Thinking about future generations, although the land area is also large, the population is even greater, with more than one billion people crowded together, and they are still concentrated in the eastern region.
Everything seems very tense, per capita resources are scarce, internal competition is high, and food is a big problem.
Later generations relied on science and technology to produce high-yield rice and wheat, and coupled with a large amount of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, they were able to meet the food needs of 1.4 billion people.
However, the problems caused by the excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers are becoming more and more serious. The soil is hardened and gradually loses its fertility. Without chemical fertilizers, it is impossible to grow food. The excessive use of pesticides has put the ecology in danger.
The frogs, loaches, eels, snails, etc. that used to be seen everywhere in the rice fields are almost extinct. On the contrary, various pests are becoming more and more powerful, and more and more pesticides are used, leading to an endless cycle.
And because there are more people and less land, the land cannot be concentrated to develop large-scale agriculture and animal husbandry. In order to obtain food, people even have to ask for farmland from the mountains and build a large number of terraced fields.
It can be said that in order to fill their stomachs, they have tried all kinds of methods, and the consequences have become more and more serious.
Soil erosion, ecological damage, etc. are constantly testing the increasingly harsh situation.
Coupled with urban development, a large number of fields have been occupied, which has further aggravated the situation.
In general, there are more people but less land, greater pressure to survive, and fewer resources.
Liu Jin traveled through time, and the Ming Dynasty acquired a large amount of land after years of continuous external expansion and population migration. It also distributed the population more evenly throughout the country, alleviating the contradiction between man and land and the contradiction between man and nature.
Like the Loess Plateau, it is actually not suitable for human survival and development at all. The ecological environment is too fragile.
The Ming Dynasty moved a large number of people here, and the place gradually recuperated naturally. The environment is now gradually recovering, and the people who moved out have also lived a more prosperous life in Liaodong, Hezhong, the Western Regions and other places.
This is the benefit of owning more land, which allows you to do more with ease, instead of having to stick to the already barren land.
When people are poor, the land is also poor, and the environment is constantly being destroyed. Once there is a natural or man-made disaster, wars will immediately break out and people will not be able to make a living.
Therefore, Liu Jin planned to seize as much land as possible during the Ming Dynasty, when the country was prosperous, the people were strong, and the country was at its peak. An extra piece of land would give future generations more choices, less pressure, and more ease and freedom.
Thinking about when I just traveled across time, the seaside existence where I was was basically didn't have any land of my own, and even though I was farming all year round, I didn't even have enough to eat.
What is the meaning of such days?
Looking at the Ming Dynasty now, a large amount of land has been abandoned and no one is cultivating it, but the people of the Ming Dynasty do not have to go hungry, and the price of food has always been very low, so they can easily eat enough.
Where the land is not suitable for farming, the land should be left barren. Letting the land contribute to the ecological environment and maintaining a good ecological environment is the last word for long-term sustainable development.
This piece of black land north of the Black Sea in Eastern Europe was a famous granary. A large amount of food was exported in later generations, and Europe's food largely relied on it.
The Ming Dynasty occupied this fertile land, plus other huge lands, and could basically control the food supply, so that future generations could desperately use it to create humans.
It doesn't matter whether you like to have as many children as you want, or how hard you work to have them. Anyway, Ming Dynasty has enough land and resources to feed a larger population, and there is no need to talk about restricting fertility.
Since ancient times, all dynasties and countries have encouraged procreation, because everyone knows that only one person can have everything.
Of course, expanding land is not just for food, but more for resources and space for survival, leaving a wealth for future generations.
In addition, the Ming Dynasty continued to expand to the west, of course, in order to put pressure on the Ottoman Empire and European countries. In the past, it was said that they were separated by a long distance.
No matter how powerful your Ming Empire is, what can you do to us?
But it would be different if the Ming Dynasty swallowed up the great plains of Eastern Europe. It would be the same as the Mongol Empire, which directly invaded Europe.
The Ming Dynasty is not a Mongolian or a nomadic people. Once the Ming Dynasty comes over, it will not be enough to plunder. It will take root here.
From now on, the whole of Europe will tremble under the iron heel of the Ming Dynasty.
"Add another granary~"
Emperor Hongzhi thought carefully and nodded slightly after thinking.
"What do you think, my dear friends?"
He looked at the crowd and asked.
"Your Majesty, it would be best if we could add another granary. No matter how much land and grain we have, it will be too much."
