Chapter 74                                                                                                                             �

Just when Zhou Mengchen felt that the experiment was very sufficient and he was determined to spend the money, something happened to the Yellow River.

Since the beginning of summer on both sides of the Yellow River this year, summer rain has continued. The waves of the Yellow River have surpassed the waves, impacting the embankments on both sides.

The river governor Hu Song faced a difficult choice in the face of the surging Yellow River.

"Sir, make up your mind." said a man who looked like a servant, "The dam can no longer hold on now. There have been many dangers. The flood must be discharged."

Hu Song gritted his teeth and said, "What do you know? Where can I release the flood at this time? What is the difference between a flood discharge and a dam breaking?"

With the organizational capabilities of the Ming Dynasty, how could all local people be moved out before the flood discharge? This is simply impossible. At that time, when the flood discharge starts, I don’t know how many people will drown. At that time, Hu Song’s black hat could not be preserved.

Even for Hu Song, this is even more unacceptable than breaking the dam.

If it is a dam breaking, it is just Hu Song's dereliction of duty. After all, everyone in the world knows what the Yellow River looks like. Many times, no wonder people who manage the river through the Yellow River breaking the dam breaking. But if it is said that many people drowned due to flood discharge, it is Hu Song who cares about human life.

This crime is much greater than the previous one.

Although the former type of death is more.

Hu Song stood up and wandered, saying, "Where is the most likely place of the Yellow River to burst the dam?"

The servant dressed up, said, "I have asked, it's on the south bank. Mr. Liu repaired all the embankments on the north bank of the Yellow River, but they are now well preserved, but the south bank is not good. If the embankments are broken, it is most likely a certain section of the river from east Kaifeng to west Xuzhou. As for where it is, it depends on God's will."

Hu Song pondered for a moment and said, "It cannot be the south bank, it must not be the south bank."

This is not just the terrain of the two banks of the Yellow River. Once the south bank of the Yellow River breaks, it will spread thousands of miles and directly break the Huai River. It will even lead the Huai River to directly rush into the Yangtze River, which will have the greatest impact. The north bank is a little better. The most serious thing about the north bank is to break through Zhang Qiu and seize the Daqing River and go all the way into the sea.

More importantly, Hu Song is from Chuzhou, Nanzhili.

Although a bit unauthentic.

But Hu Song's butt was sitting on the side of the people from Nanzhili. He would rather break into Shandong and Henan than let the flood rush into his hometown.

Hu Song crawled on the map and searched carefully on the north bank of the Yellow River. Suddenly, he found the place. He found the servant over, for him, so for this.

The point Hu Song pointed out was a certain section of river channel east of Cao County and west of Shan County. Hu Song chose this place, but it was not a random choice. The water-pour Liangshan was no longer there in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, but it did not prevent the water-pour Liangshan area from being the lowest place in the entire Shandong area.

If the dam breaks from here, most of the Yellow River water will rush into the hinterland of the Liangshan Mountain. This place is naturally a vast ocean, but the floods will not affect it, and several prefectures and counties in Shandong will not expand. For the court, it is generally the best result for the river governor.

But it is hard to say what the local people will be like.

This is essentially a flood discharge. However, it will not evacuate the people in advance, nor can it evacuate them.

Hu Song made up his mind and after he settled it down, his heart was empty. He didn't know what to think. He suddenly thought of it and said, "Yes, even if I did this thing perfectly, I can't hide the matter from the river. I still have to have someone in the court speak for me."

Hu Song didn't say anything, spread the paper, pondered for a moment, wrote down: "Mr. Yan" looked up, and then started another line and said: "The kindness is above------"

Before Hu Song's letter arrived in the capital, the Yellow River was impatient with the constraints of the river and broke through Cao County, Cao County, Wucheng, Dan County and other counties. When it rushed to the west of the canal, it became a vast ocean, with five or six counties swimming in whom.

It became the first major event of the Ming Dynasty.

However, it was still a little bit small for Zhou Mengchen.

After Zhou Mengchen's series of efforts and various adjustments to the formula, the iron quality of the iron furnace was slightly stabilized. The efficiency of producing cannons has always increased greatly. It seems that more than 10,000 cannons are not a problem at all. However, Zhou Mengchen suddenly discovered that he had another problem that he had to deal with.

