Ming: I am fake, walking on thin ice

Chapter 132 Yu Qian: I know the emperor is fake

The emperor's motorcade stopped at Yanggu Post Station.

Zhu Qizhen wanted to inspect the disaster area and also inspect this section of the Yellow River. The group climbed up the Yellow River embankment, and the accompanying minister Yang Guifang introduced as they walked: "This section of Shawan has repeatedly burst in the past seven years. The court sent several river ministers, but none of them could manage it and quell the river disaster."

"Do you know the reason?" Zhu Qizhen asked.

"It's a bit complicated. This section is connected to the canal, which is blocked all year round. When the flood season comes, it will be blocked at this section." Yang Guifang frowned. "Of course, there are problems with the management methods and river officials."

Zhu Qizhen looked at the vast Yellow River in the distance and said, "I will summon the river officials later. We are not in a hurry to start the construction. We will stop the work first to take a rest. First, we can take the opportunity to inspect the water conservancy and second, we can repair the river management team."

"Yes, sir." Yang Guifang nodded.

After a round of inspection, Zhu Qizhen realized that the Yellow River was in urgent need of major repairs, otherwise, he would have to wait for disaster relief every year. He sighed: "There are too many things to do, and I am worried that there is not enough time."

"Your Majesty, you are still so young, you have plenty of time." Yang Guifang bowed, "Your Majesty's tone seems to be dejected. Your Majesty, there is no need for that. I still want to follow your Majesty to create a story of monarch and minister that will be passed down through the ages."

Zhu Qizhen held his forehead with his hand: "Don't even think about hyping up a couple relationship with me."

Yang Guifang: “???”

He did not understand the emperor's strange words and continued, "The people from the river channel office are waiting. Your Majesty, we should go over."

The group walked down the river bank and entered a tent nearby. A row of officials stood inside and knelt down in front of Zhu Qizhen who had come in. They all said, “Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you.”

"Everyone, stand up and talk." Zhu Qizhen raised his hand.

……

He walked up to the river officials, glanced at them and smiled: "You are all dark, it seems that you have been on the river all day and got tanned. The pampered officials in the capital often complain about the river officials, saying that the river is lucrative. If they complain next time, I will let them experience the river first, and let them get tanned on the Yellow River embankment for a month."

All the river officials laughed. The emperor finally saw their hard work. Zhu Qizhen said to the middle-aged man in the lead, "Wang Lai, Xu Youzhen recommended you to be the river governor. I have read your memorial. 'Dividing the water flow and finding the water source' is very good."

"I will do my best to control the river." Wang Lai bowed.

Zhu Qizhen smiled slightly and said, "I know that it takes money to cure the river. Money is flowing like water on the river. A lot of money is poured into the water, but it won't even make a wave. Give me some more time, and I will give you enough money to cure the Yellow River completely."

The eyes of the river officials were full of anticipation.

Zhu Qizhen sat down on the steps and asked everyone to sit on the ground. He spread his hands and said, "I have read a book about river management. I will tell you about it today, maybe it will broaden your horizons."

What he wanted to talk about was actually Pan Jixun's "Overview of River Defense" during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, and Jin Fu's "Strategies for River Management" during the Qing Dynasty, which he had read in his previous life. These two people were both famous officials in river management.

The core principle of their river management is to control water and attack sand.

Narrow the river channel and increase the flow rate. When the river channel is narrowed, the same amount of water flows in a smaller space, which naturally leads to an increase in flow rate. The increase in flow rate means that the water flow has stronger kinetic energy and can more effectively flush the sediment at the bottom of the riverbed.

Enhance the ability of water to carry sediment. According to the principles of hydraulics, faster water has stronger sediment carrying capacity. Therefore, by increasing the flow rate by confining water, the ability of water to carry sediment can be significantly enhanced, so that more sediment can be washed and transported downstream.

Utilize the river bottom erosion. The river will erode the riverbed during its flow, and this erosion will increase with the increase of flow velocity. The water-control and sand-control technology utilizes this principle, and increases the flow velocity to strengthen the riverbed erosion, thereby washing away the sediment at the bottom of the riverbed.

Reduce riverbed sedimentation. By using the method of controlling water and attacking sand, the sediment deposition on the riverbed can be effectively reduced. This is because most of the washed up sediment will be carried downstream or to the ocean by the water flow, rather than being deposited in the river. In this way, the river channel can be kept unobstructed and the flood discharge capacity of the river channel can be improved.

"This is the method I saw. You should study it carefully." Zhu Qizhen stood up. "I have been talking for half an hour. I guess everyone is hungry. I will have dinner with you."

The river officials were still thinking, and were amazed by what the emperor just said, "Bundle water and attack sand". The river governor Wang Lai exclaimed: "Your Majesty, this book is great, what is the name of the book? I want everyone in the river office to have a copy."

Zhu Qizhen held his forehead with his hand and said, "Well, I just saw it once by chance, and then I couldn't find it again. You can sort out what I just said and then print it."

Wang Lai was furious: "Your Majesty, how come you can't find such an important book?"

Yang Guifang stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty saw it at a used bookstall when you were out last time. When you went to look for it later, it was gone. Old Wang, let's go, let's go eat."

He guessed in his heart that this was most likely something that His Majesty had come up with on his own and made up a story that he had seen it in a book.

……

After the meal, we returned to the post station. It was already dusk.

The Queen Mother stood in the corridor, wearing a lavender dress. She had a graceful figure. The sunlight fell on her, making her look graceful and charming, but her beautiful face was filled with sorrow.

Shuangxi, who was standing behind her, saw Zhu Qizhen coming and bowed: "Your Majesty, you are finally back. The Queen Mother is waiting for you to have dinner."

