After the Ming Dynasty regained Kaifeng, the news spread to Yingtian, and the whole country rejoiced to celebrate the great victory.
Empress Ma set off fireworks in the palace for the first time and entertained her married woman.
The entire capital was immersed in joy.
But the residence of Jia Lu, the counselor and political minister, was a little different. The old man ordered to pack his clothes, took his books, and hurried northward, but he didn't even want to stay for a moment.
There were more than a dozen young students who followed Jia Lu northward.
One of the boys, Du Guang'an, was the most respected by Jia Lu. At first glance, one would never mistake this boy for a scholar.
In fact, it is not true. Du Guangan is at least 1.9 meters tall, strong and strong, with a Chinese character face, and his arms are thicker than the legs of ordinary people.
If he were wearing armor, he would probably be even bigger than Chang Yuchun.
But there was such a giant figure, holding a relatively small brush, writing in small regular script on the drawings, marking data, and explaining explanations.
Jia Lu looked at his student with a kind face and couldn't help admiring him.
"Don't look at this yet... Master and apprentice have not chatted for a long time. Do you still blame me as the master?"
Du Guang'an didn't even raise his head, and said in a low voice: "My nephew dare not blame my uncle. You and my father are old friends. You have taken care of our family since we were young. My father is also grateful and entrusted me to you. Naturally, he listens
How can I complain about your old arrangement?"
Jia Lu laughed loudly, "You brat, the vinegar vat in your stomach has collapsed, and the sourness can even get into the dumplings."
The old man paused, stretched out his hand to hold Du Guangan's thick shoulder, and motioned him to raise his head. Then their eyes met, and Jia Lu said: "Son, I know what you are thinking. You have been practicing martial arts since you were a child, and you are good at both civil and military affairs. So does your father.
He is a man of backbone. Unlike me, he is unwilling to serve Yuan Ting. As my official position grew, his relationship with me became weaker and weaker. Later, he sent you here because he heard that I was working under a superior.
"
As Jia Lu gets older, his emotions become richer and richer. When he talks about old friends and old friends, he can't help but sigh.
"Your father wants me to send you to martial arts school and join the army. With your ability, you will be more than enough to be a commander in a few years. In the future, it is not a problem to make you a wife and shadow son!"
"snort!"
Du Guang'an snorted softly, "Uncle, do you think that my nephew cares so much about his official rank and wealth? What I want is to expel the Hulu and restrain Shi Yanran!"
Du Guang'an simply put down the brush in his hand, held his head high, and said to Jia Lu: "The world is in chaos, and heroes have risen together. All hot-blooded men, sons and daughters of the Han family, who don't want to join the army, wear swords and swords, kill the Tatars, and recover."
China! But I have no brute strength and ambition, but I have to fiddle with these things all day long...I, I am not willing to do it!"
Jia Lu smiled slightly, not surprised at all.
"Do you think that building rivers and controlling floods is not as good as making meritorious deeds on the battlefield and not being famous for future generations?"
Du Guangan's face was sullen, and his heart was surging. Because of this matter, the two of them had quarreled countless times, "Uncle, I also know that if we can build Dujiangyan, Zhengguo Canal, and the Grand Canal... we will naturally be famous for future generations.
He is respected by others. But, in the final analysis, he is still a man who does dirty work. No matter whether he is in the government or in the public, he is not looked down upon very much. Besides, he has performed meritorious service on the battlefield, and from top to bottom, they are all heroes. Even if they die in battle, they can still enter the army.
Martyrs' Temple. For someone like my uncle, who is responsible for the great task of river management, there are so many craftsmen and civilians below! But how many of them can be reused? I, I feel aggrieved for this group of people!"
Jia Lu nodded and suddenly smiled again: "If you hate this knowledge so much, then why among so many disciples, you have the best understanding and the best understanding of what I mean. In just a few years, you have mastered my skills
Learned seventy-seven or eighty-eight?”
"I!"
Du Guang'an was stunned, and after a while, he said helplessly: "Maybe it's because I have extraordinary talent?"
Jia Lu was amused by him and couldn't help scolding: "How do you learn to be so thick-skinned? I admit that you have some talent, but you stay up all night to study, stay up and study hard, I don't know these things? You
I also went to explore the Grand Canal and the Salt and Iron Pond, and walked around both sides of the canal, drawing drawings and recording numbers. Is this also a lie? Master also knows that strong melons are not sweet. If you don’t like it, why bother with such a heavy blow?
effort?"
"I!"
Du Guangan's face turned red, "I, I just think that it is better to control floods than to be strong and strong, and to perform meritorious service and majesty on the battlefield, okay?"
"Of course!" Jia Lu laughed and said: "But you also have to know that killing tens of millions of people on the battlefield will certainly leave a name in history. But building rivers and controlling floods will save countless lives and leave a lasting legacy. This is not a great merit or good fortune.
?”
Du Guang'an was speechless and had no words to answer, so he could only say angrily: "Anyway, those who joined the army are already celebrating the victory in Kaifeng. They are waiting for His Majesty's reward, and the scenery is endless. Xiu
The river is still muddy with both legs, it’s hard to calm down!”
The master and apprentice were once again caught in an awkward atmosphere... Jalu could only close his eyes and breathe heavily.
Du Guang'an, on the other hand, was angry for a while, then obediently picked up the manuscript and continued working as if the quarrel just now had not happened.
The ship left Yingtian and went north along the canal. After arriving in Xuzhou, it changed to a carriage again and then rushed all the way to Kaifeng.
