What is the legend of Tongji Bridge in Yuyao, Zhejiang?

There is a steep arched three-hole stone bridge in front of Shunjiang Building in Yuyao, called Tongji Bridge, commonly known as Jiangqiao. Its shape is simple and magnificent. It is called "the first bridge in eastern Zhejiang" and can be used by seagoing ships without pulling sails. In order to save the river bridge, there is a beautiful story among the people. In the Ming Dynasty, there was a prime minister named Xie Qian, who was the fourth person in Yuyao. He is an honest official and loves the people like a son. People in Yuyao call him Xie Gelao. During the Jiajing period, he spent his old age safely and returned to his hometown. At that time, there was a minister of punishments named Zhao Wenhua, a native of Cixi. He is treacherous and used to framing loyalty. He gave Yuyao "18 bachelor's degree" and was jealous. He regarded Xie Qian as a thorn in his side. When Yuyao people see Zhao Wenhua's boat crossing the river bridge, they should also ridicule him: "Cixi people's officials (reading Tuo) must pass through Yuyao people." Zhao Wenhua was very angry and wanted to tear down the river bridge. Once, he told the emperor: "Yuyao has Longshan, Fengshan, Sheshan and Guishan, which are known as the four spirits, as well as Jinsuo Bridge, Yinsuo Bridge, Zijin Bridge, Copper Lake, Yujing, Xiuhetang and Yishan Gun. The scenery is very good and it is a place where talents come forth in large numbers. " The emperor replied with a smile: "When Xie Qing was in the DPRK, Lian heard that Lian wanted to visit Yuyao in person, but Xie Qing advised him to complain that others were sad!" Zhao Wenhua immediately said, "There is a conspiracy behind this persuasion. Long live the emperor. The capital of the emperor has only three floors: Luoli City, Wailuo City and Zijin City, while Yuyao has three floors: Jiangnan City, Jiangbei Town and Huangshan City. There is also a river bridge, and Changhong spans the three cities, forming a big word. Feng Shui is so good that he will be an emperor. Xie Qian still wants the emperor! Wouldn't it be true if the emperor visited Yuyao in person? " The emperor was furious: "This is true. What about Yi Qing?" Zhao Wenhua quickly replied: "Tear down the river bridge and break its feng shui." The emperor allowed it to play, and Zhao Wenhua was overjoyed, so he went out of Beijing on the monkey to supervise the demolition of the river bridge in Yuyao. At this time, Xie Ge was old in his hometown, and he was worried when he learned that the imperial edict to dismantle the river bridge had been issued. In order to protect Jiangqiao, he came to the reception temple in the western suburbs of Yuyao, discussed with the abbot of the temple, and made a plan to cross from Xishisan to Sanjiangkou, and set up a "secret account" in Jiangxi, which was five miles long and secretly arranged. Zhao Wenhua sent someone to Yuyao to measure the bridge opening width of the river bridge in the dark, and asked the craftsmen to make the width of the palace boat three points wider than that of bridge opening. In this way, the ship will be blocked when it reaches Jiangqiao, and the imperial edict can be taken out on the spot to supervise the demolition of the bridge.

One day, the official ship sailed south on the Grand Canal. The apricot yellow flag of "Doctor Zhao" fluttered in the wind, and the golden gongs clanged along the way. The ship passed Hangzhou, arrived in Shaoxing in a few days, passed Tongmingba and was about to approach Yuyao. Before dawn, Xie Ge waited ten miles outside the city by clipper. Zhao Wenhua's official ship arrived, Xie Ge boarded the ship to visit, and sat down in the middle cabin with both sides. Brother Xie, the old housekeeper, entertained the boatman in the distance and replaced him with a local boss to continue sailing. At this time, gongs and drums and firecrackers rang on both sides of the Erjiang River, and Yuyao county officials and their subordinates went to Xishisandu to meet the imperial edict. Zhao Wenhua as if nothing had happened, Gu Zi and Xie Ge playing chess under the lamp. Just after crossing the West Thirteenth River, the official ship entered the "hidden day account", and Xie Ge knew it well. At this moment, Zhao Wenhua is in a state of chess and wine. He stays on Mount Tai, waiting for the official ship to hit the bridge. Xie Ge always raised Monday morning quarterback and defeated Miss Zhao. Zhao's eyes were straight and his right hand was about to strike back. Suddenly, on one side of the glass, "Zhuangyuanhong" poured out the glass and flowed into the chessboard. Xie Ge secretly rejoiced that the boat had crossed the river bridge, but Zhao Wenhua was kept in the dark. Less than half a pack of cigarettes, Zhao Wenhua was about to leave home, and the cabin was suddenly enlightened. This time, he was anxious and called the flag board: "Where have you been?" The boatman replied to the flag, "Sir, the ship has arrived at Sanjiangkou!" " Zhao Wenhua knew that the ship had passed Jiangqiao Lisan Road, and immediately ordered: "Hurry! Stop the boat and dock! "The official ship arrived at Yuemiao Port, and the Yuyao magistrate with the official gentry has arrived here to wait. Zhao Wenhua stepped onto the dock, took out the imperial edict and read: "The imperial edict is to demolish Yuyao River Bridge. "After I finished reading it, I gave it to the magistrate to get it, and the magistrate knelt down and refused to take it. Zhao Wenhua hit the nail on the head and criticized: "What is the crime of a small magistrate who refuses to take orders? According to Xie Ge's instructions, the county magistrate replied, "Zhao's adult, the imperial edict said that the river bridge was ordered to be demolished, but it didn't say that the county was ordered to dismantle the river bridge by the back! At this time, Xie Qian said, "Master Zhao, why didn't you read the imperial edict when you got off at the bridge?" ? Didn't the imperial edict turn around and commit the crime of deceiving the monarch? "Zhao Wenhua was speechless. Brother Xie always pretended to be a circus, and the county magistrate ordered not to tear down the river bridge, and invited Zhao's adult back to the DPRK, so he had to pretend to the emperor that the river bridge had been torn down. It turned out that a "hidden account" was set up, so that official ships could not tell day and night and could not see the Qingjiang Bridge. When the ship arrived in bridge opening, the boatman tilted the boat slightly to the north, so that the official ship just passed through bridge opening. In this way, the first bridge in eastern Zhejiang was saved and still stands on the Yaojiang River for the benefit of future generations.