The film and television world begins with the battle for the throne in Kowloon

Chapter 618 Li Ke Returns to the City
After the Sui Dynasty moved its capital to the new city of Daxing, water and land transportation became increasingly busy.

However, Daxing City is located in the Guanzhong Plain, where the river water level is not high. The water conservancy facilities built during the Qin and Han dynasties have been damaged by hundreds of years of war. In addition, the land is small and the population is small, so the grain production is not enough to supply the needs of the capital, so it has to rely on taxes from the eastern states (counties).

Yang Jian believed that the Wei River had an erratic flow rate, shallow water and deep sand, which often blocked the canal transportation. The Wei River, as the main canal transportation channel, had a high sand content due to the hydrogeological reasons at the time. A lot of silt was deposited in different river channels, making the waterway very congested, which further obstructed the smooth operation of the canal transportation.

In June of the fourth year of Kaihuang, in order to develop the water transport in Guanzhong and ensure the material supply of Chang'an, Emperor Wen issued an edict to dig the Guangtong Canal. Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, ordered the Crown Prince's Left Minister Yuwen Kai to organize water engineers to dig the canal.

The project was completed quickly. It diverted the Wei River from the northwest of Daxing City, followed the old canal route of the Han Dynasty eastward, and flowed into the Yellow River at Tongguan. It was more than 300 miles long and was named Guangtong Canal.

From then on, the canal transportation became more convenient and Guanzhong relied on it, so it was also called the Canal to Enrich the People.

In the fourth year of Renshou, it was renamed Yongtong Canal.

There was more rain than in previous years at the turn of spring and summer. In addition, after the founding of the Tang Dynasty, there were constant wars and the Yongtong Canal had fallen into disrepair. The Weinan section was where the mainstream and tributaries of the Wei River met, with a large flow and heavy canal load. After a heavy rain, a gap of forty to fifty feet was washed away.

After receiving the imperial edict, Li Ke and Cheng Huailiang recruited 3,000 conscripts from various counties in Guanzhong, plus several thousand soldiers from the Zuotunwei Army. They threw themselves into the construction site and worked day and night for seven or eight days. Finally, they blocked the breach, leaving only some finishing work.

Li Ke and Cheng Huailiang were both exhausted at this time. Looking at the construction site that was almost completed, they both felt a sense of accomplishment in their eyes.

Cheng Huailiang was exhausted during this period. If Li Ke didn't go home, he could only stay with him at the construction site. "Your Highness, it only took seven or eight days to block the breach. If the emperor hears about this, Your Highness will definitely be credited with a great achievement."

Li Ke also showed a slightly proud expression, looking at the busy construction site in front of him and said: "It's easy to talk, but to do practical things, you need to take one step at a time, without any empty talk. If such a large project is given to my brother, the prince, with his weak character that can't lift or carry anything, can he do it well?"

"That's right. When the time comes to see the real truth, we still have to look to the prince." Cheng Huailiang agreed. The King of Shu's momentum and prestige in the court and among the people during this period far exceeded that of the prince. It can be seen that he did not choose the wrong person.

"Report"

At this time, several soldiers came over with a man who looked like a butler. When he saw Li Ke, the butler quickly dismounted and said, "Your Highness, Lord Cen asked me to inform you that the emperor has ordered that your Highness and the Crown Prince must attend the court meeting at the Taiji Hall tomorrow."

Wu Qing, who had just stood at the back and had no chance to interrupt, rolled his eyes and stepped forward and said eagerly: "It seems that the emperor also knows that the Yongtong Canal is about to be completed. This is to call the prince back to reward him for his merits. I congratulate the prince. Congratulations to the prince."

Well.
Cheng Huailiang was stunned, and quickly bowed and began to flatter. The other officers nearby saw the messenger coming and gathered around curiously. Hearing this, they all said nice things with a smile on their faces, but the butler's face shrank and he wanted to say something.

However, after looking at the jubilant officers and soldiers of the Zuotun Guard who were gathered around him, he seemed to want to say something but hesitated for a while, and finally shut his mouth.

But at this moment, Li Ke's mind was on Cheng Huailiang and Wu Qing, and he did not notice this scene.

Upon hearing everyone's speculation, he immediately smiled and said, "The Yongtong Canal was able to be repaired in just a few days, all thanks to the efforts of all the soldiers. Don't worry, when I return to Beijing to see the emperor, I will report everyone's contributions to the emperor truthfully."

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Everyone responded in unison, overjoyed.

The housekeeper urged: "Your Majesty, Lord Cen is still waiting in the mansion, let's go back quickly"

"Huailiang, you should also get ready. It may not be long before the emperor's commendation comes down. Then you may have to return to Beijing to receive the reward." Li Ke patted Cheng Huailiang on the shoulder.

Li Ke didn't dare to brag about others, but as the commander of the Zuotunwei Army and his own confidant, Cheng Huailiang's contribution must go to him.

After saying this and exchanging a glance, Li Ke, with a happy look on his face, rode away on horseback with the butler.

The Weinan section where the Yongtong Canal broke was only a few dozen kilometers away from Chang'an City. It took Li Ke more than an hour to return to Chang'an.

