In the agricultural era, why was the northern and central plains far more developed than the south in the beginning?
Why was the recovery ability of the northern Central Plains much faster than that of the south despite the same war-torn situation?
Because before Jiangnan was fully developed, before double-cropping rice was promoted.
The grain output in the north and south of the Yangtze River are not at the same level.
To live, one must eat. If one does not eat, one will starve to death.
Even in the industrial information age of later generations, food is one of the main tools used by some big countries to influence and even control the world.
Not to mention that in the agricultural era, food production directly determined the upper limit of a country's population.
Grain production and population determine the upper limit of a country's national power.
As for whether the potential can be realized, that is a matter for those in power.
A spring drought caused the country of Wu to wail all over the country. It was only midsummer, and many people were already destined to have no harvest this year. They couldn't imagine what kind of tragedy would happen in winter.
For the Wei State, this spring drought has made things worse, so they can only replant more bean sprouts and pray for more autumn crops.
As for the Han Dynasty, the little fat man is still in the mood to reduce taxes. At least this year, he can eat more seafood from Soochow.
After all, Wu's money is worthless, so he can only exchange special products for supplies.
At the same time, many people in Shu were quietly calculating in their minds how much room there was for raising the price of grain sold to Wu.
This is the most concrete manifestation of the productivity of various countries.
This drought that spread to various places also completely exposed the fatness of Wei and Wu. Ji Han wore a pair of safety pants.
"Put on your trousers and go out! Who dares to go out naked and play the little bird!"
The Wuyuan County School on the bank of the river has built two large pools and diverted water into them, making it a good place for school students to cool off.
Li Balang, who was transferred from Liangzhou, is already the magistrate of Wuyuan County.
It would be much easier if he could stay in the border area for a few years with peace of mind and be promoted to county magistrate later.
After becoming the county magistrate, he officially established a foothold in the Han officialdom.
However, the vast majority of the population in Wuyuan County is the workers and their families of the Xinghanhui's iron-making workshops.
Therefore, Li Xiancheng of Wuyuan County, in the past three years, it is easy to say that it is easy, because there is not much to do.
Rice Ball Exploration
But when it comes to hard work, it is also hard work.
Because the magistrate of the same county actually has to work part-time to discipline the students in the school.
The workers in the ironmaking workshop were both Han and Hu, and the children were naturally a mixture of Han and Hu.
Children of the Hu people do not have the habit of bathing frequently.
It's okay in winter, but on such a hot day in midsummer, if you don't take a shower, it will really stink to death.
If you have poor hygiene habits, it will be even more fatal if there is an epidemic.
So the school would drive them like ducks to take a bath in the pool and cool down at the same time.
Children around the age of ten are at the age where they are like monkeys. When they are having fun, they run out naked without paying attention.
Therefore, Li County Cheng must keep a close eye on them.
If you see someone disobedient, you will just grab the little bird.
These children of the Hu people are said to be students, but in fact their parents have already signed a semi-prostitution contract with the Xinghan Society for them.
I have to work for the Xinghan Society for at least ten years before I can leave.
For Xinghanhui, it is a predetermined labor force for the next ten years.
For the Hu people, it is someone who guarantees their children's food and clothing for the next ten years.
Both parties feel that they have made a profit.
As for what the person involved will think when he grows up, no one cares.
To get rid of this fate, unless they can be admitted to the Royal Academy.
But this is almost impossible.
How many students does the college accept per year?
For a school like Dahe Ironworks School, where Han and Hu students are mixed, it would be a comfort if one or two students could enter the college in the next two years.
Therefore, Li Xiancheng was not afraid of retaliation, and he could play hard when he caught the disobedient students.
Not far from the school, there is a tall waterwheel that is constantly turning.
The water brought from the river is pumped into the canal by the water truck, and then flows along the canal into the newly opened fields to nourish the crops.
Some spring wheat has been planted on both sides of the river, and it is almost ready for harvest. South of Qiaoshan, winter wheat has been planted, which means it is planted in autumn and harvested the following summer.
In the Hetao area north of Qiaoshan, spring wheat is grown, planted in spring and harvested in late summer.
The taste of spring wheat is not as good as winter wheat, and the yield is also lower than winter wheat.
It's just that in this day and age, having food to eat is a gift from God. Who cares whether it tastes good or not?
So taste is not the most important thing.
The most important thing is that spring wheat has a very big advantage, that is, it is drought resistant.
This feature allows it to be planted north of the farming line, which is extremely valuable.
It's just that the Jiuyuan old land is basically re-cultivated farmland.
In order to ensure harvest, more millet and bean sprouts are planted in the past two years, which are better adapted to the environment than spring wheat.
