Anti-Qing: Starting from the Jintian Uprising

Chapter 320: Protect the ecology? Protect the hell!

Li Yi walked on a newly built section of the Yellow River embankment in Tai'an, inspecting the work.

Beside him was a team of soldiers from the Imperial Guard who were protecting his safety, as well as officials from the Construction Department who were responsible for repairing the Yellow River embankment.

Han Liang, the person in charge of the Tai'an section of the Yellow River embankment, is introducing the construction of the Yellow River embankment to Li Yi.

"Your Majesty, since the Yellow River burst its banks at Tongwaxiang this summer, it has begun to change its course northwards. The general trend is to follow the old Yellow River course and flow into the Yellow Sea via the Daqing River."

"But the old course of the Yellow River has been abandoned for a long time, and the water capacity of the Daqing River is seriously insufficient."

"As a result, the tributaries have experienced backflow of river water."

"Affected by this, the entire middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River have almost become a flood area..."

Diverting the Yellow River's course is a huge project, and it cannot be completed by simply causing a breach or changing the direction of the river.

Not to mention anything else, the old course of the Yellow River alone has not seen water for hundreds of years. How could the condition of the river support the Yellow River flowing into the sea?
What happens if the river can’t hold the water?
The dikes collapsed, tributaries backflowed, and the flood spread, turning the entire prefecture through which the ancient route passed into a flood zone...

This process is always ongoing.

This process will not stop until the river water has washed away the old course of the Yellow River to a size that can accommodate the diverted Yellow River into the sea.

In other words, the Yellow River is still changing its course, but with the arrival of the winter dry season, it is not as drastic.

What the Tang Dynasty is doing now is to take advantage of the dry season in the Yellow River in winter, when the water volume is reduced, to build levees in an attempt to artificially regulate the water flow and let the Yellow River water flow to where it should go.

To speed up the process of the Yellow River diversion and reduce the harm caused by the diversion to the local area.

However, if the Tang Dynasty cannot complete the repair of the Yellow River embankment before the flood season arrives in the spring of next year.

Then, by the beginning of next spring, the flood that had just subsided will surely come back again.

The land that the victims have reclaimed and rebuilt their homes with great difficulty are very likely to be flooded again.

Historically, after the Yellow River broke at Tongwaxiang in the fifth year of Emperor Xianfeng's reign (1855), it took the Qing Dynasty about thirty years until the eleventh year of Emperor Guangxu's reign (1885) to repair the Yellow River embankment in the lower reaches. The new river channel was initially formed, which prevented the Yellow River water from backflowing at any time. This was considered a barely completed work of diverting the Yellow River.

Even though the Qing Dynasty focused its main efforts in recent years on suppressing the Taiping Rebellion rather than on river management.

Even though Manchu officials were corrupt, administrative efficiency was extremely low.

Even though the Qing Dynasty did not pay much attention to the Yellow River, the Yellow River embankment was entirely repaired by the people in the disaster-stricken areas themselves, and the government basically did not contribute.

But the Tang Dynasty wanted to complete the work that took the Qing Dynasty 30 years to complete in just one year, or even a few months in winter. You can imagine how great the pressure was.

This is almost an impossible task!
After listening to Han Liang's report, Li Yi's expression became more and more solemn.

"In other words, it will be difficult to complete the repair work of the Yellow River embankment this winter?"

Han Liang nodded nervously.

"Your Majesty is right."

"According to Datang's current construction efficiency, we can only complete the repair of one-fifth of the Yellow River embankment in the middle and lower reaches before the Yellow River's flood season arrives in the spring of next year."

"The most we can do is determine the general direction of the Yellow River after it is diverted. It will take a long time for the new river course to be fully formed."

It is worth mentioning that the Yellow River embankment was not only built by Datang.

Apart from the Manchu Qing dynasty, which was a group of inhuman bastards, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was also actually practicing.

Especially the direction of the Yellow River embankment in Kaifeng and Damingfu areas, which was determined by the Tang Dynasty and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

Now that the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom has something to ask of the Tang Dynasty, it will naturally not make things difficult for the Tang Dynasty on matters such as repairing river embankments.

Upon hearing this, Li Yi had no choice but to nod in agreement.

Although he did not want to see the Yellow River flood break out again, the workload of the Yellow River embankment was too large and it could never be completed.

This is not something that can be changed by personal will.

Li Yi took a deep breath and then said.

"Alas, it seems that the people in the disaster area will suffer again next year..."

"In order to minimize the losses of the victims in the disaster area, the government at all levels needs to prepare for the response in advance."

Upon hearing this, the officials immediately nodded in agreement.

Li Yi is now helpless about the Yellow River issue and can only ask people to make corresponding preparations in advance.

After exhaling a breath, Li Yi continued to patrol the levee.

Many disaster victims who were working on the construction site bowed to Li Yi when they saw him coming to inspect.

"I, a humble citizen, pay my respects to His Majesty. Long live the king, long live the king, long, long live the king!"

"Your Majesty, your Majesty!"

"The king, dukes and marquises will live in wealth and splendor for generations..."

"..."

The victims were talking about auspicious things.

The look in their eyes when they looked at Li Yi was full of respect and gratitude from the bottom of their hearts.

