41 Thousand Miles of the Yellow River
◎Huo Yan: One jump can relieve all worries.◎
The third year of the Yuanguang reign, 132 AD, was historically considered an unlucky year. Spring and summer floods caused the Yellow River to burst its banks in the first half of that year. In spring, in Dunqiu, in May, the river breached the Huzi Dike, flooding into the Juye Lake, rushing into the Si River, and finally diverting the Huai River into the sea.
This is the first time in recorded history that the Yellow River has flowed into the sea through the Huai River. The water came quickly and rushed at a very fast speed.
Huzi Dike is located at the bend of the Yellow River. As we all know, the shape of the Yellow River is like the Chinese character "几". The lower reaches of the Yellow River are like an arm, and Huzi Dike is located at the elbow joint. The water is too strong and there is no time to turn along the river channel, so it can only rush forward.
Fortunately, Huo Yan knew this in advance through the barrage, and discussed with Zheng Dangshi and others to build a higher and reinforced Huzi Dike in advance. Sure enough, the Yellow River water this time was not as uncontrollable as in history.
Huo Yan was encouraged and put more of his energy into the management of the entire section of the Yellow River. After a step-by-step on-site investigation, he wrote a letter to his family based on Wang Jing's flood control strategy mentioned in the barrage and the waterway map he drew along the way.
He requested that the water-blocking works in the old river channel be removed first, the horizontal ditches be blocked, and then a Yellow River embankment over a thousand miles long from Xingyang to Qiancheng Haikou be built. Finally, the Bian Canal, which was located in the plain south of the Yellow River and was often in danger of bursting, be dredged, thus managing the Yellow River from top to bottom.
Liu Che also roughly knew the current situation of the Yellow River through Huo Yan's letter. In May, the water level of Huzi Dike was too high. If he had not listened to Huo Yan's advice and built a new dike, the sixteen counties under Juye Lake would have had no harvest this year.
Originally, I just wanted to build a gourd embankment to put my mind at ease. It wouldn't be a waste of money anyway.
It was not until May when the Yellow River water really came that Liu Che suddenly realized the truth.
A Yan is truly psychic, and this time the Huzi Dike is his warning.
If we don’t make up our minds to control the Yellow River, will it burst its banks every year?
His letter was rushed by a courier over 800 miles to Huo Yan, who was currently surveying the Bian Canal, the most difficult section to manage. The Yellow River, a thousand miles long, contains six dou of mud for every stone of water. Truly true.
He walked with difficulty in the mud and water, and saw Liu Che's messenger. He finally rolled to the shore and thought that Liu Che was going to approve money to irrigate the river. He rubbed his muddy hands on his coarse cloth, then opened his mouth with excitement.
But after opening it, he threw the letter away, as if Liu Che was in front of him, cursing at the messenger who was waiting for a reply.
He had become much darker and thinner, his body was covered in mud, his hands were covered in tiny cracks, and the corners of his lips were dry. He was completely different from the young Master Huo who was deeply favored by the emperor. However, his tone of voice when he cursed was still very aggressive.
"Uncle Qing, I'm very anxious. What is this uncle writing? Matters of ghosts and gods, ways to immortality, what is this? Is this something passed down from their ancestors? It's pitiful that he has an empty table in the middle of the night. Isn't he asking about ghosts and gods instead of the common people? Does he know that the Yellow River used to burst its banks every ten years or so? The people here had just finished planting their crops and taken a nap when it rained heavily, and the Yellow River burst its banks. Their families were flooded, and they became so-called refugees. There is no way to turn to the sky or the earth."
He was so angry that Huo Qubing returned to Chang'an. Even if the Jade Emperor came, he would still fight back.
"If we keep treating the symptoms, then when will the people of the Yellow River be truly safe?"
The roaring sound of the Yellow River's waters could not drown out the child's clear voice.
Zheng Dangshi① and Ji An②, who were leading people to dredge the Bian Canal, looked at each other, sighed, and hurried over here with unsteady steps.
Zheng was old at the time, and Ji An was ill, so the two of them supported each other and climbed to the shore.
After getting ashore, Zheng immediately pulled the messenger to make amends for Huo Yan and said some good things about him.
Ji An took the child's hand and wiped the mud off his face.
He has always admired Taoist teachings, believed in a quiet life and kept to himself, and always thought of not having to deal with anything if possible.
However, when the child first saw them, he begged to follow them to control the river, asked them to see more of the Yellow River, and accompanied them all the way without fear of any hardships.
It was cold by the river in winter, and even if my hands were frozen and sore, I still walked around the river and talked to them about how to manage the Yellow River. After a lot of effort, they came up with a charter, wrote a memorial, and the children wrote letters excitedly. They waited every day, and finally got this result.
He felt unfair for the child.
He suffered so much to draw those pictures, how come he became the one whom Your Majesty calls a favor from heaven?
But he had to hide his resentment and try his best to persuade the child to control his temper and not provoke His Majesty.
“Sometimes, it’s good to be patient and wait.”
