Daming Town Haiwang

Chapter 2091 Another difficult year

In Liaodong of the Ming Dynasty, Liu Jin was frowning and feeling the coldness of Liaodong.

It's been [-] years since Hongzhi, and it's already the beginning of summer. However, during the Little Ice Age, anything can happen, even if it suddenly snows or frosts in summer, it's nothing.

After the beginning of summer, the Liaodong area is still cold, and it is not unusual for heavy snow to fly.

"The ghostly weather of this Little Ice Age!"

Liu Jin frowned and cursed.

People who have not really experienced the Little Ice Age may find it difficult to understand the meaning and power of the Little Ice Age. It was extremely abnormal, with extreme climate, cold and dry.

This has the greatest impact on agricultural production, almost resulting in no harvest throughout the year.

The key is to be erratic and show it to you frequently. The winter of the year before last was extremely cold, and the year before last was drought. Last year finally had a good year with good weather, and last winter was extremely cold.

This year, it's already the beginning of summer, but the temperature in various parts of Daming is much lower than in previous years. Originally, it was time to start farming in the Liaodong area.

But now it's freezing here, with heavy snow falling, there is no way to cultivate at all, and we can only wait until the temperature rises before we can start farming.

"Liu Gong, I'm afraid this year will be almost the same as the year before last. The winter is extremely cold, and then there may be another year of severe drought."

Beside Liu Jin, Li Kun and Tong Rui also came over together, seeing the situation in front of them, they also said worriedly.

"Well, there is indeed a great possibility."

Liu Jin also nodded emphatically to Zheng.

The capricious Little Ice Age and the extreme climate that took turns.

This is not the time when the Little Ice Age is at its worst, and it will be the worst time in a few decades. At that time, there may even be a severe drought for seven or eight years in a row. The world is experiencing unprecedented dry weather.

As for this kind of weather that lasts for two or three years, or intermittent severe drought and severe cold, it was commonplace during the Little Ice Age.

In addition, the north is extremely dry, while the south is full of floods. Sometimes there will be floods in the north, and the south will be dry and erratic, accompanied by large-scale plagues and locusts.

It may be difficult for future generations to imagine how severe this climate is, because even if there are floods and droughts in future generations, it seems that it is impossible to say that a certain lake has dried up and turned into a grassland or something.

The drought in the Little Ice Age was to such an extent that the Yellow River stopped flowing and the vegetation withered and yellowed. I’m not kidding you about thousands of miles of red land.

"Oh, God is capricious, and I don't know what's going on."

Tong Rui said with a sigh.

He was the governor of Henan the year before last, and he experienced the severe drought. It was really a thousand miles away, and the drought was extremely dry. In any previous dynasty, it would have to change children to eat and starve to death.

That is to say, the current Ming Empire is strong and has sufficient food reserves, so there are no turmoil and human tragedies.

"We can't decide about God's affairs. What we can do is to conquer nature and use our own efforts to minimize losses."

"Order the granaries in various places to inspect the grain reserves, and be sure to report truthfully. If there are false concealers, they will be severely punished!"

Liu Jin thought for a while and ordered.

"Yes!"

Li Kun and Tong Rui quickly replied in unison.

The famine is not terrible. I just experienced it the year before last. The key is to have enough food reserves. As long as there is food in hand, I will not panic.

No matter what happens, there is no need to be afraid. If there is no food, it will really be over. Natural disasters and man-made disasters, all kinds of things will happen.

Liu Jin, who is well aware of this, has always attached great importance to this aspect. Last winter, he ordered all regions to conduct a thorough investigation of the grain reserves in various regions.

If the grain reserves are not enough, timely increase grain reserves from other places to ensure that the grain reserves in various places are sufficient for the food needs of the people in various places.

"Liu Gong, do we want to stop grain exports to Europe?"

Li Kun thought for a while and said again.

"No, our Daming's current grain is enough for us to eat for several years. Even if the entire Daming has no harvest this year, we don't have to worry about the grain problem."

"What's more, this year we are still vigorously developing Guangdong and Guangxi, promoting mechanized farming, and the Golden Island has also increased a lot of cultivated land."

"In Heitu Province, Hezhong, and Liaodong, because of the sale of grain, farmers' enthusiasm for growing grain has increased. There will definitely be more land to grow grain this year."

