Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 220 Three Changes in the River
Song Xiang's question, seemingly asking him to simulate the imperial examination essay, was actually a test of his insight into the current situation, the depth of his analysis, and most importantly—his ability to remain clear-headed and pragmatic amidst the turmoil of the imperial court, while also being able to write to the heart of the matter.

This is actually several times more difficult than the exam paper from the first year of the Jingyou era yesterday.

Of course, there seems to be an even more opportunistic way. Song Xiang and Wen Yanbo have a very bad relationship. Would it be easier to win Song Xiang's favor by denouncing Wen Yanbo's selfishness in this matter?
The thought had barely crossed his mind when Lu Beigu suppressed it.

Song Xiang is not Jia Changchao.

Song Xiang upheld integrity for decades, and the most he was criticized by the court and the public was that he was too mature and cautious as prime minister and had few achievements. No one criticized him for being morally corrupt, and no one said that he was partisan and purging dissidents.

Did Song Xiang not understand those underhanded tactics passed down from Lü Yijian and Jia Changchao?

They simply disdain doing it.

Therefore, we should stick to the facts.

Lu Beigu's attention began to focus on the core issue of "river affairs" itself.

The “Three Changes Back to the River” is a famous event in Song Dynasty history. Anyone with even a slight understanding of Song Dynasty history, even if they don’t know exactly what the “Three Changes Back to the River” is about, should have heard of it.

The so-called "Three Attempts to Guide the Yellow River Back" refers to the three attempts by Emperors Renzong, Shenzong, and Zhezong to forcibly guide the Yellow River back to its original eastward course. All three attempts failed due to violations of natural laws and engineering defects. This led to economic decline and poverty in Hebei Province, which was originally one of the most populous and food-producing regions in the country. It also resulted in a significant decrease in the number of troops stationed on the Hebei front and the food self-sufficiency rate, becoming one of the factors that contributed to the downfall of the Song Dynasty.

The failed Liutahe project this year was the first of three attempts to "return the river".

His mind raced through the known information: the background of the Yellow River's northward diversion, the hasty implementation of the Liutahe project, the disastrous consequences of the project's failure, and the initial reaction of the imperial court.

"If the argument is only about Li Zhongchang and others being greedy for credit and making rash decisions, or criticizing Wen and Fu for their poor judgment in personnel selection and their eagerness for quick results, although it may hit some key points, it is biased and superficial, and it is more likely to get involved in factional strife and attacks. Not only will it be difficult to win the favor of the examiners, but it may also backfire on you."

He recalled Song Xiang's teachings from the previous day on "understanding the nation and managing the fields."

The real crux of the matter lies in the deep-seated problems exposed by this tragedy regarding the decision-making mechanism for large-scale public works in the Song Dynasty!
This is a theory of "practical application" that transcends time and place and has universal significance.

As his thoughts gradually became clearer, Lu Beigu raised his head and met Song Xiang's scrutinizing gaze.

"Sir, I believe that the focus of this policy proposal should be on the problem that 'the problems in river engineering decision-making are due to the lack of thorough investigation, the lack of dedicated personnel, and the lack of clear responsibilities.'"

"Oh?" Song Xiang raised an eyebrow, signaling him to continue.

"Firstly, 'the investigation was not thorough enough.'" Lu Beigu's words were clear and logical. "The Yellow River's course change concerns millions of lives and thousands of miles of fertile land. The changes in its hydrology and geography, and the advantages and disadvantages of the project, should have been thoroughly investigated and verified by the central government departments together with transport commissioners and local officials familiar with the river's conditions. However, Li Zhongchang's 'cost-saving and quick' plan was able to overshadow Zhou Hang's more prudent plan of 'strengthening the dikes and dredging,' and was hastily implemented. This was not due to Li Zhongchang's ability alone, but rather because the court's 'feasibility assessment' of major projects was merely a formality, failing to broaden channels for discussion and listen to all sides!" Lu Beigu paused, and seeing that Song Xiang remained silent, he felt somewhat reassured and continued.