Huo Yan's hair was blown by the wind. The wind on the Yellow River was always strong, and it blew him like a sloppy puppy.
He choked on the wind and shouted at the messenger, "Qing Bo, tell my uncle that even though I'm exhausted, he still dreams of becoming an immortal. Otherwise, we're repairing the Yellow River, and the stele to suppress the river is still missing a Ba Xia. Let him fill in here and he'll become a dragon son."
I am unhappy, but I don't owe Liu Che any money, so I can curse him all I want. At most, I can jump into the Yellow River and relieve all my worries.
"I just want to ask him one question: will he dam the Yellow River? Give me a definite answer. He keeps talking nonsense all the time and never does anything practical. He's completely insane. You can add the last half of the sentence: 'I'm not afraid of those who wear shoes.' I've paid him, so he can't just sit there and do nothing. If he doesn't pay me back, I'll jump into the Yellow River! And then I'll become a ghost and haunt him."
This was a dark remark, but at least Zheng did not persuade the messenger at that time that he was too young.
Forget it, I have finally opened my eyes in this life.
The messenger, whom Huo Yan called Qing Bo, was not angry at all, and even wanted to laugh.
As a servant who had been with Liu Che for a long time, he knew Huo Yan's bad temper. Even Liu Che himself knew Huo Yan's temper, so he told him not to talk back when being scolded, but to coax the child first.
"Young Master is right. Your Majesty is too curious. His Majesty simply said, don't worry, His Majesty is determined to control the river, and Young Master and the other ministers just need to do the work. He will take care of everything."
The messenger didn't mind the mud and touched Huo Yan's hair with heartache, "His Majesty said that the young master's drawings are all finished. This time, I will go back with you and have a good talk with His Majesty."
Huo Yan snorted, obviously not wanting to pay any attention to Liu Che.
Why are you pretending to be so high and mighty? I make all the money.
"I'll be back once the river heals, so everyone won't worry."
[Baxia, you're calling Tetsuko a big bastard!]
[This is really pampering the child.]
[Yanzi, Zhuzhu’s beloved son.]
[A pure conscience takes one bucket, the twin gems Ah Yan each take one bucket, and the world owes two buckets.]
[This time, the money earned by Ah Yan is used to repair the river, okay?]
[The pig is the gigolo.]
[Pigs are powerful and one is better than six.]
[To control the Yellow River, one must control the Bian Canal.]
The Bian Canal, which diverted water from the Yellow River to open up navigation, connected the Yellow River and Huai River basins and was an important waterway dating back to the Warring States Period.
The Yellow River's flow rate is constantly changing, and maintaining stable water intake is a major challenge.
Wang Jing's strategy of "establishing a water gate every ten miles to allow the water to flow back and forth, thus preventing the danger of water leakage" is worth a try.
[The entire project might take a year, and Wang Jing's project was completed the following summer.]
[The cost is still over 10 billion coins, son, we've even surpassed what we gave Liu Che.]
[So the Yellow River depends entirely on us!]
[Brave boy, don't be afraid of difficulties.]
…
Huo Yan accepted the new food and daily necessities brought by his uncle. After sending the messenger away, Ji An let out a long sigh. This is a truly rebellious son to His Majesty.
What self-pity, tolerance and submission? That's what people like them consider.
This kid is so doted on that His Majesty is afraid that he will melt if he holds him in his mouth, and afraid that he will fly away if he holds him in his hands.
Zheng also sighed at that time. At his age, he naturally saw more.
He is no longer worried that His Majesty will kill someone, but now he is worried that His Majesty will spoil this young seedling.
So when Young Master Huo was still doing his job in the back, not to mention his second-generation rich kid's behavior, he was just reliable and down-to-earth in river management, Zheng smiled with relief.
He didn't know that because of his river management, he was spared from being dragged into the Dou Tian dispute and avoided the danger of being demoted.
The news that Liu Che was going to control the river was like a huge rock thrown into the calm surface of the lake in Chang'an City, which suddenly turned out all the shameful black mud of everyone underneath.
However, the Yellow River rose in May, and Liu Che provided strong support from behind.
The management of the Yellow River water was proceeding in an orderly manner. Huo Yan was filled with joy, completely unaware that at the same time, a larger boulder was about to enter the water, which would completely make Chang'an lively.
In the summer of the fourth year of Yuanguang, the Bian Canal embankment that Huo Yan had longed for was completed at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars.
He was greatly encouraged and felt that the world was vast, so he decided to continue walking down the Yellow River.
Xiao Piaoliang was catching birds beside him, and the tiger was now like a cat, swishing its tail.
Huo Yan fed him chicken and stroked his increasingly round head, nuzzling it gently. "My little beauty, you'd better leave first, or Mr. Zheng and the others will be scared to death by you."
The little pretty boy grunted and thrashed unhappily in his father's arms. He charged like a tiger, and if it weren't for his father's strong waist, he would have been knocked over sooner or later.
