Yu Fan heard that Liu Xin had a way to solve Jiangdong's problem, and hurriedly asked: "I don't know what kind of magic the lord has, so that the people of Jiangdong can live and work in peace and contentment from now on?" ”

Liu Xin didn't answer immediately, but beckoned to Fu Zhu, let him come closer, and whispered a few words in his ear, only to see Fu Zhu smiling and hurriedly walking out. Only then did Liu Xin turn his head to Yu Chuan and say, "Zhong Xiang, if you want the people to become rich, you must increase their income. And if you want to increase your income, it is certainly not enough to grow food, you have to find ways to make full use of those hilly and mountainous areas. ”

"Take advantage of the hills and mountains?" Yu Tuo didn't quite understand.

Liu Xin said with certainty: "Yes, we must make use of the hilly and mountainous areas. Jiangdong has a humid climate, in addition to being suitable for cultivating tea trees, it can also be planted in large quantities to raise mulberry silkworms. ”

Tea was discovered and used as early as ancient times, and it is said that "Shennong tasted a hundred herbs, encountered seventy-two poisons every day, and got tea to solve it". Although tea was discovered and used very early, it was mainly used as a herbal medicine at that time, and although some people began to drink it, it was limited to a few areas in the south. Mulberry planting and silkworm breeding is also a very common thing in the south of the Yangtze River.

Hearing that Liu Xin came up with a way to make the people rich was to develop tea and sericulture, Yu Fu was disappointed and said: "Although tea has the effect of detoxification, it is not much for daily needs. Although sericulture can be woven into silk, it cannot fill the stomach. Relying on these two things alone to make the people rich, subordinates think that it is a bit difficult. ”

Liu Xin laughed and said: "Zhong Xiang, about tea and sericulture, you only know one thing, but you don't know the other. To tell you the truth, I have appointed Jia Xu as the governor of Liangzhou, responsible for pacifying Xiliang. When Xiliang settles down, the next step is to restore the Western Regions Protectorate and rebuild the Silk Road. At that time, do sericultures still have to worry that there is no way out? ”

After a pause, Liu Xin continued: "If tea is only used for medicinal purposes, it is naturally not much. However, if the status of tea is elevated to the same level as grain, the situation will be very different. ”

Ever since he saw the topographic map of Liangzhou hand-drawn by Jia Xu, Liu Xin has opened his brain. If we want to make the country and the people rich, it is difficult to focus only on the domestic market, but the development of foreign trade is a shortcut. If you want to make a lot of money in foreign trade, you must have a fist product that can be used, and if you can do it without me, it would be great.

Although Liu Xin came from later generations and was accustomed to seeing many high-tech products, he was not ambitious. Because he understands that in this era dominated by handicrafts, it is difficult to transform even advanced scientific theories into productive forces. Take artillery as an example, from the day the research institute was established, he and Ma Yun have taken the development of gunpowder and firearms as a key project, and Ma Yun even provided a gunpowder ratio of "one nitrate, two sulfur and three charcoal", however, after so many years, progress is still very slow. Therefore, on the question of what products to choose for foreign trade, Liu Xin did not hesitate to set his sights on his ancestors.

In all dynasties of China, there were three products that had long been monopolized in foreign trade, that is, silk, tea and porcelain. Liu Xin had the impression that the technology of raising silkworms and reeling silk would not be introduced to Europe until hundreds of years later, and the silk fabrics loved by European nobles could only be obtained from China through trade, so the trade routes through the Western Regions would be called the Silk Road. As for the introduction of tea cultivation and porcelain making technology to Europe, it was more than a thousand years later. These three things, in the end, became essential luxuries for European aristocrats and high society, and as long as they were properly manipulated, they would bring endless wealth to the Han Dynasty.

Yu Fan also understood that as long as the Silk Road was opened, planting mulberry and raising silkworms could naturally bring more wealth, but how to make tea rise to the same status as food, he couldn't imagine it even after racking his brains. Moreover, Yu Fu had a bigger worry, and couldn't help but arch his hand and said: "Lord Qiqi, even if these two things are done well, they can bring a lot of wealth to the people of Jiangdong, but if there is not enough food, the people will not even be able to eat, and what is the use of more money." ”

Liu Xin stroked his palm and smiled: "Not bad! Sir is really thoughtful, and this is what I will mention below. Regardless of whether tea is developed or sericulture, we can only make use of hilly and mountainous areas and some low-yield fields, and we must ensure the cultivation of grain. It just so happens that Gonghe is back, see what he has brought us? ”

Yu turned his head to look at it, only to see a frustrated smile and a smile walked in, carrying a cloth bag in his hand. The cloth bag was gently opened, but inside was yellow and clear rice. Yu Fu picked up a grain of rice casually, and couldn't help but let out an exclamation.

The rice in the cloth bag was obviously much fuller than the rice that Yu Flip usually saw, and he grabbed a handful and held it in the palm of his hand, feeling heavy.

