"The water of the Yellow River comes from the sky, rushes to the sea and never returns..."
Hearing this sentence again now, there is no doubt that it is not the artistic conception of the original poem, but the literal meaning.
Water coming from the sky refers to rain, and flowing into the sea never to return, which means that if the water is led into the sea, it will never flow back.
As Xiao Changyan was thinking this, Zhong Pingzhi's voice rang out from outside: "This old minister wishes to see His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
"Please come in, Mr. Zhong." Shen Xihe said in a slightly slower tone.
Zhong Pingzhi was invited in and greeted Shen Xihe and Xiao Changqing.
Shen Xihe said: "Mr. Zhong, His Highness is unconscious. Is there anything important? Prince Xin and Prince Jing are here. Mr. Zhong may as well speak frankly."
"Why is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince unconscious?" Zhong Pingzhi was concerned about Xiao Huayong first.
Shen Xihe looked hesitant, not knowing how to start.
Xiao Changqing said: "It's a strange thing..."
From beginning to end, Xiao Changqing told Zhong Ping the story directly, skipping the "Book of Strange Dreams" and changing it to rumors.
Zhong Pingzhi is over sixty years old. Although the Zhong family is not a family of scholars, they have been farmers and scholars for generations and are a serious family of scholars. If he knew that he was involved in such a disgusting thing, Xiao Changqing was afraid that the old man would be angry and hurt.
Zhong Pingzhi had also been an official for decades, so how could he not understand that this was a plan designed by Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong, in order to convince the people and make them enthusiastically follow the arrangements to dig canals and roads.
Don't hesitate to praise it in your heart, there is no method more convincing to the people than this.
If we use other methods, even if the people are forced to work together to dig the channel, they will still have concerns. With so many people contributing, some people may be afraid and do a perfunctory job.
You have to know that they are not repairing the waterway for the time being, but just digging it first to divert the increasingly serious accumulated water. If the waterway is dug with any care, it may lead to drainage failure.
Originally Zhong Pingzhi was thinking about how to convince the people. If that didn't work, he and Mr. Tao, two old bones, would personally check every detail carefully before diverting the water, hoping that God would give them more time.
This method can be said to be a permanent solution. It can be imagined that when this strange incident today gets out, not only the common people but even the county officials will be in awe of the gods and will be extra careful and diligent.
In this way, when the channel is dug, he and Mr. Tao only need to check it at the key points and they can divert traffic on the same day!
Thinking of this, Zhong Pingzhi was excited and said quickly: "What a coincidence, the plan I discussed with Lord Tao on how to solve the flood disaster coincided with the matter of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince..."
Zhong Pingzhi took out the simplified map and spread it in front of Xiao Changqing and Xiao Changyan, explaining to them in detail how to solve the flood problem, as well as the subsequent repairs of this method, the long-term benefits, and so on.
Xiao Changqing had been mentally prepared for a long time. The more he looked at this matter, the brighter his eyes became. He had no concerns or worries, and all he saw were the benefits and the well-being it would bring to the people.
As for whether it could succeed or not, it was no longer a concern for him at this point, because Xiao Huayong and Shen Xihe had taken action, so it was inevitable and no one would be allowed to stop it.
Xiao Changyan was not prepared. His first thought was the serious consequences if it failed. His sword-like brows gradually gathered together: "This matter is of great importance. I must report it to His Majesty and let His Majesty make the decision."