I

This year, only some areas of the provinces suffered from drought. However, after summer, it rained heavily in Shanxi, Shandong, Henan, and Jiangsu, and water levels in various sections of the Yellow River and Huaihe River surged.

Zhang Guowei, who had already reached the rank of right minister of the Ministry of Industry, was appointed governor of flood control.

Now that the floods have receded, Zhang Guowei returned to Nanjing urgently.

Zhao Han looked at the disaster memorials from various places, suddenly raised his head and asked: "More than 2,000 people drowned in Sizhou, but local officials were negligent?"

Zhang Guowei replied: "Your Majesty, the power of God is unpredictable and it is not the fault of man. Sizhou City is located in a low-lying area. Once the flood overflows the dam, it will pour into the city."

"Are the flood control embankments not high enough?" Zhao Han asked.

Zhang Guowei said: "It cannot be built any higher, but the river bed is getting higher and higher, and the water level of Hongze Lake is getting higher and higher. If there is another flood that has never happened in a hundred years, once the embankment breaks, the entire Sizhou City will be submerged, and Sizhou will be flooded." Become part of Hongze Lake.”

"So serious?" Zhao Han felt that this matter was quite big.

Hongze Lake in the late Ming Dynasty was relatively small in area, but it was growing every year, constantly turning the surrounding land into a lake bed.

Zhang Guowei explained in detail:

"During the Hongzhi period, Liu Daxia was ordered to regulate the river. In order to ensure the smooth flow of the Grand Canal, he could only block Huanglinggang and build Taihang embankments to cut off the Yellow River's north flow channels and force the Yellow River to flood southward, passing through Biansi, Suisi, As the Wuhe River flows into the Huaihe River, sedimentation from the Yellow River becomes increasingly heavier in the lower reaches of the Huaihe River."

"During the Jialong period, Pan Jixun was ordered to regulate the river and also ensure the smooth flow of the Grand Canal. Pan Jixun channeled water to attack sand, and it took 18 years to build a thousand-mile embankment. As a result, the Huaibei channel of the Yellow River was also blocked, and all the sediment was Take it downstream. In the Qingkou area where the Yellow River, Canal, and Huaihe River meet, the riverbed continues to rise. The bed of the Yellow River is already much higher than that of the Huaihe River."

"As a result, the Huaihe River water was blocked at Qingkou and could not be discharged, so it flowed into Hongze Lake in large quantities. As a result, Hongze Lake became larger and larger, encroaching on the land around the lake every year."

"Pan Jixun had already discovered this situation during his third river control. After concentrating water to attack the sand, he proposed to store the clear water and flush the yellow water. Build embankments in Hongze Lake, raise the water level of Hongze Lake, and use lake water to wash away the sediment in the clear mouth. , thus achieving the purpose of the Huaihuang River flowing into the sea."

"But today, a large amount of sediment has accumulated in the lower reaches of the Yellow River, and the river bed is constantly rising. The water of Hongze Lake can no longer brush it away. Not only can it not be brushed away, it is also being poured back by the river water. The lake bed of Hongze Lake is being lifted up by the sediment The lake is getting wider and wider. If this continues, I estimate that the Sizhou area will be swallowed up by Hongze Lake within thirty to fifty years!"

Zhao Han asked: "How to govern?"

Zhang Guowei said: "There are two ways."

"Speak." Zhao Han said.

Zhang Guowei said: "The first method is to build dozens of dams in various river sections to continue to contain water to attack sand and store clear water to wash away yellow sand. Move all the people in Sizhou City and surrounding areas to other places, leaving Hongze Lake alone. Expand and allow Sizhou to sink to the bottom of the lake. This method may ensure that it will be worry-free for two hundred years, during which it will need to be repaired and maintained every year."

Zhao Han couldn't help but said: "This is not a permanent solution, it is just a mistake!"

When the Ming and Qing dynasties managed the Yellow River, their tactical concepts were right, but their strategy was wrong from the beginning.

And it must be wrong. If it is good, you will lose your official position.

