In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 947 Eight Hundred Li River Embankment

In mid-May in Henan, the sun had lost its springtime gentleness and swept across the land with scorching heat.

At the Yellow River ferry crossing, the river water, carrying silt and sand from upstream, crashes against the embankment.
The splashing water landed on the newly built river embankment and dried up in an instant.

Only a few shallow watermarks were left, which were quickly covered by the footprints of the passing laborers.

This riverbank is very different from what it used to be.

It is no longer a mottled appearance of rammed earth mixed with gravel, but has a cold, silvery sheen all over!

It was filled with the latest concrete.

The surface was smoothed and polished by the craftsmen.

From a distance, it looks like a long, silvery-white ribbon.

The dikes meander along the Yellow River into the distance, firmly keeping the river water within their walls.

Thousands of laborers were busy working on the riverbank, creating a lively scene.

Li Zhigang, a member of the Henan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, stood in the middle of the river em

The wind lifted the hem of her scarlet robe, and some cement powder smeared onto her sleeves.

He was only thirty-three years old, but at that moment he looked like he was in his forties.
He had a thin face, three short wisps of beard under his chin, and skin as dark as charcoal!

He was frowning as he listened to his subordinate's report.

"Your Excellency, we have used 3,200 bags of cement in the past two weeks, which is nearly 600 bags less than last month."

"Thanks to the old craftsmen sent from Daning, they taught us to change the method of layered pouring."

"only."

The report was given by Zhou Qin, a clerk from the Henan Provincial Administration Commission.
He wiped the sweat from his brow, his voice unconsciously lowering a few decibels.

"There are only 1,800 bushels of unpolished rice left in the granary, and the driver's wages are almost a month overdue."

Yesterday, several coachmen came to me, saying that if they didn't get their money soon, their children would go hungry.

Li Zhigang sighed and tapped his palm with the document.

"I understand. I have already sent someone by fast horse to Yingtian to urge the allocation of grain. Please wait a little longer."

Before he could finish speaking, a servant came running from the direction of the ferry, his face flushed and breathless, shouting from afar.

"My lord! My lord! Lord Lu has arrived!"

"Lord Lu, who came from Beiping, is waiting for you at the tea stall at the ferry crossing!"

"Lord Lu?"

Li Zhigang suddenly looked up, the weariness in his eyes instantly replaced by surprise, and the document in his hand fell to the ground with a thud.

He didn't even bother to pick them up; he quickly stepped forward, grabbed the servant's arm, and his voice trembled slightly.

"Is it Lord Lu Yunyi?"

"Exactly!"

The servant nodded vigorously, pointing in the direction of the ferry crossing.

"Lord Lu said he was on his way to the capital and would be passing by, so he made a special trip to see the river embankment!"

Li Zhigang was no longer interested in listening to Zhou Qin's follow-up story.

He took off running towards the ferry, his scarlet robe fluttering in the wind, and his pace quickened.

Soon, Li Zhigang arrived at the ferry tea stall.

The tea stall was temporary.

The frame was made of bamboo poles, the roof was made of reed mats, and four rough wooden tables were placed under the shed.

The table legs were half-buried in the mud.
The tabletop was pitted and dented, and stained with tea.

Lu Yunyi sat at a table further inside.
He was still wearing that black outfit, with some dust on the collar and cuffs, and mud splattered on the hem of his trousers, clearly indicating that he had been traveling for a long time.

A bowl of cold tea sat in front of him, with a few tea leaves still clinging to the rim.

He didn't move, staring blankly at the Yellow River in the distance.

The guards stood outside the tent, leading their horses, their hands on the swords at their waists, their eyes warily scanning their surroundings.

"Lord Lu!"

Li Zhigang rushed into the shed, his voice trembling, and bowed deeply to Lu Yunyi.

"Your humble servant, Li Zhigang, greets Your Excellency!"

"I never expected that you would be passing through Henan, sir. I have failed to greet you properly and hope you will forgive me!"

Lu Yunyi was gazing at the waves of the Yellow River.
Hearing the sound, she quickly came to her senses, stood up, took his arm, and smiled:

"Zhongjian, there's no need for such formalities! We're old acquaintances, why be so polite?"

"I only decided to take a detour to the ferry terminal on a whim, and I didn't inform you in advance, so how can I blame you?"

Li Zhigang straightened up, looked at Lu Yunyi's travel-worn appearance, then at the horse behind him, and asked.

