Managing the Yellow River is a matter that must be taken seriously, as the impact of the Yellow River changing its course is indeed enormous.
Since the Yellow River changed its course during the Song Dynasty, it has split into a southern branch and a northern branch, dividing the Central Plains in two. The Jianghuai Plain, once known for its beautiful scenery and abundant resources, has suffered extensive soil salinization due to the impact of the Yellow River. The Huai River, having lost its estuary, has become a disaster-prone river, frequently experiencing floods.
In fact, the flow of the Huai River in the north has never been very stable, not to mention the flow in the south, as the Huai River still has no estuary.
Yan Zhenzhi understood this, so he smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that to control the Yellow River, we should first control the Huai River. I intend to conscript 100,000 laborers to control the Huai River first."
Zhu Yunying and Zhu Yuanzhang exchanged a glance, essentially agreeing with Yan Zhenzhi's idea. The Yellow River changing its course and diverting to the Huai River to flow into the sea seemed to be the root cause, and naturally, it needed to be addressed.
However, what needs to be done at this stage is not just to address the symptoms and the root cause, because managing the Yellow River is a long-term project that is time-consuming and laborious. What the Ming Dynasty needs to consider now is to reorganize the Huai River basin.
If we first manage the lower reaches of the Huai River, although it doesn't mean the Huai River will never flood again, it can reduce the frequency of floods.
This was extremely important to Zhu Yunying, and it could even be said that it was a key to controlling the Yellow River.
Old Zhu looked at Yan Zhenzhi and asked directly, "Zimin, then tell me how to manage the Huai River?"
Yan Zhenzhi became even more serious and said, "I believe that a River Conservancy Commissioner should be appointed. Governing the Yellow and Huai Rivers cannot be accomplished by one person, one prefecture, or one county. I believe that Your Majesty should issue an edict to coordinate the efforts of all the prefectures and counties through which the Yellow and Huai Rivers flow."
Old Zhu and Young Zhu nodded slightly; they certainly shared the same thought. They were both well aware that governing the Yellow and Huai Rivers was not something that could be accomplished by a single prefecture or county; it would definitely require the concerted efforts of all the prefectures and counties along the route.
This was not something that could be accomplished by the local prefectures along the way; it required the entire Ming Dynasty to mobilize the nation's resources to govern it.
Yan Zhenzhi continued, “The old course of the Yellow River is the same as that at the end of the Yuan Dynasty. After it diverted into the Huai River and flowed into the sea, the river became chaotic, with multiple tributaries flowing in parallel, frequent changes, and severe flooding. I believe that the major channels flowing south through the Huai River into the sea are the old course of Jialu, the Wo River, and the Ying River, as well as some smaller tributaries.”
At this point, Old Zhu said, "We know that the Yellow River has a lot of silt, which has caused the Huai River channel to become severely silted up."
This matter also caused some concern for Zhu Yunying, as the current ancestral mausoleum of the Ming Dynasty is actually surrounded by Hongze Lake and the Huai River.
Once the Yellow River floods and the Huai River floods surge in the lower reaches of the Huai River, the floodwaters overflow the river channel and invade the nine hills and eighteen depressions on the right bank. The originally scattered small lakes are connected and eventually form the Hongze Lake.
If that time really comes, the Ming Ancestral Mausoleum, located on the west bank of Hongze Lake, will be submerged by the lake.
This is no small matter; in fact, everyone knows it's a matter of feng shui. When Zhu Yuanzhang built the imperial mausoleum for his grandparents, great-grandparents, and others, he dared not move their remains, fearing it would sever the dragon vein and ruin the feng shui. Therefore, he built cenotaphs next to them.
If the Huai River is not properly controlled, the ancestral tombs of the Zhu family may be at risk of being submerged, which would be no small matter!
Yan Zhenzhi then said, “Your Majesty, I believe we should first address the Huai River. I intend to dredge the Huai River to prevent flooding and clear the silt from the riverbed.”
Zhu Yunying then asked directly, "Then tell me, the Yellow River has accumulated a lot of silt, and the riverbed is often blocked. How do you plan to manage it?"
"Your Majesty, I believe that the usual method of removing silt is sufficient," Yan Zhenzhi said at this moment. "However, the Huai River waterway is now filled with silt from the Yellow River. I intend to build more dikes and expand lakes to alleviate the floods."
This statement is largely correct; a significant reason for the Yellow River's floods is the excessive amount of silt.
Yan Zhenzhi continued, "I believe this is not enough. I intend to dredge the Huai River channel to ensure its smooth flow into the sea. If the Huai River flows smoothly into the sea, there will naturally be fewer floods."
This statement isn't entirely wrong. The Huai River doesn't actually have an outlet to the sea, which naturally creates significant hidden dangers, leading to frequent flooding. Large amounts of Yellow River water flow into the Huai River, but the river can't absorb all of it; it would be a real problem if accidents didn't occur.
Yan Zhenzhi wasn't the only one who understood this; Old Zhu and Young Zhu also understood this principle, and it was something they were worried about. To manage the Huai River, it was naturally necessary to consider the large influx of Yellow River water, as well as the Huai River water, which already had a considerable flow.
Finding an outlet to the sea is crucial and of no small matter. It is key to managing the Huai and Yellow Rivers. If this is not done well, all the manpower and resources spent will be in vain.
At this moment, Old Zhu looked at Yan Zhenzhi and said, "The South River should be governed in this way, but it will probably take some time, perhaps many years. If it really does take this long, I'm afraid you won't live to see the Yellow and Huai Rivers healed."
Yan Zhenzhi then said frankly, "If I am fortunate enough to see the Yellow River tamed, that would be wonderful. If I am not, it is alright, for I have done these things after all. These efforts to manage the Yellow and Huai Rivers were also my doing."
This is not just about doing one's best and leaving the rest to fate; it is also about having a clear conscience and making an indelible contribution.
At this point, Zhu Yunying asked again, "The Southern Stream is relatively stable for now. What about the Northern Stream? What should be done about it?"
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