The struggle of the reborn prince

It was mid-October, but the emperor had no intention of returning to Beijing. Li Gang, the political governor, and Chen Yun, the right minister, came to Luoyang to welcome the emperor back to Beijing.Both of them hadn't been to Xijing for many years, and they couldn't help but exclaim when they came to the city. Although they haven't seen the whole picture yet, it can be seen that the scope of Luoyang city is larger than that of Sui and Tang Dynasties.

During the Five Dynasties, the city was built and destroyed several times. After the Taizu ascended the throne, it was designated as Xijing, which was repaired. It was only a hastily built outer city wall more than ten feet high, and later it was destroyed during the struggle between the two armies when the Jurchens went south.But now the city wall is five feet high, and the city foundations are all built of stones. On the top of the city, a towering tower has been built, and a moat with a width of fifteen feet has been erected. Three arch bridges have been erected on it. Demolishing the bridge becomes an insurmountable moat.

The defensive measures of the city are also very complete, including sheep and horse city, urn city, horse face, turrets, etc., and built forts and blockhouses of different sizes on the city.They knew that these fortifications could store ammunition and make it easier for officers and soldiers to be on duty, so they became fortified fortresses in battle. Even if the enemy climbed the walls, they would be blocked by fierce machine gun fire.In addition, they heard that there are secret passages in the city wall, which can be used to hide and transport troops, and there are perforations in the middle of the city wall, but now they are all hidden in it, and it is difficult to see the whole picture.

Luoyang City is divided into two cities, south and north, with Luoshui as the central axis of the city. The north city has been the palace city since its establishment, while the south city has always been a square city.But at this time, upon receiving the news of the arrival of the two magistrates of the current dynasty, Xu Hong, who stayed behind in Luoyang, led the crowd to meet them in a hurry and brought them into the city.Li Gang and Li Gang were surprised at the fortification of Xijing City at first, but when they entered through the south gate, they couldn't help sighing. The first thing they saw was a road with a width of thirty feet.Under the city is a [-]-foot-wide ring road, and the Guocheng is divided into several square or rectangular lifangs by vertically intersecting roads.

"Master Xu. It is said that the southern city of Luoyang had 81 squares and two cities in the Tang Dynasty. It looks as good as it did in the prosperous Tang Dynasty!" Li Gang asked as he walked.

"Li Xiang. All the squares and cities in Nancheng have been re-planned. There are already hundreds of large and small squares. Two cities have also been rebuilt on the south bank of Luoshui River. The scale exceeds that of Tang Dynasty!" Xu Hong replied respectfully.

"Master Xu, this city is densely covered. Didn't many households be demolished when the city was first built?" asked Chen Yun, the chancellor on the right.

"Chen Xiang may not know that when the Jurchen invaded Luoyang City, the two armies fought several times here. The houses were completely destroyed, and the people fled or died. They were even captured by the Jurchen. The population was less than two or three times the previous day. The outer city was almost destroyed. It was razed to the ground and became the home of foxes, mice, birds and beasts. The city is no different from rebuilding, and there is nothing to disturb the people!" Xu Hong said with a wry smile. The tragedy.

"Looking at today's prosperity, it's hard to imagine the scene of that day!" Chen Yu sighed, looking at the bustling crowd.The ears are full of yelling with a southern accent and a northern accent, and the eyes are full of wine flags and pretense. Who would have thought that this place was destroyed by war.

"Your Excellency is right. When His Majesty ordered the reconstruction of Luoyang City that day, he ordered to build the city first and then build the city. First, build the roads. Dredge the canals, focus on the development of Lijiafang City in the south of the Luoshui River, and collect the fleeing people. Recruit refugees to give Concessions, land reclamation, and water conservancy construction.” Xu Hong said, “Since ancient times, Luoyang has been the main road connecting the Northwest and the Central Plains. It is also convenient to communicate with the canal. Within a few years, the business here gradually resumed, and then the tax revenue was used to build Starting from the city, now there are many workshops and shops in the city, it can be said that it is hard to find anywhere!"

"Your Majesty's thinking is really far-reaching. Previously, the city was first built before the city, but His Majesty did the opposite and set a new precedent!" Chen Yu couldn't help but praise.

"Master Xu, how many people are there in this city?" Li Gang asked as he walked.

"Li Xiang, there are now 15 households in the city, plus nearly 70 garrisons, officials and family members, which has not yet reached the million in the heyday of the Tang Dynasty!" Xu Hong replied without thinking. Staying behind is very competent and has a good understanding of the situation in the city.

"Master Xu, the population of 70 is not a small number. Does the food need to be transported from the south of the Yangtze River? Water transportation is the most important thing!" Li Gang nodded and said, it costs a lot to support such a large population, like Bianjing, which costs a lot every year. A large amount of grain needs to be transferred from the southeast, and if the water transportation is blocked for two months, it will lead to a shortage of grain in the city.

"Li Xiang is very worried, but in recent years Luoyang has basically been self-sufficient in food, and there is no need to transport a large amount of food from other cities!" Xu Hong said with a smile, "When the city was built, His Majesty has already sent a large number of scattered and landless farmers in the southeast They were recruited to nearby prefectures and counties, and there are many rivers and dense water networks around Luoyang, which are beneficial for irrigation and have a lot of wasteland that can be reclaimed. Today, Luoyang's prefectures and counties have added more than [-] hectares of good land, and the grain produced can be used in the city. In a few years, the number of mature fields has increased, and the grain production has increased accordingly, coupled with the bumper harvest of the new crops promoted by His Majesty, it can even fill up the needs in the poor harvest years of Guanzhong, Hebei, and Hedong!"

