Cui Du lowered his head, and the charcoal pen in his hand flew on the paper. The charcoal pen and paper made a slight sound when rubbed.
Jiang Shaohua waited patiently without making a sound.
The study was quiet. This quietness is not cramped at all, it is extremely peaceful. There is even a touch of warmth.
After a while, Cui Du smiled and handed the paper to Jiang Shaohua's hand. Jiang Shaohua lowered his head and took a closer look, and saw many green seedlings of different types and heights drawn on the paper. These young seedlings are all fat and strong, and they are well maintained at first sight.
Jiang Shaohua couldn't help but pursed his lips and smiled: "Before I left, you were selecting and cultivating seeds. Have you cultivated new seedlings with high yields?"
Cui Du shook his head first and then nodded. It was really unclear to express this, so he had to say in a rough voice: "This is the second batch of seed selection. If you want to cultivate high-yielding wheat and millet seeds, you have to continue testing."
This voice is indeed unpleasant. , like sandpaper rubbing against my ears.
Jiang Shaohua resisted the urge to scratch his ears and said with a warm smile: "Then test slowly and wait until truly high-quality grain varieties are cultivated before starting to promote them."
Cui Du nodded: "Yes. This year's grain production will be increased by at most 30%..."
Before he finished speaking, a figure flashed in front of him and grabbed his wrist: "What did you say? Increased by 30% ?”
The princess's voice was urgent and fast, even a little trembling.
Cui Du's wrist was almost broken, and he opened his mouth with difficulty: "Princess! My hand!"
Jiang Shaohua realized that he had lost his composure and quickly put down his hand. Cui Du breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the sweat with his sleeve, and used his right hand to rub his left wrist that had been pinched and dehydrated: "This is an approximate number. How much it can be improved will have to wait until the winter wheat is harvested next year."
Jiang Shaohua's eyes sparkled, looking at Cui Du as if he were looking at rare treasures, his voice was extremely gentle: "It can increase by 30%, It’s already amazing. Don’t wait, we will start promoting it next year. In the future, if there are grains with higher yields, we can continue to promote them.”
Cui Du is the first. Seeing Jiang Shaohua look so happy for the first time, he couldn't help but raise the corner of his mouth: "Okay, listen to the princess."
Jiang Shaohua's eyebrows were crooked, and he was really happy: "In the past six months, I have visited fourteen counties. I have seen many poor people. Especially in Pheasant County and Wuyin County, the people are busy all day long, but they don't even have enough to eat. I The princess felt really uncomfortable when she saw this. "
"The grain seeds harvested this year will be supplied to Pheasant County, Wuyin County, and Li County first. "
Cui Du now has some knowledge and knows that these three counties are Nanyang County. The poorest person in the group nodded in agreement: "What the princess said is true."
Jiang Shaohua exhaled and sighed: "Li County is okay, the banditry has been put down, and Magistrate Cai is diligent and capable. When he is busy in farming and has free time, he organizes the people to join the army. Collecting fruits and hunting in the mountains, as well as collecting medicines in Li County. The life of the people is much better than before. "
"The big problem is that in Pheasant County and Wuyin County, there is drought and water shortage all year round. The people work in the fields all day long. But it depends on God.”
Cui Du answered: "In areas with drought and water shortage, you can grow sweet potatoes, corn or sorghum."
Jiang Shaohua took a deep look at Cui Du: "I know sorghum, but what are sweet potatoes and corn?"
Cui Du took out his pen and started drawing on the paper.
Jiang Shaohua couldn't restrain his eagerness and leaned his head directly over.
A faint fragrance floats into your nose.
Cui Du still focused on painting and did not raise his head. The tip of his ear turned red quietly.
Jiang Shaohua was so focused on Cui Du's writing that he didn't pay attention at all. After Cui Du drew sweet potatoes and corn, he couldn't wait to ask: "If you plant these, how much can one acre of land produce?"
Cui Du made an estimate in his mind, and replied in a rough voice: "No. It will be less than twenty stones." His wrist tightened suddenly and the princess grabbed him again.
However, this time the princess controlled her strength and was much gentler. A pair of bright eyes seemed to shine: "Can you really have twenty stones?"
< br>
You know, nowadays, an acre of top-quality land, carefully tended, can only produce four stones of grain at most. If it is a medium field or a low-grade field, the yield will be even lower.
Cui Du can hold more than twenty stones of grain from his mouth, which means that the output of one acre of land can be doubled five times! If what Cui Du said is true, this is a great event that can change the food shortage in Nanyang County and save countless lives!
Cui Du nodded: "I'd better keep it simple. Corn can be used as a staple food, and corn stalks can be fed to cattle and sheep. Sweet potatoes have more uses, and sweet potato leaves can also be eaten."
"Moreover, these two grains are suitable for drought area. If it turns out to be true next year, Nanyang County will encounter a severe drought. Planting corn and sweet potatoes will be the best choice."
Jiang Shaohua's eyes brightened: "Where can I find sweet potatoes? Corn? ”
Cui Du spread his hands: "I don't know about this."
Jiang Shaohua: "..."
Jiang Shaohua was not angry, so he let go of Cui Du's hand first: "What do you mean? It turns out that there must be these two kinds of food in the world. We don’t have them here, so we sent people out to look for them.”
“ The princess had better send someone to look for it along the coast." Cui Du thought for a while and suggested, "As long as I can find grain seeds, I can grow sweet potatoes and corn."
The coast. Ah... Jiang Shaohua thought for a moment, then went to the bookshelf and took out a folded piece of paper. After unfolding it, he looked closely and saw that it was a hand-drawn map of Daliang.
"This map was brought out of the palace by my grandfather when he left the capital." Jiang Shaohua said softly: "My grandfather often looked at it when he was free. Later, it was worn out a lot."
Map It is indeed a bit worn, the paper is yellowed, and the ink is a bit blurry.
Jiang Shaohua's thin white fingers slid on the map, and finally landed on one place: "This is Guangzhou. Along the coast is Nanhai County, Xinhui County, Gaoliang County. There are docks and maritime merchants in Nanhai County. I sent people there One trip. "
The princess has loyal civil servants and generals under her command, and she has strong men. It is not difficult to do such a thing.
Cui Du said yes.
After Jiang Shaohua made up his mind, without delaying for a moment, he went to open the door of the study in person: "Yinzhu, Tubai, you two immediately go to invite Chen Changshi and Feng Changshi to come over, saying that the princess has something important to do with you." Shang. "
......
The two elders, Chen and Feng, each drank some wine tonight and were about to fall asleep. When the princess called him urgently, most of their sleepiness flew away.
The two chief historians left the courtyard separately and came together.
After entering the study, Chen Changshi glanced calmly at Cui Du, who was alone with the princess: "The princess summoned Chen and Feng Changshi to come here. What's the important matter?"
Jiang Shaohua raised his eyebrows and smiled: "This is a major event related to new grains!"
Daliang regards farming as its national foundation. Filling the people's stomachs is a top priority.
As soon as the word "new grain" came to their ears, Chen Changshi and Feng Changshi's last bit of sleepiness disappeared.
"Cui Du, tell me."