After entering the study, Ying Zheng looked at the courtiers in front of him with a kind expression: "Do you have anything to say?"
Ying Zheng looked at Li Si first.
Li Si coughed dryly and said, "I...I haven't thought about it yet."
After being beaten by Li Shui, Li Si shrank and became taciturn.
Normally, he was fine in front of Ying Zheng and could talk freely, but when Li Shui was present, he always bowed his head and remained silent.
Ying Zheng looked at Wang Wan again: "Prime Minister, do you have anything to say?"
Wang Wan said in a deep voice: "I saw the magic of fertilizer today. I was greatly impressed, but also a little worried. So I came to report to Your Majesty. I think several other courtiers also had this intention."
Several people next to him nodded vigorously.
Li Shui and Li Xin looked at each other, both a little confused: What were these courtiers thinking? Why didn't I think of that?
Ying Zheng frowned and said, "Let's talk and listen."
Wang Wan said: "This chemical fertilizer is, after all, an external force. It is like pulling back the growth of seedlings and making the grain harvest abundant. For example, after a person is frightened, he moves like a rabbit, but after he calms down, he will definitely lose his strength and sit on the ground limply, unable to stand up."
"It is said in the Tao Te Ching that the way of heaven is to make up for the excess of losses. It can be seen that the fertility of the fields is certain. This year we have harvested ten times the harvest, but will there be nothing in the next ten years?"
Several other courtiers nodded worriedly, obviously feeling that this matter was worth pondering.
Li Shui looked at them helplessly.
Ying Zheng asked Li Shui curiously: "Huai Guzi, why don't you refute?"
Li Shui bowed and said: "I feel that your Majesty should issue an order. Whoever wants to impeach, refute, or directly remonstrate in the future. It must be investigated on the spot and the evidence is conclusive. You can't just slap your head and rely on imagination to talk nonsense."
Wang Wan stared angrily: "Who is talking nonsense?"
Li Shui looked at Li Xin: "Brother Li, didn't I make it clear enough?"
Li Xin said: "Maybe the prime minister likes you to name people."
Li Shui snorted and said loudly: "Prime Minister Wang Wan, you are talking nonsense."
Wang Wan: "..."
Fortunately, I have dealt with the banished immortals a lot in the past few years, which has made this heart extremely strong. Otherwise, this sentence can make him angry.
Wang Wan held her breath and said: "Then what evidence does the banishment have to prove that I am talking nonsense?"
Li Shui saluted Ying Zheng and said, "Your Majesty, the evidence is in the Shangjun Courtyard. I request the evidence."
Ying Zheng nodded.
So Li Shui said to the outside of the palace: "Wujiao, go to Shang Jun's Courtyard to get evidence."
Wu Jiao poked his head in with a confused expression: "Shangjun Courtyard, is there any evidence?"
Wang Wan and others snickered.
Li Shui remained calm and said to Wu Jiao: "Just tell Xiangli Zhu, she will naturally know what I am referring to."
Wu Jiao responded and hurried away.
Two quarters of an hour later, Wujiao came back with a strange look on his face, followed by several guards carrying a shelf.
There are many glass bottles on the shelf, and crops grow in the glass bottles.
When this thing was put into the study, everyone's attention was attracted.
Because... this is so counterintuitive.
There is no soil in the glass bottle, just some liquid as clear as water.
And inside this liquid, Sumai grows. Now the Sumai has matured, with ears and seeds sprouting, and the seeds are plump...
this……
Ying Zheng asked Li Shui curiously: "Does this Sumai always grow in the water?"
Li Shui said: "Yes."
"Xiangli Bamboo made this thing in order to test what the growth of Sumai depends on. Sumai has grown in water from the beginning and has never been in contact with farmland. It's just that various chemical fertilizers have been added to the water."
Ying Zheng smiled slightly: "So, the reason for the bumper wheat harvest this year is because the fertility was exhausted in advance?"
Li Shui said: "Of course not."
Chunyu Yue frowned and said, "Perhaps someone pulled the Sumai out of the farmland, cleaned the roots, stuffed it into a bottle, and lied that it had been growing here."
Li Shui said quietly: "Can Dr. Chunyu stuff this bunch of roots in?"
Chunyu Yue was speechless for a moment.
The roots of this Sumai are a big ball, but the opening of the glass bottle is very small. If you force it in, you can do it, but that will definitely break the roots.
But the roots of the Sumai in this bottle are very complete, and it looks like it has always been growing here.
Wujiao took out another pile of photos and said, "These were taken while Sumai was growing."
Li Shui showed it off, and the officials had nothing to say.
Because the photos record in detail the entire process of Sumai's seedlings growing to the size they are today.