"Secondly, the appointment was not properly delegated. The Liuta River project was extremely expensive, involved tens of thousands of laborers, and was of such great importance that it should have been entrusted to a high-ranking official with both virtue and talent and a long-standing reputation to oversee it. However, according to the official gazette, Li Zhongchang and others were of low rank and had little power, and it was unlikely that they could control the local areas and coordinate with the various prefectures. Moreover, during the project, there were constant disputes and many obstacles in the court, and the person in charge could not help but hesitate and act hastily in order to achieve quick results. This is a failure of the court in major projects where the authority was unclear and the person in charge was of low rank and weak power."

"Thirdly, the responsibility was not clearly defined. Li Zhongchang and others' dereliction of duty and causing disaster deserved severe punishment. However, the 'investigation' and 'sending envoys to investigate' mentioned in the official gazette were all remedial measures after the fact. I believe the deeper problem lies in the 'lack of clear responsibilities beforehand'! If the court could have clearly defined the scope of responsibilities for the leaders and participants from the very beginning of the project, with clear rewards and punishments, making them aware of the seriousness of the consequences, it might have somewhat curbed their greed and recklessness. 'Rewards for success and punishments for failure' is a common sense principle, but the basis for 'punishment' lies in whether the 'responsibility' was clear and traceable beforehand. Otherwise, the investigation and accountability will inevitably become a mere formality, or only punish a few people, without contributing to the national affairs."

The pavilion was completely silent, with only the soft sound of the pond water lapping against the rocks outside the window.

Lu Beigu's analysis did not dwell on the merits and demerits of specific individuals, but rather pointed directly to the deficiencies at the systemic level.

The decision-making mechanism is unclear, the allocation of powers is unreasonable, and the accountability is unclear.

This is precisely the "understanding the nation and managing the fields" thinking that Song Xiang emphasized yesterday, which goes beyond simple criticism and demonstrates a constructive and pragmatic vision.

Song Xiang stroked his beard and remained silent for a few breaths.

He originally thought it was already remarkable that Lu Beigu could point out "eagerness for quick success" and "improper personnel selection," but he never expected that this young man could so keenly grasp the core issue of "decision-making mechanism."

This is no longer the insight of an ordinary scholar; it has a hint of worldly wisdom.

"The idea is acceptable." Song Xiang spoke slowly, his tone revealing little emotion, but his gaze held a deeper scrutiny. "Then what about the 'practical and feasible' post-disaster relief measures? The disaster is raging, the refugees are crying out in despair, what should the court do in the immediate future? And how should it plan for the long-term river management?"

This second question is the real test.

It's easy to talk about systems, but true ability comes up with practical and feasible solutions.

After thinking for a moment, Lu Beigu realized that there were only three possible solutions.

First of all, the Yellow River is more than 200 paces wide, while the Liuta River is only about 40 paces wide. Forcibly diverting the Yellow River's water into the Liuta River for flood discharge has already caused the original eastern dike of the Yellow River to be washed away, with only the western dike remaining relatively intact. Therefore, we must consider the river defense itself.

Secondly, due to Li Zhongchang's shoddy construction project, as many as 30,000 households near the Liuta River lost their livelihoods. The people of Qi, Bo, De, Di, and Bin prefectures were all affected. It can be said that the consequences on people's livelihoods were extremely severe, and these affected people could not be ignored.

Finally, the Liuta River project was originally intended to save money, but now it has not only failed to save money, but has actually cost more. In the next few years, the tax burden in Hebei will need to be reduced by 1.7 million shi (a unit of dry measure) to ensure that the people of Hebei do not rebel. This is equivalent to "using all the wealth of the country to support Hebei". Therefore, the actual financial pressure on the Song Dynasty must also be taken into consideration.

(End of this chapter)