Liu Chengfeng actually also knew that his next answer would affect Zhu Youtang's decision-making. If he were not careful, the treasure-rich building he had worked so hard to manage would most likely be destroyed in one day.
He took a deep breath and suddenly thought, I am afraid that at this time, it is no longer as simple as the butterfly effect. Should he continue to follow the old ways, or create a new pattern? In fact, sometimes it is just a snap of the fingers, and now, it seems that it has arrived.
This turning point.
Sooner or later, the emergence of Jubao Tower will have to face this problem. Before that, Liu Chengfeng had already made preparations.
He said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, I just said that the food in the Ming Dynasty was not completely insufficient. The key lies in the unevenness. Nearly 60% of the land in the world is owned by the gentry, and the people who own the land will not exceed 50%.
Most people rent other people's land, and some even want to rent land but can't. Without land, these people have no livelihood and naturally become refugees."
Liu Chengfeng looked at Zhu Youtang with sincere eyes, paused, and continued: "There is only so much land in the world. Although the court has encouraged land reclamation in recent years, has your Majesty ever thought that since Taizu until now,
The world's population has increased by more than ten times. The population is increasing, but the land has never increased. If things go on like this, there will only be more and more refugees. The refugees have no support, and gathering together may cause huge problems.
"
Zhu Youtang nodded. Since ancient times, the problem of refugees has been caused by land annexation. He also knows that in fact, any dynasty will face a problem. On the one hand, the basis of imperial power comes from the nobility and gentry.
, on the other hand, these are expensive
However, the clans and gentry continued to annex land, paving the way for the decline of the dynasty. Attacking them and curbing land annexation would alienate the entire ruling class and shake the imperial power. However, if we do not attack, the problem will become more and more prominent, even to the point of being powerless.
The point of returning to heaven.
This is like a giant suffering from a chronic disease. He knows that the disease will kill him sooner or later, but the only way to solve it is to swallow arsenic. These two problems are actually unsolvable.
Liu Chengfeng said: "What Wei Chen said before about the rich people smelling of wine and meat is actually the solution. There is a lot of food in the barns of wealthy families. The reason why they hoard their food is for different purposes. Some are just for food.
Some winemakers simply hoard land, and many squires do not sell grain. In fact, the reason is simple. It is just that there are few buyers. The refugees need grain, but have no money to buy it. But those who have money sell it.
People don't need much food, and the squires can't sell their food, so they would rather let it rot in the barn. And your Majesty can also see that the emergence of the treasure building can accommodate most of the refugees, at least giving the refugees something to do.
, there are wages to be paid. When refugees have money, they also become workers. Workers need food, and they have enough money to buy rations, so the problem of people freezing to death on the streets where wine and meat are smelly can be avoided as much as possible."
This is actually a problem of internal circulation. From an item that no one cares about, food is circulated through domestic demand and distributed for the second time. Although this distribution method is still unreasonable, it can at least solve the current problem.
question.
Zhu Youtang was a very smart person, so he couldn't help but nodded and said: "It makes sense, but many cultivated fields have been converted into mulberry fields, and this is not an option in the long run."
Liu Chengfeng said: "On the one hand, the court needs to curb this momentum. It can issue a decree that stipulates that land-owning squires can only use 20% of their land for mulberry planting, and the rest of the land must be used as cultivated land, and the government will supervise it.
On the other hand, we can also encourage imports to allow sea trade fleets to bring food to our country, the Ming Dynasty."
"import……"
Liu Chengfeng was speechless and had to explain: "The fleet transports goods out and calls them exports, and ships them back from various countries and calls them imports. The silk and porcelain of our Ming Dynasty can be sold at high prices in foreign countries, but in foreign countries, the price of food is not the same."
Not high, over there in Lianzhou
A rule can be made that if all ships calling at the port carry back luxury goods such as rhinoceros skins and agates, they will have to pay heavy taxes, but food will be exempted from tax. This will encourage merchants to use the world's food as much as possible.
Enter me Da Ming."
In fact, the strategy Liu Chengfeng proposes now is effective in this era, because in this era, there are actually quite a few places that are not short of food. After all, many places are still in the midst of witch doctors treating diseases and fighting for years. // Shumilou
The fastest text update - < Shuhai Pavilion > - No ads // Status, the population is scarce, but the land is fertile. When merchants go overseas, they can buy grain from nobles in various countries at low prices and transport it back to the Ming Dynasty. Compared with later generations
, it’s really much more relaxing.
Of course, Liu Chengfeng also knew that if the Ming Dynasty adopts this national policy, a large number of merchants will go to foreign countries to buy land, hire people to plant it, and then transport it back to the Ming Dynasty. As long as anything is profitable, someone will naturally do it.
Zhu Youtang naturally understood this truth, and he couldn't help but look better. He said: "If it really works, I can sit back and relax. I can let Lianzhou give it a try first, and see what happens in a year."
How much food will be shipped back?"
Liu Chengfeng continued: "Actually, there is another way. Weichen heard that there is a food called sweet potato thousands of miles away, and its yield can reach about three or four stones per mu. If it is cultivated carefully, it can reach six or seven stones.
