Dahan first prince

Chapter 74 Unplanned Variables

"My lord, Mr. Xiao."

Yang Chengyan stood up leisurely, took out a roll of bamboo slips that he had prepared a long time ago from his arms, and spread them out slowly.

"Zheng Guoqu was built in the first year of Qin Wangzheng and ended in the tenth year of Wangzheng."

"The head of the canal flows from Jingshui River to the opposite bank of Gukou, flows east along Sanyuan and Fuping, passes through Lianchao, and joins Luoshui River ten miles north of Chongquan."

"The length of the canal is 310 seven miles. It used to be fifteen feet wide at the top and nine feet at the bottom."

Having said that, Yang Chengyan closed the bamboo slips in his hands, and raised his head with a slightly dignified face.

"However, in recent years, the water in the Zhengguo Canal has been decreasing year by year. Counties and farmers along the coast want to dredge the canal, but they don't know how to do it, so they have to widen the canal."

"So today, Zhengguo Canal is nearly twenty feet wide at the top and nearly sixteen feet wide at the bottom..."

Hearing Yang Chengyan's introduction, Liu Ying's expression darkened a little.

What Yang Chengyan said was that "farmers in counties and counties want to dredge the canal, but they don't know how to do it." In fact, the people saw that the water in Zhengguo Canal was getting less and less, and they were anxious and wanted to do something, but they kindly didn't help.

Because of the width of the canal, it will directly affect the velocity of the water flow and the ability to impact some shallow canal sections.

Take the Zhengguo Canal as an example: the bottom of the Zhengguo Canal was originally nine feet wide, and the water flow was turbulent. Even if some sections of the canal were blocked by silt and garbage, the water volume and pressure of the Zhengguo Canal also had the ability to unblock the blocked river sections through the impact of the water flow. .

But now that the channel has widened, the water flow has become slower, and the blocked sections that could have been washed away by the water flow can no longer be 'automatically cleared' by the Zhengguo Canal.

Coupled with the slowing of the water flow, the sediment in the water is easier to settle, which intensifies the blockage of the lower reaches of the Zhengguo Canal.

In this way, the Zhengguo Canal became more blocked every year, and was widened by the people every year;
Conversely, the widening of the channel made the Zhengguo Canal more and more congested due to the slowing down of the water flow.

Under the vicious circle, Zheng Guoqu also became what he is now, which obviously exists, but almost loses its effectiveness.

While Liu Ying was thinking, she saw Yang Cheng straighten up slowly and looked at Xiao He who was in the middle of the royal rank.

"This time, the family is following the order of His Majesty to renovate the water conservancy in Guanzhong; and the water conservancy in Guanzhong, especially the Zhengguo Canal."

"In this way, the maintenance of the Zhengguo Canal not only needs to clear the blocked places, but also fills the sides of the canal with soil to reduce its width."

Hearing this, Liu Ying's face, which was originally quite relaxed, finally sank, revealing a little dignified.

——Previously, Liu Ying calculated the number of laborers and the construction period of "5 people, three months", only considering the dredging of the river, but did not include the reduction of land filling!

Thinking about it, Liu Ying raised her head solemnly and looked at Shaofu Qing Yang Chengyan.

"Please also speak frankly, Shaofu."

"If you want to dredge and widen the Zhengguo Canal, how much labor will be required, and how long will it take?"

Hearing this, Yangcheng Yan's face suddenly showed embarrassment, he was tangled and pondered for a moment, and finally bowed his hands.

"At home."

"If it's only sparse, it will take [-] hard labor, and it will take two months; if you add channels and widen things, it may be twice as much..."

"And today, autumn and August are coming to an end, and in a few days, it will be autumn and September."

"In previous years, the Zhengguo Canal's water froze mostly in the middle and late October; it's only been a month and a half since now."

Speaking of this, Yang Chengyan finally let out a long sigh, and gave his final conclusion.

