Chapter 17 Chapter Thirteen

Emperor Wu went to the Yellow River breach in person and moved thousands of people on the embankment. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians knelt down to Emperor Wu and uttered earth-shattering shouts... Since the beginning of summer, it has been raining continuously, thunder rumbles outside the palace, and it rains heavily.Flood disasters came from all over the place.Emperor Wu was promoted to the palace to discuss it. Henan County sent flying horses to report that the Yellow River flooded and thousands of hectares of fertile land were submerged.Ministers also reported one after another, and a large number of victims flocked to the capital.

Emperor Wu was very anxious, and decreed: "Ji An, I ordered you to go to Henan County to fight the flood, and there must be no mistakes." "The minister obeys the order." Ji An rushed to Henan County, only to see that the torrential river had submerged many fertile fields, there were refugees fleeing everywhere, and corpses were strewn across the fields.But the rain was still falling, and the governor of Henan was helpless, and he dared not open a warehouse to provide relief. Ji An sent soldiers to build embankments to prevent floods. He came to the county mansion sweating and asked the county guard to open a warehouse to relieve the disaster. what."

Ji An sternly said: "If you want to kill, kill my head. There are so many hungry people, what if they all starve to death if they don't open warehouses?" The county guard still guarded the gate of the country warehouse and refused to let go. Ji An was very anxious, so he thought of a way, went to the gate of Guocang and shouted to the sheriff: "The imperial decree has arrived, and the sheriff of Henan will accept it." The governor of Henan hurriedly knelt down to pick him up. Ji An declared: "...the emperor has a decree to immediately open warehouses to save the people..."

The county guard had to open a warehouse to release grain, and the victims lined up to receive the corn. Ji An said loudly: "The disaster victims, the emperor is sympathetic to the people, and specially opened a warehouse to release relief." The people shouted: "Long live the emperor, long live!" Ji An said again: "Victims, after everyone is full, go up to the canal with me to build embankments, and do as much as you can." The victims all said in unison: "I am willing to obey orders." So Ji An led tens of thousands of soldiers and people to build embankments on the river bank to prevent flooding.However, God is short-sighted, the heavy rain became heavier, the embankment was built and then the river broke through. Seeing that the river was about to enter the city, Ji An hurriedly sent someone to Beijing overnight to report to the emperor.

Emperor Wu was reading the memorial in his study, looking up at the rain outside the window from time to time, feeling extremely anxious, not knowing what happened to the Yellow River breach... "Your Majesty, there is an urgent report from the Yellow River." The servant came to report. "Submit it quickly." Emperor Wu frowned when he saw the thick eyebrows, and said loudly: "I will pass on my will, and I will be promoted to the palace for discussion." "yes." When the bell rang, the ministers and generals galloped to the palace, and after a while there were already crowds of horses and horses gathered outside the gate of the palace.

Emperor Wu ascended to the palace and said solemnly: "I received an urgent report that the Yellow River in Henan County will burst. The situation is extremely dangerous. The water will flow into the city. Thousands of people are in danger. I decided to personally lead 100,000 soldiers to fight against the river at the breach. " The ministers hurriedly came out to dissuade: "Your Majesty, you must not go to the river embankment in person, it is too dangerous." "The emperor can send a general to go there. No emperor has ever visited the embankment in person. I think it's too dangerous."

General Li Guang went out: "Your Majesty, at the end of the day, I would like to lead 100,000 soldiers to go to Henan. Your Majesty can't go. Please take back your order." Emperor Wu's long eyes widened, and he said firmly: "I have made up my mind. I will lead 100,000 soldiers, and I will set off tomorrow. The prime minister will act as the agent for the crimes of the court. Retire from the court." Sima Qian was very moved when he heard this, the emperor is so amazing.He returned home hurriedly and said to Sima, "Father, the emperor is going to build embankments at the breach of the Yellow River in person. This is unprecedented! The emperor is so amazing."

Sima Tan listened and praised: "My emperor is indeed young and promising, with great talent and general strategy. This is the blessing of my big man." Sima Qian said to Qing'er again: "Qing'er, help me pack my luggage quickly, I am the emperor's servant, and I also want to go out with me." "Okay, son." In the early morning, Emperor Wu and 100,000 soldiers were ready to go, and the banners outside the palace gate blocked the sun. In order to hurry, Emperor Wu did not ride in a chariot, but rode a horse instead.Sima Qian, who was on the sidelines, looked at the young Emperor Wu, dressed in armor, riding a horse with a heroic spirit, and he admired him very much.

Thunder was rumbling in the sky, and a heavy rain was approaching. Just as Emperor Wu was about to give the order to set off, the Empress Dowager rushed over. "Che'er, you can't go, what if something happens, what will the court do?" Emperor Wu said: "Mother, the country is in trouble, and the lives of the people are at stake. How can a king be greedy for life and fear death? Besides, he will show his true colors when he is in danger. The mother is not feeling well. Please go back. The capital has arranged for the prime minister to take over the government. Li General Guang is guarding, so don't worry about the queen mother."

