A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 378 Have you ever tamed the Yellow River? You're just spouting nonsense.
Akabane raised the question.

The group began to sizing each other up.

It happened so suddenly, it would be a lie to say I didn't have any doubts!
In particular, Bai Zhen captured Song Xuan's second brother, which immediately touched a nerve, and today Song Xuan directly destroyed two important strongholds.

Whether Zuixianlou is safe now is questionable!

Therefore, the issue of undercover agents does indeed exist.

Why is it that Wuyou Cave can only plant spies in the government, while the government can't plant spies in return?

Who will it be?
The strategist Bai Zhen then shouted:

"Xiaofeng, your men were the first to be captured by Song Xuan. Does anyone know about our stronghold?"

"Strategist, you doubt me!" Xiaofeng's eyes first showed disbelief.

Akabane launched the first attack:

"Xiaofeng, the Vermilion Bird Hall and the Black Tortoise Hall have both been affected at the same time. Your bunch of spineless cowards have been tortured in the yamen for days. What secrets can they possibly keep?"

Akabane's eyes flashed with a fierce light:

"I'm afraid you were arrested before, but you only got out by sacrificing your brothers' lives to save yourself!"

"Fuck your motherfucker!"

Xiaofeng was young and impetuous, and he couldn't stand being wronged.

He walked over from the window, his eyes filled with shock and anger:
“I always come to my elder brother’s place alone. They don’t even know this place, so how could they possibly know about other places?”

"Red Feather, you bastard, how dare you frame me!"

Xiaofeng pointed at him and said, "If I had secretly surrendered to Song Xuan earlier, and led troops to take down this Zuixianlou restaurant on my first mission, you would definitely not have escaped either."

Cang Lin's expression was somewhat unpleasant, but Xiao Feng's words made sense.

How can the value of the other two warehouses compare to that of Zuixianlou?

"Xiaofeng, with the shortest term, it's quite normal that you can't control your subordinates' mouths."

The strategist Bai Zhen acted as a peacemaker: "Think carefully, have you ever leaked anything while drunk?"

"Our top priority is to find the undercover agent."

"fart!"

"You're talking nonsense too!"

Xiaofeng wasn't oblivious to what the strategist Bai Zhen meant; he simply wanted to shift the blame onto himself.

If the cave master finds out, he won't care about anything else.

If someone takes the blame, whether it's unfair or not, the cave master will kill you first, and then try to find out if you are innocent.

People are dead.

What's the point of clearing one's name?
“Strategist, you were the last person to come into contact with Xuanjia. Your plan to kidnap Song Xuan’s own brother failed, and you lost everything in Xuanwu Hall.”

"Song Xuan's sudden attack must have been a well-laid trap, and he was determined to wipe them all out in one fell swoop."

"Even Xuanjia couldn't escape, how could you, an old scholar, have escaped alone?"

Xiaofeng's words were truly scathing.

Canglin and Chiyu both looked at the strategist Baizhen.

This matter is indeed strange.

Regardless, the Xuanjia armored unit is still a formidable opponent.

If even he couldn't escape, how could anyone else possibly escape?

"you."

The strategist, Bai Zhen, glared angrily.

“I’ve already seen the flooding in Xiangfu County. You said they went by boat, and the tunnel was already filled with water. How could you possibly have escaped by holding your breath?”

Xiaofeng's finishing blow infuriated the strategist Baizhen, whose chest heaved uncontrollably.

He quickly defended himself:

"I sensed danger and climbed onto the roof to escape their search."

"Climb to the roof."

Xiaofeng sat in the chair:
"Yes, it's normal for someone as intelligent as Song Xuan to make a mistake."

"you."

"All right."

Cang Lin waved his hand: "Since the incident happened suddenly and there is no evidence, let's not suspect each other."

"Humph."

The strategist Bai Zhen looked extremely embarrassed, whether from the cold or from anger, it was hard to tell.

Akabane sat down beside him, and to be honest, he had mixed feelings.

He used to laugh at Xiaofeng for being unlucky.

Now that the other three halls have suffered misfortune and their power has been damaged, only Zuixianlou remains completely unscathed.

He stole a glance at the contemplative peacemaker.

Will Cang Lin betray us?

After all, his family is very wealthy and powerful, and he doesn't get involved in the black market much anymore. He probably wants to completely clean up his name and let his descendants take the imperial examinations!
Akabane thought about it more and more and felt that this was a possibility.

In terms of goals, Zuixianlou is the most dazzling.

If Xiaofeng's inn hadn't been misjudged and someone hadn't reported him to the authorities, nothing would have happened.

