As the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yunying naturally paid close attention to matters concerning Goryeo. Goryeo involved a significant amount of the Ming Dynasty's military strength, as well as numerous issues related to provisions and supplies. Only by eliminating Goryeo could Zhu Yunying better focus on conquering other regions.
If the war deteriorates, it will definitely not be a good thing for the Ming Dynasty, and many people are aware of this.
As a close associate of Zhu Yunying and the Minister of Works of the Ming Dynasty, it is not surprising that Yan Zhenzhi came to the Wuying Hall.
Even a veteran official like Yan Zhenzhi would have some dignity in front of Zhu Yunying; for example, Zhu Yunying would certainly offer him a seat.
Yan Zhenzhi, who was fifty-seven years old and had gray hair, said to Zhu Yunying, “Your Majesty, I believe that although the country is currently enjoying favorable weather, we should still carry out water conservancy projects and dredge canals. These things may seem to consume money, grain and manpower, but they are ultimately beneficial to the country and the people.”
Zhu Yunying nodded slowly, a point he certainly wouldn't deny. "During the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, the Grand Canal was often blocked, the Yellow River was also full of silt, and the major rivers in various places really needed dredging. My grandfather was doing these things before he ascended the throne, so it's only right to do so now."
Yan Zhen looked directly at Zhu Yunying with expectant eyes and said, "Your Majesty, I believe we should reinforce the Yellow River dike."
Good heavens, this Minister of Works has gotten too arrogant. He's taking on a hellish challenge, trying to make history.
The Yellow River is undoubtedly the mother river of Chinese civilization, its surging waters nurturing the splendid Chinese civilization. However, the Yellow River's hydrological characteristics also determine its frequent disasters.
Perhaps before the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the climate in the upper reaches of the Yellow River was favorable and the vegetation was relatively lush. However, gradually, the Yellow River accumulated more and more silt, causing the riverbed to rise year by year.
Kaifeng was established as the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty in history, but the Yellow River outside the city was higher than the ground level, becoming a suspended river.
Most importantly, the several times the Yellow River changed its course throughout history were all absolute disasters.
The first major change in the Yellow River's course occurred during the Spring and Autumn Period, when it breached its banks at Junxian and changed its course to flow into the sea at Huanghua. Six hundred years later, during the reign of Wang Mang (a figure often associated with the time traveler), it changed its course again, flooding for several years before flowing into the sea at Gaoqing. During the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Yellow River breached its banks again at Puyang, changing its course to flow into the sea via Tianjin.
The change of course that the Ming Dynasty people were familiar with was during the Jin Dynasty, when the Yellow River "captured the Huai River and flowed into the sea", splitting into two in the Central Plains. The southern route took over the Huai River channel, while the northern route entered the Yellow River from Shandong.
In fact, this change of course was largely due to human factors. During the Southern Song Dynasty, the Song general breached the Yellow River dike, resulting in the surging Yellow River flooding southwards and recklessly encroaching on the old course of the Yellow River. This led to the current diversion of the river to the Huai River, meaning the Huai River still has no outlet to the sea.
This diversion also caused significant disasters, altering the water temperature and topography of northern China and bringing about severe calamities.
The Jianghuai Plain, once renowned for its beautiful scenery and abundant resources, suffered extensive soil salinization due to the impact of the Yellow River. The Huai River, having lost its outlet to the sea, became a "disaster river."
This has led to the silting up of lakes of all sizes in the Huai River basin by the Yellow River, making floods increasingly serious.
The Yellow River was the beginning of the disaster, because the Yellow River no longer flows entirely into the sea via the Huai River; instead, it splits into two branches, with the northern tributary's course remaining unstable. The northern tributary of the Yellow River has split into several branches, some flowing into the Bohai Sea, others taking over the Huai River.
The Yuan Dynasty did attempt to manage the floods, but the difficulties were simply too great. Both the Yellow River and the Huai River were notoriously difficult to control. Even now, it seems that building large dikes is the only way to mitigate their impact.
Zhu Yunying was silent for a moment, then said, "This matter is of great importance. After you return, you should consult with many people. Once you are ready, then we can discuss this matter in court."
Although the emperor seemed to have refused, Yan Zhenzhi was very excited. He knew the current emperor all too well; such a major event that benefited the country and its people was something only Emperor Zhu Yunying cared about. Even if it seemed time-consuming and laborious, it didn't matter, as long as it benefited the country and its people.
As Yan Zhenzhi left happily, Zhu Yunying rubbed his temples, saying, "Even without the Jingnan Campaign, I wouldn't be at ease."
If this had happened during this historical period, Zhu Di would have launched the Jingnan Campaign, plunging the Ming Dynasty into internal strife. It would have consumed vast amounts of resources, and countless elite soldiers had perished on the battlefield. This would have been an absolute catastrophe for the Ming Dynasty. Fortunately, the existence of Zhu Yunying averted all of this.
However, Joo Yoon-young now has to shoulder other responsibilities, and his existence has brought new problems.
For example, his massive northern expedition when he ascended the throne, as well as his previous military campaigns against Japan and his current military campaign against Goryeo, are all things that did not exist in history.
Therefore, Zhu Yunying couldn't help but sigh, "Our Ming Dynasty still has a solid foundation. Even after the Jingnan Rebellion, my fourth uncle spent more than ten years building the capital in Beiping, moving the capital, launching several northern expeditions, and making several unprofitable voyages to the Western Ocean."
What more can be said? It can only be said that after Zhu Yuanzhang's reign and the period of recuperation, the Ming Dynasty's foundation was indeed very solid. Even a severe internal strife wouldn't have severely damaged its vitality; the Ming Dynasty could recover quickly.
After thinking for a moment, Zhu Yunying said to Wang Chengen, "Summon the scholars of the Hanlin Academy to prepare for your inquiry regarding matters concerning the Yellow River."
Wang Chengen immediately noted these things down; the Hanlin Academy scholars were indeed of noble status. However, these people also had certain uses, not only in compiling books, but also in serving as the emperor's advisory group, available for the emperor to consult on various matters.
Zhu Yunying then continued, "Go to the Qianqing Palace and invite the Emperor Emeritus and the Crown Prince over."
Wang Chengen only needed to instruct his subordinates to deliver the imperial decree to the Hanlin Academy. As for going to the Qianqing Palace, that was Wang Chengen's responsibility. His Majesty was never short of servants, but he absolutely could not be disrespectful to the Retired Emperor.
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