Zhao Zhen saw Xu Ping's expression, and when he heard this again, he couldn't help but be stunned: "Why do you say this?" ”

Xu Ping stepped forward calmly and said: "Your Majesty, what Deputy Envoy Wang just said about the three unrepairables, in fact, Wei Chen has considered it in detail when he inspected the river, and some of them have also told Deputy Envoy Wang. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info is just that the deputy envoy of the king is not here, he didn't read it, or he didn't remember it. As for the amount of water in the Luohe River, when Weichen went to investigate, Deputy Envoy Wang was negligent and misbehaved because he went to inspect the Bishui River, causing the entourage to have a life lawsuit, and he was in a trance, looking absent-minded, so he didn't tell him. Since it was mentioned today, let Weichen say it one by one. ”

Zhao Zhen let out a sigh: "Okay, good, you can make it clear, so that I and the ministers also know it!" ”

Xu Ping held the wat and retreated slightly.

Seeing the sudden change in the situation, Lu Yijian kept a calm face and said nothing, just waiting to see the development of the situation.

Wang Zeng looked at Wang Yan, who was standing on the side and was angry, he couldn't help it, and said in a deep voice: "Wang Yan, you went out with Xu Ping to inspect the river, he is the main envoy of this trip, did you just say that you haven't discussed it with him?" ”

Wang Yanqiang calmed down his mind, pressed the heart that was about to pop out of his chest back into his stomach, took a deep breath, and saluted Wang Zeng: "Back to Xianggong, the three unrepairables I just talked about were clarified by the lower officials after returning to the capital, and I really didn't tell Xu Zhizhi on the way." We talked about the river together, only once or twice, and only mentioned to Xu Beizhi that the amount of water in the Luo River was insufficient, and Xu Beizhi said that there was no need to worry about it. ”

Wang Zeng looked at Wang Yan coldly, and he didn't know that this was a pretext. He must have thought that with these three non-repairs, he would completely mess up the matter of repairing the canal, not only to show that he was more capable than Xu Ping, to consolidate his position, but also to ask the ruling minister for credit. But I don't want to live a lot of age, but I still can't calculate Xu Ping, a stunned boy, and finally it is self-defeating. However, if you know it, you still have to admit Wang Yan's excuse on your face, and at most you can make a note for him in your heart.

"When the chief and deputy envoys go out to do things for the court together, they should work together and discuss everything, how can they cherish themselves? You have to remember, don't do it again! After saying Wang Yan, Wang Zeng turned his head to Xu Ping, "Xu Ping, you are the envoy of this trip." According to what I just said, didn't Wang Yan have no suggestions for repairing the river along the way? I didn't see you report it a few days ago, and I didn't see you mention it after I returned to Beijing. As an official in the imperial court, he solves the worries of the monarch and his father, and the people of Anli are responsible. You remember it too! ”

Xu Ping didn't expect that it was Wang Zeng who stood up and pointed out his dereliction of duty, and thought that it was Lu Yijian who came. As the main envoy of this trip, Wang Yan's fault Xu Ping naturally has to share a part, otherwise he will share the main and deputy jobs. But at this time, Xu Ping was the right envoy, and his official position and title arrived, but his age, qualifications and prestige were not there, and he really couldn't control Wang Yan. But dereliction of duty is dereliction of duty, Xu Ping has nothing to say about this, and what Wang Zeng said is also reasonable.

Zhao Zhen was waiting for Xu Ping to refute Wang Yan's words quickly, and he couldn't understand why he suddenly turned to the shortcomings of teaching the two of them about this trip. Wang Zeng, an old minister of the two dynasties, was the key person who stabilized his position back then, so he had a great favor, and it was not easy to stop him, so he had to wait patiently on the side.

