The 18th Chapter: Honest Officials, Protecting the People, Responsibility to River Governors
The years flew by so fast, Jin Fu and Chen Huang spent three years in extreme busyness. Since being appointed, the Ministry of Revenue has allocated 2.5 million taels of silver every year, but they have not dared to withhold and make things difficult. In order to put this money to use
On the edge of the knife, Jin Fu, Chen Huang and Feng Zhiren really worked hard, racked their brains, and broke their legs. They measured the embankment engineering during the day, drew tables and made calculations at night, and wrote a story every ten days.
All the direct reports to Kangxi were drafted by Chen Huang, and Jin Fu repaired the Qing Dynasty seal to pay tribute, and also added local rain conditions, water conditions, and the progress of civil engineering and embankment work. Kangxi's edicts did not go through the ministry, and were all carried out by Pegasus.
Directly sent to the Qingjiang River Supervisory Office. With the combined efforts of the emperor and his ministers, and with few obstacles in the way, the operation was immediately carried out by hundreds of thousands of river workers, and the efficiency of handling errands was increased by three points.
The governor's office of river management was moved to Qingjiang, which achieved unexpected results. The original river governor's office was located in Jining, close to Shandong's old man Yu Chenglong. Yu Chenglong claimed to have deep access to water conservancy and intervened in river affairs every day, which restricted everything.
.Just because Jackie Chan was a well-known upright official, he held the title of palace protector and was a bachelor. His words were extremely tough and everyone agreed with him, so all the governors of river affairs had a headache for him. The yamen moved to Qingjiang,
Since it was close to the construction site and there was no such trouble, Ding Nuo, the governor of Jiangnan, did not interfere with river affairs except for the official documents of the consultation meeting. Jin Fu and Chen Huang felt that everything went smoothly.
Seeing that the blockade project was gradually completed, and after several careful surveys, Jin Fu and Chen Huang decided to clean up the canal transportation, and after requesting an order, they built the Jiangdu canal embankment.
"Finally we have some clues." Chen Huang stood on the newly built embankment. The soil had been half dried by the spring breeze in March. His skin color was originally dark, but after several years of ups and downs, he looked even darker.
His eyes, narrowed by the river wind, looked at a straight line of embankment from a distance. He turned back to Jin Fu, who seemed to be worried, and said, "I have endured all the hardships to achieve such a result. The emperor will not fight for the grain."
We’re done.”
Jin Fu nodded, his chapped lips tightened. He did not immediately answer Chen Huang's words, but turned around and asked Feng Zhiren behind him: "Have all the trees for the embankment been transported? How to plant them? There must be a plan. This
It is what the Holy Order has repeatedly commanded, and nothing can be done carelessly." Feng Zhiren had a habit of crying in the wind. Hearing Jin Fu's question, he laughed dryly, wiped his tears and said, "The trees have been brought here, and they are all locusts and willows.
, According to what Tianyi said, it doesn’t work. Tianyi advocated planting locust trees and planting grass, but these two things couldn’t be sold for a price. I went to Qingjiang Road to ask several times, and Ding You went to Daotai. Now he is a shaking his head and sitting in the government office.
.I asked several times, but they all said that now that there is no harvest, who has time to dig up the descendants of Sophora japonica to sell?"
"Plant the purchased trees outside the embankment first," Chen Huang said. "These tall trees must not be planted on the embankment - we will discuss it when the new observer comes."
"We've arrived." Jin Fu spat out a few words from between his teeth, "It's Yu Chenglong." Seeing the two of them looking surprised, he added, "But it's not Yu Gongbao from Shandong, but his cousin from the same branch.
, is also called Yu Chenglong! I know this man. Not only does he have the same style and character as his brother, but his temper seems to come out of the same mold - he is so powerful as soon as he comes!" After saying this, he sighed,
I don’t know whether to praise Jackie Chan or to criticize him, I just smiled bitterly and said: "I hope the autumn floods will be less severe this year, and Jackie Chan and we will be overjoyed."
