"Sir, this... I don't understand something, please enlighten me." Fan Zhong looked at the situation of the river embankment, pointed to a piece of enclosed land on the side of the river embankment on the map and asked: "Sir,

, I don’t think I have any objections to this embankment-builder, but sir, what are the paintings on the outside?"

"Well, this is the buffer space left for the embankment when building the embankment." Ruan Yuan also explained to Fan Zhong: "Whenever the river reaches the embankment, although it does not break the embankment, it often does.

There will be a lot of overflow. If the back section of the river embankment is not cleared, this area will also be invaded by the river embankment. What's more, we also need to leave manpower to guard the river embankment. We also need to build some barracks for them on this land.

For the sake of staying behind."

"Sir, this is absolutely impossible!" Fan Zhong was shocked when he heard Ruan Yuan's explanation and said to Ruan Yuan: "Sir, to be honest, this piece of land you drew contains at least half of the land.

, have been reclaimed by us into cultivated land, and many houses have been built on the edge of this piece. If you want to build this embankment, you will have to clear away all our fields and houses, then

...Then how can we live our lives in the future?" Listening to Fan Zhong's words, dozens of villagers in Fantang Village also agreed one after another, saying that they were unwilling to clear the land.

"This is not difficult. There are still many areas that are flooded now. It has been difficult for us to thoroughly investigate which villages these fields belonged to before. So, when the water conservancy construction in Jingzhou is completed, these areas where the water has receded will

I will divide a part of the land first to compensate you and others for losing the land. As for the house, the government will pay it back according to the market price, and Zhang Zhongcheng and I will also pay attention to this matter personally, so you won’t have to worry anymore, right?"

Ruan Yuan responded immediately.

"Sir, you... aren't you still painting a cake for us?" Who knows that Fan Zhong heard this, but he was still unwilling to agree to Ruan Yuan's move to build the gate, and asked: "My lord always said that once the water conservancy is completed,

What will happen if it is completed? But we don’t know now whether the water conservancy project can be completed? Now the adults are building water conservancy projects, but they haven’t done anything, but they have to go to our village to clear out our fields. This... this

Aren’t you going to destroy our lives?”

"That's right, you haven't answered the question clearly yet." Fan Jie also questioned Ruan Yuan on the side: "My lord said that the sluice gate of the great master was not useless before, but the natural disasters have become more and more serious in recent years.

A new problem has arisen. According to your words, if in a few years the natural disasters are more serious than now, then your water conservancy construction will be useless, won’t it be useless? In this case, your Excellency must spend a lot of time to build water conservancy projects.

Isn’t it a waste of money and a vain pursuit of fame?”

"Fan Zhong, Fan Jie, aren't you just for your own selfish interests by making such strong arguments?" Yu Bing, who was on the side listening to Er Fan's strong argument, couldn't hold back anymore and questioned the two of them: "You see clearly, we

The people who came today are not just from my village. There are more than a dozen people here from eight different villages. We all have the same idea, which is to support the great master in repairing the river embankment and sluice! I know, you

The terrain of Fantang Village is high, and you were lucky enough to not be affected when the river burst its embankments. But what about our villages? In recent years, only half of the arable land has been cultivated. In which year have we not been able to make ends meet? You are afraid of building river embankments.

Shuizha, you are having a hard time, so do you want to bring a dozen of us villages together to live a hard life for your livelihood?"

"Yu Bing, your village has been flooded and life is not as good as it used to be, so you don't want to see others living better than you, and you want to drag us through the hard life together. Isn't that what you think?" Fan Jie stood aside.

They refused to give in. Seeing that those who were willing to stand up for them were questioned and insulted by the other side, the two groups of villagers immediately started making noises. As long as there were one or two more radical words, the two groups would fight together.

"Everyone, get back!" Ruan Yuan saw the villagers in each village scolding each other. The situation was not right, so he immediately shouted to everyone. Immediately, the soldiers on the side also stepped forward and separated the two groups of villagers. Ruan Yuan continued to yell at Fan Zhong and Fan Jie

Said: "Fan Zhongfanjie, I can understand your concerns, but in the thirty years since I have been an official in this department, I have done more than one thing in building water conservancy. I have built sluices and dams in Zhejiang and Jiangxi."

, Zhejiang is still a seawall. Why, you don’t even want to believe in the ability of our headquarters to control water?”

"Sir, Zhejiang is Zhejiang, Hubei is Hubei, and Fantang Village is Fantang Village? Your Majesty, when you say this to us, aren't you just talking nonsense?" Fan Zhong still didn't want to believe Ruan Yuan.

Seeing that he had tried every means to persuade Fan Zhong and Fan Jie, they finally refused to agree to the construction of the embankment. Ruan Yuan had no choice but to persuade two groups of villagers to go back. When he returned to the post house, there happened to be a report about Ruan Yuan's case. Ruan Yuan looked at him.

Reported, but also remained silent for a while.

"Bo Yuan, I finally understand today. These people in Fantang Village are simply making excuses!" Yang Ji saw Ruan Yuan coming back, and followed him and said to Ruan Yuan: "They insist on making you guarantee the river embankment and sluice gate."

After completion, there will definitely be no more floods, but who can predict the future situation clearly? Who can guarantee that there will be no mistakes in such water conservancy projects? To put it bluntly, they did not want to repair these water conservancy projects from the beginning!

But you shouldn’t hesitate any longer. Since you have a greater chance of success, you should give it a try? Bo Yuan, what did you see now?”

"Yang Ji, General Manager Chang of Sichuan has passed away." Ruan Yuan looked at the newspaper, but felt helpless, and sighed to Yang Ji: "I left Beijing to go south before, and the emperor said that he would wait for General Manager Chang to calm down the border troubles before letting him go back.

