During the tedious march, the vast grasslands on the north side of the army have always been an unavoidable topic.
Cao Rui also rode his horse to the edge of Lianze personally to visit, where he could see vast lakes, marshes and reed beds, countless mosquitoes almost frenzied, as well as water birds and wild ducks fluttering among them.
Wild even compared to the most untamed wildlife reserves of later times.
When Cao Rui wanted to go up close to take a look, he was quickly stopped by his ministers.
The most excited expression is from Pei Qian: "Lianze has always been a dangerous place. How can the emperor of the country risk his own life in such a perilous situation?"
"I wish to investigate for Your Majesty!"
Cao Rui, slightly helpless on his horse, spread his hands: "I didn't say that I wanted to enter the marsh. I know the internal situation is unclear. It's just to take a look from the side, is that not possible?"
Pei Qian said seriously: "If there are some dragons and snakes in the swamp that disturb the emperor, what should we do?"
"All right, all right, fine, I won't go, is that satisfactory?"
Cao Rui sighed and led the other ministers who were accompanying him back to the broken-down main road.
"But I am also curious, how was this Lianze formed, stretching for hundreds of miles along the west bank of the Liao River?"
Sima Yi said beside him, "Lianze is located in the Liao East, and people from the Central Plains have known little about it for a long time. However, I roughly speculate that it should be similar to the ancient Yellow River and Huai River basins."
"How does that apply? The Master of the Palace also knows about irrigation?" Cao Rui looked at Sima Yi, not knowing that he had such talent.
Sima Yi laughed and said: "I don't understand irrigation, I just read historical books. Does the emperor know Wang Jing and Wang Zhongtong?"
"Wang Zhongtong?" Cao Rui furrowed his brow and thought for a moment before asking, "Are you referring to that Wang Zhongtong who governed the Yellow River during the reign of Emperor Ming of the Later Han?"
"That's right." Sima Yi nodded: "All rivers in the world have some similarities. Here, the Liao River is just a smaller version of the Yellow River."
"The Liao River originates from the more northern region, with sediment flowing down in the water and depositing in the riverbed. The riverbed is deposited and raised, and the water flow will create a new river channel by finding a lower place."
"Over time, after a few centuries or millennia, both the middle and lower reaches of the Liao River have become flood relief areas. With water everywhere, that is how the Lianze was formed."
Cao Rui nodded: "The Central Plains has been dealing with water disasters for over a thousand years, so it can confine rivers within dams, take water for benefits and not cause harm. The Liao River has never been treated before, and during the Han Dynasty, military settlers only found places where the river flow could not do harm. So Lianze remains."
"Is that so, or isn't it?"
Sima Yi bowed his hands: "Your Majesty is correct. If the Yellow River, Huai River, and other rivers are not properly managed, it is feared that places like Shannxi, Yu Province, Xuchang, and Qingzhou will have long since become groundwater-rich areas."
Cao Rui sighed: "Human labor is finite, but the efforts of generations are not illusory. I see that Liaodong is isolated and difficult to govern, with half of the reasons falling on this Lianze. Lianze not only geographically isolates Liaodong and Liaoxi, but also makes the plains on both sides of the Liao River suffer from water damage, causing poor farmland and a sparse population."
"If I were to govern the Liao River and Lianze as Emperor Ming of the Later Han did with Wang Zhongtong governing the Yellow River and Bian Canal, what should I do?"
During the time when the previous emperor ordered the Treasury Department and the Secretariat to prepare flood prevention plans in Yanco, Sima Yi also had people find and read the records of Wang Zhongtong's water management several times, and they were all kept in mind.
But he never expected that it would be useful when attacking Liaodong.
Sima Yi calmly bowed and said, "Although I am not knowledgeable in irrigation, I believe that the four methods Wang Zhongtong used to govern the Yellow River—'constructing embankments, channeling rivers, blocking water, and establishing gates'—can also be applied to the Lianze."
After Sima Yi explained, Cao Rui praised, "Although I am not knowledgeable in irrigation, I think that the methods you proposed are indeed useful."
"Cutting off bends in the main channel, dredging shallow areas, building dykes, and building ditches to drain water from the swamp. Choose a few places with low-lying land as reservoirs, and build dykes and water gates widely. If the flood is large, it can be used for flood control, and the tributaries can also be complementary."
"However, from what I've heard, it seems the cost would be considerable as well."
Sima Yi's smile faded somewhat: "According to historical records, Wang Zhongtong's water management during the reign of Emperor Ming of the Later Han cost over one hundred billion money."