"Sir, are you... heading to the capital?"

"Yes, His Majesty has issued an edict summoning me back to the capital for investigation."

Lu Yunyi sat down, pointed to the stool opposite him, and laughed.

"Sit down. I've been traveling for half a day. Let me tell you about Henan."

"I saw this river embankment on the way, and it's well-maintained."

Li Zhigang quickly sat down, and the tea stall waiter came over with a copper kettle to refill his tea.

He waved for the waiter to leave, then leaned closer and said excitedly:

"Sir, this cement is truly a wonderful thing!"
“In previous years, repairing the river embankment required more than a dozen steps just for ramming the soil, and we were always afraid that it would be washed away by rain.”

"During the flood season two years ago, three miles of the downstream river embankment collapsed, flooding more than a dozen villages."

"This concrete structure didn't even have a crack after last month's torrential rain!"

He pointed to the riverbank not far away and gestured repeatedly.
"Look, the road from here to Chenqiao Town downstream has been built for a full five miles."

"At this rate, we can finish repairing this 20-mile stretch of river embankment before the autumn harvest!"

Then, people on both sides of the strait will no longer have to fear the Yellow River bursting its banks!

Lu Yunyi looked in the direction he pointed.
The silvery-white riverbank gleamed coldly in the sunlight, and it was indeed very neat.

He nodded, a smile appearing in his eyes.

"It's good that it has this effect. You seem quite comfortable being an official here."

The excitement on Li Zhigang's face vanished instantly, and he let out a soft sigh.

"My lord, please don't mention it."

"The rebels in the government office have all been dealt with by the court, and there is no one to stop them, but who would have thought that silver and grain are so scarce."

"Last year, the north suffered a locust plague, which reduced the autumn harvest by 30%."

"The imperial court allocated more than 2.3 million taels of silver for this river embankment repair, and it has been almost spent. Fortunately, nine reservoirs and nearly 400 li of river embankment have been built."

Lu Yunyi paused, holding the teacup, and his brow twitched.

"It's gone so quickly?"

Li Zhigang looked helpless and gave a bitter smile.

"My lord, the original plan was to spend nearly three years on 2.3 million taels of silver."

But to everyone's surprise, the people on both sides of the river found the concrete embankment incredibly sturdy, and they eagerly volunteered to work as laborers.

"Originally, only 14,000 people were to be recruited, but now it has become 60,000."
Some villagers brought their own food and wanted to work on the construction site without pay; I couldn't refuse.

"With more people, the work gets done faster. We've already built four new cement workshops, but it's still not enough. The sand in the vicinity is almost all gone, so money is flowing out like water. We've spent three years' worth of money in one year."

"Now, as soon as I arrive at the dike, they press for money to continue repairing it, wishing they could repair it for a thousand miles on both banks."

Li Zhigang's expression was complex, and his thoughts were even more conflicted.

He doesn't know whether he should be happy or worried.

Lu Yunyi's expression was extremely strange, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

"The people on both sides of the Yellow River have suffered from floods for thousands of years. Now that there is hope, they are naturally eager to participate."

"As for money and provisions, what does the imperial court say?"

Li Zhigang shook his head, his tone tinged with grievance.

“I sent the first document at the beginning of last month, and then urged them twice more, but both times they disappeared without a trace.”

"The people sent by the Ministry of Works said that the court is having a very difficult time because of the heated debate over moving the capital."

Submitting a petition requesting money to the Ministry of Revenue would be absolutely impossible to get approved.
Not to mention the cost of flood control, which easily amounts to millions of taels of silver.

"Sir, could you please help me think of a solution?"

If we don't take advantage of this time to fix it,

Once the flood season arrives, many more people will suffer, and then the imperial court and its officials will be reprimanded.

Lu Yunyi was silent for a moment, then tapped his fingers lightly on the edge of the table:

"In that case, after I arrive in the capital, I will mention the matter of Henan to His Majesty and see if we can dig some silver from other places."

Don't wait here. Have a good talk with the local wealthy businessmen. Use the money if necessary, and don't let the river embankment work stop.

Li Zhigang's eyes lit up, and he nodded quickly.

"Thank you, sir! With your words, I feel much more at ease!"

Lu Yunyi smiled, then changed the subject, his tone becoming more serious.

"By the way, I came all the way from Beiping."

I've heard things have been unsettled in Henan lately, is that true?