Just a dozen miles away from Nanxun Gate, someone was waiting in the pavilion. They saw Jia Lu's carriage from a distance and couldn't help smiling.
"Brother Jia, you're finally here. There's good news. I'm afraid you might be late to hear it, but this guy will come out and wait for you!"
Jia Lu stuck his head out, and when he saw that the person coming was Zhu Sheng, he quickly asked Du Guangan to help him and got out of the carriage.
Walking forward, his brows couldn't help but frown slightly, "You, why is your hair turning white?"
Zhu Sheng said nonchalantly: "I have been ill for several days and have just recovered. I am over sixty, how can I not have gray hair?"
Jia Lu was slightly startled and said with a wry smile: "Who says it's not the case... I remember correctly that I am two years older than you. I have been sick in the past few years and I don't know how long I can survive!"
Zhu Sheng pulled Jia Lu to sit down in the pavilion, and waved his hands at the same time: "Brother, you have to hold on. I heard Prime Minister Zhang say that you made an agreement back then. When the world is unified, when you come to power, you will go all out to support your governance.
The Yellow River has completed this great good deed that benefits the people. It has made the Central Plains free from floods and allowed the people to live and work in peace and contentment and thrive. Listen carefully. If this is not completed in one day, you will not die in one day.
! Even if you want to die, the Lord of Hell cannot accept you!"
Jia Lu's heart surged as he listened to his old friend's words. He suddenly lowered his head, lifted up his robe, lifted up his trousers, and exposed a section of his calf.
"Just press it."
Zhu Sheng was curious and pressed it with his hand. A small pit suddenly appeared. It didn't recover for a while. Zhu Sheng's heart skipped a beat and he couldn't help but said, "How could this happen? But please ask someone to take a look at it?"
Jia Lu smiled bitterly and said: "The queen helped to hire no fewer than ten famous doctors from Yingtian. In the early years, I was busy treating floods and got rid of the root cause of the disease. Now I am just trying to survive day by day!"
Zhu Sheng frowned and said hurriedly: "This is not possible! No one can be missing you, brother... By the way, I have good news to tell you. I can hear what Prime Minister Zhang talked about a few days ago.
It's probably going to fall on you again."
Jia Lu was puzzled, "What did Prime Minister Zhang say? Isn't it time for him to assist the superiors and deal with the matters at hand? Does he still have time to mention me specifically?"
Zhu Sheng smiled and said: "Brother Jia, you are wrong. Not only did Prime Minister Zhang say it, he also told it to everyone. And look at what he meant, he took this matter as big as the sky!"
"What? You said that Prime Minister Zhang intends to regulate the Yellow River?" Jia Lu hesitated and said: "I'm afraid it won't work! The Central Plains has been in chaos for ten years, people's livelihood has been in ruins, and the population is barely alive. Where can you find so many people to regulate the river? I, I will do this this time
I just want to go north to see how my project of regulating the river went while I still have a breath, and tell my disciples what needs to be explained. If, if we want to regulate the Yellow River in the future, they can continue to do it."
Only then did Jia Lu confide in his heart, remembering the agreement made back then, Zhu Yuanzhang indeed spent ten years recovering the Central Plains. But after ten years, Jia Lu was already very old.
If the river was regulated immediately, Jia Lu could still do something.
But everyone knows that river control can only be started after recuperating, restoring people's livelihood, accumulating financial resources, and even after recapturing Dadu.
By that time, Jia Lu is afraid that he is no longer alive.
He could only leave his hope to his disciples, take them to see the river control projects in the past, and teach all his skills to the big guys based on the actual situation.
Let them complete their careers in the future, and by then, he will be able to smile.
"Brother, Prime Minister Zhang didn't talk about river control, but he mentioned Baigong and technological inventions."
"Technical invention?"
"Yes!" Zhu Sheng said: "This time Prime Minister Zhang was in front of the formation and wounded Chahan with a crossbow arrow, which was a great achievement!"
Jia Lu chuckled and said: "Xiang Zhang is really lucky, he is extraordinary!"
There is no doubt that Jia Lu is also a person with high emotional intelligence.
To put it bluntly, it's just a trap.
But if Zhang Ximeng is confused, then he is not confused, but because of God's will in the dark.
Zhu Sheng smiled and said: "Brother, I'm afraid you guessed wrong this time... Prime Minister Zhang gave the credit to the craftsmen who made the crossbows, and asked the superiors to reward him with a seventh-grade crown and belt. He also wrote in handwriting: Three years to sharpen an arrow. Give it away.
Gave it to the craftsmen.”
"What?" Jia Lu was surprised, "A craftsman can also become an official? Also, Zhang Xiang's handwriting is extraordinary! I don't care what he wants, but he won't give it to me!"
Zhu Sheng smiled and said: "It's not like being an official... it's like being a casual rank, and you can enjoy the treatment and salary of an official."
Jia Lu sighed: "That, that's not bad, the superior Heavenly Grace, Prime Minister Zhang is so kind!"
Zhu Sheng smiled meaningfully again, "What is this? There are even more amazing things!"
"What's up?"
"Of course the river your brother built was named Jialu River, and a monument will be erected soon. Prime Minister Zhang also said that the Qin Dynasty prospered with the Zheng Guo Canal, and the Ming Dynasty prospered with the Jialu River!" Zhu Sheng sighed: "Brother
His great name will last forever in the Central Plains from now on!"