Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 526 Asking for advice
Knowing that if he volunteered to go and tamed the river, it would be tantamount to being exiled, and he would never have the luxury of a high bed, soft pillows, luxurious cars and beautiful women again, Zhang Luan was no longer in a hurry to make achievements.

The next day, Zhang Luan did not go to court either. Instead, after the morning court session, the emperor sent a sedan chair to take him to the palace, saying that he had something important to discuss with him.

Zhang Luan sat in the sedan chair with a cane in his hand, taking in everything inside the palace, feeling very proud.

Have a look.

My son-in-law is the current emperor, and I, the father-in-law of the emperor, am carried into the palace. How glorious is that?

Even in my dreams, I never dared to imagine that I would be treated like this!

"We're here. Mr. Zhang, please go slowly."

When the sedan chair arrived at the place, Zhang Luan lifted the curtain and got out, and someone immediately came to support him.

Zhang Luan looked at this person curiously: "I wonder who you are...?"

The visitor was wearing a purple velvet coat and a tweed hat, looking elderly and serious. He said with a smile, "My name is Dai Yi, currently working in the Imperial Household Department. Nice to meet you, Mr. Zhang."

"Eunuch Dai? Alas! Look at me, I can't even recognize all the people in the Imperial Household Department. I'm really offended. I hope you can forgive me." Zhang Luan quickly stood up and apologized in a friendly manner.

Dai Yi smiled and said, "It is my great honor to meet Mr. Zhang... We are familiar with each other after meeting each other, so if we meet again in the future, we will know each other, right?"

Zhang Luan nodded: "That's right. Next time we meet, I'll know you're the eunuch Dai... Thank you for your help."

"Please. His Majesty has been in there for a while."

Zhang Luan was then invited to the Qianqing Palace.

When Zhang Luan raised his head and saw that there was still some distance to go, he felt a little unhappy.

Why don’t you just carry me to the gate of the Qianqing Palace?
Do I have to walk the last part of this journey by myself?
Zhang Luan, leaning on his cane, had just taken a few steps when Qin Ji came out of the palace gate to greet him.

Seeing an old acquaintance, Zhang Luan finally relaxed a little. After Dai Yi and the others left, Zhang Luan asked in a low voice: "Eunuch Qin, who is that Eunuch Dai?"

Qin Ji glanced at Dai Yi's back and introduced him with a smile: "Eunuch Dai is the new chief of the Imperial Household Department."

"Oh, I wonder how many scribes there are in the Imperial Household Department now?"

Zhang Luan asked casually.

"hehe."

Qin Ji smiled and did not answer.

Zhang Luan was slightly startled, then he scratched his head in embarrassment: "Is it too presumptuous to ask this?"

"This……"

Qin Ji hesitated for a moment and said, "Perhaps you really shouldn't ask. There is a difference between inside and outside. What's the point of asking these questions? Oh, by the way, His Majesty has just issued an order that Eunuch Wei Tai will retire in the capital from today. He has specially arranged a house and food for him. Eunuch Huai En has now taken over the position of the seal holder."

"what!?"

When Zhang Luan heard this, he was shocked and thought, I haven't been to the palace for just a few days, but such big changes have taken place in the inner court?
Huai En got promoted just like that?
But when I think about it again, I feel that everything makes sense.

Zhang Luan thought to himself that Huai'en was always highly respected.

I had seen it a long time ago. Recently the emperor only listened to him, and he was the one who spoke mostly in the court. As expected, he was finally in charge of the inner court team.

"Then...what about Eunuch Tan Chang?"

Zhang Luan was very curious.

The eunuch who held the seal of the Imperial Household Department stepped down. According to the rules of the Cabinet, the second assistant minister should take over the position, and the corresponding eunuch in the palace should also take over the position of holding the seal.

But now it is obvious that Huai En has made a leap!

Tan Ji shook his head and said, "Maintain the status quo and let him still be the commander of the East Factory."

"That……"

Zhang Luan thought about it carefully, and suddenly felt that there was nothing wrong with this. He nodded thoughtfully, "It seems that after all the trouble, the inner court has finally returned to its previous state."

