The Tang Dynasty started from saving Empress Changsun

Chapter 339 Natural and Man-made Disasters
In the 13th year of Zhenguan, there was no rain since last winter until May.Jiayin, avoiding the main hall, ordering those above the fifth grade to be enshrined, strike with reduced meals, distribute envoys to relieve grievances, and appeal for grievances.

In the previous life, it was not a special situation if it didn't rain for half a year, just turn on the water pump to irrigate the land to fight the drought.

But in ancient times, it was a big event, which would cause a large area of ​​crops to fail, and a bad one would lead to civil uprisings. This is what Datang is facing now.

From last winter to now, there has been no rain for five or six months.Not to mention the dry land that depends entirely on the sky, even the irrigated land near the ditches has suffered heavy losses.

The small rivers have basically dried up, and the water level of the big rivers has also dropped severely, making it difficult to get water.

What Li Shimin can do is to send people to various places for disaster relief: "Fortunately, in the past two years, we have purchased a large amount of rice from the Indochina Peninsula and hoarded it in various warehouses, so that we can timely allocate food to the victims."

The eldest grandson Wugou said with emotion: "Thanks to Jing Ke, otherwise this severe drought would have killed many people."

Li Shimin was also deeply touched, and said: "In the past, even if we wanted to do natural disasters, we were often powerless. When the imperial court dispatched food from all over the country to the disaster area, the disaster has expanded beyond control."

"Because of the availability of grain from the Indochina Peninsula, the imperial court's demand for grain from various places has been greatly reduced in the past two years, and more grain has been hoarded in local warehouses."

"In Jing Ke's words, it is to keep the local food in the local area... The imperial court does not need to transfer food from other places in this disaster, and can survive with the reserves of the local warehouse."

The eldest grandson Wugou also nodded in relief, but he still reminded: "This disaster has a lot of implications, I'm afraid that corrupt officials will deceive the people and enrich their own pockets to harm the people, so we need to send more people to patrol the area."

Li Shimin said with a smile: "Don't worry, I have asked the nobles to form a patrol team to go to various places to monitor the disaster relief situation."

"I promise them that if there is no problem in the place they inspected, I will reward them with an additional [-] households after the enfeoffment."

"If they can find out what went wrong in time, fifty households will be rewarded. If they are found to be in collusion with local officials, the future closure of the country will be reduced."

Changsun Wugou frowned slightly and said, "I'm afraid that the inspection team will intentionally induce officials to break the law in order to get rewards."

Li Shimin said proudly: "I have notified the situation of the inspection team to various places. If there are still people who dare to commit crimes against the wind, they deserve it."

Changsun Wugou covered his mouth with a smile and said, "You are really cunning, aren't you forcing them to fight each other?"

Li Shimin laughed loudly and said, "Haha... just forcing them to fight, only when they fight can I feel at ease and the common people can benefit."

The couple smiled complacently for a while, and the eldest grandson Wugou said again: "Hasn't the imperial court's immigration plan not been going well? Can we use this opportunity to move some of the victims out?"

Li Shimin nodded and said: "I have already started to do this, and the effect is not bad... But what I am most worried about now is not the immigration, but someone using it to attack the enfeoffment."

The eldest grandson Wugou also said helplessly: "This matter is unavoidable, I hope God will send heavy rains soon to alleviate the disaster."

In ancient times, people always liked to associate celestial phenomena with politics. Did the severe drought mean that the emperor lost his virtue and the court implemented evil policies?

Li Shimin made a decree one step ahead of time, requiring officials above the fifth rank to report the gains and losses of the court, reduce royal meals, hear squeezed cases and grievances, and so on.

However, it still didn't rain.

Soon what he was most worried about happened, and rumors began to spread all over the world, saying that the sky sent a warning, and that enfeoffment is an evil government.

And things happened so coincidentally that the last rain was before the winter solstice last year.Since the court established the enfeoffment system on the winter solstice, it has never rained again.

As soon as this coincidence came out, more people believed this statement. Could it be that the policy of enfeoffment really caused God's dissatisfaction before the punishment was lowered?

The gentry and the anti-feudalists raised their heads again, spreading this rhetoric everywhere, and more and more people joined in.

More and more people began to play, demanding to stop enfeoffment.

Li Shimin is also one of the top two big men. Enfeoffment is his method of uniting the nobles, and it is also the basis of reform. Attacking this policy is hitting him seven inches.

