Chapter 265: Crowing at dawn, eat less and work more

"Has no one tried to solve the waterlogging along this route?"

Zhu Yijun had been observing the entire way, and could only describe it as a disaster of overflowing water.

The Yellow River had scoured out countless small streams and creeks in Xuzhou, submerging civilian homes and fields. Even after the flood season had passed and the water levels had receded, river water still remained, accumulating into waterlogged areas.

Even the roads were not spared—it was no longer just water channels, there were even pools of water spanning across the middle of the road!

As the party detoured around the road, Zhang Junlü shook his head and provided some popular science to the Emperor: "Your Majesty, it is almost impossible to solve."

"The waterlogging in Xuzhou is primarily due to groundwater replenishment. The open channels are intermittent, making it extremely difficult to delineate the actual catchment area. Coupled with the autumn floods of the Yellow River, the water overflows everywhere, and the flow paths scoured out are not necessarily consistent."

"The geographical situation is particularly complex."

"Besides the geography, every village and household has more or less built their own bridges. They are old, crude, and severely constrict the riverbed. The bridge culverts are too small, severely obstructing floodwaters and causing flooding on both banks."

"When I first took office, I thought about widening the river channels to divert the flow, but for the river sections under my jurisdiction, the dredging of the 32-li embankment belt, plus the compensation for land acquisition, would truly cost a significant amount of silver—"

"Later, when the local people heard the news and knew that the Water Affairs Office wanted to demolish the self-built bridges in the prefecture, people immediately gathered to oppose it, and in the end, it was left unsettled."

The speaker was helpless, and the listener was powerless.

Zhu Yijun suddenly understood a little why the people of Xuzhou would rather abandon the status of the canal's throat and jointly petition to dig a river to divert the water.

This living environment was truly not a long-term solution.

There was silence for a moment.

"Your Majesty, if we travel another two li forward, we will reach Lilinpu."

Zhang Junlü, who was experiencing for the first time that accompanying the Emperor is like accompanying a tiger, having experienced the Emperor's unpredictable moods, reported the station even more carefully.

Winter evenings arrived a little earlier.

Under the setting sun, the building complex two li away could be vaguely seen.

Zhu Yijun gazed at the faint outline of the shop and asked, "Lilinpu—how many shops are there in Xuzhou now? How many corvée laborers?"

【Blank line】

The so-called "shop" was equivalent to a police station with a group dormitory complex, undertaking various functions such as patrolling, public security, well-digging, postal transmission, and catching thieves.

However, the police stations of the River Affairs Office were all bitter jobs, had no establishment, and most of the work was done by corvée laborers who were conscripted.

Zhang Junlü was stunned for a moment.

After all, he was only a Director, and he was not very clear about the entire river section of Xuzhou when the Emperor asked.

At this time, Wan Gong, who was on the side, took over the conversation: "Your Majesty, the shops were established in the 13th year of Yongle by the Earl of Pingjiang, Chen Xuan, who submitted a memorial. From Tongzhou to Yizhen, a shop was set up every five li, totaling 568."

"Through successive dynasties, there have been reductions and streamlining, and until now, there are 427 in total."

"From Xuzhou to Huai'an, the river section is about 605 li long, so there are 61 shops."

"As for the corvée laborers, there are many types, and because of the frequent scheduling of the construction period, it is difficult to count them every time."

The number of corvée laborers for river transport was huge, but the division of labor was particularly detailed.

Lock laborers and slipway laborers were responsible for the ship locks; embankment laborers repaired and guarded the embankments; flood laborers, water-guiding laborers, and scouts were responsible for maintaining the two floods of Xu and Lü, and transporting giant stones; shallow-water laborers were responsible for patrolling, public security, and postal delivery; spring laborers dredged the spring sources to supplement the river water, and so on, too numerous to mention.

Plus, because the prefectures and counties were also conscripted according to specific projects, it was different every month.

Therefore, the Ministry of Works could not count them either.