For Lu Yijian and Wang Zeng, when Xu Ping calmly answered, they knew that the overall situation had been decided, and Wang Yan was only afraid that he would lose completely this time. Since Xu Ping returned to the dynasty last year, his promotion has indeed been very fast, but there is no luck, and he has really risen steadily with merit. It's deliberately suppressed, otherwise the official position will be higher. They all see Xu Ping's habit of doing things, he is calm, down-to-earth, and reasonable, especially when he is serious, the data listed is so detailed that it is frightening. Xu Ping said that Wang Yan was wrong, then it must be wrong, and there was no accident.

Originally, the two prime ministers still thought that Wang Yan would be able to exploit Xu Ping's loopholes, but the sudden cold arrow caught him off guard, and the matter of opening the canal passed like this first. Unexpectedly, the final result was like this, Wang Yan couldn't even do this. Wang Zeng endured Wang Yan's pretentiousness for a long time, where can he still endure it at this time!

Wang Zeng vented the anger in his heart, sighed secretly in his heart, and said to Xu Ping: "Tell me, explain the matter, so that Your Majesty and the ministers in the palace can understand why this canal must be repaired!" ”

Xu Ping held the wat salute: "Obey the orders of the prime minister!" ”

Turning around, Xu Ping went to Liu Zhi in front of the blackboard, and said loudly: "Deputy Envoy Wang just said that the new canal cannot be repaired, in fact, the most difficult thing to explain clearly is the first point, first easy and then difficult, let's start with the second and third points. ”

Liu Zhi listened, hurriedly bent down slightly, and found the third point that Wang Yan said that he had just remembered.

"First of all, Deputy Envoy Wang said that the Yellow River is decided several times a year, and it is impossible to wait for a flood once in many years to silt up the newly opened canal, but it should be silted several times a year. I would like to say that if the Yellow River stretches for 10,000 or 20,000 li from the source of the three rivers to the mouth of the sea, it is not a few decisions a year, but dozens or hundreds of decisions a year. What's the use of that? ”

Hearing this, Mei Xun wanted to ask what kind of place Sanjiangyuan was and why he started there. But secretly looking at the people in the hall, up to the emperor and the two prime ministers, down to the annotator in front of the blackboard, they all listened to Xu Ping seriously, so they had to swallow the doubts in their hearts again.

Xu Ping didn't realize that in this era, he hadn't even figured out where the source of the Yellow River was, so he just talked about it and talked endlessly all the way.

"We are opening a canal below the entrance of the Luo River and above the diversion of the Bianhe River, and if you want to talk about floods, you have to say that this section of the flood can be traced back to Baibo Town at most. No matter how many breaches of the Yellow River break in other sections, it is a matter of controlling the Yellow River, and what does it have to do with opening a canal? Once you pass the Guangwu Mountain, the lower reaches of the Yellow River are a large plain, and there is no mountain constraint, and it is easy to burst and flood when there is more water, which is good, but don't get here to confuse the public! Where the canal opens, I will talk about the water situation of the Yellow River in which section, I think, this should be not wrong, right? ”

Zhao Zhen saw that Xu Ping was full of confidence, and couldn't help but feel relieved, and nodded again and again: "Not bad, not bad, that's how it should be!" ”

Xu Ping was a little embarrassed, and it was not easy to respond to this, so he had to pretend that he hadn't heard it, and continued: "As for the water situation of the Yellow River in this section of the canal, Weichen has learned in detail. It is estimated that the canal dam will be one zhang high from the current water surface of the Yellow River. Of course, it is the dry season, the flood season has not yet arrived, and the water level of the Yellow River is low. The water level during the flood season is more than three feet higher than it is now, less than four feet, and the one-zhang high levee will never break down several times a year in normal times. If it really collapses, then first behead the overseer of the embankment, and then think about how to dredge the river! ”

Lu Yijian coughed lightly and asked, "Xu Ping, what is the basis for what you said about the water level during the flood season?" ”

