Du Yinxi said: "Back to your Majesty, although one of the eight prefectures in the south of the Yangtze River has not done a new inventory, I and Mr. Ma Mingluo, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, have made an estimate."
"From the 18th year of Chongzhen to the 20th year of Chongzhen, the total number of newborns in Jiangnan during these three years was at least more than five million. In addition, the number of hired craftsmen from Shandong, Henan, Jiangxi, Fujian and even Huguang poured into Jiangnan to work, and the total number was also
It will exceed five million, so the total population of eight prefectures and one prefecture in the south of the Yangtze River must have exceeded 40 million."
Du Yinxi is talking about the permanent population, not the registered population in eight prefectures and one state in the south of the Yangtze River.
"But even if there are ten million more people, there won't be an additional food gap of fifty million dan, right?" Lu Zhenfei said.
"If there are only 10 million more mouths, there will indeed not be an additional food gap of 50 million shi, because large mouths can only eat three shi and six buckets a year, and small mouths only need one shi and eight buckets." Du Yin.
Xi nodded with a smile and said, "So even if there are more than 10 million more mouths, it will not consume 30 million more shi of food."
Huang Daozhou asked: "Then where did the remaining 20 million stone gaps go?"
The tone of Huang Daozhou's questioning was already a bit harsh, because the old man was in charge of the Metropolitan Procuratorate and the Ministry of Science and Technology, so it was natural to think that someone was lining his own pockets?
Du Yinxi smiled and asked: "Mr. Huang Ge, have you forgotten?"
"What?" Huang Daozhou frowned, "What did I forget?"
Du Yinxi said: "Since the beginning of summer this year, the number of breweries in Jiangnan has surged, from hundreds to thousands. The grain consumed in brewing fermented wine consumes at least tens of millions of dan! Again!
Adding in the grain consumed in brewing distilled liquor, the food gap of 100 million shi is probably more than enough."
Lu Zhenfei and the other four pavilion elders suddenly showed bitter expressions on their faces.
I wanted to complain a few words about Chongzhen, but I didn't dare.
Because it was Chongzhen who led to the proliferation of breweries.
After Chongzhen returned to Nanjing from Xuzhou, he didn't know what was wrong. He actually proposed to provide one liter of fermented wine every day to all the soldiers and recruits who were deployed abroad. It was really too extravagant.
Because of this matter, Lu Zhenfei and the other four pavilion elders all tried to remonstrate with Chongzhen.
Huang Daozhou even wrote an ambitious essay of tens of thousands of words, determined to get Chongzhen to take back his life. However, what is depressing is that Chongzhen only used one sentence to silence Huang Daozhou.
I haven’t spent a penny from the national treasury, can you take care of me?
Just this sentence almost made Zodiac Zhou's cerebral thrombosis angry on the spot.
Due to the limitations of the times, Lu Zhenfei, Huang Daozhou and others naturally could not understand the mystery.
Chongzhen did this simply because he wanted to drive the development of other industries through the development of the military industry, and ultimately promote the improvement of the overall industrial level of the Ming Dynasty.
Promote the development of the iron hardware industry by equipping soldiers and recruiting soldiers with iron pots.
Promote the development of the clothing and textile industry by equipping soldiers and recruiting soldiers with uniforms.
Promote the development of the cooked food processing industry by providing rations to soldiers and recruits.
Promote the development of the brewing and packaging industry by equipping soldiers and recruits with fermented wine.
Promote the development of the wood processing industry by equipping soldiers and recruiting soldiers with sidecars.
All these are equivalent to preparing dry firewood, and then when the steam engine comes out, it is equivalent to a little spark falling into the dry firewood pile, and boom, the industrial revolution breaks out, perfect.
In order to recruit and supply one liter of fermented wine per person per day to all the soldiers who were on the battlefield, the Ministry of Internal Affairs indeed spent a lot of money, but Chongzhen believed that the money was well spent, because this move not only improved the Ming army
The conditions improved the morale and combat effectiveness of the Ming army, and also promoted the development of the brewing industry, pottery industry, and transportation industry. It directly or indirectly created millions of jobs and greatly prospered the industry and commerce of the Ming Dynasty.
Naturally, Zodiac Zhou and the others couldn't see so deeply.
But it's useless, even if they have opinions, they can only hold it in.
Who told Chongzhen that he really did not use a penny of the national treasury?
The Emperor Wanli spent money lavishly back then, and he also used money from the national treasury, which made the civil and military officials in the court look down upon him. In comparison, the current emperor is much stronger.
At that moment, Huang Daozhou asked with a dark face: "In this case, the food gap in the eight prefectures and one state in the south of the Yangtze River is really likely to exceed 50 million dan. Then I would like to ask Du Duxian, where can such a large gap be filled? Can it be filled?
Up?"
"It can be replenished, no problem at all." Du Yinxi replied with certainty, "The drought in various provinces this year is indeed very serious. It is not an exaggeration to say that it happens once in 500 years, but as a major grain-producing area, Henan, Huguang
Since the two provinces built complete water conservancy and irrigation projects last year and the year before that, there has been no large-scale reduction in grain production."
"Doudu Xian, did Henan and Huguang really not reduce production?" Huang Daozhou still had doubts.
Huang Daozhou's suspicion was based on his basic understanding of the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty, because the ecology of the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty was to deceive the superiors and conceal the inferiors, only reporting good things but not bad things, so what Du Yinxi saw during the inspection may not be the real situation, and
It was most likely what local officials in Henan and Huguang wanted him to see.
