From cute to empress

Chapter 128: Wise Advice

"Your Majesty," the Minister of Revenue stepped forward first, "I have already allocated funds from the national treasury for the construction project in accordance with your instructions. However..." He looked troubled, "The national treasury is now empty and I'm afraid it will be difficult to support such a huge expenditure!"

"I second the motion," the Minister of Works also stepped forward and said, "The Huaihe River Water Conservancy Project is massive in scale, requiring astronomical amounts of manpower and resources. Even if the national treasury is full, it may not be able to support the project until its completion."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the Minister of War also said, "The border war is tense now, and military pay and food require a large amount of silver. If we allocate more from the national treasury, I'm afraid..."

Listening to the ministers' arguments, I grew increasingly irritated, yet helpless. I knew they were telling the truth. The treasury had been empty for a long time, and if it weren't for the safety of the people, I wouldn't have ordered the construction of such a massive water conservancy project.

"Is there no other way?" I leaned weakly on the dragon throne, my tone full of fatigue and helplessness.

"Your Majesty," County Magistrate Sun, who had been silent until then, stood up and said with a bow, "I do have an idea, but I'm not sure if I should share it."

"My dear Lord Sun, please feel free to speak." My eyes lit up and I motioned for him to continue.

Magistrate Sun cleared his throat and said, "I have heard that in Qingyun Mountain, a hundred miles outside the city, there lives a wise man named Mozhu. He is well-versed in astronomy and geography, and is particularly skilled in water conservancy projects. It is said that he has designed many ingenious water conservancy facilities that benefit the people of the area."

"Oh?" I became interested. "Where is Mr. Mozhu now? Can we ask him to come out and help us?"

"This..." County Magistrate Sun looked embarrassed. "Mr. Mozhu has a strange personality and doesn't like dealing with officials. I have no idea what to do."

"Your Majesty," Zhen Youcai suddenly stood up and said, "I am willing to personally go to Qingyun Mountain and visit Mr. Mozhu. I must ask him to come out of the mountains and help me no matter what!"

I looked at Zhen Youcai's determined eyes and a glimmer of hope ignited in my heart.

"Okay!" I stood up suddenly. "My dear Zhen, I order you to leave immediately and go to Qingyun Mountain. Be sure to invite Mr. Mozhu!"

"I obey your order!" Zhen Youcai knelt on one knee and left after receiving the order.

After Zhen Youcai received the order, he began to prepare for the trip to Qingyun Mountain. Unable to suppress my anxiety, I decided to go with him.

"Your Majesty, you are the supreme ruler, how can you take risks so easily?" Zhen Youcai advised.

"The treasury is empty and the people are suffering. How can I sit idly by and watch?" I shook my head, my tone firm. "Besides, since Mr. Mozhu is a hermit and a sage, he probably wouldn't care about these empty formalities. If you and I go incognito, perhaps it will appear more sincere."

Seeing that I had made up my mind, Zhen Youcai stopped talking and started to arrange the itinerary.

We traveled light, dusty and dusty all the way to the foot of Qingyun Mountain. The mountains were shrouded in mist, resembling a fairyland. We climbed the rugged mountain path until we finally found a simple thatched cottage in a quiet valley.

"Excuse me, sir, is this Mr. Mo Zhu in person?" Zhen Youcai stepped forward and asked respectfully.

An old man in coarse linen clothes, with white hair and beard, slowly walked out of the house. He looked us up and down and said calmly, "You two have come from afar. I wonder what brings you here?"

I quickly stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Sir, I am the current emperor. I have come to visit you today and implore you to come out and help control the flooding of the Huai River and benefit the people!"

Upon hearing this, Mr. Mozhu's face showed no trace of surprise. He stroked his beard and said calmly, "I have long been living in seclusion in the mountains, not concerned with worldly affairs for many years. Flood control is not my forte, so I'm sorry I can't obey your command."

"Sir," Zhen Youcai stepped forward and said sincerely, "We all know that you don't want to deal with the government, but this Huai River flood is serious. If it's not controlled in time, it will inevitably lead to flooding and the displacement of the people. For the sake of the people of this world, please help us!"

Zhen Youcai and I chatted back and forth, describing the severity of the Huai River flood and the suffering of the people. Mr. Mozhu listened quietly, his face expressionless, making it impossible to fathom his thoughts.

Just when we were about to despair, Mr. Mozhu finally spoke: "Well, I will make an exception this time and go with you."

Zhen Youcai and I were overjoyed and quickly expressed our gratitude to Mr. Mozhu.

Upon returning to the capital, Mr. Mozhu immediately devoted himself to the Huai River's water conservancy project. He inspected the river's conditions and proposed many innovative solutions. He suggested building dams on both sides of the river to strengthen the embankments; he also proposed using waterwheels to irrigate farmland, reducing reliance on river water.

