Jiang Yan's father originally worked in the Ministry of Industry and was a professional water conservancy technician. He named his son Yan, clearly hoping that his son would inherit his father's business, and Jiang Yan did not disappoint him.

Perhaps Zhang Ru had used the pink peony to make Prince Guanghuai's intentions clear. From that moment on, Xuanyuan Hao had become obsessed with his brother's fiefdom.

King Guanghuai's fiefdom was located in a large river basin. Both sides of the river were almost all plains and fertile fields for thousands of miles. However, the flood problem had never been solved, and the harvest basically depended on the weather.

For many years, local residents have been aware of the occasional floods and will not build houses in flood-affected areas.

But it is certain that grain production will decrease and the harvest will plummet. Large areas of land will be flooded, and by the time the water recedes and the farming season is over, it will be too late to replant.

As a result, the territory of King Guanghuai often suffered from famine one year and fullness the next, that is, years of disaster and years of plenty alternated. In years of plenty, they stored food, and in years of disaster, they ate what they had.

If the bridge in the battle for the road is a small water conservancy project, then the national strength accumulated over the past decade after Xuanyuan Hao ascended the throne has supported the national master Jiang Yan, who has completed one huge water conservancy project after another. Jiang Yan's father is often very proud and full of emotion.

These included the water-blocking dam built "for King Guanghuai" in the upper reaches of the river, and the reservoirs and dams built using tributary lakes.

These three water conservancy projects, built upstream within the jurisdictions of other prefectural and state governors, dammed and stored water during flood season, then gradually released it through dams to irrigate the lower reaches. For a long time, Prince Guanghuai's fiefdom was free of floods and instead enjoyed a yearly supply of grain.

The price is that whether there will be a disaster year, floods in Prince Guanghuai's fiefdom, or even whether there will be floods every year, is actually in the hands of others upstream.

Originally, Xuanyuan Hao did not want to transfer Shang Huaitang, as the prefectures and counties under his jurisdiction had the advantage of restraining King Guanghuai in terms of geographical location. However, at Zhang Guanghe's reminder, he instead sent Jiang Yan to take charge of the upstream water conservancy project, which had the same deterrent effect.

So after hearing Ye Zhou's words, Helan Cheng smiled and said, "With Prince Guanghuai, we're hooked."

Having said that, Ye Zhou didn't ask any more questions.

But Wang Suwen, who was far away in Kyoto, had been feeling uneasy these past two days. When he had gone to Yangzhou on business, the Lu family, representing the Yangzhou business community, had sent him skinny horses, and he had picked the one he liked the most and kept it.

Later, Wang Suwen and Lu Mingqi became close friends, and he often took this skinny horse out to eat and drink with the business community. When the Yangzhou incident was over and the six families were destroyed, Wang Suwen left money, civilian household registration, and a small house to this skinny horse.

But he never expected that this skinny horse would come to Kyoto.

He had nothing to do with this skinny horse in the beginning. Since it was a gift from the Yangzhou business circle, he was always extremely alert and on guard.

It doesn't seem right to come all the way to him, does it? So he asked the skinny horse from Yangzhou what he was doing.

The skinny man asked if she could enter Wang Suwen's carriage to talk.

Wang Suwen thought about it and agreed: "Come up."

Once on the carriage, the curtain was lowered. The skinny horse rolled up his sleeves, revealing bruises all over his arms. He then lifted his coat and turned his back to Wang Suwen. Startled, Wang Suwen was about to stop him when he saw a crisscross pattern of whip marks all over his back. The scars varied in depth, some had clotted blood and formed scabs, some were purple and swollen, and some seemed to be festering...

After the skinny horse had packed its clothes, it knelt down in front of Wang Suwen in the carriage and said, "After you left, Lord Wang, the descendants of the six Yangzhou families came to me. They thought I was a skinny horse raised by the six families, but I couldn't do the job for my master. I never delivered any useful information and might even have turned against them. Otherwise, why did you arrange everything for me before you left? So they tortured me day and night to vent their anger.

Fortunately, the six families are now in Yangzhou. After all, things are different now. They have more concerns. I am now a commoner and found an opportunity to escape. I beg Lord Wang not to send me back to Yangzhou. There is no way for me to survive there."

His frail body trembled slightly, tears welling up in his eyes. Wang Suwen thought about the house he still had under his name, which was originally his grandmother's private property and later gifted to him, so he decided to temporarily settle the family there.

Ye Zhou said to Helan Cheng, "Jiang Yan sent another letter, urging us to finish the work quickly. Why is he so anxious?"

Helan Cheng said: "His wife is about to give birth, and he is anxious to go home."

Ye Zhou said: "Old Jiang is still as sharp as ever."

Helan Cheng said, "Our group is only in their thirties and forties. Wait until Old Jiang is seventy and has another child. Then you can say he's still sharp."

Ye Zhou said, "Seventy? He's an old scoundrel!" Then he said, "Madam Jiang is mighty."

Helan Cheng said: "Madam Jiang is a few years younger than Jiang Yan. You are making her sound old. However, it seems that the eldest daughter of Madam Jiang has already been arranged to marry."

Ye Zhou said: "Old Jiang is really amazing. He doesn't usually go home, but whenever he does, his wife will definitely get pregnant."

Helan Cheng said, "You're talking nonsense again. Although Jiang Yan doesn't spend much time at home, it's not like she's only been back four times in these years. You've been doting on a concubine for over a decade. If you're envious, go ahead and give birth to one yourself. Don't tease Jiang Yan all the time."

It wasn't easy for his wife either. Jiang Yan traveled all over the country, building water conservancy projects, and had barely been home for so many years. Madam Jiang took care of his parents, siblings, and the entire household. Jiang Yan had been away for three of his children. Now, after finally thinking she could be home to accompany him through the birth, she was transferred away again by imperial decree.

How about this? Let's report to His Majesty that the matter in southern Yunnan has been resolved, and I will return to Western Xinjiang. Jiangyan and Shang Huaitang can also go back. You stay here and continue working. After all, you have to stay here to command the Southern Route Army."

Ye Zhou glanced at him and said, "What you said before is quite reasonable."

Then a voice was heard asking, "Do you have a concubine?" The high priest came again.

Ye Zhou was stunned by the question.

Helan Cheng interrupted, "He has three concubines."

The little girl looked at Ye Zhou again and asked, "You want to have children with them?"

Helan Cheng said again, "She's already given birth to five."