Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 706
Zhu Qi thought for a while and said, "Third Uncle is very cautious. He only planted two acres of each species. I don't know much about peanuts and tobacco, but sunflowers are very beautiful. Many people have seen them. The yield of potatoes is very large, with an output of [-] acres per mu. At that time, everyone was stunned. The ground was like a cornucopia, and it was impossible to dig it out. It is said that the yield of peanuts is also very high. This year, a thousand acres were planted, and after harvest, they can be used to press oil."

Fan Ning was really looking forward to it, and he asked with a smile, "Is it better to use a wooden hammer to extract the oil now?"

Zhu Qi shook his head like a rattle, "Using the steam engine directly to press the oil cake, now the steam engine has been widely used, weaving, pounding rice, threshing, brewing wine, drilling wells, pumping water, making bricks, especially this year to create a small The steam engine is only as big as a table, and it is widely used, and we are now studying how to use the steam engine in farming.”

"Have you thought of any way?"

"Last year, someone proposed to fix the steam engine on the head of the field and tie it to the iron plow with a rope. When the steam engine turned, the rope would pull the iron plow forward, but everyone opposed it. After the small steam engine, everyone brainstormed, and someone proposed to build a boat that can walk on the ground, with four wheels on the front and rear, wouldn’t it be able to walk on the ground? It can plow the ground, sow seeds, and install a sharp knife , and even harvest wheat.”

Fan Ning secretly admired the infinite wisdom of the people. He actually thought of the rudimentary form of the tractor, and asked with a smile, "Has it been built yet?"

Zhu Qi shook his head and said, "A group of young steam engine students in the school are responsible for building this kind of machine that can walk by itself. So far, there is no result."

Fan Ning said with a smile: "When you go back this time, buy more rubber in Baozhou. The belt made of rubber is very suitable for driving the shaft. Tell the students this idea, maybe it will inspire them."

Zhu Qi nodded solemnly, "I remember!"

The speed of the steam engine ship is much faster than that of traditional passenger ships. It sails day and night, and three days later, the ship arrives in Yangzhou.

This time Zhu Qi came to the Song Dynasty to have two main tasks. One is to reach an agreement with the court to exchange refined steel for ordinary pig iron, and the other is to pick up immigrants going to the North Island, including more than 400 Song Dynasty families who voluntarily went to the North Island. The common people and [-] households of Liao Han people who immigrated to the North Island, and another [-] households who immigrated to the South Island also took their ships to sea.

The second task is obviously more important.

This time, the number of Han Chinese in the Liao Kingdom who were willing to emigrate overseas was as high as 15, with a total population of [-], which was far beyond the expectations of the Song Dynasty. Music books, etc., have been brutally exploited for generations.

Even if they returned to the Liao Kingdom, they would have no land, property, or status, and they would be widely despised by the society. At the same time, they did not have a strong sense of belonging to the Song Dynasty, so they were all willing to go overseas to live a new life.

What's more, they are also strongly attracted by the promise of a hundred years of tax exemption in the Southern Continent and hundreds of acres of private land. Liao's heavy taxes make them have great fear of taxes, and they are flocking to the hundred years of tax exemption and land property.

The time of departure is these two days. Among the 2 households, 150 households took [-] large ships to the Xinqi Mansion in the Southern Continent. It is located in the southeast corner of the Southern Continent. The land is very fertile and the climate is cooler, making it more livable than Dingnan Prefecture.

Another [-] households went to the South Island and North Island. This time Zhu Qi brought [-] large ships, [-] soldiers and dozens of followers to help him transport the people to the South Island.

Fan Ning arrived in Yangzhou in the morning, and the Yangzhou government and the main generals of the garrison rushed to the pier to welcome Fan Ning.

The governor of Yangzhou is Fan Chunren, the uncle of Fan Ning, the second son of Fan Zhongyan, who is highly regarded by the emperor Zhao Xu.

Yangzhou is now an important transit point for overseas materials and population of the Great Song Dynasty, and its status is very high. Although it has not been upgraded to a mansion, the chief official must be a senior official of the fifth rank or above.

