How arrogant they had been, now thatās just how timid they were.
"Wife, I must thank you for stepping in today," Ye Ziāan said on the way.
"Kiddo, thereās no need for thanks between us. Besides, even if I hadnāt come, you could have managed just fine," Yang Chuxia observed, knowing this the moment he had invited a few Land Officers over.
Ye Ziāan heard this and laughed without answering.
"Now that things are settled, shall we go back?" Yang Chuxia asked again.
"Yes, letās go back," Ye Ziāan nodded his head, and when they got to a place with a ditch, he even gave Yang Chuxia a hand. "Oh, Xiaxia, I have an idea, but Iām not sure if itās feasible."
"What idea? Whatās it about? Come on, tell me," she said.
"How about planting trees all along the Yanghe River?" Ye Ziāan suggested. "Iāve been reading books on water conservancy and observing the banks of both the Yanghe and Lanjiang Rivers. Iāve noticed a problem: along a stretch of the Lanjiangās upper reaches, there are a lot of trees planted at intervals, and the soil there is more stable than in other areas. I suspect itās because of those trees."
Yang Chuxia fell silent upon hearing this. She had to admit that human wisdom was boundless; heād actually discovered that trees could solidify loose soil.
"Brother An, youāre right. Planting trees on the riverbanks can indeed stabilize loose soil. Every year, the soil used to raise the levees of the Yanghe is actually loose soil. No matter how tightly you pack it or how many stones you press onto it, soil that hasnāt settled is loose and will collapse with a rush of water. Trees are different, though. Their roots are like a tangible large hand, firmly clutching the surrounding soil underground. So if you want to plant trees on the sides, you must plant them on both banks at regular intervals," she explained.
Ye Ziāan looked at Yang Chuxia surprisingly, not expecting his wife to also know this, and to be so sure of it. It had taken him a long time investigating by the Lanjiang to figure this out.
"Indeed, Iād seen the records at the county office. Every time thereās a flood, the waters come carrying a lot of mud and once the waters recede, the nearby fields are often buried. This is especially true downstream, where the erosion is more severe, and even a considerable amount of silt accumulates." Reflecting on how his wife seemed familiar with this, he asked, "What trees do you think would be suitable to plant along the riverbank, in your opinion?"
"I actually know this!" Yang Chuxia said with a smile as she walked forward, linking arms with him. "Trees like Metasequoia, poplars, and willows are all fine, but I think planting willows is best, especially the weeping kind. Imagine, if the entire length of the Yanghe were lined with weeping willows. Come spring, when the trees sprout and the breeze blows, wouldnāt that be beautiful? If we plant flowers and herbs on both sides of the Yanghe and build a few pavilions and such, in the future the Yanghe wonāt be a river of disaster but a river that people come to play and enjoy."
The more Ye Ziāan listened, the brighter his eyes shone, feeling that it was indeed a feasible idea. Then he said, "If this place can really attract visitors, it should also help to promote the rise of inns, taverns, and small shops nearby."
Yang Chuxia chuckled, impressed that he could foresee the butterfly effect. "Youāre absolutely right, but the premise is that the area near the Yanghe must be renovated to be very attractive. This canāt be achieved overnight."
"Of course, this matter needs to be planned thoroughly. At the very least, weāll need to find people to look for willow saplings; we need quite a number of them for the entire Yanghe, which might be difficult to find," he said.
"No, getting willow saplings is relatively easy, and willows can propagate from cuttings. So, we can start by purchasing some large willow trees and use cuttings at intervals," she suggested.