Chen Huang walked slowly behind Jin Fu and Feng Zhiren, thinking deeply: "It's a pity that the Xiaojiadu water reduction dam has not been completed yet. Otherwise, the autumn floods will be greater. There must be a way to protect this section of the embankment." He moved his hands.
Pointing to the low area around the old embankment, he smiled and said, "I have a new idea. When the autumn floods come, I will open a breach here..."
"Wonderful!" Before Feng Zhiren could hear clearly, Jin Fu suddenly gave a high-five and said excitedly, "Building embankments and carrying soil, this area has become a depression. Once the yellow water is poured in, it will be silted up, and more than 10,000 hectares of fertile land will be available immediately.
!" Feng Zhiren saw that Jin Fu suddenly became happy. After thinking about it, he suddenly realized it and continued enthusiastically: "The elevation of the terrain after siltation also has the effect of consolidating the embankment. It will be easier to dig out the embankment when building the embankment. Isn't it one fell swoop?
Three gains?"
Chen Huang shook his head and smiled and said: "The most important thing is that you didn't expect it. Just imagine, once a breach is opened here, the water of the Yellow River entering the canal will be slow, and the water entering the canal will be slow. The water transportation will not be interrupted due to the autumn floods, and the water transportation project can continue during the flood season -
- There will be so much good land allocated to the people here in the coming year. No matter how powerful Yu Chenglong is, he still has to be reasonable. He is an upright official. How can he not be happy when he sees this move that benefits the people?"
"Wonderful! Killing two birds with one stone!" Before Jin Fu could finish listening, he was already holding his hands and laughing, "You, Chen Tianyi, are destined not to be an official. Even if you are awarded the title of Jinshi, I will definitely recommend you to be the governor of the river!"
When it came to fame and fame, both Chen Huang and Feng Zhiren were silent. Chen Huang looked at the majestic embankment and said for a long time: "If it is conducive to the national economy and people's livelihood, repays the emperor's kindness, and consolidates the emperor's plans, then one's own honor and wealth will be like this thorn under his feet."
Loess!" He said, kicking a piece of yellow mud off the embankment and watching it roll over into the water.
The three of them stepped on the embankment and headed north. They happened to see a middle-aged man standing at the intersection of the Yellow River and his hands behind his back, looking into the Yellow River. He seemed to be inspecting the water conditions. Neither Feng Zhiren nor Chen Huang knew each other. Jin Fu saw it at a glance and walked away quickly.
After a few steps, he clasped his fists and said with a smile: "Oh, it's Brother Zhenjia! Why, don't you recognize me? I'm Jin Fu! - Zhiren, Tianyi, this is Yu Observation, and he came here just after taking office.
Let’s take a look at the river situation!”
Yu Chenglong! It was the county magistrate who borrowed grain without permission to help the victims. He was promoted from Ningbo to Daotai and came back! Chen Huang looked at him. He was skinny, with thin cheeks. He was wearing a gray homespun robe without a coat outside.
, the pair of double-beam black earthen cloth shoes under his feet were stained with mud, and his braids and robe corners were lifted up by the wind. Lao Gao looked a bit Taoist and fairy-like. Feng Zhiren only glanced at Yu Chenglong, and immediately
I felt a bone-chilling chill and invisible tremendous pressure.
"Master Jin," Yu Chenglong exchanged a few words with Jin Fu, and then started to get down to business, "Can this embankment withstand the autumn floods? The river is too narrow, right? The day before yesterday, I read the emperor's imperial edict and ordered trees to be planted.
Gudi. Your Majesty lives in the Ninth Level, so you can still consider this in detail. As foreign officials, we have a group of nobles and staff around us, and we are pampered, so we need to pay more attention."
Although Yu Chenglong spoke in a gentle tone, these words were all meant to teach others. He was neither happy nor angry, and the corners of his mouth were slightly raised, as if he was expressing his contempt to the other party at any time. Jin Fu felt that compared to his brother
The older Yu Chenglong was more difficult to deal with. Seeing him like this, Jin Fu and the others felt as if their self-esteem had been stabbed by a knife, and the joyful mood they had just summoned suddenly disappeared. Jin Fuqiang suppressed the unhappiness in his heart and looked at the sky with his hands behind his back.
