Brother Zhu Youxiao

"I've been eating this Indian rice for four years, but I'm still not used to it."

"Wait, next year we will be self-sufficient in our own rice."

"If it weren't for sending rice to the vassals, we would have been self-sufficient."

"Shh..."

When the footsteps of the twelfth lunar month arrived as promised, complaints from the soldiers also came from the land of the Southern Kunlun Supervisory Commissioner, which is located south of Levia.

Four and a half years have passed since Tianqi landed in June, 11.

In the past four and a half years, the situation of the South Kunlun Supervisory Commissioner has also undergone earth-shaking changes.

Wu Aheng mainly lived in Changning County in the north of Nankunlun Prefecture as a coordinating figure, and was responsible for defending against the attacks of the local natives.

As for Yan Yingyuan and Yan Yinshao, they were in charge of taking over the reform-through-labor workers to manage the South Kunlun Mansion and the East Kunlun Mansion.

Four and a half years is enough time for many things to happen, especially for the Southern Kunlun Supervisory Commissioner.

Right now, the South Kunlun Supervisory Commission has two prefectures and thirteen counties, but this is only an administrative division of regions. In fact, in its vast territory, the Ming Dynasty only has about 45 citizens.

Among these nationals, 28 are from Daming, 8 are from Yingzhou, and the remaining [-] are from India.

Thousands of miles of sea and territory are extremely dangerous. Behind the 28 Yingzhou males, in fact, millions of Yingzhou males died at sea in exchange for it.

After arriving at the Southern Kunlun Supervisory Commissioner, Wu Aheng gave each of them ten acres of cultivated land according to the migration rules. However, the cultivated land does not appear out of thin air, and all these cultivated land needs to be reclaimed by labor reformers.

In four and a half years, the number of reform-through-labor workers in the Southern Kunlun Supervision and Envoy Division has reached 130 million, and 28 men from Yingzhou received an iron knife and were promoted to soldiers and horses to take care of the reform-through-labor workers.

Wu Aheng divided the area into blocks and gave them to Bing Masi. For example, if this area can reclaim [-] mu of cultivated land, then it will be distributed to [-] Yingzhou men, and let them take care of [-] reformed-through-labor laborers to reclaim the land for them.

If the reform-through-labor workers have finished reclaiming the land, the local soldiers and horses need to release them to the next piece of reclaimed land.

All reform-through-labour workers can be released and go home after ten years of labor reform. After all, Wu Aheng bought them back with gold and silver, and they need to pay back the cost.

Under this method, the amount of arable land of the Southern Kunlun Supervision and Envoy Division has increased sharply, from nothing in the 11th year of Tianqi, to more than 15 mu of arable land in the twelfth lunar month of the 370th year of Tianqi.

Most of these cultivated land belonged to the local immigrants of Ming Dynasty, because the land granting rule for local immigrants was 9 mu per person, so the cultivated land of more than 300 immigrants was close to 80 million mu, and the remaining less than [-] mu belonged to Ying. European immigrants.

Of the 28 Yingzhou immigrants, less than [-] immigrants have fully obtained their ten acres of land, and the rest are basically only one or two acres, three or four acres.

After they took over the fields, the first thing they often did was not to plant the land, but to rush to the nearest city without stopping.

Among the 45 people, the [-] people from Sidang, India are all girls trafficked by their parents. The Nankunlun Supervising Commissioner often buys them together with Xiaoxiyang Supervising Commissioner and brings them to live in Nankunlun.

There is no coercion in this, and they also have their own jobs, that is, cleaning the yamen or the streets. The daily wages are five yuan and two meals.

If they found a home, the local yamen would be more than happy to let them out, and at the same time act as their "in-law's family" to monitor their husband's behavior.

Once there are multiple unilateral beatings, etc., the government will take back the man's field and give half of it to the woman.

This kind of girl is often called Yafu girl in the Yamen.

The first choice of women in the yamen is usually officials in the yamen, followed by soldiers, then immigrants from the Ming Dynasty, and finally men from Yingzhou.

It's just that most Ming men can't appreciate Yafu women, so they basically find a Yingzhou man who is a head shorter than themselves.

