Ming Zuo

"Now Nuergandusi has been established as a province. According to the calculation of the Ministry of Agriculture, the cultivated area there is very large. If it can be fully developed, it will greatly relieve the domestic food pressure. After the agricultural production in Jilin Province takes shape , perhaps the problem of cotton planting can be effectively alleviated.”

If the area of ​​arable land is always fixed, then Zuo Menggeng can only abandon cotton planting and ensure grain production.

But Xia Kingdom has already taken the first step of outward expansion, and has occupied the vast northern land.

As long as the problem of agricultural production over there is resolved, and the Xia Kingdom no longer has to worry about food shortages, a large amount of land can be vacated in the mainland for growing cotton.

The situation was like this, although Xu Ji and Pan Yunlong were very anxious, there was nothing they could do.

Xu Ji simply went to the Xia Palace to visit his niece.

Pan Yunlong came to Shandong this time with a lot of business.

"Pan and Xu's two families have agreed to hold a wedding at the end of this year, and Zhongheng will have to attend at that time."

The marriage of Pan Xiaona and Xu Ruoxin is finally on the agenda.

These two people are actually not young, but because there have been too many things in recent years, they have been delayed.

This time, the war finally came to an end, and the business of ARTISTRY, which Xu Ruoxin was in charge of, stabilized again.Therefore, Pan Yunlong and Xu Ji agreed to let them get married at the end of the year.

"This is a great joy, my nephew will definitely come in person."

Having obtained his promise, Pan Yunlong was extremely happy.

Zuo Menggeng's appearance at the wedding ceremony represented many things, and the status of the Pan family would surely be raised to a higher level.

Although it can't be compared with the royal relatives like the Xu family, it is also very prominent in Xia Kingdom.

Zuo Menggeng felt sorry for Pan Yunlong.

"Uncle still has the spirit of a dragon and a horse, and has extraordinary talents and learning. It's a pity to swim in the countryside. I don't know if I would like to come out and do something?"

Pan Yunlong is also well-known, and has also been an official.Based on Zuo Menggeng's personal observation, this person can definitely be regarded as shrewd and capable.

Xia Guo's territory is getting bigger and bigger. Although it has been constantly training officials, the supply is still in short supply.

It would be a good thing if Pan Yunlong could come out to be an official.

Hearing Zuo Menggeng's personal invitation, Pan Yunlong and You Rong Yan.

"Even if Zhongheng doesn't say it, I'm happy with it. Why don't you go to the government affairs school to report?"

Even if Pan Yunlong was Zuo Menggeng's in-law, if he wanted to be an official in Xia Kingdom, he would undoubtedly have to go through the government affairs school.

It's just that unlike others, Pan Yunlong doesn't need to attend junior government affairs schools, nor does he need to be honed at the grassroots level.

"Uncle's talents can be displayed, I am gratified."

Pan Xiaona is now an official, but only at the grassroots level, the county magistrate of Gaoyou County.

In order to control the flood in the Lixia River, he really tossed a lot.But everyone saw the credit and hard work, and no one thought that a rich man could put down his figure like this, which had to be admirable.

The Ministry of Government Affairs has been inspected and has a very high evaluation of him.Not surprisingly, at least he will be promoted to mayor next year.

Municipal officials in their twenties are quite eye-catching even in the country of Xia.

Xu Ji and Pan Yunlong's visit made Zuo Menggeng aware of the cotton problem.

Today, the cotton grown in Xiaguo and Daming belongs to the Asian cotton variety.

This kind of cotton was introduced into China from India during the Western Han Dynasty.After thousands of years of cultivation, it has become a native variety.

But Zuo Menggeng knew that the quality of Asian cotton was not very high, and he would be completely defeated in the competition with other varieties of cotton in the future.

Upland cotton and sea island cotton will dominate the cotton market in the future.

Both types of cotton are native to the American continent.

Among them, upland cotton has made great contributions to the industrial revolution in the West, and it is also the cotton variety with the widest planting range and the highest yield in the world.

But in terms of quality, sea island cotton is the best.

Sea Island cotton, also known as long-staple cotton.

The cloth woven from this kind of cotton is the best, loved and highly competitive.

Regardless of upland cotton or sea island cotton, it was not introduced into China until modern times.Large-scale planting and production will not be until after the founding of the People's Republic of China.

At this time, the problem of cotton began to trouble Xia Guo, which gave Zuo Menggeng a new idea.

"Inform Chen Xiang immediately, find a way to contact the Spaniards and Portuguese, and ask for American cotton seeds."

In Xiaguo's center, the person in charge of economic issues is Chen Zhi.

However, in recent years, Chen Zhi has been in Songjiang Mansion, presiding over the work there.

Zuo Menggeng decided to entrust him with the task of introducing new cotton.

Today only the Spaniards and the Portuguese have colonies on the American continent.In particular, Mexico, the origin of upland cotton, is within the sphere of influence of the Spaniards.

If you want to get upland cotton, you can only go through the Spaniards.

But Xia Guo has never had any contact with Spain, and Zuo Menggeng is not sure whether he can succeed or not.

Maybe the Portuguese channel will be a little easier.

Portugal has always had business ties with the Xia Kingdom, and even because of the Xia Kingdom, their relationship with the Dutch has eased a lot.

This made the Portuguese have always been very grateful to Xia Guo, so it was no problem to buy some cotton seeds.

This is Zuo Menggeng's idea, the best solution to the cotton crisis right now.

Since it is impossible to increase the cotton planting area, then find a way from the quality and yield of cotton.

The uneven Chengguo is Gaoyou, and there is no end to Pinghu.

The first day is desolate and the waves are surging, and the clouds are chaotic and the water is floating.

Divide Yanshuzang village dock equally, and stand side by side with cormorants and fishing boats.

Riding the wind for hundreds of miles with a smile, Pianfan looks back to Yangzhou.

A seven-character regulated poem fulfills Gaoyou's status.

As one of the important nodes on the Grand Canal, Gaoyou has always been a key construction site in all dynasties.

Because the Grand Canal is the blood of the dynasty.

When the dynasty was prosperous, Gaoyou was also prosperous.

But when the dynasty declines, Gaoyou will also fall into a trough.

In addition, there is another situation, that is, the survival mode on both sides of the canal has changed.

As an important city of Lixiahe generation, Gaoyou can be called a disaster-ridden city.

Whenever there is a flood, this place will inevitably become a swamp country.Countless people's homes were destroyed and displaced.

Even during the Taiping season, the government is driving to dig canals and maintain dams, and they are overwhelmed by heavy labor.

It can be said that no matter how prosperous this canal is, the people of Gaoyou will suffer as much.

After Xia Guo occupied this place, the operation method of the canal was rectified.

The maintenance and operation of the canal have specialized commercial companies, which freed the people from the oppression of corvee.

Although this is good governance, it also deprives many people of the way to eat during the slack season.

After a few years, the living conditions of the local people have not changed much.

They desperately need a way out.