The chief general of the Yangzhou garrison was Zhang Jian, the commander of the navy, who led [-] troops and hundreds of warships to garrison the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

However, Zhang Jian happened to be away from Yangzhou, and was on a tour around Wuchang along the Yangtze River, and Li Ying, the lieutenant general, received Fan Ning.

Fan Ning saw that Li Ying was stammering to explain to himself that the general had gone on a routine inspection, so he smiled slightly and said, "General Li, don't worry too much, I am not here to inspect the army this time, but to visit immigrants as a prime minister, just do it Accompanying is fine."

Li Ying breathed a sigh of relief, and rushed to the immigrant camp first to maintain order.

Fan Ning smiled at Fan Chunren: "I even forgot that you were in power in Yangzhou. I would have brought the child with me if I had known."

Fan Chunren smiled slightly and said: "Then don't blame me for not reminding you in advance, I didn't know you were coming at all, the court's document was only delivered yesterday, I guess you are already halfway."

"Then let's do it next time! Next time I will bring a whole family to beat your autumn wind."

"Hehe! You must be warmly welcomed."

The two chatted and laughed, and Fan Chunren asked, "Let's take a rest in Xianjin City, or go directly to the immigration camp."

"It's still early, let's go directly to the camp!"

The two got into the carriage, and under the protection of dozens of horse-riding guards, they headed towards the immigrant camp in the east of the city.

In the carriage, Fan Chunren said with a smile: "It's not appropriate for me to call you according to your seniority. I think you might not be happy to call you His Highness the King of Chu, so it's more appropriate to call you an official position."

Fan Ning smiled and said, "You can call me Mr. Fan, this title suits you best."

Historically, Fan Chunren was the Prime Minister of Song Zhezong, and he was known as the Commoner Xianggong, and some people called him Xiaofan Xianggong.

Fan Chunren nodded, and asked again: "Is Mr. Fan familiar with the Cheng family in Yangzhou?"

"Yangzhou Cheng's Family" moved Fan Ning's heart, thinking of the fat Cheng Ze and Cheng Yuanyuan who almost married Su Liang, but this was almost 20 years ago.

He asked lightly, "Why did you suddenly ask about this?"

"Is that the case?"

Fan Chunren explained: "Yangzhou government's Pier No. [-] is going to be sold, and there are many competitors. Two days ago, the owner of the Cheng family came to me. He said that he is your friend. He hoped that I could take care of him and give priority to the Cheng family. I was a little confused. When did you have friendship with someone like Cheng Ze?"

"What does he look like now?"

"He is very fat, weighing at least two hundred catties. In Yangzhou, he is notoriously stingy and penniless. He is nicknamed Cheng Tiezhu."

Speaking of this, Fan Ning Chunren was surprised: "Could it be that you really have friendship with him?"

"We can't talk about friendship, it's just that we have known each other for a while. That year, Su Liang and Li Dashou and I went to Beijing to take the exam together. I met him in Yangzhou, and he also went to Beijing to take the exam. After we came to Beijing, we lived together. Later, we didn't like it. As a man, after finishing the imperial examination, he divided things, but Su Liang and his sister had nothing to do with each other, and almost married his sister."

Fan Chunren nodded with a smile, "It's almost the same as what he said. He wasn't exaggerating. He also said that the thing he regretted the most was that he didn't facilitate the marriage between his sister and Su Liang. His sister married well, and she was also from a rich family in Yangzhou. , it’s a good family, right!”

Fan Ning thought for a while and said, "Let's do this! From the point of view of friendship back then, we can resell Zhu Xiaolin's Pier No. [-] to him. As for the government's dock, don't care about human feelings."

"Then Mr. Fan wants to see him?"

Fan Ning shook his head, "There's no need to meet, I don't want to mention the past!"

Fan Chunren nodded and stopped mentioning the matter, the carriage accelerated and drove towards the immigrant camp several miles away.

The immigrant camp is just to the east of Yangzhou City. A fixed barracks area has been formed here, covering an area of ​​more than 20 mu, and can accommodate up to [-] people. It is specially used for the transfer of immigrants. It is simply a small county with relatively good facilities. complete.

These people have lived here for more than a month, patiently waiting for the day of departure.

(End of this chapter)