After Wan Gong finished speaking, Pan Jixun also spoke up at the right time to supplement: "As far as October of this year is concerned, for the section from Xuzhou to Huai'an, there are a total of 7"

"locks, with 110 lock laborers; 169 river embankments, with 2,532 embankment laborers; the three floods of Xuzhou, with 901 flood laborers at Baibu Flood, and 1,550 flood laborers at the two Lüliang floods; the shallow-water laborers in the shops, with a quota of 1,180, and the current active duty should be around 863."

"As for the other corvée laborers, the minister cannot know them all."

The two river experts were not idle people; they followed the Emperor on both sides, and the data came out of their mouths, answering questions and solving doubts for the Emperor.

Zhu Yijun nodded slowly, and he had a rough idea in his heart.

The Earl of Pingjiang said that there were 30,000 corvée laborers in Xuzhou, mostly during the flood season, and outside the autumn flood, it is estimated that the conscripted corvée laborers should be around 8,000.

Zhu Yijun looked at the withered yellow short grass along the bank and the trees stripped bare by the cold wind, and asked curiously: "Are these trees on both sides of the river also planted by the shop corvée laborers?"

The weeping willows brushing the embankment, besides intoxicating the spring mist, also had the practical use of fixing the soil.

Planting trees to fix soil was not a new saying. As early as "Guanzi · Dudi", it was recorded: "Plant thorns to fix the land."

It belongs to the wisdom of the ancestors.

Since the founding of the country, the Earl of Pingjiang, Chen Xuan, through practice, gradually derived a set of mature theories, customizing the planting of willows along the river to fix the embankments. The title of Earl of Pingjiang was not given in vain.

By the beginning of the Jiajing reign, Tao Xie served as the Vice Censor-in-Chief of Henan and directly legislated "planting willows along the river to fix embankments," while teaching different planting methods, which green plants "can protect the embankment to prevent overflowing water," and which grasses and trees "are all specifically for fixing and protecting the embankment."

It's just that Zhu Yijun didn't expect that they were planted so densely, almost catching up with the green belt.

Zhang Junlü looked along the Emperor's gaze and nodded: "Reeds are planted by embankment laborers, grasses and Chinese toon trees are planted by shallow-water laborers, and willows are planted by spring laborers."

The division of labor for corvée laborers was clear, and even the types of trees planted were different.

Wan Gong, who was on the side, saw the Emperor's approving expression and boasted: "Your Majesty, for two hundred years since our dynasty, we have planted diligently without stopping, and the merit is great."

"Just take the willow trees as an example. From Yanzhou in Shandong to Xuzhou and then to Taoyuan, Huai'an, and Yingzhou, Fengyang and other prefectures and counties along the bank, lying willows are planted one per foot, deep willows one per five feet, woven willows one per seven feet, and the willows along the river on both banks are planted one per fifteen steps."

"In the third year of Jingtai, the Earl of Wu Gong asked for merit for the Ministry of Works, saying: 'Densely plant 100,000 willows, and the merit will last for a hundred years.'"

The Earl of Wu Gong was Xu Youzhen.

For Emperor Dai Sect, Xu the Third was indeed a soft bean curd, but in terms of water control, he was still commendable.

Wan Gong, riding on a donkey, raised his chin high: "By last year, 737,700 willow trees had been planted along the river transport banks!"

His pride was overflowing in his words.

Zhu Yijun was also surprised. 700,000 trees!? The number was so large that it was simply unmatched by any previous dynasty.

This did not count other grasses and trees.

While exclaiming, he couldn't help but wonder: "Will no one steal and cut them?"

Trees were excellent building materials and fuel, no different from money dropped on the ground.

Zhang Junlü turned his head and explained: "Your Majesty, the shop patrols are to prohibit theft and felling."

"The River Affairs Office will check regularly. If there are cases of trees not being pruned in time, theft and felling, or insect damage, they will be punished according to the regulations."

This was of course a good thing with a perfect system.

But Zhu Yijun heard it and couldn't help but sigh: "No wonder everyone says that corvée is bitter for people."

