If I fail to overcome the tribulation, I can only return to the Ming Dynasty and become a prince.

Chapter 149
The biggest problem in growing rice in the north is the climate.

The rice grown in the north in later generations are all early-maturing varieties. They are usually sown before the Qingming Festival, and then go through a growth cycle of about three months. By the time of the white dew, the rice is almost full and mature and can be harvested.

The whole process takes about a hundred days, and if you replant special early-maturing rice immediately after harvesting, you can harvest another crop before winter.

But this kind of extra-early-maturing rice did not exist in the Ming Dynasty, let alone the extra-early-maturing rice whose maturity period was less than ninety days. Even the Kangxi Imperial Rice variety, which had a maturity period of one hundred days, did not exist.

Don't underestimate this, which is only a time gap of about ten days. For ancient farming, it was the difference between being able to plant and not being able to plant.

For example, if rice is grown in the north and does not begin to mature until after the white dew, the harvest will be poor or even impossible. This is because the rice that matures after the white dew will not be able to mature until it is harvested due to the fall in autumn temperatures. There will be no reward.

This is why Emperor Kangxi's imperial rice drove the planting of rice in the north and started planting double-cropping rice in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Because it can mature before Bailu, which is the late seventh month of the lunar calendar, it can dare to change when the temperature rises. Reduces grain filling before it matures so farmers can harvest a bumper harvest.

As for the double-cropping rice in the south, it is even more powerful. It is equivalent to an extra harvest for a field. Even if the rice yield in the second season is not as good as that in the first season, it still greatly increases the output of the field.

This is also one of the reasons why China's population continued to grow during the Qing Dynasty.

This is not only the increase in food production brought about by the promotion of high-yield crops such as corn, sweet potatoes, and potatoes during the Qing Dynasty. These high-yield crops have never replaced wheat and rice as staple foods, and even in later generations, the "four major staple foods" appeared. , the status of rice and wheat has always been unshakable.

The real reason for this is that corn, sweet potatoes, and potatoes have made use of mountainous areas that wheat and rice cannot use. At the same time, the development of agricultural technology has shortened the maturity time of traditional crops such as rice and wheat, and two crops can be grown a year. Crop crops can be rotated or intercropped with other crops so that a piece of land can harvest more food than before.

For example, in the Jiangnan region of later generations, there was a practice of planting one season of rice and then another season of sweet potatoes. In the north, there was also a planting method of planting one season of rice and then another season of winter wheat.

As for the rotation of wheat and corn, the intercropping of wheat, potatoes, and peanuts, and the rotation of potatoes and winter wheat in the "potato-wheat rotation", these are all agricultural planting methods that have been vigorously promoted in later generations.

But these are the experiences and methods of later generations, which are very different from the current agricultural planting model of the Ming Dynasty.

You must know that the current Ming Dynasty is still a one-season rice planting model in the Jiangnan area. The main source of income for the court is the annual autumn grain. Although summer grain is also available, it does not account for the majority.

At this time, if we can promote double-cropping rice cultivation or rotate single-cropping rice and winter wheat in the north, we can greatly increase grain production.

For Zhu Zhanchun, this is the insight and common sense he came from later generations of time travellers. Even after 800 years in the world of immortality, this knowledge has never faded from his mind.

After explaining the truth clearly to Zhang Changshi, Zhu Zhanquan continued to face Zhang Changshi who had a look of sudden realization: "Farming is the foundation of our Ming Dynasty, and farming is the most important thing." , I leave this most important farm work to you, Zhang Changshi, because I trust you. So I hope that you, Zhang Changshi, can do these things well and don't live up to Gu's expectations!
As for whether rice is suitable for farming in the north, you can just plant it according to the method I taught you. Tianjin City has a wind and rain adjustment formation that I have laid out, which can ensure that Tianjin City has smooth weather this year, so you don’t have to worry about the rice not being able to grow. Mature question. "

Zhang Changshi also knew about the layout of the formations in the city. He originally thought it was just some Feng Shui thing.

After all, even in later generations, the theory of Feng Shui is still very popular. When building a city, burying some Feng Shui artifacts is a serious matter in this era, and the government will take it seriously.

Not to mention that this is a matter that the prince personally explained and personally intervened in. Naturally, he, the chief minister of the palace, must take it seriously.

But Zhang Changshi never imagined that the formation he thought was just a Feng Shui formation could actually control the celestial phenomena!This is not something that can be done easily. Even in this era, various stories about gods and monsters are circulated, which is still very outrageous.

"My lord, how do you maintain this formation? How can you keep it smooth for another year after one year? But what kind of sacrifices should be placed?" Zhang Changshi was particularly concerned about this matter. After all, it was If it happens that day, Jinjin City will be very lucky.

Even if it's fake, it doesn't matter. It only costs a few dollars to pay tribute every year. If it can give people peace of mind, then the money is worth spending.

Of course, the formations set up by Zhu Zhanchun can really control the celestial phenomena. As for the saying of "guaranteing good weather for one year", it was Zhu Zhanchun's intention. He wanted the people of Tianjin City to remember his benefits, and Know that you receive His favor every year.

Instead of saying that the formation is set up, the common people enjoy the blessing of the formation every year, but they think this is just God's blessing, not the favor of Prince Zheng.

"The maintenance of the formation is quite simple. You already know how to place and bury the objects in the formation. If you want to maintain the formation to ensure good weather every year, you need to enshrine and sacrifice the objects in the formation after the autumn harvest. Use the first year's new rice to make wine and water it, and this work can only be done by loyal elders with high moral standing and profound blessings, so as not to collide with the formation I set up and let the treasures in this formation be eaten. Drink enough and continue to bless you with good weather in the next year." Facing Zhang Changshi's inquiry, Zhu Zhanjun also introduced him to the sacrificial process in detail, and asked Zhang Changshi to write it down carefully.

Zhu Zhanchun's words were pure nonsense. The foundation of the formation he had laid had already been driven into the ground by him and connected with the earth's veins. Unless the earth's veins changed due to landslides and changes in mountains and rivers, otherwise this The formation will not be affected at all.

As for the counterweights on the ground, they are only used to mark the base of the formation, and have no practical effect. They can only ensure that these places will not be dug up.

After all, if someone really digs out the earth's veins, or digs out the formation base from the ground, the formation can still be destroyed.

However, Zhu Zhanquan was just talking nonsense, but Zhang Changshi really regarded this as a major event. Not only did he directly copy Zhu Zhanquan's words on his sleeve with a pen, but he also planned to carve the sacrificial method on a stone tablet. Stand next to those town objects and pass them down to future generations.

(End of this chapter)