A country has a new piece of ground, no matter how many problems there are on that territory. The first thing to do is to restore stability to society. And to restore social stability, at least one thing: let the people here have something to eat, even if they can't eat, at least they must not starve to death. So, it boils down to one: grain.

Now, Chang'an's treasury is refilled with 3.8 million stone of grain, of which 1.8 million stone is temporarily used to appease many foreign races. The remaining two million stones, plus the five million stones that were about to be shipped from Yizhou, Guan Yi once again had seven million stones of grain in his hands. This is the capital he has to stabilize and revive Guanzhong.

What is the concept of these seven million stone grains?

In the drought and locust plague of the 17 counties of Yongliang Prefecture, the 10 counties of Yongzhou and the two counties of Jincheng and Wuwei in Liangzhou were mainly affected. The total number of people registered in the 12 counties is 650,000.

Han system, one stone is about 27 kilograms. In an era when there was a severe shortage of meat, fat, and high-protein non-staple foods. Basically, one stone of grain can ensure that a strong man can eat seventy or eighty percent in a month (the consumption will be doubled when marching and fighting). Therefore, if calculated from this alone, 7 million stone of grain can support the 650,000 people in the 12 counties affected by the disaster for more than 10 months.

However, this is only a theoretical value, and it is practically impossible.

This is because the number of people on the government's register is definitely far less than the actual population on this land.

In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, people of insight used the two most common words when describing the families at that time were "crossing states and counties, and closing doors to become cities". In the Wei and Jin dynasties, because both the Cao family and the Sima family needed the support of the scholar class to seek the usurpation of the throne, more privileges were given to the scholars. As a result, the scholars of this era were more powerful than those in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. Therefore, in this era, the serf servants in the estates of various families and families may not be less than the population on the government register.

And because Shu Han has implemented the strategy of exchanging grain for high-grade wine for many years, the grain inventory of the Yongliang family is also very small. After suffering a large-scale locust plague, there is not much grain left in the granaries of various families, and a large number of serf servants on their estates have no food, which will also cause instability in Guanzhong.

Take a look at the top of the second-rate families here. Guan Yi asked this family to borrow food, and the Huangfu family took out 160,000 stones with all they had. The so-called leopard in the tube can be seen. From the predicament of the Huangfu family, it can be seen that the surplus food of the Guanzhong family is really not much.

The Guanzhong Plain is a land that is very suitable for farming, and the family has a strong desire to expand. In addition, over the years, wars, foreign migrations, and natural disasters have led to social instability here. So it is often difficult for yeoman farmers here to survive. As a result, the number of tenant farmers and serfs in the estates of the families here is extremely staggering. Guan Yi conservatively estimated that in the estates of the top Zhang family, Wei family and other families here, even if there are no 100,000, it is estimated that it is not too far behind.

These are also people, and they are also to eat. If you don't have enough to eat, you will make a mess - after killing the family, you will rebel against the government. It is impossible to say that the family will deliberately encourage them to rebel......

So, in the final analysis: these seven million stone grains will last less than ten months. If the Jihan government wants to stabilize Guanzhong, it has to hope for next year's spring wheat harvest and the full rollout of potato planting.

On the first day of October in 268 AD, after temporarily pacifying the alien races here, placing the surrendered troops, and reluctantly gathering the Taishou and county magistrates for the seventeen counties of Yongliang. Guan Yi convened a meeting of officials in Chang'an, the theme of which was how to restore production and stabilize order in Guanzhong.

"Great Sima, Great General, all the officials. All the surplus grain that we have in Dahan has begun to be transported north. The budget set by the governor of Liufu Shi is 5.8 million stones. Of these, 800,000 stone is the planned loss during transportation. What can actually be stored in Chang'an is about 5 million stones, plus the original inventory of 2 million stones...... After careful calculation, this batch of grain will probably last until May and June next year. However, due to the impact of drought, locust plagues, and wars. Winter wheat planting in Guanzhong this year is close to zero. Therefore, in May and June next year, even if the wind and rain are smooth, there will not be much harvest in Guanzhong. If there is no other hair growth, Guanzhong will run out of food in May and June next year. ”

All the people present, regardless of martial arts, from Jiang Wei and below, all of them had solemn faces after hearing Pei Yue's calculations.