But it happened so coincidentally that it was useless for him to explain, and now even the people from the Taishi Bureau dare not stand up and say that this matter has nothing to do with enfeoffment.

Do you want to pray to Buddha?

He immediately dispelled this idea, the plan of Zixiao Temple was acquiesced by him, and if he went to pray for Buddha at this time, it would have too much impact on the plan of "Buddha is the Tao".

And compared to Buddhism, he now trusts Taoism a little more.

Before he prayed to Buddha every day, his wife and children became sicker every day, and his own high blood pressure became more and more serious.

Everything changed after Sun Simiao and Chen Jingke appeared. If there really are gods, then Taoism is more reliable.

So even if you want to worship, you should also worship Taoist gods.

And the highest god of Taoism is God Haotian, after all, it is better to go to the Temple of Heaven to worship the sky... But this thing has already been done, and it is useless.

Now he really has nothing to do. If the crops are gone, he can allocate food relief at any cost.Someone used this to attack the government, but he could only listen and watch.

Unless there is a timely rain.

But when will this rain fall?God only knows.

So, after all, it still depends on the meaning of God.

……

On the other side, Chen Jingke was also at a loss. He could think of a solution to other problems, but he really couldn't do anything if it didn't rain.

Drought resistance?What to fight against?The water pump needs to be driven by a power machine. Where can he get a power machine?
The steam engine can barely be made, but with the current steel output, what if it can make a hundred and eighty units?A drop in the bucket does not count.

But even so, he still called the students of the Gewu class together, and first led everyone to build a steam engine and then a water pump.

When the steam engine drove the water pump to draw clear water from the well, everyone cheered excitedly.

This is the first time they have actually built large-scale mechanical equipment since they joined Gewuban, so they are naturally very happy.

Chen Jingke sighed in his heart, obviously, they didn't realize the real use of the water pump.

He clapped his hands to calm everyone down, then pointed to the water pump and said, "Have you ever thought that if we have a thousand or ten thousand water pumps like this, will it be able to greatly alleviate the current drought?"

Everyone fell silent and listened to his speech.

"We might as well imagine a little more boldly. If every three or five households have a water pump, is there any need to be afraid of drought?"

At this time someone raised his hand and said: "But real people, steam engines and water pumps need a lot of steel, even if all the iron in the world is used to make water pumps, it is not enough."

Many people nodded, indeed.Both the steam engine and the water pump are iron bumps, and they cannot be built at all.

Even if it is built, it is not affordable for ordinary people.

Chen Jingke said: "This is a good question. What should I do if there is not enough iron? My answer is to find a way to increase the production of steel."

"Someone is going to ask, how to increase steel production? My answer is only one, to find a way from the investigation."

"I have always said that the potential of Gewuxue is enormous, and it can be used to benefit the common people and change the world...the water pump is a real example."

"The things we feel can't be done now are just because we don't have a deep enough understanding of Gewu. As long as everyone works hard and concentrates on research, all problems will be solved one day."

"By then we will have produced enough steel and built enough steam engines and water pumps to keep the world safe from drought."

"Our phonograph can be listened to a hundred times and a thousand times without changing the sound... Our trains can travel all over the country, connecting the north and the south..."

"By that time, all of us will leave our names in history and become objects of worship for future generations... Are you willing to work hard for this day?"

Everyone shouted excitedly: "Yes."

Chen Jingke said: "Okay, I am ambitious, and I am waiting for that day to come."

Everyone shouted: "Never let the real person down."

Chen Jingke is very satisfied with this effect. Previously, everyone's research on Gewu was more out of personal hobbies, and they did not have any lofty ideals and ambitions.

This is actually wrong. Without a lofty goal, you can't go far by just relying on hobbies.He had wanted to teach everyone a lesson for a long time, and this time he finally found the opportunity.

And it looks very good.

To put it a bit arrogantly, they are the founders of science in the future, and the rules established today will be followed by future generations.

Setting a more noble and lofty tone for science in advance will help the discipline develop healthier and faster.

Li Tai came over and said: "Your method is good, everyone's spirits have become different from before."

Chen Jingke replied: "That's natural. Noble goals can make everyone more motivated and have a sense of accomplishment."

Li Tai nodded, and suddenly sighed: "Hey, if everything you said can be realized now, this drought can be easily overcome, and Aye doesn't have to be so embarrassing."