Yingzhou male Ding needs the approval of the Yamen if he wants to marry the Yafu girl, and this approval is whether he has the ability to support two people.

According to the government's minimum requirements, a man must have at least ten acres of land to marry a Yamen girl. This is why many men in Yingzhou couldn't wait to get the nearest Yamen after they got ten acres of arable land.

To put it bluntly, it is to get married and have children.

For example, right now, a group of Ming soldiers who are in charge of guarding the gate of the Kunlun County Yamen watched several joking and laughing men from Yingzhou enter the Yamen.

They went in, and after half an hour, they left the yamen with a few yamen girls.

Regarding this, the soldiers of the Ming army could not help sighing after they had gone far: "These Yingzhou men are quite aggrieved. Yingzhou women don't want to marry them, and they have to go thousands of miles away to marry their wives."

"That looks so ugly, if you were a woman, would you marry them?" The team next to him teased this man.

"Forget it..." Hearing that he would marry Ying Zhou if he was a woman, the soldier who had been sighing a second ago immediately smiled hippie.

"There is still half a year to go, and we will be able to return to Daming, and then you will be able to meet a daughter-in-law when you go back."

The team was joking with everyone, but at this time a carriage stopped at the gate of the Kunlun County Yamen.

Seeing this, the soldiers immediately stood up straight, and the next second to get off the carriage was Yan Yingyuan, who was nearly thirty years old.

After Yan Yingyuan got off the carriage, he nodded to the soldiers to say hello, and then walked into the yamen.

Seeing him walking away, the soldiers breathed a sigh of relief, and then began to tease other things.

Unlike them, after Yan Yingyuan entered the yamen, he went straight back to his study to handle government affairs.

In the past four and a half years, Yan Yingyuan and Yan Yinshao's official duties seemed a bit busy in front of a population of nearly 180 million.

The construction of cities and market towns, the reclamation of fields, the marriage of government women, the number of immigrants...

These complicated things have become Yan Yingyuan's daily routine, and when he picked up a document and opened it, he couldn't help frowning and asked the master beside him: "Six more ships from Yingzhou immigrants sank?"

"Reporting to the magistrate, it is true that six ships sank on the way from the old port to Sidang, India. Except for more than 500 crew members and more than 300 immigrants who were rescued by merchant ships along the way, the other more than 4000 immigrants from Yingzhou were unfortunately killed."

"..." Listening to Zhu Bo's words, Yan Yingyuan rubbed his brows:

"How many immigrants have died on this sea route, why didn't the imperial court choose another sea route, although it is slower, it is at least safe."

"This... This is the course set by His Royal Highness King Qi. The Relocation Department and the Supervision Department dare not change it."

Zhu Bo showed an embarrassing smile, and Yan Yingyuan also knew that such matters were beyond his control, so he continued to deal with other documents.

Among the many documents, in fact, the most common ones are the riots of the reformed laborers and the requests for help from the vassal states.

For riots, it is often suppressed, and for help, it is often supported according to the actual situation.

For example, the document in Yan Yingyuan's hand was a request for help from the Tang Dynasty, but their request for help was to buy three thousand shi of grain, and they wanted the rice from South Kunlun, not the rice from India.

"How much rice does the treasury bring in this year?" Yan Yingyuan turned his head and asked the owner next to him, who also bowed and replied:
"The total production was 260 million shi. The common people kept 200 million shi and sold it to us for 67 shi. In addition, there were 300 million shi of fragrant rice shipped from India."

Hearing this, Yan Yingyuan responded without thinking:
"It's enough for the fragrant rice to be eaten by the reformed laborers. We keep the rice for our own consumption, and then sell the rice to the princes according to their needs."

"Yes!" Master Bo responded, ready to do what Yan Yingyuan said.

The rice seeds of the Southern Kunlun Supervision and Envoy Division are all from the rice seeds of Southern Zhili, Ming Dynasty. The rice grains in Southern Zhili are plump and have an excellent taste, but the growth cycle is long.

In many places in the Southern Kunlun Supervisory Division, where two or even three crops can be grown a year, this kind of rice maintains the characteristic of one crop a year.

