It was precisely because Liu Che felt that this mission would most likely be eaten by the Huns.
Therefore, when selecting members of the mission, he tried his best to avoid Han Chinese.
Except for the chief and deputy envoys.
The other members of the mission were all Huns who returned to Yiyi, Wusun people who fled to China, and surrendered Huns prisoners of war.
The excuse given to the outside world is also: We Chinese don’t understand the geography of the Western Regions.
Except for the deputy envoy, who was an acquaintance of Wang Chao, and the chief envoy, who was also the senior brother, Liu Che chose a man named Zhang Ru from Beidi County from the remaining nine.
The reason why I chose him is because he is a foreign language expert.
He knows more than four foreign languages.
Including, Xiongnu, Qiang, Wusun and Yiqu languages.
His language skills may bring a miracle to the fate of this mission!
In this way, the Western Han Dynasty version of the Bible-seeking team, or mission, was formed.
Dahonglu will choose an opportunity to send them out of the Great Wall in August, and with the help of some "friends", they will cross the Hetao.
But after passing the Yinshan Mountains, they can only hope for more blessings.
Get this thing done as an interlude.
The autumn harvest in the North has already arrived.
However, in recent years, with the continuous expansion of winter wheat planting area.
The farming methods and agricultural society in the north have undergone earth-shaking changes.
Especially in Guanzhong, as of this year, the number of households growing winter wheat has been comparable to the number of households growing corn.
Therefore, a strange scene appeared in Guanzhong.
Often just a field apart, there are different scenes.
People here are sweating profusely and busy harvesting, while on the land next door, there is the sound of cattle mooing. With the cooperation of cattle or draft horses, people turn over the land, and then mix the human and animal excrement accumulated in their homes with grass ash or silt.
, buried deep into the ground.
Near each river, there are also groups of people renting boats and digging mud in rivers or ponds.
Liu Che stood on the mountains near Kunming Pond, overlooking the people who came from all directions to fight to remove the silt from the construction site of Kunming Pond.
Therefore, Emperor Long Yan of the Han Dynasty was very happy: "The young man and the great farmer have made great achievements in leading the people, and they will be given to the young man and the great farmer, as well as the agricultural officials, with the first rank!"
Liu She, the Minister of the Shaofu, and Da Nong Ling Zhi Buyi were overjoyed and said: "I, on behalf of all the ministers, thank God for his kindness!"
This reward is more important than giving them a thousand gold coins!
For bureaucrats, in addition to power, the most important thing is the respect and obedience of their subordinates.
But if you want the people below to be obedient and obey orders, you need to fight for benefits for them.
Throughout ancient and modern times, at home and abroad, only leaders who can bring benefits to those below can have a stable position.
Especially under the Han Dynasty system.
Although the Three Gongs and Nine Qings seem to have high positions and powerful positions.
But in fact, if you are not careful, you will be ignored by the people below.
The current Shaofu Minister Liu She and Da Nong Zhi Buyi are typical examples.
Except when Liu She, the Shaofu Qing, says what he says now, except when he flatters Liu Che, at all other times, whether he is reporting work or results, in fact, it is the Shaofu Liu Cheng below who has discussed it in advance.
Okay, I've drafted the report.
As the Young Master, apart from managing the Shaofu Yamen itself, he has almost no say in the huge Young Mansion.
As a result, not long ago, Shanglinyuan was stripped from the control of the Shaofu and replaced by the so-called Shuiheng Duwei.
Therefore, Cen Mai, the minister of the Shaofu, was transformed into the new Shuiheng Commandery. Although he was not the ninth minister, he was allowed to enter the court to discuss affairs and participate in court discussions.
Because of this, Liu She, the leader, was complained by the factions within the Shaofu.
Many people feel that Taohou, the boss, is too unreliable!
At this time, receiving a favor from the emperor is tantamount to timely rain.
At least it can appease many dissatisfied people.
As for being straightforward...
He has long been a hands-off shopkeeper.
So much so that even the minister of Lantai knew that it was more reliable to go to the chief minister of Da Nong for matters related to Da Nong.
Therefore, for Zhi Buyi, providing benefits and policies to those below him is one of the few ways he can establish his authority now.
Liu Che waved his hand and asked the two of them to stand up.
"Danong and Shaofu must continue to strengthen the work of guiding the people!" Liu Che said: "Not only must we further expand the winter wheat planting area in Guanzhong, but we must also strengthen publicity and guidance throughout the north!"