"Over one hundred billion money?" Cao Rui was a bit surprised: "That much? I remember during the reign of Emperor He of the Han Dynasty, when the Rebellion of the Qiang lasted for over a decade and military expenses were two hundred and forty billion, which already left several states with no resources and drained the treasury."
Pei Qian interjected: "Since ancient times, the construction of rivers has been a feat of prosperous emperors. The people rely on the stability of river levels, and constructing rivers is a great achievement. However, due to its huge cost, it cannot be accomplished without a prosperous era and a wise emperor."
"Lianze needs to be treated," said Cao Rui with a sigh. "The Lianze must be treated, or Liaodong cannot prosper. But can the resources of Liaodong be gathered? How many manpower resources can be mobilized from Ju State and Yu Province?"
"After pacifying Liaodong, it's time to put the governance of the Liao River and Lianze on the agenda. With the people and resources of Liaodong, it will take at least two or three years to complete. What about twenty or thirty years?"
"I am under thirty this year. With time, it will be completed."
Pei Qian bowed and said, "If this matter is successfully accomplished, Your Majesty will be comparable to Yao and Shun!"
"Alright." Cao Rui waved and smiled, "I am not that arrogant."
"When I was in Yandu, didn't I order the establishment of a military settlement there? Do the ministers remember?"
Man Chong said, "I remember this matter. It was ordered to establish a settlement with two thousand adult civilians as the population, led by a commandant of five hundred stones, to settle and graze on the grasslands in order to restore the commanderies of Yunzhong and Wuyuan during the Han Dynasty."
Cao Rui replied, "As I see it, there should be many military settlements established along the border, and this system should be promoted. Whether it is treating the river or expanding the borders, it is a national instrument."
Sima Yi bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise. Once Liaodong is pacified, we can simultaneously compile a household registry and establish military settlements in the distant areas."
Cao Rui nodded.
...
The path south of Lianze is through Wuli and Xiangdu two cities, across the Liao River to reach Liaotun.
The surrender of Wuli City was quick and smooth. The garrison of Xian Du City had long since heard the news and abandoned the city, retreating to the defenses behind Liaotun City.
On May 25th, the large army arrived west of Liaotun, facing Liaotun City across the Liao River.
The soldiers were following the orders to find open and high ground to build camps. Cao Rui and the ministers rode to the west bank of the Liao River.
Cao Rui pointed to several places where there had been fires and said, "It seems that when the garrison of Xian Du City crossed the river, they also burned down the ferry crossing and the small encampment."
"I have just reached the banks of the Liao River, and I now know that its breadth is not much inferior to that of the Yellow River or the Huai River. Look at this river width. Do you think it is about a hundred zhang?"
Man Chong also gazed across the Liao River at the military arrangements on the opposite bank and responded, "Now it's not yet June, and the river width has exceeded a hundred zhang. From the sand and stone marks on the riverbank, it seems that during the peak water flow, it could be as wide as two hundred zhang."
"There are also thirty-liwide fortifications on the east bank of the Liao River," Man Chong's expression also became serious: "It is a convenient place for crossing the river, but the publican bandit has used these fortifications to block off all access."
Cao Rui laughed: "So what? The previous day we were laughing at that Gong Sun Yuan. Are you saying that we are facing difficulty today?"
Man Chong turned to look at the emperor and said, "It will be a bit of a hassle, but we can just go around it. I remember that Emperor Wu fought campaigns like this."
"Wait a minute, General Man, let me think first."
Cao Rui reached out to stop Man Chong, as well as the other ministers who were about to speak.
Such examples of crossing the river in battle...
The great rivers in the world are only the Yellow River, Huai River, Yangtze River, and so on. If we talk about crossing the river...
Cao Rui suddenly realized and laughed, "I get it, it's Tongguan!"
Sima Yi bowed and agreed: "Your Majesty is wise, a story that fits the scene today exactly is the Battle of Tongguan during Emperor Wu's reign against Ma Chao!"
Man Chong stood to the side and calmly said, "When Emperor Wu was on the campaign against Ma Chao, he was constrained by two dangerous geographical locations - the Xizi Gorge to the west and the Yellow River to the north. There, the Yellow River made a big turn, like a bent corner."
"When crossing the Yellow River to the north, it was because of Xu Chu's loyal and brave spirit that they turned danger into safety. When Emperor Wu reached the north bank of the Yellow River and wanted to cross it again to the west, he ordered Xu Huang to lead 4,000 elite soldiers to cross the river at Pubei, taking a detour to occupy positions on the west bank."
Cao Rui nodded: "If that's the case, then we must find a way around the Liaotun fortifications and determine this route." (End of this chapter)
