The fundamental reason for the annual flooding of many provinces along the Yellow River is that the upstream soil erosion is severe, resulting in silt and blockage of downstream silt. When heavy rainstorms come during the flood season, it will break through the river and cause heavy water.

If you want to cure the root cause, you naturally have to start with soil erosion in the upper reaches. However, with the level of social development power of the Ming Dynasty, this was almost impossible, so there is only one way to control water.

In the dynasties that followed the Song Dynasty, including Xu Youzhen’s memorial, the method chosen was to “diversion and kill”. That is, to dig new tributaries of the river and divert the fierce and surged Yellow River water during the flood season, thereby reducing the pressure on the main river embankment.

The advantage of this method is that the project difficulty and project volume are small, and even the requirements for project quality are not high. It is a water control strategy that does not seek to be reliably but does not seek to be ineffective.

The disadvantages of this method are also obvious. Digging a river channel means encroaching on large areas of farmland and land, which will cause many farmers to lose the land they rely on for their livelihood, resulting in complaints from the people and their families and their families being destroyed.

In addition, digging new river tributaries is not a one-time solution. If you do not pay attention to maintenance and dredging, you will often be blocked by the mud and sand brought by the Yellow River water in a year, and the water flows across the river to flood the crops and farmland, which will expand the scope of the disaster.

Another important disadvantage is that local gentry will continue to occupy these excavated river channels to build fields.

As a result, the farmers were deprived of the river tributaries excavated from the land. After a round, the farmers' land was gone and the river was gone, and in the end only the landlord's land was left.

"Binding water to attack sand" has taken another completely different principle. Not only does it not dig new river tributaries, it blocks all the diversion rivers, allowing the Yellow River water to concentrate on a single river channel.

This will increase the velocity of the water flow in the river trough and wash away the silt silted from the riverbed. Only by clearing the silt of the Yellow River silt can we truly cut off the risk of river embankment and avoid the land of farmers being encroached on!

Of course, Chen Tao, the chief clerk of this water control plan, could have imagined that so many capable people and patriots in all dynasties could not have imagined that they could not have imagined that so many people in history had dynasties.

Why don’t they do it? The problem arises in the cost!

"Binding water to attack sand" increases the flow rate of the water flow, which is equivalent to artificially creating flood peaks to wash away mud and sand, which has extremely high requirements for the solidity of the river embankment.

Just now, Shen Yichen could step on the tofu slag on a river bank, and could it withstand the erosion of the water flow?

Don't let the water control fail at that time, it will cause greater floods to form a vast ocean. Shen Yichen may be called an eternal sin.

"Then what is the clean and yellow brush?'

Stripping water to attack sand is not a new plan, but Shen Yichen has never heard of the word "storing clear and brushing yellow". I want to hear what unique water control plan does this Yanggu County chief clerk have.

Seeing Shen Yichen constantly asking about his ideas for water control, Chen Tao at this time had completely lost the fear he had before. On the contrary, he was filled with a zeal of talking!

"Qianxian, the Yellow River has seized Qing and entered the sea several times in history. It is better for us to go the other way and lead the clear water into the yellow. With the help of the water potential of the clear water, it will impact the silt silted by the Yellow River, thereby greatly improving the effect of binding water and attacking sand!"

Qingshui is the nickname of the Huai River in the Ming Dynasty. Because compared with the turbid "yellow" water of the Yellow River, the water of the Huai River is obviously much clearer, so the Huai River is called Qinghe.

Chen Tao's idea and plan can be described in the word "crazy". You should know that the water volume of the Yellow River can only be used to bind water to attack sand, and the river embankment may not be able to withstand it. He also plans to introduce the Huai River to increase the water potential to rinse sand.

If you really follow this plan, the consequences cannot be described as a break. There are probably only a few sections left on the entire river bank! "Chief Chen, I don't know whether you should say whether you are so happy or have a whimsical idea. Do you know the difficulty of placing water to attack sand and storing clear and yellow?'

Chen Yichen's words of reproach made Chen Tao's originally a little excited instantly fall.

In fact, this is not the first time he has made similar suggestions. In the past, the imperial court sent ministers to build Zhang Qiuduan Heti, and Chen Tao also put forward his own ideas and suggestions.

