Chapter 322: The Wei River Floods
In the dark night, fires were burning everywhere in the farmlands.
"Swish, swish!" Locusts flew towards the fire, emitting puffs of green smoke.
The villagers wiped their sweat and smiled happily as they watched the locusts gradually become fewer in the farmland.
"Oh my god, it's so hot!" Wei Shutong, the Grand Chamberlain, pulled open his collar, feeling extremely hot.
The Palace Attendant and the Palace Vice Minister were close ministers to the emperor. When the emperor was in office, they would advise the emperor on his mistakes and serve as his advisors. When the emperor was out, they would ride on horseback and follow him around, with a fixed number of appointments.
The newly added ones are Yuanwai Sanqi Changshi and Yuanwai Sanqi Shilang, who are outside the establishment.
In the early Tang Dynasty, it was a casual official position, mostly held by members of the royal family or the sons of meritorious officials, and was often used to accommodate retired officials and elderly people.
Wei Shutong and Li Zhongyan returned to Chang'an after their last tour of Lingnan and made no further achievements.
The emperor ordered Su Bucheng to exterminate locusts, and they worked together that night. Wei Shutong and Li Zhongyan volunteered to go to various states and counties to exterminate locusts together.
Both of them were given the idle position of "Yuanwai" because of the merits of their fathers.
I am unwilling to be ordinary, I am passionate and hope to fight for a bright future.
The locust extermination is shocking and requires enough courage. If it succeeds, it will be recorded in history and passed down through the ages. If it fails, you will be the direct person responsible for the accident and the scapegoat.
The emperor personally appointed Su Bucheng to exterminate locusts. They seized the opportunity and volunteered to assist Su Bucheng in exterminating the locusts, which greatly appreciated the emperor.
He was immediately appointed as a special envoy for locust control, and had the power to dismiss on the spot any officials who neglected their duties, shirked their responsibilities, or missed opportunities in the locust-stricken areas.
The two accompanied Li Hongshi and Su Bucheng respectively to inspect the locust-stricken areas.
Su Bucheng looked up at the starless night sky, sniffed the air, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Quick! Increase the firewood. We must put it out tonight! It will rain tomorrow!"
Guanzhong has been dry for so long, it’s finally going to rain!
But if the locusts are not completely eliminated, they will reproduce the second generation after a heavy rain, and it won’t be long before the autumn locusts are rampant, and the locust eradication campaign will be in vain!
"Ah? Lord Su, is it really going to rain?" The villagers were overjoyed.
"Of course, it will fall tomorrow morning at the latest! We must kill all the locusts before it rains, otherwise they will breed again after the heavy rain!" Su Bucheng said loudly.
"Quick! Add firewood!" Orders were passed down one after another.
"Great! It's finally going to rain!" Wei Shutong wiped the sweat off his face and smiled.
Seeing Su Bucheng's frown, he asked, "What are you worried about, Lord Su?"
"Prolonged drought will inevitably lead to floods, and prolonged floods will inevitably lead to droughts. I am worried that this rain will continue and cause flash floods!
"We need to notify the government as soon as possible and have them conduct riverbank protection and inspections! All villages and towns must be on alert at all times and beware of flash floods!" Su Bucheng said.
"Is it that serious?" Wei Shutong doubted.
"It's better to be careful! It's better to have no losses! If there are any, take precautions in advance to minimize the losses!" Su Bucheng said as he jumped on his horse and galloped towards the government office.
"What? We need to dispatch more personnel to patrol the riverbank and strengthen prevention?" Huazhou Governor Cui Du exclaimed.
In the past few days, the entire state and counties have been mobilized to fight locusts. Except for the officials on duty, all of them have gone to various townships and villages to supervise the locust control and are exhausted.
He hated Su Bucheng to death, but he dared not complain, let alone slack off. Once discovered, there was a special envoy around him who could dismiss him on the spot!
Just when it was about to be completed, Su Bucheng caused trouble again!
Who was the governor anyway? Not to mention the locust extermination, what about the flood control and relief orders issued by the emperor? Was Su Bucheng going to get involved?
