Since ancient times, the development of the Central Plains has had its own difficulties, which were also the reasons for the success of the Qing Dynasty.
Needless to say, Nanyang was the second most popular place to deal with, and the most important was malaria. It was not until the Spaniards brought cinchona that the obstacles were cleared.
To the west, the Ming Dynasty developed Yunnan and Guizhou, but was unable to do anything about the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and could only imitate the Yuan Dynasty to control it.
As for the development of Northeast China, low temperature is the most critical obstacle.
The development of cheap thermal products like cotton in the Ming Dynasty was the official start of the reclamation of Liaodong. However, people are naturally yearning for warmth. In later generations, many Northeasterners took Hainan as their home.
Of course, it is also difficult to develop a tree that is so big and has deep roots that it is barren and difficult to develop.
Mechanization is the biggest reliance on developing these primitive deep forests.
Otherwise, how could the huge Jilin be limited to just a few cities, and it would be really powerless.
"In addition to development, we can also build roads!"
Zhu Yixi pointed to the iron plow and said: "If we replace it with stone iron teeth or an iron barrel, we can plow the ground and flatten the road. How much labor can be saved?"
The most important thing in cultivating officialdom is to dig the soil and remove the roots. With this iron bull, everything is easy.
"Your Majesty, please give me a name!"
The craftsman on the side was very knowledgeable and immediately said respectfully.
"Given the name, Tieniu is indeed a bit rough."
Zhu Yixi looked like she was thinking: "When you are pulling the land, let's call it a tractor."
Immediately, the craftsman revealed the shortcomings of the tractor:
It is bulky and requires two or three people to operate it, and firewood must be added at any time, and it is easy to sink into the ground.
Zhu Yixi didn't care about these shortcomings. For now, it was enough.
"Build a few more and send them to the Northeast, and then improve them in practice, just like trains, continue to improve."
"A gentleman is good at false things. You are his arms and cannot be neglected."
All the craftsmen admired him.
"How come you're progressing so fast?"
"Your Majesty, didn't you say you wanted them to study before? As for geometry, physics, etc., they have been studying hard these past few months, just thinking about being knighted!"
Zhu Yixi shook her head. Sure enough, it was not difficult to study for the title.
After leaving this place of invention and creation that she had longed for, Zhu Yixi was in a very good mood.
At this time, Liu Afu who was standing aside said softly: "Your Majesty, the European mission has purchased a batch of rare and useful livestock according to your instructions, and they have arrived..."
"That fast?"
Thinking about it carefully, it has been almost a year and the time has come.
"Just in time to go take a look!"
Sitting on the chariot, swaying slightly, with the dazzling sunlight blocked by the canopy, Zhu Yixi felt calm.
I was really diligent, I didn't rest all day, and I had to have two or three people with me to comfort me at night.
After a while, we arrived at the racecourse.
This is the place where the emperor rode and shot for leisure. There are Liaodong horses, Hequ horses, Mongolian horses, Arabian horses, Dawan horses, camels, etc.
The runway is not long in an area of more than 20 acres, only the shooting range is relatively spacious.
But at this moment, several different livestock suddenly appeared in the stable.
"Your Majesty, this one, which is only three feet tall, is a pony from England, a toy for children. This is a Shire horse with a strong load-bearing capacity and can pull several kilograms. It is more than six feet tall..."
I saw the thick-haired Shire horse. Its huge body is the largest among horses, but it has a docile personality and looks scary.
Zhu Yixi nodded, slowly approached, and touched these giant horses that were tied up. The hair on them was beyond imagination.
That's right, this product comes from Scotland and then spreads throughout England and Western Europe. It is suitable for cold weather.
If you are in the Ming Dynasty, the Mongolian Plateau, and the Northeast Plains, it is also very suitable for farming.
"This horse is suitable for the north and is not afraid of the cold." Zhu Yixi said casually: "Breed as much as possible, the people need it."
"yes!"
Immediately, he looked at the pony again: "This thing is not bad, let the princes and princesses play with it and breed more."
At this time, as he moved forward, he saw more livestock.
The Irish red deer looks like a horse.
The orange and white coats of the Gensai cattle, and the eye-catching black and white Holstein cattle.
This is what impressed Zhu Yixi the most. He once thought that only this kind of cow could produce milk, so it was called a cow.
What a surprise.
The milk production of this Holstein cow is much better than that of Mongolian cattle on the grassland, which is suitable for improving the grassland economy and promoting its production.
If the barren Mongolian plateau had a stable economy, how could the herdsmen rebel?