"You mean..." Qin Ji thought for a moment, then smiled brightly, "Come to think of it, this just happens to match the situation of the Imperial Household Department more than a year ago."

Zhang Luan hurriedly complimented him: "Isn't it that Eunuch Tan has taken the position? I guess you are highly respected in the Imperial Household Department, right?"

Qin Ji quickly waved his hand and said, "I am not capable enough. I am learning how to handle government affairs so that I can better help Your Majesty."

Zhang Luan thought, you have become the third in command of the Imperial Household Department in just a few days of study... Will you be able to become the chief scribe in the next step?

If you are in power in the future, don't forget me, your old acquaintance!
……

……

In the Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Youtang was still reviewing memorials to the emperor. When he knew Zhang Luan was coming, he stood up to greet him and invited him to sit on a chair beside him.

"Your Majesty, I will just stand and talk."

Zhang Luan said respectfully.

"Sit down first."

Zhu Youtang smiled and said, "I have something I want to discuss with my father-in-law. It's something that's on my mind, and I really can't help but speak it out."

"what!?"

Zhang Luan looked a little nervous, and hurriedly defended himself: "I did not do well in some aspects, but my body did not allow it. But I have tried my best."

Zhu Youtang blinked his eyes and asked curiously, "Father-in-law, what are you talking about? Why don't I understand?"

Zhang Luan looked at Huai En standing beside him and asked tentatively, "Isn't Your Majesty talking about the case of Liang Fang and others?"

"Liang Fang and Wei Xing..."

Zhu Youtang shook his head, "Don't worry about their affairs, that's not what I want to say!"

Huai En smiled and said, "Mr. Zhang, don't be too hasty. Liang Fang can't run away, so the case can be delayed until the New Year. His Majesty means that the people involved in the case should be treated with a gentle strategy. On behalf of His Majesty, you have reduced the crimes of most people, which has achieved His Majesty's intention."

Zhu Youtang nodded: "Huai Daban is right, my father-in-law has done a good job. If it were me, maybe until now... things would still be unresolved."

Zhang Luan seemed ashamed: "I have done nothing, so I dare not accept such praise from your majesty."

Zhu Youtang smiled and said, "I want to talk to you, father-in-law, about river management."

"River control?" Zhang Luan was stunned for a moment.

Why does everyone want to talk to me about river management now?

I was originally quite interested, but after being scared by my son, I now just want to live a life of idleness and wait for death. I'd better leave the feat of river management that will go down in history to others.

I am an old man half buried in the ground, and you want me to do hard work just to gain fame?

Sorry, I don't have such great dedication.

Zhu Youtang asked, "Father-in-law, you know about the frequent floods in the Yellow River, right?"

"This one……"

Zhang Luan looked at Huai En first, and when he saw that he was also looking at him with a smile, he lowered his head and replied, "I was born in the market and have lived along the canal for a long time. How could I not know? The Yellow River has been flooded for many years recently, both in spring and summer, and the people have been tormented a lot."

Zhu Youtang nodded: "When my father was alive, he always said that he wanted to re-plan the Yellow River course... I want to fulfill this wish for my father."

Zhang Luan asked, "Your Majesty, the river works are very expensive. Can the court afford such a large expense at present?"

"Let Huai Daiban speak."

Zhu Youtang obviously only had a vague understanding of the matter himself.

In other words, he was also the one who was provoked.

Then he threw the question to Huai En who was standing beside him.

Huai En introduced: "Mr. Zhang, it is like this. The expenses for river management, as well as manpower and material resources, are basically all funded by the local government. This matter can bring huge benefits to the local area, and I think it will gain unanimous support from officials and the public."

Zhang Luan smiled bitterly and continued to ask, "Are the local governments really that determined to control the river?"

"Father-in-law, what do you mean by that?"

Zhu Youtang asked in surprise, "It seems that you know something about this matter. Can you tell me about it? You are knowledgeable and I think your opinion may help me make up for my shortcomings in this regard."

