The so-called cold paddy fields are also called cold slurry fields in some places. In later professional terms, they are paddy fields with relatively high soil acidity. Generally speaking, most soils in the south are acidic, and some of them are weakly acidic, which does not affect
For other fields with strong acidity, it is more difficult for crops to grow, and the unit yield of the field will be much lower than other farmland. From a geographical point of view, land that is generally in the shade and lacks light is most prone to strong acidity.
.Due to the lack of sunshine all year round, the soil temperature in these places is lower than that in sunny places. This is why the cold water field is called cold water field.
Chinese people already knew how to improve cold paddy fields as early as the Song Dynasty, which was to apply plant ash, quicklime or ashes of animal bones in the fields. The ancients' explanation for this was that the water quality in cold paddy fields was cold, and plant ash, quicklime, etc.
They are all thermal and can achieve the effect of "warming the soil".
As a modern person, Su Hao certainly knew that the reason why quicklime can transform cold paddy fields is that quicklime is an alkaline substance and can neutralize the acidic substances in the acidic soil, thus achieving the purpose of improving the acidic soil.
According to some ancient books, ancient Chinese farmers applied 100 pounds of quicklime to an acre of cold water field, which can increase the yield per mu by 20% to 50%. The yield increase effect is very obvious. Farmers also know that the application of quicklime in the field should be reduced year by year.
, after the acidity of the soil is basically removed, it is not suitable to apply quicklime, otherwise it will cause soil compaction, which is also not conducive to farming.
Su Hao paid attention to Lengshui Field because he was inspired by digging a well in Caijia Village. At that time, the well he chose was located in the only two acres of land owned by the Cheng family, and those two acres happened to be Lengshui Field.
From the words of Cai Youshou, the head of the village, Su Hao knew that the yield of cold water fields was low and the land price was also low. An average good land cost more than ten taels of silver to buy an acre, but the cold water fields cultivated by the Cheng family brothers were only worth five taels of silver per acre.
After that, Su Hao paid close attention to the situation of cold water fields wherever he went. He found that in the several villages he visited, cold water fields accounted for about one-third of the cultivated land. The existence of these cold water fields,
It has greatly affected the county's grain production and aggravated the contradiction between more people and less land.
Su Hao found some old farmers for interviews. From them, Su Hao learned that everyone actually knew the method of transforming cold paddy fields, but was limited by the price of quicklime, plant ash and other raw materials, so it was impossible to implement this transformation. At that time, one load in the north
The price of quicklime is about 1 silver coin, while in the south, the price can reach 2 to 3 silver coins. The increased grain production after applying quicklime is only worth 4 to 5 silver coins, and the price difference between the two is very small. In this way,
Farmers are not willing to do this kind of work that has basically no profit.
After Su Hao learned about these situations, he focused on the supply of quicklime. The production process of quicklime is very simple. Just put the limestone in the kiln and calcine it at high temperature. Su Hao inspected the countryside
At that time, many very good quality limestone mines were discovered. The only thing left was to find enough and cheap coal to use as fuel for calcination.
Lime is cheaper in the north, largely because coal is cheap. There is a general shortage of coal in the south, so the price of coal ash is relatively high. Ninety percent of the fuel used when burning lime is coal cakes and 10% is firewood. The price of coal cannot be reduced.
If the price goes down, it will be difficult for the price of lime to come down.
To say that the south is short of coal is a relative term. Su Hao kept the distribution of mineral resources across the country in his mind. He clearly remembered that Fengcheng was one of the most important coal-producing areas in the south in later generations.
After understanding these principles, Su Hao had a clear road map for what he wanted to do: first explore the coal mine, then dig the coal, burn the lime with the coal, and then sell the lime to farmers at a low price for use in transforming cold paddy fields.
. He estimated that if 1,000 hectares of cold water fields could be transformed, even if one acre of land was increased by one stone of rice, the county's output would be increased by 100,000 tons. This is a very impressive figure.
After listening to Su Hao's explanation of his plan, Wu Zhicheng looked solemn. After a long time, he breathed a sigh of relief and said: "Mr. Yangming advocates the unity of knowledge and action. How many of us can do it? I am not weak in my reform years.
But I always think about the livelihood of the farm and can put it into practice every time. I really admire it.
If these academy disciples are willing to follow suit and do some practical things, I, as an evangelist, can naturally not stop them. Even those who are unwilling to do things, I still want to talk to them and give them some advice."