No matter who serves as the governor of the river, how many people are drowned and how much land is submerged is not their real responsibility. Their first priority was to ensure the smooth flow of the Grand Canal and ensure that grain could be transported to the capital.

Preserving water transportation is politically correct.

How can it be possible to control the Yellow River if it is based on politics?

Therefore, Pan Jixun knew it was wrong, but he could only make the mistake. The Qing Dynasty knew that the Ming Dynasty was wrong, so it could only make mistakes, which eventually caused the Yellow River to change its course again.

Zhang Guowei explained these reasons, stood up and cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty, the new Datong Dynasty does not need to consider water transportation, which is a great opportunity to regulate the Yellow River. The second method is to artificially change the course of the Yellow River, so that the water of the Yellow River flows from Shandong into the sea!"

Zhao Han asked: "How to force the Yellow River to enter the sea from Shandong?"

Zhang Guowei explained: "On the north bank of the old Yellow River, there are many flood channels that can discharge floods and accumulate sediment brought by the Yellow River. In order to protect water transportation, officials in the Ming Dynasty blocked all the flood channels on the north bank of the old Yellow River, and flooded northern Jiangsu All the flood channels of the Yellow River were blocked, causing the sediment of the Yellow River to continue to accumulate in Hongze Lake and the Huaihe River. The minister's method was to mobilize the people to dredge the old Yellow River channel, and also dredge the flood channels of Henan and Shandong. During the dry season in winter, At that time, the current river channel was blocked, the Taihang embankment was demolished, and Huangling Gang was dug to allow the Yellow River water to flow through the old channel to Shandong."

Zhao Han exclaimed: "This is a big project!"

Zhang Guowei said: "Local people have to migrate along the old and pan-channels of the Yellow River. Nowadays, Shandong and Henan have a small population, which is a good time to migrate. If it continues, in ten or twenty years, the number of people who need to migrate will be More."

Zhao Han nodded and said, "That's true."

Zhang Guowei continued: "If this method is used, at least 300,000 people will be mobilized and at least one million taels of silver will be spent. This still means that the people will not be paid. If wages are to be paid, the silver consumed will have to increase. It is really a waste of money. Deep, there are too many projects to be done. Also, after the Yellow River is diverted, manpower can be mobilized to dredge the Huaihe River. The lower reaches of the Huaihe River have accumulated sediment, making it impossible for large ships to pass. If the Huaihe River can be dredged, the estuary of the Huaihe River can also be dredged. If ports and cities are built, the coastal states and counties will also be bound to have prosperous commerce.”

Zhao Han sighed: "We have money, but it's hard to organize three hundred thousand civilians, and it's not easy to buy grain with money."

Zhang Guowei stopped talking, he waited for Zhao Han to make a choice.

Zhao Han called all the cabinet officials and after some discussion, he finally issued the decree:

First, select various project sites and select old roads and pan-roads that need to be embanked and dredged. This will take a year or two.

Second, in areas that need embankment construction and dredging, no more immigrants will be sent to those areas.

Third, use the slack season to mobilize local people and carry out dredging in sections. This link is tentatively scheduled to take ten years to complete.

Fourth, after ten years, the projects in Shandong and Henan will be completely improved. This step is tentatively scheduled to take three years.

Fifth, force the Yellow River to change its course!

In other words, the entire Yellow River management plan is expected to last for fifteen years. If it doesn't work, it will be postponed to twenty years.

This is the largest government project since the Zhao Han uprising.

By the time the work is done, Zhang Guowei will probably be dead, or he will die in the middle of the work.

Zhao Han said to Zhang Guowei: "Zhang Aiqing, you will spend the rest of your life managing the Yellow River."

Zhang Guowei stood up and walked to the center of the hall, knelt down and kowtowed: "If the Yellow River can be perfectly managed, it will be worth it for me to die on the river embankment!"

Zhao Han did not let him stand up, nor did he reprimand him for kneeling down at every turn. Instead, he said: "During the river management period, I will give Shang Fang a sword. Wherever he goes, it will be as if I am personally present. Local officials must fully cooperate."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Zhang Guowei became more confident.