When it started to rain, Emperor Wu waved his hand. "The emperor is driving." Emperor Wu rode on his horse. "Emperor, you have to take care." The Queen Mother shouted anxiously. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers left in a hurry, and the citizens of Chang'an crowded the streets in the rain, sending them off with tears in their eyes, shouting: "Long live the emperor, long live..." Emperor Wu and his party braved the rain and came to Henan County in a mighty way. Emperor Wu visited the embankment in person and moved thousands of people. The sound of "The Emperor has come to the embankment in person" intersected with the sound of thunder and rain in the sky, playing an unprecedented symphony...

"The soldiers have worked hard, the common people have worked hard, and I will fight the flood together with you!" "Long live the emperor, long live, long live!!" Hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians knelt down to Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and made a heaven-shattering cry. Sima Qian also knelt down. On his face, the rain and tears mixed together and rolled down his cheeks... After three days and three nights of fighting, the embankment was finally built, and the flood finally did not enter the city.In the Henan County Mansion, Emperor Wu changed into dry clothes, and the waiter brought food. Emperor Wu asked Ji An, "How many victims died of starvation this time?" Ji An immediately knelt down: "Your Majesty, I have committed a crime. I have no choice but to falsely preach the imperial decree and open warehouses to help the people. Please punish the emperor." Sima Qian said: "Because the opening of granaries not only reduced the victims' starvation to death, but also thanked the emperor for his kindness, the victims all went to the embankment to build embankments together." Emperor Wu stood up happily, helped Ji An up and said: "Aiqing is for the sake of the people, what is the crime? Not only will I not blame you, but I will also make you a doctor of the Taizhong." "Thank you, Lord Ron." God has eyes, the rain has finally stopped, and the embankment has been built. Accompanied by the governor and Ji An and other ministers, Emperor Wu ascended the embankment for inspection. Looking around, Emperor Wu was very happy to see that the torrential water had obediently returned to the river bed. The people guarding the embankment cheered when they heard this. "Long live the emperor, long live, long live!!" Emperor Wu Longyan Dayue looked at the surging river and couldn't help chanting: Emperor Wu was inspecting the Yellow River, and Yang Deyi came to report: "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is critically ill. Please come back quickly." Emperor Wu hurried back to Changle Palace, where four imperial doctors were kneeling to diagnose the empress dowager's pulse. "Queen, my son sees you coming." "Che'er..." The Queen Mother slightly opened her eyes, panting, "...Mother is leaving." "Mother, you can't go, mother..." "Che'er... Mother is dying." "No, mother, you will be fine. The boy has issued a notice all over the country to find famous doctors all over the world to treat mother." The Queen Mother shook her head: "Thank you my son for your filial piety, but it's no longer possible." "No, no, mother, the child must cure the mother's illness." The Queen Mother gasped for a while and said, "Thank you Cheer." The Queen Mother stretched out her pale hand to hold Emperor Wu, and said, "Mother has three things to take care of you." "Mother, tell me." "One thing is that mother is sorry for your eldest sister. Mother is gone, so you should take care of her more." "Mother, don't worry." "The other thing is about national affairs. When the Empress Dowager Dou was alive, you were fed up with the restrictions of the concubine's interference in politics, so your mother never interfered with you. It is a big guilt of your mother to run amok. After I leave, you have to lead Take it as a lesson, don't give too much credit to your foreign relatives." "Kid, remember." "The third thing..." The Queen Mother gasped again. "Queen Mother... let's talk later." "The third thing...Che'er, you are resolute in nature and decisive in handling political affairs. The only thing mother can worry about is your uncles...you have to be more careful...prevent them...they...rebel..." The Queen Mother closed her eyes before she finished speaking. Emperor Wu held a grand funeral for the Queen Mother. When Sima Qian returned home, he said during dinner, "Father, the emperor is really amazing. He even came to the embankment in person. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers and common people knelt down to the emperor and shouted long live. That scene was so touching." Sima Tan said: "The emperor himself went to the river embankment to control the water, which can be compared with Dayu. The current emperor is indeed a hero with great achievements. Qian'er, we must record these deeds in the annals of history." Sima Qian said: "What my father said is absolutely true." Sima Qian said again: "Father, do you know? Ji'an falsely preached the imperial decree and opened a storehouse to provide disaster relief. Not only did the emperor not punish him, he even promoted him to be a doctor of the Taizhong." Sima Tan praised: "The emperor is holy, Ji An is indeed an upright person who dares to act, he dared to admonish the emperor directly, saying that the emperor "has much desire inside but benevolence and righteousness outside". punishment." Sima Tan also said: "He most dislikes ministers flattering the emperor. He once called Gong Sunhong treacherous and satirized Zhang Tang to flatter him. He also said to the emperor: Your Majesty employs people like heaping firewood. The latecomers come first. The emperor also treats him no way." Sima Qian said: "I think the imperial court should have more loyal officials like Ji An and fewer treacherous officials like Tian Fu." Sima Tan nodded and said: "Now that the queen mother has passed away, the only thing wrong with the queen mother is that she once recommended her younger brother Tian Fu to be the prime minister, which caused a period of time when there was a struggle between the prime minister and the imperial power."