Between the wheat and millet, there are some taro fields.
Five wheat and one taro or five millet and one taro can ensure that no one will starve to death in the event of famine.
This figure, in other places in the same place, is ten wheat and one taro.
Since a place like Wuyuan Old Land is a newly restored place, the most important thing is to ensure the supply of food first.
Taro has a large yield, and after being ground into powder and mixed with flour, it can be used as food rations.
Other people are still eating wheat rice that gets stuck in their throats. People in Han Dynasty have begun to eat flour. Who dares to think that it is not delicious?
Moreover, taro powder can also be made into jelly and jelly, which is just right for eating in summer.
So there is no need to worry about excess taro reserves.
However, taro requires a lot of water and fertilizer.
That is, a group like the Xinghan Hui, which has organizational capabilities, a water tanker to pump water, and a pasture to produce fertilizer.
Coupled with the guidance of agricultural experts, taro can be planted in large quantities in a targeted manner to prepare for famine.
As for people like Wu State, even if someone knew that taro could prevent famine, who would do such a thankless job?
Even if you want to do it, you must have the strength to do it.
Again, the true development of a country requires a systematic and solid foundation.
Instead of learning a few new technologies and thinking about developing by leaps and bounds.
Taking taro cultivation as an example, Jihan was able to promote the breeding of livestock on a large scale because of his food surplus.
And captivity can better accumulate fertilizer, which in turn further helps to increase grain production.
As long as the family has a certain scale of raising domestic animals and growing taro on one or two acres of land, it can naturally be afforded.
However, Wei and Wu, who did not have advanced postures, even lacked fertilizer for growing crops, let alone growing taro.
After Li Xian Cheng finished playing the little bird, he arranged food for the children before they could rest.
And on the bank of the river not far away, there was someone busier than him.
Mrs. Li Xu walked on the ground, bending down from time to time to look at the wheat ears that had begun to turn golden.
Xu Xun, the guard of the Jiuyuan Governor's Mansion and Li Xu's brother, followed her and asked:
"Sanniang, how about it? When will this grain be harvested? I can also inform the Governor's Mansion so that they can make preparations in advance."
Mrs. Li Xu walked around in a circle and looked up at the yellow and green fields with a satisfied smile on her face:
"Brother, this wheat will be ready for harvest in half a month."
She looked at her Cong brother and said, "I have calculated that the entire Dudu Mansion, from Gaoque to Wuyuan, should be able to produce enough grain this year, and there is no need to transport grain from Guanzhong and Bingzhou."
Xu Xun nodded: "That would be great. I heard that there is a spring drought in the mainland this year, and the harvest is worse than in previous years."
"I never thought that our place would be better this year than last year."
Li Xu's eyes fell on the high and low waterwheels, with a rather emotional look on his face:
"Henan (Note: Hetao was called Henan before the Ming Dynasty, which means south of the river) is surrounded by a big river. There is drought elsewhere. As long as we can find a way to divert water from the big river for irrigation here, we don't have to worry about water shortage.
"
"If it is cultivated properly, it is impossible to say that it can also become a granary. In the future, it will be called Xiaoguanzhong or even Xiaotianfu. It is probably not impossible."
Xu Xun did not have such great ambitions. He shook his head: "I dare not compare with Guanzhong. Although Jiuyuan is not short of water, the land is not as fertile as Guanzhong."
Li Xu did not accept this. In her opinion, since it is a small Guanzhong, it cannot be compared with the real Guanzhong, but it is enough to show that it is a suitable place for farming.
However, she saw that Xu Xun seemed a little absent-minded and seemed unmoved by this year's harvest in Henan, so she couldn't help but asked curiously:
"Brother doesn't seem happy?"
Xu Xun sighed:
"It's a happy thing that Henan can be self-sufficient in food. But the association chief values this place not just for farming."
Calling him the leader of the meeting instead of the Protector-General of the Central Government naturally refers to the promotion of the Han Dynasty.
Wuyuan County and Hepingcheng started construction at the same time. Now, coal mountains and iron mines have been found in Pingcheng. I heard that there has been a large-scale recruitment of workers.
Here in Wuyuan County, iron ore was discovered earlier than in Pingcheng, but coal has not been found for a long time, which is embarrassing.
Therefore, Wuyuan County must also speed up the progress, otherwise, all the barbarians will be recruited away by Pingcheng.
He shouldn't have said this kind of thing.
But the young girl in front of him was the one he wanted to send to Zhongdu's nursing bed. Unfortunately, she had never been engaged and was not interested in her.
By some strange combination of circumstances, she became the wife of the brother-in-law who was protecting the concubine in Zhongdu.
However, this younger sister's status in the Xinghan Society is not low now.
