The Tang Dynasty started from saving Empress Changsun

Chapter 218 River Trouble and Grain Trouble

In the 21st century, chemical fertilizers and foliar fertilizers are widely used, and the planting density of crops is very high, generally around [-] per mu, and some even exceed.

In ancient times without chemical fertilizers, we would not have dared to plant so densely. Competing with each other for fertilizers could reduce crop yields or even fail them.

More than 8 seeds can be bred by experienced farmers, and it is no problem to plant three or four acres of land.

He definitely can't grow so much land by himself, and he doesn't have so much energy to manage it. He must hire professional old farmers to plant it.

This job should be handed over to Li Shimin, I believe he will be very interested in Liangzhong now.Chen Jingke only left two ears of rice, and sent the rest to him.

However, he did not send it to the palace himself. It is more troublesome to bring things to the palace when entering the palace. It is even more troublesome to bring so much rice. It is best to let someone from the palace take it away.

So when he entered the palace to play with his little son, he told his eldest grandson Wugou.

Li Shimin and Changsun Wugou are very clear about the rice in his yard, and have been paying attention to it.

After all, it looked weird no matter how he planted rice in the flower pond. The key was that the ears of the rice grew too big.

Then the couple reached a consensus that this must be a good breed cultivated by the Chen family.With this understanding, how could they not pay attention.

They have even found veteran farmers who are good at growing rice in advance, just waiting for this crop of rice to mature.

So when Chen Jingke mentioned that the rice was ripe and asked her to send someone to pick it up, she was not surprised, but asked instead:
"I've heard about the rice planted in your yard for a long time. It is said that the ears of rice are so big that they don't look like ordinary rice. Could it be a good variety cultivated by your family?"

Chen Jingke said frankly: "Yes, it is a fine variety cultivated by the family, and it is also a cold-resistant rice, which can be planted in the bitter cold land of Liaodong."

Changsun Wugou was surprised and said: "Oh? To be able to plant in such a bitterly cold place like Liaodong, Jingke's people are really capable."

Chen Jingke said with a smile: "As long as you pay enough attention and are willing to cultivate for a hundred years, some great talents will always be born, and you will always gain something."

How could the eldest grandson Wugou not understand what he meant, and said helplessly: "It's easier said than done, and how many people can persevere like your family. China is lucky to have the Chen family, and Jingke you It's the good fortune of Tang Dynasty."

Chen Jingke said with a silly smile: "It is my great fortune to have you, my aunt."

Xiao Si jumped over, held her head high, looked at him with big black and white eyes and said, "I am me."

Chen Jingke bent down and stretched out his hands, holding her small face full of collagen and gently rubbing it, said: "Having a little son is really a great blessing for my ancestors who have accumulated virtue for eight lifetimes."

"Haha..." Xiao Si laughed happily.

The eldest grandson Wugou sighed and said: "It's a pity that the situation in Liaodong is complicated, most of them are controlled by Khitan and Goguryeo, so it's hard for such a good breed to be useful."

Chen Jingke said worriedly: "Fine varieties will degenerate, and the cold resistance characteristics will be reduced or even lost if they are planted in warm areas for too long."

"The only cold-resistant rice seeds left in the world are those in my hands. If these rice seeds lose their cold-resistant characteristics, it will take a lot of time and effort to regain them."

"I suggest that under the rule of the Governor's Mansion in Yingzhou, choose a hidden place for small-scale planting, so as to ensure that the rice seeds will not lose their cold resistance."

He doesn't know much about biology, and he doesn't know whether cold-resistant rice will degenerate.But it's because I don't know that I say that, if it really degenerates, I will cry without tears.

Changsun Wugou didn't understand these things even more, so he didn't doubt his words, he said in embarrassment: "But if these rice seeds are acquired by Goguryeo, wouldn't it be helping the enemy?"

Chen Jingke said: "Why did my aunt forget about the artillery and the gunboat? If there is such an artifact, even if the good breed is obtained by Goguryeo, so what? Can Gao Jianwu resist the artillery with his flesh and blood?"

"Besides, we are only planting in a small area. As long as we keep the secrets well, it is not so easy for Goguryeo people to get good seeds."