When he returned to the Prince of Shu's Mansion, it was already dark. Li Ke entered the mansion and saw Cen Wenben who was anxiously waiting in the living room.

Li Ke took off his cloak and handed it to the servant. He smiled and said, "It seems that you are well-informed, sir. You also know that the Yongtong Canal will be repaired soon. Are you here to congratulate me in advance?"

"congratulations?"

Cen Wenben was stunned for a moment, and then he realized that the King of Shu had been concentrating on the construction site during this period and had not returned to the capital at all. It was possible that he did not know what happened in the capital, so he suppressed his urgency and asked, "Your Highness, did you say that the Yongtong Canal has been repaired?" "Sir, you don't know?"

Li Ke was stunned, walked to the table above and sat down, poured a glass of water, drank it all, and asked in confusion: "Then why did you send someone to call me back in such a hurry? After working day and night for the past few days, the breach has been blocked. It will be completed in one or two days. I was preparing to report the victory to my father after the completion, but you called me back in advance?"

"Didn't they say that there will be a reward at the court meeting tomorrow? Isn't it for this matter?"

I heard Li Ke talk about the Yongtong Canal. This is a big deal. Now it is almost completed. This will be considered an achievement in the eyes of the emperor.

Cen Wenben was slightly relieved, and then he said seriously: "Your Highness, you don't know, during the time you were away from Beijing, something big happened?"

Afterwards, Cen Wenben anxiously reported the rumors in the capital, which were then reported to the emperor by Xiao Yu. The emperor ordered Wei Zheng to open a case and investigate. Later, it was found that the mastermind behind the scenes was Quan Wanji, who told the whole story.

Cen Wenben asked anxiously, "Your Highness must tell me the truth. Was Quan Wanji's matter caused by your Highness?"

"ah?."

Li Ke had never expected that the rumor would develop to this extent in just a few days. His face was uncertain for a while, and finally he stammered with some fear: "This."

"What this and that?"

Seeing Li Ke's guilty look, Cen Wenben could no longer sit still. He stood up and walked to Li Ke and said dissatisfiedly: "Your Highness, it's already late. Your Majesty may have to deal with this matter at the court tomorrow. There are no outsiders here. Your Highness, don't you even trust me? At this point, are you still hiding it from me?"

"If that's the case, since Your Highness doesn't trust me, then I have nothing more to say. If I return home now, will it be considered that I am meddling in other people's business?"

After saying this, Cen Wenben was furious and ready to leave with a look of grief and indignation on his face.

Li Ke was terrified when he saw this. He could tell from Cen Wenben's attitude that this matter was difficult. He quickly pulled Cen Wenben back to his chair and said, "Sir, don't worry. Since Lord Feng passed away, you have been entrusted by your mother to treat Li Ke as her own son and have taken good care of him. How could Li Ke not trust you?"

"But you are a nobleman, you desecrate the sage's classics, and you usually associate with the nobles in the court, serving the emperor. Li Ke is afraid that these petty thefts will pollute your ears, so he doesn't let you know. It's definitely not because he doesn't trust you."

Cen Wenben's anger calmed down a little. Li Ke personally brewed a cup of tea for Cen Wenben and then said, "It is true that this matter was not intended by the little king, but the king knew that Wan Ji would do this kind of trick beforehand."

Seeing that Cen Wenben was about to ask, Li Ke said, "It was not long ago that Zhewei accompanied me to Suizhou to negotiate with Jie Li. After returning, Zhewei told Wanji some interesting things that happened during the negotiation between me and Jie Li."

"You know Wanji, he is quite clever. As soon as he heard this, he suggested spreading these things and publicizing my heroic deeds to the people of Chang'an, so that they can know my military and literary skills and great achievements. By the way, let them know who is more capable of the task between me and the one in the East Palace."

"I think this isn't a bad thing, right?"

"Besides, I risked my life to get through all this, and I'm not bragging. There's nothing I can't tell anyone, so let him be. Even if the emperor knows about it, so what? At most, I'm just showing off. Do you think it's a big deal to send Wei Zheng to investigate?"

At this point, Li Ke looked disapproving and said disdainfully: "If the emperor asked, I would have admitted it. It's really making a fuss out of nothing."

"Huh! Not a bad thing?"

Seeing that Li Ke still didn't know the seriousness of the matter, Cen Wenben smiled coldly and spread the story more and more outrageously, saying that the King of Shu was born with strange appearances, a divine dragon entered his stomach, a golden dragon circled over his body when he slept, and a purple cloud canopy protected him when he went out. He was revered by the Turks as the only man in the Tang Dynasty who had defeated Jie Li.

The more Li Ke listened, the more solemn his expression became. By the end, he was frightened. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead and his whole body felt cold.

Finally, he could no longer sit still and said with an extremely ugly face: "Sir, this is slander. Xiao Wang would never let Wan Ji spread it like this. And although Wan Ji is not such a decent person, he knows the importance of it. How could he let people spread such rumors?"

"Someone must be behind this to harm me."

Li Ke walked back and forth with an anxious look on his face: "Oh, right, it was Zhangsun Wuji. He must be jealous of me, so he deliberately distorted the facts and led public opinion to blame my father. He is framing me and putting the blame on me."

(End of this chapter)