Chapter 504 (1/2)

In the third month of Jiang Chuanzhong's tenure in Shaanxi Province, the Yellow River dam burst and flooded, flooding thousands of acres of fertile land, leaving the people homeless.

Jiang Chuanzhong, who had just arrived at Hegong Road, was naturally going to inspect the gap.

But when he went to the site for investigation, he found that there was a gap about seven or eight feet open on the dam, and the broken walls at the gap were due to disrepair.

”Hasn't this levee been built?” Standing on the dam, Jiang Chuanzhong looked at the breach and asked the officials who were following him.

The petty official also said with a look of embarrassment: ”every year they say they want to repair it, but they don't see the funds from the top. After all, they give priority to the construction of the South dike, and the North dike has been so abandoned.”

”South dike first?” Jiang Chuanzhong followed the little official's hand and looked over. Sure enough, the section of the river bank on the other side of the river was well built

, solid as gold.

Looking at the different banks on both sides of the river, Jiang Chuanzhong was puzzled and said, ”Why build the south bank instead of the north bank?”

”Master, you don't know. The south bank is the land of the official's family, and the north bank is the land of ordinary farmers...” the petty official said with a flattering smile with Jiang Chuanzhong, ”it's natural to give priority to the south slope first...”

Jiang Chuanzhong heard that there was something else he didn't understand. Over the years, he took care of the old man's family with good farmland in the south, so when the flood came, it naturally washed the north slope.

But now that the dike on the north slope has been broken, it must need to be overhauled, but it also needs money to build the river dike.

So as soon as he went back to Daotai yamen, he asked how much money the Department had set aside at the beginning of spring.

Unexpectedly, the people under his command faltered and didn't say that he was ugly for a long time.

”Yes, yes, no, No. what do you mean by your appearance?” Jiang Chuanzhong stares at the man.

”Back to the master, this spring, the household department has set aside 100000 Liang to repair the dike, of which 50000 Liang has been repaired on the South dike...” the man said in some embarrassment.

”That is to say, there should be fifty thousand taels of money left on the account for repairing the dyke?” Jiang Chuanzhong frowned and thought, ”less money is less, but at least we can make up the gap in the north, and then we can reinforce the river...”

”But... But... Master... We have no money on the account...” the little official said helplessly.

”No money? Didn't you just say fifty thousand taels were left? ” Jiang Chuanzhong was shocked.

”Sir, I just said that it took 50000 Liang to build the dike, but I didn't say that we still have 50000 Liang on our account.” The little official said with a look of embarrassment, but he thought in his heart, don't you say that the master was released from Beijing? How come this way of doing things is like a fool who doesn't understand the rules of officialdom at all.

”But what you are saying is that the Ministry of household affairs has set aside 100000 Liang and spent 50000 Liang to build the South dike. What about the remaining 50000 liang?” Jiang Chuanzhong

Clapping hands asked the little official.

The petty official had to smile bitterly and said, ”there are 50000 Liang left... 50000 Liang left to be expropriated by the governor's Yamen...”

Governor yamen?

Jiang Chuanzhong thought of Yang Zhicheng, the governor of Shaanxi, who he met at the reception when he first took office in Shaanxi. Thinking of the talk and laughter he had with him during the toast, he decided to go to the governor's Yamen first.