Du Yinxi smiled and said: "Xiaguan knows what Huangge is worried about, but it is superfluous. I won't talk about the situation in Henan, because the water conservancy and irrigation facilities in Henan are originally the responsibility of Xiaguan.
Xiaguan knows better than anyone what kind of flood and drought conditions we will live in. As for Huguang..."
There is another reason why Henan's grain harvest has not been affected by the drought.
That is, sweet potatoes, cereals, potatoes and other dry crops are grown in large areas in Henan.
"Although Xiaguan is not responsible for water conservancy in Huguang, he did not notify any local officials during his inspection in Huguang, and he had no contact with his colleagues in Huguang. Therefore, there was no deception.
I promise Mr. Huang Ge that what he saw and heard is the truth, and there is absolutely no falsehood."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "Really? With that said, I really want to go to Henan for a walk."
Huang Daozhou still didn't believe it and wanted to get something out of Du Yinxi's mouth, but Chongzhen became impatient.
"Okay, Mr. Huangge, you really should go to Henan and Huguang when you have time." Chongzhen stabbed Huang Daozhou, and then asked Du Yinxi, "Du Qing, the sweet potato, corn and potato harvests in Henan this year are pretty good.
?”
Du Yinxi happily said: "Returning to the Holy Spirit, the drought in Henan this year is actually the most serious. The Yellow River has completely stopped flowing. However, fortunately, the sweet potatoes, cereals and potatoes grown are relatively drought-resistant, so there has not been a large-scale harvest failure.
I estimate that if you harvest two to three stones per mu, there will still be some, but any more will be gone."
"The drought is so severe, can we still harvest two or three stones per acre?"
"So, sweet potatoes, corns and potatoes are the sacred crops for drought resistance."
Lu Zhenfei, Zhang Shenyan and Meng Zhaoxiang were immediately excited when they heard this. If what Du Yinxi said is true, then they are likely to achieve another unprecedented great achievement during their term as cabinet - there will be no famine in China from now on.
There will never be a large-scale famine again. This is a great thing and a great merit!
Du Yinxi said: "Sweet potatoes, cereals and potatoes are indeed drought-resistant sacred valleys. Considering the drought situation in Henan this year, if wheat, rice and other crops are grown, it would be good to be able to harvest one bushel per mu. In this case, Henan will definitely
If there is a great famine, those people who have just fled from the north will definitely die of starvation in large numbers. In Guide, Xuzhou's soldiers will probably flee in large numbers. In this way, the Huanghuai defense line that the emperor worked so hard to build will be destroyed.
Already."
Lu Zhenfei said: "Your Majesty, these sweet potatoes, cornmeal and potatoes need to be vigorously promoted."
Zhang Shenyan also said: "Yes, we must vigorously promote the planting of sweet potatoes, cereals and potatoes in all provinces. In this way, we will no longer be in danger of hunger in the Ming Dynasty, and every household can live and work in peace and contentment."
"We must promote it and immediately purchase reserve grain seeds from Henan and exchange wheat and rice with the people of Henan."
It is rare that several senior ministers in the cabinet are willing to promote the cultivation of sweet potatoes, cereals and potatoes, but they have to strike while the iron is hot to implement this matter. Previously, they could not push it forward even with strong push.
However, at this time, Du Yinxi said instead: "Your Majesty, I support vigorously promoting the planting of sweet potatoes, cereals and potatoes in various provinces, but I recommend planting them only in relatively barren dry lands or mountainous areas, because wheat, rice and other crops are almost impossible to grow on these cultivated lands.
There will be no harvest, but coarse grains such as sweet potatoes will be almost unaffected."
Zhang Shenyan asked: "Is there a big difference between growing coarse grains and fine grains in paddy fields?"
"Yes, there is not much difference between the harvest of coarse grains and fine grains planted in paddy fields. They are both about two to three stones per mu. Maybe high-yielding varieties can be cultivated in the future, but now there is not much difference." Du Yinxi continued, "So now,
It is most desirable to mix refined grains such as wheat and rice with coarse grains such as sweet potatoes."
"That's it." Chongzhen nodded happily, "Then just mix it up."
In Chongzhen’s memory, farmers in previous lives seemed to have mixed coarse grains with fine grains, and coarse grains were planted in relatively barren mountains or on the edges of fields.
At this time, Meng Zhaoxiang suddenly asked again: "This time our Ming Dynasty suffered such a severe drought. I don't know what the situation is like in the Pseudo-Shun and Jiannu countries. Have they also suffered a once-in-a-century drought?"
"I'm afraid this will disappoint Mr. Mengge." Chongzhen shook his head and said.
Li Ruolian and Zuo Maodi had already sent secret reports to Nanjing about the disasters under the rule of Jiannu and puppet Shun.
At that time, Chongzhen continued: "Although Beizhi, Shanxi and Shandong under the rule of Jiannu also suffered from drought, the disaster was much less serious. As for Shaanxi and Gansu under the rule of Puppet Shun, the weather is even better this year, and it is said to be a great harvest year.
"
"Ah? It's still a good harvest?" Zhu Cijiong said in disappointment, "God is so ignorant."
"Prince Ding, please be careful with your words!" Huang Daozhou suddenly changed his expression and said, "There is a god three feet above your head. How can you insult him with words?"