"No!" Liu She and Zhi Buyi quickly agreed with a smile.
Although they really don't understand this business.
But it doesn't matter, there are many knowledgeable people below.
Especially for the Da Nong Yamen, after this year's examination, the emperor gave Da Nong an additional 600 employees with positions ranging from 100 to 400 shi.
Although it was specified that he would be added to the position of agricultural officer.
But the big farmer also trembled because of this.
From then on, the Da Nong Yamen began to build agricultural and grain officials at the township and pavilion level in more than a dozen counties in the entire north.
Liu Che looked at these two guys and shook his head.
I have no doubt that I am fifty-five years old this year.
It has been almost five years since he took office as the Great Agricultural Order.
But his business ability has been questioned over the past five years.
Especially now that new technologies and new tools are emerging one after another, and China's agricultural technology and productivity have begun to develop by leaps and bounds, there is no doubt that this old-style reliance on "inaction" is left to bureaucrats who leave work to their subordinates and only focus on their reputation and reputation.
, it is becoming more and more unsuitable to continue to serve as Jiuqing.
The Minister of Agriculture knows nothing about agriculture.
No matter how you put it, it doesn't make sense.
Moreover, today's big farmers still manage the money bag of Yantie Yamen together with the Shaofu.
"Perhaps I should organize a Western Han Dynasty version of the CPPCC..." Liu Che thought in his mind.
But the reality forced Liu Che to continue to rely on old-fashioned officials like Zhi Buwei to manage the country.
The new generation is too young!
It would take at least ten years for the Han Dynasty to complete the transition from old to new!
After returning to the palace, Liu Che ordered people to summon Shang Rong, the agricultural minister.
For questions about agriculture, you still need to ask experts.
Before Shang Rong arrived, Liu Che took the relevant reports from the Da Nong Yamen and the Prime Minister's Office and started reading them.
So that I can have a rough estimate of the current Han agricultural society and productivity.
Due to this year's winter wheat harvest season, more than two months have actually passed.
Therefore, at this moment, the winter wheat yield and data in the north have been calculated.
The situation is very gratifying!
With the help of new farming techniques and new tools, Han's winter wheat has grown taller every year.
Last year, the wheat yield in Guanzhong was a little more than three stones per mu.
But this year, the yield per mu has exceeded four stones!
Even in some sacred places and fertile areas, the yield per mu has reached five stones!
As for the hundreds of acres of land in Shanglin Garden that are personally cared for by agricultural officials, the yield per mu can even reach a maximum of ten stones!
These data strengthened Liu Che's determination to promote winter wheat as a major crop.
After all, wheat production is now more than 1.5 times that of corn.
If all wheat is grown in the north, then the grain output of the Han family will increase by 1.5 times, which can feed 10 million more people!
However, the yield of wheat is definitely more than five stones!
You know, five stones of wheat, converted into weight in future generations, is only one hundred and fifty kilograms.
In later generations, one acre of wheat produced five to six hundred kilograms easily.
Nowadays, the technology of the Han family, even if they try to impress it, cannot keep up with that of later generations.
But if the yield per mu reaches about six to seven shi, it shouldn’t be too much.
About half an hour later, Shang Rong came according to the order.
"I don't know what your Majesty's edict is, what are your orders?" Shang Rong said with two huge dark circles under his eyes, trying to cheer up.
Liu Che took one look and knew that this guy probably hadn't slept for several days.
Since Shang Rong took office as Da Nong Cheng, he has initiated agricultural work in Da Nong Ling Yamen.
Every August and September, it is said that we work all night long.
It is said that he issued hundreds of orders every day just to the agricultural officials of the county and state.
This also moved Liu Che a little.
"Sir, please sit down first..." Liu Che asked someone to bring Shang Rong a pot of ginseng tea, and then asked: "In your opinion, what is the biggest obstacle to promoting winter wheat cultivation in northern counties?"
Shang Rong took a sip of ginseng tea, regained his energy, and replied: "Reporting to your majesty, I think it's just about manpower!"
"Please tell me carefully..." Liu Che also became curious.
He had imagined inertia, customs and habits, but Shang Rong's answer made Liu Che feel a little refreshing.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, based on what I observed in the rural pavilion and heard on the slips, the reason why many people still plant corn instead of wheat is that most of the people's families lack young and strong labor force.
Or you are too poor..." Shang Rong replied: "Your Majesty, Xu Chen, please read the report of Gengzi and Gengyin of Da Nong in July!"