Just the part-time tree planting was so cumbersome, not to mention the bitter work of pulling boats, repairing embankments, and moving bricks.

He whipped his horse forward, continuing to talk about the ratio of corvée and recruited laborers, work food silver, and other matters.

As the monarch and ministers were talking, Zhu Yijun suddenly caught a glimpse of several figures in coarse cloth and linen clothes gathering by the roadside, holding saws and other iron tools, surrounding a swaying willow tree.

As soon as his gaze swept over, the willow tree several feet high could not support itself and collapsed with a boom.

A cloud of dust rose, and everyone looked at each other.

If this wasn't stealing and felling willow trees, what was it?

Zhang Junlü's expression was extremely awkward. He had just been boasting about how the Water Affairs Office prohibited theft and felling, and now a case had occurred immediately.

It was even only a few hundred steps away from the Lilinpu shop!

"What are you doing!"

Pulling his horse closer, Zhang Junlü shouted coldly.

The group of thieves turned their heads when they heard the sound, only to find a group of uninvited guests riding on horses, wearing armor and carrying knives, surrounding them.

With this attire, they didn't know which military lords were passing by!

The thieves all shivered and hurriedly leaned back-to-back against each other.

The leader swallowed a few times and struggled to show a smile: "Military lords, everyone has a share. These eight straightest willow trees are our tribute to you military lords. I wish you all great wealth."

As he spoke, he pointed to the willow trees that had been cut down in front of him.

Zhang Junlü's face was ugly.

Only when he got closer did he see that these people had stolen and felled more than one or two trees. Within a hundred steps, more than a dozen large willow trees had already fallen crookedly!

Each one was the result of more than ten years of river transport!

Seeing that the Emperor had no intention of speaking, he immediately shouted coldly: "Stealing and felling willow trees, aren't you afraid of being caught by the shallow-water laborers of Lilinpu and taken to see the official?"

The leading thief thought this meant they didn't dare to accept it.

He cupped his fists and smiled flatteringly: "Lords, don't worry about taking them. We are the shallow-water laborers of Lilinpu!"

Zhang Junlü was stunned and didn't know what to say for a moment.

Zhu Yijun, on the contrary, became interested and looked curiously.

This group of people was mostly in their forties or fifties, wearing coarse linen short jackets, their shoulders and elbows were worn white, their trouser legs were rolled up to their knees, and there was almost no hair on their lower legs, with countless bloody cuts.

As the saying goes, if you jump into the Yellow River, you can't wash it clean, just because the Yellow River water is sticky. After soaking for a long time, you will be peeled off layer by layer—whether it was these thieves, Zhang Junlü, or even the corpse of Zhang Zhan from Peixian, their legs were all hairless like this.

The leader cupped his fists, just revealing his deformed knuckles, all traces of gripping the tow rope for many years.

All these things, they were indeed shallow-water laborers.

Confirming that it was not a disguised ambush, Zhu Yijun crossed the surrounding guards, pulled his horse forward, and looked curiously.

At this time, I don't know which shallow-water laborer had sharp eyes, staring straight at Zhang Junlü, poked his head out and tentatively asked in a low voice: "Old Mr. Zhang? Is it Old Mr. Zhang?"

As soon as the voice fell, a group of shallow-water laborers looked at Zhang Junlü in unison.

"Old Director Zhang? Wasn't he caught in prison by Wu the Boastful?"

"It seems to be him!"

"Old Mr. Zhang! Has the imperial court cleared the old gentleman's name? Thank God!"

A group of people talked at once, suddenly crowded to the front, surrounding Zhang Junlü and looking at him again and again.

The leading thief stared for a long time, and suddenly grinned: "It's me, it's me, the shallow-water laborer chief of Lilinpu, Wang Wu! The old gentleman stayed in our shop a few years ago, and he even slept in my room!"

Zhang Junlü was released from prison unclearly, and he didn't know if it counted as a clean body. At this moment, being surrounded by corvée laborers with concern, he subconsciously turned his head away.