"This way, we can also accumulate experience in planting rice in Liaodong. When the imperial court is determined to destroy Goguryeo, it can be planted on a large scale a year in advance."

"Sending troops in the coming year can solve part of the military ration problem on the spot and ease the logistical pressure, which can be said to serve multiple purposes."

Changsun Wugou was a little moved, and said: "It doesn't matter if you say anything about this matter, wait for me to tell the sage, let's see what he decides."

Chen Jingke said: "That's the only way to go."

He played with the little si for a long time before resigning from the palace, the eldest grandson Wugou sent Sun Fucai to bring a few people over to take away the good seeds.

It's just that Yi Nu and Yuzhu are a little reluctant, after all, this is the fruit of their labor, and they were dragged away without even tasting it.

In the next few days, Chen Jingke's life returned to the old days, giving lessons to Xu Shanying and others, and writing Qin's death summary.

The three of Cheng Huailiang came here once, mainly to talk to him about foreign trade:
"...The situation in the Western Regions is complicated and the presence of the Western Turks is too dangerous. Xue Yantuo on the northern grassland is unpredictable. We think that the Liaodong countries are more suitable."

"Gao Jianwu is cowardly afraid of the Tang Dynasty and dare not cause trouble, and Xiren, Khitan, Silla, and Baekje dare not make enemies with the Tang Dynasty. Moreover, these countries are relatively rich and can afford glass. What do you think?"

Chen Jingke didn't answer directly, but asked, "What do the uncles say?"

Cheng Huailiang said: "This is also what the elders mean."

Chen Jingke nodded and said: "Normally speaking, this idea is indeed correct, but I think there is a place that is more suitable than the Liaodong countries."

Cheng Huailiang's eyes lit up, and he quickly asked, "Where?"

Chen Jingke said: "Answer me a question first, can you get a big ship that can sail at sea? The bigger the better, the more the better."

Cheng Huailiang said in embarrassment: "To tell the truth, our family has no business in shipbuilding, and we don't have any contacts."

Qin Huaidao and Yuchi Xunyu were also in the same situation.

Chen Jingke said helplessly: "Then there is no other way. The place I mentioned needs a large sea-going ship. If you don't have a ship, you should sell it to Liaodong."

"This..." Cheng Huailiang asked, "Can the place you mentioned really make a lot of money?"

Chen Jingke replied: "There is no money there, but there is inexhaustible food."

"Hiss..." All three of them gasped, food, something more valuable than money.

Qin Huaidao excitedly said, "Is there really such a place in the world?"

Chen Jingke said affirmatively: "Yes, crops can be grown there all year round, and rice is cropped three times a year."

"The land is so fertile that it doesn't matter if you just sprinkle a handful of seeds. You can come directly to harvest the crops in a few months."

Yuchi Xunyu said excitedly: "This kind of treasure should belong to my Tang Dynasty, tell me where it is."

Chen Jingke shook his head and said: "If you have a boat, it's okay to tell you. If you don't have a boat, telling you will only create unnecessary risks."

"You can go back and tell a few elders that the ocean will be the key development direction of Datang in the future. If you believe me, you can invest a certain amount of resources in this area now."

The three left with excitement and unwillingness. As for what the three families would do, Chen Jingke didn't know.

Anyway, he has already given the advice that should be given, and what to do is their business.

Just when he thought it would be all right, another big event happened.

First of all, Li Shimin didn't know which tendon was cramping, and suddenly let out the wind that he wanted the world to seal the governor.

Good guy, this is going to turn back the wheel of history, the officials immediately exploded, and the opposition became more intense than the other.

Even those who are qualified to be enshrined in the world objected, and the memorials of the objections of the officials floated to the palace like snowflakes.

Chen Jingke was also dumbfounded, Li Shimin had indeed done this in his previous life, and was stopped by the officials.

The history of this life has changed. He thought that this kind of thing would never happen again, but unexpectedly, it still happened, but the time was delayed for a while.

Then he was supposed to do whatever he was supposed to do, and he didn't even make a symbolic remonstrance—the eldest grandson Wugou couldn't turn the world around in Li Shimin.

