Daming Crazy Emperor

Chapter 152 How to Relieve the Disaster
The Weihe River, called Weishui in ancient times, is the largest tributary of the Yellow River and the most important river in Shaanxi.

The Guanzhong Plain, where the Wei River flows, is also the most important grain-producing area in Shaanxi, and there are too many cities in it. There are twenty or thirty cities in Xi'an, Xianyang, Fengxiang, Baoji, Weinan, Lintong, etc., large and small.

It can be said that most of Shaanxi's population lives in the Guanzhong Plain.

The Guanzhong Plain does not seem to be short of water, because when the tributaries and main streams of the Wei River are densely covered, there is usually a river every [-] to [-] miles, and the distance between the two furthest rivers is only [-] to [-] miles.

That is to say, as long as we make great efforts to build water conservancy and dig canals to divert water, most of the farmland in Guanzhong can be irrigated.

So, why is the drought in Shaanxi so severe? Is the Weihe River dry?
This is also the reason why Taichang stayed in Huayin and did not go to Yunyang immediately.

It's actually still early at this moment, if you leave immediately, with the speed of the cavalry, there is no problem in arriving at Shangzhou, not to mention Yunyang at night.

The reason why he stayed was to see how much water was left in the Weihe River and whether the construction of water conservancy would alleviate the disaster.

After the group left the county government office, he took Wang Zheng, Liu Yingkui and his son into the carriage, and then ordered a hundred Jin Yiwei to accompany them on horseback, heading straight for the Weihe River in the north.

Huayin County is less than ten miles away from the Weihe River, and the group of people will arrive in less than a quarter of an hour on horseback.

Taichang couldn't wait to get out of the carriage, took everyone up to the embankment for a look, and instantly understood.

There is still a lot of water in the Weihe River, at least enough to irrigate the farmland on both sides.

The problem is that the drop between the river and the embankment is too great.

If the river water is to be led to the embankment along the riverbed that has shrunk by more than ten meters, at least a 30-meter-long waterwheel is required.

This waterwheel is talking about a pedal waterwheel, that is, the kind that is one piece at a time, like a chain, and each piece has a big square frame.

There is something like a wheel on the top of this waterwheel. As long as you step on the pedals on both sides of the wheel, the whole waterwheel will rotate like a chain, and the big square frame can lead the water in the river to the river bank. As long as it reaches the river bank, it can flow into the diversion channel behind the river bank.

This kind of pedal water wheel is generally not more than five meters long, because if it is too long, people cannot step on it.

After all, there is at least half a bucket of water in each big box, and every half a meter or so of a big box of five meters is ten boxes of five buckets of water. This is almost the limit of ordinary people, and it is really hard to step .

Moreover, no matter how long the waterwheel is, it can't stand it, because the waterwheels are all wooden at the moment, and the weight they can carry is limited.

Looking at the slowly flowing river, Taichang couldn't help feeling secretly, it would be nice to have a water pump right now!

If there are water pumps, the drought in the northwest will not cause much impact.

Because there are basically rivers in the areas suitable for human habitation in Shaanxi, such as the main road of the Yellow River in the northwest, the Beiluo River in the north, the Han River in the south, and the Dawei River in the middle.

That is to say, as long as the water in the river can be drawn up, the victims can still grow food, not to mention the output in a good year, half of the output is still there.

In this way, as long as the tax is exempted, the common people can basically survive.

The problem is, it's hard to bring the river up.

Taichang stared at the river, frowned and pondered for a while, then suddenly asked Wang Zheng beside him, "Liangfu, you know the pedal waterwheel?"

Wang Zheng nodded without hesitation and said: "I know, but the pedal waterwheel is not so long, and it can't lead the river water to the embankment at all."

Taichang wisely said: "What if a waterwheel is made with an iron sheet as a frame and an iron chain as a guide, and then driven by a steam engine?"

This really draws water up!
Hearing this, Wang Zheng couldn't help showing a hint of excitement in his eyes.

He thought for a while, then nodded excitedly: "If you use iron sheets and iron chains to make a waterwheel, it will definitely be about ten feet long. The only problem is that the steam engine we are using now can't carry such a large We have to make a bigger steam engine!"

