Just imagine, the road is muddy and slippery, and there are potholes everywhere. Under such circumstances, no one can control pushing a wheelbarrow. If you fall wrong, you may break your bones and tendons.
This is why people are willing to shoulder the burden when going out. Although it is a little troublesome to go out this way, and you can't bring much with you, it is safer. Even if it rains on the way, you don't have to worry about being unable to walk.
But cement roads are different. When people see the convenience of these roads, wheelbarrows will definitely pop up like mushrooms after a rain.
The intensification of people's social activities will inevitably lead to economic prosperity and people's affluence. This is the benefit of building roads. Although it is not obvious for the time being, it will have a huge effect on future development.
Han Du patiently answered Gu Kun's doubts one by one until he convinced him...??.??
"Since uncle said so, I have no objection." Gu Kun said sincerely.
"Okay," Han Du smiled and said with relief, "It's just that Mr. Gu needs to pay more attention. Although we are only building a few main roads now, the amount is not small. I'm afraid that Mr. Gu will also be needed to coordinate and organize.
People’s power.”
"Please don't worry, uncle, I am duty-bound."
Fang Xiaoru stood aside and looked speechless. Han Du obviously wanted to push all the complicated affairs to Gu Kun so that he could have some time and relax. Gu Kun knew Han Du's purpose, but instead of refusing, he accepted it happily.
appearance.
The food and supplies from the imperial court were sent to the Chief Envoy of Henan. Han Du immediately asked the craftsmen to dig a lime kiln, and then informed Gu Kun that limestone, coal ash and other things were needed. Lime, coal ash and other things were fired, and Han Du
Let the craftsman start making cement.
Gu Kun mobilized a large number of people and built hundreds of lime kilns in just a few days.
As soon as the cement is fired, the craftsmen teach the people how to use it. The people who have learned how to use it will teach others, and they will pass it on to ten people and hundreds of people.
Soon, several main roads in Henan were filled with dense crowds of people smoothing the roads, closing molds and pouring cement onto the road surface.
Gu Kun saw the cement road that was first built, and it was indeed as rumored. Thinking of the benefits of this road that Han Du said, Gu Kun became excited. He wished that all the roads in Henan were like this now. He was busy all day long.
I ran around the construction site with my feet on the ground without even a single complaint.
Han Du felt at ease again.
That day, Fang Xiaoru suddenly came to Han Du and said, "I'm going to go out and have a look."
"Well, go ahead and pay attention to safety on the road." Han Du was not surprised, and while drinking tea, he was perfunctory with Fang Xiaoru.
But Fang Xiaoru suddenly came up and grabbed Han Du's arm, looked at Han Du with bright eyes, and said, "I want you to go with me."
Han Du was stunned for a moment, then suddenly smiled brightly and asked: "What are we going to do with you? You are going to patrol, and we don't need to patrol."
Fang Xiaoru was very angry at Han Du and said angrily: "Don't you want to see how the officials below are doing?"
Han Du put aside Fang Xiaoru's hand and said, "What's so good about this? With Gu Kun watching, nothing will happen."
But Fang Xiaoru couldn't help but explain
After taking Han Du away, the two of them walked on the official road. Fang Xiaoru would carefully check the people's work conditions and food and accommodation conditions wherever they went. However, the more this happened, the more energetic Fang Xiaoru became, while Han Du became more energetic.
Listless and bored.
Fang Xiaoru talked to Han Du several times, but it had no effect at all. Han Du still went his own way, and Fang Xiaoru was helpless and didn't bother to worry about Han Du anymore. Anyway, as long as Han Du followed him out, it would be better than staying in the Chief Envoy's Department.
.
Han Du was wandering around with nothing to do, but he happened to meet someone who knew him.
"The little old man is here to pay homage to my uncle."
After hearing this, Han Du noticed that there was an old man in front of him saluting him. He immediately laughed and helped the old man up with both hands. "Do you recognize me?"
"Of course I recognize it, how can I not recognize it?" The old man smiled and sighed, "If uncle hadn't brought food to Kaifeng Mansion, the common people might not have been able to survive that day. Because of uncle's kindness, the common people could only bear the title of grass.
Huan came to report."
"What about knotting a ring with grass? I'm exaggerating." Han Du was very satisfied with the old man's kindness. "As long as the old man's family can live a good life, it will be the greatest relief to me."