"So we don't have to worry about Ming's grain issue. As long as we keep enough grain reserves, we can sell grain to Europe."

"Now is the period of spring plowing, and this year is also a critical year. We will use food prices to impact European agriculture, so that they will gradually stop growing food and rely on our Ming Dynasty's food instead."

"In this way, the grain of the Europeans will be in our Ming's hands in the future. Not only can we increase farmers' enthusiasm for growing grain by dumping grain, but it is also very easy to make money as long as we hold the grain bags of the Europeans tightly. "

Liu Jin thought for a while and shook his head.

Now that the export of grain is stopped, wouldn't the grain in front of it be fed to the Europeans in vain?

We must continue to export cheap grain to Europeans, let them know that growing grain not only does not make money, but may also lose money, so that they will turn to raising sheep and shearing wool to sell to Daming, so that Daming can control their food.

There may be a drought in Daming this year, but it may also be a dry year in Europe. If those farmers in Europe have no harvest at that time, the enthusiasm for this kind of food will definitely drop significantly.

By next year, there will definitely be fewer and fewer people with this kind of food. In the end, the nobles will go to raise sheep in enclosures, becoming a raw material supply place and product dumping place for the development of capitalism in the Ming Dynasty, deeply tied to the Ming Dynasty. In the turbulent torrent, it will be difficult to turn over from now on.

"But I'm worried about our Daming's own food security. At that time, some people may use the topic to attack you, Mr. Liu."

Li Kun thought for a while and said again.

"Our Daming's food security is guaranteed. Our Daming occupies the largest and best production area in the world. With the advantages of mechanized farming, we don't need to worry about food security at all."

"As for those guys who are short-sighted and only know how to fight in the nest, don't worry about it."

Liu Jin said indifferently.

"What Liu Gong said is true!"

After Li Kun heard it, he quickly flattered him.

"Let's go back to Beijing."

Liu Jin once again looked at the vast snow-capped land in front of him. If it wasn't for the cold weather, it should be a busy scene now.

I have already seen the small towns here and there, and the farmers in Liaodong are already overhauling various machines and preparing for this year's farming.

According to the situation in previous years, the land has already been plowed by this time, and wheat, corn and the like have been planted. However, this year's weather is cold and there is heavy snow, so there is no way to cultivate it.

Liu Jin took the train going south and returned to the capital.

Since the arrival of the train, it has become very convenient and convenient for Liaodong to go to and from the Beijing-Tianjin area. Taking the train, one day is enough.

Of course, now that Daming's shipping is well developed, the Bohai Bay side has also been greatly developed, and there are also many ports on the Liaodong side, and thanks to the forest resources in Liaodong, the shipbuilding industry is also developing extremely fast.

At the same time, Liaodong is rich in coal, iron ore, and oil reserves. Iron and steel smelting, oil mining, and smelting are also developing extremely rapidly, and its industrial output value has gradually exceeded that of agricultural output.

Sitting on the train, all the way south, Liu Jin also looked at it all the way.

Compared with what happened more than 20 years ago, Liaodong has also undergone earth-shaking changes.

Cities and towns sprung up like mushrooms after a spring rain, and continued to grow and develop. The former wilderness became fertile fields.

A series of spacious concrete roads connect the four directions. The houses are beautifully built and neatly built. There are also many cars on the roads, which shows that Liaodong is rich.

In towns and cities here and there, factories roar and smoke billows from tall chimneys, and the smell of capitalism and the industrial age spreads here.

Recalling that more than 20 years ago, I led an army to fight against the Jurchen ministries in Liaodong. At that time, Liaodong was still synonymous with poverty and cold.

Under the capricious looting and plundering of the Jurchens, the lives of ordinary people in the Liaodong area were very difficult. At that time, it was still a military household system, and almost all the people in Liaodong were military households. Even though they had fertile land, they were Often hungry and cold.

The barbarians of some Jurchen tribes actually disturbed the peace of Liaodong.

"How time flies!"

Liu Jin sighed again, thinking that he would soon be fifty years old, time is not forgiving.

As the train kept going south, Liu Jin's eyes were full of thoughts and memories. This is what people do when they are older, always thinking about their past.

PS: Ask for tickets~
(End of this chapter)