Dramatic changes in the movies and TV shows

Chapter 1261 Support
Among the agricultural implements manufactured, the most outstanding was the curved plow.

The curved plow first appeared in the Jiangdong region at the end of the Tang Dynasty and was also known as the Jiangdong plow. Even if Lin Hao hadn't brought the technology over, it would have been improved soon.

Compared to the previous straight-shaft plow, the curved-shaft plow underwent several major improvements, including changing the straight and long shafts to curved and short shafts, and installing a freely rotating plowshare at the shaft head.

These improvements made the plow frame smaller and lighter, making it easier to turn around and maneuver, saving manpower and animal power, and increasing the daily plowing area per ox from 0.5 mu with a straight-shaft plow to 1.2 mu, improving efficiency by 140%.

It can be said that in terms of arable land, before industrial mechanization, the curved plow was absolutely the pinnacle of agricultural tools.

Of course, building farm tools was just a means to establish himself. When the farm tools were almost finished, Lin Hao tried to use the gene-guided function to genetically modify the wheat seeds.

Surprisingly, it was quite successful. After all, this gene-guided skill originated from the genetic modification of organisms by the pioneering civilization in the Pacific Rim.

Lin Hao originally thought that it could only target living organisms, but he didn't expect that even plants were included in the scope of the modification.

Using gene-guided techniques, wheat can be modified into high-yielding wheat seeds that are drought-resistant, disease- and pest-resistant, and have a short growing season.

With the combined efforts of 20,000 soldiers and civilians in Luntai, and thousands of others, hundreds of thousands of acres of land in the three surrounding fortified cities were cultivated.

"Governor, if this harvest is bountiful, how long will it last us? It might even feed the entire army of Xizhou and Kucha!" The military commander who had been assigned to Juliu City by Lin Hao asked excitedly.

Lin Hao smiled and said, "After the harvest, we will naturally send some to Prince Guo and Yang Du. We will also send some people with seeds to teach them how to plant them."

Although the conditions in Xizhou and Kucha are not as good as those north of the Tianshan Mountains, they are sufficient for planting the wheat improved by Lin Hao.

"Commander, these farm tools are really useful!" At this moment, a soldier from Chang'an asked expectantly.

"Could I ask the caravan to bring these back to Chang'an so my family can use them too? If we had these, my parents wouldn't have to work so hard!"

"This is easy, there's no need to specially send farm tools over!" Lin Hao said nonchalantly.
"When the caravan returns, I will give the blueprints to the Guo family's steward. You can pay them to make farm tools for your families!"

After a few more days, hundreds of thousands of acres of grain were finally planted, and some of the genetically modified wheat that was planted at the beginning had even started to sprout.

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"Grand Commander, we've found what you asked us to find!" Lin Hao had just returned to the city after inspecting the farmland when another piece of good news arrived.

It turned out that the exploration team sent out by Lin Hao had returned from the location designated by Lin Hao with some strange stones.

Some are as black as charcoal, while others shimmer with yellow or red hues.

"Great, these are coal and iron mines. With these, we can finally truly gain a foothold!" Lin Hao said happily.

According to later records, there are various mineral deposits near Urumqi, with coal and iron ore being the most important.

Lin Hao chose Luntai City as the Western Regions Grand Governor's Office not just because the nearby area was suitable for farming.

With sufficient coal and iron ore, the next issue was military equipment. Subsequently, Lin Hao led the craftsmen from Chang'an to smelt iron and began to manufacture simple machine tools in preparation for producing armor and weapons for the Tang Dynasty.

After all, even the warhorses have been improved, with their carrying capacity and endurance greatly enhanced, making it possible to train even more powerful fully armored cavalry.

In fact, the Tang Dynasty did have armored cavalry. It should be noted that the Tang Dynasty's army had the highest rate of armor wearing among all feudal dynasties.

Even the Mingguang armor used by generals had been popularized among soldiers of elite troops, which shows how powerful the Tang Dynasty was at that time.

If it weren't for the An Lushan Rebellion, which wiped out the entire central army of the Tang Dynasty, and the Northwest Army and the Northeast Army clashing at Xiangji Temple with a 1:1 casualty ratio, wiping out the entire elite army of the Tang Dynasty, there would have been no Tibetan occupation of the Hexi Corridor, or even an attack on Chang'an and plunder of Luoyang.

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"Commander, these wheat seedlings seem to be growing even better than those in Chang'an!" As soon as the wheat seedlings appeared, the soldiers with rich farming experience immediately noticed the difference.

"In just half a month, these seedlings are even more vigorous than those grown in the best irrigated soil in Chang'an! Look at these stems, they're as thick as scallions! And these leaves, they're so lush and glossy!"

