"Although the military has slowed down its march into the Western Region, it has put a higher test on our work. Once we are unable to effectively support the war in the Western Region in the future, we have no way to explain!"
The three giants in the northwest sat together, all worried.
It can be said that the northwest region will definitely bear a heavy burden on its shoulders for a long time to come.
On the one hand, we must complete the ecological environment improvement deployed by the state, and on the other hand, we must stabilize the local area and eliminate chaos.
On the other hand, the National Defense Forces' progress to the Western Regions all needs support from here.
Thinking of these situations, Mao Yuanyi and the other two people couldn't help but feel numb.
Fortunately, in the early days of the founding of the country, all those who were able to hold positions were outstanding talents. When encountering difficulties, they would not just complain and complain.
Wang Qiaonian served as an official in the Ming Dynasty and is now an important minister of the empire. He knows very well how good the official environment is today.
If you want to show your ambition, if you don't take advantage of the good time now, you will have no chance.
"Let me first talk about the situation in Shaanxi."
He was the first to speak.
"After my on-site investigation, I found that the conditions in Yinchuan and the Hetao area are very good, and we can vigorously develop agriculture and take into account animal husbandry. With these two important grain production areas, the place will be stable. It is logical to carry out greening projects next.
."
The Qiantao Plain and Houtao Plain where Yinchuan is located have been rich in water and grass for thousands of years.
With the support of the Yellow River, agricultural development is completely possible.
But Wang Qiaonian also had something to say.
Because in developing agriculture in these two places, it is impossible to exhaust all the land, and environmental issues must also be considered, so there will definitely be a limit to grain output.
Relying on these two grain-producing areas, we can temporarily meet the needs of northern Shaanxi. But in the Guanzhong Plain and Hanzhong area, we need to find another way.
Mao Yuanyi also had detailed information on hand and knew 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 ensure self-sufficiency in food. At present, it seems that 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 data at that time, during the Tianbao period, the country's grain output exceeded 1.9 million shi, and Longyou alone produced about 700,000 shi.
It was thanks to this large granary that the Tang Dynasty accumulated enough strength and created unparalleled glory.
But similarly, over-development during the Tang Dynasty caused a devastating blow to the natural environment of the Longyou area.
Since the Tang Dynasty, this place has become unsuitable for human survival.
This is one of the reasons why during the Northern Song Dynasty, faced with the rise and expansion of Xixia, the Northern Song Dynasty was stretched thin and had no solution.
After Xu Erdou's on-site inspection, he gave up the idea of recreating the Longyou Granary.
So here’s the problem. Except for Zhangye, no other region in the huge Gansu Province can provide grain production. And it happens to be far inland. The consumption of external transportation alone is enough to make people’s scalp numb.
"I plan to ask the central government for instructions to merge Qinghai into Gansu. In this way, Qinghai's conditions can be used to supplement Gansu's shortcomings."
Xu Erdou is also a person who dares to think and do.
He did not limit his sights to Gansu Province, but also had the idea of Qinghai.
Now Qinghai has actually been included in the jurisdiction of the empire, but the administrative level has not yet been determined.
Xu Erdou planned to seize the opportunity and integrate Gansu and Qingdao into one.
Although most of Qinghai is in a state of desertification and Gobi desertification, the conditions in the eastern part of Qinghai are still very favorable.
Highland barley can be grown here, which will greatly supplement the food shortage in the northwest.
In addition, Qinghai is also a good place to vigorously develop animal husbandry and can also supplement the grain industry.
Of course, what Xu Erdou valued more was Qinghai's salt industry.
Looking at Qinghai Lake, the salt industry here is 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 use salt to exchange 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 Bai Dinh Sea. The situation there was already very pessimistic. The huge water consumption along the way caused the Bai Dinh Sea to shrink day by day. Once the Bai Dinh Sea dries up and disappears, then Zhenfanwei (Ministry of Civil Affairs) will
The front line will not be able to be maintained, and it will also threaten the security of the Hexi Corridor. But if this area is managed well, it may be connected to the Qiantao Plain to form an encirclement. In time, maybe the Tengger Desert can be turned into
Fertile soil.”
Although Xu Erdou's imagination is wide-open, it is not without basis.
Different from the later Shiyang River that ended abruptly at Minqin County, the current Shiyang River extends northward for hundreds of miles after passing through Zhenfanwei, forming two major lakes, Qingyu Lake and Baiting Lake.
Relying on these two lakes, a good place with abundant water and grass has formed nearby, and nomads often even graze here.
As a result, 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 a relatively gentle terrain, making it easier to operate.
As long as time and cost are invested, the impact of the Shiyang River can even be pushed to the foot of the Helan Mountains.
If it can be done, then an ecological circle will be formed 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 slowly carry out ecological improvements from the surrounding areas to the middle, eventually eliminating this desert and changing the regional environment.
Of course, if you want to do this, there is a prerequisite.
That would be sacrificing the local development of Wuwei.
"As long as sufficient food can be provided from the outside, the people near Wuwei can relocate, abandon agricultural reclamation here, and reduce the consumption of water in the Shiyang River. Once Qingyu Lake and Baiting Sea receive sufficient water supply, they can expand their area
, improve the ecological environment.”
Mao Yuanyi and Wang Qiaonian were amazed and excited at the same time.
Especially Wang Qionian, the Shaanxi Provincial Government has always been worried about the fragile ecological environment of Qiantao Plain. If we can get help and support from Gansu, it will be great news for Shaanxi.
"This is a serious matter, so we'd better report it to the superior."
Mao Yuanyi had already agreed in his heart, but he also understood that only the emperor and the central government could make the decision.
So the three giants in the northwest jointly submitted a letter and put it in front of Zuo Mengeng and the center as quickly as possible.
Zuo Mengeng looked at the contents of the report carefully, never expecting that people in this era would have such forward-looking awareness.