"That's not necessary." Su Hao waved his hand and said, "This kind of thing is voluntary. I would rather have 10 like-minded helpers than 100 onlookers who seem to be inseparable. To be honest, I really don't have that much leisure time to take care of it.
where are they."
"Forget it, let Gai Zhi decide this matter." Wu Zhicheng said, "If Gai Zhi needs me to do something, just ask. Although I am old and stupid, I can still do something."
"How dare you trouble Mr. Wu?" Su Hao bowed and said.
After agreeing to allow Ma Yu and others to take leave from the academy to help in the workshop, Su Hao stood up, said goodbye to Wu Zhicheng, and left the academy. Wu Zhicheng kept sending Su Hao out of the door, and then walked back with emotion. Halfway there
, Wu Zhicheng suddenly remembered that he was holding a piece of paper in his hand, and Su Hao tricked him out of the study room by teaching him the solution to the difficult problem on the note.
"This Su Gaizhi, who promised something, took advantage of my moment of confusion and broke his promise." Wu Zhicheng muttered. He carefully read the content on the note again and said to himself: "Don't ask him first.
I'll think about it myself, and maybe I can come up with a solution. When the time comes, I'll use this solution to humiliate him..."
On that note, there were some calculations written: 6=3+3, 8=5+3, 10=5+5...
There is a sentence at the end that reads: Prove that any negative number not less than 6 can be recorded as the sum of two roots.
In ancient China, even numbers were also called negative numbers, and the roots of numbers referred to prime numbers. The question Su Hao asked Wu Zhicheng, translated into modern language, is:
Any even number not less than 6 can be expressed as the sum of two prime numbers.
"No matter how difficult the question is, it doesn't matter. I'll just spend my whole life trying to solve it." Wu Zhicheng made up his mind with great enthusiasm.
Su Hao didn't feel any guilt for tricking poor old man Wu into using nine chapters of arithmetic knowledge to prove Goldbach's conjecture. Who told you, old man, to shut up behind closed doors and not see guests? Why don't you go out for the rest of your life?
Let’s do number theory problems at home.
Humming pop songs all the way, Su Hao walked leisurely towards home. When passing by a small street called Taiping Lane, he suddenly remembered that Lu Xiuer had told him that she was usually in this alley.
Su Hao, who sells tea eggs, decided on a whim to see how Lu Xiuer was doing business.
Taiping Lane is a commercial street in Fengcheng County. There are shops selling various goods on both sides, as well as tea shops, restaurants, etc. Su Hao inadvertently even saw a building that looked like a brothel. On the balcony outside
The red sleeves were fluttering and the fragrance was fragrant. Su Hao considered himself a gentleman. Seeing this situation, he quickly looked at his nose and heart, recited the multiplication formula in his heart, and walked quickly through the door of the brothel.
A few steps further, a group of hawkers carrying burdens and setting up stalls appeared in front of them, and Lu Xiuer was among them. She was sitting on a small horse, with a small charcoal stove in front of her, and a small pot on the stove, slowly cooking.
The tea eggs are slowly being boiled, and there is another pot next to it, presumably containing already boiled eggs.
Occasionally someone walked by her and said something, then Lu Xiuer opened the pot, took out a tea egg with chopsticks, held it up with a bamboo leaf, handed it to the buyer, and then took a few pennies.
He carefully put it into a small pocket hanging on his chest with a smile on his face.
Su Hao stood in the distance, watching his sister enjoying the fun of doing business and making money, and felt a warm feeling in his heart. In the middle and late Ming Dynasty, southern China had a stable society and a prosperous life for the people. There was indeed some atmosphere of peace and prosperity. A
For an ordinary family, if the head of the family is smarter and everyone in the family is hard-working, it will not be difficult to live and work in peace and contentment in today's society. People actually don't care who is the prince or the chief minister. What they pursue is not
Is it a stable and peaceful life?
When Su Hao's mind wandered for a moment, the situation in front of him had already reversed. At some point, two little girls with crooked looks appeared in front of Lu Xiu'er. They bought the things they had just bought from Lu Xiu'er.
A tea egg came and he threw it heavily to the ground and cursed loudly:
"Where are you from the country? Do you know how to cook tea eggs? Damn it, I have never tasted such terrible tea eggs!"