I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 222 River Management Controversy! Can the Zhu Family Ancestral Mausoleum be flooded? Can the people of Sizhou be relocated?

In the blink of an eye, it's October.

The weather is getting cooler.

Thanks to the artisan fair held in early September, Qipan Street outside Zhengyangmen was bustling with activity, with stalls set up high and vendors gathering to sell an ever-increasing variety of goods.

Many handicrafts, such as woodworking, fabric art, and lacquer art, have even replaced calligraphy and paintings as the most beloved items among a large number of literati in the capital.

Even the young Wanli Emperor had Feng Bao find several new items for him to place in his bedchamber.

above the hall.

With Zhang Juzheng's return to the capital and the appointment of new cabinet ministers, the various government offices in the capital regained their former vigor and vitality.

To prevent the land survey from regressing and local powerful figures from re-merging farmland, Zhang Juzheng requested an imperial decree ordering censors in various regions to conduct thorough inspections of the land survey situation and report back every three months.

To prevent local officials from becoming complacent in their performance evaluations, Zhang Juzheng ordered the Ministry of Personnel to compile a list of local prefectural and county officials with extremely poor performance evaluations. Their superiors were instructed to reprimand them, and those whose performance remained at the bottom after three months were to be dismissed.

In short: to be an official in the current dynasty, one must work as hard as an ox or a horse.

Also.

After Shen Maoxue arrived at the border, the trade mission progressed smoothly, and the border trade flourished. He even became a close partner with Yaodong Trading Company, owned by Shen Nian's father and father-in-law.

Besides its poor relationship with the Tuman tribes, the Ming Dynasty also had other problems.

Other Tatar tribes all claimed to love peace and want to become friends with the Ming Dynasty, but of course, many were also after the abundant resources of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhang Juzheng had planned to add more than ten more border trading posts, while also taking strict precautions against the Tuman tribes. He was prepared to launch a full-scale counterattack if they dared to invade, and would not stop fighting until victory was achieved.

At the same time, some bad things also happened.

For example, a mutiny occurred in Cenxi County, Wuzhou Prefecture, resulting in more than 30 deaths and injuries. The cause was a personal grudge between officials, which was eventually resolved by the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, Ling Yunyi, in accordance with the law. In another example, a prison break occurred in Songjiang Prefecture, with several bandits escaping. It took the government nearly a month to recapture them and return them to prison.

With a larger territory, all sorts of things happen every day.

But as long as the majority of people believe that the Ming Dynasty is developing in a positive direction, that is a sign of heading towards a golden age.

……

On the eighth day of the tenth month, at dusk, Shen Nian returned home from his official post.

As soon as he entered the house, he saw his two-year-and-three-month-old son, Shen Yanche, running towards him, calling out, "Daddy! Daddy!"

Xiao Yanche is now able to speak fluently and communicate simply with his family.

immediately.

Xiao Yanche then grabbed Shen Nian's hand and ran forward, pulling him all the way to the dining room. He then pointed at the dishes on the table and said, "Eat...eat...Daddy...eat!"

For Xiao Yanche right now, eating is the most important thing in his day.

Shen Nian glanced at the dining table and couldn't help but be a little surprised.

Today's meal was rather extravagant.

His family always ate very well, but the scale of more than a dozen bowls and plates today was very rare.

At this moment, Shen's mother and Gu Yue'er walked over from not far away.

"Mother, is today a special day? Why is the feast so lavish?" Shen Nian asked with a smile.

Shen's mother smiled.

"This meal is specially prepared for Yue'er; she's pregnant!"

"Oh? You're pregnant?"

Shen Nian walked excitedly to Gu Yue'er, put her arm around her slender waist, and asked, "Are you sure you're pregnant? When did you find out?"

"Doctor Sun just examined my pulse today and said it's been three months!" Gu Yue'er's pretty face flushed slightly.

Beside him, Xiao Yanche shouted loudly, "Little brother! Little brother! I'm going to have a little brother!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Nian knew that it was her mother who had taught her.

Since the end of last year, Shen's mother has been urging Shen Nian and Gu Yue'er to have a second child. She has also been asking Xiao Yanche if he wants a younger brother. She and Gu Yue'er even discussed taking a concubine for Shen Nian, just so that the Shen family could prosper.

