Wentang

Chapter 685 The Benefits of Building the Dam
"Do you really want to take a year off?" Li Shimin asked.

"Really." Yue Shan said affirmatively: "The main strategy of the imperial court this year is rest and internal innovation. It doesn't matter if I'm here or not."

"And in fact, I'm not suitable to be in charge of specific things. One is that I don't have that interest, and the other is that many things are too serious. It is best to make suggestions behind the scenes."

Li Shimin said: "Of course I also know this truth, so I let you go to the cabinet as a bachelor."

Yue Shan said: "I'm only in my 20s now, so I can't be a cabinet scholar for the rest of my life, right? Besides, the power and responsibilities of the cabinet are getting heavier and heavier. If I really become a bachelor, I won't have time to do anything else."

Li Shimin said: "Is there anything more important than the imperial court?"

Yue Shan smiled and said: "It's a lot for me, such as going home to accompany my wife. The Crown Princess gave birth, and Shui'er is happy, and Lizhi has long been unhappy. This year, she happens to be born again... You know, I want to accompany her for a whole year , and wait for her to give birth to a child smoothly."

Well, this reason is so powerful that Li Shimin doesn't even know how to refute it.He could only say, "What reason is there?"

Yue Shan said: "New progress has been made in the study of Gewu, and the door to the study of material change is about to open. This knowledge is more dangerous, and I have to keep an eye on it myself."

Li Shimin asked suspiciously: "The science of material transformation? Didn't you say that this thing needs some acid and alkali to work? Have you researched it?"

He has read all of Yue Shan's works, so he naturally knows what the so-called theory of material change is, and he didn't make a fuss like the bumpkin.

"The sulfuric acid in the three acids and two bases has been researched, and the production is now being stepped up." Yue Shan said.

"This kind of thing must be optimistic, and don't lose it." Li Shimin urged.

"Well, I will let them keep an eye on it. Sulfuric acid is extremely corrosive and only glass bottles can be stored for a long time. Other containers will be corroded soon. It is better to manage." Yue Shan explained.

"As long as you know the severity." Li Shimin nodded.

"There is also the steam engine. The rubber tree has been found, and it is time to start research. I am going to personally lead the research and hope to develop a prototype within a year." Yue Shan said.

"Okay, it's fine to take a rest for a year. When you go to conquer Goguryeo next year, you will come back and go directly with me." Seeing that it was indeed the result of careful consideration, Li Shimin agreed to his request for a rest.

"Speaking of the conquest of Goguryeo...let's talk about Fan Yang's water control dam, saint, do you have a detailed map of Youzhou?" Yue Shan said.

"Yes." Li Shimin waved his hand and Zhao Meng immediately went inside to take out a map and unfold it.

Yue Shan looked at the map in front of him and compared it with the topographic map of the capital in his previous life. The coastline was different, but the overall appearance was similar. He quickly found the target he was looking for.

"Look here." He pointed to a place on the map and said, "This is a canyon in the upper reaches of Zhishui River. We can build a dam on this canyon and turn the canyon into a lake..."

The gorge he was talking about was actually the Yongding River gorge in the previous life, also known as Guantingshan gorge. At the beginning of the founding of the country, Taizu built the Guantingshan reservoir here to solve the flood problem of the Yongding River.

At the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the country was poor and had no machinery. It took three years to build this dam on the shoulders of the people.

Therefore, it is not impossible to build this dam with the national power of the Tang Dynasty, at most it will take more time.

Li Shimin measured it on the map with his hand and said, "The project is huge."

"The project is really huge, and it is estimated that it will take five years to complete. In order to prevent the embankment from breaking, a dam will be built later. Overall, it is not bad if it can be repaired in ten years, but this project is worth doing." Yue Shan pointed down, Draw a circle around the capital of the previous life:
"Once the dam is completed, hundreds of miles downstream will become fertile fields, feeding millions of people..."

"In this way, the desolate land of Youzhou can be turned into a prosperous town, and our northern front in the Tang Dynasty can expand thousands of miles north again..."

"The northern part of Youzhou happens to be the continuous Yanshan mountain range, which is a natural city wall. Here... is at the foot of Yanshan Mountain and borders on the Bohai Sea. It is most suitable for building a pass city near the mountains and the sea."

"The Yuguan was built here in the former Sui Dynasty. We can continue to expand it and make it the first gateway to the north to block enemies from the northeast..."

"With this natural danger in hand, the entire Yanyun sixteen prefectures will become the hinterland of my Tang Dynasty, and I can safely immigrate and develop..."

"And once the Yanyun sixteen prefectures are developed, military supplies for the entire northern front can be collected locally, and there is no need to mobilize them from the south, which can save countless money and food."

