During the Ming Dynasty and Liaodong, Liu Jin was frowning and feeling the coldness of Liaodong.
It is now the 40th year of Hongzhi, and it is already the beginning of summer. However, during the Little Ice Age, anything could happen, even a sudden snowfall or frost in the summer was nothing.
After the beginning of summer, it is still cold in Liaodong, and it is not unusual for heavy snow to fall.
"This is the weird weather in the Little Ice Age!"
Liu Jin frowned and cursed.
People who have not really experienced the Little Ice Age may have a hard time understanding the significance and power of the Little Ice Age, which was extremely abnormal, with extreme climate, coldness, and dryness.
This has the greatest impact on agricultural production, almost resulting in no harvest throughout the year.
The key is that it is still capricious, and it happens to you frequently. The winter before last year was extremely cold, the year before that was drought, last year we finally had a good year with good weather, and last winter it was extremely cold.
This year, it has already begun summer, but the temperature in various parts of the Ming Dynasty is much lower than in previous years. Originally, it was time to start farming in Liaodong.
But now it's freezing cold here and there's heavy snowfall. It's impossible to farm at all. We can only wait until the temperature rises before we can start farming.
"Liu Gong, I'm afraid this year will be similar to the year before last. The winter will be extremely cold, and then there may be another severe drought year."
Beside Liu Jin, Li Kun and Tong Rui also came over. Seeing the scene in front of them, they also said worriedly.
"Well, it is indeed very possible."
Liu Jin also nodded solemnly.
The erratic Little Ice Age and the extreme climate that take place in turns.
This is not the most severe period of the Little Ice Age. It will be the most severe period of the Little Ice Age in a few decades. At that time, severe droughts may even occur for seven or eight years in a row, affecting the entire northern Ming Dynasty, and even
The world is experiencing unprecedented drought conditions.
As for weather that lasts for two or three years, or intermittent severe droughts, or severe cold weather, it was a common occurrence during the Little Ice Age.
In addition, the north is extremely dry, and the south is flooded one after another. Sometimes there will be floods in the north, and drought in the south is unpredictable, accompanied by large-scale plague epidemics and locust ravages.
It may be difficult for people in later generations to imagine how severe this climate is, because even if there are floods and droughts in later generations, it seems that a certain lake has dried up and turned into a grassland or something like that.
The drought of the Little Ice Age was such that the Yellow River stopped flowing and the vegetation withered and turned yellow. The Red Land Thousand Miles is not a joke. It was a real Red Land Thousand Miles and not a drop of water could fall.
"Oh, God is capricious. I don't know what's going on."
Tong Rui sighed and said.
He was the Chief Minister of Henan the year before last, and he experienced a severe drought. The land was really dry for thousands of miles, and the drought was extremely severe. In any previous dynasty, people had to change their sons to eat, and the land was full of hunger and death.
That is to say, the current Ming Empire has strong national power and sufficient food reserves, so there are no unrest or human tragedies.
"We can't decide God's affairs. All we can do is to defeat God and use our own efforts to minimize losses."
"Invite granaries across the country to inspect grain reserves and report truthfully. Anyone who makes false claims or conceals information will be severely punished!"
Liu Jin thought for a while and ordered.
"yes!"
Li Kun and Tong Rui quickly replied in unison.
Famine is not terrible. We just experienced it the year before last. The key is to have enough food reserves. As long as we have food in our hands, we will not panic.
No matter what happens, don't be afraid. If there is no food, it will really be doomed. Natural disasters plus man-made disasters, all kinds of things will happen.
Liu Jin, who is well aware of this, has always attached great importance to this matter. Last winter, he ordered various places to conduct a thorough investigation of their food reserves.
If the grain reserves are insufficient, timely transfer grain from other places to increase the reserves to ensure that the grain reserves in various places are sufficient to meet the food needs of the people in various places.
"Liu Gong, do we want to stop grain exports to Europe?"
Li Kun thought for a while and said again.
"No, our Ming Dynasty now has enough food to last us for several years. Even if the entire Ming Dynasty has no harvest this year, we don't have to worry about food problems."
"What's more, this year we are also vigorously developing Guangdong and Guangxi and promoting mechanized farming. A large amount of cultivated land has also been added to Huangjinzhou."
"In Heitu Province, Hezhong, and Liaodong, because the grain has been sold, farmers' enthusiasm for growing grain has increased. There will definitely be more land for growing grain this year."
