Song Li almost died in the Yellow River. It took him half a day to cross the river less than 200 meters away.
During this period, the ship capsized three times. If it were not for the fact that it was not far from the shore and the boatman had good water skills and risked his life to save the ship, Song Li would have been loyal to the country.
Song Li and Yang Yong braved the wind and rain to go up Yunlong Mountain. The moment they entered the Zen room, they suddenly felt uneasy.
The smell of blood was nauseating, and there were cloth strips stained with blood on the ground. Looking up, he saw Gao Wei, Xue Xia and others standing beside the bed, while Zhang Xianzong was lying on the bed.
"Master Zhang..."
Song Li's expression changed and he hurried forward.
Gao Wei told Song Li about the matter. Song Li looked at the sleeping Zhang Xianzong anxiously and said: "God will not give us more time. I have asked businessmen from other places. During this period, not only The water in the Yellow River is soaring, and even the three waterways of Guohe, Suishui and Yingshui have reached their highest water volume."
"Once the Yellow River breaks its banks and the Yellow River seizes the Huaihe River again, the disaster will be far worse than in the 24th year of Hongwu! Even the lower reaches of the Huaihe River will suffer! We must act early, before time waits for me!"
Gao Wei looked at Song Li coldly and said, "Master Zhang is still in a coma, how can you make a decision? You are just the head of the household department of the sixth grade, how dare you exercise power on behalf of the chief official?"
Song Li looked at Gao Wei angrily and shouted: "Yes, I am the leader of the sixth rank, but I am very clear-headed. If I don't act now, even if I move the people in Xuzhou and other places, it will not help! Under the overthrow of the nest, How can there be an egg that is intact? Can’t Master Jue understand this truth?”
"Well, there is no result in the argument. Now we can only wait for Mr. Zhang to wake up before making a decision."
Pan Xing quickly smoothed things over.
Song Li looked at Dai Wan, the magistrate of Xuzhou, and said solemnly: "Master magistrate, please send your officials to dig out the town entrance gate to the embankment around Jingshan, and divert the water of the Yellow River north to Shandong!"
When Dai Wan heard this, he was stunned. In a blink of an eye, a look of anger appeared on his face, and he shouted sternly: "Mr. Song, you are in vain to be an official of the imperial court! Can you say such a bad idea?"
Gao Wei shook his head and sneered: "It seems that Mr. Song is also a confused person. Although the water of the Yellow River has surged, the dam has not broken yet. If you said that the weather will be fine one day and the crisis will be safe, you dug a dam and the water flooded." Shandong, haha, Master Song’s head alone is not enough to apologize to the world, right?”
Dai Wan looked at Song Li with disdain.
Take the initiative to dig levees and divert water northward?
If such a thing is done secretly and unknowingly, one can still deduce that the Yellow River bursts its embankment, but how many eyes are watching on the river embankment right now, and there are people from the Security Bureau in this room, who actually said such a thing?
It's like being an official and acting like a fool.
"The only solution for now is to divert the flood!"
Song Li shouted to Dai Wan unwillingly.
"Oh, I advise you to give up on this idea."
Dai Wan refused, and then looked at the unconscious Zhang Xianzong, his eyes full of melancholy.
He fell at the wrong time!
If he was awake, even if he couldn't speak, he could just keep his eyes open.
As long as he was conscious, it didn't matter whether the dam broke or the water flow was diverted, or how many people died. When the emperor pursued the case, it was Zhang Xianzong who stood up for him.
If this guy doesn't wake up, he will be blamed.
"Mr. Magistrate, it's not good. There are rumors outside that Huaiyuan's embankment has burst and Huaiyuan City is gone!"
An official ran into the room and shouted with panic on his face.
"What?"
Dai Wan's expression changed, the situation was more serious than he thought!
Song Li looked at everyone sadly and said: "The Guohe River can't bear it, Huaiyuan is gone! How long can this Yellow River embankment withstand it? Instead of passively waiting for the Yellow River to burst, it is better to actively dig embankments to divert the flow!"
Gao Wei said sternly: "What is the difference between breaking a dam and digging an embankment?!"
Song Li was not afraid, and took a step forward, saying awe-inspiringly: "At least we can choose where to dig the embankment, so as to avoid floods to the greatest extent!"
