Cao Bin is not surprised that rice production can increase by 30% this autumn.
Although the imperial court has been promoting two-crop rice for more than ten years, the planting technology is still very crude, and experienced farmers are still jealous of it.
Cao Bin recruited veteran farmers to establish the Farmland Research Bureau for this purpose.
A 30% increase in output may seem like a lot, but it did not exceed the highest output in the three dynasties of later generations.
However, this has almost reached its peak, and it will be difficult to make any breakthroughs in the short term, unless hybrid rice is developed to achieve epoch-making improvements.
As for the doubling of tax revenue, that is all due to Fang La. Without the gentry and landlords hiding their acres of land and obstructing them, a doubled tax revenue would be considered small.
At this time, Bao Zheng was also a little depressed, wondering if the court would regret it.
Especially Kou Zhun, in order to trick Mu Guiying into going on an expedition, he suggested that the court borrow grain from the two Zhejiang provinces in exchange for autumn taxes.
If the emissaries knew the true situation, they would definitely hold him down and spray him to death.
However, this was also the imperial court's own operation, and Bao Zheng could not ask anything from Cao Bin.
On the contrary, the court's behavior of collecting taxes in advance is a bit hurtful to the people. If Cao Bin hadn't borrowed money to raise food, many people would have been ruined.
Naturally, Cao Bin would not pay attention to Muzhou Zhizhou. Although he was not short of money, controlling grain taxes was of great use...
Later, Cao Bin followed Bao Zheng to several villages and towns one after another. The conditions were similar. Seeing that Bao Zheng still looked very interested, he said somewhat speechlessly:
"Master Bao, haven't you seen enough?"
Seeing that he was full of disgust, Bao Zheng said helplessly:
"Bao just wants to see your farmland research bureau, and then leave after seeing it!"
A long time ago, he couldn't stand Cao Bin's lazy and hedonistic behavior, but now he is used to it and doesn't bother to care about him. Instead, it feels a bit real.
Cao Bin smiled and said:
"Master Bao, you told me earlier, why bother to spare such a big circle?"
Although there is a potato planting base there, it will be promoted in Zhejiang and Zhejiang soon, and Cao Bin does not mind being exposed.
At this moment, the village on the roadside suddenly became lively, and the two groups of villagers were fighting until the smoke was everywhere.
Bao Zheng said quickly:
"Guard Zhan, go and see what's going on?
Seeing that there was a lot of excitement, Cao Bin also became interested. He took the sedan and others and pushed him directly behind the crowd. Even the magistrate of Muzhou rushed to the front, leaving him speechless for a long time...
Xiashantang, a small village on the mountainside.
Chen San is a retired disabled soldier who lost an arm due to fighting and returned to his hometown with a pension.
But he didn't expect that it would be difficult to live in his hometown, and the small pension was quickly spent.
Just when they couldn't survive anymore and wanted to make trouble with the local government, they were suppressed by Cao Bin.
Later, when the refugees from the West Lake dredging returned to their hometown, he was sent to this small village to conduct inspections.
Although he has no rank, he is in charge of the stability of the village and the training of young men. He is also a leader.
Salaries are paid directly by the Yamen, and they are respected by the villagers.
He even married the queen's widow in the village, happily.
He is very satisfied with his current life and very grateful to Lord Cao.
But some people didn't want him to live in peace. There were a few bullies who took advantage of the fact that there were many people with the same surname in the village and tried every means to seize other people's land.
They even set up private courts, replaced national laws with clan rules, and were good at judging human lives.
When he received training in Hangzhou, he knew that this was strictly prohibited and it was also his duty.
Therefore, he fought fiercely with those people, and today a direct conflict broke out.
What made him angry was that because of his weakness, he was slapped by the opponent, and several of his supporters were also beaten back.
Just when he was about to think of a solution, a loud shout suddenly came:
"Stop it, you bunch of unruly people are lawless!"
In his daze, he saw a strange middle-aged man dressed as a businessman rushing in first.
However, before the man could finish speaking, Huang Cunba hit him on the head with a stick, causing blood to flow immediately.
