Guo An smiled softly, "I'm not afraid of the humble ministers, and those fellow villagers are also very willing to study farming."
"Um?"
Zhu Di was stunned again, "We have never heard of anyone who is a scholar willing to cultivate the fields?"
Guo An said: "Your Highness doesn't know something. Most of us in Guo Village, influenced by our ancestors, like to study some objects.
It just so happened that when they were in their hometown, they often tended the fields. Studying farming was probably the easiest thing for them. "
"oh?"
Zhu Di was curious again, "We would like to hear it."
Guo Andao said: "Your Highness, Wei Chen's fellow villagers are scholars. Although they like to study objects and have farmed, they are not as hardworking as farmers.
However, they don't have the ability to let them enter the palace as officials. And if they are asked to be shopkeepers, they don't want to be merchants.
Therefore, Weichen just sent them to study farming.
However, their research on farming is different from that of ordinary farmers. Instead, a few of them are responsible for observing and counting each field on the farm. "
“The food in those fields is cultivated with different soil quality, different fertilizers, different seeds, and different amounts of irrigation water.
Wei Chen wanted them to observe, what kind of seeds are planted on what kind of land, what kind of fertilizer is used, and how to irrigate the fields will produce more food. "
"How can it still be like this?"
Zhu Di's eyes widened and he was greatly shocked, "Why has no one ever thought about this since ancient times?"
Guo Andao said: "Your Highness, the only ones who have a lot of time to study these things are the country gentry and powerful people. However, those country gentry and powerful people control a large amount of land, but they don't bother to cultivate it.
They would rather read the Four Books and Five Classics over and over again than care about farming.
Naturally no one would think about this. "
A trace of anger flashed in Zhu Di's eyes, but he did not curse.
"This is a great thing that benefits the country and the people. If Guo Qing has any requests, just let us know."
Guo An smiled and said: "Your Highness, please rest assured that if anything happens, I will inform Your Highness in time."
Zhu Di nodded with satisfaction.
Guo An continued: "In addition, Weichen is also planning to let the four fellow villagers on the farm research new rice and wheat seeds."
"How to study?" Zhu Di asked curiously.
Guo An said slowly: "Your Highness, I have observed that rice and wheat can only produce rice and wheat through flowering and pollination."
Zhu Di's eyes widened again, "Guo Qing is saying that rice and wheat will still bloom? Although we are the prince of the Ming Dynasty, we have also planted fields in Fengyang for two years. How come we have never seen rice and wheat bloom?"
Guo Andao said: "Your Highness does not know that the flowers of rice and wheat are not only small, but also very short-lived, and they bloom at the hottest time at noon.
As long as you don't lie down on the rice specifically to observe, you will naturally not be able to find it, and His Highness is no exception. "
"Is that so?"
Zhu Di's face was full of surprise.
Immediately, he hurriedly asked: "Then how does Guo Qing research new rice and wheat seeds?"
Guo Andao: "Your Highness, whether it is rice or wheat, male pollen and female pollen on the same plant combine to produce offspring, and rice and wheat grow..."
"What Guo Qing means is that rice and wheat are just like those domestic animals. They need two male and female flowers to penetrate each other to produce rice and wheat?..."
Zhu Di couldn't help but interrupted Guo An again.
Guo An's eyelids twitched, but looking at Zhu Di's eyes full of curiosity, he said helplessly: "Your Highness, plants and animals are different. Animals need to eat, plants...
Just as His Highness thought, if rice and wheat want to grow ears of rice and wheat, they also need male and female pollen to combine with each other! "
Zhu Di's eyes widened, shining with excitement, "It's so magical?"
"Um!"
Guo An nodded slightly and continued: "It's just that on the same rice plant, female and male flowers will bloom.
Generally speaking, a rice plant can grow ears of rice on its own.
However, Weichen wanted to give it a try. If the male and female flowers on two high-quality rice plants were combined, would the rice grown be bigger and better than their parents?
However, this matter may require a large amount of rice and wheat from different regions to be combined with each other. It will not be accomplished in one day. Please understand, Your Highness. "
Zhu Di clicked his lips and said excitedly: "Guo Qing's words are like breeding horses, they are all about breeding the strongest male horses to those mares.
In this way, the foal born will definitely be the strongest war horse.
The same is true for Guo Qing's rice. Therefore, if Guo Qing's research is really successful, the rice grown will definitely be the rice with the fullest grains and the largest ears. "
Guo An was stunned when he heard this. Although Zhu Di said it in a rather vulgar way, it was indeed the truth and he could only murmur in praise.
"Your Highness is wise!"
Zhu Di stood up directly and bowed respectfully to Guo An with a solemn expression, "Guo Qing's wisdom is so vast and profound! Having Guo Qing here is really a blessing for our Beiping Mansion."
Guo An was startled and quickly turned sideways to return the salute, "I would never dare to bear the honor of His Highness."
Zhu Di ignored it, but continued to look at Guo An expectantly, "I wonder if Guo Qing has anything else he wants to study?"
Guo Andao: "Your Highness, the ancients once used a method of grafting ten gourd seedlings into a vine to form a large gourd. "Qi Min Yao Shu" even has an article about pear planting. In the B.C. Yuan Dynasty, there was a method of grafting various trees with similar shapes together. example.
There happened to be no fruit trees around the farm, so Weichen planned to experiment and change the shape and color of flowers, trees and fruits.
For example, persimmons are connected to peaches, mulberries are connected to bayberries, plums are connected to peaches, peaches are connected to apricots, plums are connected to peaches..."
