85. Chapter 85
"none"
There are four main problems in controlling river floods.
First, the level is too backward. For example, the construction of protective dikes and dams for flood discharge, etc., with current technology and without large-scale machinery, is really unsatisfactory.
Take the simplest river dredging as an example. Without excavators, we only rely on water flushing and manual dredging. You can imagine how difficult it is.
The second is the officials’ ability to handle and respond to disasters.
To give a simple example, when a flood comes, the people basically have to rely on themselves to save themselves.
The local government had only a few runners, and their efforts were no different from those of ordinary people trying to save themselves. Even if they tried their best, there was very little they could do.
Third, the Ministry of Works allocated funds for river management, but most of it ended up in the pockets of officials. As long as there's profit involved, some people will take risks, and even death and property confiscations won't stop them.
Fourth, the officials in charge of river management lack professionalism.
For example, the Fourth Prince was assigned to inspect the river, a task he lacked professional knowledge. High-ranking officials at the level of river governor were all close associates of Emperor Kangxi, including many honest officials, such as Yu Chenglong.
Being honest is good, of course, but when you look closely, it's not the case at all.
The imperial court allocated 10,000 taels to manage a certain section of the river. Under the supervision of honest officials, even if all the money was used effectively, no one below would be greedy for a single cent.
Because he didn't understand the knowledge about water flow, the result he finally built was not as good as the one built by a capable corrupt official with only 3,000 taels.
Since the Fourth Prince mentioned the river problem, Qi You was not polite and explained the importance of professionalism to him in detail, "Fourth Brother, you can't just look at whether officials are corrupt or not, you also have to see if they can do their job. Catching corruption is difficult, so don't worry about them for now, you have to let them do their job well first."
The Fourth Prince pondered Qi You's words carefully and said, "Seventh Brother, you are right. If someone is incompetent, even if he is given a large sum of money, he will not be greedy. If he is given money, he will not be able to do his job well. It is also a waste. However, it is not easy to find someone who is truly capable of river management!"
Qi You echoed, “Talent is hard to find, but not that hard either.”
The Fourth Prince's expression brightened with joy. Qi You introduced He Ye and the others. "At first, they were with me in Shunyi, and later they went to the north. They can't say they are experts in river management, but knowledge of soil quality, river sand, and water flow is just a piece of cake for them."
He Ye and his colleagues spent years in the field, dealing with various geological conditions. Looking across the Qing Dynasty, there were few who could compare to them, and they could be considered the first batch of professional talents in the Qing Dynasty.
The Fourth Prince was stunned for a moment, then asked doubtfully, "Can they do it? You said there's a girl, can she endure this kind of hardship?"
Qi You said calmly, "These girls have learned better than the men. They are used to doing things outside. You can be completely assured, Fourth Brother. There is only one thing that worries me, so I have to nag about it a little more. Fourth Brother, you have to protect them. It's not about keeping them from going to the riverside or the wild, but protecting them from being bullied by men."
The Fourth Prince was embarrassed for a moment and said, "This... Seventh Brother, you are worrying too much. It's not that serious."
Qi You's expression was solemn, and he suddenly became strong, saying firmly: "Yes!"
The Fourth Prince was completely stunned and couldn't understand why Qi You took this matter so seriously.
"Some men, lacking in ability themselves, look down on others who are capable. If they're men, they'll just be jealous. But if they meet a capable woman, it's a disaster!"
Qi You raised his eyes to look at the Fourth Prince, not disguising the mockery in his eyes: "They are women! How can they be more powerful than men? Where is the dignity and face of men? The only thing they can do is use the status of men to humiliate them. They use dirty words to take advantage of them. It's so filthy and dirty!"
As a man himself, Qi You knows this group of people too well.
Those who can't complain will bully the weak. And those who are most adept at bullying are women, who are in a vulnerable position in this world.
After a moment of silence, Qi You said seriously, "Yin and Yang, Yin and Yang, there is Yang only when there is Yin. If we can't even respect the indispensable parts that make up this world, how can we talk about peace and prosperity?"
The Fourth Prince sighed and said, "I understand what you said. As long as they can do their job, I will do my best to manage the people around them. But Seventh Prince, if they go, what status will they go with?"
Qi You had already thought about this and said, "Just go as clerks from the Ministry of Works. They won't need to be paid for the time being, just official assignments. This is just a trial period. You can also see if they can actually do the work."