Cao Bin's side.
When the sedan chair saw Muzhou Zhizhou running back with his head in his arms, he couldn't help but spat and said:
"Yes, let you take my young master's position!"
Everyone was sweating profusely after hearing this.
Seeing this, Zhan Zhao hurriedly ran into the crowd and took action repeatedly, causing a chorus of "ouch"s.
Within a moment, all the villagers involved in the fight fell to the ground.
Although Cao Bin was a little disappointed, he also asked:
"Tell me, if you don't go to collect grain, why are there fights in the village?"
Huang Cunba said angrily:
"For outsiders, I advise you not to meddle in other people's business. We have people in the county government who advise you not to bring trouble to yourselves!"
No one expected that this man would be so arrogant, they had already been knocked down, and his words were as tough as iron.
Just when the sedan was about to take action, a man with a broken hand fell down and bowed down with blood on his head:
"Master Cao Hou... I pay my respects to Mr. Cao Hou."
When Huang Cunba heard this, he was stunned and broke into a cold sweat. He didn't understand how such a big man could come to a small place like theirs.
But now that the matter has come to this point, we can only listen to the man with the handicap to report the truth.
This matter was easily solved. Cao Bin waved his hand and said with a smile:
"Liang Zhizhou, how about leaving this matter to you?"
Zhizhou Muzhou covered his forehead and gritted his teeth as he looked at Huangcun's domineering words:
"Don't worry, Mr. Hou, I will report it to the Duke."
This incident could only be regarded as an episode, but Bao Zheng became somewhat silent.
He did not expect that Cao Bin would have such a big effect in solving the problem of placement of wounded soldiers.
It can be said that it kills three birds with one stone.
Having these retired soldiers take root in the countryside will completely change the court's ability to control the world, and even curb the influence of rural clans.
If this system is fully formed, whether it is taxation or military service, the power that the two Zhejiang provinces can exert will be beyond imagination.
This is both a good thing and a bad thing for the Song Dynasty.
It will allow Cao Bin to completely control the two Zhejiang provinces from top to bottom... Thinking of this, he looked at Cao Bin with hesitation in his eyes.
He carefully reviewed Cao Bin's experience after entering the officialdom, and then he breathed a sigh of relief, because there was really no sign that Cao Bin had any disloyal intentions.
Otherwise, he would not have put himself in danger for Taishi Pang.
"Forget it, the feudal minister will not be in office for too long..."
Thinking of this, he completely relaxed.
At this moment, Muzhou Zhizhou suddenly shouted:
"What, a yield of fifteen shi per mu per season?"
When Bao Zheng heard this, he immediately perked up and looked around. He saw several farmers busy among a field of low green plants.
An old farmer was explaining the diameter of the roots he had just dug out, and how they are drought-resistant, highly adaptable and have high yields.
The sound just now was exactly the exclamation that Muzhou made after hearing about the yield of this product.
Fifteen stones per season is already three times that of rice. If it is popularized, the Song Dynasty will no longer suffer from food shortages.
After Bao Zheng confirmed the authenticity, he looked at Cao Bin's lazy expression and felt that it was especially cute. This was Da Song's treasure.
Only Cao Bin knew that even with potatoes, there would still be food shortages when there should be food shortages. Now it is just to increase the ability to resist disasters and alleviate hunger.
In later generations, there were more crops in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, so wouldn’t there still be famines?
After visiting Muzhou, Bao Zheng took Cao Bin to Mingzhou Harbor, but Cao Bin refused to accompany him for a walk and only waited for him at Hongxiufang to ask questions every day.
That evening, Cao Bin read Yanzi's secret letter and was about to think about it carefully when he saw Sister Yang suddenly burst in, threw the oiran beside him out, grabbed Cao Bin by the collar and said:
"Cao Bin, tell me! Do you really hate me?"
Cao Bin was a little confused and said:
"I quite like you..."
Before he could finish speaking, Sister Yang hugged him and said with a blushing face:
"You have to be responsible for me..."
When Cao Bin saw this, he immediately held back the words "...your figure"...