"Yes!" Liu Che nodded and ordered: "Go and get the memorials of Gengzi and Gengyin in July of the great farmer!"
Not long after, the minister brought the relevant memorials.
Liu Che took it in his hand, looked at it, and nodded with satisfaction.
Shang Rong is indeed a talented person who he single-handedly promoted and gave him the important responsibility of editor-in-chief of "New Farmers' Book".
His memorials, not because of his change in status, still retained the same style as when he was in the prince's palace.
Reading Shang Rong's memorial is like reading a table.
Simple, clear and clear at a glance.
Liu Che only read it roughly and understood what Shang Rong meant.
Because in the Gengzi Day report, the Da Nong Yamen not only said that it would strengthen allocations and encourage people to breed cattle and horses, but also attached an appendix after the memorial.
The appendix records the census report of the Da Nong Yamen in Quli Township, Huayin County, Guanzhong.
This report divided the 321 households in the township into two groups after excluding wealthy households with more than 300 acres of land or more than 100,000 yuan in property.
One has cows and horses, and the other has no cows and horses.
Liu Che only took a brief look and discovered a feature.
Any family with cattle and horses is a family with more than three laborers.
Those without cattle or horses are almost all young families.
This kind of family usually consists of a strong working man, a wife and two or three children.
In the notes of these families, the fact was clearly conveyed to Liu Che. More than 80% of the families with cattle and horses have switched to winter wheat.
More than 90% of households without cattle or horses chose to continue planting corn.
The contrast between the two is very strong.
Liu Che understood what Shang Rong meant almost immediately.
Only families with surplus labor can afford to raise cattle and horses, and only families that can afford to raise cattle and horses can switch to growing winter wheat.
vice versa.
In other words, in fact, today, the biggest enemy of winter wheat planting promotion in Guanzhong and the north is the people's own economic situation and the surplus of labor force.
This made Liu Che a little stunned.
In his mind, he always believed that the biggest obstacle to the promotion of winter wheat was the habits of the people.
Now it seems that this was actually just a figment of his own imagination.
It’s completely different from reality!
When I turned to Geng Yinri's memorial, it was also an appendix, which also recorded a census report of a grassroots township pavilion.
However, this is a report from Taiyuan County.
This report makes it even clearer.
Because the population of Taiyuan is not as large as that of Guanzhong, and the people are relatively poor.
Therefore, the report shows a very clear situation: 100% of qualified farmers have switched to wheat.
And the remaining paupers are still growing corn!
This report, like a bolt of lightning, pierced Liu Che's mind and shattered some of his deep-rooted perceptions.
Faced with the facts, Liu Che suddenly understood.
Why historically, did it take the Tang Dynasty for wheat to defeat the millet empire and establish absolute dominance in the north?
The answer is not habit or inertia as he always thought.
But...
"Productivity and technology!" Liu Che rubbed his temples and sighed in his heart.
In the Tang Dynasty, the Quyuan plow appeared and became popular, and at the same time, waterwheel technology entered thousands of households.
Technology has led to improvements in productivity, thereby eliminating corn.
It's right to think about it. For the people, filling their stomachs is more important than anything else!
Only the landowners, aristocrats, and scholar-bureaucrats who have too much time to spare would think about such lofty issues as "never getting tired of fine food and fine food."
For the common people, it’s good to have some to eat!
If Liu Che remembered correctly, in his previous life in Hejian Kingdom, he even saw people cooking soybeans and wild vegetables to eat just to satisfy their hunger.
What's more, now that wheat is ground, its taste and nutrition are better than that of corn.
The people have no reason to reject wheat.
Then, there is only one obstacle that restricts the promotion of wheat.
That is the cultivation of wheat, which is superior to corn.
Corn is drought and flood tolerant, so as long as it is sown, there is basically no need to worry about it.
But wheat is not good. From sowing to harvesting, farmers must always pay attention to the condition of their land.
Watering, plowing, tidying, catching insects, weeding, everything has to be done.
Moreover, wheat requires deep plowing and fertilization, as well as intensive farming.
And these are not tasks that ordinary families with only one or two strong laborers can afford.
It requires more investment and more manpower.
People are realistic.
When something is beyond their ability, they will naturally not do it.
At the same time, the people are also smart.
When something is profitable and they have the conditions to do it, they will naturally vote with their feet!
Therefore, Liu Che knew that it was time to adjust the agricultural policy of the Han Empire. (To be continued.)