Yue Shan also became more and more excited as he talked. He swiped his fingers between Chang An and Fan Yang, and said:
"And do you feel that Chang'an is too far away from here, more than 20 miles, and it will take [-] days to run a single trip. If there is really something to do, it will be too late to wait for Chang'an to respond, and it will be too late."

"So I think it is possible to build a northern capital here like the eastern capital Luoyang, radiating the entire Yanyun sixteen prefectures. If it is possible, even the Gyeonggi can be moved here..."

"The southern water network is densely covered with fertile land, and it is also close to the sea, so it can develop marine trade. Even if the imperial court doesn't care about it, it can still develop."

"The north is different. The climate conditions here are even worse. If the imperial court does not invest a lot of manpower and material resources, it will be difficult to develop..."

"The best way to develop here is to relocate Gyeonggi. As a political center, it naturally has the function of attracting talents, so as to ensure the development of the north..."

Seeing that his words became more and more outrageous, Li Shimin looked helpless, and finally couldn't help but stop him: "Okay, okay, the more you talk, the more outrageous it is, how can the land of Gyeonggi be moved by talking? Or continue to talk about the dams?" Bar."

"Uh..." Yue Shan wiped the saliva from the corner of his mouth, and complained in his heart, what I said is the direction of development in the next few hundred years, and I told you in advance that he didn't stop, cut...

Forget it, let's continue talking about the reservoir: "I only know that this is the most suitable place to build a dam, but I don't know how to build it. The saint can ask professionals to conduct field surveys and come up with a reliable plan... "

"By the way, starting this year, we will send strategic materials to the north to prepare for the conquest of Goguryeo next year. It is difficult to hide such a large material transfer."

"At that time, we can use the transportation of materials for the construction of the dam as a cover to transport military supplies, so that we can hide it from the Goguryeo people."

Li Shimin was very pleasantly surprised, why didn't he think of it just now.If we really want to build this dam, it must be a big project, and it is normal to use hundreds of thousands of people.

There are so many people who eat and drink, and there are a lot of supplies, so the imperial court can use this to deliver supplies openly.

The Goguryeo people may have doubts at first, but when they see that Datang is really building a dam, they will soon dispel their doubts.

When the Tang Dynasty really sends troops to Goguryeo next year, these civilian husbands can be transformed into civilian husbands who deliver military supplies...

"It's a good idea. It seems that the dam will not be repaired." Li Shimin said happily.

"More than that." Yue Shan continued: "The population inventory work has been completed halfway, and more than [-] million people have been found out of hidden households."

"When recruiting civilian husbands, these people can be used first. At that time, their household registration will be directly placed in Youzhou. At that time, they will be distributed with residences, fertile land, farm tools, seeds, and even marry them locally..."

Li Shimin shook his head and said: "It's a good idea, but I'm afraid they will complain. The border is an important place. If the people have complaints, it will not be conducive to the ruling of the court."

This is indeed a problem, but it is not impossible to solve it, Yue Shan thought for a while and said:
"We can recruit more peasants and let them take turns to work on the dam. Half a year is a period. Those who rest will not be allowed to return to their hometowns. They will be directly distributed with housing, land, farm tools, seeds, etc. in the local area so that they can recuperate there. .”

"These half a year is just enough to produce one season of grain, so they will develop feelings for the local area once or twice in this way. At that time, it will be enough to take their wives and children over."

"If the imperial court exempts them from taxes for many years, and is even willing to pay the family members for the work they take over. They can also build schools locally so that their children can read and write..."

Li Shimin said helplessly: "Here it is again, you can make fun of anything, just watch how many things you can do with the matter of building a dam."

"Your plan is good, but how can you implement it? Where did the court get so much energy? Where did the court get so much money and food to do the things you said?"

"And we will attack Goguryeo next year. I don't know how long this war will last. Once the war drags on..."

What will happen if the war drags on?Li Shimin didn't say it, but everyone understands what he means. A large part of the reason for the demise of the Sui Dynasty lies in this.

Yue Shan asked in surprise, "Do you think the battle of Goguryeo will be delayed for a long time?"

Li Shimin was stunned for a moment, and said: "Isn't this normal? Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty did not succeed in conquering the country three times. Although our Tang Dynasty is stronger than the previous Sui Dynasty, we dare not say that we can destroy it in one go."

"My plan is divided into two steps. The first step is to exhaust the enemy. Although Emperor Sui Yang's three expeditions to Goguryeo were unsuccessful, they almost exhausted its national power and have not recovered so far. The purpose of our expedition next year is not to destroy the country. , but to consume its last vitality."

"The second step is to destroy the country. With the national power of our Tang Dynasty, we can launch a second attack soon. At that time, Goguryeo, whose country is weak and the people are exhausted, will be powerless to stop our Tang Tianjun."