Back then, Shen's mother was in poor health and only had Shen Nian as a child, feeling guilty towards the Shen family.

Therefore, he wanted Shen Nian to have more children, especially boys.

However, Shen Nian wanted a girl so that they could have a son and a daughter to complete the Chinese character for "good" (好).

Now that Gu Yue'er is pregnant, Shen Nian no longer needs to be urged to have a baby, whether it's a boy or a girl.

This put him in a great mood and made him have a great appetite.

Immediately, the family of four sat down at the table to eat, drink, chat, and laugh.

……

October 12th, morning.

A memorial written by Du Yuan, the prefect of Sizhou in Fengyang Prefecture, in conjunction with local gentry and worthies, and submitted to Li Dai, the supervising censor of Southern Zhili, sparked heated discussions among court officials.

This memorial criticized the current methods of river management employed by Pan Jixun, the Governor-General of the Grand Canal.

It is claimed that Pan Jixun built the Gaojia Dam east of Hongze Lake, raising the water level and causing the ancestral tombs to be flooded and the Huaihe River to be destroyed.

If heavy rains occur in the future and the Yellow River overflows, more than 100,000 people in Fengyang Prefecture will be left homeless. They pleaded with Pan Jixun to divert the river to flow into the sea, but Pan Jixun rebuked them: "How can you manage the river? This action is actually harming the grain transport for the sake of Sizhou!"
This memorial sparked heated discussions among the officials in the court.

Therefore, the memorial detailed that after the completion of the 80-mile-long Gaojiayan Dam, all the water of the Huai River would flow into Qinghekou to wash away the silt of the Yellow River, causing the water level of Hongze Lake to rise rapidly. This would turn Sizhou City and the Ming Ancestral Mausoleum, which were already below the Huai River, into a depression. Whenever the water of the Huai River was weaker than that of the Yellow River, the Yellow River would overflow, turning Sizhou and the Ming Ancestral Mausoleum next to Sizhou into a vast expanse of water, which would be difficult to restore to normal for a long time.

The Mausoleum of the Ming Ancestral Emperor.

This refers to the cenotaphs of three generations of Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty: his great-great-grandfather Zhu Bailiu, his great-great-grandfather Zhu Sijiu, and his grandfather Zhu Chuyi.

Judging from its name, one can tell that the Zhu family was very poor back then.

Their ancestors were always wrapped in reed mats when they died, and then buried in a pit without any graves, let alone the possibility of finding their bodies.

Later, after Zhu Yuanzhang recovered Fengyang, because it was his birthplace and the place where his ancestors lived, he built his ancestral mausoleum in the north of Sizhou City in Fengyang Prefecture, which was named: Ming Ancestral Mausoleum.

The Ming Ancestral Mausoleum is located in the lower reaches of the Huai River, only about 200 li away from Qinghekou, where the Yellow River and the Huai River meet.

Whenever the Yellow River overflows, Sizhou City and the Ming Ancestral Mausoleum are at risk of being flooded.

To protect this ancestral mausoleum, which is "the place where the imperial aura is concentrated, the lifeline is attached, and the birthplace of Emperor Taizu," the emperors of the Ming Dynasty spared no expense, building dikes and dams or diverting water through canals, in order to safeguard this ancestral mausoleum.

The ancestral mausoleum is truly the place where the imperial aura of the Zhu family converges, and its importance is even greater than that of the Grand Canal and the people's livelihood.

The matter concerned the rise and fall of the Ming Dynasty's imperial aura, which naturally attracted the attention of many officials.

Many officials in the capital knew of Pan Jixun's strategy of "building dikes to confine water and using water to attack sand," which involved constructing a dike stretching hundreds of miles from Xuzhou to Qingkou.

However, what was unknown was that in order to force the Huai River water to flow into the Yellow River at Qingkou and wash away the silt, Pan Jixun actually renovated the Gaojia Weir in the east of Hongze Lake. His aim was to change the original plan of "north dike dividing south" into a plan with dikes in both the north and south.

Some officials with some knowledge of river management began to analyze the situation.