Taichang sighed slightly: "The steam engine must be bigger, and the current steam engine will not work for the future building boats and gunboats. The problem is that the rubber is not enough. The bigger the steam engine, the bigger the sealing ring. Our little rubber, I guess. It is not enough to make a hundred or so large steam engines.”

This is indeed a big problem.

Rubber is not even available in Southeast Asia, they can only wait for the Spaniards to ship it from the Americas.

This time is long, if everything goes well, it will take about a year.

Wang Zheng didn't know what to say when he heard the words.

He doesn't know what America is, and he doesn't know when the thousand barrels of rubber he ordered will arrive.

Taichang thought for a while, and then sighed: "This big steam engine still needs to make several samples, and the iron water wheel also needs to make one or two samples, so that as soon as the rubber arrives, we can mass-produce this." Plant a waterwheel."

How many waterwheels is this!
Wang Zhengben is from Jingyang County, Xi'an Prefecture. He naturally knows how big the Guanzhong Plain is. If water trucks are used to divert water everywhere, at least thousands of sets of iron water trucks and large steam engines must be built!
This amount, he thought it was scary.

Thousands of sets, how much copper and iron are needed!

Moreover, even if there are enough materials, I don't know how long it will take to make it.

Thinking of this, he carefully persuaded: "Your Majesty, this is a bit too costly in materials and labor. It will probably take a few years to complete. If we do it well and the drought is over again, wouldn't it be a waste?"

The drought will continue for at least several decades!
Taichang couldn't say anything about this, he could only shake his head and sigh: "Who knows how many years the drought will last, let's do it, be prepared."

After finishing speaking, he waved his hand directly and said, "Let's go, it's getting late, let's go back first."

When everyone returned to Liu's residence, Liu Yingkui began to make trouble.

Your Majesty, it is natural to live in the best guest room, and other accompanying civil servants and military generals such as Wang Zheng, Cao Yubian, Zou Weilian, Cao Wenzhao, etc., each have a superior guest room.

As for the accompanying Jin Yiwei, there is still a place to live, it's just a little cruder.

You know, the Liu family is a family of officials and officials that has lasted for nearly 200 years. When the population was the most prosperous, the Liu family had one or two hundred family members, family members and servants in total. These 200 people are naturally not a problem.

He had just arranged his place and was about to go to Zhang Luo for dinner, but Wang Zheng suddenly caught up with him, pulled his sleeve and said, "Brother Wenhe, I have something to discuss with you."

What's the matter?
So mysterious.

Liu Yingkui couldn't help being surprised and said, "What's the matter?"

Wang Zheng pulled him into a corner, and then asked in a low voice, "Is your granddaughter really beautiful?"

you!
Liu Yingkui looked him up and down, and said with displeasure, "Liangfu, what do you mean by that?"

Uh, you don't think I'm disrespectful, do you?

Wang Zheng quickly explained: "I want to tell you a matchmaker."

It turned out to be a matchmaker, so the relationship is good.

Liu Yingkui immediately said with a smile on his face, "Whose son is it?"

Wang Zheng looked around secretly, and then whispered: "What do you think of the emperor?"

Ah!
When Liu Yingkui heard this, his eyes almost popped out.

Your Majesty, that is naturally good.

Question, this is against the rules!
He froze for a moment, then shook his head and sighed: "Oh, it's not like you don't know that the emperor must choose a concubine from the common people, and any officials and nobles are strictly prohibited from recommending themselves."

You don't understand.

Wang Zheng said wittily: "Didn't the emperor say that he wants to change the old ways? Let me tell you, Cao Wenzhao's nephews are all engaged to Princess Ningde."

Doesn't this mean that the emperor is going to change this rule too!

When Liu Yingkui heard this, he couldn't help but excitedly said: "Really?"

Wang Zheng said seriously: "Of course it is true. You must know that General Xiao Cao is not yet sixteen, and he is now the deputy commander in chief. Moreover, the emperor is so kind to the father-in-law. Your father is named Zhongqin Bo, do you know? Brother Wenhe, this opportunity is rare!"

(End of this chapter)