"Besides, our Ming Dynasty has not used troops externally in these years. Many people think that we are not as good as before, so the Egyptians have lost some strength and want to take back half of the people in the canal."
"I believe that this westward expansion is not only about acquiring land, but also an opportunity to show the powerful force of our Ming Dynasty to the whole world, so that everyone can see the powerful strength of our Ming Dynasty."
Zhu Fu was the first to stand up and express his support.
It must be supported. The Ming army has not fought for several years. It has long been idle. Everyone from top to bottom is thinking about war. Only when there is a war can it be easier for everyone to get promoted and make a fortune. They can be knighted.
Get the reward of land, the reward of slaves.
At the same time, you can also test the power and combat effectiveness of the new weapons of the Ming Dynasty. Elite soldiers and generals are all trained, and the best way to practice is to use actual combat.
"What Duke Cheng Guo said makes sense!"
"My Ming Dynasty has been showing strong military power to the outside world for many years, so much so that even Egypt is thinking about breaking the contract with our Ming Dynasty. In addition, the new Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Selim I, is a war madman himself. After the Ottoman Empire becomes stronger, will it?
It will be detrimental to our Ming Dynasty, and this is something that needs to be considered."
"We can take this opportunity to give them a stern warning and kill the chicken to show the monkey."
Zhong Zhong also stated that war is a good thing for the current Ming Dynasty, because war will bring new land, a large number of slaves, and a large number of orders.
For the powerful people of the Ming Dynasty, this also had many benefits.
As for the enemies that areas that need to expand face, they simply don't pay attention to them.
The Kazan Khanate was a small country and a nomadic tribe, so it was insignificant.
The only one that may need a lot of thought and effort is the Crimean Khanate. They are a nomadic tribe and are powerful. However, under the powerful muskets, the nomadic tribes have been gradually eliminated from the stage of history. The cavalry
There is no difference between charging and dying.
As for the Principality of Moscow and the Principality of Poland and Lithuania, there is nothing to worry about. They are still very backward and very weak.
Especially after being plundered by the Crimean Khanate and the Ottoman Empire for so many years, being able to persist as an immortal country is already considered very good, and it does not have much strength at all.
The Ming Dynasty could have fought all the way to the Baltic Sea coast.
"Your Majesty, our Ming Dynasty's current financial resources can easily support such a war!"
As for Wang Shouren, the Minister of Household Affairs, he directly stated the current financial situation of the Ming Dynasty, that is, he had enough money to easily support such a war.
"Your Majesty, our Ming Dynasty is now prosperous, the country is rich and the people are strong, and the sea is clear and the river is feasting. Naturally, we should seize this opportunity and continue to expand to acquire more land."
"What we have now in the Ming Dynasty is due to its continuous external expansion and the acquisition of a large amount of land for immigration and cultivation of food."
"Otherwise, we may still be limited to this small piece of land in the pass. The contradiction between man and land is acute, and food is in short supply. Once there is a natural or man-made disaster, our Ming Dynasty will be in turmoil."
"So I think what Liu Gong said is very reasonable. We should take advantage of the strong Ming Dynasty to expand and acquire more land to give to future generations."
Han Wen also expressed his support for Ming Dynasty's continued westward expansion.
"Your Majesty, our Ming Dynasty has been running Nanyun Province, Hezhong Province, and Northwest Province for many years. These provinces have sufficient food and horses, and they have also built railways, which can quickly transport troops and materials to support westward expansion."
"Our Ming Dynasty already has the strength and capital to continue to expand westward."
Yang Yiqing thought for a while and said.
After listening to what everyone said, Emperor Hongzhi nodded slightly when he saw that everyone's opinions were very consistent.
Although he doesn't have much desire to expand the land now, he is not opposed to it. He also knows that the Ming Dynasty can be what it is now, relying on the continuous expansion of the outside world, constantly plundering back a large amount of wealth and resources, and expanding large areas of land to nourish
The Ming Dynasty.
Otherwise, relying on the land within the Daming Pass, it is estimated that the prosperity will definitely not be as strong as it is now.
"Since the opinions of all my dear friends are all in favor of westward expansion, then the matter has been settled. The purpose of our Ming Dynasty's westward expansion is not only to obtain land and resources, but also to show off our power and intimidate the world. Therefore, this battle
You have to fight beautifully!”
Emperor Hongzhi stood up and spoke loudly and forcefully.