One thousand five hundred and forty-six engineers govern the country
In the spring of the eighth year of Yuan De (Yiwei), February 2 (Sixteenth).
Hongguyuan Fanchuan in the western suburbs of Chang'an.
As the gurgling water poured into a wide ditch, the whole Fanchuan cheered and countless people burst into tears.
Chao Cuo was even more excited and couldn't control himself.
Because the opening of this ditch announced the basic completion of the first phase of the Weihe River Water Transport Project.
From then on, the connections between Kunming Pool and the Wei River, as well as the Lushui River and the Fengshui River were fully connected.
The water supply for residents in Chang'an City will also be greatly improved.
The clear natural water sources from Kunming Pool, Lishui River and Fengshui River will enter thousands of households from now on.
What's more important is that Chao Cuo's ambition as prime minister finally has a guarantee.
Although, at present, this water transport canal project is actually just the beginning and is even less than half completed.
The most important and critical project to divert the Wei River through the Yangtze River has not yet been completed.
At present, what is really completed is this canal and canal, which is only more than a hundred miles long, starting from Kunming Pool, passing through Fengshui River, Lishui River, heading north to Fanchuan River, circumnavigating Chang'an City, and merging into the Weihe River from Baqiao.
Even so, this project is great enough!
The canal flowing for more than 100 miles will completely change the lives of the people along the road from Kunming Pool to Chang'an.
At the same time, this channel that delivers natural river water from Kunming Pool and the deep mountains of Shanglinyuan into Chang'an City will also completely change the drinking water safety of Chang'an City residents, allowing everyone to drink healthy and clean drinking water.
Based on this alone, Chao Cuo knew in his heart that he was almost certain to get the pass leading to the Prime Minister's throne.
The reason is simple.
The entire city of Chang'an and the people along the Cao River will support him!
Anyone who opposes is making an enemy of these people!
A politician who has lost the support of the people and his reputation can only step down sadly, not to mention that he still has the endorsement of the emperor.
Thinking of this, Chao Cuo couldn't help but sigh, and thought to himself: "I originally thought that His Majesty just wanted to use this project to give me an excuse, but I didn't expect that this project itself is enough to make me, Prime Minister..."
Just look at it now and you will know.
Originally, at this year's court meeting, many nobles, princes and ministers expressed secretly that "Chao Yingchuan is still somewhat unqualified to be the prime minister." Of course, for the sake of the emperor and the current prime minister Zhou Yafu, everyone held back.
I can barely recognize my nose!
However, many people are saying in private: Chao Yingchuan's aspect will definitely take place soon. Sooner or later, it will definitely be gone within a year or as early as a few months.
In fact, it actually shows the attitude of these people.
Forced by the emperor's intimidation, the power of the Legalists, and Zhou Yafu's face, they had no choice but to agree to let Chao Cuo take over.
However, when Chao Cuo took the position of prime minister, these people started to cause trouble for Chao Cuo.
They will definitely use all means to make Chao Cuo bow down and step down.
Chao Cuo was very hesitant for a time and discussed with Zhou Yafu, Dou Ying and others many times.
He even entertained the idea of simply abdicating his position in favor of someone more worthy.
After all, he, Chao Cuo, is just an ordinary person and cannot withstand such great pressure.
He is also afraid that this will trigger conflicts between the government and the opposition.
Fortunately, he persisted and persists until now.
With this Wei River water transportation project, even if it is only the first phase of the project, it will be regarded as a political achievement.
Now, his Chao Cuo phase is as stable as Mount Tai.
Not only the princes praised him one after another, but also many people who had always disliked his Chao Cuo had to thank him.
Because when the Wei River and Cao River are connected, the entire Guanzhong will benefit.
Including those who once opposed and were hostile to Chao Cuo!
More importantly, through this project, Chao Cuo completely solved the drinking water safety and health problems of millions of residents in Chang'an City.
The military has expressed support.
After receiving the endorsement of the military, any other organization and force can only give up their inner thoughts.
At least I have to give up now.
Otherwise, all that awaits them is that they will be betrayed and separated from their relatives, and they will be wiped out in ashes.
"Thank you for your hard work..." Chao Cuo looked at the gurgling water, rolling eastward, making a circle around Fanchuan, and then heading straight to Chang'an City. He raised his hands to the canal officials and craftsmen representatives behind him and said, "These are the numbers.
Over the past month, thanks to the help of all of you, I have achieved this feat. I will definitely go up to the Emperor to ask for your merit!"
"Don't dare!" Upon hearing this, dozens of officials and craftsmen worshiped happily: "I will be lucky to serve Duke Ming for the rest of my life!"