"Destroy the country in two steps? Haha..." Yue Shan couldn't help laughing.

This was the first time he heard Li Shimin's specific strategy for attacking Goguryeo, and he could only say that the plan was very good.

It is estimated that Li Shimin thought so in the original history. It is a pity that Goguryeo's resilience is beyond his imagination, and he has not been able to destroy this enemy in his life. It is his son who completed this feat.

But that was the previous life. Does Tang still need to take two steps in this life?It seems that the changes are so fast that Li Shimin can't even recognize Datang's strength.

"Why are you laughing, do you think my plan is not good? Or do you think I can't destroy Goguryeo?" Li Shimin said angrily.

"No. Haha..." Yue Shan couldn't stop smiling, and quickly waved his hands: "Sorry, I lost my composure."

"Ahem, I don't think you can't destroy Goguryeo, but I think you think highly of them. Now they are like an ant in front of Datang, and they can be destroyed with a flick of a finger."

"Fingers can be destroyed? Hehe..." This time it was Li Shimin's turn to smile: "It is said that you are a theoretical expert in military affairs and know nothing about actual combat. It seems to be true."

Yue Shan was not angry, but said with a smile: "How about we make a bet?"

"How to bet?"

"Just bet that Datang can flatten Goguryeo in one wave."

"What are you gambling?"

"If you lose, give me the section from the Weishui River to Longshou Mountain. If I lose, help you train the emperor's grandson into talents, how about it?"

"Hehe... You won the land, and you lost the teacher who became the emperor's grandson. You have refreshed my understanding of shamelessness." Li Shimin was laughed angrily.

"Just ask if you gamble or not?" Yue Shan smiled lightly.

The sneer on Li Shimin's face gradually disappeared, and he was lost in thought, before he asked for a while, "What can you teach him to be?"

"The battle for the present world in the whole map of the universe is about to begin, and the world will just enter a new era when the emperor's grandson inherits the throne. But I can assure you that there is no one in this world who understands the new era better than me." Yue Shan said confidently:
"As long as you don't interfere, I will teach him to be the most suitable monarch for that era. Let Datang be more brilliant and go further."

Li Shimin nodded slowly, and said: "Okay, I promise, you will be the master of the emperor's grandson no matter you win or lose."

"It's a deal." Yue Shan smiled happily.

"It's a deal." Li Shimin was also very happy.

Yue Shan's ability to educate his apprentices is obvious to all. Although the prince has many teachers, Li Shimin knows very well who is the one who plays a decisive role.

In fact, needless to say, Li Shimin is also planning to entrust the emperor's grandson to him to teach.It's just that the emperor's grandson is not yet a month old, so it's too early to talk about it.But today, Yue Shan took the initiative to mention it, and just took advantage of the situation to settle the matter.

As for the mother and son worshiping the same master... Datang's seniority is already very chaotic, and it doesn't matter if it is a little chaotic.Besides, it's just apprenticeship, and it's something else.

After laughing, Li Shimin asked, "What do you want that piece of land for?"

"Build a cemetery for the family, modeled on Confucius." Yue Shan said.

Li Shimin was stunned for a moment, and said in disbelief, "Where are you going to put the family cemetery?"

Yue Shan asked suspiciously: "Can't you?"

"Let's not talk about Feng Shui first. The Weishui River is next to it, and the academy and medical school are on the other side. Don't you think it's noisy?" Li Shimin said.

"Oh, that's what you said. I'm going to build a burial there. In fact, I'm going to seal and bury some books so that they won't be lost. As for the place to bury people, I'll choose another place." Yue Shan Said.

"You think so far." Li Shimin shook his head.He couldn't understand Yue Shan's thoughts, but whether it was burying people or books, it was up to him.

Anyway, Yue Shan and Li Lizhi must have been buried in the imperial tomb. As for where the rest of the Yue family was buried, Li Shimin didn't care.

In fact, he didn't know Yue Shan's true thoughts at all, and he would be even more surprised if he knew.

Yue Shan is indeed planning to build a Yue Forest there, which is why he has been insisting on planting trees for so many years, and all of them are long-lived and precious trees such as ginkgo.

But this place is not used to bury people, but to prepare books to prevent books from this era from being lost.

As for where to bury him after death, he had already considered it, so he didn't want to bury it.

Cremated, the ashes scattered.

The reason for this is very simple. I don't want to wait for someone to dig up my own grave and put the body on display in a museum.

Of course, these things cannot be told to Li Shimin, for fear that he will misunderstand and leave a will when he is about to die in the future.

"Okay, now you can talk about how you plan to flatten Goguryeo."

(End of this chapter)