Who knew that the old man couldn't help but sigh after hearing this.
"What's wrong?" Han Du asked doubtfully, "This famine is about to end and good days are just around the corner. Why is my father-in-law still sighing?"
A look of shame suddenly appeared on the old man's face, and he said: "To be honest with you, uncle, even without this famine, life would not be much easier."
"Oh? Why is that? Are the taxes in Henan very heavy?" Han Du looked condensed. If the taxes in Henan are very heavy, then it is the problem of the officials. Han Du knew that Lao Zhu's taxes on Henan were not heavy.
, the Ming Dynasty imposed the heaviest taxes on Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Therefore, there are many fertile fields here, and the harvest of grain per acre is better.
Unless corrupt officials are rampant in Henan, taxation cannot be heavy.
"That's not true." Seeing Han Du's misunderstanding, the old man quickly explained: "I just don't know why. Starting from our ancestors, we have said that the family's farmland is not as good as every generation, and the food production is slowly decreasing. Now, one acre of good land
We can no longer collect three loads of grain."
One acre of fertile land doesn’t even have three loads of grain?
Han Du couldn't help but frown. Logically speaking, the harvest from fertile land should be more than three dan. The fertile land in Jiangsu and Zhejiang can even reach more than four dan.
Han Du suddenly remembered a topic from later generations, that is, in the ancient Central Plains area, after thousands of years of cultivation and development, the land had already become very barren. Later generations were lucky, and there were various fertilizers that could replenish fertility. But in
Now, I'm afraid there is no good way to replenish fertility.
Reduced food production has become inevitable.
Could it be that the barrenness of the land in the Central Plains was already very serious in the Ming Dynasty? However, this is not impossible. After all, the Ming Dynasty was only six or seven hundred years away from later generations.
Thinking of this, Han Du couldn't help but go to the field and grab a handful of soil. The soil was dry and he kneaded it with his hands, and he could still see dots of white in the soil.
Han Du couldn't help but frown. This soil was indeed too barren. The best soil should be like black humus soil. The next best soil should be black and gray. Any soil that is already gray-white like this is very barren.
It's the kind of thing. Just imagine, the road is muddy and slippery, and there are potholes everywhere. Under such circumstances, no one can control the wheelbarrow. If you make a mistake, you may break bones and tendons.
possible.
This is why people are willing to shoulder the burden when going out. Although it is a little troublesome to go out this way, and you can't bring much with you, it is safer. Even if it rains on the way, you don't have to worry about being unable to walk.
But cement roads are different. When people see the convenience of these roads, wheelbarrows will definitely pop up like mushrooms after a rain.
The intensification of people's social activities will inevitably lead to economic prosperity and people's affluence. This is the benefit of building roads. Although it is not obvious for the time being, it will have a huge effect on future development.
Han Du patiently answered Gu Kun's doubts one by one until he convinced him.
"Since uncle said so, I have no objection." Gu Kun said sincerely.
"Okay," Han Du smiled and said with relief, "It's just that Mr. Gu needs to pay more attention. Although we are only building a few main roads now, the amount is not small. I'm afraid that Mr. Gu will also be needed to coordinate and organize.
People’s power.”
"Please don't worry, uncle, I am duty-bound."
Fang Xiaoru stood aside and looked speechless. Han Du obviously wanted to push all the complicated affairs to Gu Kun so that he could have some time and relax. Gu Kun knew Han Du's purpose, but instead of refusing, he accepted it happily.
appearance.
The food and supplies from the imperial court were sent to the Chief Envoy of Henan. Han Du immediately asked the craftsmen to dig a lime kiln, and then informed Gu Kun that limestone, coal ash and other things were needed. Lime, coal ash and other things were fired, and Han Du
Let the craftsmen start making cement. ??
Gu Kun mobilized a large number of people and built hundreds of lime kilns in just a few days.
As soon as the cement is fired, the craftsmen teach the people how to use it. The people who have learned how to use it will teach others, and they will pass it on to ten people and hundreds of people.
Soon, several main roads in Henan were filled with dense crowds of people smoothing the roads, closing molds and pouring cement onto the road surface.
Gu Kun saw the cement road that was first built, and it was indeed as rumored. Thinking of the benefits of this road that Han Du said, Gu Kun became excited. He wished that all the roads in Henan were like this now. He was busy all day long.
