However, the Tang Dynasty currently has a poor population and limited military strength. In addition to guarding the safety of Chang'an City, the existing troops and horses also need to maintain the stability of various places and deal with repeated incursions on the border. Therefore, there are not so many troops and horses devoted to farming in Lingnan.
In career.
Therefore, if we want to develop the rice planting industry, we should give priority to already stable areas.
After all, there will be no major changes or big disturbances in the already stable place. The imperial court only needs to send some people who know how to grow rice to guide the people to grow rice and develop all the paddy fields that can be developed.
If you come out, you can double the food supply of Datang, or even more.
So now there is absolutely no need to spend a lot of manpower and material resources to develop Lingnan, guide and enslave the natives to help Datang farm.
As Feng Zhidai said, the natives are innocent in nature and have become accustomed to living an unrestrained barbaric life. Any behavior that changes their living habits will be met with crazy revenge.
Therefore, if the Tang Dynasty wanted to guide and enslave the natives to help farm the land, it must send an army that can withstand the erosion of poisonous insects and miasma, drive them out of the mountains by plowing the fields, and then treat slaves like slaves.
Disorganize them, reorganize them, and organize them into groups of farmers to clear mountains and cultivate wasteland and take care of mulberry crops.
During this process, the Tang Dynasty not only had to send a large number of soldiers and horses to keep an eye on them, but also had to send a large number of officials to teach them.
The soldiers of the Tang Dynasty had to always be on guard against their raids, assassinations, and riots.
During the entire process, Datang had to pay a lot and spend a lot of time.
If the Tang Dynasty had ten million people, or even more, then the Tang Dynasty would be able to afford it as much as it could afford it.
However, there are only 1.8 million households in the Tang Dynasty, less than 2 million households.
Therefore, there is no need for Datang to spend a lot of manpower and material resources to develop Lingnan at this stage.
After all, in the areas that Datang has already developed, Datang's Dingkou has not yet been fully utilized. To open up wasteland again is simply a waste of people and money.
So even though Li Yuanji agreed with Ren Gui's idea, he still helped Feng Zhidai to pour cold water on Ren Gui, "Mr. Ren, your idea is good, but what Zhidai said is true.
Opening up wasteland in Lingnan and forcing the natives in Lingnan to help us farm the land requires a large investment of manpower and material resources.
The Tang Dynasty not only had to expend a large number of soldiers and horses to drive the natives out of the mountains, but also had to leave a large number of soldiers and horses to keep an eye on them.
In addition, we have to provide a lot of farm tools, a lot of clothing, and a lot of houses.
These all cost money.
The most important thing is that we still need to dredge the land and water routes from Lingnan to Datang.
This also requires money, and it's a lot of money.
More importantly, it requires a lot of labor.
Just like Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty built the Grand Canal in the past.
So we must think twice before we act.
I don’t want to follow in the footsteps of Emperor Sui Yang, and I don’t want my Li family to follow in the footsteps of the Yang family.”
Mentioning Emperor Sui Yang and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal built by Emperor Sui Yang, Ren Gui immediately calmed down.
Although the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal built by Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty will be beneficial to the future, it will harm the contemporary era.
It was because Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty insisted on building such a huge project as the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal that the people on both sides of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal were full of resentment towards the former Sui Dynasty.
In addition, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty was defeated again and again during his three expeditions to Goguryeo, which made many ambitious people see that the former Sui Dynasty had become strong on the outside and powerful on the inside. This led to the troubled times of the former Sui Dynasty with the seventy-two anti-kings fighting against the emperor.
Although Ren Gui hoped to develop Lingnan as soon as possible and use it to benefit the people of the Tang Dynasty and make a name for himself during his lifetime and after his death, he did not want the Tang Dynasty to return to troubled times, nor did he want the world to have another dispute.
After all, if the world becomes chaotic again, then the country of the Central Plains will really be over, and then it will be another tragedy of alien races competing for supremacy.
The current Dingkou in the Central Plains can no longer withstand the torment of any war. If it continues again, the Dingkou in the Central Plains may be on par with Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla.
This is something that no one who cares about their family, country, and world wants to see.
"I understand the serious relationship between this, but I am not willing to accept it!"
Ren Gui sighed and said.
He already knows that there is a place where rice can be harvested twice a year, or even three times a year.
As long as this place can be utilized, Datang's food worries can be completely solved.
But now he could only look at it and not use it, which made him feel really unhappy.
He is already old and no one knows how many more years he can live.
Whether we can still see Datang develop Lingnan, or whether we can preside over the development of Lingnan, no one can say for sure.
He felt that he might not be able to wait until that time, so he felt very unwilling.
After all, it would be a good thing if he didn't know about something that would benefit the country and benefit the future. If he knew about it, but couldn't have a hand in it, it would be a lifelong regret for him.
Li Yuanji smiled and explained: "I know you are not willing to accept it, and neither am I, but no matter what we do, we must move forward step by step in a down-to-earth manner. We cannot run, let alone leap.
Otherwise, even if we get things done, it will probably not be of any benefit to Datang.
