Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 524: Giving credit?
Night falls.

The mansion of Lizi Province, located outside the capital, was brightly lit.

Zhang Luan was filled with emotion when he revisited his old place. Standing on the covered bridge and looking into the distance, he saw a troupe of actors passing by on the opposite side and he couldn't help but take a few more glances.

After Li Zisheng finished explaining things to Pang Qing, he came over and saw Zhang Luan looking at the actors from a high place. He thought Zhang Luan had some thoughts, so he smiled and said, "Don't worry, the show will start after the banquet is over."

"what?"

Zhang Luan quickly retracted his gaze, looking a little embarrassed, and shook his head and sighed, "I... I didn't mean that, I just simply admired it..."

Li Zisheng smiled and said, "Laizhan, you don't have to be embarrassed. In fact, these are the rules of the opera industry. With your current power and status, they should know what to do when they come here to perform, and you don't even need to ask."

Zhang Luan said: "In fact, I just suddenly had a lot of insights into life... It has only been a little over half a year, and I feel that time has changed. My mood is very different from when I came to the capital before. For a moment, I felt that the world has changed dramatically."

"Laizhan, you are different from before."

Li Zisheng said meaningfully.

"Different? Why?"

Zhang Luan was bewildered.

"what?"

Li Zisheng took a closer look at Zhang Luan and changed his words: "Now it seems the same. The reason may be in your mentality. You can stay consistent, unlike some people who lose their original intentions after suddenly gaining power... You are the only one who is so honest, which is precious!"

"Cough cough."

Zhang Luan looked very embarrassed.

I was thinking, first you say I’m different from before, and then you say I’m the same!
When you talk about feelings, everything becomes a repetitive conversation, repeated over and over again. Can you explain it completely according to your own ideas?

"Please take your seats."

Li Zisheng did not dwell on these issues too much and pointed to the warm room in front to greet them.

"it is good."

Zhang Luan picked up the crutch beside him again, and walked forward with Li Zisheng using it.

……

……

On the table.

Li Zisheng prepared some low-alcohol wine for Zhang Luan that day, and he did not urge him to drink. The general meaning was that it was up to him to drink or not. Anyway, the purpose of today was not to get drunk.

The food tastes delicious.

Li Zisheng just started the conversation: "Laizhan, do you know why Eunuch Huai mentioned the Yellow River's diversion at the court meeting today?"

"Appreciate further details."

Zhang Luan was dealing with it while thinking.

Why didn’t I notice this before?

Please ask my son for his opinion before doing anything. Now that you ask, I can only respond with caution.

Seeing that Zhang Luan was giving him face and didn't refuse to drink, Li Zisheng poured another glass for Zhang Luan, then said quietly: "In the past ten years or so, the weather has been generally good throughout the world, without any major natural disasters or man-made disasters, except for the Central Plains, where the Yellow River floods have not stopped."

Zhang Luan nodded and said, "I know about this."

"you know?"

Li Zisheng raised his head and looked at Zhang Luan in confusion.

Zhang Luan sighed, "I have lived in Xingji for the past twenty years... Although Xingji is a little far from the Yellow River, every time there is a disaster, hungry people will migrate along the canal. How could I not know this?

"When that happened, the Xingji government had to arrange disaster relief to prevent people from starving to death in the area. Later, when the Yellow River burst its banks in the south, the victims all ran to Xingji, perhaps because they thought they could survive by fleeing to us."

"hehe."

Li Zisheng smiled and complimented, "Laizhan, you have been among the people for decades and have a deep understanding of the sufferings of the people. No wonder you can become a good minister who governs the country."

Zhang Luan felt embarrassed by the praise.

I thought to myself, it seems that my life at the bottom of society over the past few decades has become a test in your eyes?
In order to curry favor with me, you really put a lot of thought into saying nice things!
If we talk about changes, you, Li, have changed the most. You didn't say so many flatterers before.

To be honest, when we were dating before, you, as the superior, felt more sincere.

Li Zisheng continued, "During the previous dynasty, the Yellow River suffered frequent floods. The late emperor had always wanted to divert the Yellow River, but the huge amount of manpower and material resources required, coupled with resistance from the court, meant that this matter had never been implemented."

"Ah."

Zhang Luan nodded, then picked up the wine glass and drank.

Li Zisheng asked in surprise: "Why are you drinking by yourself?"

Zhang Luan's eyes turned from distracted to focused after hearing this, and he said awkwardly: "I thought you can do as you please."

"Hey, you are really an honest man. Let's just do as we please and drink our own drinks." Li Zisheng smiled and filled the glass in front of Zhang Luan with wine.

Zhang Luan said, "Minister Li, please continue. I still have many things I don't understand about state affairs and I urgently need your guidance."

Li Zisheng said, "There are some things that the court officials don't know much about. Before the late emperor fell ill, he often summoned me and told me many things about the past. That's why I know more about the secrets of the court than others. The late emperor has always been concerned about the diversion of the Yellow River. He may have mentioned it many times in front of the crown prince, so Your Majesty is so concerned about it."

"Oh."