Then he looked at the surging Yellow River, chuckled and said, "Yu Observation, the governor has already dealt with this matter. There is a saying that 'if you are outside, you will not accept your orders'. When Observation got off the bus, he did not ask for the reason.
How do you know that I don't accept the emperor's orders, and how do you know that I can't protect this section of the embankment?"
"Sir!" Yu Chenglong bowed politely and adopted an official tone, "It's not that I dare to ask about the river affairs because of my humble position. It should be noted that the emperor ordered me to guard this county, so the people here have every trace of their land, every porridge and every meal.
The responsibility for this all lies with me. There are no trees to reinforce the river embankment, and the river is so narrow, which is contrary to common sense. If there is a breach, I am afraid that both you and I will be blamed!"
Seeing Jin Fu's face turn red, Feng Zhiren knew that he was going to have an attack, so he smiled and said: "You two adults actually have the same idea. We were just discussing the matter of planting trees and berms..."
"Please respect yourself, I am replying to Jin Shuai." Yu Chenglong had no expression on his face and coldly cut off Feng Zhiren's words. Jin Fu sneered and said: "He is a guest of the Hewu Court, what does it matter? This person has nothing to do with it.
Zhifeng Muyu works sincerely, and he is not an idle person. The fifth-rank official of the imperial court is not a foolish scholar who only makes vain claims and makes official articles!" Yu Chenglong smiled faintly and said: "In this way, he is a student of Meng Lang. If this is really the case,
This is a blessing to the people of our county."
Yu Chenglong had always been dissatisfied because his brother had trouble with river engineering, and he became even more angry when he saw Jin Fu protecting his shortcomings. But Jin Fu's taste was much higher than him after all, so he suppressed his temper and said: "How dare you come here to cause trouble with your humble position?
Just because it concerns the lives of a county, I dare not ignore it. Because last year’s autumn floods destroyed more than a dozen villages in the city, the affairs of the hungry people have not yet been settled..."
After all, literati have more minds. Yu Chenglong only brushed it off lightly, and Jin Fu knew what he meant, so he left a few words for future reference. Last year, due to the concentration of financial resources and manpower to rush to repair the embankment, there were occasional breaches on this side of the Yellow River, causing flooding.
Seventeen townships in Qingjiang County. Jin Fu thought about it, swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and said calmly: "Your brother is not an amateur in water management. This is not something that can be explained clearly by reading a few sentences of poetry. It's Yu.
It will take nine years for the king to control the floods. During these nine years, is there not a single execution or disaster anywhere?"
The words became more and more twisted, and Yu Chenglong also felt that he had caused the problem himself and had gone too far. But when he thought that this prominent red-topped official would actually follow the path of a pearl in Beijing University, Yu Chenglong felt disgusted and sneered.
: "So it seems that it will take nine years to achieve peace in the country? Well, nine and ten years are the responsibility of the commander-in-chief. Since the humble position is in this country, we cannot allow the flood to flood for another nine years!"
"You said it was my business, but you were wrong. This is a major matter for the people and the country." Jin Fu replied immediately. He knew very well that in front of such a person, he could not leave any clues, so he said, "I said King Yu also
This is not a self-comparison - the river management has been corrupted so far, it must be cleaned up step by step! I admire your brother's tall cliffs. But after all, you are not in the river construction, and there are some things you don't know. Not to mention the distance, Gaoyou Qingshuitan, Lu
There were several executions at Mangou and Datan Bay in Jiangdu, with a total of more than 300 feet. In May last year, there was another battle at Qingshuitan, and the water in Xinghua City was deep for boating! If you are not here, your Majesty will live here. Please tell her that we have no strength.