So we can’t be impatient.”
Ren Gui sighed again and said: "I understand the truth, but I just don't want to accept it."
Li Yuanji smiled and continued: "There is nothing to be unwilling to do. Although we can't farm in Lingnan now, we can farm in many places in Jiangnan.
Aren't those places where pigs and dragons are raging and known as swamps just the right places for growing rice?
You just need to open up these areas and plant rice. Even if you can't get two or three crops a year, you can still grow a lot of food for us in the Tang Dynasty."
Ren Gui thought for a moment, then cheered up and said: "That's right, using the marshes in the south of the Yangtze River can indeed cultivate a lot of paddy fields.
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As long as rice can be planted all over it, Jiangnan will no longer have to worry about food in the future, and it can also support various places in the north through water transportation."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Li Yuanji smiled and nodded: "Yes, the most important thing is that once there are more paddy fields in the south of the Yangtze River, there will be more Dingkou in the south of the Yangtze River. Wait until
After all the paddy fields in Jiangnan have been planted, we can start to cultivate paddy fields in Lingnan.
Although we are currently unable to cultivate large areas of paddy fields in Lingnan, we can let Feng take the lead and try to find a place in Lingnan that has been Chineseized to see what kind of method can save us time and effort in Lingnan.
Open up wasteland for farming.
Once we figure out a way, it will be easier when we start working on Lingnan in the future."
In short, it means setting up a test field in Lingnan first.
Let Feng Ang figure out how to do it specifically.
Anyway, there are not only natives in Lingnan, but also many Han people who were sent to exile or fled to avoid the war.
As long as Feng Ang can make use of these people and find a better experimental field, he will definitely be able to figure out a way to promote rice on a large scale in Lingnan.
The Han people are always full of enthusiasm when it comes to farming. As long as they can build a qualified experimental field locally and figure out how to farm locally, the local Han people will gather spontaneously without the court asking.
Open up large areas of wasteland for farming in the local area.
When the imperial court arrives, it will be very easy with them taking the lead.
Many things are like this. It is difficult to do it directly, but if you go around it, it will become very easy.
Ren Gui seemed to be inspired, his eyes became eager again, "Yes, yes, yes, you can let Mr. Feng reclaim a paddy field to try it first, or you can ask the people of Linyi to help you try it together."
Anyway, Ren Gui had no intention of letting Lin Yi go.
Who allowed Linyi's rice to be harvested three times a year?
There is a saying that goes like this: An ordinary man is not guilty, but he is guilty of carrying a jade.
If you don't have great strength and occupy such a treasured land, then if the Tang Dynasty doesn't covet you, who will it covet?
Li Yuanji said angrily and funny: "You mean you have no intention of letting Lin Yi go, right?"
Ren Gui said with a strange look on his face: "What do you mean you don't want to let them go? They are my vassal of the Tang Dynasty. If I ask them to do something, do I still need to ask for their consent?"
This was said very domineeringly, but Feng Zhidai felt very uncomfortable hearing it.
Because when Li Yuanji suggested that his father try to cultivate a paddy field, he didn't seem to ask for his father's consent.
Li Yuanji was left speechless by Ren Gui, and could only say in a dumbfounded voice: "Since you think this is feasible, then go ahead and give it a try. I will leave you with full responsibility for this matter, and I will adjust Samurai Leng, Niu Xiu
, Qiu Shili, Wu Guang and others are assisting you."
Samurai Leng is an agricultural expert who focuses on farming. With his help, Ren Gui will get twice the result with half the effort in promoting rice.
Niu Xiu, Qiu Shili, Wu Guang and others were simply transferred to serve as thugs under Ren Gui.
Not only that, but those soldiers under Li Xiaogong who know how to fight on the water will also be transferred to Ren Gui.
At this time, reclaiming paddy fields and promoting rice cultivation does not mean that you just lead a group of people and bring farm tools. You must bring a large army to clear out the bandits who are roaming the swamps and the overflowing crocodiles.
The crocodile is the pig dragon.
When Ren Gui heard this, he bowed gratefully and thanked her.
He sent four civil and military officials at one go, three of whom were princes, to assist him. It was definitely a great favor for him.
After Ren Gui thanked him, he asked with some confusion: "Your Highness, are you going to use someone from the Qiu family?"
Li Yuanji nodded.
It won't work if you don't enable it.
As a member of the Qin royal family, the Qiu family was embarrassed after Li Shimin's fall.
Although the family was full of ministers, the court did not bring them with them or use them no matter what matters they discussed, which made them very flustered.
After Yu Zhining and others were sent abroad, Qiu was completely panicked, and then she found Li Xiuning's way and asked Li Xiuning to put in a good word for them.
Li Xiuning was a person of love and loyalty, and could not withstand Qiu's persistent pursuit. Finally, she ran into the palace and said a lot of good things to Qiu.
He didn't have to sell Qiu's face, but he had to sell Li Xiuning's face. In the end, he had no choice but to single out Qiu Shili and let him work with Ren Gui to promote rice.