The Fourth Prince considered it for a moment and said, "The officials from the Ministry of Works may have something to say again."
Qi You sneered, "Don't worry, Fourth Brother, I will report to Khan Ama first, and then go to Lord Li. Even if they have nothing to say, I have to say something too."
The Fourth Prince looked at Qi You in confusion and said, "Seventh Brother, I'm a little confused. What exactly do you want to do?"
Qi You said simply and clearly: "If they don't agree, then drag them out for an exam together. Whoever is capable will take the job! Building a dam requires more than just writing beautiful articles and speaking eloquently. Let those who can really do the work take the job, and those who are just sitting there doing nothing will be kicked out!"
The Fourth Prince couldn't help but laugh, and said with deep emotion: "If this is really possible, it would be really great!"
Qi You said slowly, "That day will come. If you can't do the job yourself, that's fine, but you can't stop others from doing the job. I know there will be obstacles. It's like scraping the bone to heal a wound. This abscess should be removed!"
The Fourth Prince fell silent, looked at Qi You with a complicated expression, and said, "Seventh brother, you have to consider what Khan Ama will think."
This sentence sounds simple, but to the Fourth Prince, it is from the bottom of his heart.
Qi You smiled and said, "Thank you, Fourth Brother. I will act with caution."
The Fourth Prince breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "That's right. You've always been cautious and thorough in your work. I admire you so much. Why should I worry about you? I heard that Khan Ama is arranging a marriage for you, and the wedding will take place after the New Year. If you're too busy, just let me know. I'll do my best to help you in any way I can."
Qi You hurriedly smiled and thanked him, "Since Fourth Brother said so, then I won't be polite."
The Fourth Prince looked at Qi You and said with a smile, "I should be the one to express my gratitude. To be honest, when I received the assignment, I already knew that it would be the same as before after the inspection. After hearing what you said, it suddenly became clear to me. I should just focus on what I want to do and work hard in that direction. Don't let other irrelevant things restrict your hands and feet."
Qi You waved his hands and said modestly, "Fourth Brother has always been smart, I don't deserve your kindness. I have some ideas here, please listen to them and see if they are suitable."
The two of them talked at length, and stayed for dinner before continuing their discussion. When it was really late, the Fourth Prince returned home, feeling very proud.
The next morning, after Qi You got up, washed, and had his meal, he was about to enter the palace when De Gao reported that the eldest prince had arrived.
Qi You glanced at the clock. Kangxi should have met the court officials by now... Considering the eldest prince's temper, Qi You still let De Gao invite him into the house.
Soon, the thick door curtain was lifted, and what followed was a strong cold wind that was blown in by the eldest prince entering the room.
It was still snowing outside, and tiny snowflakes were landing on the eldest prince's shoulders. Without waiting for Qi You to call him, he sat down on the chair, staring at Qi You with a slight breath.
Qi You watched calmly, motioning to De Gao, who looked troubled, to go and pour tea. He smiled and asked the eldest brother who had come with such a large ceremony, "Brother, why are you here so early?"
The eldest prince wanted to say something, but after sizing up Qi You's outfit, he asked, "Do you want to go out? Enter the palace?"
Qi You smiled and said, "Yes, I plan to go to the palace and ask Khan Ama for something."
The eldest prince stared at Qi You for a long while, then took the hot tea offered by De Gao, drank half a bowl, and put it down. He let out a long breath and said, "Do you know what I'm here for?"
Qi You said honestly: "I really don't know. But, brother, if you have something to say, please tell me quickly. I really have a lot of things to do."
The eldest prince was unhappy and said sarcastically, "Oh, the fourth brother stayed at your place until midnight after dinner yesterday. You weren't busy entertaining the fourth brother, but you're busy now that I'm here?"
Yesterday, Qi You kept the Fourth Prince, and he didn't avoid people. It was so cold, but they were lucky enough to send someone to keep an eye on him.
Qi You had nothing to hide. He knew that there were many spies in the capital. What the eldest prince said meant that he was also involved.
It’s really hard for them!
Qi You said with a half-smile, "Brother, I want to discuss something with you. If you have any questions in the future, just tell me directly instead of just venting your anger. Is that okay with you?"
The eldest prince's face changed slightly. He glared at Qi You and was about to get angry, but when he saw his indifferent expression, he felt inexplicably guilty.
