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Chapter 170 Blackstone Mountain

It was obvious that Bai Qihong was extremely anxious about the canal construction. After pouring out his bitterness, he seemed to not want to delay any longer, so he said to Lu Qing: "Your Highness has seen the situation here. This is really not a place suitable for sightseeing. I am too busy to do anything, and I have no way to entertain Your Highness.

Your Highness, please take the previous reminder to heart. I'm sorry I don't have time to entertain you. Your Highness, please rest in this shack for a while and then go somewhere else!"

After saying that, he bowed to Lu Qing again and turned to leave.

"Master Bai," Zhu Yu hurriedly called out to him upon seeing this. Thinking that Bai Qihong might not respond if he directly asked him about the doubts he had in his mind, he deliberately changed his words, "We have traveled all the way here, and we can clearly see the terrain along the way.

The terrain is lower to the east here, so digging a canal to the east will be more efficient. However, the canal outside is in a higher place to the northwest, so it needs to be dug deeper and farther.

I would like to ask, since the flooding here is serious and drainage is imminent, the drainage should follow the terrain. Why do you seem to be digging the canal in a roundabout way instead of the direct route?

Just now I saw that the adults spoke sincerely and seemed to have a sincere heart for the people of Huazhou, but why are what they do completely different from what they say?
Could it be that your calling yourself a gentleman just now was just lip service?"

"Hey! Don't be unreasonable!" As soon as Zhu Yu finished speaking, Lu Qing started to "scold" him, but his tone didn't sound very forceful. It was more of a painless formality than a scolding.

Bai Qihong was naturally a little unhappy when he was said this, but he did not show much anger. He just frowned, and seemed to be more helpless.

"Of course I know digging a canal eastward is the most efficient way, but if we dig all the way east, we'll be at the border with Shuo Kingdom." He shook his head and sighed, "The emperor has decreed that canals must not be dug toward the border."

Zhu Yu was a little surprised.

The reason why Shuo State was not good at farming, in addition to the fact that there were many mines, was the lack of water.

Shuo State has always had little rain, especially the side adjacent to Jin State, which does not even have any large rivers or lakes.

Due to the lack of water, the harvest of grain is less than half of that in Jin State, and fish, shrimp and other aquatic products can only be bought by people in the neighboring country of Lan State.

It is said that the people of Shuo are easygoing and not picky about food and drink. In fact, the root cause is that they do not have the money to pay attention to the fine details of food and drink.

Zhu Yu had also wondered before why his father never asked anyone to discuss things like jointly building canals with the people of Jin, and he thought his father was only concerned with smelting and forging.

Only now did I realize that the Jin State would not allow anyone to build a canal to the border of the Shuo State.

"So Minister Bai is planning to divert the water to the Luan River in the northwest?" Lu Qing looked outside. The rain, which had stopped not long ago, began to fall again, even heavier than before. "The Luan River is at least dozens of miles away from here. If we dig like this, I'm afraid we won't be able to make it in time.

Firstly, before the canal is connected to the Luan River, the water from upstream will rush down and the canal in front may be destroyed.

Secondly, the Luan River already has many tributaries flowing into it, and the water level rises significantly every rainy season. If another canal is diverted across, even if it can alleviate the flooding problems faced by the people in Huazhou, what will happen to the people in Liangzhou downstream if the Luan River floods?

Bai Qihong looked at Lu Qing in surprise.

Of course, he was very clear about what Lu Qing said. As the Minister of Works for so many years, he had done his job diligently.

However, due to his father-in-law's relationship, he had never had any serious dealings with the King of Freedom. The outside world said that this was a man who had only known how to copy scriptures and pray in Taoist temples since childhood, and when he grew up and was taken back to the capital, he was immediately dazzled by the world of pleasure, and from then on he became a dissolute person, indulging in sensual pleasures.

In short, there is no form at all.

Therefore, Duke Yan always showed contempt and disgust towards Lu Qing, but Bai Qihong did not think much about it.

The last time Cao Tianbao's nephew was framed, it was widely circulated in the circles of the capital. Bai Qihong was a little surprised after hearing it. He didn't expect that such a rumored playboy not only had very capable retainers, but also had a broad mind.

After hearing what Lu Qing said, it was obvious that he was well aware of the topography within a few hundred miles of Huazhou. Even if he was not proficient in dredging water conservancy, he at least knew some tricks.

This is definitely not a trait that a playboy would display.

"I've thought of everything your Highness has said, but I'm caught in a dilemma." He suppressed his surprise and sighed, "If we divert the water into the Luan River, Liangzhou might be affected, or it might not be a big deal. There's a 50-50 chance of success after all.

If the water is not diverted there, Huazhou will definitely not be able to hold on.

If this continues, failing to harvest a single grain would be the least of our worries. I'm afraid the people's houses will not be able to withstand the flooding.

If the people have no roof over their heads and no food to eat, and there are starving people everywhere, Huazhou will be in chaos.

I had no choice but to dig a canal as quickly as possible to divert the water into the Luan River."

"I don't think so." Unlike Bai Qihong, whose face was filled with grief and helplessness, Lu Qing didn't seem worried at all after hearing all that. "Have you ever thought of another possibility, Minister Bai?

If you had the canal dig from the northwest to the east, without any turns, you could drain all the water that has accumulated in Huazhou in the shortest possible time."

Zhu Yu had originally been frowning at Bai Qihong's words, thinking this was indeed a difficult decision. But now, when Lu Qing told them to dig the canal eastward without even making a turn...

Following Lu Qing's words, she guessed in her mind the direction he was pointing. After a brief moment of confusion, she soon understood his intention. As she suddenly understood, she couldn't help but look at him twice more.

While Zhu Yu was guessing the direction Lu Qing was pointing to, Bai Qihong was doing the same thing in his mind.

But it was obvious that he did not know Lu Qing well, and did not have the tacit understanding with Zhu Yu that he could understand at a glance. So when he realized where Lu Qing was asking him to dig the canal, his expression became even more confused.

"Your Highness, do you know that if you dig straight east from here, there is a mountain within 20 or 30 miles?" He thought Lu Qing had some knowledge of the topography of this area, but not much, so he said this, "That mountain is called Black Stone Mountain, it is dozens of feet high, with steep cliffs and is extremely dangerous.

The west side of the mountain is the territory of our Dajinhuazhou, and the east side of the mountain is the Shuo Kingdom.

The black stones of the Black Stone Mountain are also extremely hard and cannot be split or broken with ordinary tools.

You asked us to dig a canal to the foot of the mountain. Could it be that Black Stone Mountain can drink water?"

(End of this chapter)