Today, engineers and technocrats are not afraid of generous rewards and promotions.
Tian Hou, the great craftsman who presided over the Baoxie Road, has now become the Shaofu Cheng.
Yan Xiong, who was in charge of the Longshou Canal project, is now the governor of Hedong County.
Wang Zhang, who was in charge of the Kunming Pool project, was led by Dr. Guanglu to the left prison of Linyuan.
And the officials and craftsmen who assisted them also ascended to heaven, becoming rich and noble.
A great craftsman was given a hundred gold for inventing a brand-new technology, and was worshiped as a doctor and granted the title of Marquis of Guannei.
A capable official died at his post due to overwork, and was named a mountain god, enjoying the blood of the land.
I really envy others!
Now that the Weihe and Caohe rivers are beginning to show their effectiveness, everyone will naturally be rewarded.
By the time this project is completed, everyone may already be wearing ribbons and calling themselves the family.
Chao Cuo valued these people very much.
He comforted and talked with them one by one, and they were as close as family members.
Because he knows that these are talents, and they are capable officials that he must rely on in the future and even use them as humerus.
It can even be said that in the future, if the Prime Minister cannot rely on these people, he may be in trouble.
Because the future empire will continue to build large-scale construction projects and build channels.
The only super projects under planning that Chao Cuo is aware of include: the North-South Canal Project, the Northern Rail Transit Network, and the Straight Road Widening and Extension Plans.
The empire will also build cities and overhaul fortresses in Hejian and Hexi to consolidate its territory.
This would not have been possible without the help of these administrative officers and technocrats who are skilled in engineering and organization.
Today, the emperor is a king who only cares about results and does not care about the process.
After chatting with these people, Chao Cuo stepped forward and walked to the team of slave workers kneeling on the side of the channel.
There are about five hundred of these slave workers, all of whom have performed outstandingly, worked diligently, and have special skills in the slave labor force in the past few months.
Their performance has conquered Chao Cuo.
Therefore, Chao Cuo decided to reward them.
"For the past three months, you have been diligent in royal affairs, willing to work, and skilled in public affairs. I am determined to write to the emperor for you, please remove yourself from the slaves and become common people!"
"Thank you, Mr. Chao, and may Mr. Chao be a noble prince forever!" Upon hearing this, the slave workers couldn't hide their joy, and some even burst into tears with excitement.
In the past few months, they have been exposed to frost and dew, cut thorns, cut down mountains, and worked hard day and night with their flesh and blood.
Countless people fell and never got up again.
Within three months, more than 20,000 slave workers died from various accidents or diseases.
Every mile of the Wei River and Cao River project is paved with the bones of slave workers.
However, on the day of success, Chao Cuo fulfilled his promise, granted them their freedom, and granted them Han family status.
This is already a great mercy to these old Dawan people, Kangju people and even Daxia people and Huns.
Don't dare to hope for more.
Especially the Huns prisoners of war were extremely grateful.
Besides gratitude, what other words can they say?
All the thorny and unruly people have died in the past few months of hard work.
Those who survive are the most loyal, the most patient, the most tenacious, and the most obedient.
Chao Cuo looked at these people and nodded in his mind. The performance and reaction of these slave workers were good.
Consider absorbing them into the Shaofu system.
On the left and right, they are also trees without roots and water without sources.
For the Han family, their number is almost negligible and they are unlikely to cause any problems.
What's more, half of these people have been castrated.
With these people as role models, the work enthusiasm and enthusiasm of the remaining tens of thousands of slave workers will surely be higher, which will also be helpful for the following projects.
…………………………
Weiyang Palace.
Liu Che stood on the North Tower and looked towards the direction of Baqiao. Even in the Weiyang Palace, Liu Che could hear cheers and cheers in the distance.
Chang'an City, for the past sixty years, has been dependent on the water of the Wei River flowing through the city.
However, in a city with a population of one million, you can imagine how much domestic garbage and sewage are discharged into the river every day.
Countless women wash clothes in the river every day.
Even though there was almost no industrial pollution in the world before the Christian era, the impact of domestic waste also greatly affected water quality.
Especially at the turn of spring and summer, bacterial infections are rampant and countless people die.
Even in Weiyang Palace, maids and eunuchs die from complications caused by diarrhea every year.
Today, the Cao River Project circles the city and flows into the Wei River.
The clean water sources from Kunming Pool and Shanglinyuan will completely improve the lives of people in Chang'an.
In addition, rural areas and manors along the Cao River will also be irrigated.
In just the first phase of the project, two million people are already benefiting!