All his men were imprisoned, and the people from Wuyou Cave were kept in solitary confinement with guards day and night, making it difficult to pass on any messages.

Who knows how much they'll reveal?
Cang Lin's men arrived shortly afterward, saying that the Kaifeng County government had taken over the warehouse.

Upon hearing this news, Akabane was even more furious.

The whole "search for Western Xia spies" thing was just a huge cover-up.

Akabane stood up excitedly:
"If I hadn't been careful in the past, I probably would have been arrested by the government like Xuanjia today!"

Xiaofeng's face was gloomy; he felt that things were becoming increasingly complicated.

This mole was extremely well hidden.

Xiaofeng always felt that the strategist Bai Zhen was highly suspicious. How was he able to escape?
That's simply unrealistic!
Cang Lin frowned in thought; it was no doubt that there was a ghost in the cave.

Otherwise, Song Xuan wouldn't have acted so swiftly and decisively.

This heavy rain was something no one had anticipated.

The fact that Song Xuan could profit from this heavy rain was truly incomprehensible to Cang Lin. How did he manage to bribe the people in the cave?

Cang Lin looked up at the old and decrepit strategist. Could it be that he had been promised an official position?

Only in this way can this person be persuaded to abandon the benefits of Wuyou Cave and become an official.

In the Song Dynasty, the transition from a thief to an official was not a big deal.

This is all normal.

After all, this old fellow joined Wuyou Cave because he had no hope of passing the imperial examinations. His biggest regret in life was not becoming an official!

Become an official?

Cang Lin actually longed to become an official deep down.

But he knew he had no chance, so he placed his hopes on the next generation and the generation after that.

At least we won't let them get involved in this shady business; Zuixianlou is enough for us to live on.

"Calm down, don't get so angry."

Cang Lin stood up and strolled around twice:

"No matter what, gather information first before taking any action."

"Chiyu, even now, you still won't reveal the person you planted in the Kaifeng County government office?"

"Things have calmed down a bit, I'll go make some contact."

Akabane sat silently to the side; he trusted no one now.

In particular, the fact that Cang Lin actually made him expose his hidden agents was a major alarm bell for Chi Yu.

If this isn't a disguised attempt to obtain more information in exchange for Cang Lin's personal future, then what is it all about?
Whoever says that is an idiot.

Upon hearing this, the strategist Bai Zhen also harbored some doubts about Cang Lin.

After all, even though he was the head of the Azure Dragon Hall, and even if the main base of the Vermilion Bird Hall was sealed off by the government, it was not his place to interfere in the affairs of the other halls.

Especially the "hidden stakes".

Some of these hidden stakes are so well-known that even the cave owner might not know about them, precisely so they can be used in crucial moments.

Song Xuan launched his surprise attack without warning, partly to avoid the county government officials and clerks from gathering at the county government office to escape the flood.

A superior who was a model of caring for his subordinates, who would have thought he would suddenly do something like this?

Especially during heavy rain, trying to leave the county government office to deliver a message would be tantamount to deliberately exposing oneself.

“Cang Lin, it’s not advisable to expose Chi Yu’s identity right now. Whether it’s Xiangfu County or Kaifeng County, you should gather information first while we hide for a few days.”

The white-clad bird, wrapped in a blanket, said:
"After the rain stops, we will report this matter to the cave master, and then we will have to discuss it properly."

"The strategist's words make sense."

Cang Lin stood up:

"Let's go, I'll arrange a place for you to rest."

"No need." Akabane shook his head.

"I'll stay here with the strategist for now. I'll have somewhere to go once the rain stops."

"Well, you can rest here for a while. I'll have someone bring you some food."

Cang Lin stood up and gestured for Xiao Feng to follow him.

Today's events happened so suddenly, it really caught everyone off guard.

When they went to another room, Cang Lin sat down, picked up his chopsticks, and ate a couple of bites of food to fill his stomach.

"Brother, today's events are too strange."

Xiaofeng plopped down: "I suspect the strategist has a problem."

"Be careful what you say."

Cang Lin told him to be quiet, because if the strategist had a problem, then his Drunken Immortal Pavilion would be doomed.

Unless Song Xuan doesn't want to make a move right now.

Otherwise, how could he not have successfully raided Zuixianlou if he had even mobilized the Imperial Guards?
"I believe it's true that there's a mole within the company."

Canglin picked up his rice bowl:

"We still have too little information. Even if there are people planted in the county government, we can't act rashly, or we'll be easily exposed."

"Yes."