Zhao Teng said quietly: "So, the growth of crops depends entirely on fertility?"
Li Shui shook his head: "No."
"Xiangli Zhu also did an experiment. He divided the crops into two batches. One was outdoors and the other was indoors without sunlight. No fertilizer was used for these two batches of crops."
"Those that are indoors die quickly. Those that are outdoors grow very well."
"Then Xiangli Zhu weighed the crops and soil. Finally, he found that the crops were three kilograms heavier and the soil was only a few taels lighter."
The courtiers looked at each other in confusion: "Where did that extra weight come from?"
Li Shui said: "Don't forget, some crops that have not seen the sun have died. We have reason to speculate that sunlight is rich in energy. These crops have absorbed the energy of sunlight and have grown. As for fertilizer, it is Supporting role."
Everyone suddenly realized.
Chunyu Yue stroked his beard and said: "Tao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all things. What is Tao? It is the two qi of yin and yang. The two qi of yin and yang can breed all things in the world. The ancient sages and sages are honest and do not deceive. me."
Li Shui: "..."
What kind of ancient saints and sages know this again?
Li Shui coughed dryly and said to Ying Zheng: "In this case, there is really no need for you adults to worry."
Ying Zheng nodded with satisfaction.
However, Wang Wan said: "There is one more thing that makes me uneasy."
Ying Zheng asked: "What's the matter?"
Wang Wan said: "Chemical fertilizers were used in the farmland, and the yield increased twelvefold. This must have reached its limit."
Li Shui said quietly: "That's not necessarily the case. If we can find improved varieties, the output can be increased."
Wang Wan said: "However, there is a limit after all, right?"
Li Shui asked in confusion: "What?"
Wang Wan added: "Even if the production of grain can be increased, then the water in the rivers is limited, right? The flat land and trees in Da Qin's land are limited."
Li Shui said speechlessly: "What exactly does the Prime Minister want to say?"
Wang Wan said worriedly: "Now the people don't have to worry about going hungry. It is conceivable that they will breed offspring wantonly."
Ying Zheng frowned: "Population increases, isn't that a good thing?"
In the Qin Dynasty, population growth was indeed a good thing, a great good thing.
An increase in population represents an increase in national strength, sufficient supply of soldiers, an increase in labor force, and social prosperity.
For a long time, population size was a major indicator of prosperity.
Therefore, it is not surprising that Ying Zheng asked this question.
Wang Wan said: "In one or two hundred years, the increase in population is naturally a good thing. However, our Qin Dynasty will be passed on to all generations, so the increase in population may not be a good thing."
"I made a rough calculation. From adulthood to forty-five years old, the average person can give birth to more than ten children."
"These more than ten children will give birth to more than ten more children within twenty years."
"Except for the elderly, those who died young, and those who died of illness. The population can double every ten years."
"In less than a hundred years, the population of Great Qin will be in the hundreds of millions. And once it exceeds 100 million, it will grow even faster. Maybe in thirty to fifty years, it will be in the tens of billions."
"At that time, the water from the rivers will not be enough for drinking. If the trees in the world are exhausted, it will not be enough for wages. There will be too many people, and there will be no place to stand."
The courtiers all nodded, as if they were convinced.
Ying Zheng asked: "In your opinion, what should we do?"
Wang Wan said: "The breeding of humans is like a galloping horse. It has already reached the edge of the cliff and it is too late to rein in the horse. We should make a decision early and let it move forward slowly."
"Therefore, I suggest that your Majesty issue an order from now on. Each couple should have at most four children."
"In this way, the population will not grow too fast. As the population increases, we can continue to issue edicts. Order the people to have at most three children, two children, or even one child."
Li Shui looked at Wang Wan speechlessly: This... this idea is quite avant-garde.
Ying Zheng always felt that Wang Wan's idea was a bit unbelievable, but after thinking about it carefully, he didn't know what went wrong, so he looked at Li Shui: "Huai Guzi, what do you think?"
Li Shui said: "I would like to ask, Prime Minister, do you know why the people are desperately trying to have children?"
The prime minister was stunned for a moment, and then said: "With many children, in the clan, you can be confident and confident, and you will not be bullied by others."
Li Shui smiled slightly: "In this case, we just declare the law and strictly enforce the law. So that the strong will not dare to bully others, and the weak will not be humiliated. In this way, will the people still work hard to produce?"
"It is not easy to give birth to a child and open a mouth to feed it. If the people are not bullied, the population explosion trend can be alleviated immediately. Why does your Majesty need to issue an order to prohibit the people from having children?"
"If His Majesty really issued this order, I'm afraid the people would complain, right?"
Wang Wan was speechless and speechless.