The smile on Li Zhigang's face vanished instantly, and his brows furrowed into a knot.

He looked around before lowering his voice and saying,
“Something did happen.” “Last month, the Right Thousand Household Office of Kaifeng Garrison mutinied because their rations and pay were withheld.”

"They haven't received their grain for two months, and the commanders are even forcing them to farm for their own families."

The soldiers couldn't stand it anymore, so they started a riot, smashing up the yamen (government office) and more than a dozen soldiers ran away.

"Later, the Provincial Surveillance Commission sent people to suppress the mutiny."

The commander of a thousand men was also arrested and imprisoned, awaiting the court's judgment.

"And Tang County in Nanyang Prefecture, where there was a riot last month."

It was said that the taxes were too heavy. Although the imperial court exempted the regular taxes for this year, the magistrate of Tang County privately added miscellaneous service taxes.

They forced the people to hand over grain; if they refused, they would arrest them.

"There was a farmer named Wang Er whose grain was stolen and his mother was beaten by the yamen runners."

He gathered several hundred people, occupied Black Wind Stronghold outside the city, and went against the government.

Later, the Nanyang Guard sent troops to suppress the bandits, and it took two battles to finally capture the stronghold.

But Wang Er and several of his ringleaders escaped and haven't been caught yet.

"I find these things quite unusual."

Lu Yunyi frowned: "What's unusual about it?"

"I have been here for almost a year now, and the people have always lived in peace and tranquility."
They focused solely on farming and flood control, and mutinies and rebellions were extremely rare.

"After all, Henan is located in the Central Plains, so there's always someone to eat no matter what."

"But something's been off in the last two months; big and small things have all piled up at once."
The entire Three Departments were in an uproar, as if...

Li Zhigang lowered his voice to a minimum:
"It's as if someone is deliberately causing trouble, just like when I was building the Yingtian Trading Company."

The closer it got to the opening, the more rumors circulated, and the more chaotic the scene became.

Lu Yunyi fell silent, the smile in his eyes gradually fading, replaced by a look of deep concentration.

He looked up out of the teahouse; the Yellow River's waves crashed against the embankment, the splashing water droplets shimmering in the sunlight.

In the distance, laborers carried their tools back and forth, their shouts carried on the wind.

Despite the lively scene, there was an inexplicable tension.

"Zhongjian, it's good that you know the truth."

Lu Yunyi lowered his voice even further, so that only the two of them could hear him:

"We both know what the situation is like in the capital right now."

The matter of moving the capital has caused quite a stir.
Some people want to succeed, while others want to fail. It is precisely at times like these that the local authorities must not descend into chaos.

They hoped for chaos to use as a pretext to claim that moving the capital would undermine the foundation of the nation.
If you can't hold on, that'll really do what they want.

Li Zhigang froze, his hand holding the teacup hanging in mid-air.

He had previously only felt that everything seemed strangely clustered together.

Only after Lu Yunyi pointed it out did the reason become clear.

He swallowed hard, his voice becoming more serious.

"Rest assured, my lord, I understand the importance of this matter."

"Even if food supplies are tight, the river embankment will never be shut down, and local officials will keep a close eye on it to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the situation."

"now it's right."

Lu Yunyi picked up the teacup on the table, drank it all in one gulp, and suppressed the heat of the journey.

"In the current situation, whoever can stabilize the situation will be seen as a capable person in His Majesty's eyes."

“If you repair the river embankment and settle the people properly, it will be more effective than arguing a hundred times in the court.”

He stood up and straightened his outfit, the sword at his waist swaying slightly with the movement.

"Alright, I need to hurry on my way; the day I arrive in the capital cannot be delayed."

I won't eat dinner. Let's have a proper drink together when I get back from Yingtian."

Li Zhigang also quickly got up, wanting to persuade Lu Yunyi to stay a little longer, but saw that Lu Yunyi had already stepped out of the shed.

The guards quickly led their horses and followed, their movements swift and decisive.

He chased after him to the ferry crossing and watched as Lu Yunyi mounted his horse.

"Sir! Be careful on the road!"

Lu Yunyi reined in the reins, turned back to smile at him, and waved.

"rest assured!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he gently spurred his horse, and the mount reared up and galloped away along the dirt road at the ferry crossing.

The guards followed closely behind, raising a cloud of dust, and soon became a small black dot in the distance.

Li Zhigang stood at the ferry crossing, gazing in the direction they had gone.