Xiaofeng also found it hard to accept:
"It seems that Song Xuan has a good relationship with his brother, otherwise he wouldn't have immediately led his men to rescue him as soon as he received the news."

"Hmm." Cang Lin nodded: "Song Xuan's strength is his loyalty, but it is also his weakness."

Xiaofeng didn't say much, and his wanted poster was buried in the Kaifeng County government office.

It doesn't quite resemble his original drawing.

"Brother, should I go out and scout it out?"

Xiaofeng wanted to clear his name of the "suspicious gaze". Why was he discovered first? Does that mean he was Song Xuan's mole?

That's utter nonsense; he can't stand this injustice.

Is it because he has only been the head of the hall for a short time and doesn't have much of a foundation?
"Let's find out. You go and find out, and I'll send someone to find out too. We'll discuss other things after we gather the information."

Cang Lin said with a rather solemn expression:

"Otherwise, if we continue to have such suspicions, we won't be able to explain ourselves to the cave master, and we'll probably all be punished."

"Ah."

Xiaofeng was also worried about this, and he was extremely afraid of the cave master.

They were constantly worried here. After Song Xuan finished eating, he led the yamen runners to take the prisoner directly to the jail.

When Zhao Jin and the other prisoners saw Song Xuan personally enter the prison, bringing a large number of new prisoners, they were all quite excited.

After all, the last large-scale arrest was for the purpose of carrying out engineering projects.

So Zhao Jin asked Qin Ying to come forward and inquire what had happened.

"The people of Wuyou Cave."

Song Xuan stood at the prison gate, remembering Zhao Jin:

“The Yellow River has breached its banks and is flooding outside; if you go out, you won’t have anywhere to stay.”

"Just wait."

"I knew it was going to rain heavily today."

Seeing Song Xuan's magnanimity, Zhao Jin mustered his courage and asked:
"Sir, the Yellow River is flooding. Shouldn't we be hired to continue dredging?"

"You've become addicted to clearing silt."

Hearing Song Xuan's teasing, Zhao Jin chuckled and said, "I just wanted to drink Snowflake Wine again. I've only ever had it once in my life."

"Fanlou doesn't have much Snowflake liquor left."

Zhao Jin was naturally somewhat upset.

Snowflake wine is made with snow, but with so much time gone by since last winter, where can you find authentic Snowflake wine anymore?
Song Xuan didn't hide anything:
"However, this year when there is a major flood, many refugees will come to the capital, and we will need to hire these people to do work."

"Dredging and repairing the river is a huge project. I'll try my best to get Fanlou to reserve a few jars for me. We'll see how you perform then."

"Thank you very much, sir." Zhao Jin quickly bowed in gratitude.

"After the project is finished, we'll find some real work. What's the point of having a bunch of strong guys join the Imperial Guard if we're always stuck in prison?"

After mentioning it briefly, Song Xuan looked at Qin Ying:

"Prefect Qin, I heard that your verdict is under review by the Ministry of Justice and should be released soon."

"Thank you for informing me of this, Scholar Song."

Qin Ying felt a bit cold and curled up to the side.

"Someone is coming."

The jailer, Mao Lang, immediately responded, "My lord."

"Make a fire in front of Judge Qin to warm him up; he mustn't fall ill before he gets out of prison."

"Yes."

Mao Lang responded.

Qin Ying thanked him and noticed that Song Xuan's body was also somewhat damp.

"Such terrible weather, Scholar Song personally went out to arrest thieves?"

"Yeah." Song Xuan responded:
"This is the perfect day to catch those thieves in Wuyou Cave."

Qin Ying nodded.

It's not like Tokyo hasn't experienced heavy rain before.

But after the heavy rain, which county magistrate would lead a team to wipe out the people of Wuyou Cave?

The less trouble, the better.

From this perspective, Song Xuan was extremely confident that he could capture the person.

As for Zhong Lijin, that fool who's obsessed with climbing the social ladder, he probably doesn't have the ability to get Song Xuan to join his ranks.

"Prefect Qin, are you really sure you want to teach at Yingtian Academy?"

"Of course." Qin Ying nodded repeatedly: "How could I easily change my aspirations?"

"Do you want to establish yourself at Yingtian Academy?"

Upon hearing Song Xuan's question, Qin Ying immediately stood up from the haystack, took two quick steps, and walked to the fence gate:
"Is Scholar Song willing to help me?"

"It's not that serious. I'll find you an opportunity to redeem yourself, which is much better than applying for a job as a criminal."