After taking office, President Chiang went to Sichuan and I went to Guangdong. Now that Sichuan is at peace and President Chang is gone, the emperor’s change of appointment can only be brought forward? In this way, when I was the governor of Huguang

There aren’t many days left.”

"Then... what should we do? If you are going to be transferred soon, and you leave it to Zhang Zhongcheng to handle the construction of the sluice gate, how can he do it alone?" Yang Ji thought that the matter in Fantang Village has not yet been resolved.

, and I don’t feel anxious anymore.

"Yeah..." After Ruan Yuan said this, he gradually put down the newspaper, and his face gradually became more solemn. After a while, this solemnity gradually turned into perseverance, but under the perseverance, there seemed to be some

A trace of intolerance.

"Yang Ji, I...maybe I have to do something that is sorry to the people again..."

Three days later, Ruan Yuan suddenly announced that the construction of Jingzhou river embankment and Mianyang sluice would start immediately without consulting the people. The day after Ruan Yuan issued the water conservancy construction notice, Ruan Yuan would also work with Zhang Yinghan.

All the civilian men recruited from all over Jingzhou arrived near Fantang Village and prepared to start building the river embankment from here.

After hearing the news, everyone in Fantang Village was immediately shocked. On the day Ruan Yuan came to start the construction, Fan Zhong and Fan Jie led more than a dozen villagers to greet Ruan Yuan at the bank of the Xingyuan. Seeing Ruan Yuan coming out, Fan

Zhong immediately walked out and asked Ruan Yuan: "Master Ruan, this... the construction of this river embankment must be carried out? Sir, you... but you have a foolproof method?"

"Before I started the project, I had properly surveyed the project funds, materials, and the old status of the river's flooding over the years. Building the embankment this time will naturally not be a problem. But even so, you have to ask me to ensure that everything is foolproof. I will do this

No, I am just a mortal after all, how can I help you predict the future?" Ruan Yuan replied immediately.

"Sir, if you do this, aren't you going to harm us?" Fan Jie listened to Ruan Yuan's clear statement that he could not guarantee it to himself, and stepped forward to dissuade him: "Sir, what if our section of the river embankment passes through the river for a few years?

, was washed away by the Yangtze River, and it was our village that suffered?"

"Fan Jie, don't make excuses here!" Unexpectedly, when Ruan Yuan said this, his words suddenly changed, and he sternly said to Fan Zhong and Fan Jie and others: "The main hall will never build a river embankment unless it encounters a flood that has never happened in a century.

It will collapse! But if you insist on saying that no matter what the flood is, our headquarters will guarantee that you will not be harmed by the river water. Who can make such a guarantee for you? If it is according to your wishes, as long as there is no water conservancy in one place,

If we can't guarantee that everything will go wrong, we can't start construction. As for all the water conservancy projects in the world, I don't even need to repair them anymore! I have urged you to wait three times, which is the most benevolent and righteous thing. If you understand the general idea, just go back and do your own business.

When the river embankment and sluices are completed, you can enjoy the benefits of water conservancy and irrigation. But if you continue to be so fussy and argue with the Honbu Hall, then don’t blame the Honbu Hall for being ruthless!"

"Sir Ruan, if you can't guarantee that the river embankment here will be safe and sound, then the people... even if they die here, they will never agree to the start of the construction today!" Fan Zhong was determined not to let Ruan Yuan start the construction today!

, seeing how stubborn everyone in Fantang Village was, Ruan Yuan finally lost his patience.

"Fan Zhong, according to the laws and regulations of the country, you should have been executed long ago for obstructing the construction of the imperial court! Do you think that a dozen people in your village can represent the public opinion? Then you know, there are dozens of people in the four counties of Jingzhou.

In this village, except for your unwillingness to build gates and embankments, the other villages have already agreed to the Benbu Tang’s construction of water conservancy! Even if the Benbu Tang severely punishes you and others, it is still the Benbu Tang asking for orders for the people!” This time, Ruan Yuan was no longer disrespectful to Fan.

Everyone in Tangcun was merciful and directly ordered the subordinates: "Today, our hall misses your ignorance and does not want to argue with you. As long as you wait and retreat, our hall can forget the blame, but since you are stubborn, then our hall will never do it."

Rong Qing! You will escort them all down, and give each of them forty floggings!" As he said that, dozens of officials behind Ruan Yuan swarmed up, two grabbed each other, and dragged Fan Zhong and others down one by one.

Within a moment, the sound of bamboo boards crackling could be heard in the open space on the side, followed by the cries of Fan Zhong, Fan Jie and others. Ruan Yuan had no choice but to turn his body away.

Go, don't want to hear the noise outside.

"This... Mr. President, they are not really going to commit suicide, are they?" Zhang Yinghan on the side saw something was wrong and asked Ruan Yuan.

"No, as long as the river embankment and sluice are built, life here will be easier. Don't they even have this thought?" Even so, Ruan Yuan shook his head, then pulled Zhang Yinghan aside and whispered to him.

Said: "Zhang Zhongcheng, I still have important matters in Wuchang that cannot be delayed. I have already completed the most difficult step of building water conservancy projects. I can leave the rest to you. You can do it according to my plan.

In less than two years, the floods here will be greatly reduced. But... you should go and demarcate the ownerless fields and pay some compensation to Fantang Village first. I only made this move as a last resort. In the future, you will

Can’t we mistreat the people here anymore?”

Zhang Yinghan hurriedly responded to Ruan Yuan, and on this day, the construction of the river embankment in Fantang Village officially started. Seeing that there was nothing unusual among the Fan family, Ruan Yuan also returned to Jingzhou, and soon took a boat to return home.
Chapter completed!