If the river level rises and the Huai River is weaker than the Yellow River, it will inevitably cause backflow, at which point Sizhou and the ancestral mausoleum will become outlets for flooding. Immediately, officials began to submit memorials, believing that Pan Jixun's method of river control by building the Gaojia Weir was not advisable, and that for the sake of the ancestral mausoleum, a tributary should be built to prepare for flood discharge during floods.

If the ancestral tombs were submerged, the entire Ming Dynasty, from the young Wanli Emperor down, would have committed the grave sin of desecrating their ancestors.

Some officials, through analysis and judgment, concluded that "the Yellow River overflowed, the pines and cypresses in the mausoleum area withered and died, and the water reached the ancestral mausoleum steps, greatly depleting the royal aura."

……

It was near noon inside the Wenhua Hall.

Zhang Juzheng, Yin Zhengmao, and Shen Shixing, the three Grand Secretaries, Li Youzi, the Minister of Works, and Shen Nianquan were summoned into the palace by the young Wanli Emperor.

When Emperor Wanli saw that many officials had submitted memorials claiming that the construction of the Gaojia Weir might cause his Zhu family's ancestors to be flooded, he became very anxious.

"Minister Li, do you think the matter reported by Du Yuan, the prefect of Sizhou, is likely to be true?"

Li Youzi had some knowledge of river management, and since the Ministry of Works was cooperating with Pan Jixun in river management, they asked him first.

Li Youzi hesitated for a moment before saying, "Your Majesty, I believe that the construction of the Gaojia Weir is necessarily related to the flooding of the ancestral mausoleum. The ancestral mausoleum is located in the lower reaches of the Huai River, and the risk of it being flooded is inherently high. Local officials have been trying to prevent the ancestral mausoleum from being flooded in various ways for many years. However... however... with the completion of the Gaojia Weir, Hongze Lake has accumulated too much water, and the possibility of the ancestral mausoleum being flooded may be even greater."

"However, if the Gaojia Weir is not built, the ability to use water for sand control will be greatly reduced, affecting the national canal transport!"

After hearing this, the young Wanli Emperor frowned.

"What do you mean by 'the ancestral tombs are more likely to be flooded'? Can't we completely prevent it?"

Li Youzi looked helpless; in the face of natural disasters, human beings have always been the weaker party.

The downstream area is a place that is frequently flooded. Unless the river course is changed, even if Yu the Great came, he might not be able to do anything.

Seeing that the young Wanli Emperor was somewhat impatient, Zhang Juzheng immediately stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, this is only the prefect of Sizhou's side of the story. Let's discuss this matter after we hear Governor Pan's reply. Since the court has given him full authority, we should trust him now and discuss this matter after we have read his memorial!"

"What you say makes sense, Prime Minister. I was too impulsive just now!" The young Wanli Emperor's tone softened.

At this moment, Shen Nian's brows furrowed deeply.

When he saw this memorial, a memory from his past life flooded his mind.

"The Ming Ancestral Mausoleum was submerged by a flood during the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty and sank to the bottom of Hongze Lake, remaining isolated from the world for three hundred years. It is the only underwater imperial mausoleum in the world."

If the emperors of the Ming Dynasty knew that their ancestors had been submerged in water for three hundred years, they would probably all slap themselves in the face.

The decision to locate the ancestral mausoleum in the lower reaches of the Yellow River and Huai River was a poor choice of site.

Shen Nian really didn't know what the Imperial Astronomical Official was thinking at the time. Even if it was the place where the dragon rose to power, shouldn't they still have to prevent floods from flowing back into the land?

Who would want their ancestors to rest in the water?
Shen Nian knew that to dredge the canal, the strategy of constricting the water and attacking the sand must be adopted. Constricting the water and attacking the sand requires building the Gaojia Weir. However, building the Gaojia Weir could lead to the flooding of the Si River and the ancestral tombs.

The reason why Du Yuan, the prefect of Sizhou, and a group of local gentry and worthies opposed it so strongly was...

What they really cared about wasn't the Ming Ancestral Mausoleum, but Sizhou, the place where they were born and raised.

Sizhou in Huaibei was a land of plenty during the Tang and Song dynasties, but since the Ming dynasty, due to frequent floods, the imperial court prioritized water transport over people's livelihoods when dealing with floods, resulting in repeated damage to Sizhou.