The pursuit of taste is the difference between the people of the Ming Dynasty and the people of the Song Dynasty.

In the Song Dynasty, due to the lack of arable land and the large population, the Champa rice with poor taste and high yield per mu could only be promoted.

In the Southern Song Dynasty, when tens of millions of people crowded south of the Huaihe River in the Qinling Mountains, the planting area of ​​Champa rice was further expanded, especially on the Jiangnan East, West and Liangzhe Roads.

Champa rice is combined with late rice to form double-cropping rice, which greatly increases grain yield.

But in the Ming Dynasty, due to the vast land and sparse population at the beginning of the country, there was no shortage of food after stable production, so the people of the Ming Dynasty began to pursue taste.

Anyone who grows Champa rice will basically either feed livestock or use it as a grain reserve.

The rice in Nanzhili is similar to the Northeast rice varieties of later generations. Although it can only be harvested once a year, the yield is extremely high in the same generation.

As long as natural disasters and man-made disasters are not encountered, it is a basic operation to produce two stones per mu, and the taste is excellent.

Even in Levia, this kind of rice can produce five buckets per mu in the first year, nine buckets per mu in the second year, one stone and five buckets per mu in the third year, and one stone and eight buckets per mu in the fourth year.

According to the estimates of Yan Yingyuan and others, if the current 300 million mu of arable land is properly fattened, after four years, these 300 million mu of land can produce nearly 700 million shi of rice and feed 150 million people.

It's just that the task of fattening the land is too heavy, and it has to be fattened while cultivating for three consecutive years, which leads to the "very slow" speed of land reclamation.

Putting down a document about the speed of local cultivated land reclamation, Yan Yingyuan shook his head:
"According to this posture, I am afraid that after five years, South Kunlun will only be able to reclaim 1000 million mu of cultivated land at most."

"That can feed 500 million people." Zhu Bo said optimistically, and Yan Yingyuan also nodded in agreement: "Indeed, 500 million people are not bad."

"Right now, all the vassals and the provinces of the imperial court are scrambling for immigrants. It may take more than ten years to relocate a million Han people. We don't have to be so anxious."

"By the way, how about gold and silver mining?" Yan Yingyuan thought about the gold and silver mines, so he couldn't help asking, and the boss quickly responded:

"The output is stable. 30 re-educated laborers are mining locally, and can produce 4 taels of gold, 67 taels of silver and more than 50 jin of copper every year."

"These silvers are enough to pay the soldiers' salaries, maintain the purchase of 50 re-educated laborers every year, and if possible, they can also pay 6 taels of mining tax silver to the imperial court."

Master Bo's words made Yan Yingyuan nod frequently. After thinking for a while, he still shook his head and said: "The government's deposits are not enough, let's keep depositing them for a few more years, and then pay taxes to the court after two years."

"Yes..." Bo bowed in response, and Yan Yingyuan didn't speak anymore, and concentrated on processing the memorial.

While he was dealing with the memorandum, the Qi State in North America on the other side of the ocean was also running vigorously.

By the twelfth lunar month of the 15th year of the Apocalypse, four years and four years of industrialization have allowed the national strength of Qi to advance rapidly.

As a vassal state, and the most powerful vassal state, relying on Zhu Youjian, Qi is largely autonomous.

The feudal vassals in India need to accept the supervision of the Xiaoxiyang Supervisory Commissioner, and the Leviian feudal clans need to accept the supervision of the Southern Kunlun Supervisory Commissioner, but there is no force in Qi State that can supervise it, except Zhu Youjian himself .

Four years of industrial development has made Qi's Xijing City a huge city covering an area of ​​24 mu, with two main roads, 48 main streets, [-] lanes, and [-] alleys.

In addition to the well-developed transportation, it also has the Qiwang Palace covering an area of ​​150 mu, and there are nearly [-] small courtyards in the south of the Yangtze River, [-] Buddhist temples and Taoist temples, and [-] miles of cement-paved roads.

More than 3 small courtyards in the south of the Yangtze River are all built with blue bricks and gray tiles. This city alone can accommodate 26 residents.