It is not impossible. This kind of food tastes sweet, can be eaten raw or cooked, and is easier to cultivate than rice and wheat. If we can get potato seeds, we can ensure that our Ming Dynasty will never suffer from food shortage."
Liu Chengfeng's words made Zhu Youtang stunned. He, the emperor, was not an idiot. In the Ming Dynasty, it was considered good to be able to harvest one stone of grain from an acre of land. If he could harvest two stones, then the local
The government must submit a letter to the government, and Liu Chengfeng said that this kind of grain can be harvested by three or four stones without careful cultivation. This is equivalent to saying that it is enough to double the grain output, so Zhu Youtang has to let Zhu Youtang
I found it shocking.
In fact, historically, sweet potatoes were indeed introduced to China in the late Ming Dynasty, but they were not promoted vigorously at that time. Moreover, the Ming Dynasty had already reached the point of internal and external troubles at that time, so it missed the best opportunity. Instead, it gradually began to be popularized in the Qing Dynasty.
on a large scale
It became so popular that at the end of the Ming Dynasty, when the population was less than 100 million, there was widespread food shortage. However, the Manchus went around to enclose land, and the population surged by 300 million to 400 million, but there was no problem of refugees that had not been cured for a long time in the Ming Dynasty. This is similar to
The large-scale cultivation of sweet potatoes is actually inseparable.
Sweet potatoes are not like rice fields. They require fertile land and can be grown in many areas that were not originally possible. The yield is several times that of rice fields, so that in later generations, people are still used to using fertile land to grow rice.
However, poor land is used to grow sweet potatoes, which do not require careful care at all, but the yield per mu is extremely high. In Liu Chengfeng's memory, the price of sweet potatoes has always been lower than that of cabbage, so that many farmers in later generations would rather use it to feed
pig.
But for doctor Liu Chengfeng, sweet potatoes are more nutritious than rice and can satisfy hunger. If sweet potato seeds can be obtained and promoted, then all the things mentioned in Wang Aozou's book will be empty words.
Liu Chengfeng said sternly: "Why don't your Majesty offer a reward for the seeds of this kind of sweet potato? I would like one hundred thousand gold to purchase it. The minister will then roughly tell the origin of the sweet potato, saying it is in the far west of the ocean. I will reward you with a heavy reward."
There must be a brave man below
, sooner or later someone will find it and offer it to the court. Purchasing grain from foreign countries is just a guideline, but it can give the court enough time. Only by finding these sweet potatoes can the root cause be cured, and at least it can ensure that the Ming Dynasty will not suffer from food shortages for a hundred years."
As for a hundred years from now, Liu Chengfeng doesn't care. He is not a great Luo Jinxian. Whether he will use a large amount of chemical fertilizers or other feasible methods in a hundred years has nothing to do with him.
Zhu Youtang couldn't help but be moved, but he was also a little suspicious. However, since Liu Chengfeng said that he had such a nose and eyes, he naturally wanted to give it a try. Zhu Youtang said: "In this case, I will not only reward you with one hundred thousand gold, but also if you can really find it,
Those who present these kinds of divine seeds can be granted the title of marquis, and I will send the imperial edict offering a reward to Lianzhou on a selected day."
Zhu Youtang breathed a sigh of relief, and then said: "As for what Wang Ao said, I will not pay attention to it for the time being. Don't put your mind on it for the time being. I still said that it is imperative to eradicate the Mingjiao.
Don’t delay. Since I’ve entrusted you with the task, you must take it seriously and make sure you don’t neglect anything.”
After hearing that Zhu Youtang planned to shelve the controversy, Liu Chengfeng seemed to have taken reassurance. He guessed that Zhu Youtang was also looking at the results at this time. On the one hand, it was the issue of buying grain from Fanbang, and on the other hand, the sweet potato seeds.
If these two things can
If it can be realized, the palace must be determined to maintain the current national policy. No one can change their tune. After all, Jubao Tower involves too many interests in the palace. Once he is deposed, the emperor Zhu Youtang will not live long.
Better off.
But thinking about investigating the rebel party, Liu Chengfeng felt a headache again. He was not afraid of investigating, but he had no clue and didn't know how to start. At this time, Zhu Youtang was urging again, which made him feel a lot of pressure.
But of course this matter had to be agreed to, Liu Chengfeng could only pat his chest and promise, saying: "Your Majesty, don't worry, I will definitely not let you down."
After leaving the palace, he breathed a long sigh of relief. The retinue outside had been waiting for a long time. Liu Chengfeng got on the carriage and said: "Let's go to Beauty Square. The ladies must have come out by now."
One of the guards said, "Sir, over at the Qianshi Mansion, Mr. Li sent someone to deliver a message, saying that there was something discovered by the captain. Please go and have a look as soon as possible."
Discover……
Liu Chengfeng immediately cheered up and said: "Then immediately transfer to Qianshi Mansion, and also send a car to pick up all the ladies. The capital is not very peaceful now, so bring more guards, just in case...
The first chapter is delivered. To be continued...rq