The eldest prince was not stupid. After thinking about it carefully, he found that it was indeed the case.
Losing your temper and being irritated are of no use at all except making up your mind to fight with others.
After the eldest prince figured it out, he couldn't help but feel annoyed.
The emotions that he had previously expressed in front of Kangxi did not solve the problem, but instead intensified the conflict between father and son.
Even though he figured it out, the eldest prince still complained: "Seventh Brother, you are wrong. Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"
Qi You was helpless and asked with a smile: "Brother, what is the matter with you? Please tell me quickly."
"Okay, okay, let me tell you." The eldest prince remembered the important matter and the anger in his heart rose again. He looked at Qi You unhappily and said, "Do you know that Khan Ama is going to give us a title this time?"
Qi You remained silent and said, "Brother, are you dissatisfied with the title?"
"Look at you, how can I be dissatisfied!" Although the eldest prince had a grudge against Kangxi in his heart, he refused to admit it. He said, "I just heard about it. I didn't tell anyone else, so I came to tell you. We are the closest to each other, and you don't appreciate it."
Qi You thanked him and said with a smile: "It's only a matter of time before you get a title. Big brother, you're so anxious and angry, I thought you were dissatisfied."
Of course the eldest prince was dissatisfied, not with Qi You, but with the third prince and the eighth prince.
This time, the eldest prince was given the title of Duolo Zhijun Wang, the third prince was given the title of Duolo Chengjun Wang, Qi You was given the title of Duolo Chunjun Wang. Others such as the fourth prince, the fifth prince, and the eighth prince were all given the title of Duolo Beile.
The eldest and third princes had been at odds since childhood and were both granted the title of Prince of a County at the same time. His title was Zhi, while the third prince was given the character Cheng.
Even a child who has just started school knows whether the characters in a title are good or bad. The resentment in the eldest prince's heart almost burst out.
As for the eighth prince being conferred a title, the eldest prince was even more resentful.
The Eighth Prince was raised by Concubine Hui since he was a child. Although she was only given the title of raiser, she usually asked about his food, clothing and other expenses.
But since this title was given to Concubine Hui, they could be considered brothers in name only. The first person the Eighth Prince had to show filial respect to was not his biological mother, Concubine Liang, but Concubine Hui.
Logically speaking, the relationship between these brothers should be closer than others. But the Eighth Prince was so ambitious that he ended up together with the Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince.
What the eldest prince was most dissatisfied with was that the eighth prince was not outstanding among his brothers, but he had a good reputation among scholars. In his opinion, it was purely for fame and reputation!
The eldest prince did not feel the slightest bit of joy at the title he had obtained after enduring so many years. He became furious when he heard the word "straightforward".
The eldest prince smiled bitterly and said, "Khan Ama gave us titles this time. I didn't realize it was because the other brothers were old enough and deserved titles too, and I took advantage of them, or because of other reasons. It's just like the rewards during the New Year, everyone gets one, and we're all happy."
Qi You sighed inwardly. Kangxi had too many sons, each of them was as fierce as a wolf or a tiger. It was not surprising that he faced such a situation.
Kangxi wanted to appease them and mediate, but they would probably break his old bones.
Qi You thought about it and said to him, "Brother, it's better to have a title than nothing. If Khan Ama doesn't give you a title, or if he makes you a Beile, what will you do?"
"I..." The eldest prince pressed his hands on the armrests of the chair, about to turn hostile. Halfway through, he slumped back down.
Qi You is right. What can he do? Could he rebel?
"Forget it!" The eldest prince closed his eyes sadly, as if he was taking a deep breath. After a moment, he opened his eyes again, his expression relaxed a little.
"This is a happy event, I have to accept it joyfully. Besides, it's New Year's Day, I'm not allowed to see any bad luck." The eldest prince murmured, not knowing whether he was talking to himself or Qi You.
Qi You smiled and said, "I'm glad that you figured it out, big brother. Let's have a good drink and celebrate."
The eldest prince forced a smile, slumped in his chair, wiped his face with his hand, and said lazily, "Talking to you has helped me feel better."
He suddenly became excited, sat up and looked at Qi You, and said with a meaningful smile: "Hey, I know one more thing. Do you know which girl Khan Ama pointed out to you?"