Zhu Yijun looked at this welcoming scene and couldn't help but glance at Deng Yizan behind him.

From the attitude of this group of corvée laborers, one could see Zhang Junlü's reputation among the people. Titles like "Old Gentleman" and "Blue Sky" are not something that can be called out easily.

Taking a step back, if he stayed in the Prefectural Yamen all day without touching the ground, how could the corvée laborers recognize his face?

These calls of "Old Gentleman" must have been stepped out step by step by leading the corvée laborers on the river transport.

This formed a sharp contrast with the nickname of Prefect Wu Zhipeng—the so-called "Wu the Boastful" was not called in vain. If he circled a small pool, it was a well-built reservoir. If he dug a few cubic feet of earth and stone, he dared to report that the Yellow River had been dredged.

Although the corvée laborers were happy to be idle, they knew better than anyone who was good and who was bad between Zhang and Wu.

Zhu Yijun pulled his horse and walked in, setting the tone for the bewildered Zhang Junlü, and said: "We are reviewing Director Zhang's case, and this time we are surveying the river situation, which is also for this reason."

"If there are no major loopholes, Director Zhang's innocence will be returned in a few days."

The group of corvée laborers heard this, and they were happy.

Zhu Yijun changed the subject and looked at the shallow-water laborer chief: "Wang Wu, right—so, you stole and felled willow trees, did you learn it during Director Zhang's tenure? Did Director Zhang really neglect his duty?"

The shallow-water laborer chief heard this and was very anxious, almost jumping up.

He hurriedly explained: "No, no! We have never done this before! On the contrary, after Old Director Zhang left, the masters had no scruples, and it became more and more difficult for us to eat. There was no way, so we found a way out for ourselves."

The people behind the Emperor heard this and exchanged glances tacitly.

Difficult to eat? Forced to cut down trees? It sounded like an excuse.

Wan Gong couldn't help but ask: "Are you force laborers or recruited laborers?"

"The imperial court has long had regulations. Shallow-water force laborers have a grain ration of three dou per month, and shallow-water recruited laborers have a monthly silver of one tael and two mace. How can you not have food to eat?"

The so-called force laborers are those who perform corvée labor in person; while recruited laborers are those who do not want to exert effort when they should perform corvée labor, so they pay money to the government, and the government recruits small workers to perform the service.

The former is issued grain rations, with a quota of three dou per month. Now the market price of one dou of rice is 53 wen.

The latter's wages are different depending on the type of work and the month, "lock laborers and bridge laborers have work food silver of nine mace per month, and the rest are all one tael" - "those far away have a value of one tael and two mace per month, and those near have a value of nine mace per month."

This is all silver that the Ministry of Works has to flow out every year, clearly and clearly, how can it make people have no food to eat?

The shallow-water laborer chief saw that Wan Gong had the style of an official master and was a new face, so he couldn't determine his identity and hesitated to speak.

But the people behind him couldn't hold back, raised their necks and replied indignantly: "We are force laborers. Before, we had three dou of grain rations every month, and it was indeed managed."

"But the masters went crazy, saying that starting this month, we have to save one jin of grain every day!"

Corvée laborers naturally have no saying of orders and prohibitions. Someone started, and it immediately became noisy.

"If it weren't for this, we wouldn't have come to cut down the embankment protection trees. Our village is still by the river!"

"The Inspector Master said that from now on, only one dou will be given every month until the work is finished. We will all be hungry, and if we don't have food to eat, what will we use to pull the boat!"

Everyone was stunned. Save one jin of grain a day?

Zhu Yijun looked at the expressions of these corvée laborers, not like faking, and his brows frowned even tighter.

One dou is ten liters, and the weight of different grain rations is not the same.

For example, one dou of millet is about 13.5 jin, and one dou of wheat is 14.5 jin.

Shallow-water laborers are heavy laborers. The quantitative level of three dou of grain rations is more than the 39.7 jin of heavy labor planned in the special era of later generations, which is at a reasonable level.

But if it is reduced to one dou—then you can only eat chaff and vegetables!