"Therefore, if the renovation of the Zhengguo Canal is to be completed this winter, the flow will be cut off at the head of the canal immediately, and [-] people will be forced to dig out the blocked mud in the canal."

"If this is not the case, when the first snow falls in Guanzhong, the Zhengguo Canal freezes, and the bottom of the canal is covered with permafrost, it may be difficult to complete the dredging of the channel..."

Hearing this, all the ease and comfort in Liu Ying's heart disappeared, and her complexion finally turned serious.

Liu Ying naturally understood the meaning of Yang Chengyan's words.

Now that the autumn harvest has passed, there are only about 40-50 days left before winter.

If you want to complete the excavation and clearing of the silted part before the Zhengguo Canal is frozen and the sediment at the bottom turns into frozen soil, you must immediately block the water flow from the upper reaches of the Zhengguo Canal and start excavating the sediment deposited at the bottom of the canal immediately.

Only in this way, if we want to complete the excavation and clearing of the silted part of the Zhengguo Canal within 4 to 50 days from now to before winter comes, we need at least 6 people to ensure completion.

"Sixty thousand..."

With a soft murmur, Liu Ying pursed her lips a little, and looked at Yang Chengyan solemnly.

"The meaning of the Shaofu is that the dredging of the Zhengguo Canal should be completed before the winter solstice; but there is no rush to widen the canal?"

Hearing this, Yang Chengyan only nodded slightly.

"After the winter solstice, the wet mud at the bottom of the canal will stand as frozen soil, and the digging will be extremely wasteful, so the work should be completed before the arrival of early winter!"

"As well as filling the channel with soil to widen it, it can be done after the winter solstice..."

"How much labor is required?!"

Before the words finished, Liu Ying hurriedly asked again, Yang Chengyan only pondered for a while.

"Twenty days for filling, twenty days for compaction..."

After thinking about it for a while, Yang Chengyan nodded secretly, and immediately cupped his hands: "It's only [-] yuan, just over a month's work."

Hearing this, Liu Ying breathed a sigh of relief, and her stern expression eased a little.

"6 people, more than three months..."

Compared with Liu Ying's previous forecast of '5 people, three months', it is only 1 more people.

Although it was still within the acceptable range, Liu Ying still didn't relax too much in her heart.

——Previously, Liu Ying's forecast of '5 people, three months' was based on the highest standard!
That is: no more than 5 people at most, and no more than three months at most.

The '6 people, more than three months' mentioned in Yangcheng Yankou is obviously based on the most optimistic estimate.

That is: at least 6 people, and at least three months or more.

Thinking of this, although Liu Ying's expression was not serious, it was full of solemnity.

With a heavy heart, Liu Ying didn't care about "humility". She just bowed to Xiao He and came to the center of the imperial steps.

"This time, the renovation of the Zhengguo Canal will require [-] hard labor, and it will take more than three months before it can be completed."

"However, the father and the emperor personally led the conquest, and the people were young and strong, and the courage of the township exceeded hundreds of thousands."

"For the sake of loneliness, we can no longer conscript labor in Guanzhong, so as to increase the fatigue of the people."

As she said that, Liu Ying turned slightly and looked at Yang Chengyan: "The day before yesterday, Gu ordered the Shaofu to investigate the officials and slaves of the Shaofu Chengdan, Guixin, and Lichen."

"I wonder if the Shaofu has ever found out?"

Hearing this question, Yang Chengyan hurriedly cupped his hands, and immediately took out another roll of bamboo slips from his bosom, and spread it out.

"At home."

"Today's Shaofu has official slaves, 490 for the city, 130 for ghosts, 620 for the officials, and a total of 250 male slaves."

"In addition to the official slaves needed for the construction of Changling, plus Baican and concubines, there should be [-]..."

Hearing this, Liu Ying only nodded slightly, and when she looked at the officials in the hall again, a 'warm' smile that made people feel wary could not help but appear on the corner of her mouth.

(End of this chapter)