In the Forbidden City, Zhu Yunxi also got up early. After going to Yong'an Palace to greet the old man, he returned to Lezhizhai and started his busy day.
Zhu Yunxi's handling of government affairs is somewhat different from that of the old man. Except for the public consultation of the ministers during the court meeting, the old man's affairs are all done arbitrarily. Zhu Yunxi, on the other hand, generally does not express his opinions in court. Instead, he likes to be in the office process and finds out at any time. If there is any problem, summon your ministers for discussion at any time.
Moreover, I often talk about it for a long time.
Therefore, a row of official rooms was specially set up next to Lezhizhai.
The ministers of the Jiuqing Department cannot be here at all times, but there are always a few ministers staying in the official room, so that the emperor can summon them and ask questions.
In fact, comparing the two, Zhu Yunxi's method of handling government affairs made the ministers the most tired because they had to appear at any time and had to be highly nervous at all times.
Zhu Yunxi sat cross-legged on the Kang and read the memorial. Several ministers stood at the door with their hands hanging down. Wang Sha, the eunuch in charge, directed the palace people to arrange breakfast.
"The governor of Henan and the Hedao Yamen wrote a document asking the imperial court to allocate funds to dredge the waterways of the Yellow River!" Zhu Yunxi opened a memorial, "The document said that the request was for 100,000 silver dollars and the levy of 30,000 from the people." As he said that, he raised his head slightly. Eyelids, "Ministry of Industry, what do you think?"
The Yellow River water disease is a common problem throughout all dynasties. If it is not treated, it will overflow. However, repeated treatments have achieved little success.
Hearing this, one of the ministers in charge, Lian Zining, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, hurriedly came out and said, "I am telling the emperor that one hundred thousand is not much to spend on repairing the river, and thirty thousand people are not a big project. But. I think that the rivers in Henan are repaired and replenished every year. One hundred thousand this year and one hundred thousand next year are like cutting flesh with a dull knife. No matter how rich the national treasury is, there will be a day when it can't bear it!"
"Besides, it would be fine if it could be cured. Floods come and go again, and there is a risk of recurrence every three to five years." After saying that, Lian Zining looked at Zhu Yunxi's face and continued, "I thought, When building a river, we can’t just focus on the present. We need to coordinate and manage it. Not to mention trying to fix it once and for all, at least repairing it once can bring peace for ten years!”
"Old minister seconded the proposal!" Ling Han, the Minister of Civil Affairs, followed, "Old minister is from Henan. There are some things that other colleagues are inconvenient to say, but I can speak freely!"
"Oh?" Zhu Yunxi said with a smile, "Is there any hidden secret behind the money for repairing the river?" After saying that, he turned to Wang Sha and said, "Bring them a stool to sit down. They haven't even used their breakfast. I Just two or three here are enough, put the rest in front of them!"
After that, he said to the ministers, "We monarchs and ministers should not eat and sleep without saying anything. Let's talk while we eat!"
"I will thank God for his grace!"
When everyone sat down, Wang Sha led the young eunuch and put food on the table in front of them.
These courtiers also went out to the palace early in the morning and ate a few hasty breakfasts. They were already hungry by this time.
"Bring the boiled meatballs to Ling Han, and the bitter gourds to Ru Jin..." Zhu Yunxi also knew a thing or two about the preferences of his ministers.
Ling Han first ate a few steamed meatballs and two mouthfuls of rice before he said, "I am from Henan, and the people in Henan are afraid of floods. It is a good thing for the government to regulate the river, but I am afraid that the local officials will do it for repairs." Build the river!"
"I don't think about the immediate benefits after a hundred years. The original purpose of building the river is to allow the people to stabilize the floods and stop them from raging. But some local officials don't care about this and only regard building the river as a political achievement."
"The old minister is either saying that he wants money from the local government, or that he is using the court's money to buy his own political achievements. But this is indeed the case, and it will happen in the future."
"What Shilang Lian said just now is actually to save face for the Chief Secretary of Henan and the river. One hundred thousand people to manage the river is just treating the symptoms but not the root cause." At this point, Ling Han looked around him and smiled, "Shilang Hou was once from Henan.
The chief minister, I think, has the same view as the old minister!"
Zhu Yunxi turned to Hou Yong and said, "Tell me about it!"
Hou Yong stood up and saluted, and then said slowly, "I have been in office in Henan for several years and have built rivers twice. The first time was when I first took office, when I joined hands with local gentry and merchants to dredge the rivers on a small scale. The second time was after the flood the year before last.
The Supreme Emperor used the inner treasury to repair the river!"
"It wasn't that I didn't want to repair it before, but the treasury really didn't have the money, so I had to make repairs. Now that the treasury has money, and the emperor is generous, as long as the local government needs money to build rivers and pave roads, they will give it to them!"