Qi You didn't expect Kangxi to act so quickly. He frowned and said, "Brother, the selection hasn't started yet. Please don't say anything nonsense. If you say something wrong about something that doesn't exist, it won't be good for the girl."
The eldest prince stiffened his neck and said, "I won't say anything nonsense. I just have a good relationship with you, so I told you in advance."
Qi You waved his hand and said, "Forget it, you should keep it. Anyway, I will know when the decree comes down. There is no need to rush."
The eldest prince rolled his eyes at Qi You and said with disdain, "How boring! He doesn't even want to know who his wife is."
Qi You ignored the eldest prince and asked, "Brother, do you have anything else to do? If not, I'm going to the palace now. If I really have something to do, I don't have time to chat with you."
The eldest prince said angrily, "I'm leaving." He stood up and pretended to walk out, but his feet were rooted to the ground and he asked curiously, "Seventh Brother, what's the hurry?"
Qi You, wearing a cloak, said, "I'm not in a hurry, but I'm very busy every day, so I can't delay."
The eldest prince walked out with Qi You, looked at him sideways, and said suspiciously: "Seventh Brother, you have been busy since you were a child and never liked to play. After so many years, you are not even familiar with the capital, right?"
Qi You paused, and the eldest brother reminded him that it was time to look at the map of the capital. He said casually, "Brother, you're right. I really haven't been to the capital before, so I'm not familiar with it at all."
The eldest brother laughed and said, "I was thinking the same thing. It's strange that you knew it. When you are free, let's go out for a drink and have fun together."
Qi You agreed immediately, and the two of them chatted and laughed as they said goodbye at the door, then got on their carriages and left.
When they entered the palace, Kangxi was reading in the eastern warm room. Seeing Qi You coming, he raised his hand and beckoned him to sit down, saying with a smile, "You're here. I was looking for you just in time. I've arranged a wife for you. Here's the girl's book. Are you satisfied with it?"
Qi You couldn't help but smile bitterly and took the booklet with both hands.
The eldest prince knows who his wife is, and there must be others who know it as well.
If he is not satisfied, can he change people?
However, Qi You could see from this that the news around Kangxi seemed to leak out more easily.
Qi You took the booklet and flipped it open. The words "Hada Nara" were at the very front. The record of her was only a few short lines. In addition to her surname, age, there was also a rough description of her height and appearance.
The longest list was about her family background: where she came from, who her ancestors were, where her father worked, etc.
Kangxi smiled and said, "She is from the same clan as the Fourth Prince's wife. Although her mother's family is not prominent, I have made inquiries and found that she has a gentle personality, is well-educated, and can be considered well-mannered. She missed the selection two years ago because she was in mourning and not feeling well. Now it seems that she is a little old, but she has her own advantages and is considerate."
Qi You breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Nara was already eighteen years old, otherwise, he would always feel guilty for committing a crime.
Choosing a wife is based on her family background. Although Hada Nara and the fourth prince's wife Ulanara are from the same clan, Hada Nara's family is more prominent than hers.
Nara's great-grandfather had served as Minister of War, and her great-grandmother was the granddaughter of Daishan, Prince of Li. Her father, Ama Faluo, was the deputy commander of the Zhenghong Banner, and her stepmother was Jue Luo, the granddaughter of Mu Qing, the Duke of Fuguo.
The Manchus' marriage relationships were complex, and choosing someone who was not closely related by blood was extremely difficult. Qi You certainly didn't mind that Hada Nara was born to Faluo's concubine, as it just happened to avoid inbreeding.
After Kangxi finished speaking, he glanced at him discreetly and asked, "How was your banquet yesterday? Did anyone drink too much and make a fuss?"
The emperor was suspicious, and Qi You was helpless and had a headache. He replied: "Khan Ama, I don't drink wine. I guess they found it boring, so I didn't drink much."
Kangxi narrowed his eyes and was about to speak when Qi You continued to confess honestly: "Fourth brother stayed after the banquet and didn't leave until after dinner that night. The eldest brother also came this morning."
After a moment's silence, Kangxi did not ask for details about Qi You and the other two. Instead, he asked, "Seventh Brother, among all your brothers, who do you admire and respect the most?"
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Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or provided nutrient solution between 2022-11-24 23:22:51 and 2022-11-25 23:24:39~
Thanks to the little angel who irrigated the nutrient solution: 1 bottle of Haloxylon ammodendron;
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