After the climate warms, grass grows wildly, and the desolate land is quickly replaced by lush greenery, which is growing gratifyingly.
Li Qing set aside four areas with abundant water and grass, two for subsequent grazing, two for horse farms, and the rest for each tribe to choose freely.
Land reclamation target: 200,000 acres within two years!
One bite will not make you fat. This is only the first stage. Solve the problem of food and clothing first. Then, as the population increases, it will not be too late to make plans.
Before coming, Li Qing had a rough plan. Two hundred thousand acres of arable land, of which 50,000 acres were used to grow cotton, 20,000 acres to grow mulberry and raise silkworms, and several thousand acres to grow melons and fruits... The rest were planted with Yongle beans, Xuande Yam.
Due to climate effects, these high-yielding crops can only be grown once a year, but one season is enough to provide food and clothing for these people.
In addition, you can also graze, hunt, and catch fish and shrimps... your life will definitely not be bad.
After issuing the deployment, Li Qing began to develop various industries, such as textiles, tailoring, food shops, and even restaurants... and so on.
If you want to retain people in the long term, you must have basic supporting facilities and the minimum living necessities must be guaranteed.
In these profitable industries, Li Qingquan took advantage of the tribal leaders. The stability of the Hetao depends on their efforts. It is impossible for the Ming Dynasty to station 50,000 troops in the Hetao all the time; this can trap them here.
All infrastructure construction is in accordance with the standards of the Ming Dynasty. Textiles, tailors, restaurants...even festivals are all based on the standards of the Ming Dynasty. In addition, Li Qing also established a school for them to learn the culture of the Ming Dynasty. ΟиЪ.ōΓＧ
Of course, it's not enough to send all children to school, just for the upper echelons of the tribe.
Everyone has a strong-willed mentality, and if they control the family members of high-ranking officials, the people at the lower levels will follow their example and gradually change their thoughts and concepts...
After a few generations, these people will develop the habit of speaking Chinese, wearing Han clothes, and celebrating Han festivals... At that time, they will be out-and-out Ming people.
This silent strategy of moisturizing things is the safest, the cost is not high, and it can bring huge returns in the future. The only drawback is... it requires a lot of time.
…
In late April, nearly 30,000 acres of cultivated land were opened, 20,000 acres were planted with potatoes, and 10,000 acres were planted with cotton.
In addition, the construction of houses on the ground also started, mixing mud, removing adobe, building walls... Taking Han people's houses as the standard, we copied the gourd and the gourd.
Abandoning their tents and replacing their houses, the nomads have "roots".
Everyone is working enthusiastically, especially people from various tribes. Daming helps them build houses and gives subsidies after the work is completed. Where can I find such good things?
Life is prosperous and they often have fat pork to eat, so they naturally work hard.
Everyone is enthusiastic and not afraid of hardship. The Loop looks the same every day...
In mid-June, the team that went to Wala to buy sheep came back and bought more than 7,000 sheep in total.
Li Qing did not slaughter a large number of animals, but distributed them to various tribes for grazing. Of course, he did not favor one over another and gave the Ming army silver rewards.
However, Li Qing received very bad news.
Choros Boyantemur died of illness!
After Li Qing learned about it, he was not only worried, but also very sad. Boyan Timur was a kind man. He had contributed a lot to the Ming Dynasty during his years as the leader of Wala.
If the leader is changed... I'm afraid it won't work so well.
More importantly, can the new leader stabilize the situation?
Li Qing was unsure...
But he couldn't stop this. He could only send Zhu Jianshen a letter, suggesting that he wait and see for a while and not make a decision in a hurry.
Day by day...
On the Mid-Autumn Festival, Li Qing ordered everyone to take a day off to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival and eat moon cakes.
Li Qing started preparing for the Mid-Autumn Festival early. He bought flour and fillings in Guan Nei and mass-produced them a few days in advance. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, everyone ate mooncakes.
Li Hong didn't understand and thought it was too much to make a fuss out of a molehill.
"Dad, does the Mid-Autumn Festival need to be so valued?" Li Hong said, "If we stop for one day, I wonder how many acres of land will be cultivated and how many houses will be built?"
Li Qing said: "What we eat is not moon cakes, but cultural identity."
Li Hong was confused, and Li Qing had no explanation.
The busy but soothing days are still going on. Just watching this vibrant scene is extremely satisfying. Everyone is immersed in the wonderful feeling accumulated in the field and cannot extricate themselves.
…
After the imperial court's allocation was obtained, Li Qing stepped up his efforts to spend money, purchase, pay wages, and provide various incentives and rewards... to transform the money into more efficient labor force and goods. Through these means, the money allocated by the imperial court was transferred to personal.
It also opened up the trade channels between the Hetao and the pass, and used the Hetao as a springboard to reach the grassland tribes.
Li Qing is committed to making the Hetao a transfer station between the Ming Dynasty and the grassland, thereby increasing private merchant trade.
Of course, the exception was the tea, horse, salt and iron trade, which was considered a strategic material. This was a leverage used by the Ming Dynasty to control the grassland tribes, and private merchants were not allowed to participate.
By doing this, Li Qing can, to a certain extent, change the survival thinking of the tribes on the grassland.