"So we don't have to worry about Ming Dynasty's food problem. As long as we keep enough food reserves, we can sell food to Europe."
"Now is the period of spring plowing, and this year is also a critical year. We will use the food price to impact European agriculture, so that they will slowly stop growing food and rely on our Ming Dynasty's food."
"In this case, the food of the Europeans will be in the hands of our Ming Dynasty in the future. Not only can we increase farmers' enthusiasm for growing grain by dumping food, but it will also be easy to make money as long as we hold onto the Europeans' grain bags.
"
Liu Jin thought for a while and shook his head.
Now that we stop exporting grain, won’t the grain in front of us be fed to the Europeans in vain?
They also need to continue to export cheap grain to the Europeans, letting them know that growing grain is not only unprofitable, but may also cost money, so that they will turn to raising sheep, shearing wool and selling it to the Ming Dynasty, so that the Ming Dynasty can take control of them.
food.
There may be a drought in the Ming Dynasty this year, but it may also be a dry year in Europe. If those farmers in Europe have no harvest, their enthusiasm for this kind of food will definitely drop significantly.
By next year, there will definitely be fewer and fewer people eating this kind of food. In the end, the nobles will all enclosure their land to raise sheep, which will become a source of raw materials and product dumping for the development of capitalism in the Ming Dynasty. It will be deeply tied to the Ming Dynasty.
In the rolling torrent, it will be difficult to turn around from now on.
"But I'm worried about our Ming Dynasty's own food security. Someone may use the topic to criticize you, Mr. Liu."
Li Kun thought for a while and said again.
"Our Ming Dynasty's food security is guaranteed. Our Ming Dynasty occupies the largest and best yielding areas in the world, and with the advantages of mechanized farming, we don't need to worry about food security at all."
"As for those short-sighted guys who only know how to fight in the nest, don't worry about it."
Liu Jin said nonchalantly.
"What Liu Gong said is true!"
After hearing this, Li Kun quickly flattered him.
"Let's go back to Beijing."
Liu Jin looked at the vast snow-covered land in front of him again. If it weren't for the cold weather, it would be a busy scene now.
I have already seen small towns here and there. Farmers in Liaodong are already overhauling various machines and preparing for this year's farming.
According to the situation in previous years, the land has actually been plowed by this time, and wheat, corn, etc. have been planted. However, this year the weather is cold and snowy, making it impossible to cultivate at all.
Liu Jin got on the train going south and returned to the capital.
Since the arrival of trains, it has become very convenient and convenient to travel between Liaodong and Beijing and Tianjin. One day is enough to take the train.
Of course, now the Ming Dynasty has developed maritime transportation, the Bohai Bay has also been greatly developed, and there are many ports in Liaodong. Moreover, thanks to the forest resources in Liaodong, the shipbuilding industry has also developed extremely rapidly.
At the same time, Liaodong is rich in coal, iron ore, and oil reserves. The steel smelting industry, oil mining, and smelting are also developing extremely rapidly. Its industrial output value has gradually exceeded the agricultural output value.
Sitting on the train, all the way south, Liu Jin also looked at it all the way.
Compared with more than 20 years ago, Liaodong has undergone earth-shaking changes.
Cities and towns have sprung up like mushrooms after a rain, and they continue to grow and develop. The former wilderness has turned into fertile farmland.
Spacious cement roads connect the four directions, the houses are beautifully built and neat, and there are many cars on the roads, which shows the prosperity of Liaodong.
Everywhere in the towns, factories roar, tall chimneys emit billowing smoke, and the flavor of capitalism and the industrial era spreads here.
I recall that more than 20 years ago, I led my army to fight against the Jurchen tribes in Liaodong. At that time, Liaodong was still synonymous with poverty and coldness.
The Jurchens' capricious plundering and plundering made the lives of the people in Liaodong area very difficult. At that time, there was still a military household system. Almost all people in Liaodong were military households. Even though there was fertile land, they were
Often hungry and cold.
A few barbarians from the Jurchen tribe actually disturbed the peace of Liaodong.
"Time flies so fast!"
Liu Jin sighed again, thinking that he would soon be fifty years old, and time was not forgiving.
The train kept going south, and Liu Jin's eyes were full of thoughts and memories. When you get older, people will be like this, always thinking about their past.