In addition to the neatly arranged square city structure, Xijing City is most famous for its huge and busy "Xijing Wharf".

Xijing Wharf relies on Qishui (Sacramento River) to complete various trades. Qishui has a total length of one thousand miles. The Jingzhaofu Valley in the middle, finally flows into the Daming Sea (Pacific Ocean).

It passes through Jingmen Bay in Jingmen County before entering Daming Sea.

In this bay, the largest ships in the world are moored at Jingmen Port, and machinery transported from Daming goes upstream from Qishui, transporting the machinery to Xijing City, and then reclaiming wasteland in the central valley of Jingzhao Prefecture.

Looking down from the sky, a road under construction is trying to go south from Anling County in the north to Xijing City, and the central valley of Xijing City has developed a large area of ​​cultivated land.

The giant sequoia, which is unique to the west coast, is felled and repaired, and then transported north by rail and train.

This kind of tree is more than 30 feet high, and the tall tree with a diameter of several feet at breast height cannot be used to build a palace because its texture is too brittle. Otherwise, Jin Xuan will probably build the most unprecedented palace.

However, even if giant cedars could not be used to build the palace, Jin Xuan still used some tall local trees to build the palace of King Qi.

Because of the terrain of King Qi's Mansion, Jin Xuan used rammed earth to pile it up, so the foundation of the palace is as high as ten feet, like a hill.

The palace of King Qi's Mansion has not been completed yet, but when Jin Xuan stood on an attic in the Palace of King Qi, he overlooked the entire Xijing city and had a panoramic view.

"According to the speed of the reformed laborers, the Qi Palace will take another seven years to complete."

Xia Yunyi, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs of the State of Qi, was reporting to Jin Xuan. The two stood on the high platform, and they couldn't stop looking at the Xijing City that they were overlooking.

"It's a pity, there are so many dwellings, but there are not many people..."

At the end of Xia Yunyi's report, Jin Xuan couldn't help but sighed, but Xia Yunyi bowed to appease him:

"Chang Shi doesn't have to sigh. I heard that the country has already used steam ships. If such ships are used, only one ship can transport three or four thousand people to Qi State in a year."

"With Long Live and His Royal Highness' temperament, I am afraid that hundreds of ships will be launched to transport the people here."

"In this way, in just one year, millions of people can immigrate across the sea. I'm afraid this is the reason why His Highness has not emigrated."

"Current immigration will not only fail to make Qi prosperous, but will become a burden."

"There are nearly one million mu of arable land in the country. If it is used to support labor reformers and the army, it is enough to support more than [-] people."

"With so many reformed-through-labor workers, whether they are mining, building roads, or cultivating land, they will be excellent labor."

"If the country can take over one million reform-through-labour workers in Yingzhou, plus 10,000+ tractors, I'm afraid it will be able to compete with Jiangnan in ten years' time."

Xia Yunyi himself is from Jiangnan, he knows very well in his heart that if the development of Qi country can really follow what he said, then don't talk about competing with Jiangnan, it can be said that Jiangnan will be rubbed against the ground.

In terms of climate, the central valley of Xijing City never falls below eight degrees throughout the year, and in Jiangnan, although Xia Yunyi didn't have a thermometer when he was in Jiangnan, he can still feel that the climate in Xijing City is much better than Jiangnan.

The only disadvantage of Xijing City is that it is a bit hot in summer, but for farmers who plan food in the fields all day, the temperature is acceptable.

Therefore, his words were also nodded and approved by Jin Xuan, but after the approval, Jin Xuan still asked Xia Yunyi: "How much is Qi's annual income this year, and how much cultivated land can be reclaimed next year? How many roads will be built?"

Regarding his inquiry, Xia Yunyi seemed not in a hurry, he bowed slowly, and then responded: "This year, the state of Qi pays about 42 taels of mining tax and silver, and produces 77 shi of grain."

"On the road, a total of 62 miles of prefectural and county roads have been built in the five counties. The railway from Anling in the north to the south of Xijing City has been laid for 150 miles, and the roadbed has been constructed for [-] miles."

"With the same number of reformed laborers, it will take at least 20 years to complete the [-]-mile railway from Anling to Xijing City."

