Ming Zuo

Chapter 1597 Northwest Integration
"Although the military has slowed down its march into the Western Regions, it has put forward a higher test for our work. Once we cannot effectively support the war in the Western Regions in the future, we have no way to explain it!"

The three Northwest giants sat together, all worried.

It can be said that for a long period of time in the future, the northwest region will definitely bear a heavy burden on its shoulders.

On the one hand, it is necessary to complete the improvement of the ecological environment deployed by the state, and on the other hand, it is necessary to stabilize the local area and eliminate disasters.

On the other hand, all the advances of the National Defense Forces to the Western Regions need support from here.

Thinking of these situations, the three of Mao Yuanyi couldn't help but feel their scalps go numb.

Fortunately, at the beginning of the founding of the country, all those who could rise to the top were outstanding talents. When encountering difficulties, they would not only complain of suffering and tiredness.

Wang Qiaonian was an official in Ming Dynasty, and now he is an important minister of the empire, so he knows how good the current official environment is.

If you want to show off your ambitions, if you don't take advantage of the good time now, you will have no chance.

"Let me talk about the situation in Shaanxi first."

He speaks first.

"After my on-the-spot investigation, the conditions in Yinchuan and Hetao areas are very good, and agriculture can be vigorously developed while taking into account animal husbandry. With these two important grain producing areas, the locality will be stable. Next, it will be logical to carry out greening projects .”

The Qiantao Plain and Houtao Plain, where Yinchuan is located, have been rich in water and grass for thousands of years.

Under the support of the Yellow River, agricultural development is completely possible.

But Wang Qiaonian also had something to say.

Because in the development of agriculture in these two places, it is impossible to fish out of the pond, and environmental issues must also be considered, so there will definitely be a limit to food production.

Relying on these two grain-producing areas, the needs of northern Shaanxi can be met for the time being.However, in the Guanzhong Plain and Hanzhong area, we need to find another way.

Mao Yuanyi also had detailed information on hand, knowing that Wang Qiaonian did not shirk responsibility.

But he decided to listen to Xu Erdou's opinion.

Xu Erdou was very happy.

"The entire territory of Gansu is very barren, and there is absolutely no way to guarantee self-sufficiency in food. At present, only the Zhangye area is suitable for farming, and the Lanzhou and Longyou areas are in urgent need of ecological restoration."

The prosperity of the Tang Dynasty benefited from the development of the Longyou area.

According to the data at that time, during the Tianbao period, the national grain production was more than 190 million shi, and Longyou alone was as high as 70 shi.

It was by relying on this large granary that the Tang Dynasty accumulated enough strength and created unparalleled brilliance.

But in the same way, because of the over-development during the Tang Dynasty, it caused a devastating blow to the natural environment of the Longyou area.

Since the Tang Dynasty, it has been unsuitable for human survival.

This is also one of the reasons why the Northern Song Dynasty faced the rise and expansion of Xixia during the Northern Song Dynasty, and the Northern Song Dynasty was stretched and had no way to do it.

Xu Erdou gave up the idea of ​​recreating the Longyou granary after his on-the-spot investigation.

So here comes the problem. Apart from Zhangye, the huge Gansu province cannot provide food production.However, this place lives far inland, and the consumption of external transportation alone is enough to make one's scalp tingle.

"I plan to ask the central government to merge Qinghai into Gansu. In this way, Qinghai's conditions can be used to supplement Gansu's deficiency."

Xu Erdou is also a person who dares to think and do.

He didn't confine his sights to Gansu Province, but made the idea of ​​Qinghai.

Now Qinghai has actually been brought under the jurisdiction of the empire, but the administrative level has not yet been determined.

Xu Erdou intends to seize the opportunity and integrate Gansu and Qinghai into one.

Although most of Qinghai is in a state of desertification and Gobi, the conditions in the eastern part of Qinghai are still very favorable.

Highland barley can be grown here, which greatly supplements the lack of food in the Northwest.

In addition, Qinghai is also a good place to vigorously develop animal husbandry, which can also be used as a supplement to the grain industry.

Of course, what Xu Erdou valued more was Qinghai's salt industry.

Next to Qinghai Lake, the salt industry resources here are very rich, and it is also an important source of salt for the entire plateau region and the Northwest region.

As long as you control this place, you can exchange salt for supplies.

Xu Erdou also mentioned a situation that both Mao Yuanyi and Wang Qiaonian were very concerned about.

"I personally walked along the Shiyang River to Baiting Lake. The situation there is not optimistic. The huge water consumption along the way has caused the Baiting Lake to shrink day by day. Once the Baiting Lake dries up and disappears, Zhenfanwei (people Qin) will not be able to keep the front line, and it will also threaten the safety of the Hexi Corridor. But if it is properly managed, it may be connected with the former set of plains to form an encirclement. In time, it may be possible to turn the Tengger Desert into a Fertile soil."

Although Xu Erdou's mind is wide open, it is not without evidence.

Unlike later generations where the Shiyang River stopped abruptly in Minqin County, the current Shiyang River extends northward for hundreds of miles after passing through Zhenfanwei, forming Qingyu Lake and Baitinghai Lake respectively.

And relying on these two lakes, a good place with abundant water and grass is formed nearby, and even nomads often graze here.

In this way, the distance between the Shiyang River Basin and the Qiantao Plain is only a few hundred kilometers.

The northern end of the Tengger Desert has relatively flat terrain, making it easier to operate.

As long as time and cost are invested, the influence of the Shiyang River can even be pushed to the foot of Helan Mountain.

If it can be done, it will form an ecological encirclement circle consisting of the Qiantao Plain, the Hexi Corridor, and the Shiyang River Basin, trapping the Tengger Desert within it.

In the future, it is not impossible to gradually improve the ecology from the surroundings to the middle, and eventually eliminate this desert and change the regional environment.

Of course, in order to do this, there is a prerequisite.

That is to sacrifice the local development of Wuwei.

"As long as enough food can be provided from the outside, the people near Wuwei can relocate, abandon the agricultural reclamation here, and reduce the water consumption of Shiyang River. Once Qingyu Lake and Baiting Lake get enough water supply, they can expand their area , improve the ecological environment.”

Mao Yuanyi and Wang Qiaonian were amazed, but also moved.

Especially Wang Qiaonian, the provincial governor of Shaanxi, has always been worried about the fragile ecological environment of the Qiantao Plain.If we can get help and support from Gansu, it will be great news for Shaanxi.

"This is a big matter, let's report to the higher authorities."

Mao Yuanyi has already agreed in his heart, but he also understands that only the emperor and the center can make a decision.

So the joint letter of the three Northwest giants was placed in front of Zuo Menggeng and the center as quickly as possible.

Zuo Menggeng carefully looked at the contents of the report, never expecting that people in this era would have such forward-looking consciousness.

(End of this chapter)