Dajin royal family

Chapter 214 Xiaochaoyi Canal

In August, the weather is unbearably hot, pedestrians on Zhuque Avenue come and go with erratic footsteps, the roadside teahouses are overcrowded, and all kinds of religions and nine schools gather here to discuss Chang'an rumors.The hot topic is nothing more than which rich man has a new concubine in his family, or a certain rich man bought a companion schoolboy.

At this moment, a team slowly came into everyone's sight. The leader was Shen Guang, the inner guard who rushed back to Chang'an from thousands of miles away, and behind him escorted two unkempt prisoners.They were dressed in plain clothes, not inner guard armor, so passers-by didn't know their identities, they just raised their heads curiously to look at the prisoners in the prison van.

"Could this be the prisoner arrested by the Ministry of Criminal Justice?" A passer-by asked curiously. The one who could be escorted in a prison car was naturally an imperial government office. Seeing them busy and dusty, one could tell at a glance that they were not servants of the local county office in Chang'an.

"Hey, I don't know what crime those two committed, it's interesting."

No matter what the passers-by were talking about, Shen Guang led the team all the way into the Ministry of Punishment, handed over the prisoner to Wei Shilun, Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishment, and immediately entered the palace to report the trip to the emperor.

At this moment, in the royal study.

The emperor and a group of ministers were discussing the matter of digging the canal. The left minister Gao Xun, the right minister Yang Taisu, the minister Ling Zhao Wang, the six ministers, and several related ministers were present.

At this time, the atmosphere in the hall was rather dignified. According to the emperor's plan, the opening of the North-South Canal within three years would require at least a million civilians to work day and night to realize it.However, this large-scale consumption of people's power is not recognized by the ministers.

In particular, Gao Xun, Minister of the Left, and Lu Huaishen, Minister of the Household Department, opposed the most fiercely.Gao Xun came out to report and said: "Your Majesty, the achievements of the canal will benefit the future in the present, but the effort of the people is too heavy. Please let your Majesty do it slowly and relax the time limit."

This is already his choice of words. According to his original intention, this is really the practice of Tyranny. How is this different from forced relocation of people to build the Great Wall.The Tyranny of the Qin Dynasty did not set a time limit for the construction of the canal, but only three years were given for the canal to be dug.

Three years, how could it be possible to dig a grand canal running through the north and south within three years, this is simply whimsical.

The emperor was dressed in a yellow and white satin suit and knelt on the main seat. The two servants beside him gently waved cattail fans to send some cold air to the emperor, but the cold air could not dispel the anger in the emperor's heart.

The matter of the Grand Canal has been in preparation since he took the throne, and he didn't do anything to rectify the court in the first year of taking the throne.In the second year, because of the rebellion of the King of Han and the southward movement of the Turks, he thought about it and still didn't do anything, but there was no major event in the third year, so should it be delayed?
Is it true that you want to dig a canal for hundreds of years?
No, he is not Qin Wangzheng who is willing to wait more than ten years for Zheng Guoqu, he can't wait ten years!

"There are tens of thousands of people in the Jin family. Are you going to stop because of a canal? Lovers, think about the fact that Qin Wangzheng did not hesitate to build the Zhengguo Canal for the whole country in order to unify the world." The emperor paused, and said: "This north-south canal once Connectivity can not only strengthen the emotional connection between the north and the south that have been separated for hundreds of years, but also continuously open up the south and make the Han people return to their hearts."

Gao Xun retorted: "Your Majesty's words are wrong. The Zheng Guoqu is just an opinion that Qin Wangzheng had to adopt for farming and food in Guanzhong. How can it be compared with today's. Not to mention that our dynasty has already unified the world. The big granary is enough to feed the people for several years. Except for last year’s snowstorm, all parts of the world have been severely affected. It is really unwise to use such a huge manpower and material resources just for a canal connecting the north and the south!”

"What's more, the world has been unified for more than [-] years, and the people of the Jin Dynasty have long been united. There is no need to dig a canal because of this. If your majesty wants to connect the north-south trade routes, you can open more official roads and set up post stations."

I have tolerated you for a long time Gao Xun, don't go too far!
There was a cold light in the emperor's eyes. From the very beginning, Gao Xun and the Shandong gentry were the most opposed to this matter. Duguzheng, Wei Hong, Dou Wei and others of the Guanzhong nobles had no objections and kept silent.

"Wei Aiqing, you have always been in charge of the matter of the canal, tell me about it." The emperor suppressed the anger in his heart, and turned to ask Wei Xin, Minister of the Ministry of Industry.

Wei Xin and Wei Hong quickly exchanged glances in secret, and then came out and said, "Your Majesty, it's really beyond the capabilities of a million people to dig such a canal within three years."

Um! ?

Hearing this, Gao Xun glanced at Wei Xin appreciatively.This is a good man, a good minister.