"If the imperial court can transport no less than 1 tractors at the beginning of next year, then in the twelfth lunar month of next year, the cultivated land in Qi should exceed 160 million mu."

Xia Yunyi reported the general situation of Qi State. Generally speaking, Qi State is now self-sufficient.

The food demand of the 22 military and civilian laborers on this land is not as great as in Daming, because there is a huge herd of bison in Jingzhao Prefecture.

Millions of bison live on this land, and after crossing Lushan Mountain and Qishan Mountain, there are still tens of millions of bison living in the Great Plains to the east.

The weight of these bison ranges from [-] to [-] jins, and one cow can provide [-] to [-] jins of meat.

Because it is easy to hunt and kill, Jin Xuan basically only needs to send a hundred people to bring back hundreds of bison. If he is more ruthless, he can kill thousands of bison in a day.

However, Qi State’s demand for meat is not large at all. With 22 people and 44 catties of meat per day, it only needs to kill [-] to [-] adult bison.

After the demand for meat increased, the demand for grains began to decline. Every soldier and civilian in Qi State often couldn't digest even a catty of rice in a day, and they were already full from eating meat alone.

Therefore, the 22 soldiers and civilians of the Qi State only need 50 shi of grain to meet their needs. The current Qi State can not only be self-sufficient, but also relocate 10,000+ labor reform workers from Yingzhou on the current basis.

"After paying the military salary, send the rest of the money to the Qi Palace in the capital, and then ask His Highness to send another 30 Yingzhou reform-through-labor workers to Qi State, which can be regarded as reducing Yingzhou's burden."

"Yes!"

Jin Xuan spoke, Xia Yunyi responded, the two stood on the high platform and looked at Qi Guo, Jin Xuan also stroked his short beard.

"According to the quantity of machinery, I am afraid Tianqi should be able to break through 20 million mu in 300 years."

"According to the local cattle herd, as long as it is properly controlled, the people who come to Qi will have meat to eat, and the staple food should be the same as the current people, eating less than a catty a day."

"Three million mu of arable land is more than enough to feed 300 million people."

"I have to tell Your Highness that the imperial court will be ready to immigrate to Qi around the 21st year of the Apocalypse."

Jin Xuan was very happy in his heart. He didn't know whether he was happy that Zhu Youjian could take over the feudal clan, or that he was happy that Daming was spared an infighting.

It's just that his happiness was a bit premature in Xia Yunyi's view, Xia Yunyi couldn't help reminding:

"Changshi, that being said, there are still some crises around the Qi country right now. The natives from all over the place refuse to accept us. If they are wiped out, they will have to be incorporated into the people and increase their rations."

"Judging from the situation of Tangqi patrolling around the Governor's Mansion, I am afraid that in the 20th year of the apocalypse, Qi will only be able to accept less than hundreds of thousands of people moving in."

"What can really start should be the 23rd year of the apocalypse."

"By then, the Qi State should have 600 million mu of arable land, and it will be possible to relocate more than two million people while educating one million native people."

Xia Yunyi heard about the Tumin, which made Jin Xuan frown.

There are a lot of natives in North America. Out of the 22 people in Qi, nearly 12 are natives. The remaining 2 are reformed through labor, and the army only has more than [-] people.

There are too many natives, which is not good for him to govern Qi.

Thinking of this, Jin Xuan thought for a moment, and then explained to Xia Yunyi:
"I will discuss with His Highness that some natives who resist indoctrination will be used as labor reform workers, and after five years of labor reform, the land will be distributed so that they can live and work in peace."

"Long history is a good idea..." Xia Yunyi actually wanted to kill him directly, after all, for a scholar-bureaucrat like him, it's nothing to catch up with seedlings and expand his career.

However, since Jin Xuan didn't mention it, it is naturally impossible for him to bring it up.

The two were silent for a moment, and then Jin Xuan led Xia Yunyi down the high platform.

In a short while, the handwriting written by Jin Xuan and the Qi State document were sent to the port of Xijing.

Half an hour later, a fleet also escorted the manuscripts and documents and embarked on the voyage back to Daming...