I ran around the construction site with my feet on the ground without even a single complaint.
Han Du felt at ease again.
That day, Fang Xiaoru suddenly came to Han Du and said, "I'm going to go out and have a look."
"Well, go ahead and pay attention to safety on the road." Han Du was not surprised, and while drinking tea, he was perfunctory with Fang Xiaoru.
But Fang Xiaoru suddenly came up and grabbed Han Du's arm, looked at Han Du with bright eyes, and said, "I want you to go with me."
Han Du was stunned for a moment, then suddenly smiled brightly and asked: "What are we going to do with you? You are going to patrol, and we don't need to patrol."
Fang Xiaoru was very angry at Han Du and said angrily: "Don't you want to see how the officials below are doing?"
Han Du put aside Fang Xiaoru's hand and said, "What's so good about this? With Gu Kun watching, nothing will happen."
But Fang Xiaoru couldn't help but explain
After taking Han Du away, the two of them walked on the official road. Fang Xiaoru would carefully check the people's work conditions and food and accommodation conditions wherever they went. However, the more this happened, the more energetic Fang Xiaoru became, while Han Du became more energetic.
Listless and bored.
Fang Xiaoru talked to Han Du several times, but it had no effect at all. Han Du still went his own way, and Fang Xiaoru was helpless and didn't bother to worry about Han Du anymore. Anyway, as long as Han Du followed him out, it would be better than staying in the Chief Envoy's Department.
.
Han Du was wandering around with nothing to do, but he happened to meet someone who knew him.
"The little old man is here to pay homage to my uncle."
After hearing this, Han Du noticed that there was an old man in front of him saluting him. He immediately laughed and helped the old man up with both hands. "Do you recognize me?"
"Of course I recognize it, how can I not recognize it?" The old man smiled and sighed, "If uncle hadn't brought food to Kaifeng Mansion, the common people might not have been able to survive that day. Because of uncle's kindness, the common people could only bear the title of grass.
Huan came to report."
"What about knotting a ring with grass? I'm exaggerating." Han Du was very satisfied with the old man's kindness. "As long as the old man's family can live a good life, it will be the greatest relief to me."
Who knew that the old man couldn't help but sigh after hearing this.
"What's wrong?" Han Du asked doubtfully, "This famine is about to end and good days are just around the corner. Why is my father-in-law still sighing?"
A look of shame suddenly appeared on the old man's face, and he said: "To be honest with you, uncle, even without this famine, life would not be much easier."
"Oh? Why is that? Are the taxes in Henan very heavy?" Han Du looked condensed. If the taxes in Henan are very heavy, then it is the problem of the officials. Han Du knew that Lao Zhu's taxes on Henan were not heavy.
, the Ming Dynasty imposed the heaviest taxes on Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Therefore, there are many fertile fields here, and the harvest of grain per acre is better.
Unless corrupt officials are rampant in Henan, taxation cannot be heavy.
"That's not true." Seeing Han Du's misunderstanding, the old man quickly explained: "I just don't know why. Starting from our ancestors, we have said that the family's farmland is not as good as every generation, and the food production is slowly decreasing. Now, one acre of good land
We can no longer collect three loads of grain."
One acre of fertile land doesn’t even have three loads of grain?
Han Du couldn't help but frown. Logically speaking, the harvest from fertile land should be more than three dan. The fertile land in Jiangsu and Zhejiang can even reach more than four dan.
Han Du suddenly remembered a topic from later generations, that is, in the ancient Central Plains area, after thousands of years of cultivation and development, the land had already become very barren. Later generations were lucky, and there were various fertilizers that could replenish fertility. But in
Now, I'm afraid there is no good way to replenish fertility.
Reduced food production has become inevitable.
Could it be that the barrenness of the land in the Central Plains was already very serious in the Ming Dynasty? However, this is not impossible. After all, the Ming Dynasty was only six or seven hundred years away from later generations.
Thinking of this, Han Du couldn't help but go to the field and grab a handful of soil. The soil was dry and he kneaded it with his hands, and he could still see dots of white in the soil.
Han Du couldn't help but frown. The soil was indeed too barren. The best soil should be like black humus soil. The next best soil should be black and gray. Any soil that is gray-white like this is very barren.