Hearing this, everyone crowded closer to take a closer look, marveling at the sight. Another soldier, equally experienced in farming, grabbed a handful of soil from his feet, rubbed it between his fingers, frowned, and said with even greater doubt:
"How strange! This land is clearly newly cultivated, with thin soil and low fertility, far inferior to the cultivated land in Guanzhong. How can it grow such good seedlings? Could it be that the soil and water in the Western Regions are particularly good for wheat?"

The crowd buzzed with discussion, all casting astonished glances at Lin Hao, who had rushed over upon hearing the news.

Lin Hao walked to the edge of the field, bent down and carefully examined the growth of the wheat seedlings, and understood what was going on.

These wheat varieties, which he genetically optimized using his abilities, possess stronger vitality, resilience, and nutrient absorption and photosynthetic capabilities far exceeding those of their time. Naturally, they exhibit remarkable performance on this unpolluted, sun-drenched land.

He stood up, a gentle yet undeniable smile on his face, and explained:

"Don't be surprised, everyone. This is a superior variety that I have carefully selected and bred. It is most resistant to drought and barren soil. In addition, during this reclamation, my comrades and brothers spared no effort to deeply plow the land and irrigate it in a timely manner. With the help of human effort and favorable weather, the wheat seedlings naturally grow stronger."

He casually covered up the truth, then abruptly changed the subject, his tone becoming serious as he said:
"However, this is only the beginning. The seedlings are good, but they need careful management in the later stages. Thinning, weeding, and fertilizing are all essential and cannot be neglected! Only in this way can we have full granaries and everyone be well-fed by the summer harvest, and only then will we have the strength to defend Luntai City and even recover more lost territory!"

"The governor is right!" Everyone nodded in agreement, completely believing Lin Hao's words, and at the same time filled with even more eager anticipation for the future harvest.

These wheat varieties were specially improved by Lin Hao based on the local climate; in this day and age, they would be a formidable weapon.

According to Lin Hao's estimate, if these wheat seedlings are managed well, it is not impossible for the yield to be two or three times higher than that of the Guanzhong Plain.

The wheat yield during the Tang Dynasty was approximately one shi (石), which is about 160 jin (斤) in modern terms. This was under the conditions of abundant water and soil and diligent farming.

In ordinary places, where the soil environment is slightly worse and people depend on the weather for their livelihood, a harvest of fifty or sixty catties is considered good. This is why in ancient times, more than ten mu (approximately 0.67 hectares) were needed to feed people.

"Everyone worked hard recently, but we can't rest yet. We still need to raise earthworms."

"Earth dragon?" The soldiers looked at each other, their faces filled with confusion.

They naturally recognize earthworms, as they are commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine and are often found in the ground. But can these things be specially raised?

One of the soldiers asked curiously, "Commander, what are we raising earthworms for? Is it to make medicine? To treat the brothers in the camp?" Since many soldiers suffered from falls and injuries, they instinctively thought of this.

"It's kind of a cure, but not the kind of cure you're thinking of. It's a cure for hunger and craving for meat," Lin Hao said with a smile. Seeing the strange expressions on everyone's faces, and some even unconsciously swallowing, as if they had misunderstood something, Lin Hao quickly added with a smile:

"Don't let your imagination run wild! I'm not telling you to go and eat that earthworm!"

"Think back to when you were young, did you ever dig up earthworms to feed your chickens and ducks? Did those chickens and ducks grow exceptionally fast and lay eggs more frequently after eating the earthworms?"

Lin Hao had heard in his later life that people here raised earthworms to feed chickens and make fertilizer.

With fertilizer, the wheat could yield a higher harvest, and with plenty of chickens, the soldiers could eat more meat; only when they were well-fed would they have the strength to fight.
Upon hearing this, many soldiers from farming families immediately brightened up and nodded in agreement, as it was indeed true when they were young!
Lin Hao continued, "If we can raise earth dragons on a large scale, we will have enough bait to build a large-scale chicken farm outside Luntai City!"

"At that time, why worry about not having eggs or meat? My goal is to ensure that every soldier of my Great Tang stationed in Luntai can eat at least one egg every day! And every three to five days, they can enjoy a delicious chicken meal!"

"An egg a day?"

"Eating chicken every few days?"

The soldiers were immediately in an uproar, their eyes gleaming with disbelief!

This was a life of unimaginable luxury, something they could only dream of! Even wealthy families in Chang'an might not be able to afford such extravagance!

Meat is a precious resource in any era, and it is even more rare for ordinary soldiers.

Immediately, someone exclaimed excitedly, "Governor! Is this true? Can so many chickens really be raised?"

