eurekapd Chapter 207: Mudslide, Reinforce the Dam
Chapter 207: Mudslide, Reinforce the Dam
When King Chen first saw that Zhou Dajiang had arranged everything in order, he thought he could rest easy, but who would have thought that something unexpected would happen.
He originally planned to go to sleep, but he didn't dare to sleep anymore. He put on his straw raincoat and ran to Zhou Dajiang's room.
"What was that loud noise just now?"
Zhou Dajiang pursed his lips and said, "I don't know yet. I've asked someone to find out."
After a while, Xu Wu came back wearing a straw raincoat. "It's the mountain next to the resettlement site. There was a mudslide."
Chen Xiuying was worried about Xu Wu and strongly requested Zhou Dajiang to bring him along. This time, besides Xu Wu, he was accompanied by Lord Cui, his younger brother Zhou Dahe and Carpenter Tian. Lord Cui sent him to Jizhou, while Zhou Dahe and Carpenter Tian followed the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Water Resources to Cangzhou, leaving only Xu Wu with him.
At this time, Prefect Lin also rushed over in the rain and said to Zhou Dajiang, "According to the report from my men, the resettlement site just now was engulfed by a mudslide."
Lin Zhigao wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Fortunately, Zhou Dajiang was there, otherwise, who knows how many of these people who were just rescued would survive...
Zhou Dajiang, however, didn't feel relieved. The rain was still falling. If it continued for two or three days, there might be another flood. The situation was still very serious!
No! I can't just sit there and wait for death! Thinking of this, he immediately called Xu Wu, "Please help me run a trip. I want to see the head of the military stationed in Xinde Prefecture. Tell him that the prince and I have something important to discuss with him. Go quickly and come back quickly!"
Seeing Zhou Dajiang's serious face, Xu Wu couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart. He replied "yes" and used his light skills to disappear in the blink of an eye.
When King Chen heard Zhou Dajiang say this, he was puzzled. "I didn't want to find someone from the military!" But he was just thinking about it, knowing that Zhou Dajiang was just doing it for work.
When Prefect Lin saw Zhou Dajiang like this, he couldn't help but feel worried. The three of them, each with their own thoughts, looked at the heavy rain outside the house.
Fortunately, Xu Wu was quick, and so were the people who came. In less than two quarters of an hour, two people ran in one after the other.
The visitor clasped his fists towards the three people in the room and said, "He Junchen, the deputy commander of the Divine Army Camp, greets the prince and the two lords."
Prince Chen raised his hand and said, "No need to be polite."
He Junchen stood up straight, then he bowed to Zhou Dajiang as a junior, "Uncle."
It turned out that he was the eldest son of the Zhongyong Marquis's Mansion and Song Tingwan's husband. According to seniority, he should call Zhou Dajiang "uncle".
Zhou Dajiang and He Junchen had only met once on the second day of the Chinese New Year. If He Junchen hadn't called him now, he wouldn't have recognized him.
The once dignified young man from a noble family was now completely devoid of cleanliness due to his days of rescue work. His face was covered in stubble, he had lost weight, and his eyes were bloodshot, clearly indicating he had barely had any rest in the past few days.
When Zhou Dajiang heard him mention the Divine Army Camp, he was startled and asked hurriedly, "Junchen, are all the people from the Divine Army Camp here?"
"Yes, we all set out the same night we received the 800-mile express message."
Zhou Dajiang became anxious when he heard this. His son Quan Dali was also in the military camp. He hurriedly asked, "Where are Quan Dali and the others now?"
"Their new recruit camp is in Cangzhou."
When Zhou Dajiang heard that it was in Cangzhou, he couldn't help but feel relieved. Cangzhou was better.
After inquiring about his son, Zhou Dajiang immediately returned to normal and said to He Junchen, "I called Commander He here today mainly to ask for the army's help to reinforce the embankment. Otherwise, if the flood breaks out, the consequences will be disastrous."
Seeing Zhou Dajiang speaking in a businesslike tone, He Junchen immediately resumed his military demeanor. "Don't worry, Mr. Zhou. We've already received instructions from above. If the Ministry of Industry requires us to do so, we will fully cooperate. We'll do whatever you say! Please give us your instructions!"
"it is good!"
Zhou Dajiang turned to look at Prefect Lin, "Sir Lin, how much sand and gravel are available for dam reinforcement?"
Prefect Lin looked troubled. "There aren't many sandbags left. We only have small stones, and they're small stones. We've already used up all the long stones. We've already sent someone to the nearby prefecture to get more, but they haven't returned yet."
At this point, he suddenly remembered, "Oh no, the only way back is blocked by a mudslide!" Apart from people, they really have no advantages now.
Zhou Dajiang frowned, thought for a moment, and then said, "Without further delay, we should split up. Lord Lin, please arrange for people to find various bags. Flour bags, rice bags will do. If you don't have any, bamboo baskets and baskets will do. Anything that can hold sand and gravel will do. Once these are found, please send them to Commander He and his men."
Then, he said to He Junchen, "Commander He, please first arrange some people to bring shovels to clear the road blocked by the mudslide.
Pile all the sand and soil you've cleared together. Once Lord Lin brings the bags, pack them all in and transport them to the dam. Someone from the Ministry of Works will then instruct you on how to place them."
He Junchen took the order and went out, leading the soldiers to act quickly.
Prefect Lin was about to leave, but Zhou Dajiang said to him, "Sir Lin, in addition to finding bags, send some people to find vines for weaving baskets and scattered large stones. If bags or sand are not enough, have people weave baskets and put stones or other things that can be sunk into the river, as long as they can reinforce the dam." Prefect Lin nodded in agreement and made the arrangements immediately.
Seeing Zhou Dajiang thinking so much in a short while, Prince Chen couldn't help but sigh, "Thank goodness the nephew sent you here, otherwise I would have been panicking. Whether I could return to Kyoto safely is anyone's guess."
Zhou Dajiang simply smiled, not feeling complacent. He bowed to Prince Chen and said, "Your Majesty, please remain here. I need to personally go to the dam to take a look."
King Chen knew he was worried and waved his hand, "Go ahead, but be careful on the road!"
Zhou Dajiang responded, put on a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, and strode out with Xu Wu.
When he got outside, the rain was still heavy, and the raindrops hit the raincoat with a crackling sound. Although he was wearing the raincoat, his robe underneath was soaked. Zhou Dajiang didn't care about that. He lifted his robe with one hand and held his hat with the other, and ran quickly to the nearby dam.
When he reached the dam, he found that the water was even more turbulent than he had expected. Some weak spots had begun to leak water as the water rose. If nothing was done, it might burst out at any moment.
Although Zhou Dajiang had solid theoretical knowledge, this was his first time dealing with such a dangerous situation, and he was unsure what to do. In this situation, he could either continue reinforcing the levees to prevent flooding or open channels to release the floodwaters and lower the water level as quickly as possible.
The people arranged by He Junchen have already started carrying sand and stones to the embankment, and Zhou Dajiang plans to do both.
He first directed everyone to pile sand bags at the seepage point. Although the impact of the river water was not small, the accumulation of bags of sand could still block the flow for a while.
During this period, he needs to think carefully about where to release the flood water.