"what?"

Zhang Luan was a little embarrassed for a moment.

He thought to himself, fortunately Li Zisheng and my son Yanling had already mentioned the issue of river management to me before, and explained both the pros and cons, which was like giving me cheat sheets in advance.

Otherwise, if I come to see the emperor today and suddenly hear this question and can't answer anything, wouldn't that be embarrassing?

Zhang Luan calmed himself down and said loudly, "Your Majesty, I just have some superficial opinions."

"Go ahead."

Zhu Youtang said anxiously, "Huai Daiban also said something before."

Zhang Luan said modestly: "I dare not compare myself with someone as knowledgeable as Eunuch Huai. My idea is...the disaster relief of the Yellow River often has a certain lag."

“What is hysteresis?”

Zhu Youtang asked curiously.

"That is to say... a large-scale flood must occur before the imperial court and local officials and people will make up their minds to carry out the transformation..."

Zhang Luan said, "Although there have been disasters along the Yellow River in recent years, they are far from being unaffordable for the local governments. So if we want to rebuild the Yellow River, I'm afraid that we will get very little response from the court to the local governments."

Zhu Youtang frowned: "What my father-in-law said is somewhat similar to what Huai Daban said."

"is it?"

Zhang Luan was very grateful.

Fortunately, it’s fortunate that I can be compared with people like Huai En, which fully reflects my value.

Look at Huai En again.

Sure enough, Huai En's gaze became much more cautious.

This means that people are starting to respect me.

I can finally hold my head up high and feel proud.

Zhu Youtang continued, "But I still can't understand, if it is a great thing that will benefit future generations, why do we have to wait until a disaster occurs before we can deal with it? Do we have to wait until there are countless casualties and countless victims before everyone from top to bottom is determined to deal with the river?"

Zhang Luan said, "I'm afraid that's the only way. After all, the Yellow River's disaster prevention is different from other places. The Yellow River is mainly flooded in the spring. In the rainy summer, the rivers in the north and south are more likely to flood. However, floods in the Yellow River at this time... are not common."

Huai En quickly agreed: "As Mr. Zhang said, the spring disaster management coincides with the busy farming season, which will bring many inconveniences to the local area."

Zhu Youtang nodded, as if he understood something, and asked again: "Excuse me, father-in-law, what is the difficulty in changing the course of the Yellow River?"

Huai En looked at Zhang Luan with a smile, and his eyes seemed to say: Come on, it's your turn to show off again.

Zhang Luan was now more confident, and responded directly with a "killing look", as if to say, who are you looking down on?
If you bring cheat sheets with you when you go out, you won’t be shy!

This means that I, Zhang, am lucky. I have knowledgeable people around me, and I can handle the situation by just making up a few words.

Zhang Luan said sternly: "Your Majesty, in my opinion, the most important thing about the Yellow River diversion is not the huge amount of manpower and material resources required, but the location of the river."

"Ah."

Zhu Youtang nodded, "Go on."

"But, without a major disaster, the Yellow River has not chosen its own path to the sea, so it is not easy to dig a river channel on its own. Since ancient times, the Yellow River's course has usually changed after a large-scale breach of the dam, allowing it to freely choose its direction, and then planning the river channel based on its direction."

Zhang Luan replied calmly.

Zhu Youtang said, "If the river channel is not well planned, there will indeed be problems. Even if the Yellow River water is diverted there, it may not be smooth. It is very likely that in a few years... the river channel will be clogged again due to problems such as terrain, and floods will occur again. Is that what you mean?"

Zhang Luan smiled and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

Zhu Youtang nodded: "It seems that we should send people to the local area to survey and find the best river site selection plan. What's next?"

“Once the river site is chosen, construction will begin.”

Zhang Luan said, "The Jianghuai area will freeze in winter, so we can only dig the river before autumn or after spring... But we will face a disaster right after spring, so time is very tight. We want to finish it before the spring flood next year... This..."

Zhu Youtang quickly said, "It's not that urgent. As long as it can be repaired in the next few years, it's fine."

(End of this chapter)