"Da Sima, can you continue to buy grain from Dongwu?"

The one who raised this question was Yongzhou Thorn Shi Liuyin, who had just arrived in Chang'an. After he started talking about this, Guan Yi took the lead, and many veterans of the Fuxing Society who were good at economics shook their heads one after another.

"So that the history of the willow thorn knows, according to the latest information of my Great Han Si Wencao. After the loss of Yongliang, the Jin Kingdom had quickly approached Eastern Wu. And because my Han Dynasty won Yongliang, Dongwu's attitude towards our country has also changed, so ......"

"This ...... Pei Zhen, there is really no way to think about it? ”

"Well, Willow Thorn History, it's not that there is no way to think about it. The four counties of Hanzhong, Wudu, Yinping, and Wenshan in my Han Dynasty are mainly planted with winter wheat. The harvest is in late May. If you hurry up, you can support about 200,000 stone grain here in Guanzhong. On the Chengdu Plain, potatoes are planted in February and March, and they can be harvested in July. It should be able to support 1 million stones...... In short, the Xiaguan's Diannong Yamen and Dasi Nong's Mansion can make Guanzhong last until the next autumn harvest. But if there is another famine in Guanzhong next year......"

Wheat cultivation in China is basically bounded by the Great Wall. Spring wheat is planted in the north, sown in March and April each year, and harvested in late July. Spring wheat is cold-tolerant, drought-tolerant and has a short growth cycle. But according to the law of conservation of energy, it provides far less energy to humans than winter wheat.

To the south of the Great Wall and north of the Huai River in the Qinling Mountains is a vast winter wheat growing area. It is sown in September and October every year, and harvested at the end of May and early June of the following year. Compared with spring wheat, winter wheat is squeamish and has a long growth cycle, but it tastes much better and is much more nutritious.

Since Zhang Qian's passage to the Western Regions, wheat has gradually become a dominant grain crop in northern China. Although there is still a lot of millet and millet rice planted on the Guanzhong Plain. But in general, by the end of the Three Kingdoms, its grain cultivation was dominated by winter wheat.

Therefore, Pei Yue's meaning is very clear: our agricultural department has tried its best, and it can only last until July and August next year. This is the ripening period of spring wheat. Therefore, it is okay if this year's winter wheat is not planted, but after the beginning of spring next year, it is necessary to urgently sow a season of spring wheat, otherwise there will be a famine in Guanzhong.

However, is it really possible to grow spring wheat in Guanzhong now?

Looking at the bitter officials below, Guan Yi sighed: "Do you have any good opinions about the resumption of production in Guanzhong?" ”

"Da Sima. Although the old man grew up in a wealthy family, he stayed away from farming. But in the end, he is seventy-seven years old this year, so he can still say a thing or two about Tianshi. The new Yongzhou Thorn Shi Liuyin's face tightened: "In this place of Guanzhong, after a few heavy rains in early August this year, it has not rained yet. I can't say it, next year will be another disaster year. ”

"Yes, Da Sima, in the past ten years, the drought in Guanzhong has become more and more obvious. It's really hard to say next year's harvest......"

"And my Han will use troops on Hetao in the near future, and the consumption of this soldier's food will not be less. Do you want to delay the battle in the Loop? ”

"No, if you don't take down the Hetao, where will the aliens near this pass be settled? Do you want me to raise a big man again? Where do we have so much food? ”

Looking at the noisy officials below, Guan Yi coughed lightly.

"Well, I've heard you all. Basically......" After smiling helplessly, Guan Yi said: "Basically, there are no constructive suggestions. So, let's talk about the official's plan. ”