"Your Majesty, I have another plan..." Mr. Mozhu pointed to a spot on the drawing and said slowly,

"Your Majesty, I have another plan..." Mr. Mozhu pointed to a spot on the blueprint and said slowly, "The river here is narrow and the current is fast. It is prone to flooding during flood season. I suggest widening the river here and reinforcing the embankment to ensure smooth flow of water."

I carefully examined the blueprints and saw that the area Mr. Mozhu had pointed to was indeed the most severely flooded area in history. His suggestion, though simple, hit home, and it made me admire him even more.

"Sir, you are absolutely right. I will give the order immediately to mobilize manpower and start work as soon as possible!" I said in a firm tone.

Under Mr. Mozhu's guidance, the project progressed smoothly. Hearing that the imperial court was working to control the Huai River flood, the common people actively participated. Some carried stones, others hauled soil. Everyone worked with great enthusiasm, hoping that the flood would be eradicated soon and that they could live a stable life.

As time goes by, the river widening and embankment reinforcement work has achieved remarkable results. Seeing the once narrow river channel become wider and flatter, and the once low embankment become taller and stronger, my heart is filled with hope and joy.

However, just as the project was about to be completed, a sudden rainstorm hit the construction site. The torrential rain mixed with deafening thunder seemed to swallow up the entire world.

"Your Majesty, it's bad. The river has risen sharply and part of the dam has been washed away!" A soldier, soaked all over, ran to report in a panic.

My heart sank as a sense of foreboding washed over me. Without even taking shelter from the rain, I immediately rushed to the scene with Zhen Youcai and the others.

The scene before me was horrifying. The once calm river had become turbulent, the muddy flood tumbling and roaring, pounding the riverbank furiously. The newly built embankment was shaky under the impact of the flood, threatening to collapse completely at any moment.

"Hurry, hurry and repair the dam!" I shouted to the soldiers around me.

Soldiers braved pouring rain and struggled to carry sandbags and rocks to the embankment to try to stop the breach, but the sheer force of the flood made their efforts seem insignificant.

"Your Majesty, this is not a solution. We must think of other ways!" Zhen Youcai said anxiously.

I looked around, my heart aching with anxiety. Was the dam we had worked so hard to build going to be destroyed in a single day? Were we just going to watch helplessly as the flood raged and the people were displaced?

At this moment, I saw a figure standing not far away. He was wearing a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, and he was as steady as a rock despite the wind and rain.

"Mr. Mozhu!" I exclaimed in surprise. Hearing the voice, Mr. Mozhu turned around and bowed slightly. Without caring about anything else, I hurried over to him and anxiously asked, "Sir, do you have any solution to this predicament?"

Mr. Mozhu's face was calm as he pointed to a mountain in the distance and said, "Your Majesty, please look, what does that mountain look like?"

I followed his finger and saw a mountain rising from the ground in the distance. Its peak was sharp, resembling an upside-down sword. "Like a sword?" I answered tentatively.

"That's right," Mr. Mozhu nodded. "I've observed the terrain here and discovered that the mountain serves as a natural barrier to the upper reaches of the Huai River. If we can dig a diversion canal on that mountain to divert some of the floodwaters to other rivers, it will greatly reduce the flood pressure on the Huai River."

My eyes lit up after hearing this. Although Mr. Mozhu's method sounded a bit risky, it was a good solution to the current dilemma. "Mr. Mozhu, your idea is indeed brilliant! However, digging a diversion canal is a huge undertaking. I wonder how much manpower and resources it will require, and how much time it will take?"

Mr. Mozhu stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and said, "Your Majesty, digging a diversion canal is indeed a massive undertaking, but with the right measures, it can be completed. I, despite my humble talents, am willing to draw detailed engineering drawings for Your Majesty and recommend a skilled craftsman who is proficient in water conservancy projects."

"It's great that you're willing to help!" I said happily. "General Zhen, send someone to escort you back to the palace immediately, and pass on the order to fully cooperate with you in drawing up the blueprints, recruiting manpower, and commencing construction as soon as possible!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Zhen Youcai took the order and left.

After the rainstorm, I ordered the posting of imperial edicts throughout the country, recruiting skilled craftsmen from all over the world to participate in the construction of the Huaihe River water conservancy project. A few days later, an old man named Li Gongjian came to the palace on the recommendation of County Magistrate Sun.

Although Craftsman Li was over 60, he was energetic and well-spoken. After carefully examining the drawings drawn by Mr. Mozhu, he offered many valuable opinions and suggestions, and promised to complete the task on time.

Seeing that Craftsman Li was experienced and sincere, I confidently gave him the task of digging the diversion canal. Craftsman Li lived up to expectations and led the craftsmen to work day and night, and the project progressed smoothly.

However, just when I thought everything was going in the right direction, County Magistrate Sun suddenly ran into my bedroom in a panic...