So it's okay to say these words to her.
Mrs. Li Xu had always been just farming. She turned her head and looked at Yinshan Mountain to the north.
The mountains of Yinshan are lush and green, unlike those in later generations where the trees are sparse.
Because at this time, the forest resources in Yinshan Mountain have not yet been developed.
At most, from the Pre-Qin Dynasty to the Pre-Han Dynasty, the Huns used the trees in the Yin Mountains to make bows and arrows.
"I remember that before coke was produced in Nanxiang, although pebbles were used to make iron, didn't most of them use charcoal?"
Li Xu had some questions, "Since we can't find coal, it's okay to use the many trees on Yinshan Mountain to burn charcoal and make iron, right?"
Xu Xun nodded:
"That's why I came here this time. The iron-making matter can't be postponed any longer. It really can't be done. We can only cut down wood and burn charcoal."
As he spoke, he looked at Li Xu seriously:
"I remember you said before that if you destroy the trees too much, it will easily lead to barren land, making it difficult to cultivate."
"So I was most afraid of your opposition when cutting down the trees in Yin Mountain, but I didn't expect that now you actually support burning charcoal to make iron."
Li Xu pointed at the continuous Yinshan Mountains:
"With so many forests, how many trees can be used in a year? As long as you plan properly, cut down one piece and replace another, and take turns, it will be fine."
"What I'm afraid of is just cutting down the land without replenishing it. If there are no vegetation to protect the soil and water, no matter how fertile the land is, it will become a wasteland that cannot be cultivated."
As she spoke, she pointed to the guide again.
Qinzhidao is like a giant dragon, winding southward.
"From here to Chang'an, there are many places in Shangjun in the middle that have begun to desertify. It was because of excessive grazing in the past that no vegetation could grow, so it became like that."
"If we don't pay attention, Qin Zhidao may be covered by sand one day."
As an agricultural expert, Li Xu has more professional knowledge than others in agriculture.
After repeatedly studying agricultural books such as "The Book of Pansheng" and "Four People's Monthly Orders", Li Xu combined his experience over the years and came up with the idea of writing an agricultural book of his own.
This is a very bold approach, and although I don’t know if it is unprecedented, it is definitely an unprecedented approach.
Because no woman in history has ever done anything like this.
If it were anyone else, I wouldn't even dare to think about it.
But over the years, Li Xu's knowledge has become beyond what ordinary women can compare with.
More importantly, her idea received strong support from the Central Protector.
Zhongduhu said that as long as she could truly summarize it, she would definitely have it printed.
This is the foundation of the Three Immortals.
With the biggest goal in life, Li Xu devoted himself to agricultural research.
She even personally went to the desert land in Shangjun to investigate the impact of soil erosion.
Xu Xun didn't care whether it was a desert or not. Didn't he come to Wuyuan County to meet Li Xu just to wait for her words?
"Sanniang, looking at the whole Han Dynasty, in this matter of farming, besides the Central Protector, who else can compare with you?"
To put it bluntly, the big man has produced so much grain in recent years, and his younger sister has a lot of credit for it. .
If she hadn't been born as a daughter, she might have become an official in the court and competed for a position as a farmer.
"As long as you are sure that you can cut down the forests of the Yin Mountains to make iron without hindering the farming in Henan, then this matter is considered safe."
Only then did Li Xu react and said with a smile:
"It turns out that brother is waiting for me here."
She looked at the grain fields by the river, then at the Yinshan Mountains to the north, and finally nodded:
"That's okay, but you have to ensure that you have a good plan and don't deforestation indiscriminately."
Xu Xun said quickly:
"That's natural. If Sanniang is worried, please take care of this for us and help us plan it."
"I believe that with Sanniang's help, the Central Protector will have a lot more confidence."
Zhongduhu is now taking charge of the political affairs of a country, and his identity is very different from before.
If he continues to do this kind of thing personally, will all the subordinates under him be freeloaders?
And if it is not handled well, it is easy to fall into the facts.
So all they have to do is make all the preparations.
Then the Central Protector will give him a push. This is called cooperation, and this is called knowing how to do things.
Li Xu shook his head:
"Nothing about helping or not, it's just for the big man."
The tone of his voice was quite that of a woman who would not give in to men.
Anyway, the farming in Henan is on the right track. It would be great to take advantage of this opportunity to do some research on forests and cultivated land outside the Great Wall.
"Then I'd like to thank Sanniang."
Xu Xun thought that this trip would take a lot of effort, but he didn't expect it to be so easy. He was so happy that he even raised his hands and bowed.
As long as firewood can be cut and charcoal burned in Yinshan, the Dahe Ironmaking Workshop will be officially opened.