Fu Zhu smiled and said, "Zhong Xiang, have you ever seen such a rice grain?" The yield of this kind of rice is much higher than that of wheat in the north, and if the cultivation of such rice is popularized in Jiangdong in large quantities, will there be any need to worry about the food problem? ”

The excitement on Yu Fan's face flashed, and then he said worriedly: "Lord Qiqi, of course it would be good if you could have this kind of rice. It's just that this kind of rice is so precious, where can I get so many rice seeds? How can the people afford these rice seeds? ”

Liu Xin stood up, patted Yu Flip on the shoulder and said, "You don't have to worry about this, all the rice seeds are provided by the government for free, and the people only need to pay an extra 10% of the grain at that time." I will also have people cultivate some farms in the Koto area and improve these rice varieties to adapt to the local climate and obtain higher yields. ”

These rice varieties have been cultivated by the research institute for many years, and the yield per mu has been able to reach more than 300 catties. The yield of more than 300 catties of rice per mu may seem pitiful now, but it was a remarkable progress at that time. At that time, the yield of rice was less than that of wheat, and the yield of wheat per mu in the north was only a little more than 100 catties. Don't underestimate the wheat yield of more than 100 catties per mu, it is precisely because the yield of wheat is higher than that of corn that it brought about a substantial increase in population during the period of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty.

In fact, at that time, the contradiction between population and land was not yet prominent, and it was completely possible to meet the needs by reclaiming a large amount of wasteland. But since taking the helm of Jingzhou, Liu Xin has been committed to increasing grain yields so that the same land can feed more people. Because Liu Xin, who came from later generations, understood better than anyone else that the consequences of over-cultivation were soil erosion and ecological damage, which in turn would make a large amount of land unsuitable for human habitation.

Of course, Liu Xin also knows that there are several crops that can be grown on barren land, and the yield is surprisingly high, that is, potatoes and sweet potatoes, but they are the same as corn and peppers, and they are far away in South America on the other side of the ocean.

In addition to improving rice seeds, the institute has also carried out many experiments in improving agricultural tools and farming methods. You know, at that time, people still used a relatively extensive way of farming, and it is not surprising that the yield was always unable to increase. As for fertilization, at most a few handfuls of plant ash are good, not to mention chemical fertilizers, even farm fertilizers are rarely used. In Jingzhou, due to the large number of pigs, chickens and other poultry and livestock, a large number of very good fertilizers have also been improved for farmland. Therefore, in the two counties of Nanyang and Nanxiang, the yield of wheat is also much higher than that of the northern states, which are more suitable for wheat growth.

When Yu Pan heard that Liu Xin could provide this high-yield rice seed to the people for free, he immediately shook it to the ground and said, "The lord's move will definitely benefit all the people in Jiangdong." The people can eat enough and earn money, even if they have a minor illness, they can also have the ability to seek medical advice. ”

Liu Xin smiled and helped Yu up and said, "Why do you have to wait until you are sick to seek medical advice?" Why can't it be prevented? The reason why the people of Koto are so susceptible to illness is that they sit on the ground in humid weather, which leads to the invasion of moisture. Zhong Xiang, the thing you just sat on is called a chair, and there is a simpler one called a stool. If you use this kind of thing as a seat, you don't have to sit on the floor anymore, and you will stay away from the moisture on the ground, so you will naturally not be so easy to get sick. ”

Yu Flip stretched out his hand and slapped his head fiercely, and said in annoyance: "Oh, how could I not think of such a simple thing." ”

"Hehe" smiled and said: "These furniture are not what everyone wants, they were invented by my lord who thought hard about it." ”

When he said this, even Liu Xin himself was embarrassed, and said modestly: "It's nothing, it's just a flash of inspiration, it's nothing." Don't worry too much about the health of the people of Jiangdong, Zhong Xiang, have you heard of the medical school in Xiangyang? ”

Yu Fan admired Liu Xin so much now, and when he heard Liu Xin's question, he hurriedly arched his hand and said: "The name of Xiangyang Medical College, my subordinates have heard of it when they were in the meeting, and the divine doctor Hua Tuo and his subordinates are also old acquaintances. ”

Liu Xin nodded and said, "Zhong Xiang, since you know Huashen's medical skills, you should know that his medical skills are exquisite. There are not only Hua Shen Doctors, but also Zhang Shen Doctors in the medical school, but no matter how good the medical skills of the two Shen Doctors are, there are only two people, even if they don't sleep, how many patients can they treat in their end? The purpose of Liu's establishment of Xiangyang Medical College is to let the two miracle doctors have successors after surgery. Over the years, Xiangyang Medical College has successively trained many doctors, and now most of the counties in Jingzhou and Yizhou have hospitals established by the government, and it will not be long before these hospitals will be opened in all counties and counties in Jiangdong. With these divine doctors and disciples curing diseases and saving people, do the people of Jiangdong still need to worry about any more minor illnesses and pains? ”

In fact, in addition to cultivating a large number of medical experts, the medical school has also trained many talents in emergency care for the military. This time, Zhu Ding was seriously injured in the battle, and he was first treated by Lang Zhong in the barbarian army, and then transferred to the hospital in Qike County, and sent to Xiangyang after some bandaging treatment. Otherwise, Zhu Ding was so seriously injured, and in such a hot season, not to mention excessive blood loss, a small infection could kill him.

And now, after the careful treatment of Hua Tuo and Zhang Ji, Zhu Ding's face has recovered some blood, and his spirit has improved a lot, but when he saw his daughter hearing the footsteps outside the room, he couldn't help but run over to look, and couldn't help but shake his head.