"Yes, location is important.
. "
A weak voice reached everyone's ears.
Everyone looked quickly and saw Zhang Xianzong opened his eyes and was about to stand up.
Xue Xia quickly stepped forward and said with concern: "Sir, you are seriously injured, please don't get up."
Zhang Xianzong shook his head slightly, sighed, and said: "Compared to the common people, this pain is nothing. Everyone, Huaiyuan is flooded, which means that the Wuhe River is on the verge of reaching its limit, and the Suishui and Yingshui in the east and west of the Wuhe River must also be flooded. The situation is in danger. Once the dam of the Yellow River breaks, the water of the Yellow River flows southward and flows into the Guohe River, the Sui River, and the Yingshui River. Then the lives of these three rivers will be ruined."
"Therefore, the Yellow River took away three waters and entered the Huaihe River, and we must not allow it to happen again. Now we have no other way but to divert the water northward to protect Henan, Anhui, South Zhili and other places. I know that this move will harm the people of Shandong. I alone bear these thousands of sins!"
Zhang Xianzong stood up, his legs trembling a little, and a firm determination appeared on his slightly old face.
Protecting the small and protecting the big, which one is right and which one is wrong?
Zhang Xianzong didn't know it clearly, but he knew that the emperor appointed him here to let more people live.
Song Li's eyes were sore and he said quickly: "Sir, the matter may not be that serious. Diverting the water northward may harm the people of Shandong, but it will not become a major disaster."
"Tell me about it."
Zhang Xianzong endured the pain and took two steps, sweating on his forehead.
Song Li quickly ordered Yang Yong to take out the waterway map, show it to Zhang Xianzong, and said seriously: "Sir, please see, if we choose to dig a dike from Zhenkou Gate to Jingshan to divert the water northward, the Yellow River water will flow along the tributary of Qingou and into Zhangzhuang Lake. , Chishan Lake and Zhaoyang Lake, which can carry a large amount of water flow."
"From these lakes to the east, there are Beisha River and Nansha waterways that can be diverted, and to the north are Sishui River and Baima River, which in turn can be connected to Yishui River. From Dushan Lake to the river, the Yellow River water will enter The boundary of Jining, continuing from Beishan, is Mata Lake, located in Anping Town, where it can flow into the Daqing River."
"The Daqing River is long, extending to the northeast and entering the sea. I also sent people to inquire with merchants. Heavy rains are not heavy in most parts of Shandong, and its waterways may be able to carry the Yellow River's flood diversion."
Zhang Xianzong looked at the river map. After thinking carefully, he shook his head slightly and said, "Song Li, why are you in the Ministry of Household Affairs? In my opinion, you should be in charge of the Ministry of Industry, and it is most suitable to specialize in water conservancy."
Before Song Li could speak, Zhang Xianzong said to Dai Wan: "Give you four hours to mobilize all the government officials and Xuzhou Guards to evacuate the people from the Zhenkou Gate to Jingshan to a safe area, check the flood diversion line, and be sure to relocate all the people." , if one person is killed or injured due to your omission, you will bear the consequences!"
Dai Wan was depressed and wanted to vomit blood. In the end, he still had to bear the blame, but he had no choice. He had received orders and couldn't compare.
Seeing Dai Wan leaving in a hurry, Zhang Xianzong sat down, took the pen and ink, wrote a letter in a hurry, sealed it, and said to Xue Xia: "Please also forward this letter to the emperor."
Xue Xia took the letter, stared at Zhang Xianzong, and said in a deep voice: "Forcibly supporting you will only destroy your body. And in your current state, if the wound is stained with water, even the gods will not be able to save it."
Zhang Xianzong laughed and said: "Ruling a country and bringing peace to the world, and dying to thank your kindness, is the character of a scholar like us. What do you know about a martial artist?"
"grown ups!"
Song Li wanted to stop Zhang Xianzong, but Zhang Xianzong pushed him away.
The door opened and the wind and rain blew in.
"Let's go, let me send the people away!"
Zhang Xianzong stepped into the wind and rain, his fearless and upright body standing proudly between heaven and earth.
With tears in their eyes, Song Li and others followed Zhang Xianzong down Yunlong Mountain. The wind subsided a little, and everyone took a boat to the north river embankment.