Zhu Di asked again: "What else?"
Guo An said helplessly: "Your Highness, don't do this. It is enough that we only have a few fellow villagers like Wei Chen who are willing to study farming."
"hey-hey……"
Zhu Di smiled and said, "This is the first time we have heard someone talk about farming techniques like this. It is very novel."
As he spoke, Zhu Di thought of something and said again: "If we present Guo Qing's words to our father, our father will definitely be more excited than us. Maybe it is not impossible to directly promote Guo Qing and ennoble him."
Guo An's face lit up, "Thank you, Your Highness, for reminding me!"
"..."
Zhu Di's face stiffened slightly.
Guo An said with a smile: "However, the matter has not yet been completed. Reporting it like this would be like deceiving the emperor. It would be better if we wait until it is completed and then report the good news to His Majesty."
Zhu Di immediately smiled and said, "Guo Qing is still thoughtful."
Guo An said again: "Your Highness, I wonder how the salaries of the four fellow ministers will be paid?"
Zhu Di was startled, then smiled and said: "He is also a scholar after all, so he is at the same level as me as a scribe in Prince Yan's palace."
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
…
Scatter value.
Guo An returned home and told the old housekeeper about the four fellow villagers on the farm. The old housekeeper couldn't help but feel happy.
"Now, our Guo Village finally has another capable person, and there is hope for the prosperity of Guo Village!"
Guo An said with a very untimely blow: "However, I would like to ask the old housekeeper to warn you that your Majesty today is different from those emperors in the former Yuan Dynasty.
Anyone who violates the laws of the Ming Dynasty can find corresponding punishments in the "Da Gao". Not only do they suffer inhuman torture, it is inevitable that our Guo Village will be implicated in exile.
Therefore, if they want to make money, they must do so fairly and openly, and must not violate the laws of the Ming Dynasty. "
The old housekeeper responded quickly: "Please don't worry, sir. My servant will give them a detailed explanation. If someone doesn't listen, I will expel him without my intervention."
"Thank you for your hard work, Uncle Fu!..."
at night.
There is a bright moon in the sky outside the house, and there is soft light inside the house.
Feeling the softness next to him, Guo An felt a little distracted.
However, as soon as he made a move, he was caught by a pair of small hands.
"Husband, I have been feeling unwell for the past few days."
Guo An slowly calmed down.
"If your husband can't bear it, you can ask Yuelan to serve you."
Guo An tried his best to stand up, "Don't worry, sister, I've been working too hard for my husband these past two days, so I just want to take this opportunity to rest for a few days."
"Husband, stop talking nonsense!"
"Be honest..."
…
The next few days.
Guo An then hid in the public room and continued to think about what he should study to make money.
Now, it seems that only Tie Ye is making money in Prince Yan's Mansion.
With the appearance of Japanese pirates, the fishing boats were able to break even.
The farm now manages to break even because it has to support a group of veterans.
From the wool workshop, you can still earn several thousand taels of silver every month, which is better than nothing.
Textile workshops have been completely out of business in the past few months and can only rely on the next cotton picking season.
A glass workshop can now earn about 20,000 taels per month, but I heard that other glass workshops have begun to be built in Shandong, Henan and other places.
In another month or two, the glass workshop's business will only be able to maintain between a few thousand taels and ten thousand taels.
It seems that the only one that can make a lot of money for Prince Yan's Mansion now is Zhangjiawan Pier.
A month, relying on the rent and some small stalls, I can make 40,000 to 50,000 taels of silver.
However, just by earning this money, it is scary and difficult to get Zhu Laosi, who is extremely searching, to agree to the plan.
"Oh, I still have to make more money!"
Guo An sighed helplessly, frowning and thinking randomly, "It's really hard to make money. No wonder those countries like to do business without capital."
"If we can defeat Goryeo and Japan, Beiping Mansion will really not be short of money!"
"Remember, there seems to be gold and silver mines in the Japanese country, and the reserves are quite large..."
…
"Guo Changshi, Guo Changshi..."
Just as Guo An was distracted, Ma He ran in from outside.
Guo An asked: "What's the matter?"
"His Highness summoned you, it seems to be about the gunpowder workshop!" Ma He said.
"Where is Your Highness?"
Guo An stood up directly and walked out while asking.
Ma He hurriedly replied: "Your Highness should be at the gate of the palace now."
"Your Highness is so anxious?"
Guo An was startled and did not dare to neglect, and hurriedly walked out.
When they arrived at the palace gate, Li Wang was waiting with a team of guards and a carriage, but Zhu Di was nowhere to be seen.
Obviously, Zhu Di had already boarded the carriage first.
Guo An didn't waste any time and quickly got into the carriage.
Immediately, the carriage headed straight out.
Guo An asked curiously: "May I ask if your highness is so anxious, is there something urgent?"
Zhu Di replied: "Qiu Fu sent someone to tell us the good news, saying that the incendiary bomb that Guo Qing asked the gunpowder workshop to study has been made!"
"What?"
Guo An was overjoyed, "It's so fast."
"snort."
Zhu Di was a little dissatisfied, "It has been more than two months since Guo Qing asked the craftsmen in the gunpowder workshop to start developing it.
However, Tao Yiping and Yang Ting developed it just over half a month after they came here. "
Guo An comforted him and said: "Your Highness, after all, they are the youngest sons and disciples of Tao Wanhu. They cannot be compared with the craftsmen in the house..."
(End of chapter)