——Survival is not just a way of plundering, but can also be exchanged for unique materials on the grassland, such as ginseng, fur, medicinal materials... they can all be exchanged for what they need.
Of course, these are still Li Qing's visions and have not become reality.
But Li Qing is confident that as long as he continues to develop according to this trend, he will be able to achieve his expectations in at most ten years.
…
Days without memory anchors always pass quickly. The harvest of potatoes, the harvest of cotton... have strengthened the confidence of each tribe.
There is enough food for the winter, but cotton production is limited, far from being able to cover everyone with quilts. Each household is only allocated one pair of quilts.
After feeling the softness and warmth of the quilt, they flocked to it even more and looked forward to the future...
Nearly 70,000 acres of cultivated land have been cultivated. The only drawback is that much of it has missed the planting time and can only wait until next year.
But they were not discouraged. The long period of suffering was over, no less than a year and a half later.
All tribes have received great benefits, and Li Qing has not wronged the Ming army soldiers.
The soldiers would eventually return to the Ming Dynasty, and the resources and land were of little use to them, so Li Qing raised their salaries to two taels of silver per person per month.
People who want resources get resources, people who want money get money, it can be said that everyone is happy.
…
winter.
The sheep herd has grown to more than 13,000. These tribes who once made a living by grazing have collected enough fodder early and have prepared supplies for winter. In addition, the horse farm has begun to take shape.
The number is still small, but it is finally a start.
The earth was desolate again, but the vitality that could not be seen but could be felt became more intense.
~
Shuaiying.
Li Qing was enjoying himself eating hot pot and drinking some wine.
The curtain was raised, and Li Hong came in rubbing his hands and said with a dry smile: "Godfather, are you eating?"
"Sit down and have something to eat." Li Qing no longer raised his nose and raised his eyes, and his attitude was gentle.
"Hey, thank you godfather." Li Hong was not polite. He walked to the table and sat down, picked up his chopsticks and ate happily.
A quarter of an hour later, Li Hong stopped picking up the food. He took a sip of wine to put down the food in his mouth, and then said:
"Dad, remember you said before that we would go back before the year before. Is that true?"
Li Qing joked: "What, are you homesick?"
"Ang." Li Hong smiled sheepishly, "I haven't been back for more than a year. I really miss home."
Li Qing smiled and said, "I'll go back in two days."
"really?"
"How can I lie to you!" Li Qing rolled his eyes, "This place is basically on the right track, just let Uncle Funing watch here."
"What about the Ming army?"
"I want to go back, but not all of them. Just leave 20,000 people." Li Qing thought for a while and said, "Go and talk to Uncle Funing and let him make arrangements. Well... Each of the people left behind will be rewarded." Five taels of silver."
"Okay," Li Hong wiped his mouth quickly, "The child is gone."
"Well, go ahead." Li Qing nodded.
Everything was difficult at the beginning, but now that he is on the right track, there is no need for Li Qing to waste time here. As long as Zhu Yongyong messes around, nothing will go wrong.
Through observation over the past year, Li Qing also believes that he can do a good job.
After being away for so long, I don’t know what the situation is like now... Li Qing sighed quietly and said: "Winter is coming, what will the situation in the Mobei grassland be like..."
Li Qing tapped his forehead with his index finger and said to himself: "There are still many things to do!"
…
~
Mid-October.
Li Qing left behind 20,000 elite troops and led 30,000 Ming troops back to the capital.
When we arrived in the capital, it was already the twentieth day of the twelfth lunar month.
There was heavy snow in the sky, but everyone's faces were filled with joy.
Li Qing followed the rules and stationed his soldiers outside the city first, then went into the palace alone to meet the saint...
Qianqing Palace.
Li Qing met Zhu Jianshen. He hadn't seen him for more than a year. The young man was more reserved than before, his brows were lightly furrowed, and there was a hint of sadness in his brows.
Li Qing told him about the results of the Loop construction, and then asked: "Your Majesty, but the situation in Mobei has changed greatly?"
"That's not true." Zhu Jianshen waved his hand, not feeling happy about Hetao's outstanding political achievements, but simply said:
"Sir, you have worked hard all the way. Please go back and rest first. I will order people to pick up the troops outside the city later."
Li Qing didn't know why. Seeing that he didn't want to say more and didn't bother to touch his cold face, he cupped his hands and said, "I'm leaving."
~
After leaving the palace, Li Qing went to attend the New Year's Fair. Not long after arriving home, Li Hong came back.
Li Qing threw all the housework to him in one fell swoop, which was regarded as training for the young man.
Li Hong is also used to it and cleans quickly...
At Shen Shi, Shi Heng, who learned that Li Qing had returned, came to visit.
As the two chatted and reminisced about old times, Li Qing finally understood why Zhu Jianshen looked so depressed.
It was not a political matter, but the death of the emperor's eldest son.
There is nothing to say about this matter. In this era, the death of infants and young children is too common, and the royal family cannot avoid it.
In response, Li Qing just sighed symbolically and changed the topic.
"Do you know anything about the situation in Mobei?"
"I only know that the leader of Oara died of illness, and now the Oara tribe is competing for a new leader, but the specific situation is unknown." Shi Heng said, "The emperor sent Shi Biao, and I estimate that he will be back in the spring after the new year."
Competing for the new leader... Li Sin frowned.