"Oh, now that Luoyang has achieved self-sufficiency in grain, wouldn't it save a lot of manpower and material resources, and get rid of the suffering of water transportation!" Li Gang said with some disbelief.

It is well aware that Kaifeng is the supply center of the canal, and the main source of government food and supplies is the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.The Song government invested a lot of manpower and material resources every year in order to keep the Bian River unblocked.The first is Biankou, which divides the water of the Yellow River. Because the main channel of the Yellow River fluctuates, it needs to be changed year by year to meet the water potential.The river channel below the Bian River is difficult to navigate due to the turbidity of the water flow and frequent dredging.During the reign of Dazhong Xiangfu, it was stipulated that it should be dredged every three to five years, but the river bed was still silted up every year, and an aboveground river gradually formed.

During the reign of Huangyou, it was decided that "drainage from the mouth of the river should be done every year".Even so, during the reign of Xining, in the area of ​​Yongqiu and Xiangyi to the east of Kaifeng, the bottom of the Bianhe River was more than one foot or two feet higher than the flat ground outside the embankment, and the residential houses were viewed from the embankment, as if in a deep valley.In order to solve the problem of the source of sediment in the Bian River, in the third year of Yuanfeng, a [-]-mile canal was opened on the Yellow River beach at the northern foot of Guangwu Mountain between Shagukou, Ren Village, Gongxian County, and Biankou, Heyin County, to divert Yi and Luoshui into Bian, blocking the Old Biankou, avoiding the turbid flow of the Yellow River.Because Luoshui is relatively clear, it is said in history that the Bian River that Yinluo enters is Qingbian.In the fifth year of Yuanyou, due to insufficient water sources, the Yellow River was resumed as the source, and the Bianhe River was still silted up.

In the early Song Dynasty, the lower reaches of the Yangtze River were densely populated and economically developed. However, since it became the main source of food and materials for the capital, its development has been seriously affected. Most of the wealth in the world is concentrated in Kaifeng, while other places are getting poorer and poorer. This is exactly what Zhao Kuangyin is worried about. of.He predicted: "In less than a hundred years, the power of the people in the world will be exhausted!" As a result, unfortunately, in less than a hundred years, the power of the people is almost exhausted, and the economic development of the affluent lower reaches of the Yangtze River stagnates, so that the government often cannot make ends meet. Both the government and the people are out of breath, and financial poverty and military weakness have become an irreversible trend.This is all caused by the suffering of water transportation.

"Oh, is the Miyagi rebuilt at the original site?" With the efforts of all the yamen servants and followers, a group of people boarded the bridge. The boats were flying under the bridge, and the Miyagi was already in front of them. Chen Yu asked after looking at it.

"The palace city was built around the original old city, but in it are the offices of various ministries, imperial schools and martial arts. There are also many residences of officials and clans, occupying most of the area, and only a small part is for Lifang and military buildings. It is where the supervisor workshop is located. However, the Zodiac Bridge, Tianjin Bridge, Xingjin Bridge, and the new and old middle bridges built in the Tang Dynasty on Luoshui River were all rebuilt on the original site, so that the two cities can be connected without any inconvenience!" Xu Hong introduced .

"Is there no imperial guard on duty in Miyagi?" Li Gang frowned and asked after listening to the introduction.

"Oh, Li Xiang is like this!" Xu Hong hurriedly replied, "The state army is in charge of the outer city of Xijing at ordinary times. The leopard generals stationed here are all stationed in the former Dongdu Garden, and the palace guards are sent by his department. Every season there is a brigade, and the rest of the troops are stationed in the Dongduyuan barracks. On weekdays, the imperial city is garrisoned by a commander sent by the imperial army and the state army. When the emperor moves to the palace, the imperial guards take over the defense of the imperial city! "

"Okay, the Eastern Capital Garden has a vast area, more than [-] li as recorded in the past. It can be used to train soldiers on weekdays. Your Majesty can go hunting and rest in his free time. Your Majesty Xu is really a talent of the country!" Li Gang stroked his beard and praised.

"Praise Li, I don't dare to take the credit!" Xu Hong said with a smile, "The construction of Xijing is planned and guided by His Majesty. In terms of military defense, Mr. Jiang Fei, who was left behind, is in charge of supervising and arranging the construction. The meritorious service of His Royal Highness Prince Jing, the governor, is just sitting back and reaping the rewards!"

"The city of Xijing was rebuilt in more than ten years, and with such a large scale, it took a lot of money. Mr. Xu is also able to raise funds. I remember that the Ministry of Household Affairs did not seem to allocate the amount needed to build the city, but only a million guan!" Working in the Ministry of Officials, I still have an impression of this. At that time, Xu Hong was in charge of Xijing affairs and supervised the construction of the city as a servant. How could it be possible to build a big city.

"Hehe, this official is even more terrified. The money used to rebuild Xijing was raised by His Majesty!" Xu Hong bowed again and again.

"From your Majesty? Isn't the internal treasury already empty!" Li Gang said in surprise. He knew the huge expenses the emperor had spent on building an ocean-going fleet and maintaining the clan, and that the old man had been robbed by the Jurchens. The emperor was crying for poverty every day. Yes, then what method did he use to raise so much reconstruction funds? Could it be that the emperor really had the ability to turn stones into gold?

"Li Xiang is right, but the emperor is not an ordinary person. He just relied on the funds allocated by the Ministry of Households and the millions of coins he borrowed to build Xijing City!" Xu Hong said in the ears of the two. Bian whispered, "I heard that His Majesty not only didn't give any money, but also made a small profit by building a departure palace in the mountains for the queen and several concubines, so that they can go and relax..." (To be continued. .)