Chunyu Yue said calmly: "You don't know what you don't know when you banish an immortal. The most dangerous thing in a person's life is not his old age, but his childhood."
"When a person is young, his mind is in a state of confusion. He cannot walk or speak. Whether he is thirsty or hungry depends entirely on his parents' guess. He is also very susceptible to diseases, and once he gets sick, it is extremely difficult to cure."
"So it's common for young children to die young. Who knows if he can become an adult until he's a teenager?"
"People like to have children, just because too many children die. If we don't give birth to a few more, maybe none of them will grow up."
Li Shui said curiously: "In this case, the Prime Minister suggested that your Majesty order that each household should have a maximum of four children. Wouldn't that force some people to cut off their incense?"
Chunyu Yue: "..."
Wang Wan: "..."
Feng Quili suddenly let out a chuckle and laughed.
He and Wang Wan were rivals, so he was naturally happy to see Wang Wan defeated.
Wang Wan frowned and asked Li Shui, "What do you think about banishing the immortal?"
Li Shui said: "Since people are worried about not being able to feed their children, they are having many children. Then why don't we study how to keep young children alive?"
"Now, Shangjun Hospital is developing new drugs, and the disease of ulcers has been conquered. For other diseases, the corresponding germs are also being gradually found, and then new drugs are being tested."
"I'm afraid you don't know that some incurable terminal diseases in the past have been overcome at Shangjun Hospital."
"In less than ten years, the neonatal mortality rate will be reduced to less than 10% of the current level."
Wang Wan had nothing to say.
Li Si finally spoke. He said quietly: "In this case, the situation is even more dangerous."
"The newborns can survive, and if the children survive, they can have greater power in the clan. Even if there are laws to protect the people, there are always some people who like to have children in groups. At least if you have more daughters, those who plow the fields will It will save a lot of effort.”
"In this way, wouldn't the population grow faster? As the old saying goes, too much is too little. If Da Qin wants to prosper, it naturally needs a population, but if the population is too large, it will be burdened by it. Once there is not enough food to eat, and there is not enough water to drink, wouldn't it? Will the world be in chaos?"
Li Shui smiled slightly: "I have already thought of this. It is very simple to control the population. That is to give them a chance to climb up."
"This is what it means to open an imperial examination, run a school, and run a factory."
"After entering school, you can take the imperial examination. If you pass the imperial examination, you can become an official."
"Even if you don't take the imperial examination, you will work in a factory in the future. Priority will be given to those who can read and write. In this way, people will naturally like to let their children go to school."
"In the past, it was because I had no choice but to be born poor, so I had no choice but to be poor. Now, who would want to be a pig, dog, cow or sheep when it is clear that they can be a master?"
"Because people will soon realize the importance of going to school, and this matter will become a trend within a few years. And schooling requires paying tuition. After children go to school, they can no longer help people work in the fields."
"Therefore, until children reach adulthood, it is a loss-making business. Will people still have children indiscriminately?"
Li Si said: "What if the children become adults? After they become adults, they can earn a lot of money. Can't the people bite the bullet, have more children, live a hard life for a few years, and then ask for rewards?"
Li Shui said: "This is a balance. If the people feel that life is too hard and cannot survive, they will naturally not live again. Your purpose of controlling the population will be achieved."
"In the past, no matter whether you had many or few children, or if the weather was bad, you would all die of starvation. But now, everyone can have enough to eat and clothing to wear."
"Those who have fewer children can enjoy peace of mind. Those who have many children have to work very hard. Even if they have too many children, they cannot be taken care of, and none of them become successful. In that case, the gain outweighs the loss."
"I think people also have concerns in their hearts. If they have a few children, they will be enough to support them in old age, so they won't keep having more children."
Li Si frowned: "What if there are people in some places who don't want to go to school, but just want to have children to work in the fields, and they keep trying their best to have children?"
Li Shui said quietly: "Then forcefully promote enrollment. Those who do not enroll are guilty. For some people who are too poor, the court can even let them enroll for free. I just ask these children not to work hard for their parents during their childhood."
"Children of this generation have read books and seen the world. They will definitely not give birth to children like their parents, just to face the earth with their backs to the sky. They have pursuits and hope to be a good person. At least for them Their children will definitely support their enrollment.”
Li Si frowned: "Free admission? How much does it cost?"
Li Shui smiled and said to Ying Zheng: "Your Majesty, Shangjun Courtyard is willing to donate money to build a school."
The courtiers were speechless.
When it comes to money, Ban Xian becomes more excited. Alas, who makes people rich?
Wait, doesn’t he make all his money from us? According to this statement, our money should be used to build schools. Now the credit is his? What is this?