Song Xuan felt that Mu Xiu should be given more time to change the students' thinking, as the path of reforming classical Chinese literature was currently suitable for the Song Dynasty.

The articles by Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan are far superior to the ornate and luxurious style of classical Chinese poetry.

"We hope that Scholar Song can provide further guidance."

"The Yellow River has breached its banks, which is precisely the time when talent is needed. The Empress Dowager just sent someone to summon me for a meeting. I will take this opportunity to recommend you regarding the repair of the Yellow River breach."

Song Xuan stood at the prison gate:

"Prefect Qin, once you have achieved some success in repairing the river, you can then further explain it to your students."

“They will inevitably encounter this kind of situation when they become officials in the future. You have your personal experience to impart your knowledge to them. This is an advantage that the other teachers in the academy do not have. Think about it.”

Qin Ying lowered his head and began to think carefully.

He knew that Mu Xiu had gone to Yingtian Academy earlier, and that he would definitely tell him how he had framed him.

The key difference is that they are just one step behind him in terms of reputation. Those students have not been influenced by officialdom, and most of them are adorably foolish and stubborn.

Qin Ying also knew that Song Xuan was selected as the top scholar by the great Confucian scholar Sun Shi because he wrote a good article on repairing the Yellow River.

Sun Shi also went to Yingtian Academy to teach. If he had accumulated experience in repairing the Yellow River, he could explain it to the students, which they could not refuse!

Thinking of this, Qin Ying suddenly raised his head and bowed respectfully to Song Xuan, saying, "Thank you, Scholar Song."

"It doesn't matter."

Song Xuan waved his hand:
"I foresee either drought or torrential rain in the future. Rivers will always need to be managed, and more students will be able to learn real skills."

"Only then can the people of the Song Dynasty live in peace and prosperity, and not suffer from disasters every time and become refugees."

Once everyone was imprisoned, a brazier was brought to Qin Ying.

Zhao Jin and the others gathered around Qin Ying. In such a damp environment, having a brazier was simply wonderful.

The prisoners in the other cells, in particular, looked on with envy.

"Even Prefect Qin and the top scholar Song could speak with the Empress Dowager?"

"Ah."

Qin Ying nodded. Song Xuan not only had the ability to speak with the Empress Dowager, but he had also had many interactions with the Emperor.

Inside the palace.

Yang Huaimin recounted what he had witnessed to Liu E.

"So, Song Twelve's older brother, Song Jiulang, has been kidnapped by the people of Wuyou Cave, and the letter hasn't even been sent out yet!"

"He led a team to investigate the kidnapping of Lin Rong's son, which led them straight to the lair of the bandits in Wuyou Cave. By a twist of fate, he saved his own second brother?"

"Your Majesty, that is indeed the case."

Yang Huaimin said with great excitement:
"Scholar Song took the lead and even climbed out of the window. With the help of his men, he captured the bandit leader."

Liu E dismissed these words as nonsense.

It is certainly true that Song Xuan personally went to the front line, but Liu E did not believe a word of the story about fighting the bandits and capturing them alive.

Even if Song Xuan is strong, not everyone has the courage to fight in battle.

Liu E understood Yang Huaimin's behavior of flattering others.

"Have you found my son?"

Lin Rong took the initiative to ask.

"So that Madam Lin may know, we have searched the entire warehouse but have not been able to find Lin Dalang."

Yang Huaimin's face showed regret:

"Perhaps he was hidden in a secret hideout. Scholar Song sent his best men to interrogate him, determined to find the exact location where Lin Dalang was hiding."

The joy on Lin Rong's face vanished again; she hadn't found it. Liu E nodded:
"Lin Rong, you don't need to worry too much. Since Song Shier was investigating in secret and then made a decisive move after the heavy rain, he must have obtained some clues."

"Yes, who would have thought that Wuyou Cave would be so bold as to travel thousands of miles to Song Zhuangyuan's home and kidnap his own brother here."

Yang Huaimin looked at Lin Rong and said:
“Madam Lin, it’s not just you who’s being targeted, even Scholar Song is being targeted, it’s just that his second brother is luckier.”

"This Worry-Free Cave has really gone too far."

Liu E looked somewhat displeased.

"They actually dared to kidnap the top scholar's relatives back in his hometown. It seems we should increase the Imperial Guards' patrols."

"Since the county constables suffered heavy losses this time, if we receive any more information in the future, we should have the Imperial Guards handle it."

"Yes."

Yang Huaimin readily agreed, but he didn't mention that the officials were also involved, pretending that he hadn't seen it.

