Chapter 252 He really has a clever way of taking advantage of loopholes!

A dark glint flashed in Li Yao's eyes.

Damn it, his painstakingly crafted plan was ruined by Li Mu's few words.

He looked at Li Mu coldly.

"Brother, what you say makes perfect sense. And you're so familiar with the Bian River, you must be able to come up with a better solution than me, right?"

Zhao Hong followed closely, "Yes, my brother-in-law just spoke so eloquently and knows the Bian River like the back of his hand, so why couldn't you answer His Majesty's question about the water management plan?"

Li Mu's smile suddenly froze, then he curled his lip and snorted coldly.

"Did I say I had no solution? I was just talking about the Bian River management and diversion, which is a complex issue that cannot be explained in a few words."

Li Yao was aggressive.

"So, you mean you already have a plan in mind, brother? Why don't you tell us about it?"

Zhao Hong urged, "Yes, let's share our thoughts."

In an instant, everyone's attention was focused on Li Mu.

Even the emperor's eyes showed a hint of anticipation.

Li Mu's head was buzzing as he stared at the Bian River map on the ground, his mind racing.

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Just as everyone was getting impatient, Li Yao sneered, "If you can't figure it out, just say so. There's no need to make things so difficult for me."

Li Mu glared at him.

"Who says I can't figure it out? I'm just thinking about how to explain it better."

Li Yao curled his lip, his face barely concealing his mockery.

Li Mu, that纨绔 (wán kù, a spoiled, dissolute young man), is utterly incapable of uttering anything of value.

Many officials in the hall did not hold much hope for Li Mu.

Amidst the mocking, indifferent, or disdainful gazes of the crowd, Li Mu pointed to the bend in the Bian River on the map and suddenly spoke.

"In my opinion, the reason why the Bian River has suffered from floods over the years is not because of its many bends, but because of its 'blockage' and 'stagnation'."

Every year during the flood season, the water level rises rapidly due to siltation and blockage in narrow sections of the river, which hinders the smooth flow of waterways, mainly because it is difficult to navigate upstream at bends.

In my opinion, it is not necessary to change the entire route; we only need to act at two points.

As soon as he finished speaking, he pointed to the bend at the entrance of Bai Causeway.

“This is where the river bends the most, but it is also where the sand and soil on both banks are the loosest. Two diversion dikes can be built here to allow the main water flow to go directly into the newly dug short channel, while the bend can be used as a buffer, which will not only keep the cargo ships stable, but also prevent siltation.”

Then it landed at a bend in the middle.

"This is where the oil deposit was discovered. To successfully extract the oil, the entire river channel here needs to be cleared out."

Ten miles away, there is an old, dried-up canal that connects to the Huimin River. This ten-mile stretch is mostly forested, with no villages, and the Huimin River is connected to the Huai River.

Li Mu drew a line on the map with his hand.

"All we need to do is send people to dig a ten-mile-long waterway, and connect the Bian River and the Huimin River through a culvert, directly linking them to the Huai River."

In this way, the river channel where the oil field was located was cleared, and the Bian River and the Huai River were connected by building a sluice gate at the underground channel.

During droughts, water from the Huai River can be diverted to replenish the Bian River; during floods, water from the Bian River can be diverted into the Huai River, serving a dual purpose.

Li Mu drew the map again with his hand.

All eyes in the hall were focused on his hands.

The Left Prime Minister frowned and was the first to object.

“The old canal has long been abandoned. It’s full of stones and weeds. Cleaning it up would be no different from digging a new canal.”

Besides, there are also people living near the old canal; wouldn't those people also have to be relocated?

Li Mu shook his head.

"Your Excellency is mistaken. Although the old canal is abandoned, its foundation is still there. I can assure you of that."

Li Yao glared at him.

"Have you gone to see it in person? His Majesty is right here, brother, you can't just spout nonsense."

Li Mu patted his chest and chuckled.

“Last month, I met up with some friends to have a barbecue near the old canal. I also made a picture of the reeds in the old canal. I’ve seen the thickness of the silt in there.”

Li Yao...

Li Mu continued, "We just need to send people to clear the stones, dredge the silt in the canals, and then reinforce the dikes."

In addition, the cost of dredging a ten-mile stretch of river channel is less than 30% of the cost of completely rerouting the entire river.

As for the relocated people, there are fewer than two hundred households near the old canal. Compared to 50,000 people, two hundred households should be easier to resettle, right?

The ministers in the palace began to ponder the matter.

The Duke of Xin was the first to step forward. “Your Majesty, I believe that the Marquis of Anping’s plan is feasible. By not changing the entire Bian River into a straight channel, the foundation of the canal transport will not be damaged.”

Thus, the routes familiar to the shipwrights for generations remained largely unchanged, ensuring uninterrupted transport of supplies.

The Right Chancellor said: "As for the more than two hundred households that have been relocated, the government can allocate fertile land to resettle them, and the people will certainly have no complaints."

"The method proposed by the Heir Apparent of Anping Marquis not only avoids the relocation of large areas of villages, but also takes into account flood control and canal transport. Most importantly, it frees up the waterways used for kerosene extraction."

"Brilliant! This method has revitalized flood control, canal transport, and mining all at once!"

"I also believe that the Heir Apparent of Anping's plan is feasible!"

Immediately, everyone agreed that Li Mu's method was good.

Li Mu was so excited he could hardly contain himself; the little voice inside him was jumping and spinning around, and he almost burst out laughing.

Hehe, he's really a clever little opportunist!

When the emperor asked him about his plans for flood control, he was completely baffled.

But Li Yao's plan gave him a lot of inspiration, and coupled with his intimate knowledge of the Bian River, he came up with a solution in a moment of inspiration.

He barely suppressed his excitement, knelt down to pay his respects, and tried his best to appear calm.

"This method still lacks detailed verification. Give me ten days, and I will certainly present Your Majesty with an extremely reliable plan!"

The emperor was very satisfied.

"Very well, I will give you ten days! If your plan is truly feasible, then the position of Water Envoy is none other than yours!"

Li Mu's eyes sparkled.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness!"

The emperor's gaze swept over Li Yao, and the smile on his face faded slightly.

"It seems that a playboy isn't necessarily a playboy, and a talented person isn't necessarily capable!"

Li Yao's face turned pale, and he knelt down trembling.

The emperor turned and left.

The morning court session ended after a lively and bustling morning!

Li Mu strode happily outside.

Looking at his smug expression, Zhao Hong's eyes flashed with a sinister glint.

Damn it, what kind of incredible luck did Li Mu have?

He worked hard for eight years before being transferred to Bianjing (Kaifeng) and becoming a fourth-rank official in the Ministry of Works.

Li Mu is about to become a fourth-rank Water Conservancy Commissioner with just his words and a water management plan.

Who put his self-recommendation letter in there?

Zhao Hong stormed back to the Ministry of Works, summoned the clerk in his office, and berated him mercilessly.

"Which of you has touched my memorial to the throne?"

The minor officials looked at each other, then shook their heads in denial.

Zhao Hong questioned each person one by one, but still couldn't find the reason, and became angrier the more he thought about it.

Meanwhile, at the Prince Xuan's residence.

Shen Cong raised an eyebrow and looked at Li Nanke sitting opposite him.

"Did you have someone tamper with the memorial submitted by the Ministry of Works?"