Or is the local official negligent? Don't think that you are the only one who cares about the people's plight and the suffering of the people. Are you and me the only ones who are worried? The emperor was so anxious that he could not sleep for several nights!" Jin Fu became more and more excited as he spoke, and his words poured out like water from a floodgate.
He came out, stepped forward and took the hands of Chen Huang and Feng Zhiren one by one, and extended them to Yu Chenglong: "These two people in front of you are what you call 'Qing Ke', people who are pampered and privileged - Feng Zhiren is less than forty."
, Chen Huang is only twenty-nine years old! Can you tell? Look at their hands, are they the hands for playing piano and playing chess? "
Seeing how angry Yu Chenglong was, he took a step back in shock, and then took a serious look at Jin Fu, Chen Huang and Feng Zhiren. Feng Zhiren looked like he was sixty years old, already bald, with sparse gray hair.
Together, it is less than the thickness of a little finger. Chen Huang's face was carved by the river wind, full of wrinkles, as dark as bronze, with only one pair of bright eyes, indicating that he was still in his prime.
Yu Chenglong's face darkened, and he was also a little moved. But it only happened in an instant. The arrogance brought by his nature flowing in his blood soon defeated the fleeting tenderness. He smiled slightly and said: "Sir, River Worker
I know they work hard, but they are not as good as my people! One-third of the national wealth comes from Jiangsu and Zhejiang when the country uses troops. What kind of sin do they suffer? In just ten days since I took office, the nursery I set up has already picked up more than 40 people.
Abandoned babies, if their parents have a mouthful of food, they will not abandon their own flesh and blood!" At this point, Yu Chenglong paused, his eyes sparkling with tears. He glanced at the peach grove in the distance, raised his hands and bowed his head.
He didn't go back either.
Jin Fu returned to the superintendent's signing room with a straight face and gritted his teeth. Without saying a word, he rolled up his sleeves and started to write a memorial to impeach this rude Taoist platform. However, Feng Zhiren held him down and said
: "Commander Commander, you can't do it!"
"What kind of governor? This governor is really not a human being!" Jin Fu's lips turned blue with anger. He trembled and dropped his pen, and Chen Huang was covered with dripping ink. At this moment, Chen Huang was watching the river last month.
Peng Xueren, the returning official, came in to report something. He also had a drop of blood on his face. He stopped and asked in surprise: "Sir, what's going on?" Seeing that Jin Fu didn't answer, Chen Huang said: "Sir and the newcomer Yu
To observe anger, one needs to be prepared and capable..."
When Peng Xueren heard that it was Yu Chenglong, he stood stunned for a long time, and then sighed: "Sir, let me just say this, it is not allowed to participate." Feng Zhiren also advised: "What Lao Peng said is true, although Yu Chenglong said
Arrogant and rude, he is an upright official after all. The migrant workers below are all from this area. Your official reputation is good, but I am afraid it will ruin your reputation."
"He is an upright official, am I a corrupt official?" Jin Fu's heart was filled with fire, and he shouted loudly, "Xuesong used to be a county official in Anhui, let alone Tianyi and Zhiren, are you looking at me, Jin Fu, being greedy?
Do I have relatives among my staff? I have been an official for twenty years and my family has been compensated ten thousand taels of silver. Does Yu Chenglong know that?"
Peng Xueren had just returned from working on the Xiaojiadu Reservoir Dam, and he seemed to be a little dusty. After listening to everyone's words, he already had an idea. He sat down, took a sip of tea, and said, "Yu Chenglong is waiting for you to join him.
Don’t be fooled!”
"Why?" Chen Huang said in surprise.
"Your Majesty, if you take part in him at this time, he will naturally fall down as soon as you take part in it. Now the emperor will never refute your face." Peng Xueren is an old official in the officialdom. He has a thorough understanding of official affairs and said calmly, "You said you are clear. We all believe this, but
You come from a wealthy family, but it doesn't show your innocence! Now you are in charge of the river work, spending money like running water, and no one will believe you. Yu Chenglong is a scholar from a poor family, and taking advantage of this, Qing Dynasty has become famous! Mrs. Yu Chenglong
In Qingjiang for three years, he raised his own food and ate his own food. Dumen thanked his guests, and his wife was already a prince, but she still wore a Jingmu hairpin. His eldest son bought a chicken during the festival, and was scolded by his wife twenty sticks in court. It was not the queen's mercy.