Liu E was extremely satisfied with Song Xuan, who had accomplished the great feat of annihilating at least two large strongholds, capturing important leaders, and severely damaging the core of Wuyou Cave.

She had never heard of any official being able to capture the key figures of Wuyou Cave, such as the hall master or the like.

With Song Xuan's achievement, the remaining members of Wuyou Cave will surely have to keep a low profile.

"Although Lin Rong's son has not yet been rescued, Song Twelve's merit in defeating the Wuyou Cave forces should still be rewarded."

Empress Liu pondered for a moment: "We'll discuss this in the court later."

"Yes."

During the conversation, the court officials arrived and invited Liu E to come over for a discussion.

When the Yellow River breached its banks, several prime ministers, officials from the Three Departments, and people skilled in river management were dispatched.

Because Yan Shu had also vigorously promoted water conservancy projects in Nanjing, he was summoned here as well.

He looked around at the people, but didn't see Song Xuan, which was a bit strange.

After all, Song Xuan did have some skill in river management, and his ability to pass the imperial examination with top honors was due to his excellent writing on the Yellow River management.

After a while, Yan Shu also prepared to recommend Song Xuan.

The river in Huazhou breaches its banks every few years; listening to Song Xuan's advice would be excellent.

This way, it won't be so wasteful of manpower and resources.

Empress Liu knew that Zhao Zhen was secretly following Song Xuan, but she pretended not to see it.

After everyone had paid their respects, Liu E sat down in a chair and, before Wang Zeng could bring up the subject, she spoke first:

"Gentlemen, I have just received news that someone has made a contribution and we don't know how to reward him. Please give me some ideas."

Upon hearing this, Wang Zeng felt somewhat displeased.

In his mind, such things were always done by the Empress Dowager's relatives by marriage.

What utter nonsense about meritorious service! It was just that the Empress Dowager couldn't think of a suitable reason to reward him, so she asked the ministers for ideas to shut everyone else up.

Lu Yijian readily agreed, saying, "I wonder what merits this person has made. I hope Your Majesty can briefly describe them."

"We used natural disasters to combat man-made disasters."

"Ok?"

Empress Liu's words left the high-ranking officials standing below somewhat bewildered.

What is the credit for this?
How can someone do things like this!

"We hope Your Majesty will explain yourself more clearly, as we cannot fathom it."

Wang Zeng's words secretly pleased Liu E.

"Regarding the matter of river management, I remember that Song Xuanzhong's article in the imperial examination was about the Yellow River, so I sent someone to summon him to discuss it together."

"Unexpectedly, Song Twelve took advantage of the torrential rain to prepare boats in advance to wipe out the two locations of Wuyou Cave in Kaifeng and Xiangfu counties, leaving them nowhere to hide."

"We have initially eradicated the important strongholds of the Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise Halls, captured several key members of the Black Tortoise Hall, including its leader Xuanjia, and severely damaged its power."

Even Wang Zeng was quite surprised when Liu E said these words.

The imperial court had suppressed the Worry-Free Cave more than once or twice, but its underground passages were extremely complex.

The officers and soldiers found it difficult to maneuver and instead suffered numerous casualties.

If this continues, the officers and soldiers will no longer be willing to go down and die.

As a result, Wuyou Cave has remained at large for so many years.

Now, taking advantage of the torrential rain, Song Xuan is using the opportune moment to force the thieves to leave their advantageous position.

Then, they would directly lead troops to "catch the turtle in a jar" and wipe out its key strongholds.

Go against the grain.

This new top scholar is really smart!

"Hmm, Scholar Song really has a knack for it."

Sun Chong stroked his beard. He was also quite troubled by Wuyou Cave, having been a long-time follower of Kou Zhun.

Life has been full of ups and downs. Now my eyesight is failing, and I'm just making a living as a scholar in the Hanlin Academy.

Zhang Junping stood with his hands behind his back; he had also attended Song Xuan's wedding.

These people were all civil officials, and he was the only one who was a military officer.

Zhang Junping's father died in battle against the Khitans, which allowed him to take up an official post. He was stationed near a river and frequently carried out water conservancy projects.

Prefect Chen Yaozuo of Kaifeng frowned, somewhat surprised.

Where did Song Xuan get the specific information that enabled him to wipe out two of their important hideouts in one fell swoop?

The Worry-Free Cave only had four halls in total, and he destroyed two of them in one go.

How could this young man, who has only recently arrived in Tokyo, possibly have such a network of connections?

Could it be that Cao Li orchestrated this?

"Yes, that's quite something."

Lu Yijian was also speechless at Song Xuan's actions.

