When people looked up at the sky, they saw glowing objects. Those were the stars. The stars were not isolated. People used their imagination and organized them into various shapes. That was how the image came to be. The book of Book of Changes said, "Images formed in the sky and on the earth. Changes can be seen."
The changes in the sky were originally caused by the stars.
When people looked up at the sky, observed the stars, and thought about their periodic changes, they would find that the sun rose in the east and set in the west every day. They would find that the moon was full and then full again. If they were in the northern hemisphere, they would find that the North Star was always shining and the other stars were moving around. If they were a persistent observer, they would find that the movement of the sun and the moon was related to the seasons, and the seasons were related to the harvest of agriculture. The distant celestial phenomena were not unrelated to the fate and production of human beings.
However, when people looked at the stars, different people saw different worlds and gained different experiences. Some people strived for the accuracy of their observations and explained them mathematically. That was how astronomy was formed. Others used their imagination and explained it in words. That was how the myths of the stars were formed. These myths often evolved into legends, stories, and folk customs.
In ancient China, astrology was the same as astronomy. It was an ancient and mystical knowledge!
Astrology had a history of at least a few thousand years in China. In fact, its history might be even further back. In essence, astrology, along with Tai Chi, Hetu, Luo Shu, Zhou Yi, and Ba Gua, all originated from prehistoric civilization.
The ancients believed that "Heaven and Man are one" and "Heaven and Man are one". They could predict what was going to happen to human beings from the changes in the sky. When people followed the heavens, the heavens would show auspicious signs. The human world would have a bountiful harvest, good weather, and peace. If people went against the heavens and did bad things, the heavens would send bad omens. The human world would experience droughts, floods, rebellions, and so on. That was why the ancients attached great importance to the observation of celestial phenomena.
During the Tang Dynasty, the imperial court set up the "Imperial Historian Bureau" and the "Imperial Astronomer". They were responsible for observing celestial phenomena and predicting good and bad luck.
Li Zexuan had never come into contact with astrology before. His first reaction was disbelief. However, the person in front of him was Li Chunfeng, and the prophecy was exactly the same as history. Therefore, he could not help but admire and respect this knowledge!
"The study of astrology is extremely mysterious. I'm afraid that Your Majesty will find it hard to believe just based on the Taoist priest's words!"
Li Zexuan pondered for a moment and said.
Li Chunfeng's eyes darkened. "His Majesty will believe me! This is because according to my observations and calculations through the astronomical telescope, the Heavenly Dog will devour the sun in three days! According to ancient records, a solar eclipse in the first month would cause many people to fall sick; a solar eclipse in the second month would cause many deaths; a solar eclipse in the third month would cause floods; and a solar eclipse in the fourth and fifth month would cause a great drought and starvation! If Marquis and Your Majesty don't believe me, you can just wait for the Heavenly Dog to devour the sun in two days! "
Li Zexuan was shocked. A solar eclipse might seem like a normal astronomical phenomenon to modern people, but in the eyes of the ancient people, it was not normal at all. Most of the time, a solar eclipse was an omen of great misfortune. It indicated that there was a traitor in the country, a fatuous ruler, or a great disaster! If someone took the opportunity to mislead the people and cause trouble, it would be very easy for them to succeed!
Li Zexuan looked at Li Chunfeng sternly and said, "The Heavenly Dog devouring the sun is a very important matter. We must let Your Majesty prepare for it. Otherwise, Chang 'an City will be in chaos if someone uses it to their advantage! Please go to the palace as soon as possible! "
Li Chunfeng nodded and saluted. "Then I will go to the palace and request an audience with Your Majesty! I would like to thank Marquis for providing me with the astronomical telescope. If not, I would not be able to predict that the Heavenly Dog will devour the sun in three days! "
"Hehe! You are too kind! "
Li Zexuan saluted and smiled.
Li Chunfeng saluted and turned to leave.
Li Zexuan, who was in the office, suddenly looked serious. He turned to look out the window and looked at the busy farmers at the foot of the Cloud Mountain. He thought about how there would not be a single drop of rain in the next few months. After the drought, there would be a plague of locusts. His heart ached for the people who were working in the fields. He hesitated for a moment and then turned to leave.
"Yamachō, where are you going?"
Mo Zhong's voice came from outside the door.
"To the dam!"
… …..