Although herdsmen own vast grasslands and a large number of cattle and sheep, what they eat daily is just dairy products, such as cheese, milk rind, milk wine, butter, etc.
Increasing milk production is as important to herdsmen as increasing grain production.
In later generations, China also mixed cattle and Holstein cattle, which became Chinese characteristics.
It won’t work without crossbreeding, because Holstein cattle like a humid climate. Only by mixing with Mongolian cows and cattle and embedding drought-tolerant genes can they truly take root.
OK!
In the past, there were iron cattle from the Northeast, now there are dairy cows that Mongolia desperately needs, and there are sugar beets in the north. It’s really a no-brainer.
It's a pity that the north is still a little behind, and there is no real increase in wheat production. Otherwise, the northern economy will be even better.
After all, sweet potatoes and potatoes are not staple foods and cannot become mainstream. To put it bluntly, they can only be eaten and cannot be sold at a high price.
This means that agricultural products cannot be converted into money and savings, so they are not loved.
Between profitable beets and sweet potatoes, people love beets more.
Jiangnan is like that. Most of the water towns in Jiangnan have been occupied by mulberry and cotton, and Suhuzu has become Huguangzu.
Just like later generations of farmers would rather use their cultivated land to plant trees and sell them for money instead of growing food.
In peacetime, if you have money, you will have food, but food does not necessarily mean you have money.
"In this way, the black and white cows are crossed with the cattle to show a drought-tolerant breed."
Zhu Yixi said in a deep voice: "Just like the war horses we trained before, if you continue to persevere, you will be rewarded after success."
"Yes!" Everyone nodded.
There are horses and animals running around, and there are all kinds of strange animals. They are all European species of this period, and they are very strange.
But in the end, the child saw an animal that made his eyes light up: pigs.
Large white pig.
This is also called York pig, which is also produced in northern England and is a British specialty.
Pig breeds that were common in later generations spread throughout China.
And you must know that in traditional rural areas of China, black pigs are the mainstream.
Black pigs grow slowly and are underweight. A black pig weighs only 150 kilograms per year, while a large white pig can grow two to three hundred kilograms a year, which is quite an exaggerated figure.
It is precisely because of this that after being introduced to China at the end of the 19th century, China's black pigs were once extinct and included in the scope of protection.
Although he has some regrets and regrets about the black pig, Zhu Yixi is a realist and he deeply understands that having a full stomach is the right way to go.
It is a historical trend that white pigs with higher yields will replace black pigs.
Just like Champa rice replaced traditional rice, and then was replaced by hybrid rice.
Corn in the north was replaced by wheat in the Song Dynasty.
The human belly naturally makes its choice.
Compared with crops, people are definitely more receptive to pigs and easier to cash in.
Meat has the ability to be cashed in at any time.
The most important thing for rural revitalization is to make people's money easier and have more savings.
Whether it's cash crops or livestock, it's a good idea.
"Raise these white pigs on the farm and multiply them."
After giving the instructions seriously, Zhu Yixi felt that she had really made a profit this time.
Thinking of this, he said: "All the European envoys will be promoted one level."
"Yes!" Liu Afu agreed.
…
Here, Pu Songling returned home, deep in thought and silent.
His accompanying concubine brought him foot-washing water and washed his feet.
"What do you think, Master?"
"It's nothing." Pu Songling said casually: "I just met a noble man who liked Na Luosha Haishi very much. After hearing what happened to me, he wanted to help me go to the Northeast."
"For a while, I felt uneasy."
"Sir, it's freezing in the Northeast. I heard that people can freeze to death if they wake up at night. It's not a good place. You are Duke Wenqu who has descended to earth. If you work harder, you might be able to pass the exam..."
At the thought of accompanying him to the Northeast, the concubine shivered with fear and hurriedly advised: "Besides, the literary style is not strong in the Northeast, and it will be difficult to study or make friends. Isn't this delaying you..."
After hearing this, Pu Songling's expression gradually became firm.
At this time, suddenly there was a knock on the door in the yard.
This is a large courtyard. In order to sell it easily, the Ya people have built a wall around it. It is barely a small courtyard with three rooms. It costs one silver dollar per month, which is not cheap at all.
If he had not studied at the Imperial College, he would never have come to Beijing.
"Go and drive."
The concubine listened.
The door was opened, and several handsomely dressed men walked in cautiously, carrying large and small bags.
The leader was wearing a square scarf, a satin robe, and a pair of cloth boots. He had a rosy complexion and looked like he was rich.
"May I ask, brother, if you have any advice?"