He was still clutching the water pouch he hadn't had time to hand over earlier.
That was the herbal tea he had specially prepared.

He sighed softly, turned, and walked towards the riverbank.

My steps were heavier than when I came, but I felt more confident.

For the next three days, Lu Yunyi and his group traveled almost day and night.

Traveling under the scorching sun during the day, the horses' hooves pounded on the scalding dirt road, kicking up dust that covered them completely.

We continued walking under the moonlight at night.
They only rested for half an hour when changing horses at the post station.

The guards' eyes had sunken in.
Even the most energetic Basong had a slightly hoarse voice.

Upon entering the capital region of Zhili, the scenery along the way gradually changed.

From the loess plains of Henan to the water towns and polder fields of Zhili, and then to the prosperity surrounding Yingtian, a scene of peace and prosperity unfolded.

On the morning of the fourth day, just as dawn broke, the outline of Yingtian City came into view.

The bluish-gray city walls are more exquisite than those of Beiping, yet also taller.

The number of soldiers guarding the city walls was twice that of usual, each wielding a long spear and staring sharply at passersby.

Even caravans entering the city had their boxes opened and carefully inspected, creating a tense atmosphere.

"Sir, here we are!"

Basong pointed ahead, his voice filled with excitement.

Lu Yunyi reined in his horse and looked up. The city gate was wide open, and a group of soldiers in armor stood at the entrance.

The leader was dressed in plain clothes, with a jade belt around his waist.
He was standing on tiptoe, peering into the distance. It was none other than Sun Ke, the Marquis of Quanning.

Sun Ke quickly spotted Lu Yunyi and his group, his eyes lit up, and he strode forward to greet them, with his guards following closely behind.

He walked up to Lu Yunyi's horse, his voice tinged with urgency.

"Yun Yi! You've finally arrived!"

Lu Yunyi dismounted, his movements slightly unsteady.

"I have met Marquis Quanning. I did not dare to delay on the way and traveled day and night to get here."

"It's good that we've arrived, it's good that we've arrived!"

"My lord, what's the situation in the capital? I heard some rumors when I was in Henan, and I'm still uneasy."

Sun Ke pointed to the tea stall next to him:

"Go there and say it."

Before long, the two sat down at the tea stall, and Sun Ke lowered his voice:
"The situation in Beijing is very chaotic right now, especially after Chang Mao's incident, people are filled with anxiety."

Chang Sheng has been acting quite erratically lately, insisting on going to Longzhou in Guangxi to investigate thoroughly. His Majesty had to stop him several times before finally managing to stop him.

Lu Yunyi paused, his hand holding the teacup still, and his brows furrowed.

"Leaving Beijing now is neither a good time nor safe."

"you do not say!"

Sun Ke sighed, put down his teacup, and tapped his fingers lightly on the table:

"Another incident occurred the day before yesterday. Chang Mao's men, along with a group of people who appeared out of nowhere, launched an attack in Wazi Alley in the west of the city."

"Mobilize troops?" Lu Yunyi looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with astonishment.

"Yes, around midnight."

"Mobilize troops in Yingtian City? Are they crazy?"

“Who says otherwise!” Sun Ke gave a wry smile, lowering his voice even further:

That day, Chang Sheng went out for drinks with several servants. They had only been sitting down for a short while...

Several people deliberately stirred up trouble, saying that Chang Mao's death was a good thing, and that the Kaiping Prince's Mansion was doomed sooner or later.

"Chang Sheng couldn't stand it, and he started fighting with them on the spot."

He paused and continued,
"Who would have thought that those men were wearing armor and carrying knives? They were clearly soldiers."

"In the end, it was the secret protection of the Embroidered Uniform Guards who summoned the patrolling soldiers, which prevented a major incident from happening."

Absurd! Utterly absurd!

Lu Yunyi frowned and continued to ask.

"My lord, how is the Duke of Kaiguo doing now?"

"He has been confined to his residence by His Majesty, and the Left Guard of the Imperial Guard has been sent to watch over him as a form of protection."

Lu Yunyi nodded, having roughly grasped the situation. He picked up his teacup, drank it all in one gulp, and stood up, saying:
"Thank you for informing me, Lord Marquis. Let's go into the city."

Sun Ke also got up and followed him outside.

"Let's go to the mansion to change into clean clothes first, and then we'll go to the palace together."

(End of this chapter)