In this era, there was no artificial rainfall and no water pumps for irrigation. The most direct and effective way to fight a drought was to use dams and water trucks! For example, the Dujiangyan in Sichuan had protected and nourished the people of Sichuan for almost a thousand years. It was also known as the Land of Abundance!
The current Ba River Dam was built by Li Zexuan to protect the people of Lantian County!
It had been more than four months since the construction of the Ba River Dam began. Tens of thousands of craftsmen and workers had been mobilized. After solving the critical problem of cutting off the river, the construction of the dam had progressed by leaps and bounds. However, Li Zexuan did not know how much progress had been made. Usually, he did not pay enough attention to dams!
Li Zexuan came to the construction site of the dam next to Plum Village. He saw a wide dam that crossed the Ba River from north to south. It looked very majestic. Li Zexuan saw this scene and could not help but nod. Obviously, the main project of the dam was basically completed. All that was left was the details!
"Yamachō, you are here?"
As soon as Li Zexuan arrived at the construction site, a servant went to report to Mo Huai. When Mo Huai heard the news, he hurried over. His clothes were stained with a lot of mud and water. He looked completely different from the image of a cultured person like a professor of the Academy.
Li Zexuan nodded and asked, "Mr. Mo, how is the construction of the dam now?"
Mo Zhong pointed to the dam on the river and smiled. "Yamachō, look. The main body of the dam has been completed. Now, the main work is to prepare for the installation of the generator in the dam in the future. For example, the generator, the control room, various switches, gates, and so on."
Li Zexuan nodded with satisfaction and said, "Well, this speed is very good! I just don't know if the current dam can be lowered and the canal blocked to store water. As for the generator and the control room, can we store water while building them? "
Mo Zhong didn't know why Li Zexuan was so eager to store water, but since Li Zexuan suggested it, he had to consider the feasibility of this approach. After thinking for a while, Mo Zhong nodded and said, "Store water first, and then build the generator related parts. This is indeed feasible! But in this way, it will inevitably slow down the construction of the hydropower station! "
Li Zexuan smiled and waved his hand. "It's okay! The hydropower station doesn't need to be in a hurry. As the saying goes, slow work produces fine work! "
Mo Zhong nodded and said, "In that case, this Mo will order people to make the necessary preparations. By tomorrow morning at the latest, this dam will officially begin to store water!"
Only then did Li Zexuan notice the mud spots on Mo Zhong's body and the pair of shoes that had long been soaked by the muddy water in the river. He couldn't help but feel touched, and then he cupped his hands and said,
"Mr. Mo has been working hard on the construction of the dam for the past few months, but because I was busy with mundane matters, I rarely came here to help. I'm really ashamed! The reason why the Ba River Dam can be built so quickly is definitely related to Mr. Mo's hard work day and night. On behalf of the tens of thousands of people in Lantian County, I would like to thank Mr. Mo! "
After saying that, Li Zexuan solemnly bowed to Mo Zhong!
"Hey! You can't! Yamachō, you can't! "
Mo Zhong was caught off guard by Li Zexuan's bow. After he reacted, he quickly stepped forward and helped Li Zexuan up.
"Yamachō, the Ba River Dam gathered your wisdom and the energy of tens of thousands of workers at the construction site. I only did what I should do, and I dare not take credit for it! Moreover, the Mo Family's Divine Ancestor pitied the suffering of the people in the world. He wanted to use his talent in siege weapons to help the people to live a better life. I'm just fulfilling the Divine Ancestor's last wish!
Once the Ba River Dam is built, it will definitely ensure that the people of Lantian County will no longer be afraid of drought. Therefore, I have to thank Yamachō for giving the Mo Family a chance to use their knowledge to benefit the people. Otherwise, with the Mo Family's gradual decline, it would be even more difficult to benefit the people of a county! "
After saying that, Mo Huai sincerely bowed to Li Zexuan!
These words came from the bottom of his heart. Although Yanhuang Academy did not impart the School of Mo, but rather the School of Engineering, its philosophy of helping the world was similar to that of the School of Mo. In Yanhuang Academy, under Li Zexuan's command, the disciples of the School of Mo were able to use what they had learned to practice Mo Zi's philosophy of helping the world. It could be said that they had indirectly promoted the School of Mo!
Without Li Zexuan's strong financial support, it would have been impossible for Mo Huai to participate in and complete such a huge project like the Ba River Dam that would benefit the people of a county!
"Mr. Mo, please get up!"