If they don't stand up and oppose it, Sizhou will truly transform from a land of plenty into a poverty-stricken area inhabited by displaced people.

In addition, Pan Jixun's method of river management, which claimed to be a "one-and-done" solution, would significantly reduce local funding for river and canal management after the river and canal were successfully managed. With the biggest source of revenue being cut, local officials would naturally oppose it.

Shen Nian realized that the construction of Gaojia Weir was intended to "exchange the livelihood of the people of Sizhou in Huaibei for the smooth flow of the Grand Canal".

For the Ming Dynasty, the importance of the Grand Canal transport far outweighed that of Sizhou.

If Shen Nian were to offer advice, he would suggest that the Ming Ancestral Mausoleum should be relocated, the people of Sizhou should be moved, and Sizhou should be completely transformed into a flood storage area or become part of Hongze Lake.

This is the way to minimize losses.

After the ancestral tombs were moved, the protection of the tombs would no longer be a concern when managing the river. After the people of Sizhou were relocated, droughts and floods would be controllable, and there would be fewer displaced people.

Saves money, effort, and trouble.

But Shen Nian knew that if he proposed moving the ancestral tombs, the young Wanli Emperor would definitely not agree, nor would many officials in the court.

The ancestral tombs contain the aura of emperors; whoever reveals this will be the principal offender in the future decline of the Ming Dynasty.

This is a crime that even the young Wanli Emperor could not bear.

Shen Nian thought for a moment and decided not to express any thoughts at the moment. She would wait until she had read Pan Jixun's explanation and memorial before making a further decision.

……

The next day, just past noon.

The imperial inquiry document had barely left the capital when Pan Jixun's explanation memorial was delivered to the palace.

He must have known that the prefect of Sizhou had impeached him for building the Gaojia Weir, so he chose to explain to the court.

Pan Jixun stated that after the construction of Gaojia Weir, the water level of Hongze Lake will rise, which may lead to the flooding of Sizhou and the ancestral tombs. However, as long as the flood is promptly released, the water will quickly recede. On the other hand, the excavation of flood discharge tributaries will disrupt the overall river management strategy and cause the canal to become silted up. He believes this is a flaw and does not need to be investigated further.

Pan Jixun's explanation was very honest and thorough, without concealing the truth in the slightest.

But such an answer clearly failed to satisfy the young Wanli Emperor and the officials in the capital.

If the ancestral tombs are flooded, it could greatly diminish the imperial aura.

What the young Wanli Emperor wanted was a definite answer: "If the Gaojia Weir is built, the ancestral tombs will definitely not be flooded."

But anyone who could give such an answer is definitely deceiving the emperor.

Officials in the capital were also very dissatisfied after learning of Pan Jixun's answer.

Some have accused him of desecrating the ancestral tombs, but this explanation is clearly an attempt to shirk responsibility.

Some say he destroyed Fengsi for the benefit of Jiangnan, but Fengsi is the ancestral home of Emperor Taizu and should never be submerged in flood.

Some also suggested that the imperial court should immediately replace the governor-general of the river transport, stop the construction of the Gaojia Weir, and devise a better plan for river management.

……

Historically, many good policies have failed to be implemented because there were many people who held them back.

These people not only fail to come up with good solutions, but they also turn good solutions into bad ones.

It might even teach some officials that doing things will lead to mistakes, while doing nothing will never lead to mistakes, and that the key to career advancement is avoiding mistakes.

The officials' memorials made the young Wanli Emperor uneasy.

He muttered to himself, "The pines and cypresses in the mausoleum area are withered and dead, the water has reached the steps of the ancestral mausoleum, greatly depleting the imperial aura," and then pondered how to resolve the matter.

Resetting the river management policy would come at too high a cost, and the flooding of the ancestral tombs was also something the young Wanli Emperor could not afford.

And this moment.

Just as Shen Nian was deep in thought, the three Grand Secretaries ordered him to go to the Cabinet immediately to discuss the controversy over river management.

Shen Nian immediately rushed to the cabinet, muttering to himself: I only need to tell you the solution. As for how to implement it, that should be left to the three Grand Secretaries to consider. The current Ming Dynasty should rest on their shoulders.

Thinking this way, Shen Nian felt much more relaxed.

(End of this chapter)