Pu Songling looked unhappy.
A visit in the middle of the night was really too unexpected.
"It's really easy for me to find good people living together like this."
As he spoke, he smiled and said: "I will return to Xia Ji and become a guest of the Zhang family."
"Mr. Pu, a Rakshasa sea market, often causes uproar in the entire market. Who knows?"
"My master's family is happy and specially sent gifts to express condolences."
Pu Songling frowned: "But I only performed this trick today, so it couldn't be that fast!"
"Hahaha, I just performed it once today, and it immediately became expensive in Luoyang."
Ji Huixuan chuckled: "A few gifts are not respectful."
"My lord, you should take it back!" Pu Songling said hurriedly: "As the saying goes, no reward will be received for no merit. I am ashamed to deserve it."
"Hey, that's wrong."
Ji Huixuan pointed at the pile of gifts and said: "Those are the four best treasures of the study. That quick-drawing ink is top quality. I heard they only cost a few in the Imperial College!"
Pu Songling was shocked. These people even knew that he was studying in the Imperial College. It seemed that they had a lot of background.
What's the origin of that?
Seeing Pu Songling frowning and saying nothing, Ji Huixuan said: "Actually, it's nothing. It's just that the person Mr. Pu met at the Chang'an Theater today has a close relationship with my family..."
Pu Songling did not doubt that he was there, so he described the situation in detail, and the latter nodded with satisfaction.
"These gifts are not a sign of respect, but I hope they will be accepted with a smile."
After that, Pu Songling was a little confused when he saw him leaving so neatly. He really couldn't understand the actions of these powerful families.
I opened the gift and took a look: Hu pen, Hui ink, rice paper, and Duan inkstone.
This is the top four treasures of the study, and it costs dozens of silver coins for one trip.
"What a generous gesture."
Pu Songling frowned, surprise flashing in his eyes.
At this time, the brows were furrowed and gradually became a ball.
"That's all."
Pu Songling said casually: "Go to Na Yahang tomorrow and prepare to return the house in a few days and get the deposit back."
"Master, do you really want to go to the Northeast?"
"Nonsense." Pu Songling said solemnly: "Although fame is important in the officialdom, backstage is even more important. As a scholar, even if I pass the exam, I will probably be stuck in the same place for the rest of my life."
"And this noble young master has a rich family background, and his speech and behavior are quite correct. He seems to be a high-ranking official who stands alone."
The more he talked, the more he felt it was feasible: "This trip to the Northeast seems to be a must."
The smile on the concubine's face became even more ugly.
The next day, Pu Songling came to a separate courtyard according to what he had said before: "I am willing to obey the master's arrangements."
This news spread to Yuquan Mountain.
Zhu Cunqu laughed when he heard this: "Let him go to Jilin and become the first county magistrate! It's not too cold there."
In Heilongjiang and Jilin, the selection of officials is not as strict as in the mainland. Just like in the early years of Shaowu, even scholars can serve as county magistrates.
After all, the place is barren and difficult to govern, so it must be exploited in an exceptional way. This is also a backdoor arranged by the powerful.
As the prince, this is his right and the power he has.
However, the one who replied from the capital talked about Zhang Mansion's night visit to Pu Songling.
Zhang Mansion?
Zhu Cunqu frowned. This was naturally not for Pu Songling, but for him.
Who has the courage to inquire about the prince's actions?
Honorable, civil servant?
In the huge city of Beijing, there are no less than dozens of civil and military companies named Zhang, which is hard to say.
This must be a pseudonym.
But for some reason, he suddenly thought of Zhu Mou.
"Could it be him?"
Zhu Cunqu suddenly had this thought in his mind.
But the more he thought about it, the more it seemed possible.
Through this major case, although Zhu Mou's power gradually became stable, he was unable to succeed.
From the previous father-son duel, he understood his father's disappointment in Zhu Mou.
It won't be long before the phase is difficult to maintain.
In fact, Zhu Cunqu was also concerned about the cabinet ministers, but he did not dare to interfere in the slightest.
Before he succeeded to the throne, he started to make plans for the cabinet. No matter how stable the prince was, he would not dare to mess around with it.
This is not a boring life.
What's more, this emperor is estimated to live as long as Taizu, and can live to be seventy or eighty years old. Spreading his wings too early will do more harm than good.
"Forget it, don't go and investigate, lest you add unnecessary unnecessary trouble. What can you do if you know?"
Zhu Cunqu closed his eyes and rested his mind. It was better to be quiet at this time than to move!
(End of chapter)