Obviously, there was something behind his words, so Zhu Yunxi waited quietly.
Hou Yong was also organizing reasonable words, "I'll make a rough estimate. As Mr. Ling said, one hundred thousand is not enough, but if it is used to control river water, it will inevitably leave a tail!"
"My words offend people, but I have to say it. Since I know that I want to leave a tail, why don't I spend enough money at once to control it thoroughly?"
"In the past two years, there has been no money from the treasury. It has become a routine for officials to ask for money to repair this or that. Because these are the resources of their experience."
"It has become a routine for them to ask for money, and it has become a routine for many local repairs. For example, this time, leaving a tail. Then the next local official will have a reasonable name to ask the court for funds!"
As he spoke, he looked at Zhu Yunxi's face and boldly said, "Every year, every year, every year, once it becomes a routine, the court will waste people's money and money..."
How could Zhu Yunxi not know about these tricks?
The reason why he said it in front of these people was because he wanted these ministers to expose his dirty tricks.
I remember that back then, there was a road in front of his house. It had been repaired since he was in elementary school, and it had not been repaired until he reached the age of marriage. And it was very strange. It was not repaired in the spring and not in the summer. It was excavated in the fall and then rushed.
Shut down before winter.
After a winter, the road was rotted and turned into concrete in the second year, and then repaired again.
The excavator clicks all day long, like a Japanese machine gun.
There are also green belts on both sides of the road, where fruit trees were originally planted. When they bloom every year, people take photos and play with their families. Later, it happened that someone picked the fruits and took poison, so they chopped them down. After they were chopped, they were laid with red bricks.
In the second year, the bricks were dug up and turned into green bricks. In the third year, they were turned into flower beds. In the fourth year, they were turned into red bricks.
Zhu Yunxi smiled and said, "According to you, the Henan Governor and the Hedao Yamen's scandal have bad intentions?"
"I..." Hou Yong thought about it, "I don't dare to be arbitrary, but at least they are not bent on controlling the water, but they also have selfish motives!" He continued to say loudly, "The reason why
The Yellow River has been flooded for many years, not because the river has not been properly managed!"
He paused and said, "I would like to use an analogy. It's like a person who always loses weight. Is it because the food he eats is bad? Is it because he has a bad gastrointestinal condition?"
This vulgar metaphor directly made Zhu Yunxi and all the ministers laugh.
"Hey, you are disgusting! Are you drinking soup and eating meatballs?" Ling Han scolded with a smile.
"The flood problem of the Yellow River is that there are too few trees in Henan!" Hou Yong continued, "Song, between Shao Shao, from Pinglu to the top, there is no trace of woodcutting. Only ancient temples have century-old trees, and the trees outside are all over the years.
Newly planted!”
Zhu Yunxi nodded frequently after hearing this. Hou Yong's words got to the root of the matter. Floods are also a manifestation of the ecological environment, and the ecological environment is a chain of reincarnation. Without trees, water and soil cannot be protected.
Historical records record that Henan's forest coverage rate accounted for more than 10% in ancient times. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, it became 20% to 30%. In the Tang Dynasty, it was less than 20%. By the Song Dynasty, it was less than 15%.
Moreover, because of the successive wars in the northwest during the Song Dynasty, the forests in the upper reaches of the Yellow River were completely deforested, which intensified the flooding in the lower reaches of the Yellow River. In addition, the territory of Zhao and Song was too small. In order to increase production, just enclosing fields in the lower reaches of the Yellow River was enough.
Up to 22 million hectares.
Draining the original river and turning it into fields is like causing a car accident on the highway. It would be strange if it is not blocked.
"When I was in Henan, I strictly ordered all areas to prohibit deforestation and slash-and-burn cultivation!" Hou Yong said again, "Your Majesty, I am not ashamed of my words. If you really want to control the river, it is not a matter for Henan Province. You must work together upstream and downstream.
!”
"Okay!" Zhu Yunxi said without hesitation, "According to what you said, we can't cure headaches and foot pain, we have to find out the root cause of the Yellow River's disease." After saying that, he paused and said, "I will leave this matter to the Ministry of Industry, Hou Aiqing.
!”
"I'm here!"
"You should work harder if you are capable. In addition to the staff department, you should also bear the vacancy of the right minister of the Ministry of Industry first!"
"I obey the decree!"
At this time, Wang Shai said outside the door, "Long live Lord, Duke Cao is here!"
"come in!"
Afterwards, Zhu Yunxi smiled, looked at the memorial in his hand and put it aside, "The new Henan governor and the Hedao Yamen are too bad at getting things done!"
This sentence happened to fill Li Jinglong's ears when he just came in.
My heart skipped a beat, and I thought to myself, "Henan Hedao Yamen? It seems that he took my route, how could he offend Long Live Lord?"
This chapter has been completed!