It’s not other problems, but before they were melted with used artillery guns. Now that they have used up, they have to get iron from the Ministry of Industry and transport iron ore from Zunhua.

In the inner city of Beijing, only a few miles away from the palace, the smoke is rolling everywhere every day. Not only Zhou Mengchen himself thinks it is inappropriate, but many nobles also think it is not very good. He has quite objections.

In short, Zhou Mengchen also felt that the military weapon bureau’s venue in the inner city also restricted his performance.

Zhou Mengchen has planned to move the General Military Arts Bureau outside Beijing as a whole?

However, in this way, just 150,000 taels are not enough.

At this moment, Yin Zhengmao came to find Zhou Mengchen and said, "The money that the Ministry of Revenue should allocate to us, I will not give it this month."

Yin Zhengmao handled common affairs for Zhou Mengchen. He can be said to be the steward of the entire Military Weapon Bureau. Generally speaking, he would not come to Zhou Mengchen unless there were some things he could not handle, but it was obvious that the matter in front of him was something he could not handle.

Previously, the Ministry of Revenue allocated 40,000 taels of funds to the Military Weapons Bureau every year.

This money is given by the month. Every month, Yin Zhengmao sends someone to the Ministry of Revenue to collect the money.

Although it seems that several thousand taels per month does not seem to be true for the current Military Weapon Bureau. But we can't say that if you don't give it, you won't give it.

Zhou Mengchen frowned and said, "What's the reason?"

Yin Zhengmao said: "No. But I heard it was an order issued by the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue himself."

Zhou Mengchen suddenly remembered the image of Wang Gao on the day when he bid farewell to Zeng Xian, and muttered in his heart, saying, "I haven't offended Wang Shangshu either? What's wrong?"

Zhou Mengchen said, "I understand. Go and do your business. I'll go to the Ministry of Revenue."

Logically speaking, for this matter, you should find someone above, such as the Minister of Works, and ask the Minister of Works to negotiate with the Minister of Revenue.

But now, Zhou Mengchen feels that he has a little friendship with the Minister of Revenue. In addition, he is not an ordinary head of the Ministry of Works, so he can always ask for something.

Zhou Mengchen arrived at the Ministry of Revenue, but saw dozens of officials of all sizes sitting on the corridor outside the Ministry of Revenue. Zhou Mengchen was shocked and asked inquire about it. Almost every yamen was there, such as Guanglu Temple, which was the one who managed the emperor's banquet, the clan mansion managed the royal family yamen, and dozens of yamen.

Zhou Mengchen suddenly realized that it seemed that they were all cold yamen.

The funds for these yamen have been suppressed this month.

Of course, the salaries of most officials have not been suppressed. The most severe is office expenses, but in fact, these yamen do not have to do anything. The so-called office expenses are generally distributed privately by officials to subsidize their household expenses.

It's no wonder.

Zhou Mengchen couldn't help but say to them: "Have you heard that something happened? Why did the Ministry of Revenue not give face at this moment?"

One person said, "My Lord, the news is so blocked. Have you never heard of the Yellow River breaking the dam, flooding seven or eight counties in a row, displaced hundreds of thousands of people, and there is no sign of retreating these days. I heard from your Ministry of Works that the Ministry of Water Affairs said that it is estimated that when the river water retreats by itself, it will be after autumn or even winter. So many people are hungry, the Minister of Revenue has formulated the first batch of disaster relief funds of 300,000 taels, but where is the imperial court rich?"

"Just want to cut off our money."

"It's true that people live at home. Disaster comes from heaven, and the people of Shandong suffer, but we are waiting for rice to be cooked. How should we survive this when Wang Shangshu of the Ministry of Revenue comes?"

"Yes, yes." These people were talking about it for a while.

Zhou Mengchen felt a little blushed when he heard this.

In fact, he also knew that although these Beijing officials were suffering, they were far from being able to survive if they had to cut off their money and food for a month. This was not even a salary. But no one was willing to touch their own cake.
Chapter completed!