Don't let him go! If this official doesn't come to disturb the river affairs, he really can't be faulted. This time you have defeated him, and the people here will give him Wanmin umbrellas, go to the village and go to the market, and there may be people knocking on the door.
If the leader is a fool, he may put down his hand. The Lord is so sage, how can he be willing to let you really defeat him? But he started to recover after half a year. Therefore, the more such a person participates, the better his reputation will be, and the more he participates, the faster he will be promoted..."
Chen Huang did not have an official position. Hearing this method of promotion was a bit novel. After thinking about it for a long time, he found it quite reasonable, so he smiled and said: "Since Xuesong knows these secrets of promotion, why don't you learn it?" Peng Xueren said: "No.
Law, my family has two hundred hectares of land!" Feng Zhiren also laughed unconsciously.
Jin Fu sat down. He already understood that participating in the performance would not help. Isn't this person who was younger than Jackie Chan the one who jumped up to the fourth level in three years after Ge Li participated in the performance? Ge Li, with his respect as an uncle, did this.
With a disgraced face, why should he follow in his footsteps? After a long time, Jin Fu clapped his knees in frustration and sighed: "Some gentlemen who do bad things are more difficult to fight than villains!" Peng Xueren said: "Your Majesty is right. Yu Chenglong
He is arrogant and self-absorbed, but he loves the people, so why not make some plans and turn the war with him into friendship?"
"What Yu Chenglong said is true." Feng Zhiren said, "In my opinion, the commander-in-chief endured this and gritted his teeth and gave him a hundred and eighty thousand yuan, asking him to use it to relieve the people.
?”
The use of money has always been in charge of Chen Huang. He stood up, leaned on the back of his chair, thought for a while, and said: "The spring famine is indeed a problem - not for him and Jackie Chan, but for the common people! In this way, take the money first
Give 50,000 yuan to Jackie Chan!"
"Who dares to touch those five hundred thousand silver?" Jin Fu frowned and said, "This is a hat-making business. In fact, it is still 70,000 miles away. How can there be a surplus of 50,000?" Chen Huang smiled and said: "Xiu Qingshui
Two hundred thousand yuan is enough to build the Tanchang Embankment. I originally wanted to use some of the remaining subsidies to provide subsidies to the Zhonghe River. When the river construction is completed, I have to give it up as a reward for the migrant workers."
This is simply talking in sleep! Jin Fu said with a smile: "Could Tianyi be telling a joke? I saw it there for at least twenty times, and I couldn't do it without 570,000!"
"You guys are all old river officials, and you are right. If you rely on labor to repair it, half a million yuan is really tight." Chen Huang said, "But those of us who manage rivers should not only think about the harm to the river, but also the benefits of the river -
-" He stood up and walked to the sand table under the east wall. He pointed to the terrain of Qingshuitan and said, "This is located in the lower reaches of the Yellow River, two feet and three feet lower than the river level. When the flood water comes, it will be more than four feet higher. If
Divert the flood water from the Yellow River and build river embankments with sediment - well, you can save a lot of money." He clasped his hands together and then briefly talked about the situation of the floods blocking the embankments in Tieniu Town, Kaifeng.
Jin Fu and the others walked a few steps closer to the sand table. While listening to Chen Huang's words, they nodded in thought and smiled broadly. Jin Fuyin smiled and said: "With this extra money, not only can it be spent with Jackie Chan, but also with Lien Zhonghe
The funds that were insufficient for excavation have also been made up. But only we know about this. The people in the Ministry of Revenue see money like flies see blood, and they will inevitably starve us again. Even Yu Chenglong has to make it clear whether he will repay the loan or not.
, otherwise it would be like us paying bribes, doing good things, but still not getting good results!" (To be continued)