Then, Wei Xin said: "If it is 50 people, it can be opened within ten years."

Gao Xun immediately opened his eyes and glared at Wei Xin. Is this what people said?What's the difference between you and the saying that a million people have opened their doors in three years, playing word games?
"Your Majesty, it is farming at this time, and the autumn harvest will be in a few days. How can you mobilize 50 peasants? I hope Your Majesty will think twice!" Lu Huaishen, Minister of the Household Department, came out to persuade.

The emperor automatically ignored the people on Gao Xun's side, and then asked Wei Xin; "What Wei Aiqing means is that if there are more than a million civilians, they can dig the canal within three years, right?"

Wei Xin nodded lightly, "150 million civilians have been digging day and night, and within three years, the north and south can be connected. From the north to Zhuojun, transfer to Luoyang, and south to Yangzhou, your majesty's dragon boat can do it!"

"Good!" The emperor praised: "Wei Aiqing is worthy of being a virtuous person."

Wei Xin smiled and said, "Your Majesty is absurd."

Hearing this, Gao Xun almost fainted, is this what a virtuous minister said?What a joke, you can be regarded as a virtuous minister if you don't take the lives of the people seriously.This is simply a sycophant!
"Your Majesty, how can 150 million civilians be transferred easily, not to mention the adjustment and adjustment, the food for these civilians alone will eat up several granaries, Your Majesty." Gao Xun tried his best to dissuade them.

Lu Huaishen stood up and persuaded: "Your Majesty, please think again. Last year's snow disaster household department has transferred a lot of food relief. If this happens again, I'm afraid it will empty the grain storage left by the late emperor."

Seeing his father acting like this, the prince couldn't bear it any longer, and said: "Father, this matter is of great importance, whether we still need to consider it, these 150 million civilian husbands are not a small number."

"Yes, Your Majesty, please think again, Your Majesty." A group of officials who were interested in Gao Xun tried to persuade and stop the emperor.

Dugu squinted his eyes halfway, because he had been kneeling for too long, he felt his knees were a little numb, while the old god stretched out his hands and kneaded his knees quietly, while looking up and down at Gao Xun, Lu Huaishen and the others.On them, Duguzheng's eyes didn't stay for too long, and soon fell on the right minister Yang Taisu.

At this moment, Yang Taisu's eyes were wandering around, as if he had lost his highlight.As if feeling something somewhere, Yang Taisu's eyes happened to meet Duguzheng.Soon, the two looked away at the same time.

Wei Hong lowered his head slightly, and couldn't hold back the arc of the smile on the corner of his mouth.His mother is really happy, now I know how ruthless the emperor is.Let's fight, fight, the more intense you fight, the happier he will be.

Shang Shuling Zhao Wang also lost his eyesight. He looked down at the clean floor and didn't know what he was thinking. People who didn't know thought Zhao Wang was counting ants.

The emperor couldn't help but frowned when he looked at the ministers who were blocking him. This person had a lot of objections.But when he saw Zheng Shanyuan, Minister of Dali Temple, Wang Yi, Minister of Taichang Temple, and Pei Ju, Minister of Rites, who were silent, he squinted his eyes a little and realized that something was wrong.

"Zheng Aiqing, what do you think?" The emperor softly asked Zheng Shanyuan who had been silent all this time.

Immediately, all the officials in the imperial study turned their attention to Zheng Shanyuan, especially Lu Huaishen, Minister of the Household Department, couldn't stop winking at him, asking Zheng Shanyuan to support him.

But Zheng Shanyuan didn't seem to hear the emperor's words, and still knelt and sat there in a daze.The emperor frowned and called again: "Zheng Aiqing? Zheng Aiqing?"

"." Zheng Shanyuan.

Pei Ju on the side couldn't help but frowned, it's too much to pretend to be stupid, the emperor called you twice, at least stand up and say a few words.

However, Zheng Shanyuan just didn't respond, he lowered his head as if he had fallen asleep.The emperor coughed heavily, "Zheng Aiqing, I am asking you something."

Zheng Shanyuan: "."

emperor:"."

You're going too far, it's only three things, I've called you three times and you still pretend?

Ministers: "."

"It seems that Zheng Aiqing is sleepy, Minister Jia, go and wake him up." The emperor ordered displeased.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Attendant Jia Nei put down his cattail fan, walked up to Zheng Shanyuan and called him, "Master Zheng? Master Zheng? Wake up, Master Zheng, Your Majesty is calling you."

As he spoke, he stretched out his hand and shook Zheng Shanyuan.Who would have thought that Zheng Shanyuan would fall down directly.

Seeing the sweat on Zheng Shanyuan's face, Pei Ju's pupils shrank immediately, and hurriedly said: "No, Mr. Zheng has suffered from heatstroke!"

(End of this chapter)