Zhang Junlü heard this and was furious, forgetting that he was the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, and roared angrily: "Save one jin of grain a day? Who is so insane!?"

The shallow-water laborer chief subconsciously shivered when he heard Old Director Zhang's wording.

He hurriedly cupped his fists and begged for mercy: "Old Mr. Zhang, don't dare to say insane!"

The companions echoed repeatedly.

"Not insane! Not insane at all!"

Someone lowered his voice and reminded Zhang Junlü to take back his words: "I heard that it was the golden words of the Emperor."

The shallow-water laborer chief saw his companions saying whatever they wanted, and was secretly annoyed.

He didn't dare to cut off the conversation, and cried out his innocence again: "Because of this, the Inspector Master also said that this month should only be issued one dou, but the Emperor hadn't issued an order at the beginning of the month, and it was too late to deduct it, so we owe two dou—"

The ministers listened to the accusations of the corvée laborers, and their expressions were strange.

Unexpectedly, this bad name was actually pinned on the Emperor's head.

"Nonsense!"

The Ceremonial Guard was the first to be unable to bear the Emperor's bad name, and Wei Chao directly scolded: "Where did you hear this street evil talk, it simply pollutes people's ears!"

The shallow-water laborer chief shivered.

He heard the meaning of questioning the crime and hurriedly explained: "Yi! It's not that I heard it randomly, it's what the Prefectural Yamen said!"

He reached out and pointed to the shallow shop not far away: "Lords, look, the Inspector Master hung a banner at noon!"

Wei Chao frowned and subconsciously looked in the direction of the shallow-water laborer.

At this moment, the sky had completely darkened, and the vision was not very good.

The shops not far away were densely packed with houses. Outside the shops, lanterns were lit to guide the river boats, so they could barely see the banners a hundred steps away.

Coming into view, everyone was shocked as if they had seen a ghost!

I saw that the shops were covered with banners.

【To support the Wanli New Deal, save one jin of grain a day】

【Serving the imperial court today with consideration, the New Deal will benefit the people tomorrow】

【Eating only one dou is good, save grain for old age】

The slogans full of power were right in front of them, from the Emperor to the corvée laborers, all of them were red-faced under these banners.

Just when the atmosphere was strange.

A thin boy ran all the way from the direction of the shop, rolling and crawling.

He kept shouting in his mouth: "Fifth Uncle! It's not good, Fifth Uncle!"

"The fellow villagers in the shop don't know what they ate wrong, now everyone is foaming at the mouth and having diarrhea!"

As soon as the voice fell, the shallow-water laborer chief's face changed drastically: "What!?"

Shallow-water laborers are all people from both banks who serve near their homes. Wang Wu is only forty years old, but he has a very high seniority in the village and can just manage the younger generation, so he was appointed as the shallow-water shop elder, commonly known as the shallow-water laborer chief.

It is precisely because of this that if anyone dies outside, he, the uncle, has no face to face the fellow villagers.

At this moment, hearing that the fellow villagers were foaming at the mouth, his face turned pale immediately.

The boy held the shallow-water laborer chief's arm, panting heavily, his expression anxious and unbearable: "Quick, Fifth Uncle, follow me to call a doctor!"

Vomiting and diarrhea are mostly food poisoning. Once this symptom misses the time for treatment, even gods can't save them.

The tow laborer chief also knew the urgency, grabbed the boy directly, and ran out.

A group of tow laborers didn't care about the willow trees that had just been cut on the ground and hurriedly followed.

In the blink of an eye, the roadside became quiet.

When the ministers turned their heads and intended to ask the Emperor for instructions, they saw that Jiang Keqian had already led people to pull the horses and turn around, chasing the shallow-water laborer chief.

It was the Embroidered Uniform Guard who took on the task of saving lives and healing the wounded, fast people and fast horses, helping to call a doctor.

As for the Emperor, he had already silently whipped his horse to follow the group of shallow-water laborers and headed towards Lilinpu. ===== CHAPTER 266 =====