Xu Ping held the wat and saluted to Lu Yijian: "Back to Xianggong, there are stone steps at the wharf in Heyin County to measure the water level of the Yellow River. Every year, the county copied and reported to Mengzhou and the Department of Transshipment, and the lower officials checked it. Not only Heyin County, but all the way to Gubaidu, Mengzhou, and until Baibo, the water level of these wharves has been checked by the lower officials, and there are so many according to this! ”

Lu Yijian nodded expressionlessly: "Got it, let's continue." ”

After speaking, Lu Yijian and Wang Zeng quietly glanced at each other, and both shook their heads together in their hearts. Sure enough, it is almost impossible to find Xu Ping's omissions in the data, and Wang Yan said that it is simply stupid to decide what a year.

Seeing that no one had any doubts, Xu Ping said again: "So how many floods can a one-zhang high embankment protect?" The lower officials checked the water level of the Yellow River recorded by the officials and privates, and since entering the dynasty, there has never been such a big flood in that section. As for the five dynasties of the late Tang Dynasty, the world was chaotic, and the numbers were lacking, so it is unknown. Therefore, it can only be said that it can prevent a once-in-a-century encounter. Xia Guan thinks about it, it should be enough to solve a hundred years of worries. The rest of the peacetime maintenance, the manpower required as long as the army can afford it, and it will not increase the local labor, so there should be no problem, right? ”

The increase or decrease in troops is not a small matter, Zhao Zhen saw that the two prime ministers did not speak, and asked: "Don't you want to recruit more soldiers?" ”

Xu Ping praised the wat and said: "Back to Your Majesty, there shouldn't be any need for additional recruits." At present, there are three commanders of the Heqing army, one commander of the Guangji army and one commander of the Pingsai army in Biankou, each commanding 800 people, a total of 4,000 people. After the canal is dug and the amount of water is properly adjusted, the manpower of these commanders can be moved away from Biankou, and as long as there is no shortage, it should be enough to protect the river embankment. ”

Zhao Zhen nodded: "Oh, this is the best, continue." ”

Xu Ping turned around and said: "What I just said, it should have been clear that ordinary maintenance, even with the current maintenance of the Biankou Xiang Army, the manpower is sufficient, and there is no problem of aggravating local labor." The third item of the three non-repairable items that Deputy Envoy Wang just mentioned is actually unreasonable, and it is already very clear. ”

"As for the second non-repairability, Deputy Envoy Wang compared it with the manpower used by more than a dozen state people to repair the Xianghan Cao Canal during the time of Taizong." Speaking of this, Xu Ping couldn't help but smile, "Make this comparison - why not just use the manpower of Emperor Yang of Sui to build the Grand Canal?" That's even more sensational! When we talk about the manpower required to lead Luo into the canal, let's talk about this canal. How much earth and rock to excavate and how much work is needed, can it be calculated? When we go to survey the river, one is to see if it can be repaired, and the other is to calculate the labor needed. ”

Having said this, Wang Yan was refuted, and everyone in the Chongzheng Hall no longer doubted it, and the atmosphere was relaxed. Mei Xun and Yan Shu glanced at each other and couldn't help but smile. Wang Yan just entered the court from the place, and he had no connections in Kaifeng City, and the front shelf was too sufficient, which was annoying.

Xu Ping raised his voice and said: "According to the calculations of the lower officials, it only takes 210,000 workers to dig the new canal. If the construction is calculated in 100 days, the manpower required is 2,100 people. It is to shorten the construction period and consider some unforeseen accidents, and five or six thousand people are enough. How can it be calculated, for Jingxi Road, this is not a great heavy battle, right?! ”

(Note: In history, Song Yongchen opened the river canal of Luo, and the calculated labor was 470,000 workers, of course, the protagonist is a little more powerful than the historical figures, and there are various advanced technologies and tools that can be used, and the resources that can be used are not comparable to Song Yongchen, so the number of 210,000 workers was taken.) (To be continued.) )