Zhang Luan suddenly realized and said with emotion, "This is right. Your Majesty is a benevolent and filial monarch. After ascending the throne, he wanted to do something practical to comfort the spirit of the late emperor in heaven and benefit the people. Therefore, promoting the diversion of the Yellow River is really a good thing that kills two birds with one stone."

Li Zisheng smiled and nodded: "That's what I mean."

Zhang Luan hesitated and said, "But..."

"Laizhan, I know what you mean... The diversion of the Yellow River is such a big thing that it can never be done overnight! Since ancient times, whenever a large river is diverted, most of them have experienced painful lessons, such as a river bursting its banks, flooding, and swamping the land for thousands of miles. In the end, the river water changed its course on its own and found a more suitable channel for entering the sea... But because of this, every diversion also means countless bones and lives are lost..."

When Li Zisheng said this, he suddenly became emotional and his eyes became a little red.

Zhang Luan thought to himself, it is not easy for you, Li Zisheng, to say these words.

Li Zisheng continued: "The late emperor sent people to the local area for exploration many times and selected some alternative plans that could successfully change the course of the Yellow River. Unfortunately, there has been no optimal strategy... You also know that the Yellow River is different from other rivers."

"What's the difference?"

Zhang Luan asked quickly.

Li Zisheng asked curiously, "You are well-educated and proficient in the art of prophecy and divination. Don't you know anything about geography?"

Zhang Luan tried to save face: "I... don't know what Minister Li is talking about. There are many differences, right? But I don't know which ones are the most important."

"Ah."

Li Zisheng accepted this explanation and patiently explained, "The Yellow River has too much silt. Every year, a large amount of sediment is deposited, making the task of dredging the river extremely arduous. The riverbank is overwhelmed by the burden, which is also the result of years of accumulation."

Zhang Luan nodded: "I understand. After this flood is over, the next flood will only be more serious than the last one because more silt will accumulate, causing the riverbed to become higher, or even become a suspended river on land?"

"Correct."

Li Zisheng nodded heavily and said, "Moreover, the Yellow River floods are mostly caused by the peach blossom flood, which is different from other major rivers. The peach blossom flood is often the spring planting season in northern China, so it is difficult to mobilize too many laborers to the riverside to guard the embankments and carry out heightening and reinforcement. This causes every flood to come so unexpectedly."

Zhang Luan said: "That's right. Who would be willing to accept the imperial court's assignment of corvée labor during the spring planting season? Not only the Yellow River, but even the local rivers in Xingji will be involved in flood prevention and control, and sometimes a large number of people will be allocated to participate... The common people are overwhelmed by it!"

Li Zisheng smiled and said, "That's it. Everyone wants to cure the disease all at once, but it's not that easy in reality. I was also thinking, if Laizhan can help His Majesty accomplish all this..."

"what!?"

Zhang Luan was shocked and waved his hands quickly, "Minister Li, don't laugh. How can I be so worthy? I know nothing about flood control.

"Besides, didn't the previous emperor plan for so long, but in the end it all came to nothing?"

Li Zisheng said: "It is precisely because the late emperor sent people to investigate on the spot and told me about this matter that I paid attention to it and discussed it with you today.

"This is the situation. I know clearly who the previous emperor sent to investigate, what they found, and who are the ones who are doing real work and who are just messing around."

"Minister Li, you mean to say..."

Zhang Luan became more and more confused and looked at Li Zisheng strangely.

"Laizhan, this matter still depends entirely on you in the end, doesn't it?"

Li Zisheng said with a serious face.

"Ah? On me?"

Zhang Luan continued to be confused.

Li Zisheng said with a smile: "Laizhan, you have the ability to see through the sky, can't you calculate where the Yellow River flows into the sea and how it flows into the sea, so that it can be stable for hundreds of years?
"As long as you come up with a specific plan, I will help you find someone to implement it. As for the expenses, etc., although it is huge, if the local area can really solve the flood problem once and for all, I believe that even ordinary people will have no reason to refuse, right?"

Zhang Luan pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "I understand. The river reconstruction can be done during the slack season, but disaster prevention must be done during the spring flood season and spring planting."

"exactly!"

Li Zisheng laughed loudly, and while confirming, he also praised: "So Laizhan, you either don't understand or don't think deeply about it. Didn't you understand it immediately?

"But then again, it will probably take several years to change the course of the Yellow River, and the amount of manpower and material resources mobilized is indeed unimaginable. If it can really be completed, even if it doesn't benefit future generations, it will at least benefit the present, right?"

"Yep."

Zhang Luan was inexplicably excited, thinking, is Li Zisheng going to give me a huge credit?
wrong!

If he had the ability to complete it, why didn't he complete it for the late emperor in the previous dynasty?
Wouldn’t the late emperor’s trust in him be even greater?
This kind of thing not only costs money and manpower, but also requires one to understand the secrets of nature and find the correct river channel in advance... It is really not something that Li Zisheng can accomplish.

broken!

I was almost fooled by this old guy.

Zhang Luan thought, no wonder he came to tell me about this, it turns out he didn’t want to give me great wealth for nothing, but wanted to grab the credit from me, right?

Let me become famous for him?
(End of this chapter)