When dealing with Wuyou Cave, they truly remained silent for three years before making a stunning move.

"Worry-Free Cave really needs some serious renovation."

Liu E said that the people from Wuyou Cave traveled a long distance to Song Xuan's hometown and kidnapped his own brother.

She dared to kidnap not only Lin Rong's son, who served her, but also the relatives of high-ranking officials in the imperial court. She was simply audacious.

Many officials were initially taken aback by Liu E's words, but then said that a strong counterattack was necessary.

Wang Zeng frowned as well. Wuyou Cave was going too far and really needed to be eliminated.

“Your Majesty, since the county constables have suffered considerable losses, the Imperial Guards should be sent to take action.”

Wang Zeng's words made Liu E nod in agreement; that was how she had arranged things before.

In particular, Song Xuan's work satisfied Liu E the most, because while the people around her were loyal, their ability to get things done was secondary.

Song Xuan was capable, but Liu E was somewhat unsure about his loyalty.

Therefore, she wanted the ministers to come up with a reward, preferably not a large one, and then Liu E would secretly reward Song Xuan with something in order to win him over.

Today's main topic of discussion is the Yellow River. In order to expedite the process, Wang Zeng suggested rewarding Song Xuanzhang with clothing.

This is also a common method.

After all, wiping out Wuyou Cave was Song Xuan's duty, but he did it so well that the Empress Dowager mentioned it again, so he should be rewarded.

Song Xuan's post was that of a seventh-rank county magistrate, and he could only wear a green robe.

However, after being granted official robes, he could wear crimson or even purple robes, and also wear corresponding fish-shaped pouches and leather belts.

In the Song Dynasty, different colors of official robes represented different positions. If an official was successful, it would take at least twenty years to change the color of his official robes.

The bestowal of official robes and gifts was a way for the emperor to show his respect for his officials.

Empress Liu also thought Wang Zeng's suggestion was good, so she bestowed upon Song Xuan a scarlet robe.

After the matter was discussed, everyone began to discuss how to resolve the Yellow River crisis.

At least 40,000 laborers and more than 20,000 soldiers should be conscripted to concentrate efforts on blocking the breach, and lessons should be learned from the failure of Emperor Lu Daozong in the first year of the Tiansheng era.

The forced construction during the summer resulted in the deaths of many laborers from the heat.

These people also knew more or less that when Song Xuan used prisoners to clear the silt, he also ordered them to rest during the middle of the day and not to work.

Song Xuan arrived when the discussion turned to specific details.

Liu E didn't care at all, knowing he was busy, and besides, everyone had been notified and rushed over in the rain.

Unlike Song Xuan, who waited for the rain to stop before coming, he did not follow the instructions.

Everyone was looking at Song Xuan.

"Song Twelve, the Yellow River has now breached its banks at Huazhou, and the people are suffering from fish and turtles. I remember that your exam paper when you became the top scholar was about managing the Yellow River. Now, do you have any thoughts on this?"

When Liu E spoke, everyone looked openly at Song Xuan.

Song Xuan, however, was not intimidated at all:

"Your Majesty, the flood has struck suddenly, but if we were to devise a plan based solely on the situation on the ground, it would be akin to empty talk."

Song Xuan's words displeased many people.

Isn't this how it's done during every flood?

Especially when the disaster is severe and the situation is urgent, where is there so much time to study it in detail?

Moreover, Huazhou has been a disaster-prone area for a long time, and the imperial court has long had many countermeasures in place.

"I wonder what brilliant insights Scholar Song has?"

"The first priority is to select capable officials who have no vested interests and send them to Huazhou."

"Detailed records were kept of the location, depth, width, and flow of the breach, as well as the downstream topography and the existing privately-built dikes, and an accurate river map was drawn."

Song Xuan's words made everyone want to laugh but dare not.

After all, Liu Congde did a really bad job with this task last year.

"I don't think the old methods of plugging the breaches were very good."

"Ok?"

Wang Zeng asked Song Xuan to explain in detail what good methods he had for controlling the river.
“The imperial court invests a lot of manpower and resources in Huazhou almost every year, forming a systematic governance system. After my research, I think this plan is somewhat useless, only treating the symptoms and not the root cause.”

"The court's strategy relied too much on blocking rather than dredging, which led to increased siltation in the riverbed, causing the riverbed to rise continuously, and the river would overflow even with the slightest rain."

"Gun failed to control the floods by blocking them, while Yu succeeded by dredging them. I think everyone is aware of this precedent."

"Then how do you suggest we clear the blockage?"

