spend time

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 and said nothing.

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 glance.

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."

The sound was indeed unpleasant, like sandpaper rubbing against the ears.

Jiang Shaohua resisted the urge to scratch his ears and said with a warm smile: "Then slowly experiment, wait until truly excellent grain varieties are cultivated, and then start promoting them."

Cui Du nodded: "Yes. This year's grain production will increase by up to 30%..."

Before he finished speaking, a figure flashed in front of him and grabbed his wrist: "What did you say? Increase it by 30%?"

The princess' voice was urgent and fast, even a little trembling.

Cui Du's wrist was almost broken, so he opened his mouth with difficulty: "Princess! My hand!"

Only then did Jiang Shaohua realize 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 were shining. He looked at Cui Du as if he were looking at rare treasures. His voice was extremely gentle: "It's already amazing to be able to increase it by 30%. Don't wait, we will start promoting it next year. In the future, there will be grain seeds with higher yields." Okay, just continue to promote it. In Nanyang County, I have the final say."

It was the first time Cui Du saw Jiang Shaohua looking so happy, and 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 feels really uncomfortable when she sees this."

"The grain seeds harvested this year will be supplied to Wuyin County, Pheasant County, and Li County first."

Cui Du now has some knowledge and knows that these three counties are the poorest among the bottom in Nanyang County. He nodded in agreement: "That's what the princess said."

Jiang Shaohua exhaled and sighed: "It's okay in Li County. The bandit troubles have been eliminated. Magistrate Cai is diligent and capable. When he is busy with farming, he organizes people to go to the mountains to collect fruits, hunt, and collect medicines. The people of Li County Life is much better than before.”

"Pheasant County and Wuyin County are the big problems. These two counties suffer from drought and water shortage all year round. People work in the fields all day long. The harvest depends on God."

Cui Du answered: "In drought-stricken places, 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 aroma drifted into his nose.

Cui Du still concentrated on painting and did not raise his head. The tip of the 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: "It won't be less than twenty stones." His wrist suddenly tightened, and he was caught by the princess again.

However, this time, the princess controlled her strength and was much gentler. Her bright eyes seemed to shine: "Can you really have twenty stones?"

You know, nowadays, an acre of top-quality land, carefully tended, can only produce four kilo of grain at most. If it is a medium field or a low-grade field, the yield will be even lower.

Cui Du can eat more than twenty shi of grain with one mouthful, which means that the output of one acre of land can be increased 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 dry areas. If next year is like what the prince said in his dream, Nanyang County will encounter a severe drought. Planting corn and sweet potatoes instead is the best choice."

Jiang Shaohua's eyes were bright: "Where can I find sweet potatoes and corn?"

Cui Du spread his hands and said, "I don't know about that."

Jiang Shaohua: "..."

Jiang Shaohua was not angry, so he let go of Cui Du's hand and said, "You are so sure of your words that there must be these two types of food in the world. We don't have them here, so we sent people out to look for food seeds."

"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."

A place along the coast... 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."

The map 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 will send someone to go there."

The princess has loyal civil servants and generals under her command, and she has the strength and manpower. It is not difficult to do such a thing.

Cui Du hummed.

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 and invite Chen Changshi and Feng Changshi to come over, saying that the princess has something important to do with you." business."

……

The two elders, Chen and Feng, each drank some wine tonight and were about to fall asleep. When the princess summoned them 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 at Cui Du, who was alone with the princess, calmly: "Princess Zhaochen and Feng Changshi are here, what's the important matter?"

Jiang Shaohua raised his eyebrows and smiled: "It is a major matter related to new grains!"

Daliang takes farming as its national foundation. Filling the people's stomachs is a top priority.

As soon as the word "new grain" came into their ears, Chen Changshi and Feng Changshi's last bit of sleepiness disappeared.

"Cui Du, tell me."