Li Zexuan quickly helped Mo Huai up and said respectfully, "Mr. Mo has noble character and is wholeheartedly devoted to the people. Zhiyuan admires you! The people of Lantian County will definitely remember Mr. Mo's contribution and great kindness! Sigh! To tell you the truth, just now, Li Chunfeng, the official of the Imperial Historian Bureau, told me that he had observed the stars and predicted that our Tang Empire would soon suffer from a severe drought. That was why this marquis was so anxious to have Mr. Mo lower the dam gates and start storing water! "
"What? There will really be a drought? "
Mo Huai's expression changed. "No wonder since the beginning of the year, the number of days of rain can be counted on one hand. I think that Li Shilang's prediction is very likely to be true. This won't do. I will ask the craftsmen and the people to speed up the progress. The Ba River Dam must be stored as soon as possible! Otherwise, when the weather gets hot, there won't be any water to store! "
After saying that, Mo Huai clasped his hands at Li Zexuan and turned to leave.
…
Imperial Palace, Sweet Dew Hall.
Li Er paced back and forth in the hall with a gloomy expression. Recalling Li Chunfeng's words, his frown deepened and he would sigh from time to time. Inside the hall, Zhao Songjing dared not make any noise. She was afraid that she would disturb Li Er who was in a bad mood.
"Thump, thump, thump!"
At this moment, there was a series of footsteps outside the hall. A moment later, Empress Zhangsun walked in with a few palace maids.
"Your Majesty, the weather is very hot. I have made iced mung bean soup for you. Would you like to try it?"
Empress Zhangsun took the plate from the palace maids behind her and walked to Li Er.
Li Er waved his hand and said, "Guanyin, put it down! I'm not in the mood to eat now! "
Empress Zhangsun's expression froze. After being husband and wife for so many years, how could she not see that Li Er was troubled at this moment? She turned and waved her hand. "All of you, leave!"
"Yes! Your Majesty! "
Everyone in the hall, including Zhao Song, left the hall.
Empress Zhangsun stared at Li Er and asked softly, "Your Majesty, are you troubled by something?"
Li Er sighed and hesitated for a moment before saying, "Guanyin, Li Chunfeng from the Imperial Bureau of History came to me just now. He told me that last night, Jupiter entered from the South Gate of the Supreme Palace Enclosure and left from the East Gate. Moreover, the Big Dipper was dim and dim, indicating that there will be an unprecedented drought in the Tang Empire! Also, he told me that in three days, there will be a Heavenly Dog eating the Sun! "
"Drought? A Heavenly Dog eating the Sun? "
Empress Zhangsun opened her mouth in shock and said in a panic, "Last year, Marquis Yong 'an told Your Majesty that this year, there will not only be a drought, but also a plague of locusts. However, once the Heavenly Dog eating the Sun appears, I'm afraid there will be rumors among the people?"
Li Er shook his head and said, "I'm not worried about the rumors. Since I ascended the throne, I have always been diligent in government and love the people. The lives of the people in the Tang Empire have been improved significantly. What can mere rumors do to me? What I'm worried about is that the drought is really coming! Last year, Li Zexuan's prophecy made me feel a little lucky. However, now that even Li Chunfeng has said so, this year's drought will definitely appear!
When that time comes, after the drought, there will be a plague of locusts. The people in many places in the Guanzhong Empire will not be able to harvest a single grain. My heart hurts! If this is a punishment from the heavens for the Tang Empire, I'd rather bear it alone than let the millions of people suffer this unprecedented disaster! "
"Your Majesty! You can't! You can't be so dejected! "
Empress Zhangsun saw Li Er frowning and couldn't help but feel sorry for him.
"Your Majesty, have you forgotten about Marquis Yong 'an? From last year's reduction of taxes for raising chickens, to later urging the imperial fleet to go south to exchange for grain, and then to this year's construction of the Ba River dam, although he knew that our Tang Empire would have a drought and a plague of locusts this year, he never gave up and has always been fighting against the natural disasters! He is the son of an immortal. With him, I believe that our Tang Empire will be able to survive this disaster. Your Majesty, please don't worry too much! This will hurt the Dragon Body! "
Li Er was stunned. Then, he patted Empress Zhangsun's shoulder and sighed, "Yes! How could I forget about that kid? With the Tang Empire's full granary, even if there is no harvest in the Guanzhong Empire, the Tang Empire will be able to resist this natural disaster! That kid is really the lucky star that the heavens have given to the Tang Empire! "
…
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