Chapter 17 Puyang

The Zhuxia civilization originated from the upper reaches of the river thousands of years ago. Some counties and counties in Liangzhou today are the source of civilization, such as Longxi, Hanyang, and Beidi. With the development of civilization, the footprints of the Xia peoples moved eastward along the river and expanded from north to south, leading to the Shenzhou that is now a vast land and rich in resources.

The Xia nationalities descended from generation to generation, and Guanzhong was a major grain-producing area during the Qin and Han Dynasties. However, as time went by, the over-exploitation of Guanzhong made Guanzhong gradually barren, and grain output was transferred from Guanzhong to Guandong, that is, Jizhou, Yanzhou and Yuzhou.

This is the Central Plains.

Dongjun should be regarded as the middle location of the Central Plains.

Before the Yellow Turban, this was a county with a large population. The river nurtures and nourishes it. There are more than 200,000 households in Dongjun alone, which is not much worse than Nanyang, the most populous county. However, with the rise of the Yellow Turbans, the Central Plains became the hardest-hit area. Insurgents and wars raged for years, causing the population density here to drop rapidly. By now, when the princes are attacking Dong Zhuo, the population of Dongjun is only one-third of its peak, with a maximum of 80,000 or 90,000 households.

There is a poem by Cao Mengde: There are righteous men in Guandong, who raised troops to fight against the group of enemies. In the early days of the alliance, their hearts were in Xianyang...The armor was infested with lice, and all the surnames died; the bones were exposed in the wild, and there was no cockcrow for thousands of miles; hundreds of people were born. One, the thought is heart-breaking.

The war in the late Han Dynasty has not yet reached its peak, but the horrific scene in this poem written by Cao Mengde in the future has already vaguely appeared before people's eyes.

Three carriages creaked on the loess road. The severe drought affected the entire Central Plains region, and Dongjun was not immune. The extremely tenacious weeds were wilting and losing their strength. The land was barren and full of cracks. There were some faint bones, shining with dazzling light under the scorching sun.

"Strong men and strong men, the country was destroyed by the weak, and the independent man was destroyed by the strong. They are all buried under this dry and desolate earth..."

The power of the Han Dynasty was almost unmatched by later dynasties. Even during the Three Kingdoms period, when the Han population was greatly reduced and Cao Mengde only controlled 30% of the world, he was still able to suppress the northern barbarians with his own power. After the dynasties of later generations collapsed and split, those princes often surrendered to the northern barbarians in order to gain relief, and even did not hesitate to lure the barbarian troops southward. What kind of emperors and what kind of bullshit are everywhere.

Only the Han Dynasty, even if it collapsed, was still famous throughout the world.

However, it was probably this stubbornness that led to the tragedy in the future.

Anyway, if you don't obey me and I don't obey you, I will beat you to death, and the Han people will be exterminated, so the Five Husbands will destroy China.

After fighting for more than a hundred years, I am tired. The Sima family became a coward, unable to regain the prosperity of the powerful Han Dynasty. They hid in the southeast and lingered, leaving an infamy.

Zhao Yu held onto the edge of the car and looked at the desolate scene in front of him, with thoughts swirling in his mind.

A later Romance of the Three Kingdoms vilified Cao Mengde as a thief. But who knew that Cao Mengde was in danger?

He controls the north alone and seems to be powerful, but who has thought about the threat to him from the northern Xiongnu, Xianbei, Wuwan and other barbarians? It is said that Liu Bei is threatened by the Southern Barbarians, and Sun Quan is threatened by the Shanyue, but whether the Southern Barbarians or the Shanyue are possibly as good as the Xiongnu and Xianbei? !

In fact, Zhao Yu even speculated that after Red Cliff, Cao Mengde did not continue to launch a large-scale southward war precisely because of the threat from the northern barbarians. He must have heavy troops to suppress the north, but he cannot deploy them.

Puyang is in sight.

"Lao Dian, where are you?"

Zhao Yu was not in a good mood and asked lazily.

"We have entered the boundary of Puyang." Dian Wei replied: "There will be a large river passing by. Do you want to take a look?"

When Zhao Yu heard this, he got excited and said, "I want to see it."

The carriage stopped by the river. Zhao Yu climbed up the river slope and saw sparkling waves at a glance.

In later generations, the Yellow River was already a hanging river. That is, the elevation of the river bed is higher than the land on both sides. Because of the accumulation of sediment washed down from the upper reaches over the years, such negative consequences have been caused. Therefore, once a flood occurs, the lower reaches of the Yellow River will definitely be flooded.

But in this day and age, it's much better.

At least the bed of the Yellow River is not higher than the ground on both sides.

However, the turbid river water still indicates the irreversibility of all this.

The excessive development of Guanzhong by the Han Dynasty was also one of the important reasons for the turbidity of the Yellow River.

In fact, this is exactly the same as the new era of later generations, in which environmental pollution is exchanged for economic development. There is nothing we can do about it.

In the heyday of the Han Dynasty, there were 60 million people. In such an era of low productivity, it was only through this method that so many people could be fed.

Zhao Yu squatted by the river, holding a handful of light yellow water and looking at the river thoughtfully.

He suddenly said to Dian Wei who was standing next to him: "Old Dian, what if I could make the Yellow River clear and prevent flooding?"

Dian Wei raised his eyes like bells: "Master, I know you have some strange abilities, but this is unlikely, right?"

"I just asked you if you were okay."

"Okay, of course! Definitely!" Dian Wei said firmly, "My boss, if you can make the Yellow River a better place, the people on both sides of the river will treat you like a god!"

Zhao Yu nodded and stood up: "Let's go to Puyang."