Sure enough, within two days he stopped mentioning it.

In his last life, he struggled with his officials for a long time before giving up this idea. In this life, it is almost equivalent to directly raising his hand and surrendering.

However, this incident gave Chen Jingke an inspiration. After perfecting this inspiration, he entered the palace with the written Theory on the Death of Qin.

Instead of going to the Ganlu Hall, he went to the Lizheng Hall and asked his eldest grandson Wugou to invite Li Shimin over.

This matter is too big, it is best to discuss it with the empress and discuss it with everyone.

It's just that Li Shimin came a little late today, and he didn't show up until after three o'clock, with an unconcealable exhaustion on his face.

Changsun Wugou and Chen Jingke knew immediately that something serious was going to happen, and they were very worried.

Li Shimin didn't hide it either, and took the initiative to say: "On the [-]th, the Yellow River burst its embankment, Hebei County in Shanzhou was flooded, and Zhongtan City in the three cities of Heyang was washed away."

"Ah?" Changsun Wugou exclaimed, and said hastily, "What about the casualties? Hurry up and dispatch food for disaster relief. There is also epidemic prevention. After a catastrophe, there will always be a catastrophe. We must do a good job in epidemic prevention."

Li Shimin nodded and said: "I have ordered disaster relief, and ordered the surrounding counties to accept and resettle refugees, and allocated food and grass from the warehouse, and made arrangements for epidemic prevention."

"Erlang is wise." Changsun Wugou sighed, "This year is really eventful."

In July, the valley water overflowed and flooded Luoyang, and the water depth reached four feet.Luoshui overflowed, submerging more than [-] households.

But compared to Gushui and Luoshui, the Yellow River's embankment breach is the scariest thing. You can read the history books to know the consequences of its anger.

As a traverser, Chen Jingke's understanding of the Yellow River surpassed that of Li Shimin and Changsun Wugou, and even surpassed most people in this era.

Carefully recalling the records about the Yellow River that he had read in his previous life, he said:
"There are countless records in the history books about the floods of the Yellow River, and there were dozens of diversions, so the number of dead is even more numerous."

"At the beginning of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Wang Jing was ordered to build the river. So far, there has been no major disaster in the Yellow River for more than [-] years. It can be said that the merits of this era will benefit future generations."

"However, after more than 500 years of silting, the water level of the Yellow River has risen, and some river courses have been severely damaged. I am afraid that the floods will increase year by year in the future, and the most worrying thing is to divert."

"In order to prevent greater disasters and prevent problems before they happen, I suggest that Your Majesty should follow the example of the sages and rebuild the Yellow River."

Li Shimin's face was cloudy and uncertain, and finally turned into helplessness and said: "I don't think so, it's just that repairing the river is a big deal, and hundreds of thousands of people need to be employed. One bad thing may lead to a catastrophe."

"Besides, the imperial court has been fighting for years, and the food and grass reserves in the treasury are insufficient, which is no longer enough to support large-scale operations. Let alone repairing rivers, it will be difficult for the imperial court to even use large-scale troops in the next few years."

Chen Jingke didn't expect that the seemingly thriving Datang family would be so weak, but it's normal to think about it.

From the beginning of the founding of the country, there have been constant battles. It was not until the defeat of Tuyuhun in the ninth year of Zhenguan that it was considered a relief. How much food can there be in the treasury?
In the original history, Datang had cultivated for five full years, and it was not until the 14th year of Zhenguan that Gaochang was eliminated that large-scale military operations resumed.

Then Li Shimin defeated the Western Turks in one breath and re-entered the Western Regions, and wiped out Xue Yantuo's troops and went straight to Beihai.

He also personally conquered Goguryeo. Although the battle was not complete, it was also destroyed, which laid the foundation for Li Zhi to destroy Goguryeo.

But it is still the 11th year of Zhenguan, and the country is still recuperating.

The mobilization of civilian men to repair the Yellow River will not only consume the small amount of food reserves in the government treasury, but also delay the production of food due to the requisition of a large amount of labor.

The country really can't afford to do this inside and out.

But... Chen Jingke thought in his heart, food, it seems that there is no way to solve it.

(End of this chapter)