Besides, it's been hot and humid for more than just one or two days. It's been like this every day for the past two months.
The riverbed of the Wei River is exposed in many places. Why does Su Bucheng say that it will rain?
"Master Cui, Huazhou is located in the eastern part of Guanzhong, with the Qinling Mountains to the south and the Wei River to the north. If the Wei River floods, it will flood a large area of farmland! This is fertile land, most of which is official land. This matter is of no small importance.
It's not that Su is meddling in state affairs, but I really don't want to see floods and people displaced! We've worked so hard to kill locusts, but we can't even protect our crops!
Furthermore, if a flood really does trigger a series of serious consequences, you will be the one to be held responsible in the end!"
Su Bucheng had said all he wanted to say. It was up to Governor Cui whether to do it or not.
Su Bucheng asked his clerks to write several letters and send them to the capital, various states, and Jingzhao Prefecture Governor Li Hongshi, asking them to make preparations for flood prevention and control as soon as possible.
Seeing that Su Bucheng was issuing orders one after another and no longer paying attention to him, Cui Du realized that this might be true.
Not daring to be careless, he quickly ordered the yamen runners to ride on horseback to various counties to pass on the message, informing all townships and villages to prepare for flood prevention.
"Boom!" "Crack!" In the second half of the night, lightning suddenly flashed across the sultry night sky, followed by thunder.
Su Bucheng, who had just fallen asleep after a busy night, was awakened and got up and opened the window.
"Hualala!" The rain hit the window frame quickly and densely, mixed with strong wind, and it came with great force!
The rain never stopped, as if there was a hole in the sky.
"Sir Su, don't go yet!" Cui Du stopped Su Bucheng.
"Looking at this situation, I'm afraid the Wei River is really going to flood! Lord Su, please take charge and guide Cui in flood prevention and control! Save the fertile land in Huazhou!"
I'm so thankful that I listened to Su Bucheng last night and issued flood prevention and control orders to all counties! Otherwise, I'd be left watching the torrential rain today, and it would be too late to notify them later!
"Let's go! Let's check out the river water!" Su Bucheng nodded and got on the carriage.
Cui Du and Wei Shutong got on the carriage and headed towards the Wei River in the wind and rain.
It was raining heavily along the way, the sky was so dark that the road was almost invisible. The wind blew the rain into the carriage, and it soon became quite wet.
Fortunately, they were all wearing waterproof felt and straw raincoats, so only the hems of their official robes were wet.
After walking for more than an hour with difficulty, we arrived at the Wei River.
Cui Du was surprised to find that the Wei River, whose riverbed was exposed yesterday, was now turbid and wide, approaching its peak during the flood season. As expected, the Wei River was flooding!
"Is there anyone patrolling the embankment?" Su Bucheng asked Cui Du, looking at the deserted riverside.
"The order was issued yesterday, and the inspection should have been carried out!" Cui Du said it even though he himself didn't believe it.
What can be inspected in a dry state? When the water level rises, the dry embankment can hardly withstand the tremendous pressure of the surging river water! It is very easy to collapse.
"Send someone to inspect quickly! Divide into three shifts for twelve hours, day and night, and don't slack off!" Su Bucheng said sternly.
"Strong laborers from all villages and townships are on standby at all times, with gongs ready. In case of an emergency, notify villagers to flee to higher ground!"
It was raining so hard, but there was no one on duty or patrolling the embankment. They were afraid that things would get out of hand!
As he spoke, rain water poured into his mouth, his official boots were filled with water, and the hem of his official robe was completely wet and stuck to his legs.
After Su Bucheng gave the order, he checked along the river bank.
There are already many places on this side of the dam where pipes are bursting, with small bubbles coming out.
"Quick! Mobilize the laborers to reinforce the levee! Block the pipe leakage!" Su Bucheng's face changed drastically.
"Hurry! What are you still standing there for! Gather all the laborers here!" Cui Du didn't expect the pipe to burst so soon, and he panicked!
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