Song Xuan took out a memorial from his sleeve: "Your Majesty, I wrote some suggestions before I came. Please take a look, and I will tell everyone about them."

Yang Huaimin took the initiative to go down and bring over Song Xuan's memorial.

"My main goal is to combine the techniques of constricting water to attack sand and diverting water to reduce its force."

Everyone present had experience in river management, but they had never heard of these two methods before.

What is meant by "using water to attack sand"?

Sun Chong took the initiative to ask, because he felt that Song Xuan's explanation was somewhat incomprehensible.

"Gentlemen, what are the main reasons for the Yellow River's flooding?"

Song Xuan paced back and forth, giving Liu E time to review the memorial, and then asked the others questions.

"Of course, it's because the rain was too heavy and the riverbed couldn't handle it."

Zhang Junping and others also agreed with this view.

Yan Shu thought so too, but he understood Song Xuan. Since the question had been asked, it couldn't be the main reason for the Yellow River's flooding.

"If you think like this, you will never be able to control the Yellow River."

Song Xuan's boastful words surprised even Wang Zeng. Did he become arrogant after wiping out Wuyou Cave?
"I wonder what brilliant ideas Magistrate Song has?"

Chen Yaozu stroked his beard, eager to hear how Song Xuan could come up with a new method.

"The main reason for the Yellow River's flooding is siltation, so the key to controlling the Yellow River lies in siltation."

When this viewpoint was put forward, few people believed it.

"Scholar Song, have you become addicted to clearing silt?"

Chen Yaozuo, of course, did not believe his view: "The Yellow River is deep, so how can it be dredged by human effort?"

"Since manpower is insufficient to dredge the silt, the Yellow River water must be used for dredging."

"Hehe, what a huge joke."

Chen Yaozuo couldn't help but admit that Song Xuan was better than him at solving cases.

But in terms of river management, did Song Xuan actually manage any rivers?

This is just wild and nonsensical rambling!

"Prefect Chen, let Magistrate Song continue."

Wang Zeng was eager to hear how Song Xuan would use the Yellow River's course to his advantage.

If the approach is effective in Huazhou, then the Yellow River can be managed elsewhere.

"Not bad." Empress Liu finished reading the memorial.

"Song Twelve, please explain in detail what the words in this memorial mean."

Song Xuan drew a diagram on the paper with a brush, depicting the blocking of the original breach in the Yellow River to form the main channel.

At the same time, a dam is built to stabilize the main channel of the riverbed, thereby increasing the water flow speed and using the water speed to wash away the accumulated silt, thus achieving the goal of desertification control.

In addition, another dike should be built one to three miles away from this dike, depending on local conditions, to prevent the flood caused by the discharge of water from the first dike, and also to confine the water to the channel.

Then, use grid dikes, which contain farmland and villages, and moon-shaped dikes, to manage the situation in combination.

The silt is washed away by the river, so even if there is heavy rain, the river will not rise and breach the dam.

After the silt is washed away, the existing river works will be carried out using the existing embankment technology (huge flood control components tied together with branches, stones, and ropes), and the corresponding materials will be mobilized.

Quickly plug the gap to divert traffic.

Once the dike is completed, willow and elm trees will be planted along its banks to stabilize the riverbank.

"What kind of pack-side haulage technology?"

Wang had never heard of it before, so he raised a question. He felt that Song Xuan's theory of river management was worth trying, so he wanted to inquire about the details carefully.

"Oh, this is an improvement I made based on the wooden dragon embankment built by Prefect Chen back then."

Song Xuan did not deny that he had heard others mention this bank when he inspected the Bian River.

When Chen Yaozuo was the prefect of Huazhou, he used horizontal and vertical beams to form a grid structure to protect the riverbank.

Chen Yaozuo certainly had some experience in river management, otherwise he wouldn't have questioned Song Xuan.

Zhang Junping and Sun Chong both gathered around to ask Song Xuan about some of the implementation details.

They were very interested in the two new methods proposed by Song Xuan.

A dam is built at a stable point upstream, and a temporary river channel is planned downstream to guide flood discharge according to the terrain, thus diverting pressure.

This approach is certainly more innovative than simply blocking traffic.

They were aware that the riverbed was becoming increasingly silty.

But if the Yellow River water isn't yellow, can it still be called the Yellow River water?

Wang Zeng, on the other hand, had been reading the memorial written by Song Xuan, which contained more detailed explanations.

Wang Zeng read it over and over three times. If we follow Song Xuan's method of governing the Yellow River according to local conditions and repair the previous methods of river management...