The consideration of regulating the Yellow River was not Zhao Yu's whim. He supported Cao Mengde, but he would not pick up his sleeves and help Cao Mengde kill with his bare arms. He thought that would be a loss of status. A dignified monk, not a killing machine.

On the contrary, products such as crop cultivation, steel forging, and even waterwheels, glass, and soap are more attractive to him now.

We should reshape history in all aspects, not just change the soup without changing the medicine. This is what Zhao Yu hopes he can accomplish.

Only by changing and reversing every corner can we create fundamental turmoil in time and space, and achieve our goals. Rather than just letting Cao Mengde establish a dynasty, everything will be fine. This is just a matter of skin.

The management and transformation of the Yellow River is also in Zhao Yu's plan.

If it succeeds, the impact on time and space will not be smaller than changing dynasties. The impact is even greater.

What's more, transforming the Yellow River is also part of the plan to support Cao Mengde. Also part of it. The south bank of the Yellow River is where Cao Mengde started and is the foundation. It is related to Cao Mengde's great cause. If the transformation of the Yellow River can be completed, combined with the improved crops cultivated in the small world of Chaos Pearl, this area will surely become the granary of the world, with endless energy to support Cao Mengde's southern and northern campaigns.

However, transforming the Yellow River is not a simple matter.

Even in the modern world two thousand years later, with extremely developed productivity, the Yellow River cannot be fundamentally changed.

To accomplish this goal, Zhao Yu must use Xianjia methods.

And now is not the time. Even if the Immortal family's methods are used, it will not take a while, and it will also require the support of certain human and material resources. This plan will not be implemented until Cao Mengde establishes a foothold in Dongjun.

Before dark, Zhao Yu and his three carriages finally arrived in Puyang.

The house is ready-made. It was the place where Chen Gong stayed when he came to Puyang. Now it belongs to Zhao Yu.

But on the surface, it was Zhao Yu who paid for it.

"Low-key, you know?"

When Mrs. Wang was cleaning up the yard with her two maids, Zhao Yu said to Dian Wei: "Before Meng De takes control of Puyang, you must keep a low profile. But you can't do nothing."

Dian Wei was confused.

Zhao Yu raised his forehead and said, "How much did you bring here this time?"

"Uh, oh, three hundred thousand dollars." Dian Wei responded: "'Buying' this yard cost fifteen thousand dollars, and there are twenty...twenty..."

"Two hundred and eighty-five thousand." Zhao Yu pursed his lips and looked at Dian Wei: "From tomorrow on, you have to learn mathematics from me. If you can't learn it in half a month, I will let you keep an eye on it."

"Ah?" Dian Wei's rough face suddenly pulled down, as if he were mourning for his heir.

Zhao Yu snorted coldly: "I have never seen such a useless servant like you."

Dianwei remained silent.

"Okay, you go to the market right now and find me a housekeeper who knows how to do business. If you can't find one, don't come back."

Dianwei trotted out.

Zhao Yu exhaled and sat down: "What about that, Xiaochun, bring me a cattail leaf fan."

The weather is indeed very hot, but it has nothing to do with Zhao Yu. In his current state, he has long been immune to the cold and heat. But you have to pretend. On a hot day, it would be inappropriate not to carry a cattail leaf fan.

Two maids, one named Xiaochun, has a round face. One is called Xiaoqiu, with an oval face. She looks pretty and only fifteen or sixteen years old.

"I'm coming."

Shouting, Xiaochun ran over with a cattail leaf fan in hand, her little face flushed red.

Zhao Yu said: "Tell Granny Wang to stop being busy and cook dinner first. We'll talk about the unfinished things tomorrow."

"OK."

Xiaochun left in a flash.

Zhao Yu has no airs and his family is very harmonious.

At least the two maids were not afraid of him and occasionally laughed and joked.

Zhao Yu didn't care. This kind of movie about a girl would still be in junior high school two thousand years later.

When Mrs. Wang prepared dinner, Dian Wei came back with his meal in hand.

As a foodie, Dian Wei never misses a meal.

"Master." Dian Wei scratched his forehead and quietly looked into the room while saying, "I found three, which one do you want?"

Zhao Yu looked up at the three people who had returned with Dian Wei, holding a cattail leaf fan in his hand.

They all looked ragged, but their temperament was somewhat different from ordinary people.

"Tell me, what did you do before?"

In troubled times, human lives are like straw. Those who cannot survive must either join the army, rebel, or sell themselves out. The human market is a place where people are sold. It's called inserting a bid to sell first, which means inserting a straw around your neck to indicate that you want to sell yourself.

Who is the person who wants to sell himself? But there is no way, I can’t survive.

The three people rushed over each other and told them their life stories as if they were bursting with beans.

The demand for people exceeds the supply. To be honest, these days, if you can get a mouthful of food, there are many people who work hard. Therefore, business in the market is not good. If there is any homeless person, there are many who are willing to sell themselves for free if they roar.

Therefore, it is not easy to meet a buyer.

All three of them knew it and hoped to be bought by Zhao Yu.

All three of them are in their thirties or forties and have families. It was precisely because I had a family that I had to sell myself. Otherwise, I won’t be able to support my wife and children.

They are all locals from Puyang, and they are all engaged in small business. But small businesses cannot withstand the storm and collapse easily. Once it collapses, nothing is left.

Qiao Mao was not a very good officer to begin with. The previous crusade against Dong Zhuo required conscription, and conscription required money and food, so the people in Puyang City suffered. Qiao Mao was not easy to mess with those powerful families, so ordinary people like the three people in front of him became the best targets for exploitation.

So they went bankrupt.