that may come.
The dead can wait, but the living cannot wait.