Zhu Qizhen was stunned, and then said awkwardly: "Mother, I inspected the river and had dinner with the river officials."

The Queen Mother slowly turned around, her mature and clear eyes blinked slightly, her hands folded gracefully on her lower abdomen, her brows relaxed, "Your Majesty is concentrating on government affairs, and I am very pleased."

After what happened in the carriage last time, both of them felt a little uncomfortable. Zhu Qizhen bowed and said, "Then I will go first..."

The Queen Mother interrupted him and glared at him: "I have waited for you for so long, but you can't have dinner with me? I won't let you eat."

She took the initiative to ease the atmosphere, and Zhu Qizhen naturally went down the stairs. The dining table was placed under the corridor, looking at the sunset and facing the wind, which was a unique experience. The Queen Mother ate in small bites, still so elegant, and asked softly: "You are inspecting the river, do you want to repair the Yellow River?"

"Yes." Zhu Qizhen nodded, then frowned deeply. "If we don't cure the river, it will burst every year and we will have to provide disaster relief every year. This is only one aspect. The most important thing is that it will affect the grain transport. Since the capital was established in Shuntian, in order to meet the consumption of border defense and the capital, the annual grain transport is no less than millions of tons. The grain from the south to the north is transported through the Yellow River and the Grand Canal. If there is a problem with the river one day, the capital will not be able to eat."

The Queen Mother stretched out her hand to smooth her drooping hair, her eyebrows furrowed tightly, "Your grandfather wanted to return the capital to Yingtian at first, and your father was also hesitant."

Zhu Qizhen shook his head firmly: "Of course we can't return the capital to Yingtian. In our Ming Dynasty, the emperor guards the country's gates and the king dies for the country."

When the Queen Mother heard this, she was slightly startled, and a light flashed in her eyes.

The emperor guards the gate of the country, and the king dies.

This fake emperor, on the contrary, resembles the Zhu family, Taizu, and Taizong.

……

Night falls.

This time, there was a prisoner car in the emperor's motorcade, and Zeng Yong was sitting inside. After being locked up in the dark room at the bottom of the imperial prison by Jinyiwei Commander Shi Biao for two days, this crazy student became completely obedient.

In the endless darkness and silence, every day felt like a year. He was in there for two days, but it felt like a lifetime. When he came out, he was completely depressed and no longer had the arrogance he had before.

Yang Guifang came to the prisoner's car with a bowl of rice and said, "If you're not dead, get up and eat."

Zeng Yong, who was dozing off, suddenly sat up, took the bowl, and began to eat. Yang Guifang leaned against the prisoner's car, her eyes full of contempt: "Do you know why His Majesty brought you out?"

"They are afraid that I will die in prison." Zeng Yong said, "Now those who are expecting my death are the gentry, the ones who are waiting to see Your Majesty laugh at them. When Your Majesty leaves the capital, they will definitely not let me go."

Yang Guifang chuckled: "Oh, you are very clear-headed."

Zeng Yong took a sip of tea and said, "In that dark room in the imperial prison, I figured out everything. I was just a tool used by others."

Yang Guifang was still curious.

Shi Biao has made rapid progress in recent years. What kind of secret room could have completely changed such a crazy guy?

"Can I see His Majesty? I want to apologize to him." Zeng Yong said.

"His Majesty will not see you." Yang Guifang said, "If you have anything to say, tell me."

Zeng Yong finished eating, put down his bowl and chopsticks, thought for a while and said, "The content of my article was all told to me by Shen Yihuan. That's all. Well, I'm full and I'm going to take a nap."

"Hey, you're more relaxed than me." Yang Guifang was speechless.

He looked up at the starry sky, but it was hazy and he couldn't see clearly.

……

Capital city, Yufu.

Duke Chengguo, Marquis Huichang, the newly appointed Minister of Rites Chen Xun, and Cabinet Grand Secretary Shang Lu all came to visit Yu Shaobao. They were also well-informed, and Yu Qian had just returned from the camp.

After some greetings, Duke Cheng was the first to step forward and said directly, "Yu Shaobao, today we are here to talk about Zeng Yong's article. Of course I think it is nonsense, but what if?"

"Yeah, what if?" Chen Xun said, "Then we will be the sinners of the Ming Dynasty."

Shang Lu also nodded in agreement: "We are all from the time of the previous emperor, and some of us even served Emperor Taizong. It can be said that we have received great favor from the emperor, so there must not be any chance of anything happening."

Yu Qian glanced at everyone and asked, "So, what do you want to do?"

Cheng Guogong spread his hands: "At least we have to verify it, right? Yu Shaobao, you are the most suitable person to test the authenticity of His Majesty. His Majesty trusts you very much."

"Yes, yes, yes." Everyone else agreed.

Yu Qian stood up suddenly and nodded: "Okay! When Your Majesty comes back, I will go and verify your Majesty's authenticity."

Everyone was stunned. They didn't expect Yu Shaobao to agree so readily. Originally, they had prepared a set of arguments to persuade Yu Qian from various angles. Now, they were no longer needed.

Suddenly, the hall fell into silence. Yu Qian smiled slightly: "My Lords, is there anything else? If not, I need to rest. I have been busy with the shift change these days and have not slept."

"Goodbye, Master Yu, take a good rest." Duke Chengguo said hurriedly.

As long as Yu Qian agreed, their goal would be achieved and they would all say goodbye and leave.

Yu Qian looked at their backs and frowned tightly.

Trouble is here again. Can't we wait a few more years? Is your Majesty genuine? I knew it two years ago.

(End of this chapter)