After the entire Caohe River project is completed, it will radiate for more than 500 miles, irrigate hundreds of thousands of hectares of land, and benefit millions of people.
It can be said that the merit lies in the contemporary era and the benefit lies in the future.
More importantly, this project created a precedent in Chinese history.
For the first time, the central government basically did not recruit corvees when carrying out super projects.
In addition to technocrats and craftsmen, the main labor force was cheap prisoners of war and slave labor purchased from the Huns.
No people were affected throughout the process.
This model has all the benefits and no disadvantages at all.
It not only satisfies courtiers and carnivores.
Farmers and lower-class citizens even praised it one after another.
The slave labor construction model has thus been widely recognized.
No matter how holy a person is, they will no longer dare to express sympathy.
Thinking of this, Liu Che smiled.
In human history, almost all empires that wanted to become strong relied on sucking the blood of others to strengthen themselves.
China is the only exception.
Historically, China, both in the Han and Tang dynasties, was broad-minded and open to all rivers.
He is magnanimous towards guests from foreign lands and his own enemies, regardless of past grudges.
The Chinese treat the world with goodwill, but what they encounter is betrayal and blasphemy time after time.
The Han Dynasty was lenient towards guests from the Western Regions and enemies on the grassland, which laid the foundation for the Five Husbands to destabilize China. Those Hu people who were brought into the country and taken care of by the Chinese took advantage of the internal strife in the Western Jin Dynasty to fight back, almost sinking China.
The same was true in the Tang Dynasty. The kings of the Tang Dynasty gave trust and important responsibilities to the Hu people.
The result was that in the Battle of Tamros, Ge Luolu betrayed Gao Xianzhi and was defeated.
Afterwards, during the An-Shi Rebellion, the Tang Empire had no time to look westward, thus losing Central Asia and even the Western Region Protectorate.
On the contrary, it was the Westerners who used blood and corpses as their way to kill everyone. On the contrary, they achieved great achievements one after another and maintained world hegemony for two hundred years!
As a time traveler, Liu Che would not show excessive sympathy.
Moreover, he is the emperor, and the emperor is ruthless. Even his own people may not have any sympathy, let alone people of foreign races.
"As for the Holy Mother, at least we have to wait until the information age before we can have that capital..." Liu Che said in his heart: "As for now, I have to live with the bones, use blood to make wine, have ambitions to eat the meat of Huns when hungry, and laugh and drink the Huns when they are thirsty.
Blood!"
What's more, evil people and bad things are not done by Chinese people.
At the very least, it was not done by the state.
Those who captured these slave workers were Huns, those who castrated them were also Huns, and those who sold them to the Han Dynasty were also Huns.
At least it's Xia Yi wearing a Huns vest.
On a moral level, the Han family is completely innocent and full of justice.
It was the impact of the Weihe Caohe Project that surprised Liu Che.
Chao Cuo gained great fame through the results of this project. Almost ten thousand families were born Buddhas, and his reputation was as good as that of Zhou Yafu after he led the army to suppress the rebellion.
This was something Liu Che didn't expect.
Chao Cuo no longer needs to deal and negotiate with others, nor does he need to worry about becoming a crappy prime minister after taking office.
He will have a start as good as Zhou Yafu's.
At the same time, this will also open a new era.
In the past, no one could be a prime minister unless he was a prince, and he could not be a minister unless he had meritorious service.
And starting from today, I'm afraid, this pattern will become - those who are not in charge of major projects cannot be prime ministers.
If you want to be the prime minister, you must first carry out a big project before taking office.
Thinking of this, Liu Che felt interesting.
“A time when engineers ruled the country?”
"It's quite to my liking!"
Compared to the rule of military generals and the rule of civilian officials, Liu Che preferred and appreciated the rule of the country by engineers.
At the very least, engineers understand organization and technology. They are basically pragmatists and will not get entangled in ideological disputes.
If it works for you, use it; if it doesn't, use it.
Compared with military generals who tend to go to extremes and civil servants who like infighting and party disputes, engineers are the best choice.
Unfortunately, China's society and environment in the past made it almost impossible for engineers to govern the country.
Now, with the Weihe River Project as an introduction, it can be regarded as a crucial step.
From now on, as long as we maintain this tradition and pay attention to good guidance, maybe in a few decades, it will become a tradition and an iron rule to carry out a big project before becoming prime minister, just like in the previous decades, before becoming prime minister, we must first serve the princes.
generally.
With this system as a basis, Liu Che no longer has to worry about his descendants being unfilial and ruining the great foundation of his ancestors.
A country governed by engineers may have ups and downs.
However, major chaos and problems will not occur, and even if they do, they will be corrected quickly.