The feedback received is no exception, just like Shen Yichen's response now.

It's simply unrealistic and whimsical!

In comparison, Chen Yichen is pretty good, just asking questions in his words, rather than scolding him directly.

"The lower official knows."

Chen Tao lowered his head and admitted his mistake, but there was a wry smile on his lips. The idea of ​​the plan was proposed by himself, so how could he not know the difficulty? "Why do you still have to make this suggestion if you know that things cannot be done?"

"Because the officials thought the Secretary of the Communist Party of China was different from others."

This statement shocked the officials of Yanggu County.

County Master Meng Anwei was killed by saying the wrong thing. Chen Tao looked honest on weekdays, but he didn't expect to speak so boldly and want to repeat the same mistakes?

"How dare you talk to Qianxian like this!"

County Magistrate Jiang Pei immediately scolded loudly, and at the same time he quickly bowed to Chen Yichen and explained: "Chief Chen was born in the countryside and had never seen the world. If you offend me, I hope you can forgive me!"

Looking at the nervous look of the officials in Yanggu County, Chen Yichen asked with a playful smile: "Mr. Jiang, is this official in your heart so petty?'

Faced with Chen Yichen's replies, Jiang Pei showed an awkward smile on his face and said he didn't dare.

The current Yanggu County officials are respectful and afraid of Chen Yichen. The way to kill Meng Anwei at the time and the subsequent warnings in the county government brought too much pressure.

But if Chen Yichen really wants to say that he is narrow-minded and has any petty actions, he can't say.

"Zhen Zhubu, you read that right, this official is indeed different from others."

After saying that, Chen Yichen walked up to Chen Tao, looked at him and continued, "If you want to get your ideas and ambitions in your heart and get rid of unrealistic empty talk, you must have detailed implementation plans and steps."

"I will give you a chance and submit a water treatment plan within three days. Can I do it?"

Looking at Chen Yichen's sudden change, Chen Tao widened his eyes as if he was disbelief. It was not until Jiang Pei next to him pulled his arm and then he realized.

"The subordinate officials must submit water control policies and do not let the Secretary-General wishes!"

"good."

Chen Yichen patted Chen Tao on the shoulder and stopped talking.

Chen Yichen has never seen the name of Chen Tao, the ninth-rank chief clerk, in history books, but many times the times create heroes.

If he could really submit a feasible water control plan according to local conditions, Chen Yichen would not mind letting the name of Chen Tao be passed down in history! The river embankment ahead collapsed into an endless "big lake", so naturally there was no need to continue moving forward. So Chen Yichen returned to Zhangqiu Town and discussed the specific implementation plan with Bian He.

"Mr. Bian, now the situation of the dam breaking in Zhangqiu Town has been seen with your own eyes. What do you think about the water control plan proposed by Chief Chen?" "My subordinates believe that the water will be drained first, and the water will be smooth and the water will be cured. If the decision is stopped, the silt will be dredged."

"As for whether to use the plan of binding water to attack sand and storing cleansing and brushing yellow, my subordinates dare not speak out.

Bian He gave a very clear view, that is, first clear the surging river water at the breaking dam, wait until the water flow is discharged and the water level is stable, then control the breached dam, and finally dredge the silt silted from the river channel.

As for whether to adopt Chen Tao's plan, he dare not express his opinions.

Because this plan has too high risk and the project volume is too large, it is far more than just blocking the breach of the collapsed dam, and it is probably necessary to strengthen the river embankment for hundreds of miles.

Does Chen Yichen have the courage, ability and financial resources to do this unprecedented water control project?

"Actually, Mr. Bian recognized Chen Tao's plan in his heart.'

"I dare not deceive the boss, yes!"

Water control is a major event that benefits the present and the future. Either don’t do it, do it well if you want to do it. If you return to the same thing after a few years, what’s the point of all efforts today?

If Chen Tao's plan to block water and attack sand and clean and clean yellow can be successfully implemented, it can ensure that Shandong's territory will be safe for a hundred years. This is an unparalleled contribution to the country and the people!

To achieve extraordinary things, one needs extraordinary people. Bian He hopes that Chen Yichen will be that person.

But at the same time, Bian He also knew in his heart what kind of heavy responsibilities he would bear and what price he would pay to become this person.