Some people have doubts: "Can these earthworms really be raised? They're everywhere, why would you need to raise them?"

"Of course I can raise them! And I can raise them extremely well!" Lin Hao said confidently.

"I have my own wonderful method! However, there are some things to pay attention to when raising them. Although earthworms are good, they cannot be fed to the chickens and ducks directly in large quantities. They must be cooked and then mixed with bran and grass leaves. Only in this way can the chickens and ducks grow strong and healthy and not easily get sick!"

Large-scale farming carries the risk of disease outbreaks, especially since earthworms are prone to carrying various pathogens. If they are fed directly to chickens and ducks, they are very likely to be infected with viruses.

The simplest way is to cook them thoroughly. Also, do not feed them too much at once, otherwise chickens and ducks are prone to indigestion. It is best to supplement their diet with bran and fresh grass.

He briefly explained some concepts of epidemic prevention and scientific feeding, which, although not in-depth, made the soldiers feel quite reasonable.

Actually, prioritizing chicken farming is unavoidable. Lin Hao frankly stated that it's because chickens have a short growth cycle, produce quick results, and can replenish protein the fastest.

Raising cattle and sheep takes too long, so we can only start by raising chickens, which will produce both meat and eggs. As for eating lamb skewers and hand-pulled mutton, we'll probably have to wait a while.

Despite some lingering instinctive resistance to raising earthworms, the sight of the amazingly growing wheat seedlings before me was compelling.

Recalling the various "miracles" Lin Hao had created since his arrival, especially his style of always taking the lead and eating, living and working with everyone, the soldiers' doubts were quickly replaced by trust and expectation.

"If the governor says it can be done, then it definitely can be done!"

"Follow the Governor! From now on, you'll have eggs to eat every day and meat to enjoy regularly!"

"Yes! Let's do it!"

Without further ado, under Lin Hao's personal command, a team of soldiers was specially assigned to take charge of this "earth dragon breeding project".

Lin Hao personally demonstrated and explained each step, from site selection and digging to loosening the soil and filling it with a large amount of collected decaying grass, fallen leaves, and livestock manure as substrate.

Finally, he mixed the genetically optimized, highly prolific new species of earthworm seedlings, which he had secretly taken from the space equipment, into the substrate.

Initially, the soldiers in charge of this task spent their days surrounded by mud and decaying matter, inevitably finding the work dirty and stifling, far less enjoyable than practicing with swords and spears. However, due to military orders and their trust in Lin Hao, they persevered.

As the days went by, the wheat seedlings in the field grew stronger and stronger, and when they looked like a pleasing green field from afar, the soldiers responsible for tending the earthworm field let out an even more horrified cry.

"Governor! Come quick! Come quick! This, this earth dragon has become a spirit!"

Lin Hao rushed over upon hearing the news. He saw the soldiers in charge carefully digging up a field of earthworms, and the surrounding soldiers curiously gathered around.

The next moment, everyone gasped!
In that soft, dark soil, you couldn't see the original color of the soil at all. It was densely packed with earthworms of all sizes, constantly wriggling and curling up. The number of them was simply beyond imagination.

"Good heavens, this is way too much!"

"My goodness, how many are there?"

"How many chickens can this feed? I'm afraid even several thousand wouldn't be enough!"

The soldiers were stunned by what they saw as a “horrific” scene, and then filled with longing for a future where they could eat meat freely!
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Several months later, Guo Xin, who was stationed in Kucha, talked about Lin Hao with his trusted subordinates again.

"General Lin has been in Luntai for so long, I wonder if they have enough food to eat!"

The veteran, considering Lin Hao's situation, thought for a moment before speaking:
"Grand Protector, I heard from a merchant caravan from Xizhou that Grand Commandant Lin is in Luntai City, where he is actively engaged in land reclamation and military training. I imagine the consumption of grain and fodder must be quite high!"

Guo Xin nodded upon hearing this, and then instructed, "Let's calculate our own grain and see if we can send some to him?"

The veteran chuckled and said, "We're all old now, so it's no big deal if we eat less. As long as our lads can eat well, we'd be happy to go hungry for a meal or two!"

Food was equally precious to them, but these white-haired veterans treated the young men from Chang'an brought by Lin Hao as their own nephews and nieces. For this reason, they would rather go hungry themselves than let their nephews and nieces go hungry.

"But we should leave some military rations. Governor Yang sent word that Jieyujias seems to be planning another attack on Tibet, and they'll definitely drag us into it," someone reminded them.

Just as they were discussing this, someone rushed in excitedly, "Great Protector, Great Protector, people from Luntai City have arrived, and they've even brought us grain!"

"Huh? What's going on? Why are they sending us food instead?" Guo Xin said incredulously.