If successful, the capital will no longer suffer from the danger of the Yellow River's annual rage.

Seeing Song Xuan surrounded and questioned, Chen Yaozuo couldn't find a way to refute him.

After all, Prime Minister Lü told him not to argue anymore.

Since Song Xuan has come up with such a theory, and he even innovated upon it by building upon your work.

That means he's confident.

Most importantly, Lü Yijian knew that Yan Shu was in Nanjing managing the river, and Song Xuan was there to help him.

He has both theoretical and practical experience in river management, but his reputation has not been reflected in Song Xuan.

Yan Shu was merely a figurehead; the people of Nanjing still spoke of Zhang Hang by name.

"In that case, Yan Shu will be in charge of coordinating the local area, mobilizing troops and laborers, and strictly enforcing rewards and punishments to ensure efficient execution."

Empress Liu then named several of them, including Song Xuan, to go to Huazhou together.

Song Xuan stepped forward and requested that Qin Ying be given a chance to redeem himself through meritorious service, as he also had experience in river management.

Song Xuan pleaded for Qin Ying, instantly foiling Chen Yaozuo and the others' scheme and not even giving them a chance.

Liu E readily agreed, saying that she would contribute as much as possible to the river management efforts, given the large number of people involved.

She told everyone to make preparations so that they could all go to Huazhou together the next day.

After everyone left, Liu E stopped Song Xuan again and told him about the Worry-Free Cave.

The imperial court decided to reward Song Xuan for wearing crimson robes, without waiting for Song Xuan to express his gratitude.

Empress Liu offered him an additional reward: if he made further contributions to river management, Song Xuan would be awarded a higher honor.

There are twelve ranks of merit, which are mainly used to reward meritorious service. They do not grant official positions or salaries, but can be written on your epitaph after your death and recorded in the history of the Song Dynasty.

The twelfth rank is the one that leads to the position of Grand Pillar of State.

However, civil officials and officials in the capital were initially appointed as military cavalry captains.

Song Xuan immediately expressed his gratitude, knowing that he would now have a "new look" when attending court.

Liu E wanted Song Xuan to work for her, so she told him privately that she would provide him with money and manpower if he needed them in the subsequent operations.

The forces of the Imperial City Guard, the Kaifeng Prefecture government, and even some of the Imperial Guards would be given priority to Song Xuan.

Song Xuan also agreed with Liu E's support:

“Your Majesty, even if I go to Huazhou to manage the river, a large number of disaster victims will come to Dongjing City to beg for a living. There are many important officials watching that place. If I follow my method, there may be no problem.”

"I want to continue my plan to manage the Bian River and other areas in Tokyo, so that these disaster victims can survive."

"Only by taking this two-pronged approach can this crisis be completely resolved."

Liu E saw that Song Xuan did not compete for credit, but knew how to share credit with others, thus maintaining good relationships among colleagues.

That made Liu E think that Song Xuan was someone she could try to win over.

Such a person joining the group will not cause major conflicts with the older members.

Therefore, Liu E was very satisfied with Song Xuan's choice. Even after he made meritorious contributions, he remained humble and did not become arrogant.

"Since you've put it that way, how can I refuse?"

Liu E told Song Xuan to go and rest, and then she heard Lin Rong speak up: "Scholar Song, I hope you can help with my son's matter."

"Don't worry, Madam Lin. I have ordered people to intensify the interrogation. Someone said something vague about the person Madam Lin is worried about in order to save their own life."

"Once we have definite news, we will rescue them with a thunderous strike."

"Thank you, Scholar Song." Lin Rong could only suppress her anxiety and continue to wait.

Empress Liu had just praised Song Xuan in front of the high-ranking officials, which made some people worry that Song Xuan might have pledged allegiance to the Empress Dowager and become a member of her faction.

This made Lu Yijian, Chen Yaozuo, and others in the same ecological niche feel very threatened.

"What do you think are the chances of Song Xuan's river management plan succeeding?"

Hearing Lü Yijian's question, Chen Yaozu stroked his beard and thought for a while:
"Theoretically, it's 70%, but in practice..."

Lu Yijian immediately grasped Chen Yaozuo's hand: "You must do this 100% well in practice, and you must not cause any trouble!"

How could I?

Lü Yijian was still holding Chen Yaozuo's hand:
"Xiyuan, although Yan Shu is in charge of the river management in Huazhou, you have experience in governing there, so you must take over and make a contribution."

"Only then will I have the opportunity to recommend you as Vice Prime Minister!"

(End of this chapter)