After Chen Yichen arrived in Shandong, he had done enough for the people and should not be demanding to take on those responsibilities that did not belong to him.

"Mr. Bian, there is never a shortage of smart people in this world who can weigh the pros and cons. But whenever the sun is covered by dark clouds and the country is in danger, there will always be some stupid people who will break through the sky with great sensation and do it even though they know they cannot do it!"

"If you are lucky, I want to be such a person.

Listening to Chen Yichen's words, Bian He understood his choice, and felt mixed emotions in his heart for a moment, and he didn't know how to speak for a while. After a long time, Bian Heshen bowed and said, "How lucky is the subordinate to meet such a person? I am willing to follow him!" "Okay, let me and Mr. Bian see if I can become such a person."

"I'll wait and see!"

Chen Tao did not wait for three days for water control. Just one day later, he presented a stack of books with densely written water control policies and also drew a chart of budgets.

From this point of view, it can be seen that Chen Tao did not have any temporary intentions. He had been waiting for this moment for a long time!

After Chen Yichen took over the water control policy, he carefully studied it, and the focus was on how Chen Tao implemented his theory of restraining water and attacking sand, storing clear and brushing yellow.

In addition to the conventional reinforcement of dams, Chen Tao also designed a "distant, wisp, grid, and moon" embankment system based on the hydrological characteristics of the Yellow River's sandy and easy siltation and floods surge and steeply falling.

To put it simply, it is to repair the Yao dike to prevent collapse, to repair the Thunder dike to bind the river water, to repair the Ge dike to stop overflowing, and to repair the Yue dike to relieve the water.

By cooperating with each other in the dangerous areas, the water potential of the flood peak is blocked to the greatest extent, ensuring that the Yellow River embankment does not collapse, and the water potential can continue to be the original sand brushing function.

At the same time, these four sets of dams also bring an extremely important advantage, that is, there is no longer the need to build hundreds of miles of exaggerated stone embankments to resist the water flow of sand, and strengthen the earth embankments to withstand the erosion, greatly reducing the project volume and making the original fantasy plan feasible

"Zhen Zhubu, you are really a genius in water management!"

Chen Yichen couldn't help but applaud the case. The cost of building a stone embankment was simply unimaginable in ancient times. Even if he knew it was impossible, he might have the will but lack the ability in the end.

On the contrary, the earth embankment that has been consolidated and reinforced for hundreds of miles has dropped by more than one order of magnitude, and the consumption of financial and civilian power has also been reduced to an acceptable range.

Even Chen Tao gave his own estimate in the plan: 100,000 migrant workers plus 500,000 taels of water conservancy silver will be successful!

"The officials are so ashamed that they dare not take responsibility!

"It's just that I've seen my fellow villagers suffer from the pain of the Yellow River over the years and think about doing my best!"

The official position of a county magistrate is different from that of a county magistrate. It does not require the juren to be selected by the Ministry of Personnel. Local scholars with scholars and fame can be held.

Chen Tao is a native of Zhang Qiu Town. He has experienced countless floods in the Yellow River since he was a child. After becoming an official, he was determined to manage water and protect the peace of the area.

However, people are so slight, but no one cares about water control over the years. They even rashly make suggestions, which arouses the dissatisfaction of many water control ministers.

Today, Chen Yichen's appreciation was finally achieved, and Chen Tao was already satisfied with being able to submit his lifelong idea of ​​flood control.

"Chief Chen, is he willing to lead the water management work?

Chen Yichen's inquiry undoubtedly told Chen Tao that he adopted the water control policy.

Happiness came too suddenly. Chen Tao never expected that Chen Yichen would agree so decisively, without even a trace of hesitation.

"Xiaguan is willing to take on the work of Hegong, and he will die without regrets!"

"If you are blocking me, you can't die."

Chen Yichen was in a good mood and made a joke, and then appointed Chen Tao as the general manager of the Hebei Engineering. The 20,000 strong disaster victims migrated from Yanggu County were handed over to him for work-for-relief.

After more than half a month of rice porridge and occasional meat supplements, the skinny and skinny victims now have a good complexion and can fully devote themselves to the Hebei Engineering Industry.
To be continued...