Huo Yan was so angry that he slapped his older son and said, "You are not a little brat anymore. Think about your father's waist."
The little beauty whined just like him and acted like a fierce tiger to him.
After all, it is a big boy, and every piece of flesh on it is not innocent.
Huo Yan's heart softened, and he fed his older son another piece of meat. "Open your mouth wide, dear boy, and go back first, okay? Dad knows you've been wronged. I'll feed you more meat when we get back."
[This is raising a child!]
[I want Yanbao too.]
[This tiger is so lucky.]
[This is when I realized the benefits of being a mom fan. Beautiful grandson, grandma wants a hug.]
[Wait, the Bian Canal has been repaired. Are you planning to continue repairing the river here?]
[Chang'an is in chaos, baby, you know what's going on.]
[Hurry, hurry! Ah Yan is looking over here, tell Ah Yan something.]
"Son, it's the summer of the fourth year of the Yuanguang reign. Do you remember the last time you asked Tian Fen for his fief of Dou? He couldn't get over it, so he asked Dou Ying for the land, and then they became even more hostile to each other?"
Huo Yan's face was expressionless, "Get to the point!"
No matter what he says, he is just like Liu Che, weird and weird.
How come he doesn't know what he did?
【Author’s words】
In his youth, Zheng was a chivalrous and sociable man, renowned in Liang and Chu. During the reign of Emperor Jing of Han, he served as a royal attendant to the Crown Prince. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, he held various positions, including Lieutenant General of Lu, Prefect of Jinan County, Governor of Jiangdu, and Right Internal Affairs. He was demoted to the position of Zhanshi for his indecisiveness in the dispute between Dou Ying and Tian Fen. He later served as Grand Minister of Agriculture, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, and Prefect of Runan County. He lived a life of integrity, and upon his death, his family left no property. When Zheng was dispatched to inspect a breach in the Yellow River, he requested five days to prepare his luggage. Emperor Wu of Han retorted, "I've heard that 'Zheng Zhuang traveled a thousand miles without provisions.' Why do you still ask for time to prepare?" Although Zheng was well-liked outside the court, he often echoed his superiors' wishes at court, refusing to express his views explicitly. In his later years, the Han Dynasty campaigned against the Xiongnu and pacified ethnic minorities, consuming vast sums of money and resources, further straining the state's financial and material resources.
② Ji An was the groom of the crown prince during the reign of Emperor Jing of Han. Emperor Wu of Han served as an usurper. Because of his proper investigation and handling of the mutual attacks between Dongyue and the fire case in Hanoi, he was promoted to the magistrate of Xingyang. Ji An was ashamed to be a county magistrate and returned home on the pretext of recuperating from illness. Emperor Wu of Han issued an edict to change his appointment to Zhong Daifu and appointed him as the prefect of Donghai. Ji An advocated Taoism, governed officials and governed the people in a clean and quiet manner, and handed most of the affairs to the county magistrate and clerks. He only formulated principles and supervised his subordinates to act according to the principles, without being too demanding of trivial matters. People in the territory under his jurisdiction praised him. Emperor Wu ordered Ji An to return to the capital to serve as the chief noble commander, one of the nine ministers. In his administration, Ji An tried to govern by inaction, promoting the main points without sticking to the provisions of laws and regulations. Later, Ji An was convicted of a minor offense and was pardoned during a general amnesty, so he was dismissed from office and returned to the countryside.
Wang Jing (c. 30–85 AD), courtesy name Zhongtong, was a native of Jimo County, Shandong Province. He was a renowned water conservancy expert during the Eastern Han Dynasty, serving as River Dike Supervisor, Governor of Xuzhou, and Prefect of Lujiang. He was a renowned water conservancy expert during the Eastern Han Dynasty. He died in Lujiang (now southwest of Lujiang, Anhui Province) around the sixth year of the Jianwu reign of Emperor Zhang of the Han Dynasty (30 AD) and the Yuanhe period.
In the 12th year of the Yongping reign (69 AD), discussions arose regarding the repair of the Yellow River. Jing was summoned to the court, where he responded with "imperial decree." The emperor bestowed upon Jing the "Classic of Mountains and Seas," "Book of Rivers and Canals," and "Map of the Tribute of Yu," along with clothing, silk, and money. That summer, hundreds of thousands of soldiers were dispatched to work with Wang Wu to repair the canal and build a dike. The dike stretched over a thousand miles from Xingyang east to the mouth of Qiancheng. Once completed, the dike ceased to cause breaches. Jing rose to prominence. He was promoted three times to the position of Imperial Censor, receiving occasional rewards. Later, he became the prefect of Lujiang. Since the people were unfamiliar with oxen plowing, Jing led officials and civilians in clearing wasteland and cultivating the fields with plows. As a result, the land enjoyed abundant food. He died in office. Jing wrote "On the Golden Man," praising the beauty of Luoyi and discouraging the relocation of the capital. He also compiled divination and solar astronomy from various books, finding them suitable for practical application, and compiled "The Great Derivations and Mysterious Foundations."
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