This is the first time that Zhao Han has given Shang Fang the Sword. He is mainly afraid that local officials will be disobedient, which will inevitably disrupt the local people's livelihood and economy.

Zhao Han added: "Zhang Aiqing, you are still the right minister of the Ministry of Industry, holding the title of governor of the river, and ranking higher than the minister. The day the Yellow River is cured, you will be directly promoted to the cabinet. If you say something unpalatable, you will die on the river embankment. Come on, I will also make you a cabinet minister!"

"Thank you for your grace!" Zhang Guowei said excitedly.

After hearing this, the ministers in various ministries were envious of Zhang Guowei, and felt admiration and regret at the same time. Because this person doesn't have to do anything else, he will just have to work hard for the rest of his life, and it is very likely that he will die in office.

Zhao Han said: "Get up and don't kneel from now on."

"I obey!" Zhang Guowei stood up with a smile.

Zhao Han warned: "During the period of managing the Yellow River, we must cultivate many capable ministers in river control."

What does it mean?

Cultivate a few more capable people, and even if Zhang Guowei dies midway, officials can be immediately selected to take over.

If it is not cured, something will happen sooner or later, and it will affect water transportation.

A few decades ago, the water depth of the Huaihe River was 6-13 meters, but now it is only 3-8 meters. Historically, by the 15th year of Kangxi's reign, the water depth of the Huaihe River was only 1-3 meters. Not to mention large merchant ships and fishing boats were likely to be stranded.

Why did Kangxi manage rivers like crazy?

It’s not that he cares about the people, the fundamental reason is that water transport is blocked. If Huaihuang is not managed, the Eight Banners disciples in the capital will starve.

The management of the Yellow River in the Kangxi Dynasty purely followed the methods of the Ming Dynasty, and continued to make mistakes. Thirty-nine dams were built one after another to artificially raise the water level of Hongze Lake to increase its capacity to store clear water and flush yellow water.

What's even more ridiculous is that after the water level of Hongze Lake was artificially raised, Sizhou might be submerged at any time, but Manchu officials did not organize the people to move.

In the year of completion, water transportation was smooth.

But the entire Sizhou sank to the bottom of the lake, and countless local people drowned, and only a few could escape!

The evils committed by the Manchu Qing court were passed down, but they became Zhu Yuanzhang's fault.

According to legend, the Huaihe River water demon called Jellyfish Queen took the form of a human, got married by the Hongze Lake, and lived a life of men farming and women weaving. Zhu Yuanzhang arrested civilian husbands, built the Mingzu Mausoleum, and exhausted the husband of Jellyfish Queen to death. Because the Zhu family is the real dragon emperor, the Jellyfish Queen cannot bear to say anything.

During the Kangxi period, the Jellyfish Queen fell in love with a scholar. Zhang Guolao interfered and instigated the scholar to use a magic weapon to injure the Jellyfish Queen.

In anger, the Jellyfish Queen flooded Sizhou City, drowned the scholar, and flooded the Mingzu Mausoleum, avenging old and new hatreds. Even if the souls of the drowned souls in Sizhou City went to the underworld to complain, they were all caused by Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhang Guolao.

Anyway, drowning a city of people has nothing to do with my Qing Dynasty.

Zhang Guowei left Beijing with an arduous task. He wanted to go back to his hometown first and reunite with his family for half a month. Next, I probably won’t have the chance to go home, and I will have to travel between Shandong and Henan provinces all year round.

The ministers dispersed, and Fang Yizhi, who had been waiting for a long time, was finally brought to the audience by the female officer.

"Your Majesty, the hot air balloon test has been improved many times and there is no problem anymore," Fang Yizhi said. "Three days later, Jinling University will organize a launch ceremony, and all the teachers and students of the school will participate. If your Majesty is free, you can also go and watch it. .”

Zhao Han was in a bad mood just after the regulations for regulating the Yellow River were made, but he became happy when he heard these words: "I will definitely go!"