Because, if it weren't for the Tang Dynasty's disaster relief, work-for-relief would have given them a way to survive.

So, this winter, I wonder how many of these disaster victims will die of hunger and cold.

In other words, Li Yi actually saved the lives of these victims.

These disaster victims have now sincerely identified with the Tang Dynasty...

Seeing this scene, Li Yi just raised his hand and said.

"Haha, common people don't need to be polite!"

"The ground is cold, stop kneeling, get up quickly..."

As soon as Li Yi finished speaking, the victims kneeling around him stood up obediently, and Li Yi began to ask about their well-being. "How is this winter compared to previous years? Is it cold?"

One of the disaster victims scratched his head, grinned, and spoke in a very simple voice.

"To answer your Majesty, it is a bit cold when sitting, but not when working."

As soon as the disaster victim said this, the faces of several officials behind Li Yi who had just advised Li Yi to keep warm fell.

My goodness, we just advised the king to wear more clothes and keep warm, otherwise the weather is too cold and he will easily catch a cold, but now you say that you won't feel cold if you work.

So all of us did nothing but sit there, right?
Li Yi didn't care. The officials who could be around him were naturally shrewd people, but these people were simple and honest. Where did so many tricks come from?
It's normal for them to say something offensive, they don't mean it.

With Li Yi's magnanimity, he would not be hard on the victims over such a small matter.

Holding a man's hand and looking at the frostbite on his hands, Li Yi continued speaking.

"It just snowed, and it's freezing cold. How can it not be cold?"

"I see you guys are working even though your hands are covered in frostbite. This is not okay."

"How about this, I'll have someone distribute some gloves to the construction site later."

Upon hearing this, the victims looked at Li Yi with tears in their eyes.

These peasants were used to being humiliated, so they had to kneel down and salute even when meeting landlords, let alone officials of the imperial court.

Where have you ever seen such a scene?
You know, Li Yi is the king of the Tang Dynasty, and he is only one step away from the throne.

But even such a big shot is now caring about them.

How could they not be moved?

A sentiment of "a man will die for his confidant" was brewing in everyone's heart.

A group of disaster victims made a gesture to bow down again.

But he was stopped by Li Yi, who then continued to ask with a smile.

"How is the food on the construction site? Can you eat your fill? Is anyone skimping on your food?"

As soon as Li Yi said this, several officials following him broke out in cold sweats.

I was afraid that the victims in front of me would say something without restraint!

Obviously, they were greedy!

Of course, the amount of greed is not too great. At most, it is just to make some living expenses for oneself, which will not affect the overall situation of disaster relief.

The reason why these officials are so restrained.

It’s not that they have a conscience or sympathy for the victims.

It was because they were shocked by Li Yi's methods.

After all, even the Duke of Yansheng of Qufu had his house raided for embezzling disaster relief supplies.

Hanged his head outside Qufu city!
How dare these people commit crimes against the law?

Although Kong Fanhao's death was apparently the result of the Kong family's own act of sacrificing their own relatives for the sake of justice.

But anyone with a discerning eye knows that Li Yi was the one behind this matter.

Otherwise, how could Kong Xiankun have raided Bei Kong's house by himself?
Do you really think that the Kong family’s management of Qufu for so many years was just a decoration?

If the Tang army had not been there to deter them, Qufu might have risen up in rebellion when Kong Xiankun publicly tried Kong Fanhao.

But what relieved these officials was that the victims did not say anything they shouldn't have said, but only praised the Tang Dynasty's disaster relief.

"In reply to your Majesty, the food on the construction site is very plentiful."

"We have hot meals every day, and we can eat some meat every now and then. The grilled salted fish tastes delicious."

"With the supervision of the court officials, no one dares to be harsh on our food..."

It can be seen that the praise from these disaster victims is sincere.

Li Yi was also smiling and looked quite friendly.

The Tang Dynasty needed to provide disaster relief, but it did not have enough food, so it had to think of solutions elsewhere.

Fishing is one of the methods Li Yi came up with.

Because of the Qing Dynasty's relocation of borders and ban on sea fishing, the fish species and numbers in the Yellow River, East China Sea, South China Sea and Bohai Sea are now quite abundant.

If the Tang Dynasty could fish on a large scale at sea, the catch would be able to greatly fill the food gap.

As for whether overfishing will damage the ecology?
In fact, there is no need to be afraid. With the productivity and fishing technology of this era, it is difficult to cause fatal impact on the marine ecology.

Besides, people are starving to death, and you are talking to me about protecting the ecology?
I'm not protecting your mother's head!

As for how the catch is transported to the disaster area?

In fact, it is not a big problem. It is winter now and the weather is cold, so the catch can still be preserved.

It won't break down in ten days, half a month, or even one or two months.

As for what to do when the weather gets warmer?
Li Yi is now preparing to open a salted fish factory and a canning factory along the coast, and when the weather warms up in the spring of next year, it should be able to go into production.

Needless to say, salted fish is simply pickled with salt. After pickling, it can be preserved for a long time even in midsummer.

Although canned food is more expensive, it can be preserved for a long time.

Transporting is not a problem either.

In addition, Li Yi was still thinking about whether he should take advantage of the Yellow River's change of course to migrate some of the population in Shandong...

(End of this chapter)