Xue Xia looked at Zhang Xianzong's figure, feeling extremely depressed.
Zhang Xianzong stood on the embankment, letting the wind and rain blow, looking into the impossible distance.
Time passed little by little, and more than a hundred migrant workers who had taken care of the funeral arrangements had finger-thin ropes wrapped around their waists, shovels in their hands, and they kept digging.
Digging the embankment.
There were more than 500 people standing on both sides, and every five people pulled up a rope, waiting for the last moment.
Four hours were as long as a knife. No one complained about hunger or tiredness. Everyone was waiting.
Song Li looked at the water level of the Yellow River and shouted anxiously: "Sir, we can't wait any longer, the embankment will overflow if we wait any longer!"
Zhang Xianzong glanced at Song Li and said in a deep voice: "Wait a little longer!"
Song Li looked at Yang Yong, who shook his head and said, "I can't wait any longer. Once the embankment overflows, it will be more likely to burst."
"grown ups……"
Song Li requested again.
Zhang Xianzong ignored it and stared into the distance.
It was windy and rainy, blurring people's vision.
When the wind blows, the Yellow River water overflows the dam.
"Sir, we can't wait any longer!"
Song Li was extremely anxious.
The promised four hours is now five hours!
Zhang Xianzong stared silently, his face extremely gloomy.
"Report, the prefect has moved the nearby people to Jingshan,"
The official shouted loudly.
"Open the dike!"
Zhang Xianzong shouted sharply, his voice echoing on the Yellow River embankment, and countless waves arose and shattered on the shore.
The migrant workers dug out the last section of the embankment, and the flood immediately found its outlet and hit the opening. More than 20 migrant workers had no time to retreat to both sides, and were swept away by the flood!
"pull!"
There were hysterical roars, and the rope was straightened. A group of people leaned forward, their hands were bleeding instantly, and the rope could not be pulled no matter what.
Thump thump!
A group of people fell backwards, and the rope was thrown away, whipping against the wind and rain, and finally fell weakly. At one end of the rope, there was no one left.
"My Iceberg Beauty Wife"
The water of the Yellow River is roaring and everyone is weeping.
Zhang Xianzong looked at the rushing water of the river, tears welling up in his eyes, biting his pale lips, and said softly: "I, Zhang Xianzong, have failed you."
Under the erosion of the water flow, the broken embankment gradually expanded to a width of four feet, and then stabilized.
Flood discharge is a good way.
However, Song Li and others also knew that while other rivers could easily release floods, the Yellow River water was different. It carried a large amount of sediment, which would drag down the riverbed wherever it passed, and subsequent dredging would also be a huge problem.
"Sir, the water level is falling! As long as we persist for two days, the peak of the flood will pass."
Song Li observed for an hour and saw that the water level in the river had dropped, and he couldn't help shouting with joy.
Then, no one responded.
Song Li walked toward Zhang Xianzong uneasily and shouted in a low voice: "Sir..."
Xue Xia shook his head and said, "No need to shout."
Song Li looked at Xue Xia puzzled.
Xue Xia walked up to Zhang Xianzong and stared at this minister who served the country and the people. Under the shocked eyes of Song Li and others, he lifted his clothes and knelt down, kowtowed and said: "Xue Xia, the commander of the Security Bureau, congratulations Master Huang!"
Song Li was horrified and looked at Zhang Xianzong, who was standing motionless. His eyes were looking at the Taotao river, motionless, with raindrops on his face.
he's gone.
Song Li knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face. In his hazy eyes, only a proud and unyielding figure remained.
"Congratulations, Mr. Huang!"
Pan Xing, Gao Wei and others knelt down and shouted.
Xue Xia thought of himself as a strong man, but now, he was crying like a child.
During the inspection of waterways along the way, Zhang Xianzong took action personally and implemented policies well.
A civil servant worked tirelessly on horseback, riding day and night. His legs were worn out and covered with carrion. He also endured severe pain to inspect the water channels and think about ways to control the water.
His wisdom and determination, courage and will, mind and vision saved countless people, but such achievements could not save himself.
At this moment, the clouds have not broken, the sun has not come out, the rain is still falling, and the water is still flowing...