Chen Jingke also felt a little heavy, and said: "It's useless to worry, what we can do now is to study Gephysics, and one day all this will come true."

"By that time, no one will be able to use celestial phenomena to interfere with national policy."

Li Taidao: "Why don't I know this truth, but how can I not worry about Aye's situation."

Chen Jingke also sighed. If Li Shimin can't bear the pressure this time, let alone the failure of the innovation, it will also be a huge blow to his personal prestige.

In the future, the tyrants of the gentry will become more rampant, and it will become almost impossible to deal with them.

However, he never doubted Li Shimin: "I believe His Majesty will not admit defeat, nor will he lose."

Li Tai showed a thoughtful expression, and then said firmly, "Indeed, the national treasury had a balance of more than 600 million last year, and the imperial court has enough money."

"In the past two years, warehouses in various places have also hoarded a large amount of food. The Indochina Peninsula has not been affected by the drought, and it is still providing food continuously. If you have enough money and food in your hands, you will not be afraid of any difficulties."

"And Aye's prestige in the army is unmatched, and Xungui is also on our side... This means that the army is always in our hands."

"If some people think this is their chance and want to do something they shouldn't do, I'm afraid they will regret it for the rest of their lives."

Chen Jingke said with a smile: "So we don't need to worry unnecessarily, just wait for the drought to end."

But will the truth be as easy as they say?This is impossible.

Although Li Shimin has a lot of hole cards in his hands, no one knows how effective these hole cards can be in the face of unpredictable and changeable people's hearts.

The only way to prevent it from happening is to pray for heavy rain.

Soon it was noon, and all schools and workshops began to close.

Those whose home is in Zixiaoguan went home to eat one after another, and those who didn’t want to go home went to the cafeteria to buy food.Those whose home is not in Zixiaoguan can only go to the cafeteria to eat.

Meals are not free, you have to pay.However, Chen Jingke did not earn everyone's money in this regard, and only charged the cost price.

At noon today, Chen Jingke didn't want to go back to the front to eat, so he went to the cafeteria with everyone.

As I was walking, I saw a group of children, male and female, rushing all the way to the cafeteria, shouting as they ran, "Rush, rush, grab food."

Chen Jingke smiled inwardly, feeling quite familiar with this scene.It was the same when he was in school. Every time after school, he sprinted to the cafeteria at a speed of [-] meters.

When the group of children passed by him, he caught sight of a familiar figure and called out, "Ling'er, why did you come to the cafeteria to eat too? Where's your mother?"

Linger is Qingju's daughter, she is four or five years old now, and she is studying elementary school.The child has almost forgotten the tragic experience in the dental clinic, and is very lively and cheerful.

Because she was born beautiful, she is also a small celebrity in Zixiao Temple, and no one doesn't like her.

Ling'er stopped reluctantly, and did not forget to ask her good friend in front of her to help her line up, and then said to Chen Jingke: "Hi, my mother went to Tianranju to make pastries."

Chen Jingke nodded and asked, "The food in the cafeteria is not as delicious as your mother's. Are you used to it?"

Ling'er nodded sharply and said, "It's delicious, I like it."

As she spoke, she looked into the cafeteria on tiptoe, as if she was afraid that her good friend would not help her line up.

Chen Jingke couldn't help laughing, patted her head, and said, "Go, run slowly and don't fall."

Ling'er hurriedly said: "Well, goodbye, the real man."

Turn around and run away after speaking.

Entering the cafeteria, Chen Jingke first went to get a plate, and then went to cook.

The students naturally knew him, and they all gave him their seats when they lined up.He was not hypocritical, and went straight to the front and ordered two dishes.

The vegetable-making staff also knew him, and dug out two big spoonfuls.

When Chen Jingke was about to say something less, he heard the chef who was cooking complain: "Damn it, what's wrong with this salt shaker, there's just a layer of water at every turn, I'm obviously careful not to sprinkle water on it."

The chef's words were like a lightning bolt that cleared the fog in Chen Jingke's mind, reminding him of a proverb from his previous life.

However, he was still not sure if it was true, so he quickly asked, "Is there a layer of water droplets on the surface of your salt shaker for no reason?"

　Recommend a book "The First Assistant of the Red Chamber".

　　It belongs to the civil official stream of the Red Chamber, a work of Sanjiang.

　　The author is very rigorous, and read a lot of materials for writing the book. Those who like traditional historical literature should not miss it.

　　


(End of this chapter)